March 12th-16th

Hello Parents & Students!

     What a week we have in store, let me tell you!  Please be sure to read the entire blog as there are many details and dates that you may miss out on if you just skim it.  Also, here is a link that you and your student may find helpful to learn about other famous women that have shaped our world  http://www.women-scientists-in-history.com/historia.html I hope that you find it helpful and full of fun facts!  I know that I have!

Reading/Writing-This week we will continue to learn about some remarkable ladies that have impacted the world.  So far, you should have heard about Annie Oakley, Marie Antoinette, Amelia Earhart, Zora Neal Hurston, Anne Frank, and Marian Anderson.  It was refreshing to have so many writers and artists to learn about and the overwhelming message is how young, old, beautiful, or plain...everyone can make a difference if they choose to.  As such, we will continue to learn about some more exciting ladies this week.  On the agenda are:  Dolly Madison, Joan Baez, Mother Theresa, and Mary Todd Lincoln.  We will be taking a short sidebar on "the Ides of March" to learn about another historical figure who helped shape the world and the lady by his side, well in Egypt anyway. 
     For the writing component this week, we will be asking ourselves "How did this person's actions verify or belie their beliefs" as well as express "Would the world have been a better or worse place had that person not behaved in the way that they did?  Your student will be given the opportunity to express their opinion and to support that opinion with facts from what they have read.  We will also be working on a fantasy writing where we meet a Leprechaun!  All in all, it should be a fun and exciting week in the world of writing!

Math-Your student (if they are in my classroom for Math) will be wrapping up their second Geometry unit for the year this week and take a quick assessment on Tuesday.  Please make sure that your student gets plenty of rest.  On Wednesday, we will be jumping into our next unit in Expressions which will deal with three (3) digit addition and subtraction.  While this may sound a little scary, most of the numbers that your child will be working with will be under 750 and will generally involve subtracting/adding a single or double digit number with a triple digit number.  (ex. 749-32= or 438+32=) The expectation now is that your child has an understanding of their math facts (7+7=14) and can QUICKLY compute basic addition and subtraction.  Please make sure that if your child is not quickly adding/subtracting one digit numbers that they spend an extra 5-10 minutes a night working on this skill.  I promise you, if your child has not mastered this skill by the end of the year then they will have a difficult time in 3rd grade when they are exposed to multiplication.

Science-By now, you have probably been wondering about all of the bizarre things your child has told you about matter.  Such as, "Did you know that Splenda dissolves faster in room temperature water than Equal and Sweet and Low?  We have been mixing gravel, salt, water, tissue paper, and a whole lot of other things in our science class last week and will continue to do so this week.  The matter unit will be leaving the 2nd grade next year (due to common core) but will always live in your child's heart due to all of the fun applications that is has with everyday activities.  Please continue to encourage your child to explore endothermic and exothermic experiments at home (with supervision of course) as well as anything matter related.  Science is an adventure in learning that never has to end, although we only have 50 minutes to devote to it in class.    

News for the Week

     *3rd Quarter Electives end this Thursday.
     *Friday (the 16th) is an EARLY RELEASE
     *The Heroes will be having a St. Patrick's Day Activity Day on Friday, if you wish to help out or volunteer please let me know.  I can work with your schedule (anytime after 10:45am).  We still have lunch from 11:05-11:35 on Friday but the Heroes can eat and work if that will allow you to help us with an activity.
     *Science Night is March 28th (the Wednesday before Spring Break) at 5:30pm
     *March 30th is a Teacher Workday!
     *Spring Conference Sign-Ups are coming home today!  Please sign up for 3 spots and rank them 1st, 2nd, 3rd choice so that I can hope to accommodate you.
     *Spring Break is April 2nd-6th.  We will see you back on April 9th!
     *Healthy Hunter Challenge is starting this week.  We are "Moving It" this week and Eating Healthier Food next week!

     Take Care!

                                      Mr. H