Hello Second Grade Families,

March is in full swing and our Arizona weather has been AMAZING!

I hope that you have been able to enjoy the sunshine and some time outside.

Your children did a beautiful job leading the school Rosary last week and I was so very proud of their reverence as we prayed the Rosary as a school community.

Last week, caterpillars also arrived in the second grade and your children have watched them slowly grow, change, and create their cocoons.  Within about another week, our class will be experiencing the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly!   This hands on science experience will allow your children to witness first hand the lifecycle of a butterfly.

Please continue reading to discover all that will be taking place both inside our classroom and right here at ACS.

ELA


Essential question that the students will answer:  

How do friends help each other?
Target Skills:  Understanding Characters, Figurative Language, Question
Writing Focus:  Informative Writing
Grammar Focus:  Using Adjectives
Spelling Focus:  Homophones
Bonus Words for this week's Spelling List:  sea, see, threw, through

Math
The students will complete their lessons on telling time and counting money this week.
The class will then move into measurement concepts.

Social Studies  
The students will complete their lessons on the western expansion of America.

Science
The students will also be learning about life cycles of a wide variety of living things, such as, caterpillars, frogs, and chickens.  Once we start our lessons on plants, the students will learn that plants have a life cycle too and so do human beings.

Religion

The students will have another sacramental preparation lesson this week.

The students will pray throughout their school day and this includes at daily Pledge/Prayer, before lunch, and prior to dismissal.

The second graders will continue praying for the intercession of St. Michael the Archangel per Father Chad's request.  All of the ACS students will be saying the prayer each time we attend Mass on Wednesday mornings.   The students have memorized the "Act of Contrition" and are prepared to say this prayer when they receive the holy sacrament of Reconciliation.   The students have began memorizing "The Apostle's Creed."

Here are the Second Grade Specials:

Monday ~ Art at 12:10

Tuesday ~ P.E. at 2:25

                  Spanish at 12:00

Wednesday ~ Mass Day at 8:15 a.m. 

                        Spanish 9:40 and Music at 1:00

Thursday ~    P.E. at 2:25

Friday ~ No special area classes




Don't forget that your child has access to several academic computer sites to enhance their learning at home.

Here is a quick list to assist your child in their academic growth at home.

  • RAZ kids ( Your child may utilize this site to complete their nightly reading homework.)
  • IXL (Section S focuses on key second grade telling time concepts)
  • Class Dojo!  This site can be accessed each day to allow your child to gain insights on their behavioral decisions from the day.  The students will earn points that then allow them to upgrade their site's avatar and the site will allow the students to view social/emotional developmental videos that were viewed in class from that specific day.  It's such an engaging behavioral tool and it motivates and empowers the students to give their very best efforts each day.
  • So far in Class Dojo, your children have focused on the social/emotional skills of having a "Growth Mindset," how to be "Perseverant," how to be "Empathetic," what it means to show "Gratitude," and how they can tackle "Big Challenges" in life!  

Upcoming Events

  • March 12,  Friday  –  No School –  Teachers In-Service training day. 
  • March 15,  Monday  –   No School – This is a change to the current calendar.  Enjoy the long weekend!
  • March 16, Tuesday:  Dine out with Phat Turtle BBQ!  Phat Turtle will donate 15% of dine in and take out orders to ACS.  3:00 PM – 10:00 PM at 30845 N Cave Creek Rd, Suite 107 Cave Creek, AZ 85331  
  • March 17, Wednesday:  St. Patrick’s Feast Day.  K-8 may wear green, St. Patrick shirts with uniform bottoms.  “  in a single day I have said as many as a hundred prayers, and in the night almost as many;”  ― St. Patrick, The Confession of St. Patrick
  • March 25, Thursday:  Save this date.  School Blessing on the Feast of the Annunciation.  Mass celebrated with Bishop Olmsted at 9:30 a.m. All are welcome. 

Homework

This week, the students will need to read each night for at least 15 minutes and log their reading utilizing their reading log. 

 The reading log is due on Thursday.


The students will also need to study for their Spelling Test that will take place on Thursday.


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