Grade 2 January Newsletter

Mrs. Huttons & Mrs. Seibels Class

Roseland Public School

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Happy New Year everyone! We are so excited to start a brand new year with all our
wonderful students and parents of Room 1. We hope that you had a restful holiday filled
with joy! Both Mrs. Seibel and Mrs. Hutton are looking forward to beginning the New
Year with your child! We have many fun filled educational experiences planned! Please
check our website often to help keep you informed and up to date.
Our science unit on Air & Water is underway. We have been blown away with poetry
and short stories on the power of wind. As well we completed an experiment involving
how powerful our own breath can be. Visit https://www.greenmountainenergy.com/whygreen/renewable-energy-101/wind-energy-101/ at home to learn more about wind energy.
Although this is an American website, the information is pertinent and the video is easy
to understand. Also, you could take a drive through Essex county to experience and
discuss wind power in Ontario. Science is EVERYWHERE!
We will be wrapping up our writing unit on friendly letters shortly. The culminating task
related to our Flat Stanley read alouds, Flat Student, should be completed and mailed
before term 1 report cards have been sent home. If you have not already done so, please
complete and return the form regarding who your child will be writing to ASAP.
Students have been going a great job practicing word work throughout the week at home
and at school. Starting in January, students will be given approximately 20 minutes/week
to work on the assigned words (i.e. practice writing the word, then creating a sentence for
each word). If their word work is unfinished by Thursday, it will be sent home to be
completed and due the following school day.
In the next few weeks I will be sending home a letter and rubric about the next oral
presentation. Prior to beginning the presentations, I will model various examples and
have students evaluate my presentations to help prepare them. The focus will be reading a
self-selected, familiar text (part of a story, a poem) that allows and emphasizes the
following:
-Rate: Does the speed of the reading match the feeling or mood of the text? (ex. rain day
may be slower compared to a bright sunny day; the reader slows down to create
suspense)
-Repetition: When you read the repetition, does it clarify to the listener what the author
wants to emphasize? (ex. the reader pronounces particular words with more tone and
volume to be sure the listener understands)
-Onomatopoeia: Does the word sound like its meaning? (ex. the reader forms a sneer wth
his/her lips when reciting the word)
-Voice: Does the reader use voice to identify characters/punctuation? (ex. the reader uss a
different voice, tone, volume based on a character or type of punctuation)

In reading, we are continuing to focus on communicating the main idea. The main idea of
a text can be stated or implied, or a combination of the two together. You can practice
determining the main idea at home by reading text together and then ask your child,
What was the text MOSTLY about?. Once the main idea has been determined, ask your
child how s/he knows - this information is found or implied from the text. Please
continue to have your child read nightly, gradually increasing to 15 minutes interrupted,
with the goal of building up to 20 minutes. Remember Raz Kids is an excellent resource.
Please speak to me or write a message in the agenda if this program does not work for
well, so it is important that your child have their own earbuds or headset. You can
purchase inexpensive ones at the Dollar Store/Tree that are compatible with iPads.
In math, we have finished our Number Sense unit. Please sign and return the math test.
Over the next few weeks, we will be continuing our unit on Time, Temperature and
Money. Our Time and Temperature Review will go home Fri. January 9th and the Time
and Temperature Math Test will be on Wed. January 14th. See the attached Math
Newsletter for ways that you can help your child at home.
In the area of social studies, we will be continuing to learn more about the many
traditions and celebrations of our Room 1 families (i.e. Christmas, Hanukah, New
Years). Students are encouraged to compare and discuss the many similarities and
differences between their own traditions and celebrations and those of their peers. We
will also be continuing our unit on Maps and Globes and will continue to explore basic
map skills.
Just a reminder that there will be a PD day on January 16 and no school on that day.
Also, Term One reports will go home on February 2 and interviews will be on the
evening of February 5th. There will be no school on February 16th due to Family Day.
A big thank you goes out to our Parent Volunteers, Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Mikha, who
helped out with our Christmas festivities just before the break. Their time and efforts are
always greatly appreciated by the students and teachers in Room 1. We continue to
welcome all parents who like to volunteer in our room. If you are interested, please let us
know when you are available by dropping us a note in your childs agenda. We look
forward to being partners in your childs education and cant wait to collaborate with you
as we venture into a brand new year together! Happy 2015 everyone!
Yours in education,
Mrs. Hutton and Mrs. Seibel