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Welcome to 2nd Grade with Mrs. Applegate!
 
 
My name is Samantha Applegate and I am so excited to be joining the SJCS family! I grew up in central Indiana and graduated with my degree in Elementary Education from Ball State University in 2017. My husband and I relocated to the Chicagoland area in 2019 where I spent the first three years teaching Kindergarten. This will be my fifth year teaching and my second year teaching at St. Joseph. 
 
When I'm not teaching, you can find me spending time at the lake and watching college football. I also enjoy concerts, reading, and spending time with my friends and family. Some of my favorites include Diet Coke, Starbucks, and trips to Target. I look forward to an amazing 2022-2023 school year!
 

Posts

Wednesday 05.01.2024

Homework:
 
1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Math: 10.1 Homework pages - telling time to the nearest hour (think of today and tomorrow's lessons as a warmup for the chapter - it hopefully should be more of a review to activate prior knowledge)
 
3. Phonics: no homework, New packet goes home Thursday
 
Additional Reminders:
  • Library books are due Friday
  • ABC Countdown:
    • C - Thursday 5/2 - Camp-Read-A lot- Please send your child with a towel, flashlight and small pillow to enjoy some extra reading time during class. (They can keep the books from Wednesday for Thursday to read, and they can borrow other books in our classroom.)
    • D - Friday - Dance Day - enjoy music and dancing throughout the day

Monday 04.29.2024

Homework:
 
1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Math: no written homework -  Chapter 8 Money Test is tomorrow!
 
3. Phonics: keep practicing words with ou, ow and trick words bought and brought
  • Assessment is Wednesday 5/1
 
Additional Reminders:
 
  • ABC Countdown begins tomorrow, Tuesday 4/30! We will complete an art project as a class.
  • B - Wednesday 5/1 - Books - bring a book to share with the class
  • C - Thursday 5/2 - Camp-Read-A lot- Please send your child with a towel, flashlight and small pillow to enjoy some extra reading time during class. (They can keep the books from Wednesday for Thursday to read, and they can borrow other books in our classroom.)
  • D - Friday - Dance Day - enjoy music and dancing throughout the day!

04.29.2024-05.03.2024 Week at a Glance

Please check for an email from me with details about the upcoming week for First Communion!
 
Tests/Quizzes:
  • Math: chapter 8 money quiz, Tuesday 4/30
  • Phonics: Unit 14 quiz, Wednesday 5/1

Religion

We will spend Religion time preparing for First Communion on Saturday.

Math

Students will be reviewing money concepts to take their chapter 8 quiz on Tuesday 4/30. We will then begin learning about time. Students will tell and write time to the nearest hour and tell time to the nearest half hour.

Phonics

Students will be finishing up Unit 14 and complete their phonics test on the ou and ow sound. We will begin Unit 15 where the students will read and spell words with the sounds of oo, ou, ue, and ew. We will also be learning the trick words January, February, and July.

Reading/Writing

We are continuing our work in Module 3 about Civil Rights. Students will identify the main topic of different sections of an informational text and give examples of civil rights in order to understand the importance of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. They will also be making connections among a series of Civil Rights events and compare important points from two texts about the same topic.

Science/Social Studies

We will be finishing up our Social Studies unit on Civics and will resume Science next week.

 

Tuesday 04.23.2024

Homework:
 
1. Read 20 minutes 
 
2. Phonics:
- Practice spelling words with ou, ow (/ou/ double vowel syllables)
- Practice trick words Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday
- Unit 14 Assessment will be on Wednesday, 5/1
 
3. Math 8.5 Homework - Dollars
- Math Chapter 8 Quiz will be next Tuesday, 4/30
 
Important Reminders for First Communion
  • Eucharist Prayer Service is Tuesday, 4/30, at 5pm
    •  All students receiving First Communion should be in attendance with one or two parents. (Please note this is not for the entire family.)
  • Godparents’ Day is Friday, 5/5, at 12:30pm
    • All students will attend this prayer service (during school)
  • First Communion is Saturday, 5/6, at 10:00am
    • Please note there are no assigned seats unless your child has a reading for this Mass.

Monday 04.22.2024

Homework:
 
1. Read 20 minutes 
 
2. Phonics:
- Practice spelling words with ou, ow (/ou/ double vowel syllables)
- Practice trick words Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday
- Unit 14 Assessment will be on Wednesday, 5/1
 
3. Math 8.4 Homework - money word problems
- Math Chapter 8 Quiz will be next Tuesday, 4/30
 
Additional Reminders:
  • Alex’s Lemonade Stand - tomorrow, Tuesday, 4/23
    • Students should wear blue, yellow, or teal.
    • Students should bring in donations of any amount. Thank you for your generosity.
  • No School - Friday, 4/26 → Professional Development Day for teachers
Important Reminders for First Communion
  • Eucharist Prayer Service is Tuesday, 4/30, at 5pm
    •  All students receiving First Communion should be in attendance with one or two parents. (Please note this is not for the entire family.)
  • Godparents’ Day is Friday, 5/5, at 12:30pm
    • All students will attend this prayer service (during school)
  • First Communion is Saturday, 5/6, at 10:00am
    • Please note there are no assigned seats unless your child has a reading for this Mass.

04.22.2024-04.25.2024 Week at a Glance

Important Reminders:
  • We will be having an Earth Day Book Swap on Monday, 4/22 → Thanks to those who have sent in books so far! If you forgot or weren’t able to send in books, please send them in on Monday, and ask your child to turn them in first thing when they arrive.
  • Third Grade is hosting a fundraiser for Alex's Lemonade Stand on Tuesday, 4/23
    • Students should wear blue, yellow, or teal.
    • Students should bring in donations of any amount. Thank you for your generosity.
  • No School on Friday, 4/26 → Professional Development Day for teachers
Important Reminders for First Communion
  • Eucharist Prayer Service is Tuesday 4/30 at 5pm
  • Godparents’ Day is Friday 5/5 at 12:30pm
    • Thank you to everyone who has RSVPed!
  • First Communion is Saturday 5/6 at 10:00am

Religion

Students will:

  • Identify the words of consecration
  • Discuss ways to prepare for communion
  • Identify Jesus as the “bread of life”

Math

Students will:

  • solve word problems with money.
  • use coins to make one dollar
  • Practice counting money
  • Review money for Chapter 8 Quiz next Tuesday 4/30

Phonics

Students will:

  • Spell words with /ou/ double vowel syllables
  • Spell trick words: bought, brought, piece
  • Read on level decodable passages with proper fluency

Reading/Writing

Students will:

  • Ask questions and make observations about Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story.
  • Make observations about how a historical photograph connects to the text.
  • Ask and answer questions about Martin Luther King Jr. and the March on Washington using question words
  • Use context clues to determine the meaning of the words protest and refuse

Social Studies

Students will:

  • Locate places on a political map.
  • Identify how communities share to meet their economic needs and wants.
  • Identify something special about their community.
  • Analyze community celebrations to show how people share pride in our country.

Thursday 04.18.2024

Important Reminders:
  • Please see the note in your child's Home folder or my email from earlier this week about the "Earth Day Book Swap" - Please send in books by tomorrow Friday, 4/19. Please also make sure that these books are age appropriate for 6-10 year olds. Thank you!
  • Please fill out the Google Form about Godparents’ Day if you have not done so already. Here is the link.
  • Library books are due tomorrow!
Homework:
1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Math: 8.3 homework page - counting coins
 
3. Phonics - practice using words with the ou/ow sound like in cloud and flower
  • practice spelling trick words Wednesday, Saturday, and Thursday

Wednesday 04.17.2024

Important Reminders:
  • Please see the note in your child's Home folder or my email from yesterday about the "Earth Day Book Swap" - Please send in books by Friday, 4/19. Please also make sure that these books are age appropriate for 6-10 year olds. Thanks!
  • Please fill out the Google Form about Godparents’ Day if you have not done so already.
Homework:
1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Math 8.2 homework pages - counting quarters
 
3. Phonics - See the new phonics packet for ideas and words to practice containing the ou and ow spelling patterns.

Tuesday 04.16.2024

Homework:
1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Phonics - no homework
 
3. Math - 8.1 home work page (counting pennies, nickels, and dimes)
 
  • Please see the note in your child's Home folder or my email from yesterday about the "Earth Day Book Swap" - Please send in books by Friday, 4/19. Please also make sure that these books are age appropriate for 6-10 year olds. Thanks!

Monday 04.15.2024

1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Unit 13 phonics assessment is tomorrow!
  • Practice words with vowel teams: oa, oe, ow.
  • Practice trick words: cousin, Monday, Tuesday, beautiful, lose, tomorrow.
 
3. Math: We started the chapter on money, and today was an introduction. The book homework pages will start coming home tomorrow.
 
Ideas for practice at home:
  • Start reviewing coins with your child.
  • Practice skip counting.
Reminders:
  • See the note in your child's Home folder about the "Earth Day Book Swap" - Please send in books by Friday, 4/19. Please also make sure that these books are age appropriate for 6-10 year olds. Thanks!

04.15.2024-04.19.2024 Week at a Glance

 

Religion

Students will:

  • Explain how listening and acting on God’s Worse makes us stronger.
  • Tell that we hear the Word of God during the Liturgy of the Word.
  • Explain that the priest helps us learn to apply the readings to our lives.
  • Define ambo, Evangelists, Homily, Lectionary for Mass, and Liturgy of the Word.

Math

Students will:

  • Begin Chapter 8: Money
  • Sort pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters.
  • Count pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters
  • Skip count and count on to determine the value of a group of coins

Phonics

Students will:

  • Review vowel teams oe, oa, ow
  • Write words with vowel teams oe, oa, ow
  • Read and write words with the /ou/ sound of ow, like flower
  • Read and write words with the /ou/ sound, like trout
  • Learn trick words Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday

Reading/Writing

Students will:

  • Use text evidence to write about the differences between the two versions of the John Henry story
  • Recall details about the two versions of the John Henry story
  • Make connections across different texts read throughout Module 2: American West.
  • Write an opinion paragraph about their favorite text in Module 2: American West.

Social Studies

Students will:

  • Identify ways to be good citizens.
  • Decide whether specific actions are those of a good citizen.
  • Brainstorm good-citizenship actions that students could perform in the community.

Monday 04.08.2024

1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Math 9.8 Homework page - more work with line plots
 
3. Phonics
- Keep practicing words with ow, oa, oe and trick words: Monday, Tuesday, cousin
- Assessment is next Tuesday, 4/16
 
Additional Reminders:
  • Next Food Pantry collection is Thursday, 4/11
    • 2nd graders should bring canned tuna.
  • Please take note of the following important dates of the upcoming events related to First Communion (more information to follow):
    • Tuesday, 4/30 (evening) - Eucharistic Prayer Service
    • Friday, 5/3 (12:30pm) - Godparents’ Day prayer service
    • Saturday, 5/4 (10:00 am) - First Communion Mass
  • Please be sure to complete the Godparents’ Day Google Form that Mrs. Hein sent out. We need all families to complete this form, as all students will be participating in this prayer service. Click here for the form.
  • Spirit Week Days 
    • Tuesday - Hat Day
    • Wednesday - Wacky Wednesday
    • Thursday - Favorite Sports Team Day
    • Friday = Color Wars → 2nd graders should wear Tie Dye!

04.08.2024-04.12.2024 Week at a Glance

 

Religion

Students will:

  • recognize that we are on a journey of faith and that we are called to share our faith with others after the final blessing at Mass by loving and serving others.

Math

Students will:

  • analyze line plots
  • Review reading data and completing graphs
  • Complete data analysis project

Phonics

Students will:

  • Read and spell words with oa, oe, ow
  • Spell and practice trick words: Monday, Tuesday, cousin
  • Spell and practice trick words: lose, tomorrow, beautiful

Reading/Writing

Students will:

  • Compare versions of John Henry
  • Write ideas for comparing and contrasting
  • Identify the meaning of words with prefix un-
  • Use conjunctions in writing for sentence variation

Social Studies

Students will:

  • Vote in a class election.
  • Predict what community leaders can and cannot do.
  • Conduct a mock demonstration.
  • Identify a community problem and propose a solution.

Thursday 04.04.2024

1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Phonics:
  • Practice words with oa, oe, ow (long o sound) --> note: long o can also be spelled with o (open syllable) or o-e (VCE like "home" or "code")
  • Practice trick words: Monday, Tuesday, cousin
 
3. Math 9.7 Homework - Line Plots
 
Reminders:
  • Next Food Pantry collection is Thursday, 4/11
    • 2nd graders should bring canned tuna.
 

Wednesday 4.3.2024

Homework:
 
1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Phonics:
  • Practice words with oa, oe, ow (long o sound) --> note: long o can also be spelled with o (open syllable) or o-e (VCE like "home" or "code")
  • Practice trick words: Monday, Tuesday, cousin
 
3. Math 9.6 Homework pages
 
Reminders:
  • Please take note of the following important dates of the upcoming events related to First Communion (more information to follow):
    • Tuesday, 4/30 (evening) = Eucharistic Prayer Service
    • Friday, 5/3 (12:30pm during the school day) = Godparents’ Day prayer service
    • Saturday, 5/4 (10:00 am) = First Communion Mass
  • Please be sure to complete the Godparents' Day form that Mrs. Hein sent out in an email earlier this week. Thank you for those who already filled out the form.