Second Grade at Shaker Lane - Room 202

It's time! I have started to put together a volunteer schedule. So far I have only the first part of the fall up but I will be posting additional slots. For now, please choose one or two slots to sign up for. Every few weeks I will add a few more slots and you can sign up for more.Just a caveat, our schedule is very challenging this year and there may not be many other days of the week or times of day I will be able to add. Look at the sign up here or click below: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084daaa92ea3f49-volunteer

Math homework will often be a variety of puzzles from Greg Tang Math which incorporates fact practice and problem solving along with a variety of other concepts in a fun way. (some of these are games on his website,  www.GregTangMath.com  )  We do these in class several times a week and I always provide instruction, but in case students forget what to do or you would like some info, I made a video on how to solve each puzzle.  Here is the video for Equato.  Enjoy!

Did your child do well overall with the first grade curriculum? Are you curious about  the second grade team's philosophy on enrichment? Our philosophy for enrichment is digging deeper. What does that mean? Digging deeper means taking what students know and working with that knowledge. Can students apply that knowledge from kindergarten and first grade because they have internalized it? Can they use what they know to approach a more difficult problem in the same area? Can they teach it to someone they know (you will see that question on our math unit self-assessments)? Can they explain what they know verbally and  in writing? We want to help our students be able to convey their knowledge. In today's world, whether in older grades, on the ol' MCAS, or in the workplace, people need to be able to explain their thinking clearly and thoroughly so that they can get their message across to others. So first we need to look at metacognition - they understand what they know ...

We are going to be doing some fun pumpkin math activities and looking for some volunteers to come in and help us on Wed. October 25th (1:30-2:30pm) and some folks to send in supplies. I apologize for the last minute nature of this; however the idea was just discussed among staff yesterday. It sounds like it will be a lot of fun! Sign up here at Sign up Genius! Thank you!

Hi there! Soon (as in the next two weeks) I will be looking for classroom volunteers. That sign up will go up in a few weeks, probably closer to November 1, so be on the look out for that. The volunteer sign up will also be on this blog. Thank you!

Now that explaining your mathematical thinking is included in the 2nd grade common core state standards and  it is included frequently in our new edition of Everyday Math some questions have arisen. Explaining your mathematical thinking verbally and coherently in writing is a developing skills for second graders. It comes gradually and is not like a light bulb getting switched on. Rest assured we are working on it in class together and students have the chance for independent practice. It is just the beginning of the year so we need not be anxious and worry that students need to be great at it right now. The second grade standards are standards to meet by the end  of second grade. I think some mathematics sites have some really good information for parents. One of my favorites is this Scholastic post. Click here. Several of my favorite sections I will quote below but head over for the full post. "Learning how to use  language  and mathematical thinking benef...

I am using Sign Up Genius to schedule Fall Conferences. Please head over by clicking here and sign up for conferences! Thanks and look forward to seeing you then!

 Please note due to the short week, your child will  not  have new spelling words and spelling homework this week. We will return to the spelling program next week and do some in class review this week. There will be a reading log sent home, due Friday. Math homework is usually Monday night, but since we had no school on Monday, math homework will go home on Tueday. It will be a math puzzler and there will be a video how-to posted on the blog. Also, I am trying something new. I will be sending home missed homework slips via Google Drive. You will receive an automatic form email if your child does not turn in homework before lunch time on the day it is due. (homework turn in reminders are written on the easel daily, shown on the TV, and I give verbal reminders to the class and sometimes individually before marking homework missing, fyi) . This will save paper and time and probably make it more likely that you will be in the loop and can help them remember to send i...

Math homework will often be a variety of puzzles from Greg Tang Math which incorporates fact practice and problem solving along with a variety of other concepts in a fun way. (some of these are games on his website,  www.GregTangMath.com  )  We do these in class several times a week and I always provide instruction, but in case students forget what to do or you would like some info, I made a video on how to solve each puzzle.  Here is the video for Snake and Kakooma.  Enjoy!

I saw this on Pinterest and love it! It may give you some good ideas if you want to help your child with math.

Math homework will often be a variety of puzzles from Greg Tang Math which incorporate fact practice and problem solving along with a variety of other concepts in a fun way. (some of these are games on his website, www.GregTangMath.com )  We do these in class several times a week and I always provide instruction, but in case students forget what to do or you would like some info, I made a video on how to solve each puzzle.  Here is the video for DigiCross and NumTanga. Enjoy!

This week we discussed that at some time every teacher has to be out, whether for a short time (like a meeting) or the whole day. Teachers get sick, teachers get sent to trainings, etc. We talked about the book Miss Nelson is Missing, in which the teacher goes missing and the students have a substitute. Together, the students brainstormed rules for when a substitute is here. They thought about what would need to happen for everyone to have a good day, be a happy class and have the substitute be able to compliment them to me. We came up with this list (all the students' ideas) and it has been posted in the room. Feel free to use this poster* or the topic when discussing how school is going with your child! *This is an older picture but our current sub rules list is almost exactly the same (except "no pranks"!).