Happy Holidays!!

Well, this is it!  The very last newsletter of 2011!  The children have worked very hard these last few weeks and I know we are ALL look forward to a nice, relaxing vacation!  I can’t wait to see what is in store for us in 2012!

PERSONAL NARRATIVES

We have a special surprise for you... students have been working SUPER hard to write and record personal narratives...and they are ready to be shared. The narratives can be found on the SPECIAL PROJECTS page on this website (look at the top tabs).  Here is the direct link:  http://secondgradewithmrsmarzilli.blogspot.com/p/special-homework-and-projects.html

PLEASE listen to these stories - they are AMAZING!!

Project Just Because

Thank you all SO much for donating all the warm, comfy, cozy "things" for less-fortunate children in our area!  Mrs. Walsh came by on Thursday to collect all the goodies and was very grateful for your kindness and generosity!!  Thank you! :)

Vacation

Vacation is a great time to enjoy some reading as a family! Reading together allows parents and children to spend valuable time together and can prompt interesting and insightful discussions about reading/books!  Some discussion starters might include: 

ü      What is one question you have?

ü      Make a prediction about what will happen next.  Were you right?

ü      Tell about your favorite part and why it is your favorite.

ü      Tell how you are like/unlike the main character.

ü      Make a connection to the story.

ü      Draw a picture of a setting.

ü      Retell. (beginning, middle, end)

Discussions about books help students to slow down and reflect upon the text. This, in turn, can strengthen reading comprehension skills. 

Any time spent reading together counts toward the reading log – so read, read, read! J  (The January reading log went home today - so students can start off the New Year with a good book!)  

In addition, please remember to review those math facts!  You can use the addition flash cards that I have sent home, as well as the fact triangles.  The triangles will help strengthen subtraction skills as well (that is next on our to-do list!).  You can also ask your child a few questions in the car or while you wait at the grocery store:  What’s 9 + 6?  5 + 7?  By becoming more automatic with their addition facts, children will become more comfortable and confident in math! 

Of course, children are more than welcome to write letters over vacation as well!  Wee Deliver will continue in 2012!

Thank You!

I want to say that I am very thankful and grateful to be working with such a fantastic group of children and families.  You have all been so supportive and helpful and I have really enjoyed getting to know each of you.  Thank you so much! 

Have a wonderful holiday and a relaxing vacation!  I will see you all next year!

Our Week in Review:

READING & SPELLING

This week was a review in reading and spelling, so the students were assessed on the reading skills and strategies, as well as the spelling rules, we have been learning about these last 5 weeks. 

MATH

We wrapped up Unit 4 this week, as well!  Students took the math assessment - including Partial Sums - this Tuesday.  The tests will go home after vacation!  Please continue to practice partial sums over vacation...we don't want to forget how to add multi-digit numbers!

SOCIAL STUDIES 

Finally, we wrapped up the first part of the Maps and Globes unit in Social Studies this week.  Students were assessed on their knowledge and understanding of the purpose/function of maps and globes, parts of a map, and ability to read and follow/navigate directions (North, South, East, West).  We will be revisiting these concepts in greater depth next year! J

Students also learned about Jackie Robinson – the first African America to play professional baseball.  Not only does this tie in nicely with our reading program, but it is a great opportunity to discuss with students the importance of accepting and appreciating people of all colors and cultures.  Ask your child to tell you about Jackie Robinson!

MYSTERY READER

Our Mystery Reader this week was Mr. Marzilli - my brother-in-law, visiting from California. Mr. Marzilli read The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup.  As your child might tell you, Mr. Marzilli is an actor and lives in Hollywood...so you can imagine that he really made the story come "alive!" 

What a week!  We have been VERY busy in Room 13 - trying to tie up a bunch of loose ends before Winter Vacation.  For the most part, students have continued working hard - but I can definitely tell that they are getting excited for the holidays!  Let's see if we can help them stay focused and get through this final week of school!

HCAM
Michelle Murdock (with HCAM) has been doing some research on the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching, which Elmwood teachers are beginning to adopt and integrate into their classrooms.  Take a look at the video below, in which students in Rooms 13 and 16 are featured!

http://www.hcam.tv/videos/responsive-classroom-new-approach-teaching

Our Week in Review:

READING
The story from our anthology this week was There’s Nothing Like Baseball, by Angela Johnson. The children made many wonderful connections throughout this story –s ome about playing baseball/softball, some about going to different games, some about having nervous dreams (e.g. before the first day of school) and more. Ask your child to tell you about the story! 

We continued to refine our inferential thinking skills this week. Students should now be able to tell you that in order to make an inference, you take what you read and add it to what you know - and use that to "figure out" what the author is trying to say.   Keep practicing this at home!


SPELLING
This week, most students worked on spelling words with the long o (ohhhhhh) sound. Students already know that long o can be spelled using o_e (o-consonant-e), like in homeand nose. This week, we focused on other common spellings:

oa	oe	ow	old	ost
boat toast	toes foe	show below	cold mold	most post

 

GRAMMAR

We took a break from plural nouns this week and moved on to apostrophes! Apostrophes really have two purposes in the English language – to create contractions and to show belonging (possession). This week, we focused on using apostrophes to show possession.  

When showing possession, we usually add ’s   to the end of the person/thing that owns the object.

            Examples:        Billy’s hat              the dog’s paws

However, when the word/noun is already plural, we just need to add   ’   to the end (after the s).

            Examples:   two boys’ backpacks    four rabbits’ ears

When we say these words, they sound the same so it is difficult to distinguish between them – and even more difficult to determine which to use and when!  We will continue working on this skill throughout the year.  Please support your child with this when writing at home!

MATH

This week, I introduced a new algorithm for double/triple digit addition with regrouping called Partial Sums. Information about the method went home earlier this week and I hope you found it helpful. The students have really been working hard to understand and apply this new strategy and they have been doing a FANTASTIC job!! It can be tricky at first, but with consistent practice (both at home and at school), it will become second nature!!

Although I encourage students to use all kinds of math strategies (there is no one way to solve a math problem), it is important that students understand this algorithm and know how to use it effectively. This method emphasizes number sense and place value – rather than rote memorization - and it is more developmentally appropriate than “carrying."

Just in case you need a refresher, the steps are provided below:

1)  Draw a line down the middle to represent the breaking apart of the numbers (into ones and tens). Label the columns.

 

2)  Break apart each number and write what each digit “really means.”

        In the number 35, the 3 is "really" a 30 and the 5 is a 5.

3)  Add the numbers in the ones column.  Write the sum in the appropriate columns (tens and ones).

4)  Add the numbers in the tens column.  Write the sum in the appropriate columns - UNDER the sum of ones.

5)  Add your sums (ones then tens) for the final total.  Circle the answer.

Although the “carrying” strategy may seem a little easier, it is important for students to understand and utilize this strategy– especially since other mathematical concepts rely on it (in future years).  Please take the time to understand this method and practice it with your child.

 

 

Suggestion:  Ask your child to explain it to you!  People (children included) remember and understand concepts better when they teach them to others!

 

 

Heads Up: Unit 4 is just about complete and students will be assessed next week.  Partial sums will be part of the test.

SOCIAL STUDIES

We have continued on in our study of maps and globes and I think that students are really internalizing what they are learning!  Students created beautiful maps of their bedrooms from a bird’s-eye view this week …and they are great! They will be hung in the hallway for everyone to enjoy – please come by and take a look!

This week, we have really focused on learning about different kinds of maps.  Here is what we now know: 

Climate Maps are maps that describe the climate – or long-term, typical weather patterns. 

Resource/Product Maps are maps that show the products that are grown, raised, or found in an area.

Road Maps are maps that show important roads and highways in an area.

MYSTERY READER
Our Mystery Reader this week was truly a mystery!  It was someone the students had never seen/met before...and her name was ALSO Mrs. Marzilli!!  It was my mother-in-law, visiting from Rhode Island!  This Mrs. Marzilli is a reading specialist in an elementary school Warwick, RI and she has been looking forward to coming in to meet the children in our classroom.  (She was also looking forward to visiting with Nico after reading!)  Mrs. Marzilli read the story Santa's Book of Names by David M. McPhail, which was a great story about a little boy learning to read.

That's all for this week!!  I'm looking forward to one more great week in 2011. 

Brrrrr!!

The countdown is on!  I can’t believe how quickly we are approaching winter vacation…it seems like the first day of school was just yesterday!   Let’s keep working hard and push through to the end!

Brrrrr!

It is COLD outside!  Please make sure that your child is dressed to play outside for recess - with warm coats and hats/gloves!!  Children that aren't properly dressed will not be allowed to go out!!  (And we all know that the kids need to get outside to play!)

Wee Deliver

The Wee Deliver program has been a HUGE success in the classroom.  I have never seen students so excited to WRITE!  And you should see their faces when they get mail!  Please encourage your child to keep writing those letters!  Don’t forget that you can write letters to them too! (Just drop them in the big blue mailbox in front of the cafeteria!)  J

Our Week in Review:

READING

This week, students read the story Farfallina and Marcel, from our reading anthology.  This story is a fantasy and is written and illustrated by Holly Keller. In keeping with our theme for the week, How Animals Grow, this story tells about a caterpillar (Farfallina) and gosling (Marcel) that become good friends.  After spending some time apart, the two friends can’t find each other because they have both undergone such incredible physical changes!  Ask your child to tell you how they each changed – and how the story ends!

We have been working very hard on making inferences this week!  An inference is when the reader “figures something out," based on information read in a story, as well as previous knowledge of a subject.  Making inferences can be tricky because the information is not directly stated in the text – you must INFER the author’s meaning! 

It is not only important that we make reasonable inferences, but also to identify the clues from the text that helped us arrive at our conclusions. In order to help us strengthen this skill, students played an Inferencing Game this week.  A card from the game is copied here.  How would you do? 

SPELLING

This week, we worked on the different ways to spell long i (iyyyyyyyyy) and unfortunately for the kids, there are quite a few!  Take a look!

Ways to spell the long i sound:

           

i	y	ie	igh	i_e (review)
mind	try	pie	sight	chime
child	cycle	tie	high	kite

Be on the look out for words with these spelling patterns! J

GRAMMAR

We have been talking all about plural nouns for the last few weeks.  Students now know that most nouns can be made plural by adding "S".  For words that end with s, ss, sh, ch, x, and z, we add "ES" to make them plural.  When a singular noun ends with Y, students know to look at the letter before the Y.  If it is a vowel, we just add "S" and if it is a consonant we change-the-Y-to-an-I-and-then-add-ES!   Phew! That's a lot to remember!!

This week, students learned that there are some nouns that do not follow ANY of those rules!  These words are called "Irregular Nouns."  Irregular nouns change completely when they are plural.  Here are some examples:

     tooth - teeth
     mouse - mice
     ox - oxen
     cactus - cacti
     child - children
     man - men

There are many more, too!!  Encourage your child to identify these words - and help him/her spell them correctly!

WRITING

With cell phones and email, letter-writing is somewhat of a lost art and it is important that we keep it alive!  I know that I STILL get excited to receive mail – and it is even more exciting for the children because it doesn’t happen that often!  Please encourage your child to write letters – to friends, cousins, grandparents, and more!  The more they practice, the more they will internalize the letter format (date, greeting with a comma, body, closing with a comma, and name).  They will have great opportunities in the near future (thank-you notes/letters)!

MATH

Ballpark estimates were introduced this week.  We use estimates everyday to help us figure out “about” how much we owe (Do I have enough money?), “about” what time it is (Am I going to be late?), and “about” how cold it is (Do I need to wear a coat?).

When adding, ballpark estimates can help us check our answers.  For example, if our exact answer is completely different (or “far away”) from our ballpark estimate, then we know we made a mistake somewhere.  Many students learned how to make ballpark estimates last year, but for those who are still struggling,students should first ROUND each number and then add the numbers together.

Example:

23  +  47  = ____    ------>     23 is closest to 20 and 47 is closest to 50

so...

20 + 50 - 70 

Next week, we will be adding double-digit numbers with regrouping (carrying) and students will learn a very specific, yet effective, algorithm to solve these problems. Carrying is no longer the method used to solve these problems – we now use the Partial Sums method, which is much more developmentally appropriate.  Detailed information about this algorithm will go home next week and I STRONGLY encourage you to read it carefully so that you can be a valuable resource to your child at home.   (They WILL have questions!)

SOCIAL STUDIES

This week, students were introduced to the 4 intermediate directions – northeast, southeast, northwest, and southwest.  They should now understand that these intermediate directions are found halfway between two cardinal directions - and they provide us with more accurate directions and information.  On Wednesday and Thursday, students included all 8 of these directions in their creation of advanced compass roses – which are proudly displayed in the hallway!

Students learned about symbols and map keys at the end of the week.  Symbols, as students know, are pictures that stand for something else.  A key is a special box on a map that "unlocks" and explains the symbols to the map-reader.  More work with symbols and keys will be done next week!

MYSTERY READER

This week's Mystery Reader was Mrs. Parsons - Kyra's mom! Mrs. Parsons read two wonderful stories.  The first story was titled The Quiltmaker's Journey by Jeff Brumbeau and Gail de Marcken.  The second story was a true story written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and Mary Azarian titled, Snowflake Bentley.  Mrs. Parsons ended her visit by giving students their own snowflakes to take home!  Thank you for visiting, Mrs. Parsons! 

Happy December!

I cannot believe we are already into December!!  Where has time gone?

We have been so busy in the classroom - I haven't had a chance to update the blog!!  Here is a glimpse at what's been happening in Room 13.

Tony Chestnut
As another reminder, if you didn't have a chance to attend Wednesday's Meeting of the Eagles - you missed out!  The children did a fantastic job..and they even got the audience up and moving!!  I sent you a link to view pictures from HCAM earlier in the week, but here it is again: http://www.sceneinhopkinton.org/School/Elmwood-School/Meeting-of-the-Eagles/20234324_ngD5CB#1599269731_Cstr37m

READING
Last week, we read Joan Hewett’s story, A Harbor Seal Pup Grows Up.  This nonfiction selection tells about a seal pup named Sidney who was abandoned by her mother, rescued, and nursed back to health by caring scientists. Sidney was then released back into the wild to live (happily) with other seals. 

With this story, students worked really hard to accurately identify and sequence (put in order) important events.  At this point in time, we are really trying to sequence events according to what happens first, next, and last.   

Suggestion:  To reinforce summarizing and sequencing at home, ask your child to tell you about his/her day (orally).  Encourage him/her to tell you about the important things that happened at school and to tell them in order.  Using time-order words (such as first, next, then, after, finally, and last) will be helpful!

SPELLING
We moved away from short and long vowels last week and looked more closely at consonant blends.  A consonant blend is when two consonants are “blended” together in a word – but you can still hear both sounds.  For example, “st” is a very common consonant blend (think: still, rest, etc.) and you can hear both the “s” and the “t” when you say words with this blend. Although they are frequently found in the beginning of words, consonant blends can be found in the middle and end of words too!

There are many different consonant blend combinations, but this week’s spelling list focused on the following four: 

sp	sl	dr	sk
spell	slippery	dress	skin
crisp	Slinky	drive	task
hospital	slug	drill	basket

Although both sounds are heard, children often forget to include one of the letters when spelling words with these blends.  Slowing down and sounding out words as they write will help! J

GRAMMAR

We spent A LOT of time learning and reviewing the rule for making nouns plural when they end in Y.  Students should have a pretty good understanding of this concept by now, but just in case parents need a review:

Look at the letter BEFORE the y.

If it is a vowel à just add S

            Example:  monkey à monkeys

If it is a consonant à change the Y to an i and add ES.                         

              Example: puppy à puppies

I have been encouraging the children to look at the word when they are done. Does it look funny? Are there too many vowels in a row?  (Example: monkeies) If so, maybe they should take another look at the rule …
Wee DeliverAs I’m sure you know, the Wee Deliver program is in full swing here at Elmwood School!   Students have been learning how to write friendly letters and address envelopes (it’s tricky!). Before Thanksgiving, students created special letterhead in Computer Lab, which we then turned into personalized stationary... and students are taking full advantage of this fancy paper! Please remind your child of the Wee Deliver motto: “Get a letter, write a letter.”

FYI:  Parents/family members are welcome to write letters to students as well!  Wee Deliver stamps were sent home 2 weeks ago, and additional stamps can be requested at the front office.  Letters can be “mailed” in the big, blue mailbox at the front of the building and also at Collelas.  Students in Room 13 have the following address:

Name (first + last)13 Mazilli Manor

Second City, MA 01748

MATHLast week, we began Unit 4, which focuses on more advanced addition and subtraction strategies.  Students were introduced to different diagrams to help them organize important mathematical information – specifically the Start-Change-End diagram (used to organize information about something that changes over time) and the Part-Part-Total diagram (used to help students find the total sum of two parts).
On Friday, we had a Math Lab - facilitated by some wonderful parent volunteers!! Thank you to Mrs. Ambrosone, Mrs. Ullman, and Mr. Miller!  Take a look below to see students hard at work, making coin booklets, thermometers, and playing math games!

SOCIAL STUDIESWe continued our study of maps and globes this week – focusing on the compass rose and cardinal directions.   Earlier in the week, students played Simon Says Directions! and the Suitcase Game (for which they moved around on an alphabet gameboard according to various directions (N, S, E, W) – spelling out fun words)!   I think they are having fun! :)

                                        
Later in the week, students were introduced to the 4 intermediate directions – northeast, southeast, northwest, and southwest.  They should now understand that these intermediate directions are found halfway between two cardinal directions - and they provide us with more accurate directions and information. 

MYSTERY READEROur Mystery Reader last week was Mr. Sutherland - Li's dad!  Mr. Sutherland read two great stories - The Louds Move In, by Carolyn Crimi and Regan Dunnick and The Widow's Broom, by Chris Van Allsburg.  Everyone had a wonderful time listening to Mr. Sutherland bring these stories alive - but no one as much as Li!  Thank you for coming, Mr. Sutherland!!