Mrs. Ballnik's Second Grade

Classroom News from
Mrs. Ballnik’s Class My email is ballnic@dearbornschools.org
Friday, February 9, 2018
Important Days to Remember
February 19 -23- Winter Break
REPORT CARDS-Please return the envelope only for the report card and keep anything that comes in the envelope. We need to use the envelopes for the 3rd marking in March. We still need a few ENVELOPES.
I am sending home the NWEA scores with your child, after going over them with meaningful discussion. I wrote how much they gained from fall which hopefully is 10 points or more. Then I wrote the Dearborn grade level equivalent. This would be 1.5 meaning first grade fifth month. Students should be at second grade fifth month to be on grade level for the January computer test. Some students have trouble with computer tests, but score higher in reading with my human test. They should try to practice tests on the computer. I wrote your child’s reading level on the back of the report card in comments. Please email or contact me with any questions, concerns, or comments.

Valentine’s day party- We will have a small celebration Wednesday, February 14th. Please send in snacks and valentine cards. There are 24 students. Students can make little valentine hearts for others and not buy them, if they want. They sell cards for one dollar at the dollar store, also. They do not have to write names on their cards or hearts, but they should sign them with their own name. If students need paper to cut hearts, I will give them some. This activity is great for class team building.

Gym on Tuesday-Please remember to wear tennis shoes and bendable clothes (not jeans or slip on shoes).
FRIDAY SPELLING TESTS
Here are the words for the next spelling test. The spelling pattern will be ow and ou vowels.
The spelling words are:. clown, growl, round, crown, loud,cloud, brown, howl, sound, house.
The Dolch words are many, if, long, about, six.

Every Friday there will be a spelling test. Please practice every day with your child so that they will do well on the Friday Spelling test. Corrected tests are sent home on Monday for you to sign and send back to show me that you know the score.
We started to put the 16th word on the spelling test to challenge the students that get the spelling test correct every week. It is just for fun and no one is required to study these extra credit words. They come home in a worksheet each week, that we go over. They are not meant to be second grade level words and we would usually learn to read them and understand them, but not spell them.

MATH MATH MATH MATH MATH
. We should have a test on Unit 6 by the end of next week. This test will involve higher level adding, subtracting, number stories, graph questions and arrays which help with multiplying. Please look for the study guide to help your child. Please sign and return the study guide for this test and it will result in a better grade and your child will get a prize for returning it signed. The semester goes fast and is just 8 weeks.
Science
Our unit continues to be Earth Science and covers explorations that help us learn that Earth events can occur quickly (landslides, etc.) or slowly (erosion that carves rivers, canyons, etc.) We are making observations and discussing landforms and bodies of water.

Social Studies- .
We should have a test on our unit on Government which is called “How do Citizens Live Together in a Community? by next week if all goes well. There will be a study guide before the test.
We have talked about laws in communities and why they are important. We also talked about the need for governments to keep us safe and provide services. Another reason discussed concerning why we form governments, was to help solve people’s problems.
We will also be discussing government and private action, as well as, the common good and individual rights.
Writing
We continue to write real and imaginative narratives, now. The characters start to have dialogue and more details to them, The plot will have a moral or lesson learned. Characters should be acting and reacting to each other or the event. Ask your child about the character that they have developed and story they are creating.
We will be writing our opinions next.
Reading- Read, Read, Read!
BOOK BAGS! Please observe how your child does with these books. Every book at level 20 (the level for second grade at this time) for example, may not be read easily depending on the words. Please ask your child to write a list of the words that they do not know, so you can work on them.
Please keep them in the bag and count the books, so they do not get lost. I will trade out the books every other week or so. Students should reread books until they are smooth and fluent when reading. Students record on their log when they read.

Happy Birthday to Murtada Alshamer on February 3!
Happy Birthday to Ali Ajrouch on February 4!

Happy Birthday to Malak Saker on February 9!

Have a great weekend with your wonderful child and read, read, read!