Hedberg Happenings April Newsletter 2012
Wow, we only have six weeks of school left after Spring Break. I can’t believe how fast the year has gone. Our last weeks of school will be very exciting.
Our new reading them after spring break will be about Dinosaurs, always a student favorite. Few topics engage children's imagination as easily as fossils and dinosaurs do. As my students explore this topic they will find out the answers to exciting questions about the dinosaurs and the history of life on Earth during prehistoric time. During this unit students will continue their analysis of expository prose as they will explore many different aspects of fossils, including what they are, where they are found, and what we learn from them. Along with the general investigation goals, in this unit I plan to focus on the following …
*developing vocabulary
*use a variety of comprehension strategies and skills in reading
*listen, read, and write on the theme
*learn how fossils provide evidence about plants and animals that lived long ago, and how scientists learn about the past history of Earth by studying fossils
*learn more about the process of science
*sharpen their understanding of expository text.
Later near the end of this unit on May 4th the second grade teachers will be hosting a Dinosaur Book Mark Trade Fair and invite parents to come and be a part of this annual second grade event. Be on the look out in the future for detailed information about how students will be creating their own dino book marks at home to trade at this event, don’t worry they will be given plenty of time, examples, and templates to make their bookmarks. Student will also be making fossils out of salt dough and plaster of paris. They will experience the life of a paleontologist when they go on a fossil digging expedition! Please check the classroom needs section of the blog for supplies you can donate to help make this unit a success.
MATH: Our final units in Math will include Measurement and Time and Temperature. My students have learned over the course of this year that math is more than just solving problems. Doing math involves a variety of processes including problem solving, reasoning, communicating, connecting and representing.
Beginning April 2nd I will be teaching one formal art lesson per week. At the end of our six week Art study the students will have a portfolio of their own art to bring home. I remember when I was in elementary school we had an Art teacher as one of our specials classes. I believe that it is important to foster the creativity that art bring out in children. Artists that we will study include some of the most famous artists in the world, Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, Georgia O”Keefee (my personal favorite), Pablo Picasso, and Diego Rivera.
CHARACTER: Confidence
“Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much can you love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!” Anne Frank
I wish everyone a happy spring!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Hedberg
