Dear Readers...

So begin the letters that the boys and girls have been writing about beloved books. In these letters, the children are trying to persuade others to love their books as much as they do by stating clear opinions and providing reasons, details, and examples to support their claims. Some people say that email and other high-tech correspondence has led to the death of the letter, and it's true that finding a personal letter in our mailboxes these days is a bit of a rare

occurrence. But I'd argue that the spirit, purpose, and form of persuasive letter writing are still very much present in email exchanges, applications, editorials, and even online blogs like this one, and that letter writing still holds a rightful place in our curriculum.

Energy for this work has been high in our classroom. The boys and girls have been churning out pages about favorite characters and scenes. There's no shortage of topics when all writers have to do is look to their book boxes for another great idea to write about it. As we move on, we'll look at strategies for revising and organizing letters in ways that build a strong case for particular points of view.

In math this week, the boys and girls learned various strategies for two-digit subtraction with "ungrouping." First, they learned a drawing method meant to represent the subtraction process in clear, visual terms. Next, they were introduced to the "expanded method" and the "ungroup first method." Teaching multiple ways to solve problems is a hallmark of our Math Expressions program and allows each child the freedom to figure out which method works best for him or her.

Thank you for supporting your child's character study. Reading three books (or more) from the same series is the expectation as we prepare for the second-grade Character Fashion Show on Fri., Feb. 10. One reading lesson this week was about noticing how characters respond to problems and what this reveals about them. We also worked on fluency, recognizing that as we come to understand characters more fully, we can make the tone of our reading match their personalities and moods.

We were invited to Mrs. Stark's room this week for a preview of the kinds of activities available to students as part of Makers' Club. Mrs. Stark has just extended the popular Makers' Club program to our grade. Our class gets the first shot at it. In Makers' Club, students can design and construct projects using resources ranging from cardboard boxes and wooden blocks to claymation software. The emphasis is on exploration, creativity, and collaboration. Makers' Club is optional and meets during recess on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for the next four weeks.

Abby Woods from our class was honored at an all-school assembly as one of Stormonth's Sensational Six for this month. As we celebrated her success, I let the the boys and girls know that they are all sensational in my view. They do amazing work every day. They never fail to impress me with their bright ideas and their good hearts.

Mark Your Calendars:

Tues., Jan. 24 - First day for Makers' Club with Mrs. Stark, 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM for students who choose to participate in place of going outside for recess. Continues for the next four weeks.

Wed., Jan. 25 - Our next chance for ice skating. Let's hope that the weather cooperates. Wednesdays and Fridays will be our skating days through Feb. 8.

Wed., Feb. 1 - I will be out of the classroom for curriculum work with the other second-grade teachers. Mrs. Maier will be the substitute.

Wed., Feb. 8 - Early release day for students

Thurs. Feb. 9 - I will be out of the classroom to attend the Wisconsin State Reading Association Convention. Mrs. Maier will be the substitute.

Fri., Feb. 10 - Second-Grade Character Fashion Show, 9:15 AM in the cafeteria. Parents are invited to attend.

Tues., Feb. 14 - Valentine's Day celebration