Thanks for Reading! It S a Great Day to Be a Dolphin

Week of 12 December – 16 December

Reading
In Reading we will complete our Holidays Around the World unit which integrates Social Studies and Reading at this time of year. We are having a great time finding and labeling on our classroom map the countries we are visiting in Reading/Social Studies. Be sure to check out your student’s “suitcase” with their stamped passports when they come home! We are reading and learning about different holiday traditions around the world and will conclude with the reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas”, which circles us back to poetry, as well. In small group, many students are reading a Magic Tree House book titledA Ghost Tale for Christmas Time, which brings in elements of Charles Dicken’s classic A Christmas Carol. I love that students are being exposed to classic literature! /
Math
In Math we will conclude our 2-week unit on Data Analysis (Graphing). We will work with pictographs and bar graphs. Once we understand the parts of a graph, as well as practice the process of collecting data and representing that data in graph form; we will work on drawing conclusions, problem solving, and making predictions from that data. You can check out our interactive graph in the primary 2nd grade hallway. It was interesting to make a pictograph, as well as a bar graph using the data collected from our Thanksgiving Canned Food Drive!
Questions at Home – “How can information be gathered, recorded, and organized?” “How does the type of data influence what you use to represent it?” “What makes a graph easier to understand and figure out what the data shows?” “What kinds of questions can and cannot be answered from a graph?” “Why is it important in your life to understand graphs? Justify your answer.”

I am sure your student has come home and told you we have had many absences lately! Just to let you know, I have been furiously trying to spray each day after the children leave, as well as wipe down with lysol products, etc. We have also gone to elbow bumping instead of hand shaking for morning greeting, as well as frequent antibacterial squirts! If you could just please reiterate to your student about “germ hygiene” while at school, that would be awesome!! I want everyone to be healthy for their holiday. Thank you!!!
For some reason this year our blue plastic daily take-home folders have not held up well. In years past, we have usually had a couple that needed to be replaced by the end of the year, but this year, they almost all started to “bust” by October! (Must have been a bad batch!) I am going to try to order some over the holiday, but if you happen to see these (plastic only, please), please pick one up for your student for the 2nd semester! Thank you!!

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Monday, December 12- Jingle Shop—Walsh class goes from 10:25 – 10:50
*Tuesday, December 13– Students may wear holiday or regular socks for Sock Feet Day in 2nd Grade.
Thursday, December 15- Reindeer Romp - 2nd Grade participates from 9:00-9:55 on the track (Families invited!)
*Thursday, December 15– Students may bring in a pillow or towel for Afternoon Read Time – I will provide the book.
Friday, December 16- DWE Annual Polar Express Day - Students are invited to wear pajamas/Annual School-wide Sing Along is at 8:15a.m./ Winter Parties from 11:00-11:45
Friday, December 16- Early Release at 12:00
Monday, December 19 - Tuesday, January 3, 2017- Winter Holiday!

Congratulations to Reese & Clayton for winning our Classroom Spelling Bee!! John is our Alternate! Everyone was awesome!

Graham – 5 December Molly – 29 December

Thanks for reading! It’s a great day to be a Dolphin!!!!!