Dear 2-H Families,

November is cruising along nicely. Thank you for making time to talk/meet with me last week! I always have a great time getting to know all my families.                                                                                            

Language Arts:

*The next few weeks, we’ll engage in creating contractions and pulling them apart. I’ll be looking for the use of contractions in your child’s written work as we finish up 2023.   

*We finished an “informational” selection titled, Money Matters. Please ask your student to share a few details about what we learned, as we read the book together.  

*We've been focusing on information that we read and also determining if the information is an OPINION or a FACT. 

Math: 

2 digit subtraction- We’re firming up our subtraction strategies, and just today, we started our coin/money unit. Our first focus will be to identify pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. Secondly, we’ll begin adding up a mixture of coins. Please challenge your kiddos to practice adding up coins at home. Please remind your students to begin adding with the largest coin amount. We’ll practice coins all through December. 

Thanksgiving Break- Next week, we’ll have class Monday & Tuesday. Thanksgiving break begins Wednesday. School resumes on the 27^th. Wishing you all an enjoyable time off with family & friends.

Take Care….                                        

We’re cruising into October and I’m happy to say that we’re also cruising with our academics. Have fun using the topics highlighted below to encourage your student to share about our classroom happenings.

Language Arts:

We’re practicing the use of consonant clusters such as:                       

st   fl   br   pr   bl   br   cr   gl   sn   sm   gr   pl   tr   fr   cl   sp

 * We completed the adaptation of our Snowshoe Hare stories. Each student created and presented their mini story to the class. Please look for your child’s story today. I must say, I was super pleased with our first attempt at mini books.  Way to go 2nd graders! 

Math: 

Organizing data- Last week we had a great time organizing data into bar graphs, picture graphs, and tally charts. You’ll see a sample of our work in today’s mail.

2 step story problems- This week, our class did a great job identifying and solving the 2 steps needed in order to solve lengthy story problems.

2 digit addition- Next week, we’ll begin 2 digit addition.  Yippee!!

Halloween- On October 31st we will have our Halloween celebration at the end of the day. We will celebrate with costumes, ghoulish parfaits, and spooky activities. Soon, I’ll ask a few volunteers to contribute specific food items to create our ghoulish parfaits. Please remember that full-face masks/makeup are not allowed and all weapons need to be kept at home.  Please send your child with his/her costume in a bag, the morning of the 31st.

FYI: No School October 19 and 20th - Montana Education Association Conference 

Have a happy day….                                                                                                                          

--

Dear Families,

Our final week is coming up quickly. Boy oh boy has it been a great year of learning! On top of that, our class has gained a firm understanding of what it looks like to be respectful and active learners.  We've come a LONG way! I'm so proud of them!

PEAS Farm Field trip: Tomorrow we'll head out for the Farm at 8:20. Will you remind your student to be weather ready and to also wear appropriate shoes?

Language Arts: We’ve been working on Poetry and have completed a 2nd grade Poem Packet. Please look for your child’s creative packet in today’s mail.   The poems will surely make your day.

This week, our class has also been reading informational text. We’re currently writing mini reports to share with one another. 

Math:  We’re reviewing- reviewing- reviewing.  

Compliment Containers: Next week, we'll engage in an activity that offers the opportunity to "fill each other's bucket". First, each student will provide a written compliment to each of his/her classmates. Next, we'll fold up the compliments and place them in each student's container. Finally, each student will read their compliments privately. I'll send home the compliment containers for you to enjoy as well. This activity is a great way to wrap up the year. So much positivity and kindness is shared! Last Day of School:  Friday the 9th marks our very last day of 2nd Grade. 180 Days will be complete! Hooray! We have an early dismissal at 11:00 to wrap-up our last day.

FYI: Thursday the 8th, I'll send home report card packets for the final time. If your student needs their end of the year packet before the 8th, please let me know. (On the 8th, I'll also send home all school supplies and we'll clear out lockers as well.)

Thank you for sharing your kiddos with me this year! It's been great getting to know them and also getting to know all of you. Take care & have the best summer break with your kiddos!

Sherrie H.  

Dear Families,

I hope this email finds you enjoying May, and looking forward to summer break. Please take a look at the highlighted material below. We are trucking along and are well engaged as the end of the year is just around the corner.

Music Informance: Our class will have their music informance on May 25th @ 1:15. Please look for the flier in today's mail. We hope you’re able to join in and witness what your kiddos have been doing each time music is our “special” for the week.

Language Arts: Our, “Way Out West” writing assignments are complete and have been shared with one another. Have fun reading your child’s writing. We sure enjoyed the various ways that the original story took a twist. 🙂

Math:  We completed our final iReady math diagnostic of the year. Hooray!

The remainder of the year, I’ll review concepts that may have accumulated some “dust”. Lol- We’ll tighten up our knowledge and finish up with a “Year End” Review. 

Science- Seed Unit:  Please look for your child’s “Seed Science Packet” in today’s mail. Ask your student to take you on a tour through the packet. We had a great time completing all the activities. 

Dear Families,

Today marks 155 days complete. That means we have 25 days remaining! How did the end of the year sneak up on us so fast. Team Harris has accomplished so much & will finish strong the remaining weeks ahead..  

Language Arts: 

We’re currently working through the writing process as we adapt specific events from the story, “Going West”. The task is to expand the storyline and create exciting details to support this specific part of the story.  Please ask your student which part of the story they are expanding. We’ve covered prewriting, drafting, revising, and are currently editing. Soon we’ll publish and share our adapted stories with one another. I’m super happy with the creativity shown so far. 

Math:  We’re having fun working with fractions this week. We understand that fractions represent parts of a whole and that all the parts need to be equal. Please look for your child’s fraction packet in Thursday mail.       We’ve also been reviewing many important math concepts. I will continue to do this throughout May. Next week, we’ll begin our STAR assessments and the following week, we’ll complete our final iReady math diagnostic. 

Science- Seed Unit:  We’re cruising along nicely in our seed unit. We planted marigolds on Tuesday and will track how long it takes the seeds to germinate in comparison to radishes.  We completed a water, wind, fur experiment and put many seeds to the test. 🙂 Will the seed float, will the seed move with wind, and will the seed attach to fur? You’ll see the results of this activity when the seed science packet is complete. 

Class Picture: If you’d like to order a class picture, please refer to the order form that was sent home previously. If you have questions, or need help locating your students access code, please contact Double Exposure Photography at 406-360-1990 or info@doubleexposuremt.com 

SPARK Arts Visitor:  Heather Booth visited us 5 separate times to facilitate, “Let’s Act that Out”. Our class had a blast as they created various scenarios and were involved in many creative challenges. Please ask your student all about it. A BIG thank you to our PTA for funding this awesome experience. 🙂

Dear Families, 

April has arrived and our class is definitely looking forward to warmer weather. We can’t wait to see new growth and all the colors that accompany it.

Language Arts: 

We’re having fun playing around with words that fall into the “Onomatopoeia” category.  Onomatopoeia Video  Please look for examples of onomatopoeia in today’s mail.

Phonics focus: We’re practicing the use of prefixes and suffixes. Your students have been on the lookout for words that contain prefixes and suffixes in their daily reading. I think they’re surprised at how many words contain them.. We’ve practiced using and reading words with the following prefixes and suffixes.

          Prefix                    Suffix

Math:  This week, we’ve been organizing data into tables, picture graphs, bar graphs, and line plots. We’ve shared our work with one another and have realized that data can be represented in various ways. Ask your student which way they prefer to document and analyze data.

Science:  We have started our study of seed distribution. Please ask your student to retell the story of the “Koa Seed”. Soon, we’ll dissect seeds and begin seed growth experiments. 

Farmer Lori:  We had our last lesson with Farmer Lori. Her lesson wrapped up with a fun game of Jeopardy that highlighted many details from her past lessons. Her lessons included: Storage Vegetables, Honey Bees, Apples, Wheat, and Cows.

I hope April has started out well for your family….      Sherrie H.  

Dear Families, 

March has started out well and we’re making a nice academic push before Spring Break. Thank you for signing up for a conference slot. I look forward to seeing you next week. Please join me in my classroom, #102. 

Secret Student Challenge: Throughout the month of February, all 4 second grade classes engaged in a “secret student” challenge. Please ask your student all about it. Now that all 4 classes have reached their “secret student” goal, a 2nd grade PJ and stuffed animal day will take place tomorrow. Please allow your student to wear pajamas and bring along a furry friend if they’d like. Way to go 2nd Graders!

Language Arts: 

Our new unit of focus is centered around, “New Ideas and a New World”.  This week, we read, John Chapman.  Please have your student share details about this fun historical fiction selection.  Currently, our phonics focus is the “oooo” sound. This common spelling pattern includes- oo, ue, ew, ui.  

For example: balloon, glue, flew, and juice. 

Math:  Boy have we been measuring up a storm.. This week we’ve been comparing 2 given objects to find the difference in length.

Also, we’ve been practicing adding multiple 2 digit numbers. Please look in today’s mail for an example. 

Science:  We are currently exploring Solids and Liquids. We’ve been describing solids and liquids using the following keywords.

Properties of solids: transparent, colored, smooth, rough, rigid, flexible, hard, pointy, flat, soft

Properties of liquids: foamy, transparent, bubbly, colored, viscous, translucent

*Please ask your student about the activities we’ve engaged in. (Solids sorting, Mystery liquids, Boat making, and Screening solids)

Upcoming days off in March:  

Conference Days: 

 16th- School will be dismissed at 11:00 for pm conferences

 17th- No School for All

Spring Break: No School March 20th-24th