Friday, May 30, 2014

Dear Families,

The second graders did a fantastic job preparing for and sharing what they learned about their individual country studies. They worked so hard and should be very proud of themselves. Special thanks to the following people:

Hamorah Ali for doing our food shopping,
Hope and Jen for helping the students to cook/bake,
Jina for picking up the breakfast foods,
Hamorah Jaime for helping with our technological issues and for printing our beautiful passports and
a VERY SPECIAL thank you to Hamorah Holly for filling in for me the day before the fair and getting everything ready AND for working with the students on their projects throughout the year.

Shabbat Shalom,
Hamorah Caren

Australia

France

England

Brazil

Egypt

Friday, May 23, 2014

Dear Families,

Your first and second graders never cease to amaze me! This week we learned about the Japanese bento box. Did you know . . . . . . .

                   that they are typically made by the mom?

                  that they are a symbol of love between the maker and the eater?

                  that rice is the main staple of any Japanese bento box?

After learning about them, we began to create our own. Check out the process! The students used Model Magic, markers, felt, pipe cleaners and tissue paper to make representations of their favorite foods. The finished boxes will be on display soon!

Reminder:
The Second Grade International Fair is this Wednesday morning at 8:30.

Shabbat Shalom and have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

Hamorah Caren

Creating apples out of Model Magic.

It is hard to believe that the pizza isn't real!

An Oreo cookie factory!

Hard at work filling the bento box.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Dear Families,

Did you know that the Japanese celebrate Children's Day on May 5th? This past Monday, May 5th, we made carp flags. We learned that carp flags are used to celebrate Children's Day because the carp symbolizes strength and the Japanese wish for their children strength and happiness.

We also learned about the Japanese calendar and all of the other holidays that are celebrated in Japan. The students were put into groups and each group represented a month. Check out their work on the bulletin board in my room.

In addition, we also read the story The Bicycle Man by Allen Say as part of our author study. We made a connection because during our immigration unit we read a story written by him as well called Grandfather's Journey. In that book we learned that as a child Allen Say came to America where he spent most of his life. He returned to Japan to marry and then raised his children in America. As a senior, he went back to Japan where he lives today.  In The Bicycle Man we learned that Allen Say went to first grade in Japan. He recalled a time when he was having a sports day at school when two American soldiers appeared. It was his first time seeing American. In the story he shares how he felt about seeing them.

And, finally, today was Special Visitors' Day. In second grade the students did five activities with their special guests. They included the following:

  - sharing their country study boards
  - creating pages for their country study passports
  -  learning about Japanese houses
  - sharing book report t-shirts
 - writing a story together


Shabbat Shalom,

Hamorah Caren

Everyone is wearing their book report t-shirt. So cool!!

Special Visitors' Day in second grade.

Learning together during Special Vistors' Day.

Friday, May 2, 2014

Dear Families,

Our Japan unit is off to an exciting start! In preparation for our trip to the Children's Museum to visit the Japanese house, the first and second graders learned the terms for the different parts of the house and then we created and labeled our own Japanese house maps. In addition, everyone was given the opportunity to visit and answer questions about a virtual Japanese house.

Once at the museum, we had a wonderful presentation inside the house. The students asked fantastic questions and learned so much. Please ask your child the following:

How did the house get to the museum?
How long did it take to get it built?
Instead of nails, what did the construction workers use?
(There is a wonderful video on the museum's site showing how the house was built.

My second graders are just about done with their beautiful country study boards. Now, each child is creating a "restaurant" and a powerpoint presentation to show guests what delicious foods their country has to offer.

In math, we spent time reviewing/introducing regrouping. We will continue with this difficult skill next week.

And, finally, my literacy group learned to use a table of contents and an index.

Don't forget to check out the photos below.

Shabbat Shalom,

Hamorah Caren

Driving the bus . . .  .Oh no!

Sitting inside the Japanese house.

Working together to learn how to regroup.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Dear Families,

This week the first and second graders created a bar graph showing the height of several different kinds of penguins. Then, they were able to answer questions about the penguins using the information they graphed. They also measured themselves in inches and determined which penguin was closest to their height. And, last, they found out and marked where in the world several different types of penguins live. (All penguin work will go home at the end of the unit.)

My math group began a unit on place value. We completed several fun activities. For example,  students were given task cards such as take the numbers 7, 2, 9 and 4. Put the 7 in the tens place, the 2 in the thousands place, etc. Read the number. All of my students were so motivated and created numbers into the millions! Now, we need to learn to read the numbers!

This morning we cleaned our classroom and searched for chametz. What great cleaners!

Wishing everyone a wonderful Pesach break!

Shabbat Shalom,

Hamorah Caren

Proudly displaying the lowest number and highest number made with picked numbers.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Dear Families,

We had a wonderful trip to the Chabad in Natick for the matzah making workshop. Check out the photos below.

My math group continued to learn about graphs: pictographs, line graphs, bar graphs, etc. Our next unit is place value.

My literacy group reviewed possessives in addition to reading some fabulous books such as The Littles series by John Peterson and The Henry and Mudge series by Cynthia Rylant.

The second graders are so busy working on their country study boards. We can't wait for all of you to see their finished work!! I'm still looking for a volunteer to do some cooking with the kids right before the fair.

And, finally, my science and social studies students made a graph to show the height of different kids of penguins and then they compared the heights to themselves. Next week we will learn where different penguins live.

Shabbat Shalom,

Hamorah Caren

Rolling out the matzah dough. 

The chametz station.

Grinding the wheat.

More grinding . . . . 

Learning about how matzah is made.

Friday, March 28, 2014

This week my science and social studies class continued learning about penguins. Do you know what a rookery is? Do you know what a penguin does if it doesn't have enough rocks to make a nest? Ask your first or second grader!

My math group reviewed bar graphs and line graphs.  Next we will look at pictographs. The most important thing we learned this week is that we have to READ all of the information about a graph before we can understand it. Now that it is spring, I am pushing all of my students to read all directions carefully before they say, "I don't get it!"

My literacy group learned about possessives. The kids had a great time cutting out various pictures of people, animals and objects and making different pairs (the penguin's ice cream, the girl's magnifying glass).

And, finally, grades 1 and 2 completed the science experiment for the Science Fair. Will wheat grow in a straw without soil? If you want to know, you'll have to find out at the fair!

A reminder that our trip to Chabad in Natick is this Monday. The kids are looking forward to learning about how matzah is made.

Shabbat Shalom,

Hamorah Caren

Morning math review on elapsed time.

Some of my literacy students displaying their beautiful dioramas.