Updates

I hope everyone enjoyed their spring break. I had a relaxing and restful break. My husband and I went to San Diego for a little getaway and had a fabulous time. Break is always too short!
We are closing up our Ingenious Inventors unit this week. On Friday, we will have a test on the vocabulary words and the pictures that go with them. They will identify the word, meaning, and connect the inventor and his invention. A study sheet will go home Thursday.
Next week we begin MAP testing on the computers for the Clydesdales from 12:30-1:30. The following week the Appaloosas will be testing. If you volunteer in the afternoon and want to switch to the morning those weeks that would be fine. Otherwise, Ms. Salas could always use some volunteers to listen to the children read in Spanish to practice fluency. We will not have a spelling and vocab test next week, but the following Friday, April 19 we will.
I will be gone next week Tuesday-Friday at a math training in New Mexico. I will have a fantastic substitute here taking care of your children. She was Mrs. Pawelko's maternity leave substitute. Volunteers please still come in to give her a hand. We will need extra hands here Tuesday -Thursday for a special project the connects to Art class. There is a lot of creativity and writing with this activity so any help Mrs. Lowrey can get is always appreciated!
The year is winding down to our last 7 weeks. I love these classes and every minute we have together.
Have a fantastic week. Hopefully we will start to see signs of Spring soon!
Mrs. Montes

Weekly Updates

We are enjoying our unit about Ingenious Inventions. We are learning a lot of interesting facts about the inventors and their ingenious ideas that helped change our world. This will continue for one more week after spring break. I hope the children are coming home and sharing the interesting facts with you at home.
Tomorrow we have a math test on geometry-rectangles, squares, triangles, perimeter, parallelograms, quadrilaterals, and parallel lines. We are enjoying this fun, hands-on unit. We will begin fractions next. To conclude the year, we will learn about "telling time" and "two-digit subtraction."
We are half way through learning cursive. The children are really enjoying this writing activity! We will finish up the letters this week. Once we have learned all of the letters, the children may begin using it in their daily work.
Report cards go home Friday! Wow, the 3rd quarter flew by! Please continue to practice math basic facts at home through flash cards or XtraMath. While we are learning about measurement, geometry, time, and fractions, I hope the children are still practicing their facts.
Thank you for all that you do!
Have a great week!
Mrs. Montes

Updates

Tomorrow we will have our Whales Test to conclude the unit. A review is coming home tonight to practice. It will be about everything whales that we have covered. Some things to know: The difference between a toothed whale and a baleen whale and what they eat/how their diet is different. Whales are mammals and they breathe with lungs. They cannot breathe underwater. Label the parts of the whale. Blue Whales are the largest whales. Whales do not sleep. They take in air while they are "half sleeping."

Our spelling and vocab test will also be tomorrow.

We start Inventions next week. We will do this for 2-3 weeks as we learn about different inventors and what they are known for by changing our world.

Have a great day!
Mrs. Montes

Updates

The children did an amazing job at the Music Concert on Thursday night. They were just glowing with excitement and maybe a little bit of nerves too. Thank you for your support and encouragement as they prepared for their big night.
This week we finish up our Whale Unit. We will continue to learn about the three different whales as we become experts on our whale of study (Sperm Whale, Humpback Whale, Blue Whale, and the Minke Whale). It is interesting learning about their characteristics and way of life. If you are interested, there are several awesome whale videos on You Tube that the children will enjoy. I just search "Whale Videos" and many come up. National Geographic is a great resource for appropriate ones for kids also.
One Wednesday, the Penguin/Whale reports are due. We will draw names and dates to see when your child presents to the class. We will present Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Please bring the report and the diorama on the day your child presents because we do not have space in the classroom to store all of the dioramas. Just a reminder you need 3 pictures or illustrations for the written report. The children can read from their report or share the highlighted points from notecards. Also, don't forget to include an introduction and an ending (conclusion) for the written report. We can't wait to see their completed projects. I love that they are all unique and special in every way.
We are in our measurement unit for math. If your child does not have a ruler yet please send one. Our next unit is telling time. This is a very difficult skill for many children. If you want to give them some extra practice feel free to start discussing this any time. Please continue to practice math facts through Xtra Math or flashcards. Last year I did a study on the class. I took notes on their scores for the year. I could tell who practiced and who didn't, and it was amazing to see the growth in those who practiced math facts 4-5 times a week. Knowing these single digit facts will help them succeed with two digit addition and subtraction at a must faster pace. Thank you for your efforts to encourage them to practice!
I just love the character that flows in and out of our classroom. I see good decision making and integrity. This month our focus was on responsibility. We filled our heart in the hallway, so we get the special "Game Day" this week to celebrate that. If your child has any board games that they would like to bring in on Friday to share for this time, please bring it on Friday. Thank you so much.
If you volunteer Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday in the afternoon we won't need volunteers this week because of presentations. If you would like to switch to the morning that would be fine.
Hope you had a fantastic weekend.
Mrs. Montes

Enjoy the break!

I'm enjoying the time spent together for conferences. I love celebrating what we have learned this year and sharing with you how much your child is growing in second grade.
For the penguin/whale project in Spanish or English please follow the rubric that came home today on a purple sheet. If you did not get it I am attaching it here. This will help all of you in what to include in the written report and for creating the diorama. Please remember this project is for the second graders. It's OK if it  looks like it's created by a second grader! I encourage you to help with the research and gathering of information and facts, but the second grader must do the writing, and must create the diorama. It should look like the second grader did the project. If you are doing it in Spanish please follow the rubric, and do your best on the grammar and spelling component. We understand this is in your child's second language so we just encourage them all to try their very best! We are so proud of their work in both languages. We can't wait to see the final projects. They are due February 27. We will present them to the class Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (27, 28, March 1)
Thank you for the great Valentine donations. We appreciate everything you did to make the party a hit! It was like Halloween in here with all the candy. Thank you again! We are truly blessed to spend our day with your child!
Enjoy the time off!
Mrs. Montes

Weekly Update

Our Valentine's Party will be held on Thursday. Thank you for the donations we have already received, and for those of you who volunteered to send something in. We still need some fresh fruit (grapes, oranges, and strawberries) if you would like to send those in. Thanks!
Tomorrow (Wednesday)  Ms. Salas and I will be holding conferences in Room 215 upstairs by the art room. When you come in for your scheduled time please check in at the office before you come upstairs. We look forward to seeing you! The children still have regularly scheduled class.
Thursday we will pass out Valentines and have our party. Please remember to make a Valentine box at home and decorate it with your child's name and an opening big enough for the Valentines to fit inside.
Thank you for all of your volunteer time in the classroom and support at home! We hope the penguin and whale projects are going well. The written and the diorama are due Wed. Feb. 27. Just a reminder you need 3 pictures in the report. They can be printed or drawn. We can't wait to see them! Please let us know if you have any questions.
Mrs. Montes

Snowy Day!

Well, I wish this title was Snow Day instead of Snowy Day!
Unfortunately, our Literacy Night has been cancelled for tonight. We really hope to reschedule this amazing event that we had planned for you. We have been working so hard creating our poems, and we just can't wait to share them with you!
We did not send home family journals today because of Lit Night tonight.
Reminder: Reading challenge sheets are due tomorrow. Please return your Six Flags reading log tomorrow for your voucher and $5 Scholastic Free Book Certificate.
Tomorrow is also Hawaiian Day! Aloha-ha in the snow!
Have a fantastic night. If you have to go out, please drive safe.
Mrs. Montes