Huzarsky's Happenings - October, 2013

                  Travel Huzarsky's Airways....  
           Watch Your Child's Learning Soar!



Dear Parents,                                                   October 10th, 2013



Welcome to our first class blog!  So far second grade has been off to an amazing start.  We have been learning so many new and interesting things and getting to know each other in the process.  Read on to find out what has been happening in Ms. Huzarsky's classroom!


We completed our first two mathematical units on Place Value and Addition so far.  The kids did a fantastic job navigating through both units. We learned how to read and write numbers to 1,000, use the three different forms of place value, and we learned how to compare and order numbers.  In our Addition unit we learned how to add with and without regrouping, realized the importance of showing our work, and figured out how to solve challenging addition problems by reading and underlining important key words.  Next up is our Subtraction Unit!  We're Math Maniacs in Room 29!!!

Our Reading Workshop lessons have been full of skills and strategies to help us become better readers.  We are currently focusing on making Text to Text connections both in school and at home.  Ask your child to explain how to make a connection at home as  you are reading with them.  You will be impressed with how well they are able to apply this skill!  Reading Rocks!!!


We're working hard in our Writing Workshop!  As you know, the writing process consists of collecting entries, drafting, revising, editing and finally publishing. We just finished drafting our first pieces and are starting to revise this week!  We're so excited to learn how to revise for leads, endings, and titles.  Look out for your child's published piece in the next few weeks!  Writing Rules!!!


We just kicked off an exciting Social-Studies unit on Communities in Room 29!  We are going to be learning about what makes up urban, suburban, and rural communities.  We will be learning about the three different types of communities through books, power points,  Brain pop videos and more.  Stay tuned for an important letter regarding our Community unit in the upcoming week. 

In the Science Lab we are currently learning about Nutrition/Measurement.  We also kicked off our Scientist of the Week project in our classroom in which every child will be assigned a date to bring in a science experiment of their choice to perform for the class.  We're Savvy Scientists in Second Grade!!!

This week we started to highlight our first Pilot of the Week!  The Pilot of the Week gets to sit at their own special desk, run errands for the teacher, and bring in their favorite book to read to the class on Friday.  Our first Pilot is Shivani!!!  Look out for your child to be spotlighted as the Pilot of the Week some time this year.

We also kicked off our first Scientist of the Week experiment on Wednesday!  Every week one child will be given one weeks notice to find and practice an experiment at home.  The experiment will always be done in class on a Wednesday.  This week Dylan was our first scientist and he performed an amazing experiment in which he exploded a volcano!  Great job Dylan!!!

Thank you for your continued support!  Please feel free to contact me any time with any questions you might have.  We're Superstars in Second Grade!!!

Sincerely,
Ms. Huzarsky

Huzarsky’s Happenings

Dear Parents,                                                   01/30/13                                                          

So many new and interesting things have been happening in Room 19 and I’m so excited to share them with you today!  Read on to learn about what your child has been doing across the curriculum.

We began a writing unit on Persuasive Essays in our writing workshop last week.  Wait until you see your child’s final essays…they are amazing!  The kids are choosing various topics of interest to them and I must say they are very convincing!  They are learning the structure of a persuasive essay by using a graphic organizer, writing a rough draft, revising and editing and finally word processing them using Microsoft Word in the Computer Lab.  Look out for the published pieces which will be going home next week…I am looking forward to reading your responses! Next up is our Poetry unit!!!  Stay tuned for more information regarding our upcoming unit of study in our writing workshop.  Writing Rules!!!

In our Reading Workshop we are focusing on the skill of inferencing.  We are currently reading various types of texts to make inferences.  We are learning to infer by using the clues the author is giving up combined with our prior knowledge.  If you put the two together…voila…you made an inference!  In conjunction with our upcoming writing unit of study we will be focusing on Poetry in our Reading Workshop.  Look out for more information regarding fun poetry activities in the upcoming few weeks!  Reading Rocks!!!

Fractions have taken us over in Room 19!  We’ve learned how to compare them, find equivalent fractions, and find fractions of a group and more.  We will be having a few quizzes throughout this unit and I will let the kids know in advance so they can study.  In addition to our regular unit of study, some of the kids are challenging themselves with our new weekly Challenge Your Mind math packets.  The kids are being encouraged to work on it when they are finished with their class work and homework.  Math Mania!!!

Science has been sensational!!! We are learning all about simple machines in both the Science Lab with Mrs. Otto and in our classroom.  In the lab we have been doing hands-on experiments by going to different stations and utilizing the six different types of simple machines to notice how they make work easier.  We went on a simple machine scavenger hunt in our classroom yesterday.  The kids had a blast while searching for everyday items in our classroom that help make work easier.  You can challenge your child by having them search through the different rooms of your home for items that contain the following simple machines: wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw, pulley and wedges. We’re Science Sleuths in Room 19!!!

We’ve been exploring Explorers over the past few weeks.  We are currently working in cooperative learning groups to research a famous European explorer and create unique and colorful posters based on different aspects of their lives. 

Talent Tuesday’s has been a big hit so far in our classroom!  We have watched kids sing, dance, and show you tube clips of them playing a sport or playing a musical instrument. Please encourage your child to share their special and unique talent with us at Tuesday’s from 2:30-2:50.  Any talent is welcome and appreciated!!!

Thank you all so much for your dedication and participation in your child’s learning process.  This has been an amazing year so far and it only keeps getting better and better!  Have a fabulous weekend! J

Sincerely,

Ms. Huzarsky

Happy New Year!

Huzarsky's Happenings

Dear Parents,                                                                    01/03/13

     Happy New Year!!!  2013 is going to be an amazing year and I am so grateful that I am able to share it with your wonderful children.  It is so important for children to learn the importance of goal setting... so why not start early on?!  On Wednesday morning we wrote academic and personal resolutions...ask your child about their goals for the new year.  You can help your child achieve his/her goals by discussing them in length at home, and helping them to come up with a realistic plan to achieve their goals. 

     This month we are beginning some interesting new units of study!  In social-studies we are starting to learn about Explorers.  We are going to focus on famous explorers such as Verrazano, Cartier, Champlain, and Hudson.  In science we just kicked off a unit on Work and Energy!  We are going to learn all about simple machines, friction, inertia and more!  Ask your child about the awesome hands-on activities they did in the Science Lab yesterday with Mrs. Otto!  We are still learning about Division in math both with Mr. Prinzevalli and in the classroom.  Ask your child to tell you the D.M.S.B. long division process that we learned about.  Room 19 is filled with mathematical wizards!!!  We are continuing our Fiction focus in our Reading Workshop.  We are going to be learning about the climax and plot twists of a story next week as well as reviewing the other story elements.  Our Feature Article unit of study is moving along nicely in our Writing Workshop.  We have gathered all our information and are ready to revise next week! 

     I am very excited to begin Talent Tuesdays next week!!! This will take place at the end of every Tuesday.  It will be an opportunity for every child to share a special talent or ability with the class if they want to.  It can range from singing, dancing, a magic trick, reading a poem or story out loud.  Students are also welcome to bring in a photo of themselves displaying their talent or to share a YouTube clip or video.    The purpose of Talent Tuesdays is for children to feel good about themselves and to understand that EVERY child is special and talented in their own way.  This is OPTIONAL!  I'm looking forward to seeing your child's passion come to life!

   I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend filled with laughter, relaxation, and reading! 

Sincerely,
Ms. Huzarsky