Being Strategic

The theme connecting our work in the classroom this week has been strategies.

In math, the boys and girls continued to practice strategies for two-digit addition. Most are making the shift from drawings to using numeric strategies that are far more efficient. In reading, they are learning strategies for tackling the topic-specific words that can sometimes be stumbling blocks in non-fiction books. They've tried anticipating words that match a particular topic so as not to be surprised by them. They've used features like text boxes, labels and lines, and glossaries to help with new vocabulary, and they've used context clues.

As writers, the boys and girls have studied the strategies used by Melissa Stewart, author of more than 150 non-fiction books for kids. Stewart's strategies include asking questions to make readers wonder, including details and comparisons to help them understand, and adding fun facts to amuse and amaze them.

All of these strategies are important in and of themselves, but the big idea here, I think, is that learners can choose from an array of strategies and carry them out to achieve goals. Even at second grade, a lot of what we learn and do isn't black and white. There isn't just one right way. Some strategies fit some purposes better than others. Some strategies fit some learners better than others. Sometimes we try one strategy and fail, but there's almost always another way of looking at things; something else to try.

In this vein, I am trying some new strategies in the hopes of streamlining and strengthening a few home/ school routines. Being new to the grade has meant having to develop a lot of new routines. Some have worked just fine; others need tweaking. Here's an update:

Spelling - Early release days and other interruptions have affected our Word Wall spelling schedule. This has been confusing and I apologize. From now on, I will send our five new high-frequency spelling words home every Monday. The words will come home on a more clearly marked blue half sheet to distinguish them from test sheets. The spelling test will always be on Friday and scored tests will be sent home on Monday. If it's a short week, like next week, there will be no new words and we will use the time to review.

Words Their Way - Besides Word Wall words, the boys and girls are learning to recognize common word patterns as a spelling aid. The Words Their Way program used in second grade at Stormonth has students study lists of words with particular spelling features. Beginning after Thanksgiving break, I will send these word lists home. Your child should be quite familiar with how to cut and sort the words according to their patterns. Students are not tested on all of the words, but a sampling of ten. At-school practice of these words follows a five-day cycle. Expect that your child will be tested five school days after his or her word list comes home. Test days vary depending on the spelling group your child is a part of.

Reading - You may have noticed that I've created blue bookmarks that say "I read this book with Mrs. Armstrong." This is to distinguish a practiced book from an unfamiliar one. Please be sure to send the bookmark back along with the book. Whether it's a book from me or something that your child has selected from our classroom library, please read with your child or monitor his or her reading time. Your child should do at least 20 minutes of at-home reading every day. Your initials on your child's reading log confirm this. I check reading logs at least once a week.

Scholastic News - Look for an edition of this kids' news magazine to come home every Monday. I encourage you to make re-reading and discussing it part of your child's reading homework.

If you have suggestions for changes in other home/school routines or questions, please let me know.

One more thing worth a mention is our science unit: Pebbles, Silt, and Soil. Our  latest lessons have been about the uses of rocks. A hike around our school property offered lots of examples, from brick walls and walkways, to drainage ditches, light posts, and our asphalt playground. The boys and girls got a chance to make something of their own from a form of rock - sand. We mixed the sand with cornstarch and water to create some very imaginative sand sculptures.

Finally, a huge thank-you for the many, many contributions to our Stormonth food drive. We sorted our items and counted them by groups, then added the totals using our two-digit addition strategies. Our total was 260 - the highest in the school. What a wonderful lesson in generosity!

Mark Your Calendars:

Fri., Nov. 18 - Food drive ends; total collected announced at an all-school assembly

Tues., Nov. 22 - Stormonth concerts, 10 AM and 2 PM

Wed., Nov. 23 - Early release day for students

Thurs., Nov. 24, and Fri., Nov. 25 - Happy Thanksgiving!

Fri., Dec. 9 - Report cards are sent home

Wed., Dec. 14 - Early release day for students

Fri., Dec. 23 - First day of Winter Break

Tues., Jan. 3 - School resumes