Week of December 5th - 9th

2nd Grade Math
This week we began our chapter on Data and Graphs. Items that will be covered are: reading a table, using tally marks, bar graphs, pictographs, line plots and locating points on a grid.

1st Grade Reading
We have been working on Unit 5 of our Wilson Fundation program. In this unit the students are working with two new glued sounds. The first one is am, as in ham. The second one is an, as in fan.

2nd Grade Reading
We have been working on Unit 6 of our Wilson Fundation program. In this Unit we are reviewing a syllable type learned in the first grade program, the vowel - consonant - e syllable (or magic e)
Examples: cape, home, pine
Students will also review the two u sounds in v-e syllable; u as in mule and u as in rule.

Week of November 28th - December 1st

2nd Grade Math
Next week we will complete our 2nd chapter on double digit subtraction. This was a difficult chapter for most but my students tried their best. Keep working with flash cards at home!

1st Grade Reading
We have been working in Unit 4 of the Wilson Fundations program. In this unit we are working with the ff, ss, ll bonus letter rule. At the end of a one syllable word, if the word has one vowel immediately followed by an f, l or s at the end, double that consonant. The extra f, l, s is considered a bonus letter because it is extra. It does not make a sound.
Examples: hill, miss, puff

2nd Grade Reading
This week we completed Unit 5 of our Wilson Fundations program. Our next Unit will review a syllable type learned in Level 1, the vowel-consonant-e syllable (or magic e)
Examples: cape, home, pine
We will also work on reading and spelling procedures for two-syllable words with both closed and vowel-consonant-e syllables.
Examples: invite, reptile, baseball, lifetime

Week of November 7th - 10th

2nd Grade Math
This week we took our test on double digit addition. We also started Chapter 7 on double digit subtraction. Please keep practicing math facts at home!

1st Grade Reading
We continue to work with Unit 3 of our Wilson Fundations program. In this unit the students will work with the digraphs (wh, ch, sh, th, ck). These stick together to form one sound, even though there are two letters.

2nd Grade Reading
We had our Unit 4 test on Thursday. Next week we will be starting Unit 5 from our Wilson Fundations program. This unit focuses on syllables instead of sounds. We will review the procedures for segmenting or dividing words into syllables. Ex: cat-nip
We will also work with four new consonant suffixes (-ness, -less, -ment, - ful) and three new vowel suffixes (-able, -ish, -en)

Week of October 31st - November 4th

2nd Grade Math
We are still working on double digit addtion. We have also begun working on rounding to estimate sums. Our chapter test will be next Tuesday.

1st Grade Reading
We are currently working on Unit 3 of our Wilson Fundations program. This unit works with the digraphs wh, ch, sh, th and ck. These digraphs stick together to make one sound, even though there are two letters.

2nd Grade Reading
We are currently working on Unit 4 of our Wilson Fundations program. This unit reviews the suffixes -s, -es, -ed and -ing. New suffixes that are introduced are -est and -er.
Students will learn to read the baseword of a word first, and then read the whole word with the suffix added.

Week of October 24th - 28th

2nd Grade Math
We took our Chapter 5 test on double digit addition on Thursday. The children are really understanding the concept. Chapter 6 also focuses on double digit addition so the children will get more practice.

1st Grade Reading
We completed Unit 2 of our Wilson Fundations program. This unit concentrated on blending and reading three short vowel words as well as how to segment and spell them.
Please continue to have your children read the books that I send home weekly. They may bring them back every Monday for new books.

2nd Grade Reading
We completed Unit 3 of our Wilson Fundations program. This unit concentrated on glued sounds such as: ild, ind, old, olt and ost.
Please continue to have your children read the books that I send home weekly. They may bring them back every Monday for new books.

Week of April 25th - 29th

2nd Grade Math:
This week we completed Chapter 20 of our Math series. This chapter focuses on place value. Our next Chapter focuses on comparing and ordering greater numbers.

1st Grade Reading:
This week the RTI team benchmarked Kindergarten and 1st grade students in Reading and Math so normal power hour groups did not meet. We will return to normal groups on Monday.

1st Grade Math:
This week we completed Chapter 20 of our Math unit. This chapter focuses on the concept of money. We learned how to identify pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. We also learned how to count sets of coins.

2nd Grade Reading:
This week we worked on Unit 11 of our Wilson program. Students worked on three vowel teams: ee, ea, and ey. Each of these letter combinations can have the long e sound and are found in double vowel syllables.
Examples: steam, sheep, hockey, indeed

Week of April 11th - 15th

2nd Grade Math We completed our chapter on Fractions this week and my students did extremely well on their tests. I am so proud of them!! We started Chapter 20 on place value to 100 on Friday. 1st Grade Reading We have been working on Unit 11 of our Wilson Reading program. In this unit students are working on how to read and spell two syllable words with closed syllables. This unit sets the groundwork for all multisyllabic reading and spelling. 2nd Grade Reading This week was a little bit different from our normal routine. On Monday and Tuesday the 2nd Graders completed OLSAT testing. Starting on Wednesday the 2nd graders worked on their Animal reports. The children will be writing five paragraphs reports on the animal that they selected. 1st Grade Math This week in Math we worked on Chapter 19. We practiced with fact families to 20 and word problems.

Week of April 4th - 8th

2nd Grade Math We have been working on Chapter 18 of our Math series. This chapter focuses on weight, mass, capacity and temperature. 1st Grade Reading We are working on Unit 11 of our Wilson Fundations program. In this unit we focus on syllables. We will learn how to read and spell two syllable words with closed syllables. Example: catnip 2nd Grade Reading We completed Unit 10 of our Wilson Fundations program. We will begin Unit 11 next week. In this unit students will practice three new vowel teams: ee, ea, ey. Each of these letter combinations can have the long e sound and are found in double vowel syllables. Examples: steam, sheep, hockey, indeed

Elizabeth Ide Helps Japan

The response to the Helping Japan coin donation was tremendous! While collecting the coins over a 2 week period, WE RAISED $1141.93!!! The students, parents and teachers at Elizabeth Ide contributed to raising the awareness about the importance of helping the people of Japan. Our donation will be donated directly to the Red Cross organization.

Thank you for supporting our Character Counts program mission to help the people of Japan!!

Week of March 14th - 18th

2nd Grade Math
We will be working on our chapter on measurement. We will learn how to measure by inches, feet, centimeter and meter. We will also learn how to measure the perimeter of plane figures and measure in square units.

1st Grade Reading

We are continuing to work on Unit 10 or the Wilson Fundations program. In this unit we are working on blending and segmenting up to five sounds with a closed syllable.

Examples: skunk, blimp

2nd Grade Reading
We completed Unit 9 or our Wilson Fundations program this week. We will begin Unit 10 next week. In this unit we will be working on a new syllable type, the double vowel syllable.

1st Grade Math
This week we worked on Chapter 17 which works on addtion strategies of numbers to 20. We worked on the doubles strategy (2+2) and the near double strategy (2+3). We also worked on adding numbers to 10 (10+3)

Week of March 7th - 11th

2nd Grade Math
This week we continue to work on our chapter on plane figures and spatial sense. We will have our test early next week. Our next chapter focuses on length, perimeter and the area of shapes.

1st Grade Reading
We took our test on Unit 9 of the Wilson Fundations program on Friday. On Monday we will be starting Unit 10. Please look for your home packets in your child's green folders.
This unit does not introduce any new sounds. The children will learn to blend and segment up to five sounds in a closed syllable.
Examples: skunk, blimp

2nd Grade Reading
We continue to work on Unit 9 of the Wilson Fundations program. We will have our test late next week.
In this unit we are working on r controlled sound combinations: er, ir, ur, or and ar.

1st Grade Math
This week we finished Chapter 16 which works with Fractions. We will be having our test on Monday. We will start Chapter 17 early next week. This chapter focus on addition facts and strategies to 20.

Week of February 28th - March 3rd

1st Grade Reading
This week we continued to work on Unit 9 of the Wilson Fundations program. This unit reviews the reading and spelling of previous word patterns. No new word patterns are taught, just a new concept.
In Unit 9, the students will learn about a closed syllable.
1. Closed syllables can only have one vowel.
2. The vowel is followed by one or more consonants (closed in)
3. The vowel sound is short.

2nd Grade Reading
We completed Unit 8 of the Wilson Fundations program today. We will begin Unit 9 on Tuesday. In Unit 9, students will learn three, remaining r-controlled sound combinations: er, ir, and ur. All three make the same sound /er/.
Examples: burn, first, hamster

2nd Grade Math
This week we completed Chapter 14: Solid Figures. We will begin our next chapter on Plane Figures and Spatial Sense on Tuesday.

Week of February 22nd - 25th

1st Grade Reading
We will start Unit 9 of the Wilson Fundations program next week. This unit reviews the reading and spelling of previous word patterns. No new word patterns are taught, just a new concept.
In Unit 9, students will learn about a closed syllable.
Closed syllables can only have one vowel.
The vowel is followed by one or more consonants (closed in)
The vowel sound is short.

2nd Grade Reading
We have been working on Unit 8 of the Wilson Fundations program. In this unit we are working on r-controlled syllables.
This syllable contains a single vowel followed by an r (ar, er, ir, or, ur).
The vowel is neither long or short; it is controlled by the r.
This syllable can be combined with other syllables to make multisyllabic words.

Week of February 7th - 11th

2nd Grade Math
This week we completed our second chapter on Money. The children did well with this. Please continue to expose your children to coins and money at home. It is always helpful to practice! We began our chapter on telling time on Thursday. The children are looking forward to working on this chapter.

1st Grade Reading
This week we completed Unit 7 of our Wilson Fundations program. We began Unit 8 of the program on Friday. In this Unit we will work on the difference between a blend and a digraph. A digraph contains two consonants and only makes one sound such as (sh). A blend contains two consonants and only makes one sound, such as /s/ and /l/, /sl/.

2nd Grade Reading
This week we completed Unit 6 of our Wilson Fundations program. The children did well on their tests. We started Unit 7 on Wednesday. This unit works with open syllables.
Open syllables have:
1. Only one vowel which is the last letter in the syllable
2. The sound is long to indicate the long sound, the vowel is marked with a (-)
3. This syllable can be combined with other syllables to make multisyllabic words
Students will also learn that y often works as a vowel in open syllables saying (i) at the end of one syllable words and (e) at the end of multisyllabic words.

Week of January 31st - February 4th

2nd Grade Math
We continue to work with money. Our chapter test will be on Tuesday. My students are doing well with money and continue to get better and better with counting change everyday!

1st Grade Reading
We continued to work on Unit 7 of our Wilson Fundations program. We are working with new glued sounds: ang, ing, ong, ung, ank, ink, onk, unk. Our test will be mid-week next week.

2nd Grade Reading
Our test on Unit 6 of our Wilson Fundations program was postponed until next Monday. This week we concentrated on the reading and spelling procedures for two syllable words with both closed and vowel - consonant - e syllables. We also worked on exceptions to the vowel - consonant - e syllable. This exception, -ive, can also be a suffix. It is pronounced with a short i sound.

Announcements
Monday, February 14th - Valentine's Day Parties
Monday, February 21st - No School, President's Day
Tuesday, March 1st - Report Cards go home
Friday, March 4th - No School

Week of January 24th - 28th

This week we implemented an approach to discipline called Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). PBIS is a proactive systems approach to establishing the behavioral supports and social culture needed for all students in a school to achieve social, emotional and academic success.

We began this week by establishing clear expectations for behavior that was taught, modeled, and reinforced across all settings and by all staff. Our week culminated with a juggling celebration assembly which everyone really enjoyed!

Week of January 17th - 21st

2nd Grade Math
We started our chapter on money this week. My students have been working hard on this but are having a difficult time. Please keep counting money with your children at home and expose them to different coins.

1st Grade Reading
I did not meet with my First Grade Reading students this week due to the Winter Reading/Math benchmark testing. Groups will resume in February.

2nd Grade Reading
This week we have been working on Unit 6 of the Wilson Fundations program. This unit focuses on vowel-consonant -e syllable words.
Examples: cape, home, pine, invite, lifetime, athlete, baseline

Announcements:

Next week, January 24 - 28, Elizabeth Ide will be implementing an approach to discipline called Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). PBIS is a proactive systems approach to establishing the behavioral supports and social culture needed for all students in a school to achieve social, emotional, and academic success.

We will begin by establising clear expectations for behavior that will be taught, modeled and reinforced across all settings and by staff. Our week will culminate with a juggling celebration assembly.

Week of January 10th - 14th

2nd Grade Math
This week we completed Chapter 10 of our Math series. This unit focused on Probability. Our next chapter will be on Money. Please send in 4 quarters, 5 dimes, 10 nickels and 10 pennies with your child. After we are finished with money they will bring it back home.

1st Grade Reading
We had a busy week in Reading. We completed Unit 6 of the Wilson Fundations program and the children had their test earlier this week. You should have seen the graded test brought home in their green folders.
We began Unit 7 on Thursday. In this unit we introduced new glued sounds. There are four new glued sounds with the ng ending (ang, ing, ong, ung) and four ending with the nk (ank, ink, onk, unk). These new sounds have individual sounds but they are closely glued together. To tap these out you use three fingers glued together to represent the sounds working together.

2nd Grade Reading
We did not meet this week due to Aimsweb benchmark testing and MAPS testing. We will resume groups on Tuesday of next week. We will be working on Unit 6 of the Wilson Fundations program. In this unit we will review a syllable type learned in a previous level, the vowel-consonant-e syllable.
Examples: cape, home, pine, invite, reptile, give, bones

Announcements
Friday, January 28th - Character Counts Gym Night
Monday, February 14th - Valentines Day
Monday, February 21st - No School, Presidents Day