St. Veronica Elementary School
January, 2014
The Grade 2 Times
Welcome to
Mrs. DeSouza’s
Grade 2 Class!
Information Items
Volunteers
If you are interested in volunteering for trips and excursions, please ensure
that you have an updated CRC in the office.
First Reconciliation
First Reconciliation is on Friday January 24, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Francis
Xavier Parish.
Skating
Please refer to the attached class calendar for this month’s dates.
Agenda
Please continue to sign and return your child’s agenda each day and also
the “You’ve Got Mail” folder.
School Newsletter
Please continue to view both the classroom Newsletter and also the
school’s Newsletter for information items regarding school events.
Warm Clothing and Indoor Shoes
With the colder weather upon us, please ensure that your child comes
dressed for the weather. Students also need indoor shoes to keep at
school. Running shoes are best and can be worn for gym.
Scholastic Book Orders
Scholastic book orders are due on January 15, 2014. Please make cheques
payable to Scholastic Canada. No cash or late orders please.
At Home Reading and Writing
Please continue regular reading and writing activities at home with your
child. Short stories, grocery lists and cards/invitations are great! Please
return reading logs upon completion for a prize from the Treasure Chest.
New Year’s Wishes!
I would like to take this opportunity to wish all a happy and healthy New
Year in 2014!
Mathematics
Students will be learning to:
Data Management and Probability
-organizing objects into categories using two attributes; collecting and organizing
categorical and discrete data; reading and displaying data using line plots and
simple bar graphs; describing probability, in simple games and experiments, as the
likelihood that an event will occur.
Next Unit … Measurement
• collect and organize categorical or discrete primary data and display the data,
using tally charts, concrete graphs, pictographs, line plots, simple bar graphs, and
other graphic organizers, with labels ordered appropriately along horizontal axes,
as needed;
• read and describe primary data presented in tally charts, concrete graphs,
pictographs, line plots, simple bar graphs, and other graphic organizers;
• describe probability in everyday situations and simple games.
Please note – students and teachers continue to be engaged in a numeracy inquiry
in order to explore strengths/needs of students and then differentiate instruction
accordingly. Moving forward, the “inquiry” will focus on accountable math talk such
as “my strategy was … because” or “I got a different result because …”,
opportunities for “open” seating to allow dialogue with various students, continued
use of anchor charts with appropriate math language and accessibility to
manipulatives/resources for hands-on experiences and greater understanding of
math concepts.
Language Arts
 Guided, Independent and Shared Reading
 Word Study/ Working with Words
Analyzing Texts … Genre Study (Fairy Tales)
- identify words or phrases that indicate whether an oral text is
fact or opinion, initially with support and direction (e.g., phrases
such as I think…I feel…indicate an opinion rather than strictly
factual information)
-students will be learning to generate ideas about a potential
topic, using a variety of strategies and resources.
- identify the main idea and some additional elements of texts
(e.g., narrative: characters, setting, problem, solution, events,
resolution; procedure: goal, materials, method)
Letter Writing/Poetry
-write short texts/poems using several simple forms (e.g., a
friendly letter; a recipe describing the procedure for cooking a
favourite food; directions for playing a game; a paragraph
describing the physical characteristics of an animal; an original
story or an extension of a familiar story, modelled on stories read;
their own variation on a patterned poem; an advertisement for a
toy)
Visit www.starfall.com for interactive Language activities
2. Using Knowledge
Form and
Social of
Studies
Style
in
Writing
Heritage and Identity: Changing Family and Community
1. Developing andTraditions
Organizing
Content
Students will be learning to:
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS
 end
Compare
some
By the
of Grade
2,significant
studentstraditions
will: and celebrations among
diverse groups and at different times, and identify some of the
1. generate,
gather,
and organize
and information to
reasons
for changes
in these ideas
traditions/celebrations.
write for an intended purpose
 Use the social studies inquiry process to investigate some of
and audience;
the past and present traditions and celebrations within their
2. draft and
theirthewriting,
usingtoawhich
variety
ofbelong.
ownrevise
family and
communities
they
informational, literary, and graphic forms
 Describe some of the major groups in their community,
and stylistic
elements appropriate for the purpose and
including different types of families, and some of the ways in
audience;which traditions and heritage are passed on by such groups.
3. use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and
strategies, and knowledge of language
conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present
their work effectively;
4. reflect on and identify their strengths as writers, areas for
improvement, and the strategies
they found most helpful at different stages in the writing
process.
Virtue Education
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
57Month’s Virtue is Self-Control
This
RA
D E 2 WRITING
AG
person
of self-control
has control over their feelings and
investigation;
a recipeindescribing
the act and speak,
makes
good decisions
the way they
procedure
for cooking
a favourite
food;impulses and desires.
showing
restraint
over their
emotions,
directions for playing a game; a paragraph
describing the physical characteristics
of an animal; an original story or an
extension of a familiar story, modelled
on stories read; their own variation on a