May 11-14

 Looking back on learning....

Phonics:

This week in Phonics, students learned that the alternate sounds for or and ar can sometimes be er. We focused on identifying and reading these sounds when they appear in the middle or at the end of two-syllable words. Examples are: doctor, motor, sailor, liar, polar. Throughout the week, students practiced this concept through reading activities, comprehension check-ins, fill-in-the-blank exercises, and word mapping tasks to help strengthen their understanding and decoding skills. Students wrapped up the week by completing their weekly dictation to demonstrate their learning.

Math: 

This week in Math, students began a new geometry unit focused on exploring and identifying 2D and 3D shapes. We started by taking a closer look at 2D shapes and defined them as shapes that are flat. Students reviewed important shape vocabulary, including sides and vertices, and practiced identifying these features on a variety of shapes. We also revisited some of the more challenging shapes, including the trapezoid, pentagon, hexagon, and octagon.

In addition, students completed an addition and subtraction with regrouping project. Students designed their own menus and answered a variety of math questions that required regrouping to demonstrate their understanding of the concept. 

Science:

This week in Science, students completed their animal research projects and began building their animal dioramas. These dioramas will showcase what their animal looks like, as well as its habitat and diet. Thank you to all the families who sent in shoeboxes and materials to help students create their desired outcomes. The students have been very excited and creative throughout this project! Next week, we will finish our animal writing pieces and begin presenting our completed projects to the class.

May 4th - 8th

 Looking back on leanring.....

Phonics:

This week in phonics, we focused on the suffix -ly and learned how it changes the meaning of a word by describing how something is done. We also learned an important spelling rule: when a word ends in y, we often change the y to an i before adding -ly (for example, happy → happily). Students practiced reading and spelling these words through our weekly decodable text, fill-in-the-blank activities, and word mapping exercises.

Writing:

This week in writing, students used their story plans to create their very own story books. They worked hard to include all of the important story elements, such as a beginning, middle, and end, as well as characters, a setting, a problem, and a solution. Students carefully turned their ideas into complete stories and then created detailed illustrations to match their writing. They also designed a front cover page for their books.

Math:

This week in math, we continued our learning about measurement. Students learned about referents, which are familiar objects or benchmarks that help us estimate and understand measurements (for example, knowing that a paperclip is about 3 centimetres long). They used different referents to help measure classroom objects in centimetres and strengthen their estimation skills.

We also finished the week by practicing subtraction with regrouping. Students worked hard to apply their strategies carefully and accurately. Next week, students will complete a fun menu project where they will be assessed on their addition and subtraction skills with regrouping. 

Happy Mother's Day!

April 27th - May 1st

 Looking back on learning.......

Phonics:

This week in phonics, we explored the suffixes -er and -est. Students learned that adding -er to a word means “more than,” while -est means “the most.” We practiced applying these endings to compare people, places, and things.

We also focused on important spelling rules. When a word ends in e, we drop the e before adding -er or -est (for example, nice → nicer, nicest). When a word ends in y, we change the y to an i before adding the suffix (for example, happy → happier, happiest).

Science:

This week in science was filled with so much excitement as we welcomed our baby chicks! Our first chick began hatching on Sunday, and by Wednesday, seven chicks had arrived. It was an incredible experience to observe the full hatching process.

We learned how chicks use their beaks to begin pipping, creating a small hole in the egg. They continue to pip around the shell until it breaks open. When the chicks first emerge, they are very wet and wobbly. We discovered that they need time in the warmth of the incubator to dry off and become fluffy. We also learned that chicks absorb nutrients from their egg, so they do not need food right away.

Throughout the week, we spent time gently holding the chicks, watching them walk around, and observing how they interact with one another. We even made predictions and think we may have one male and six females! It has been such a special hands-on learning experience. Our chicks will be returning to the farm this weekend, and we will miss them very much.

Math:

This week in math, we explored measurement in more depth. We began by using classroom items to measure objects with non-standard units, helping us build a strong understanding of comparing lengths. We then learned about standard units by exploring the size of a centimetre and practiced using rulers to measure different items around the classroom.

Students focused on measuring carefully from the very beginning of an object to the end, while keeping their measuring tool straight for accuracy. We also connected our learning to our previous unit on fractions by recording some of our measurements with greater precision.

In addition, we worked on subtraction with regrouping using the traditional algorithm. We started by using base ten blocks to visually understand how we borrow from the tens and hundreds places. This helped students build a strong foundation before moving toward more abstract methods. We will continue practicing this important concept next week as we strengthen our understanding.

Buddies:

We wrapped up our Friday with our Grade 3 buddies by making the most of the beautiful weather and heading outside to learn together on the land. Students paired up across grades, creating meaningful opportunities for connection and collaboration. Our Grade 2 students had the chance to read to their Grade 3 partners, and then the Grade 3s reciprocated, making it a shared and supportive literacy experience for everyone. 

April 20th - April 23rd

 Looking back on learning..........

Phonics:

This week in our phonics learning, students focused on how to change singular nouns into plural forms by adding -s and -es. We reviewed that most nouns become plural simply by adding -s, but when a word ends in a “hissing” sound—such as ch, sh, z, x, or s—we add -es instead. Students practiced identifying these sounds and applying the correct ending through reading and writing activities. This helped strengthen their understanding of spelling patterns and supported their growing confidence in using plurals correctly.

Additionally, we began exploring contractions in our phonics learning. Students learned that contractions are shortened forms of two words put together, and that an apostrophe takes the place of the missing letter or letters.

Science:

This week in our science learning, we continued exploring different life cycles. Students compared the stages of various life cycles, identifying similarities and differences between them. We also learned about metamorphosis and how some animals undergo significant changes as they grow. In addition, students began learning how to classify animals by identifying the characteristics of mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and amphibians.

We also completed our final egg candling sessions this week. It was incredible to observe the developing chicks inside the eggs. We could see them moving, along with their feet, bones, and even their beaks! The eggs have now gone into “lockdown” as we prepare for hatching. Their expected hatch date is Sunday/Monday, and we are very excited and hopeful to welcome new baby chicks on Monday.

Writing:

This week in our storytelling learning, students have mastered identifying key story elements through read-alouds and shared reading. Building on this understanding, we spent time brainstorming the types of stories we enjoy most. Students then selected a genre they are excited to explore and began planning their own story ideas, including important details and elements. We are looking forward to beginning the writing process next week!

Earth Day:

This week, we celebrated Earth Day with meaningful learning and creativity. Students discovered how Earth Day began, who started it, and how it is now recognized by countries all around the world. We also explored the ways our planet is becoming polluted and discussed small, everyday actions we can take to help care for the Earth.

To connect our learning with art, students created their own Earth using the technique of pointillism. This artistic style involves using small dots of color placed closely together to create an image. Students carefully applied dots to show land and water, experimenting with color and patience to bring their artwork to life. 

April 13th - 17th

 Reminder: Spring Concert 🎶

McKenzie Towne School is excited to present “Singing Through the Seasons,” our Grade 2 Spring Concert on Thursday, April 23rd.

Dress Rehearsal (Families Welcome):
11:00–11:30 AM
Please note: This is a rehearsal, so there may be pauses as we fine-tune some details.

Evening Performance:
5:00–5:30 PM (Doors open at 4:30 PM)

We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating our students’ hard work!

Looking back on learning.......

Phonics:

This week in phonics, we explored silent letters—what we like to call “ghost letters”! Students learned about the patterns wr, mb, and kn. They sorted words, practiced writing them, and used decodable texts to strengthen their reading skills. To make learning fun and interactive, students also played partner games to reinforce these patterns.

In reading, we focused on Readers’ Theatre, with scripts all about chicks and their development. Readers’ Theatre provides a wonderful opportunity for students to read aloud while building fluency. They practiced using expression by experimenting with character voices, paying attention to punctuation to guide their tone, and adjusting their pacing to match the mood of the text.

Science:

This week in science, we took a closer look at the body parts of a chick, hen, and rooster. Students labeled diagrams and explored the similarities and differences between them, building their understanding of how these animals are alike and unique.

We also had our first and second candling experiences with our eggs. Students were excited to observe the early stages of development and were amazed at how much can change in just a few days. During our observations, we noticed that one egg is significantly larger than the others. We think it might even be a duck egg mixed into our batch—stay tuned as we continue to investigate and watch our eggs develop!

Math:

This week in math, we revisited pictographs by creating a graph all about animal teeth. This time, students worked with a more complex key, where each symbol represented 4. To help them interpret the data, students used a hundred chart to count by 4s and determine the total values. This activity strengthened their understanding of skip counting, data representation, and how to use tools to support problem-solving.

We also focused on base 10 subtraction with regrouping. Students learned how to recognize when they need to “borrow” from the tens place to ensure they have enough ones to subtract. Through practice, they built their understanding of place value and developed strategies to solve subtraction problems accurately.