Dear Parents, 

     Last week, we finished Unit 5; “3-D and 2-D Shapes” and the students took the end of unit test.  We then started Unit 6, “Whole Number Operations and Number Stories.”  We practiced solving addition problems with three “addends”.  This week we will solve comparison number stories, and have a data day (focus on collecting, sorting, tallying, and graphing data).  On Thursday and Friday we will use all of the number story diagrams that we have learned throughout the year to solve addition and subtraction number stories.<strong></strong>

     In Writing Workshop I finished conferencing with all of the students about the story they wrote and a self-reflection that they completed.  This week the students will see how much they can write in one writing period.  The students are expected to “Think, Sketch, Plan, Write and Fix-Up” a story in two writing periods.  At the end of the week, the students will work with partners to check the spelling and punctuation in their favorite stories. 

     This week the students will have a new game to play at the phonics center.  The game focuses on words with -ar, -ir, -er, -or, and -ur; such as dark, sister, girl, etc.  We will also discuss the different sounds that the letter “y” makes at the end of the word.  It can make the ‘e’ sounds, like in the word sunny. It can also make the ‘i’ sounds as in the word sky.

 <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Notes and Reminders: </span></strong>
<ul>
	<li>We are excited for our Guest Readers this week- Mr. Lodato.<strong></strong></li>
	<li>There are two permission slips being sent home today.  We have two great trips planned for February, and wanted to give all of the second grade families time to collect the money.  Please contact me with any questions about these trips.<strong></strong></li>
	<li>Thank you to Payton’s mom and AJ’s dad who joined us on our trip to see <span style="text-decoration: underline">A Midsummer Night’s Dream.</span>  The show was great and the students were terrific audience members and really seemed to enjoy the show!<strong></strong></li>
	<li>There is no school next Friday, January 29<sup>th</sup>.</li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Questions to ask at home:</span></strong>
<ul>
	<li>Practice addition problems with three numbers.</li>
	<li>Create comparison number stories. (I scored 4 points, you scored 10.  How many more points did you score?)</li>
	<li>What are the steps to write a story during Writing Workshop?</li>
	<li>What are words that end with a y that sound like sunny?  What are words that end with a y that sound like sky?</li>
	<li>As you are reading at home, make sure you and your child stop to ask questions before during and after you read. Ask who, what, when, where, why and how questions.</li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Homework</span></strong><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">: </span></strong>
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<tbody>
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<td width="109">
<p align="center"><strong>Monday</strong></p>
</td>
<td width="109">
<p align="center"><strong>Tuesday</strong></p>
</td>
<td width="109">
<p align="center"><strong>Wednesday</strong></p>
</td>
<td width="109">
<p align="center"><strong>Thursday</strong></p>
</td>
<td width="109">
<p align="center"><strong>Friday</strong></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="80">
<p align="center"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Math</span></strong></p>
</td>
<td width="109">
<p align="center">(no school)</p>
</td>
<td width="109">
<p align="center">Home Link 6.2</p>
</td>
<td width="109">
<p align="center">Home Link 6.3</p>
</td>
<td width="109">
<p align="center">Home Link 6.4</p>
</td>
<td width="109">
<p align="center"> </p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="80">
<p align="center"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Reading</span></strong><strong></strong></p>
</td>
<td width="109" valign="top">
<p align="center">Read at least 15 minutes</p>
</td>
<td width="109" valign="top">
<p align="center">Read at least 15 minutes</p>
</td>
<td width="109" valign="top">
<p align="center">Read at least 15 minutes</p>
</td>
<td width="109" valign="top">
<p align="center">Read at least 15 minutes</p>
</td>
<td width="109" valign="top">
<p align="center">Read at least 15 minutes</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<span><span> </span></span>