3 Digit Number Forms

Today we cut and matched 3 digit numbers represented in standard, word and expanded forms. Please practice by giving your child examples and letting them show 3 digit numbers in all of these forms (standard, word, short word, expanded and base ten). We will have a test on this tomorrow.

 

Writing Checks

Today we practiced writing the different number forms on checks. Ofcourse we only use the standard and word forms on real checks, but it was fun to do something relavant that connected math to the real world! I sent a blank "check book" home with everyone to use for practice. I will also attach the document below in case your child wants to write more.

Writing Checks for Word Form_1_.pdf

Station Time

Guided Reading stations are in full swing in room 202! I'm so proud of everyone for following procedures and taking ownership of their learning. We have independent reading, writing (book making), research and book club stations. In a few weeks, we will add an extra station where a group of students go to the computer lab each day. Here are some snapshots from this morning.

 

Zoology Reports

We are junior zoologist this week as we conduct research on the different animal groups! We rotate around in our science centers in small groups, and fill out our "zoology report" research. Once we finish with our research, we will fill out a real zoology report listing characteristics for all the different animal groups. 

Here are a few of the books we are using. We also use the iPads, videos, computers and articles. Below those are some sample zoology research that we have completed so far!

Fairy Tale Unit

We will continue our study of folk tales this week by introducing fairy tales. We will be reading different versions of Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs this week. We will read Cinderella Stories next week (I will post on these next week!). We will look at fairy tale elements, along with theme and story elements to make comparisons of similar stories across cultures. Please help your child learn to identify these characteristics as they read fairy tales. You can also ask them to tell you about the books we will be reading below. 

Grouping Animals

Last week, we answered these questions about animals. 

Before learning about the animal groups, we needed to know why we group animals certain ways. Now that we know, we can begin this week learning about the different animal groups & their characteristics. 

Hat Day!

We loved wearing our hats to support a great cause!

Mathematical Practices

Today we started talking about the mathematical practices. They are a great way to think about math! We want our students at CFG to see math in the world around them and use the practices to problem solve. I want my students to know and believe that with math, the journey is more important than the destination. The mathematical practices are vehicles we use to reach our destination. We will use these every day in class and I highly encourage you to have them posted somewhere at home. You can refer back to these with homework, and when your child encounters math in their day to day world. 

Here they are in kid friendly terms. We introduced practices 1-3 today. We will have a math station where we write about the mathematical practices, once we get our math stations going. 

Place Value with 3 digits

We are continuing with our place value unit. Today we learned to show 3 digit numbers with place value blocks. Everyone is already doing a fantastic job! I can't wait to watch everyone become experts with 3 digit numbers this week : )!! Happy Monday!

Number Forms

Last week and through the next few weeks (really throughout the entire year)... Second graders should know how to show numbers in all the different forms... standard form, short word form, word form and expanded form. They should also be able to draw a base 10 representation of their number. Below is the anchor chart we made in class. We took at test Friday that covered the material with 2 digit numbers. 

Parents, the study guide on the back of last week's newsletter had all of the number forms. If you see that your child needs extra practice with these, let me know and we can come up with a plan!

All About Animals!

We are starting our animal unit this week!   I love teaching animals... I love to see everyone's excitement about what we are learning and I love how we can apply what we learn to help us understand animals we see every day!

Below are a few posters with characteristics we will learn. We use the acronym MR. FAB and then add IS (MR.FABIS) when we study insects and spiders. 

 

Coming next week...

Next week we will continue learning about place value. We will begin working with numbers through the hundreds and thousands. The big idea is that a "bundle" of ten ones make a ten, ten tens make a hundred and ten hundreds make a thousand.

In reading, we will continue our study of tall tales and look more closely at small versions of famous tall tales. We will discuss hyperboles, the use of exaggeration, evidence of westward expansion and other tall tale characteristics. 

In science, we will begin learning about animals basic needs. We will also begin learning how animals are classified into groups.  (See next post : )!!!)

In writing, we will focus on adding details and begin looking at how to edit and revise. We will continue learning about all the things that make a great story!

Writer's Spotlight!

We decorated our writing notebooks this week. We continued working on narratives and I have been amazed with everyone's creativity. We have learned that writers can write anytime, anyplace... about anything! Our writer's notebooks are a place to keep any type of writing we want. This can be for writing we do at home or at school.. so our notebooks can travel home with us. Our only rule is that we have to have writing on every page. : ) (Also, parents please help me make sure the notebooks come back to school each day.) 

Here are the fabulous writers themselves!

We have several writers share during our writer's spotlight time.

 

Tall Tales

I love teaching tall tales because they take us on an adventure! They also teach us a lot about American history. We are learning how tall tales began in the 1800's as campfire stories and as a way to entertain. Here are some facts about tall tales.

Most tall tales are about pioneer heroes who lived during westward expansion. 

They contain a character with super human qualities.

They are exaggerated.

The main character sometimes has an animal that also has exaggerated qualities. 

Tall tales are a type of folktale.

We are making charts and taking notes on these features this week. Each child will be choosing their favorite tall tale and making something at the end of this week. Check back for updates!

These are the books we are reading this week, along with charts we made as we discussed the story. The kids came up with most of these tall tale features and descriptions from the story on their own. I was SO PROUD!

 

Multiple Representaions of Place Value

We had an incredible turn out at Open House tonight! I am thankful to have such wonderful and supportive parents. I loved talking with each of you. Please don't hesitate to contact me anytime you need me. 

This week in math, we are continuing to explore place value. Last week we learned to represent numbers with base ten blocks. This week, we are learning that we can show numbers in more than one way. For example.. You can show the number 57 with 5 tens and 7 ones, 57 ones, 4 tens and 17 ones, 3 tens and 27 ones, etc. We do this to help build mental math strategies that will be needed for addition and subtraction with regrouping. 

Here are some action shots of us using base ten blocks and drawings to show numbers!