Mrs. Brunk's Class

Quarter 2: 2nd Grade News 2010-2011

2010-11-17T20:08:00.001-05:00

Reading/Writing - We will continue learning about text features and how it helps us to understand what we are reading. We will also be learning to write to inform.

Math – We will be working on our basic facts! We will explore many strategies to help us master our facts. In Unit 2 we will be learning about plane and solid shapes. Also, we will be learning about symmetry and congruence. We will take our Unit test on December 14^th and 15^th!

Social Studies – We will learn about the first people in America. We will learn about the life of the Wampanoag Native Americans.

Science – We will continue our unit on Balancing and Weighing. Students will explore and build structures that balance. Also, students will learn to compare objects and graph various objects weight.

***Homework Schedule for Quarter 2***

Monday	Math & Spelling
Tuesday	Math & TN2 Math Prep
Wednesday	Math & Reading Language Arts
Thursday	Math & Reading Language Arts
Friday	Have a great weekend!

· Please note, the homework schedule may change due to holidays.

· Reading Language Arts homework can be a writing prompt, reading comprehension, spelling, or a grammar activity.

· Spelling words are given over a 2 week time period. Week 1 students will have homework on Monday night. Week 2 students will have spelling homework Monday, Wednesday and Thursday night.

Mrs. Brunk Visit's The Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-17T17:07:00.003-04:00

This is the Rocky Hill Orchard pumpkin patch on Route 27 near Mt. Airy, MD.

Enjoy the pictures.

Have you been to a pumpkin patch?

Click here

WELCOME to Second Grade 2010-2011

2010-08-29T18:11:00.007-04:00

I hope you enjoyed your nice hot long summer. Our family visited Kitty Hawk, NC to visit where the Wright Brothers flew their first historic flight.

We have two teachers joining the second grade team, Mrs. Taylor and Ms. Ralston.

I can't wait to meet my new class and get started on all the fun things we will learn in the first quarter.

Butterfly Release 2010

2010-05-22T17:40:00.003-04:00

Click on the link here to view the Daly butterflies!

Daly Second Grade News May Edition

2010-05-14T13:33:00.000-04:00

Important Dates:

· May 15^th – Spring Fair

· May 24^th- Costumes due to school

· May 27^th – Folk Tale Day

· May 31^st – No School – Memorial Day

Curriculum Notes:

Reading: Students will study components of a folktale. Students will read nonfiction, leveled texts to be informed and fiction leveled texts for literary experience. They will identify and use text features to help their comprehension. Students will learn to identify characteristics of a folktale. Students will compare and contrast folktales from different countries. Students will complete a BCR (brief constructed response) based on an appropriate leveled reading text. BCR’s will be scored using the MSA rubric.

Math: Students will begin unit 5 – multiplication, division, money, and estimation. Students will solve problems involving multiplication and division using models and number sentences. Students will solve problems involving money up to $10.00. Students will use estimation to check for reasonable computation.

Spelling: Students will study words with the ‘ch’ and ‘wh’ digraphs. The spelling test for words with the ‘ch’ digraph is on May 14^th. The spelling test for the ‘wh’ digraph is on May 28^th.

Writing/Grammar: Students will continue writing for personal expression and to inform. They will develop their writing through writer’s workshop, which includes a mini lesson taught by the teacher, independent writing and conferencing with peers, and sharing their final drafts to the class. Students will continue to develop correct usage of capital letters, punctuation, and writing complete sentences.

Social Studies: Students will continue their study of biographies. They will examine the role of leadership in different times throughout history. Students will learn about characteristics that allow people to become effective leaders.

Science: Students will continue unit 3 – the life cycle of butterflies. They will observe, record, and describe how specific parts of the butterfly help it survive. Students will learn how the life cycles affect population.

Daly Second Grade News March Edition

2010-03-05T12:02:00.001-05:00

Daly Second Grade News

March Edition

Important Dates:

• March 5th – interims distributed

• March 26th – third marking period ends.

• No School- March 29th to April 5th : Spring Break

• No School- April 6th: Teacher Report Card Prep day

Curriculum Notes:

Reading: Students will study elements of biographies and folktales. They will read non-fiction leveled texts to be informed and fiction texts for literary experience. They will identify and use text features to help comprehension. Students will learn to identify characteristics of tall tales and folktales. They will compare and contrast folktales from different countries. Students will complete a BCR (brief constructed response) based on an appropriate leveled reading text. BCR’s will be scored using the MSA rubric.

Math: Students will continue Unit 4 – fractions and measurement. Students will model, read, and write fractions. Students will also estimate and use tools appropriate to measure various objects. Telling time is part of this unit.

Spelling: Students will study words with the ‘th’ digraph and Spring words. The spelling test for words with the ‘th’ digraph is on March 19th. The spelling test for the spring words is on March 26th.

Writing/Grammar: Students will continue writing to persuade. They will develop their writing through Writer’s Workshop, which includes a mini-lesson taught by the teacher, independent writing and conferencing with peers, and sharing their final drafts to the class. Students will continue to develop correct usage of capital letters, punctuation, and writing complete sentences.

Social Studies: Students will begin their study of economics. They will examine the role of human, capital, and natural resources in the production of goods and services.

Science: Students will continue unit 2 of science – liquids. Students will investigate liquids and their many properties.

Daly Second Grade News December Edition

2009-12-04T16:28:00.001-05:00

Important Dates:

· December 24^th to January 1st - No School – Winter break

Curriculum Notes:

Reading: Students will review making predictions and story elements. Students will read nonfiction levels to be texts to be informed. They will identify and use text features to help their comprehension. Students will complete a BCR (brief constructed response) based on an appropriate leveled reading text. BCR’s will be scored using the MSA rubric.

Math: Students will begin unit 3 – adding and subtracting 2- and 3- digit numbers. They will solve addition and subtraction problems using models and number sentences. Students will also identify missing numbers in sentences.

Spelling: Students will study short a and short e sounds. The spelling test for words with the short a sound is on December 11th. The spelling test for the words with the short e sound is on December 23rd.

Writing/Grammar: Students will continue writing to inform. They will develop their writing through writer’s workshop, which includes a mini lesson taught by the teacher, independent writing and conferencing with peers, and sharing their final drafts to the class. Students will continue to develop correct usage of capital letters, punctuation, and writing complete sentences.

Social Studies: Students will examine the different types of physical features. Students will also explore the culture of the Wampanoag Native Americans.

Science: Students will begin unit 2 of science – liquids. Students will classify and identify objects by their properties.

Daly Second Grade News November Edition

2009-11-01T17:15:00.000-05:00

Important Dates:

· November 2^nd - No School – professional day for teachers

· November 3^rd – Second marking period begins

· November 11^th – Early release day, parent conferences, report cards distributed

· November 12^th – Early release day, parent conferences

· November 25^th – Early release day

· November 26^th and 27^th – No school – Thanksgiving

Curriculum Notes:

Math: Students will begin unit 2 – geometry. Students will identify 2 and 3 dimensional shapes, attributes of shapes, classify shapes, and examine symmetry and congruence. Basic fact quizzes will continue this month. Please remember to study them.

Spelling: Students will study long o and long u sounds. The spelling test for words with the long o sound is on November 5^th. The spelling test for the words with the long u sound is on November 19th.

Writing/Grammar: Students will begin writing to inform. They will develop their writing through writer’s workshop, which includes a mini lesson taught by the teacher, independent writing and conferencing with peers, and sharing their final drafts to the class. Students will continue to develop correct usage of capital letters, punctuation, and writing complete sentences.

Social Studies: Political systems in action will be examined.

Science: Students will explore weighing and balancing.

Daly Second Grade News October Edition

2009-10-01T16:26:00.001-04:00

Important Dates:

· October 2^nd - Early release

· October 9^th – School picnic (5 to 7 pm) to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of Daly

· October 16^th - No school, MSTA teachers conference

· October 30^th - First marking period ends, Fall Party (not Halloween related)

Curriculum Notes:

Reading: We will review concepts like understanding characters, setting, and problem/solution. Students will learn about the plot, retelling, cause and effect, and making predictions. Students will complete a BCR (brief constructed response) on character traits to demonstrate their understanding of the concept.

Math: Students will continue patterns and determine the rules for each pattern. They will also label and interpret graphs. Fact quizzes will be given every week. Students will only have 4 minutes to complete 40 fact problems. The first math unit assessment will be given at the end of this month. Some students may switch math classes after the first unit assessment to place the student in a more appropriate setting. Unit 2, geometry, will begin shortly after the unit assessment.

Spelling: Students will study long e and long e sounds. The spelling test for words with the long e sound is on October 9^th. The spelling test for the words with the long i sound is on October 23^rd.

Writing/Grammar: Students will continue the process of writer’s workshop for their personal narratives.

Social Studies: Concepts of democracy will be introduced.

Science: Students will explore weighing and balancing.

CLASS SCHEDULE

2009-09-08T15:43:00.003-04:00

Dear Parents,

My class schedule may be downloaded by clicking HERE.

Please also download the 2nd Grade Rotation Schedule by clicking HERE.

Thank you,

Mrs. Brunk

WELCOME to 2nd Grade!

2009-08-24T10:00:00.005-04:00

We traveled to Rapid City, SD this summer and spent 6 days driving around seeing beautiful country. Our daily trips included Mt. Rushmore, the Badlands, Buffalo National Grasslands, Custer National park (lots of buffalo there) a Mammoth site archeological dig, Wind Cave (6th largest cave in the world) and also Devil's Tower in Wyoming. The geology in this area is simply amazing, and of course I collected some rocks- petrified wood, some green granite and magnitite rock toys.

Let's Explore South Dakota

2009-08-23T10:04:00.005-04:00

Click here to see slide show

FUN FACTS ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA
 
In 1803, U.S. President Thomas Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory from France, a real-estate deal that at the time doubled the size of the United States.  

South Dakota is the home of the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota tribes, which make up the Sioux Nation.  

Sculptor Gutzon Borglum began drilling into the 6,200-foot Mount Rushmore in 1927. Creation of the Shrine to Democracy took 14 years and cost a mere $1 million, though it's now deemed priceless. The faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln are sculpted into Mount Rushmore the world's greatest mountain carving.  

Custer State Park is home to a herd of 1,500 free-roaming bison. Bison can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds. Historically, the bison played an essential role in the lives of the Lakota (Sioux), who relied on the “tatanka” for food, clothing and shelter.
 
With more than 82 miles of mapped passages, Wind Cave contains the world’s largest display of a rare formation called “box work.”  

The Crazy Horse mountain carving now in progress will be the world’s largest sculpture (563' high, 641' long, carved in the round).

Badlands National Park consists of nearly 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest, protected mixed grass prairie in the United States.   This park contains the world's richest Oligocene epoch fossil beds.
 
The name "Black Hills" comes from the Lakota words Paha Sapa, which mean "hills that are black." Seen from a distance, these Ponderosa pine-covered hills, rising several thousand feet above the surrounding prairie, appear black.   Black Hills National Cemetery "The Arlington of the West" is a final resting place of our nation's veterans.  

The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs contains the largest concentration of Columbian and woolly mammoth bones discovered in their primary context in the world! This National Natural Landmark is the only in-situ (bones left as found) display of fossil mammoths in America.  

Let's Explore Chincoteague Island, VA

2009-08-20T10:31:00.006-04:00

Click here to see slide show

FUN FACTS ABOUT CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND

The Town of Chincoteague, Virginia was incorporated in 1908. The incorporated area was small, but at the time most residents lived within a small area. Over the years the Town has seen three annexations of area with the last being in 1989. The 1989 annexation made the entire Island part of the Town of Chincoteague.   The word "Chincoteague" is said to be an Indian name meaning "beautiful land across the water". The pronunciation and spelling has changed over time. Court records in 1671 indicate a spelling of "Jungoteague". A reference from the early 1800s indicates a spelling of "Gingoteag". Today, Chincoteague is a quiet, relaxing vacation destination for families. However, during the 17th century, the Island was used for livestock grazing. By 1800, families had settled on the Island fulltime. These settlers learned the importance of our natural resources; oysters, clams, crabs, and fish. A seafood industry developed with trade to New York and Philadelphia. After completion of the causeway in 1922, the seafood trade flourished and tourists began visiting Chincoteague. Tourism increased after the completion of the bridge to Assateague in 1962 and is now our primary industry.

Chincoteague Island, Virginia's only resort island is one of the many and perhaps the most beautiful island that dots Virginia's Eastern Shore. World famous for its oyster beds and clam shoals, this picturesque island is the gateway to Assateague Island National Seashore. Adventure awaits everywhere as history and legend blend with the wild loveliness of the seasonal shore.

The serene fishing village, 7 miles long and 1.5 miles wide and abounding with history and natural charm, welcomes you to explore its unique island heritage. Assateague Island National Seashore and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge offers miles of undeveloped beaches, marshes and forests stretching from Virginia to Maryland.

The feral ponies on Assateague are descendants of survivors of a Spanish galleon that sank on its way to Mexico during a storm off the coast of the island. The likelihood is that they are actually descended from domesticated stock, brought to the island by Eastern Shore farmers in the 17th century to avoid fencing requirements. In the Pony Penning, which has been held annually since 1925, horses swim across the shallow water between the islands. If any animal is too small or weak to make the swim, they are placed on a barge and ferried over. All the horses are herded into large pens after running through the middle of town and down Main Street. Pony Penning takes place on the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July. The actual swim occurs on Wednesday, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company auctions that year's foals on Thursday, and on Friday the remaining ponies swim back to Assateague Island.

The Oyster & Maritime Museum in Chincoteague honors the island's oyster and seafood industry.

Let's Explore Saint Mary's City, MD

2009-08-01T11:42:00.004-04:00

Click here to see slide show

FUN FACTS ABOUT HISTORIC ST. MARY'S CITY

What's important about St. Mary's City ?

St. Mary's City is one of the most historic locations in the United States. Recognized as a National Historic Landmark since 1969, it is the best preserved founding site of a 17th-century English colony in North America. St. Mary's was the scene of many notable events in America's early history. Some of these are listed below:

First successful proprietary colony in English North America
First Freedom of Conscience policy in America
First effort to free religion from government in America
First Catholic chapel in English America
First woman to petition for the right to vote in English America (Margaret Brent, 1648)
First legislator of African descent in North America (Mathias de Sousa, 1642)
First evidence of baroque town planning in America
First public inn in Maryland
First government building in Maryland (the Secretaries Office 1664)
First Protestant (Anglican) church in Maryland
The first official city in Maryland
Maryland's first state house, The Country's House
First monumental public architecture in Maryland, the 1667 Brick Chapel
First printer in the southern colonies of America