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Welcome to 2nd Grade!
Mrs. McMullen
jmcmullen@mtlsd.net
Mrs. Richards
krichards@mtlsd.net
 Language Arts
Stories for the spring months include the following:
Cool Ali
The Pine Park Mystery
Good-bye Curtis
Max Found Two Sticks
Anthony Reynoso: Born to Rope
China Town
Reading Skills
· Use context to confirm meaning
· Make inferences
· Locate information in the table of contents, glossary
· Summarize
· Compare & contrast story elements
· Self-correct while reading
· Look at word bits and parts to decode
· Identify the author’s purpose
· Create mental images while reading
· Understand and recall narrative elements
· Predict outcomes
· Read ahead for understanding
· Phonics skills:
o suffixes – ly, -ing, -er, -est
o prefixes -re, -pre, -mis, under
o vowel diagraphs /oo/ ew, ui
o contractions
o consonant diagraphs /f/ gh, ph
Writer’s Workshop
Second grade students will research, report, and illustrate information on a specific animal.
· Create the body of the report using facts, details, quotations, and other information
· Use an obvious organizational structure to format report
· Use capital letters & correct ending marks
Cursive Writing
Students will begin cursive handwriting in 2nd grade. Please encourage proper hand/paper position, sitting up straight, and feet flat on the floor. Second graders should only be practicing cursive letters taught at school. Please do not work ahead because it may not be the same format we use in the classroom. Thank you J
 Math
We will begin subtraction with regrouping in March. We often use the terms regrouping, borrowing, and say “bigger, bottoms, borrow” when the number on the bottom is greater than the top number. Try practicing math subtraction using sidewalk chalk, soap crayons in the tub, or for a sweet treat try whip cream on a cookie sheet.
Following the unit on subtraction we will return to our “Investigations” series to learn more about time, data, graphs, and measurement. Students are encouraged to use manipulatives, math vocabulary, and be able to describe in writing how they were able to solve the problem.
Social Living
During the spring students will have the opportunity to practice their prediction, observation, and recording skills throughout our Plant Growth and Development unit in science. They will create planters and observe the development of plants as well as identify and label their scientific drawings. Our scientists will be hard at work!
We will also wrap up our unit of study on Communities in social studies. Discussions will be centered around changes in our communities, ways to help others, environmental changes, natural resources, and map skills.
Character Education/ Guidance
The character education trait for April is Hope.
Spanish 
Senorita Baker is our Spanish teacher at Hoover Elementary. Second graders will have Spanish lessons 25 minutes twice a week.
Homework
At this point in the school year second graders should be able to sit down in a quiet area and complete their homework independently. As always we encourage parents to monitor homework for completion, accuracy, and neatness. Upon completion please continue to initial your child’s homework sheet each night after they complete their assignments. Also students should be reading for a minimum of 15 minutes each evening. Encourage your child to tell you about the books they are reading. Ask them about the setting, characters, or events to check on their comprehension of the story.
Please be sure to arrive on time each morning and afternoon for school. It is very beneficial for your child to have ample opportunity to socialize and be well organized prior to the bell ringing. Thank you for all of your help and support with this important skill.
Important Dates
It is very important that students arrive on time in the morning to school. After the first bell at 8:35 am students have the opportunity to socialize, use the restroom/drinking fountain, get organized, and begin classroom morning work or centers. Students that are arriving after the 8:45 am bell are missing the opportunity to interact and get organized with their classmates.
March 24 Reading Month Night
March 29-April 2 Spring Break
April 7-9 Conferences (students dismissed at 11:45)
 For a detailed outline of the second grade curriclum please view the Grade 2 Key Understandings.
MRS. MCMULLEN'S SECOND GRADERS
SEPTEMBER 1, 2010
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