Weekly Top Ten December 14th-18th

1. Emma was Principal for the day on Thursday and decided it would be PJ, Cocoa, and Cookie day on Wednesday 12/23!!
2. We are writing persuasive letters. 
3. We are reading Matilda- making predictions, summarizing, and talking about cause and effect. 
4. We had our hearing and vision checked. 
5. We are stitching frames in art.  
6. We are problem solving with coins. 
7. We learned about the Magic of 3, red flag words, story questions,  and word referents. 
8.  We switched up our reading groups. 
9. Mrs. Jacobson was our substitute on Monday and Tuesday.
10. We wrote suspenseful segments about an elf 

Yikes! I can't believe we haven't posted since October! It might look like we were on vacation in November but we weren't! We were working so hard here in second grade. Here is this weeks weekly top ten. Stay tuned for some pictures and updates of the happenings in room D59. 

1.  We learned about predicting and finding facts and details when reading. 
2. We are writing diamond poems. 
3.  In art we worked on patterns. 
4. In gym we played tag.
5.  Started a new read aloud: MATILDA 
6.  We learned about, read, and wrote play scenes. 
7.  TTQA= Turn the question around. 
8. We built equal arm balances in sciences. 
9. We are learning to tell time to the 5 minute. 
10.  We designed ornaments. 

Another busy week in grade 2

1.  Began elaborative detail writing about a scarecrow
2.  "Ahoy Mateys" geography packs--we created our own maps! 
3.  Bus evacuation 
4.  All school afternoon meeting 
5.  Finished up square one art in art class 
6.  Read LOTS of expository text 
7.  DICE problem solving 
8.  Measuring in inches and centimeters (inch worms) 
9. Main idea and detail about space
10. Open number lines outside with chalk 


Parents, here is some new math for you! Your students have been learning about and practicing the open number line strategy... 

1. Draw a blank number line
2. Start at the bigger number 
3. "leap" the tens. 
4. "hop" the ones 

Also, we just began our work with problem solving. We will be using the acronym DICE. 

D- Dissect the question. Circle the number and underline the important words 

I- Illustrate. What strategies can you use to help you solve? 

C- Compute. Write a number sentence 

E- Explain your thinking. Label your answer 

Finally, here are some pictures of our busy but amazing week! 

Bus Evacuation... 

Open Number Line practice outside... 

Whole school afternoon meeting... 

Measuring in inches and centimeters... 

I hope everyone enjoys the weekend. Have pictures from boofest? Send them along and I will post them to the blog :) 

Weekly Top Ten, Week of October 12th

1. We finished our fist concept map, all about "What can we learn by exploring different communities" 
2.  We celebrated Grace's Birthday on Tuesday!
3. We did our first Reading Street Assessment and our first Unit Math Assessment (results to come!) 
4. In music, we sang "Everything Is Awesome"
5. Wrote FALL acrostic poems
6.  In reading we learned about Characters and Setting 
7.  More square one in Art 
8. We had a substitute on Thursday 
9. We moved desks into table groups 
10. In STEAM, we finished our bridges, houses, and towers

Weekly Top Ten Week of October 5th

1.  Got and read "Necks Out For Adventure" -Thanks PTO!
2.  In art, we did Square One Art 
3.  Fire prevention assembly 
4.  Read about Pumpkins  
5.  Crazy hair day/ half day 
6. We played tag in gym 
7.  Read and learned about Christopher Columbus 
8.   New math groups (Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins) 
9.  Elephant toss greeting
10. Learned and played Roll to 100 

I can't believe September has come and gone. Your students have been working so hard and having lots of fun in second grade. I hope they come home each day smiling and sharing with you all they have done. I also want to take this time to thank all of the grade 2 families for your hard work checking and signing homework. I believe it is truly sending the message to students that their education is important and that we are all in this together!

You'll notice that the first posts on here come directly from your students. Each week we create a "Weekly Top Ten" of all the things we did and learned that week. Ask them questions and have them tell you more about each one. These are great conversations starters for the dinner table!

It is my hope that each week, in addition to the weekly top ten, that I get in the groove of sharing some things with you... I will do my best!

This week, students are learning about basic place value: ones, tens, and hundreds. They are also learning to use base ten blocks to add and subtract numbers. Today we learned a game called "Roll to One Hundred". It is helping them practice trading in ones for tens. As we move forward we will learn other strategies to add and subtract two digit and three digit numbers!

In reading we began our first Reading Street Story called "The Twin Club". We are stretching this story to last us two weeks while we learn about reading response, vocabulary centers, word work centers, buddy read, read to self. I am so impressed with the work your students are doing. Here are some pictures of students enjoying books with friends :)

Notice, they are sitting EEK (Elbow to Elbow, Knee to Knee) so both can see the words and pictures. By reading to someone, and listening to someone read they are building their reading fluency! 

A highlight from this week was our Fire Prevention assembly. Thanks to Lt. Fowler and Lt. Pierce!! 

I encourage families to discuss and practice some of the things learned today!!

-Make an evacuation plan

-Determine the two possible exits in each room of your house. 

-Test Smoke Detectors once per month (This is also a good time to practice your evacuation plan!)

-Make sure your child knows their address and phone number. 

I would love to hear from your students in the comments section. Have them type me a response as to where your families evacuation meeting place is. Typing skills are becoming more and more important and this is one way they can practice and share with me :)

Finally, I am sharing with you the Doodle4Google contest in case your student is interested: https://www.google.com/doodle4google/

Enjoy your long weekend!!

~Miss Sciamanna

Weekly Top Ten: Week of 9-28-15

1.  Learned and practice subject/predicate. 
2.  Journal writing
3.  Practiced listen to reading 
4. "manipulate numbers"
5. We learned strategies for adding and subtracting: make ten, count on, count back, doubles, and near doubles. Teacher Table and Games. 
6. Recorded IPICK (uploading isn't working :( still working on it!) 
7.  In Art, we made self portraits with clay
8.  Finished Clementine 
9.  Started Addition riddles
10. Made "From Seed to Apple" flap books and read Apples by Gail Gibbons. 

***Bonus
- Learned about nouns 
- Talked about Authors Purpose- to inform, to entertain, to persuade 

Weekly Top 10: Week of September 21st

1.  Practiced centers in math and in reading!
2.  Made fact triangles
3.  Played Path Man in Gym
4. Continued reading Clementine
5.  Learned about Mt. Kilimanjaro in music
6.  Pyramid words for spelling homework
7.  We got our first writing packets.
8.  First STEAM class -- built houses, bridges, and towers.
9.  Picture Day
10. Shopped for new books 

Weekly Top Ten: Week of September 14th

1. Created our class rules and signed our class promise 
2.  Learned and played "Roll It, Double It" and "Double Hoppin" 
3. Learned and practiced "Read to Someone" 
4. We had our first P.E. class.
5. We read for 30 minutes straight!
6.  We had our first spelling test.
7. Practice "IPICK" song -- Be on the lookout for our video!
8.  Played 100 .
9. Played Sparkle to practice spelling words.
10. We started to read aloud "Clementine".

Hi Second Grade Families, 

It was so nice meeting all of you last week! I hope you are not overwhelmed with information. As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me. 

This week... 

Spelling words:

fresh
kid
this 
tell
jet
best
that
grass
wish
sad

Bonus: Miss Sciamanna 

Over the next few weeks we will be practicing our assignments from the spelling menu. Instead of making a choice students will complete an assigned activity each night. 

Monday: ABC order
Tuesday: Silly Sentences
Wednesday: backward words
Thursday: repeat words and practice test 

No math homework this week! 

Don't forget about Second Grade Survey, Homework Policy, Scholastic Book orders, and Highlights Orders!! 

Weekly Top 10: Week of September 7th

1. Did mystery pictures in math 2. Read aloud Olivia 3. Shopped for books for our book bin 4. We read "Hey Little Ant" and wrote about it5. Learned and played Back to Back Face to Face 6. Learned "IPICK" song and dance 7. (Some) kids did the Ice Bucket Challenge 8. We create our Hopes and Dreams 9. We wrote notes to our parents for curriculum night10. We built reading stamina- 14 minutes!!

Weekly Top Ten (Week1)

1.  The teachers did the ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE!!!!
2.  We created morning meeting rules
3.  We learned Domino Top It and Back to School Bump 
4.  We learned about STEAM 
5. In Art, we made name tags
6. Shared "All About Me" Bags
7.  Made name tags
8. We did a time capsule project
9. Skittles math
10. We made "Apple of my Eye" 

Welcome Back!

August 23, 2015

Dear Second Grade Student and Parents,

Welcome to a great new year at North Beverly Elementary School. My name is Miss Sciamanna and I will be your second grade teacher.This is my second year teaching at North Beverly but I was once a student here myself! I am very fortunate to return to the school that inspired me to become a teacher. 

I am so excited to meet you all. Our first day of school together will be on Tuesday September 1, 2015.  I am already starting to plan for the year ahead and getting our classroom set up and ready for your arrival (Rm. D59). 

So far, this summer has been great for me. I had a fun-filled 4^th of July weekend in Connecticut with some friends. I really enjoyed spending time relaxing by a lake and getting some sun. In July I took four graduate level courses to learn more about ways to build our classroom community and engage you in my lessons!  I was also busy babysitting some awesome kids this summer. We went to the beach, the park, built many lego creations, and spent some time at the library. 

Before the summer is over I hope to do a little more relaxing. Now that my graduate classes are over and I am done babysitting for the summer I am hoping to take this last week to relax and get ready for your arrival. I will be taking a day trip to hike with my cousin, meet with the other second grade teachers to do some planning, and read a few books I have on my "to read" list.  

I hope that you too, will be ready to share some highlights of your summer vacation during our first few weeks of school. 

I am looking forward to an exciting year with my class.  Enjoy the rest of your summer and see you in September!

Sincerely,

Miss Sciamanna