Happy New Year!

We welcomed 2017 to the classroom by focusing on two words: reflection and resolution. In various ways over the last few days, the boys and girls and I looked back at the work we did in 2016 and we thought about how we could do even better in the new year. As a class, we agreed that we would try to take our thinking deeper, work harder, and be kinder to each other. The boys and girls made personal resolutions, too, as part of a project that will come home next week. Some hoped to become more capable readers, writers, and mathematicians. Others made promises to be more helpful, more patient, and more focused. It looks like the start of a wonderful year!

January brings new fiction units in both Reading and Writing Workshops. More than ever, the two go "hand in hand." The boys and girls will be reading series book and they will be writing about them. Their writing will take the forms of journal entries, letters, and opinion essays. For now, I am giving the class time to just explore our impressive series collection. Reading some series like Mr. Putter and Tabby, Pinky and Rex, Ready Freddy, and Frog and Toad is like visiting old friends. But many of our books feature characters who are new to the boys and girls like Katie Kazoo, Gus and Grandpa, Bink and Gollie, Houndsley and Catina, and the Cobble Street Cousins. Getting to know them has been lots of fun. As we move on, each student will be expected to focus on one book series, reading multiple titles within that series and doing lots of work around the characters. More about that later.

In math, we are finishing our unit on geometry and measurement. This week, our measurement work switched from centimeters and meters to inches, feet, and yards. On Monday, we will review for the unit test. As has become our routine, I will send home a practice test for you to look over with your child. The test will be on Tuesday.

The class had no new spelling words this week. Instead, I am checking the children's recall of the words that have been introduced so far. Before moving on to new words, we'll practice to try to correct common misunderstandings and each of the boys and girls will set up a personal word wall to use as an ongoing reference. We'll also be starting some word study lessons about parts of speech, plurals, possessives, contractions, abbreviations, prefixes, and suffixes - the mechanics of good writing.

To close, I send a belated thanks for your help with last month's Secret Snowflake activity and school board presentation. Both were high points for our class. And cheers to you in the New Year!

Mark Your Calendars:

Wed., Jan. 11 - Early release day for students

Fri., Jan. 13 - MAP math test, 2- 3 PM

Tues., Jan. 17 - Ice skating starts for second grade and continues for four weeks. Mr. Tobin is still looking for parent helpers. Please let me know if you are interested.

Fri., Jan. 20 - MAP reading test, 9:50-10:50 AM

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.

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