Second Grade News May 14 - 18, 2012

●● Please return the reading CD and the social studies book that have been kept at home, if you have not already done so ●●

●● If your child will not be at school on Tuesday, May 22, 2012, which is a half day and the last day of school, please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope for the report card, or you may pick up the report card from the office. The children will be dismissed at 12:51. There will be NO AFTERCARE.●●

      I strongly recommend that you encourage your child to read over the summer. The attached summer reading list is for second and third grade. Some of the books can be read independently and some are for you to read aloud or to read with your child. Many of these authors have written several good books. Look for books by favorite authors or books about subjects that are of particular interest to your child. Please explore the public library, bookstore, or my Teacher Web LINKS for additional “treasures.” Have a terrific, safe summer and remember to, “read, read, read!”

    If you would like to have a second grade math workbook (from a previous series, so all the material would be new for your child), please let me know. This would provide a great review of math facts and skills for your child over the summer.

    We will use Sylvester and the Magic Pebble as the basis for our whole language, literature based reading unit this week. Reading, language, and phonics will be based on vocabulary, skills, and activities using this book.

    Since we have completed all of the spelling lessons, there will be no spelling homework or test this week! We will complete activities in class using vocabulary words from Sylvester and the Magic Pebble.☺ ☺☺

    In language, we will continue writing activities, working on nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, sentences, capitalization, punctuation, possessives, contractions, using articles (a, an), comparative forms (er, est), suffixes, multiple meaning words, and homophones. We will complete our Steck-Vaughn Language workbook and work on organizing information, alphabetical order, and using a dictionary and thesaurus.

        We will complete Chapter 12, “Understanding Multiplication and Division” in math. The children will learn to: make equal groups of objects and find the total number of objects in those groups, write equivalent repeated addition and multiplication number sentences, build an array to model a multiplication sentence, multiply numbers in any order to get the same product, multiply numbers written in vertical format, solve a problem by drawing a picture, divide a set of objects into a given number of equal groups, and to write a division sentence to represent a sharing situation. Investigations this week will include activities on geometry and equal groups.

      In science, we will learn about the human body in Unit A, Chapter 3. We will watch the videos that coordinate with this unit to enrich and reinforce the vocabulary and concepts presented in this unit.

      In social studies, we will continue our study of maps and learn more about our state of Louisiana.

Reminders:

●●Tuesday, May 22^nd - Last Day of School - 1/2 Day

●●Dismissal at 12:51 – NO AFTERCARE●●

Water Park Party for “I Think I Can”

Please return the permission slip by Tuesday, May 15^th.

If your child returned at least 5 of the 8 assignments, he/she is able to participate in the water park celebration. Be sure to send a towel, appropriate water shoes (no flip-flops), and a plastic bag for wet clothes. If you would like to apply sunscreen, please do that before you send your child to school.

Second Grade News May 7 - 11, 2012

Happy Mother’s Day!

Sunday, May 13, 2012

        Our field trip to Honey Island Swamp was fabulous! The weather was perfect! We saw and learned about so many interesting plants and animals, had a wonderful boat ride, and a spectacular tour of the river and the swamp. We all got some great photos that will let us remember this special day forever.

●● Please return the social studies book and the reading CD by Thursday, May 10^th, since we will complete the social studies book on Tuesday and the reading book on Thursday.

●● If your child will not be at school on the last day of school (half day), please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope for the report card, or you may pick it up from the office.

●●If you would like to have a second grade math workbook (from a previous series, so all the material would be new for your child), please let me know. This would provide a great review of math facts and skills for your child over the summer.

    Our story in reading for this week is “Babu’s Song.” The genre is realistic fiction, which is a made-up story that could happen in real life. The Comprehension Strategy Skills are to monitor comprehension, which is to stop from time to time to be sure the reader understands what is being read, and to analyze character and setting. When the reader analyzes a character, they look at what he or she says, does, thinks, and feels. Analyzing the setting helps the reader understand how the place and time affect what the characters do and say. The vocabulary words have been glued into the Reading and Language notebook. This is the last story in our second grade reader!☺☺☺

    In spelling, the children will learn about words with r-controlled vowels: ire, ier, ure in Lesson 30. Lesson 30 has been glued into the spelling notebook. Bonus words are June, July, summer, vacation, and Third Grade. The reading and spelling tests will be on Thursday.

    In language, we will continue writing activities, working on nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, sentences, capitalization, punctuation, possessives, contractions, using articles (a, an), comparative forms (er, est), suffixes, multiple meaning words, and homophones. We will also work in our Steck-Vaughn Language workbook and on organizing information, alphabetical order, and using a dictionary and thesaurus.

    We will continue Chapter 12, “Understanding Multiplication and Division,” in math. The children will learn to: make equal groups of objects and find the total number of objects in those groups, write equivalent repeated addition and multiplication number sentences, build an array to model a multiplication sentence, multiply numbers in any order to get the same product, multiply numbers written in vertical format, solve a problem by drawing a picture, divide a set of objects into a given number of equal groups, and to write a division sentence to represent a sharing situation. Investigations activities this week will include activities on geometry, place value, and equal groups.

    In social studies, we will complete Unit 6, “People and Places in History.” The children will learn: that the United States is a land of people who have diverse ethnic origins; to explain the characteristics of good citizenship; to explain how selected customs and celebrations reflect an American love of individualism, inventiveness, and freedom; to identify and explain the significance of various community, state and national landmarks; and how ancient civilizations influenced the present world in terms of architecture, inventions, the calendar, and written language. The Unit 6 Vocabulary Test and the Unit 6 Test will both be on Tuesday, May 8^th.  We will continue our study of maps and learn more about our state of Louisiana.

Reminders:

Please be sure your child completes Week 30 Daily Language and Math and returns it to school on Friday. ☺☺ This is the last assignment! ☺☺

●●    May 22^nd ~ Last Day of School for Students ~ ½ Day

●●    Dismissal at 12:51 p.m. ~ NO AFTERCARE

 “Second Grade News” is available online at http://www.teacherweb.com/. Follow the directions to find our class and then click on “Announcements.” The spelling words and vocabulary words are available by clicking on “Homework.” Check out the new LINKS! My email address is Carolee.Fry@stpsb.org.

PTA website:  http://pes-pta.org/

Pontchartrain Elementary website: http://pontchartrainelementary.stpsb.org/

 Second Grade News April 30 - May  4, 2012 

                        Happy Mother’s Day!

 Second Grade News April 10 – 13, 2012 

Important Dates:

April 2^nd ~ 9^th ~ Spring Break (NO SCHOOL)

IOWA Test for 2^nd Grade ~ April 12^th ~ 13^th & 16^th ~ 17^th

☺☺☺ There will be no homework on nights prior to the IOWA Test. ☺☺☺

    All the second grade classes will take the IOWA Test this week and next week, while our third graders are taking the iLeap Test. These tests will be used to help identify any areas in which a child may need to review and reinforce certain skills. These tests are not included as part of any grades. Hopefully, this experience will help familiarize your child with the format of standardized tests and will provide important practice with test taking skills to help them feel more comfortable for future tests as they become more proficient with this format. Be sure your child comes to school on time, since no one is allowed in the halls during testing.

Spring Fling – Saturday, April 14, 2012, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Our class will perform on the stage at 11:30. I hope to see all of you there!

Spring Fling is a very successful fundraiser for PES, as well as a fabulous, fun-filled day for all our children. Volunteers are still needed in order to provide all the planned activities for our children. Please volunteer for an hour, if possible.

Diamond Dell was, as always, a wonderful experience for our children.

We viewed videos about rocks & minerals prior to our visit to the mining trailer.

Afterwards, we sorted, tallied, and graphed our “finds.”

    During the week of testing, we will begin a new story in our reader, but will not test until next week. Our story in reading for this week and next week is “Music of the Stone Age.” The genre is a nonfiction article, which gives information about real people, places, and events. The Comprehension Strategy Skills are to analyze text structure by looking at the way the author organizes information (presenting the main idea and then supporting details, giving a description, presenting events in sequence, or writing about cause and effect) and making judgments to decide how the reader thinks or feels by using what has been read in the article or what is known from real life experiences to form opinions. The vocabulary words have been glued into the Reading and Language notebook. We will also concentrate on reading for Accelerated Reader.

    In spelling, the children will learn about words with r-controlled vowels: er, eer, ere, ear in Lesson 28.  Bonus words are: shelter, tradition, explorer, independence, and pioneer. Lesson 28 has been glued into the spelling notebook. The reading and spelling tests will be on Thursday of next week.

            In language, we will continue learning about verbs: irregular verbs, inflected verbs, helping verbs (has, have), linking verbs (be, is, are, am, was, were), verb tense, subject-verb agreement, and pronoun-verb agreement. We will continue working with nouns: singular and plural nouns, singular and plural possessives, pronouns, and capitalizing proper nouns, such as names, initials, dates, places, months, book titles, and holidays. We will alphabetize words using the second and third letter of the word and practice using a dictionary. We will continue working with correct capitalization, punctuation, and word order of sentences, as well as identifying the subject (naming part) and predicate (telling part) of sentences. We will work with comparative forms of adjectives (er, est), pronouns, synonyms, homophones, antonyms, contractions, using articles (a, an), and using a thesaurus. We will also practice writing paragraphs with a good topic sentence (who, what, when, where), at least 6 - 8 detail sentences that support the main idea, time order words (first, next, then after that, last), using more powerful verbs and adjectives to make our writing more interesting and effective, and a good closing sentence. We will work in our Steck-Vaughn Language workbook and on organizing information and proofreading.

    We will begin Chapter 11, “Addition and Subtraction of Three-Digit Numbers.” In this chapter, the children will learn to add three-digit numbers mentally, without regrouping, and to decide whether the sum of 2 three-digit numbers is more or less than a given number.  They will practice adding 3-digit numbers with and without regrouping ones and tens. The children will then complete these same activities/objectives using 3-digit subtraction. Investigations activities this week will include activities on geometry, measurement, and place value.

    In social studies, we will begin Unit 5, “Our Country Long Ago.” The children will learn to: compare Native American cultures from different regions and times; explain ways climate, location, and physical surroundings affect the way people live; explain how local people have influenced local community history; identify significant aspects of the lives and accomplishments of selected historical figures; identify characteristics of good citizenship; describe how weather patterns, natural resources, seasonal patterns, and natural hazards affect activities and settlement patterns; explain the significance of events honored in commemorative holidays, such as Thanksgiving; use a map scale to determine distance; obtain information from a variety of visual sources, including maps; explain the significance of national celebrations, such as Independence Day; explain how selected customs and celebrations reflect an American love of individualism and freedom; identify historic figures, such as Paul Revere, who have exemplified good citizenship; create and interpret a timeline; describe how science and technology have changed transportation; and identify historical figures who have influenced the nation and have exhibited good citizenship. The Unit 5 Vocabulary Test and the Unit 5 test will both be on Friday, April 20, 2012^. We will also complete a map of the western region of the United States, begin an enrichment unit on map skills, and continue learning about our state of Louisiana.

Reminders:

●We will have our Week 28 Daily Language and Math assignment during testing, but it is not due until Friday, April 20^th, so the children will not have any homework on nights prior to the IOWA Test.

Please Remember to VOTE on April 21^st!

●On April 21^st, St. Tammany residents will have the opportunity to continue Propositions 1, 2 and 3, existing property tax millages, which provide local support to public schools in St. Tammany Parish. These renewals are not new taxes and will not increase your current tax rates. Propositions 1, 2 and 3 represent 20% of the operating budget for the St. Tammany Parish Public School System and are essential for maintaining our current services to students, parents, and community members.

●The funds from Propositions 1, 2 and 3 pay for instructional materials, curriculum and instruction programs, repairs to schools, music, art and P.E. programs and salaries and benefits. Funding from these millages impacts every student in all of our schools.

 “Second Grade News” is available online at http://www.teacherweb.com/. Follow the directions to find our class and then click on “Announcements.” The spelling words and vocabulary words are available by clicking on “Homework.” Check out the new LINKS! My email address is Carolee.Fry@stpsb.org.

PTA website:  http://pes-pta.org/

Pontchartrain Elementary website: http://pontchartrainelementary.stpsb.org/

 Second Grade News  March 26 - 30, 2012 

PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE ON SATURDAY, MARCH 24th!

Spring Fling – Saturday, April 14, 2012, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Our class will perform on the stage at 11:30. I hope to see all of you there!

Spring Fling is a very successful fundraiser for PES, as well as a fabulous, fun-filled day for all our children. Volunteers are still needed in order to provide all the planned activities for our children. Please volunteer for an hour, if possible.

    Our story in reading for this week is “Stirring Up Memories.” The genre is an autobiography, which is a retelling of someone’s life told by that person. The Comprehension Strategy Skills are to analyze text structure by looking at how the different parts of a selection are organized and to draw conclusions, which is to make decisions about a story based on text and picture clues and on what the student already knows. Both strategies are to help the student better understand the stories they read. The vocabulary words have been glued into the Reading and Language notebook.

    In spelling, the children will learn about words with ar, are. air in Lesson 27.  Bonus words are: Easter, rabbit, bunny, chocolate, and basket. Lesson 27 has been glued into the spelling notebook. The reading and spelling tests will be on Thursday.

    In language, we will continue learning about verbs: irregular verbs, inflected verbs, helping verbs (has, have), linking verbs (be, is, are, am, was, were), verb tense, subject-verb agreement, and pronoun-verb agreement. We will continue working with nouns: singular and plural nouns, singular and plural possessives, pronouns, and capitalizing proper nouns, such as names, initials, dates, places, months, book titles, and holidays. We will alphabetize words using the second and third letter of the word and practice using a dictionary. We will continue working with correct capitalization, punctuation, and word order of sentences, as well as identifying the subject (naming part) and predicate (telling part) of sentences. We will work with comparative forms (er, est), pronouns, synonyms, homophones, antonyms, contractions, using articles (a, an), and using a thesaurus. We will also practice writing paragraphs with a good topic sentence (who, what, when, where), at least 6 - 8 detail sentences that support the main idea, time order words (first, next, then after that, last), using more powerful verbs and adjectives to make our writing more interesting and effective, and a good closing sentence. We will work in our Steck-Vaughn Language workbook and on organizing information and proofreading.

        We will complete Chapter 10, “Numbers to 1,000,” in math. The children have learned to: write and count to 1,000; read and write three-digit numbers using expanded form, standard form, and number words; add and subtract multiples of 10 or 100 to and from a three-digit number without regrouping; compare three-digit numbers using the symbols >, =, and <; use counting on to find missing parts of 1,000; use data from a chart to solve problems; identify numbers that are before, after, or between given numbers; order 3-digit numbers from greatest to least and least to greatest; continue number patterns using 3-digit numbers and skip count by different amounts; and review and apply key concepts, skills, and strategies learned in this and previous chapters. We will begin Chapter 11, “Addition and Subtraction of Three-Digit Numbers.” In this chapter, the children will learn to add three-digit numbers mentally, without regrouping, and to decide whether the sum of 2 three-digit numbers is more or less than a given number. They will practice adding 3-digit numbers with and without regrouping ones and tens. The children will then complete these same activities/objectives using 3-digit subtraction. Investigations activities this week will include activities on geometry, graphing, and place value.

    In science, we will complete Unit F, Chapter 2, “Hearing Sound.” The children are learning to: explain what makes sound; identify body parts people use to make and hear sound; identify sounds as being loud or soft, high or low; recognize that sound travels through the three forms of matter (gases, liquids, solids); identify animals that use sound to locate objects and to communicate with one another under water; describe ways to change the pitch of a sound; identify what causes the loudness of a sound to change; determine how the force with which a musical triangle is struck affects the duration of its tone; and classify musical instruments as stringed, percussion, or wind instruments. The Unit F, Chapter 2 Test will be on Wednesday. A study guide will be sent home prior to the test.

In social studies, we will begin an enrichment unit on map skills .

Reminders:

Please be sure your child completes Week 27 Daily Language and Math and returns it to school on Friday.

IOWA Test: As preparation for the IOWA Test, we will continue doing practice pages in class each day to help familiarize your child with the format of standardized tests and help them feel more comfortable with this format. The IOWA Test will begin the week we return from our Easter/Spring Holiday. This should be a positive experience – one that your child anticipates with interest. Please be sure your child gets plenty of rest and is on time each day during the week of the test. It is very important for your child to be present for this test. 

Spring Party – Friday, March 30th, 2:40 – 3:40

***Please be sure your child completes and returns the Week 7 activities for the “I Think I Can” math program on Monday. Week 8 activities will be sent home on Monday. This is the last activity for the “I Think I Can” program. These assignments are part of their homework and the children are required to complete all of the activities, since this will be included as part of their math grade.

April 2 - 9, 2012 - Spring / Easter Break (NO SCHOOL)

 “Second Grade News” is available online at http://www.teacherweb.com/. Follow the directions to find our class and then click on “Announcements.” The spelling words and vocabulary words are available by clicking on “Homework.” Check out the new LINKS!  My email address is Carolee.Fry@stpsb.org.

PTA website:  http://pes-pta.org/

Pontchartrain Elementary website: http://pontchartrainelementary.stpsb.org/

Second Grade News March 19 - 23, 2012

Happy SPRING!

●Project Reminder: Personal Time Line: This project is due on Wednesday, March 21, 2012.

Spring Fling – Saturday, April 14, 2012, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

 Our class will perform on the stage at 11:30. I hope to see all of you there! ☺☺☺

Spring Fling is a very successful fundraiser for PES, as well as a fabulous, fun-filled day for all our children. Volunteers are still needed in order to provide all the planned activities for our children. Please volunteer for an hour, if possible.

    Our story in reading for this week is “Mice and Beans.” The genre is fantasy, which is a story that has made-up characters and settings that could not happen in real life. The Comprehension Strategy Skills are to analyze story structure and distinguish between fantasy and reality. Analyzing story structure means looking at different parts of a story and how the parts are put together. When children analyze story structure, they decide what the story is about, who is in the story, and when and where the story happens. Distinguishing between fantasy and reality includes learning the terms fantasy, which is make-believe and could not happen in real life, and reality, which is real and could happen in real life. As your child reads, they can ask themselves: Could these events happen in real life? Are these characters like real people? Knowing the parts of a story will help your child understand the story. The vocabulary words have been glued into the Reading and Language notebook.

    In spelling, the children will learn about words with dge, ge, lge, nge, and rge in Lesson 26.  Bonus words are: magnet, motion, vibrate, sound, and electricity. Lesson 26 has been glued into the spelling notebook. The reading and spelling tests will be on Thursday this week.

    In language, we will continue writing activities, learning about verbs: irregular verbs, helping verbs (has, have), linking verbs (be, is, are, am, was, were), verb tense, subject-verb agreement, and pronoun-verb agreement. We will also continue working with nouns: singular and plural nouns, singular and plural possessives, and capitalizing proper nouns, such as names, initials, dates, places, months, book titles, and holidays. We will alphabetize words using the second and third letter of the word and practice using a dictionary. We will continue working with correct capitalization, punctuation, and word order of sentences, as well as identifying the subject (naming part) and predicate (telling part) of sentences. We will work with comparative forms (er, est), pronouns, synonyms, homophones, antonyms, and using a thesaurus. We will also practice writing paragraphs with a good topic sentence, time order words (first, next, then after that, last), at least 6 - 8 detail sentences, adjectives, and a good closing sentence.

    We will continue Chapter 10, “Numbers to 1,000” in math. The children will learn to: write and count to 1,000; read and write three-digit numbers using expanded form, standard form, and number words; add and subtract multiples of 10 or 100 to and from a three-digit number without regrouping; compare three-digit numbers using the symbols >, =, and <; use counting on to find missing parts of 1,000; use data from a chart to solve problems; identify numbers that are before, after, or between given numbers; order 3-digit numbers from greatest to least and least to greatest; continue number patterns using 3-digit numbers and skip count by different amounts; and review and apply key concepts, skills, and strategies learned in this and previous chapters. Investigations activities this week will include activities on geometry and place value.

    In science, we will complete Unit F, Chapter 1, “Forces and Motion.” The children will learn: that a force is something that pushes or pulls on an object to make it move; that a force is used to change the location of an object and the direction in which it is moving; which poles of magnets attract and repel each other; to give examples of ways magnets are used; to recognize that weight, friction, and distance affect the force needed to move objects; to explain how to measure motion; and to determine how much force is needed to move an object. We will learn about energy, different forms of energy, the conservation of energy, and the uses of energy. The Unit F, Chapters 1 and 2 Vocabulary Test will be on Wednesday, and the Unit F, Chapter 1 Test will also be on Wednesday. The vocabulary words are in the science notebook. A study guide will be sent home on Monday, prior to the Unit F, Chapter 1 Test. We will then begin reading Unit F, Chapter 2, “Hearing Sound.”

Reminders:

Help Needed:

I need a volunteer or two to glue preprinted sheets of words into blank hardcover books for the children to illustrate. Each child will illustrate a Down in the Swamp book that will be theirs to keep. I would like to have this finished by April 20th, so the children can begin illustrating their books before we go to the swamp and also have time to complete the books before the end of school.

IOWA Test: As preparation for the IOWA Test, we will begin doing practice pages in class each day to help familiarize your child with the format of standardized tests and help them feel more comfortable with this format. The IOWA Test will begin the week we return from our Easter/Spring Holiday. This should be a positive experience – one that your child anticipates with interest. Please be sure your child gets plenty of rest and is on time each day during the week of the test. It is very important for your child to be present for this test.

*** Please be sure your child completes Week 26 Daily Language and Math and returns it to school on Friday.

***Please be sure your child completes and returns the Week 6 activities for the “I Think I Can” math program on Monday. Week 7 activities will be sent home on Monday. This is the next to last activity for the “I Think I Can” program. These assignments are part of their homework and the children are required to complete all of the activities, since this will be included as part of their math grade.

April 2 - 9, 2012 - Spring / Easter Break

“Second Grade News” is available online at http://www.teacherweb.com/. Follow the directions to find our class and then click on “Announcements.” The spelling words and vocabulary words are available by clicking on “Homework.” Check out the new LINKS!  My email address is Carolee.Fry@stpsb.org.

v  *PTA website:  http://pes-pta.org/

v  *Pontchartrain Elementary website: http://pontchartrainelementary.stpsb.org/

Second Grade News March 12 - 16, 2012

●If you are able to send items or a donation for our Spring Fling basket, please contact our room parent.

(Donations may be sent to school with your child.)

    Our story in reading for this week is “The Moon.” The genre is expository nonfiction, which gives information and facts about a topic. The Comprehension Strategy Skills are to summarize, or identify what a selection is about, select the most important ideas and then restate or retell those ideas, and to classify and categorize, or sort things or ideas into groups of items that are alike in some way. The vocabulary words have been glued into the Reading and Language notebook.

    In spelling, the children will learn about words with hard and soft c and g in Lesson 25.  Bonus words are: energy, matter, property, mixture, and reversible. Lesson 25 has been glued into the spelling notebook. The reading and spelling tests will be on Thursday.

    In language, we will learn to distinguish between possessive pronouns and contractions that sound the same. We will continue learning about verbs: irregular verbs, helping verbs (has, have), linking verbs (be, is, are, am, was, were), verb tense, subject-verb agreement, and pronoun-verb agreement. We will also continue working with nouns: singular and plural nouns, singular and plural possessives, and capitalizing proper nouns, such as names, initials, dates, places, months, book titles, and holidays. We will alphabetize words using the second and third letter of the word and practice using a dictionary. We will continue working with correct capitalization, punctuation, and word order of sentences, as well as identifying the subject (naming part) and predicate (telling part) of sentences. We will work with comparative forms (er, est), pronouns, synonyms, homophones, antonyms, and using a thesaurus. We will also practice writing paragraphs with a good topic sentence, time order words (first, next, then after that, last), at least 6 - 8 detail sentences, adjectives, and a good closing sentence.

    We will continue Chapter 10, “Numbers to 1,000” in math. The children will learn to: write and count to 1,000; read and write three-digit numbers using expanded form, standard form, and number words; add and subtract multiples of 10 or 100 to and from a three-digit number without regrouping; compare three-digit numbers using the symbols >, =, and <; use counting on to find missing parts of 1,000; use data from a chart to solve problems; identify numbers that are before, after, or between given numbers; order 3-digit numbers from greatest to least and least to greatest; continue number patterns using 3-digit numbers and skip count by different amounts; and review and apply key concepts, skills, and strategies learned in this and previous chapters. Investigations activities this week will include activities on geometry and place value.

    In science, we will complete Unit E, Chapter 2, “Exploring Matter,” this week. The children will learn: that matter can be changed physically and chemically; that water can be a solid, liquid, or gas; and changes to matter may be reversible or irreversible. The Unit E, Chapter 2 Test will be on Wednesday, March 14^th.  We will begin Unit F, Chapter 1, “Energy in Motion.” They children will learn: that a force is something that pushes or pulls on an object to make it move; that a force is used to change the location of an object and the direction in which it is moving; which poles of magnets attract and repel each other; to give examples of ways magnets are used; to recognize that weight, friction, and distance affect the force needed to move objects; to explain how to measure motion; and to determine how much force is needed to move an object. We will learn about energy, different forms of energy, the conservation of energy, and the uses of energy. The Unit F, Chapters 1 and 2 Vocabulary Test will be on Tuesday, March 20^th and the Unit F, Chapter 1 Test will also be on that Tuesday. The vocabulary words are in the science notebook. A study guide will be sent home prior to the Unit F, Chapter 1 Test. We will then begin reading Unit F, Chapter 2, “Hearing Sound.”

Reminders:

From Mrs. Ourso in the Art Lab: We still need  “space junk.” Clean out your drawers and pass on any hard plastic and or metal objects to the art lab. The students have been told about this. I will give Good Citizen Slips to any student bringing in items. All this will be made into a piece of "found object" space art.

***Report cards will be sent home on Thursday, 3-15-12.***

*** Please be sure your child completes Week 25 Daily Language and Math and returns it to school on Friday.

***Please be sure your child completes and returns the Week 6 activities for the “I Think I Can” math program on Monday. Week 7 activities will be sent home on Monday. This is the last activity for the “I Think I Can” program. These assignments are part of their homework and the children are required to complete all of the activities, since this will be included as part of their math grade.

Project Reminder: Personal Time Line:

Student Directions: Create a time line of your life. Use a piece of poster paper. Include at least one event for each year of your life. Begin with your birthday. End your time line with an event from 2012. You may include special events like birthdays, holidays, or celebrations. You might like to include when you first crawled, got your first tooth, walked or talked, your first day of school, a vacation, a special sports event, recital, or a special honor or recognition. Draw your time line across the middle of the page. Write about each event below the line and use a picture or illustrate to show each event above the line. Use complete sentences to tell about each event. The title should have your name. (Ex. _____________’s Time Line) This project is due on Wednesday, March 21, 2012. It will be graded and included as part of the social studies grade. The grade will be based on completing the project correctly by following the directions, handing the project in on time, and neatness. Hopefully, this project will be a time for you and your child to “remember” some of the special times in his/her life.

Diamond Dell Gem Mine- Please return the $10.00 fee by Thursday, March 15^th. This mobile gem mining experience will take place in the gem mining trailer in the PES bus loop. Students will mine for their very own gem collection and learn about rock and mineral classification and identification.

Spring Fling

Saturday, April 14, 2012, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

v    Our class will perform on the stage at 11:30.

☺☺☺I hope to see all of you there! ☺☺☺

Spring Fling is a very successful fundraiser for PES, as well as a fabulous, fun-filled day for all our children. Volunteers are still needed in order to provide all the planned activities for our children. Please volunteer for an hour, if possible.

April 2 - 9, 2012 - Spring / Easter Break

“Second Grade News” is available online at http://www.teacherweb.com/. Follow the directions to find our class and then click on “Announcements.” The spelling words and vocabulary words are available by clicking on “Homework.” Check out the new LINKS!  My email address is Carolee.Fry@stpsb.org.

v    *PTA website:  http://pes-pta.org/

v    *Pontchartrain Elementary website: http://pontchartrainelementary.stpsb.org/