E-2 Update

January 30, 2025
Dear E-2 families,

Please take some time to check out what we are up to in class academically and socially: 

Writing
Mrs. Daly’s class and our class took the “optional” Informational WPA last week. Students will use the rubric to evaluate their work and practice revising and editing the informational writing of their choice. We have practiced writing simple, 8 sentence paragraphs with a standard structure: Topic, detail, tell me more, detail, tell me more, detail, tell me more, conclusion (rephrase the topic). We can underline or highlight in green, yellow, orange, and pink or red to help us remember the pattern and check that our paragraph structure is logical. After we complete our animal reports in the upcoming two weeks before Winter Break, we will return to Opinion writing to prepare for the March Opinion WPA.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2.b
Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2.c
Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2.d
Provide a concluding statement or section.

Reading
Our class is slowly getting through the SJUSD 3rd grade novel Dyamonde Daniel by NIkki Grimes. We talk about each section and answer text dependent questions about the characters and plot points. We are also answering text dependent questions about our Social Studies text, where we are learning about California Indians and will eventually focus on tribes from our area. We are focusing on previewing, taking quick notes, and answering text dependent questions. One tool we use is reading the questions before the text; that gives us purpose for reading and usually helps us remember the reading better. To support our reading across gen res and curriculum, we are still expanding our knowledge of foundational reading skills, including phonics patterns, segmenting and blending sounds in words, and syllabicating. This week’s sound/spelling pattern is long e with the ee and ea spellings. Either this week or next week we will take another Elementary Spelling Inventory to gauge our progress in these foundational skills.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.2
Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.3.3
Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Math
We are on an accelerated timetable for math this spring to be prepared for SBAC testing in April.  Right now we are working on fluency with multiplication facts and will be moving to data recording next week. On days we do not have teacher (meaning 25-minute with Mrs. De la Cerda and I) P.E. or music, students get pre-lesson, low stakes practice in skills highlighted by the winter NWEA, especially addition and subtraction with composing (AKA regrouping). We are continually working on how to talk about our math, by explaining how we have solved problems and also offering alternative solution pathways to other’s work or examining our own to uncover errors. Students have individual, long-term assignments in Dreambox linked to the area NWEA identified as needing most support, and they are encouraged to work on that assignment when we log in to Dreambox in class.

CCSS.Math.Content.3.OA.A.3
Use multiplication and division within 100 to solve word problems in situations involving equal groups, arrays, and measurement quantities, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.1
CCSS.Math.Content.3.OA.A.4
Determine the unknown whole number in a multiplication or division equation relating three whole numbers. For example, determine the unknown number that makes the equation true in each of the equations 8 × ? = 48, 5 = _ ÷ 3, 6 × 6 = ?

Homework:
Change in checking and returning procedures: Our class will start checking the previous week’s homework together on Mondays. This will give students a chance to think about their work and talk with others about the assignments. After we check together, students can take their work back home. I hope this gives a sense of closure to the homework assignments and helps students and families communicate about classwork better!

Social Emotional Learning
Last week, students completed the Second Step lesson called “Planning to Learn”. In addition to reinforcing the skills for learning (focusing attention, listening, being assertive, and using self talk), students are practicing using their thinking skills to come up with plans to help them remember tasks and stay on track. The three criteria for for assessing one’s plan are:

1. The order makes sense.
2. It’s simple.
3. You can do it!

In addition, we continue to make use of language frames for assertiveness that we learned in a prior Second Step lesson: “I feel _________when______, because_________. I need__________.” We practice solving our own problems, avoiding getting others students involved, and use our words or one of the 5 ways we can swim free from insults and put downs: Do little or nothing, distract, agree, laugh or make a joke, or walk away. These ideas DO NOT supplant getting adult help when the problem is too big for you, when someone or something is unsafe, or you are just not sure what to do.

A few of our students are using a Check In/Check out document, where we set some goals for choices in class and students choose an agreed upon reward to enjoy if they reach a threshold of adherence to that over the course of a day. 

We also spent time at the start of the new year talking together about what procedures work and don’t work for us in class, making some changes and keeping some effective guidelines. Students came up with rewards suggestions that we are implementing, including class points for pajama day (we are 2/3 of the way there!). In addition, the Social Circle time is popular with our class. We have instituted a Monday morning/open the week circle and a Friday afternoon social circle to reflect on our week.

We have a thriving Bobcat store, and as such our stock is running low. If you’d like to contribute to the approved fidget selection, please check out our Amazon wish list here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2DFI9IMAF1N69?ref_=wl_share
These prizes are safe, students like them, they are unlikely to break into small parts, and they are less disruptive than some other items students bring to class.

Speaking of which….we have been having a great deal of difficulty with items students are bringing to class, such as Rubik’s cubes (not allowed), Pokemon cards (not recommended), Sharpies (not allowed), stuffed animals (not allowed, unless it’s an earned prize or a Spirit Day), and small personal items such as tiny notebooks or nail care accessories. Most of these items are not allowed at school, and a few have proven to be distractions in class. Please remind your children to keep Rubik’s cubes, stuffed animals, or other toys at home or in their backpacks during class if they need them for their after school program. Such items found in class will be given to the principal to be picked up after school. If your child needs to tend to artificial nails, please remind them to do so before or after school. Thank you so much for your cooperation with this!

What’s ahead for us:

In the coming weeks, we will be working on information animal reports in our small groups, preparing for a field trip in March, returning to persuasive writing, continuing our math acceleration including differentiation for students who are ready for a challenge, reading another class novel, and diving into our Science curriculum.

We also have NWEA math assessments coming up next month, the ELPAC assessment for our multi- lingual learners in March, and in April your children will take the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) tests for the first time. 

This is in addition to the exciting events at Reed as a whole and the opportunity to grow in a wonderful community of learners-our class.

Thank you for your time and attention. Please reach our with suggestions, for clarification, or for anything related to your child or the classroom.

Warmly,

Ms. Seyan
sseyan@sjusd.org
408.535.6347 x 37143