April 2024 Learning Goals

Reading:

Students will be immersed in a new genre of reading; persuasive texts! 

Such as:

• Reviews

• Essays

• Speeches

• Posters

• Advertisements

• Book Recommendations-Letters

Writing:

Students will begin a new writing unit on Persuasive Writing. They will be learning how to state their opinion about a topic and give reasons and evidence of why they feel that way.

Fundations:

We will be working in Unit 8. In this one week unit, students will learn about:

• R-controlled syllable type

• sounds of ar and or

• combining r-controlled syllables with other syllable types

(Sample words: fort, part, orbit, party)

Trick Words: 

Unit 8, Week 1: world, answer, different

Trick Words review from Grade 1: any, many, how, now, down

Math: Students continue to learn multiple strategies to solve 2 digit addition and subtraction problems with and without regrouping. We will explore equality and inequality using manipulatives then use equal and not equal symbols to record our understanding.

Humanities:

Air and Water in the Environment

March 2024 Learning Goals

Reading:

This month we will be finishing up how to read and learn from nonfiction texts.  Later this month, students will be immersed in a new genre of reading; persuasive texts! 

Such as:

• Reviews

• Essays

• Speeches

• Posters

• Advertisements

• Book Recommendations-Letters

Writing:

Students will write books on all they know about a topic, a topic they feel like experts on! Later this month, students will commence a new writing unit on Persuasive Writing. They will be learning how to state their opinion about a topic and give reasons and evidence of why they feel that way.

Fundations:

We will be working in Unit 7. (Extra time spent reteaching parts of Unit 6 set us back a bit, but that is the ebb and flow of Fundations!)  In this unit, students will learn about:

• open syllables

• combining open syllables with closed and/or v-c-e syllables

• y as a long vowel saying /i/ or /e/ a the end of a word

• prefixes: mis, non, dis, un, trans

• suffixes y, ly, ty

Trick Words: 

Unit 7, Week 1: eight, large, change

Unit 7, week 2: city, family, every

Unit 7, week 3: something, night, carry

Trick Words review from Grade 1: say, says, see, between, each

Math: We will be learning multiple strategies to solve 2 digit addition and subtraction problems with and without regrouping. We will explore equality and inequality using manipulatives then use equal and not equal symbols to record our understanding.

Humanities:

We will be integrating our new learning on air in the environment with our reading,  writing, and math outcomes this month and next.  STEAM PEI will be joining our class in early March to share a presentation, ‘The Power of the Wind’ and possibly another visit before March Break!  We will also continue the exploration of vermicomposting using our in-class worm garden this month! 

February Learning

Reading: Nonfiction (informational)

Reading informational books continues this month as we increase focus on applying our learned Fundations strategies when decoding unknown words. Students will work to respond about what they’ve learned in texts by expressing the topic and most important take aways. 

Foundational Learning Outcomes focus:

LC2: Retelling important ideas learned from text

PCE 1: Make obvious personal connections; relate prior knowledge and make concrete text-to-text comparisons, when similarities are clear and straightforward; explanation may be general and may include some unrelated examples

RS4: Read familiar passages fluently with appropriate phrasing and expression to convey sense of text to audience; may hesitate with unfamiliar words

Writing: Nonfiction (informational)

Students branch away from whole class shared writing and small group writing to begin using all they’ve learned to write their own informational text. They think about their own personal expertise. This will be a time for them to teach others about things they know and care about. 

Foundational Learning Outcomes focus:

WTI 3: Include some supporting details to expand upon the ideas/events; may have some ‘gaps’ or irrelevant information

WS 3: Draft a piece of writing showing awareness of need to stay on topic and provide the reader with information (ex. basic sequence, supporting details)

WTC 3: Spell many high frequency words correctly; attempt to spell longer, more complex words using phonetic approximations

Fundations Unit 7 (runs 3 weeks):

• open syllables 

• combining open syllables with closed and/or v-c-e syllables 

• y as a long vowel- saying i or e at the end of a word

• prefixes: mis, non, dis, un, trans

• suffixes y, ly, ty

Trick Words: eight, large, change, city, family, every, something, night, carry

Trick Words review from Grade 1: say, says, see, between, each

Math: Students will learn to…

• Demonstrate an understanding of addition (1 and 2-digit numerals) with answers to 100 and the corresponding subtraction by:

  • using personal strategies with and without the support of manipulatives;

  • creating and solving problems that involve addition and subtraction;

  • explaining that the order in which numbers are added does not affect the sum; 

  • explaining that the order in which numbers are subtracted may affect the difference.

• Demonstrate and explain the meaning of equality and inequality by using manipulatives and diagrams (0 to 100). 

• Record equalities and inequalities symbolically using the equal symbol or the not equal symbol. 

• **Mental math skills are introduced and built upon throughout the year such as: 

  • using doubles 

  • doubles plus one, doubles minus one

  • making ten

  • one more, one less

  • two more, two less

  • addition for subtraction to determine basic addition facts to 18 and related subtraction facts

Social Studies Unit: Technology  (Last month we ended up switching gears to complete a 

      Health Unit on personal health, so this is back on the

      pocket this month!)

Students will learn:

• to describe and evaluate the role of technology in their lives

• to demonstrate an understanding that people have changed technology over time mto meet their needs, wants, and interests.

Science Unit: Air and Water in the Environment

Students explore how air and water are connected, and how temperature and moving air can affect the form of water. Students explore how to dress appropriately for different weather conditions and finally, gain an appreciation for having a clean water supply.  

As a little bonus to integrate our learning this month, Agriculture in the Classroom PEI has delivered a worm garden kit!  Students will explore the vermicomposting process.

January Learning

Reading: Nonfiction (informational)

Students explore and read a wide variety of nonfiction books as part of read alouds, shared reading, small group reading, and independent reading. These texts include opportunities for students to experience all characteristics of nonfiction books.

Foundational Learning Outcomes focus:

PCE 1: Make obvious personal connections; relate prior knowledge and make concrete text-to-text comparisons, when similarities are clear and straightforward; explanation may be general and may include some unrelated examples 

RS4: Read familiar passages fluently with appropriate phrasing and expression to convey sense of text to audience; may hesitate with unfamiliar words 

Writing: Nonfiction (informational)

Students will be writing nonfiction books in this unit! Students will first explore descriptive writing where they learn to write all about a particular topic. Later in the unit, they think about their own personal expertise. This will be a time for them to teach others about things they know and care about. 

Foundational Learning Outcomes focus:

Foundational Learning Outcomes focus:

WTI 3: Include some supporting details to expand upon the ideas/events; may have some ‘gaps’ or irrelevant information

WS 3: Draft a piece of writing showing awareness of need to stay on topic and provide the reader with information (ex. basic sequence, supporting details)

WTC 3: Spell many high frequency words correctly; attempt to spell longer, more complex words using phonetic approximations

Fundations Unit 6:

We will spend a short amount of time reviewing December’s unit 5 on multisyllabic words. 

Unit 6 concepts:

• vowel-consonant-e syllable EX. cape, home, pine. 

• words where ‘s’ sounds like /z/ EX. nose, rose, wise.

• reading and spelling procedures for two syllable words that have both closed and vowel-consonant-e syllables EX. invite, reptile, baseball, lifetimez.

• compound words EX. milkman, flagpole, caveman

• vowel-consonant-e exception (suffix -ive) EX. give, active, olive

Trick Words: only, house, move, right, place, together

Trick Words review from Grade 1: some, come, would, could, should

Math: Students will learn to…

• Estimate quantities to 100 using referents. 

• Demonstrate an understanding of increasing patterns.

• Demonstrate an understanding of addition (1 and 2-digit numerals) with answers to 20 and the corresponding subtraction by:

  • using personal strategies with and without the support of manipulatives;

  • creating and solving problems that involve addition and subtraction;

  • explaining that the order in which numbers are added does not affect the sum; 

  • explaining that the order in which numbers are subtracted may affect the difference.

• **Mental math skills are introduced and built upon throughout the year such as: 

  • using doubles 

  • doubles plus one, doubles minus one

  • making ten

  • one more, one less

  • two more, two less

  • addition for subtraction to determine basic addition facts to 18 and related subtraction facts

Social Studies Unit: Technology

Students will learn:

• to describe and evaluate the role of technology in their lives

• to demonstrate an understanding that people have changed technology over time mto meet their needs, wants, and interests.

Science Unit: Air and Water in the Environment

Students explore how air and water are connected, and how temperature and moving air can affect the form of water. Students explore how to dress appropriately for different weather conditions and finally, gain an appreciation for having a clean water supply.  

December Learning

Fundations: 

There is a lot going on in our next unit!  In unit 5, the focus changes from sounds to syllables.  Students will learn how to read and spell multisyllabic words by focusing on:

• reading and spelling two-syllable words

• review syllable concept in multisyllabic words

• compound words

• syllable division rules for dividing between closed syllables 

• procedure for spelling words with more than one syllable

• spelling of ic at the end of multisyllabic words

• new suffixes: ful, ment, ness, less, able, en, ish

• prefixes: mis, un, non, dis, and trans

• vowel teams: ‘au’ and ‘aw’

Trick Words: against, knew, know, always, often, once

Trick Words review from Grade 1: put, two, too, very, also

Reading: 

Students continue progressing with their founding learnings with reading fluency and literal comprehension. This month, we will begin to focus on making personal connections while reading. Students learn to relate prior knowledge and comparisons to texts.  

“When I read a text, I can make a … 

• text-self connection by explaining how [this] is like my own experience

• text-text connection by explaining how this is like another text I know

• text-world connection by explaining how [this] is like an event or phenomena in the world

Writing: 

Students will be working on expanding details in their journal writing to include adjectives, verbs, and portraying feelings.  We will also spend some time on procedural writing where we will focus on including explicit details to support their reader in making meaning from their writing. 

Math: Students will learn to…

• Estimate quantities to 100 using referents

• Explain their reasoning when selecting between 2 possible estimates

• Identify, describe, and compare increasing patterns

• Extend patterns by using a pattern rule

• Create a pattern for a given pattern rule

• **Mental math skills are introduced and built upon throughout the year such as: 

  • using doubles 

  • doubles plus one, doubles minus one

  • making ten

  • one more, one less

  • two more, two less

  • addition for subtraction to determine basic addition facts to 18 and related subtraction facts

Social Studies: 

Unit: People

Students will learn:

• to describe change in their daily lives and explain their reactions to these changes. 

• how people and groups of people have contributed to change over time

• identify examples of how change is a result of decisions made by individuals and diverse groups in their school, community, province, and beyond. 

• to predict ways their communities may change in the future and how they can contribute to that future.

Unit: Technology

Students will learn:

• to describe and evaluate the role of technology in their lives

• to demonstrate an understanding that people have changed technology over time mto meet their needs, wants, and interests.

November Learning

Fundations: 

Students will finish Unit 3 which focused on closed-syllable exceptions, glued sounds ild, ind, old, olt, ost and reading vowel teams ai, ay, ea, ee, ey, oi, oy.

We will begin Unit 4 lasts two weeks and students will focus on:

• suffixes: -s, ,-es, -es, -ing (review) 

• sounds of -ed as endings (sounds like /d/, /t/)

• present and past tenses

• reading vowel teams oa, oe, ow, ou, oo, ue, ew

Trick Words: again, please, animal, sure, use, used

Trick Words review from Grade 1: when, where, there, here, why

Reading: 

Students focus on applying their knowledge from Fundations when tackling tricky words in their reading. We will spend more time reading decodable reading passages to support this. These passages have few, if any illustrations, which encourages student practice of decoding.We will continue reading a wide variety of narrative fiction books through read alouds, shared reading, small group reading, and independent reading. 

I have begun and will continue doing reading assessments with each student individually. 

Our focus will be on the following foundational learning outcomes:

• reading familiar passages fluently with expression to show understanding

• self-monitoring to notice when reading doesn’t make sense, sound right and/or look right then use appropriate ‘fix-up’ strategies

• retelling narrative texts including main events in order, setting, main characters, problem/resolution

• inferring about a character (his/her actions or feelings) and/or story events

• making obvious connections to text

Writing: 

Students learning from mentor authors by noticing, naming, and using mentor author crafts in their writing such as:

We will focus on the following foundational learning outcomes:

• Drafting a piece of writing that is focused and stays on topic

• Include details that tell more about their ideas

• Tell their ideas in an order that makes sense.

• Expand upon their ideas to help the reader understand.

Math: Students will learn to…

• Count a given collection of coins to 100 cents using pennies, nickels, dimes

• Understand the meaning of place value for numerals to 100

• Estimate quantities to 100 using referents

• Explain their reasoning when selecting between 2 possible estimates

• Identify, describe, and compare increasing patterns

• Extend patterns by using a pattern rule

• Create a pattern for a given pattern rule

• **Mental math skills are introduced and built upon throughout the year such as: 

  • using doubles 

  • doubles plus one, doubles minus one

  • making ten

  • one more, one less

  • two more, two less

  • addition for subtraction to determine basic addition facts to 18 and related subtraction facts

Social Studies: Unit: People

Students will learn:

• to describe change in their daily lives and explain their reactions to these changes. 

• how people and groups of people have contributed to change over time

• identify examples of how change is a result of decisions made by individuals and diverse groups in their school, community, province, and beyond. 

• to predict ways their communities may change in the future and how they can contribute to that future.

October

Fundations: Students will finish Unit 1. Unit 2 teaches new skills including bonus letters: ff,ll,ss, glued sound: all, R-controlled vowels: ar, or , er, ir, ur Students will review and ‘mark’ other glued sounds:am, an, ang, ing, ong, ung, ank, ink, onk, unk 

Trick Words: shall, full, pull, both, talk, walk

Review of last years trick words: Level 1 Review: from, do, does, here

Reading: This month we will be exploring and reading a wide variety of narrative fiction books through read alouds, shared reading, small group reading, and independent reading. 

Our focus will be on the following foundational learning outcomes:

• reading familiar passages fluently with expression to show understanding

• self-monitoring to notice when reading doesn’t make sense, sound right and/or look right then use appropriate ‘fix-up’ strategies

• retelling narrative texts including main events in order, setting, main characters, problem/resolution

• inferring about a character (his/her actions or feelings) and/or story events

• making obvious connections to text

Writing: Continuing our focus on retelling small moment stories by 'revving up their writing muscles' to do the hard work that 2nd graders do:) Later in the month, students will begin noticing what authors do in their writing and attempt to try them out in their own personal narrative stories!

Math: Students will learn to…

• Skip count from 0 to 100 by 2s, 5s, and 10s, forward and backward

• Count a given collection of coins to 100 cents using pennies, nickels, dimes

• Demonstrate if a number is even or odd (up to 100)

• Represent and describe numbers to 100

• Compare and order numbers to 100

• Understand the meaning of place value for numerals to 100

• Review last month's learnings through quick warm up activities

• **Mental math skills are introduced and built upon throughout the year such as: 

  • using doubles 

  • doubles plus one, doubles minus one

  • making ten

  • one more, one less

  • two more, two less

  • addition for subtraction to determine basic addition facts to 18 and related subtraction facts

Health: Students learn to…

• recognize and value strengths and talents that members bring to a group

• explain how groups can contribute to a safe and caring environment

• show readiness to learn

• recognize that individuals make choices about how to express feelings

• become aware that the safe expression of feelings is healthy

• develop communication strategies to express needs and seek support

September

Fundations: Students review letter names, keywords, sounds, and lowercase letter formations. They will begin Unit 1 reviewing digraph sounds (sh, th, ch, ck and wh), blends, /k/ sound, and closed-syllables.  Trick Words for Unit 1: your, was

Reading: Launching Reader’s Workshop with a focus on: 

1. Getting to know students as readers

2. Building a community of readers

3. Familiarizing students with routines that can support their reading at school and home

Writing: Launching Writer’s Workshop with a focus on 'revving up their writing muscles' to do the hard work that 2nd graders do:) They will revisit small moment personal story writing from grade one. 

Math: Students will learn to…

• Describe and use ordinal numbers (up to tenth) 

• Relate the number of days to a week and the number of months to a year in a problem-solving context

• Skip count from 0 to 100 by 5s, and 10s, forward and backward

• **Mental math skills are introduced and built upon throughout the year such as: 

  • using doubles 

  • doubles plus one, doubles minus one

  • making ten

  • one more, one less

  • two more, two less

  • addition for subtraction to determine basic addition facts to 18 and related subtraction facts

Health: Students learn to…

• apply organizational skills

• show readiness to learn

• apply decision making skills

• understand different roles people have in life

• accept, understand, and honor individual differences, interests, strengths, and skills