Spelling Words and our Final Project

Spelling words

The spelling words for this week are.... 

et - and  (pronounced "ay")

sur - on

chez - at the house of  (pronounced "shay")

par - by

Final Project
The students in grade 2 are working on plays to end our unit of inquiry.  We are still in the early/planning stages, and students are getting very excited about the props and costumes they are going to be making.

What's in a name?

We have begun our new unit of inquiry... starting with a study of maps.

We have a spelling test on 10/14/11.  The words this week are focused on the continents.

la carte - the map

les continents - the continents

l’Amérique du Nord - North America

l’Amérique du Sud - South America

l’Afrique - Africa

l’Europe - Europe

l’Asie - Asia

l’Océanie - Oceania or Australia

l'Antarctique - Antarctica

culturel - cultural

les échanges - exchanges

Learning about the different continents is an interesting (and surprisingly complex) subject.  Depending on the person asked, there can be  a varying number of continents (usually between 5 and 7).  Asking a group of people to name the continents may give you a variety of answers- particularly when an international perspective is included.  For example, French students learn that there is a continent called "l'Amérique" that encompasses both North and South America (Americans usually learn that they are separate).  Sometimes Europe and Asia are combined to make "Eurasia."  Antarctica is not always counted.  For those of us who like precise answers, the continent question is a bit messy.  The important thing to remember is that - while the landmasses themselves are part of nature, the names of continents are a  human-made classification.  Here is an entertaining and informative video about this topic (for those who are interested!):    http://blog.cgpgrey.com/what-are-continents/

Reminder:
Scholastic book orders are due October 10 (and will subsequently be due on the 10th of each month, or on the first day back from school if the 10th falls on a weekend).   Please let your teacher know if you need another day.  A link to the online catalog can be found under the Scholastic tab.

Synergize! Working together is better.

The kids of Seven Oaks (Les Sept Chênes) gather at their local park one afternoon, and are invited to play a game of soccer with a scary (and very good) team.  At first, it is a catastrophe!  Goob is looking for bugs, Lily is picking flowers, and little Allie scores a goal for the wrong team!  Sophie gives a pep talk to her friends, and encourages them to play together as a team.  Jumper is great at scoring goals, Goob is great at blocking, and Allie just needs to know which side is which.  The game turns around, and the friends play together as a team to win the game.

Here are our words for this week...  sorry for the delay! 
Mini flashcards for Chapter 6 are available on google docs.
 

1. l’équipe - team

2. les atouts - assets  (personal assets/abilities)

3. aider - to help

4. un camarade de classe - a classmate

5. respecter - to respect

6. être gentil - to be nice/kind

7. encourager - to encourage

8. avec - with

9.  l'esprit d'équipe - team spirit

Vocabulary Words for Chapter 5

Here are our chapter 5 vocab words:

répéter - to repeat

comprendre - to understand

les yeux - eyes 

les oreilles - ears

le coeur - the heart

perdre - to lose

trouver - to find

chercher - to look for

écouter - to listen

parler - to speak

As an added bonus, mini flashcards are available on google docs.  Print them off for extra practice!

Vocabulary Words for Chapter 4

Here are this weeks vocabulary words - chapter 4 is entitled "Lily Jardine" (Lily Gardens) and centers around Lily the skunk and her idea to make a garden.  She found a way to make her garden project a "win-win" situation, by fulfilling both her mother's needs, and her own... and a bounty of fruits and vegetables was the result.

1. niveler la terre - level the earth

2. planter les graines  - plant the seeds

3. désherber - to weed (pull out the weeds from the garden)

4. arroser- to water

5. les légumes - vegetables

6. le potager - kitchen garden (fruit and vegetable garden)

7. la récolte - the harvest

8. les fruits - fruit

Help your child practice the words a little each day - just like Pokey for his spelling test!

What's happening in Grade 2

Having a Plan
This week, we are reading Chapter 2 of "7 Habitudes des Enfants Heureux."  In this chapter, Goob (the bear) comes up with a plan.  He wants to buy a bug kit, a gift for his friend Allie, and put some money into his savings.  He then goes about making his plan become a reality by setting up a lemonade stand with his friend Jumper the rabbit.  Students compared the ways in which these two friends used their earnings... and how having a goal in mind from the start can make all the difference.

Binders and Badges

Just a reminder, students are to bring their binders to school each day.  They should also have their name badges (stored in their money&notes pouch).  Even if your child does not purchase lunch, this should be made part of their daily routine.

Snack Rotation 

The kids love having snack in the afternoon, and we are happy to facilitate this with parent support.  Lisa Berman (Holly's mom) has volunteered to make the snack rotation list for both 2nd grade classes, so this will be coming soon.  Until then, if you would be willing to send in a snack for 21 students (carrot sticks, pretzels, etc.) the students would appreciate it!  

Water Bottles

It is hot outside, and our 2nd graders are thirsty little things!  Please remember to send your child with a water bottle - particularly for gym days - this will help ensure they are adequately hydrated.

Vocab words of the week

These vocabularly words come from our reading this week.  They are to be practiced by first copying, and then memorizing them.  Accents count, so make sure these are not overlooked!

gagner - to earn / to win

collectionner - to collect

acheter - to buy

planifier - to plan

travailler - to work

économiser - to save

se divertir - to entertain oneself

vendre - to sell

dépenser - to spend

gaspiller - to waste

Picnic!
This Sunday (August 28) is the 2nd grade family picnic!  It is at Tower Grove Park from 2:30 - 5:00.  Please bring a dish to share.

Donors Choose Project is up!

Here is a link to the first of Donors Choose project that we created to support our 2nd grade curriculum. 

http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=610468&challengeid=45996

These crafty materials will help bring our second Unit of Inquiry to life.  Feel free to pass it around!  If you choose to donate, don't forget to check with your employers to see if they match charitable contributions.