Second Grade Newsletter- Week 1
August 28, 2026
CLASS NEWS
First Week
Second grade has most definitely hit the ground running! We've worked hard and learned so much this week in both Math and ELAR. In Math, we activated prior knowledge by first reviewing number sense focused on counting, reading and writing numbers, reading place-value charts, comparing and ordering numbers, and making patterns. This also helped me assess baseline skill sets in counting, mathematical literacy, and notation. This way I know where I need to meet our students in order to foster individual growth throughout the year. We concluded the week by building three-digit numbers with manipulatives in collaboration groups.đź’™
Each day in ELAR, we began with phonological awareness activities to sharpen our listening, blending, and sound skills. We reviewed all of our main letter sounds and practiced the digraphs ck, ng, and ph, then applied those phonics skills while working on writing complete sentences. In reading, we enjoyed Helping Our Community and Lacey Walker, Nonstop Talker while identifying the topic, central idea, setting, characters, problem, and solution. We also compared the two texts and had meaningful conversations about what it means to be a great citizen both inside and outside of our classroom!❤️
WHAT WE ARE LEARNING
Math Focus for Next Week: The overarching theme in Math next week involves place value. Our main learning objectives focus on using a place-value chart to read, write, and represent numbers to 1,000. Students will write such numbers by emphasizing expanded form, standard form, and word form. With that said, students will also be introduced to our Math in Focus digital curriculum this upcoming week as well via rotation stations. By the week's end, your student should be able to answer the following question: "How can you use a place-value chart to compare three numbers?"
ELAR Focus for Next Week: Next week in Reading and Writing, we will continue building strong foundational literacy skills! In writing, students will review the main letter sounds, apply digraph sounds to their spelling and writing, and work on perfecting complete sentences. In reading, we will begin a mini book study with We Don’t Lose Our Class Goldfish. Throughout the week, students will use the story to practice identifying the central idea, characters, setting, plot, problem, and solution while strengthening their comprehension and discussion skills.
What is Happening in Science/STEM? (From the desk of Mrs. Mertz)
What a great beginning of the school year! The students did an excellent job learning that science is all around us. Students created an anchor chart showing all their amazing ideas of how we use science in our world everyday. Students then created their own scientist and what they imagined a scientist looks like, what a scientist would say and what their scientist would do. This upcoming week, students will begin their first unit on Local Landscapes. Students will explore and make observations of how land can be described in many ways. Students will experience outdoor learning to make predictions of how marbles and water move on different places within our playground, carry out an investigation, record their observations of the movement of the water and marbles, then compare their prediction to their observation to complete their inquiry activity.
Academic Science Language
prediction, investigation, observation, communication
LOOKING AHEAD
List of Important Events
September 7th - Labor Day (No school)
September 16th - September Birthdays celebrated at lunch
September 25th - Spirit Day
A huge Hilltop THANK YOU to our wonderful parent volunteers for serving as your grade-level Class Captains! Please be sure to join the 2nd Grade Group on the St. Luke’s App to stay connected and receive important updates and communication throughout the year.
Meredith Hinchey - meredithhinchey@gmail.com
Paige Shafer - paigeblakemore@yahoo.com
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