Mr. McCormack, Ms. Bastible, Ms. Adelaja, Ms. Warner, & Ms. Roth
What an amazing year it has been! Our second graders have been working incredibly hard, and it truly shows in everything they do. Whether it's solving math problems, diving into reading, or exploring new ideas. Every day, they give their best effort, and their growth has been inspiring to see! Thank you for your continued support at home. Together, we are helping them reach their goals. Let’s keep up the momentum and finish the year strong!
Learner Profiles in Second Grade: Knowledgable, Principled & Risk-Takers
Our second graders are truly embracing the IB profile attribute of "Knowledgeable" through their love of reading! Students are given time throughout the day to read, allowing them to explore a variety of topics and expand their understanding of the world around them. They also have the opportunity to check out books from the library, giving them even more chances to gain new knowledge. Whether it’s diving into fiction or exploring non-fiction, students are becoming more curious and informed each day. It’s exciting to see them connect what they read with what they learn in other subjects!
We want to give a special shout-out to our second graders for their perfect attendance! Showing up consistently to school is a true demonstration of the IB learner profile attribute of "Principled." Students are making a commitment to their learning by being present and ready to work every day. This dedication to being on time and engaged in class helps them grow academically and personally. Keep up the great work, second graders – your hard work and discipline are truly shining through!
Our second graders are working hard to develop the IB profile attribute of "Risk-Takers." Recently, we challenged students to step outside their comfort zones and work in groups to design their very own food trucks! Each group created a menu with prices, making decisions about what food to offer and how to price it. Once the trucks were ready, students took turns running their food trucks while other students were given play money to go around and buy food. The real challenge came when students had to figure out how much they could buy with the money they had. This activity encouraged them to take risks, make decisions, and problem-solve while learning about budgeting and teamwork. It was a fun and engaging way for students to embrace challenges and be creative!
In Math, we recently wrapped up our units on money and telling time. Students practiced counting coins, making change, and telling time. Now, we have begun working on collecting and organizing data. Students are learning to create and interpret bar graphs, picture graphs, and line plots. They are doing a great job analyzing information and presenting their findings in clear and visual ways!
In Reading, we are continuing to focus on understanding different character perspectives. We recently read A Difficult Decision and The Princess and the Frog to help students explore how characters can see situations in different ways. Through these stories, we’ve been discussing how a character’s feelings, background, and experiences shape their point of view.
We’ve also been diving into our essential question: What makes a good citizen? Students have been exploring this question through the characters and events in the stories we’ve read, making connections to real-life qualities of good citizens.
We’ve also been working on understanding text features, and our latest focus has been callouts in stories. Students are learning how callouts can highlight important information, add details, or give extra insight into the plot. It's been great to see them make connections between text features and the stories they read!
In Writing, we have started working on opinion writing! Students are focusing on making strong arguments as they decide if second graders should or should not volunteer in the community. They’ve been practicing how to introduce their opinions clearly, and we’ve just wrapped up writing our introductions. Now, we’re excited to dive into the next phase and read their full drafts of their opinion essays! It’s been wonderful to see their ideas develop as they express their thoughts and support them with reasons and examples.
Shout-out to our Spelling Stars! We also want to give a big shout-out to the students who continue to get 100% on their spelling tests! Keep up the great work, second graders – your hard work is truly paying off!
In Social Studies, our second graders have been learning all about the five regions of the United States. We’ve been exploring the different landforms, climates, and natural resources that make each region special. The students have enjoyed making connections between what they see around them and what we are learning in class! In Science, we are kicking off a new unit on Erosion. Students will investigate how natural forces like wind, water, and ice slowly change the land over time. We’re excited to dive into hands-on activities and experiments that will help bring these concepts to life!
We had an amazing pep rally to get our 3rd–5th graders pumped up and ready to take on the state test! The whole school came together to cheer them on, with lots of energy and school spirit. The message was clear: it's time to slam the exam! With chants, cheers, and high-fives, we reminded our upper-grade students that they are ready to do their best and show what they know. It was an exciting way to build confidence and school pride as they head into testing season!
Reminders:
*Field trip to the movies on Tuesday, April 29th
*No after school April 28th to May 9th
*Teacher Appreciation Week: May 5th to May 9th
*Wednesday, May 14th: Half a day
*Wednesday May 14th: Family 'Fund' Bowling Day @ 3:30pm
*Field trip to the Brooklyn Cyclones Game on Thursday, May 15
*Friday May 23rd: International Day
*Monday May 26th: No School
*Friday, May 30th @ 8 am: Morning Munchies Breakfast with Parents