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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!
 

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11.06.2023-11.09.2023 Week at a Glance

 

Religion

Students will:

  • Identify Peter as the Church’s first leader.
  • Describe how Jesus used parables to teach lessons about how to be closer to God. 
  • Define bishop, crosier, parable, and pope.

Math

Students will:

  • break apart numbers to add (using expanded form)
  • regroup ones for tens to add 2-digit numbers
  • add two- and one-digit numbers with the standard algorithm (and base-ten blocks)
  • add 2 two-digit numbers with the standard algorithm

Phonics

Students will:

  • Read and spell words with suffixes -full, -less, -ment, -ness, -ish, -en, -able
  • Learn trick words: always, often, once
  • Read decodable stories and answer comprehension questions
  • Create sentences using words the handful and kindness
  • Practice reading and writing trick words
  • Read words with different prefixes

Reading/Writing

Students will:

  • Determine the central message of a text
  • Plan and draft an informative paragraph
  • combine evidence from two texts in a verbal paragraph about how changes in fall impact people
  • Demonstrate understanding of vocabulary by analyzing correct or incorrect use in context

Science

Students will:

  • investigate the effects of rocks tumbling in a river
  • Answer the question “why is there sand at the beach?”
  • pretend to be a river and tear up pieces of construction paper to model what happens to rocks as they travel along the river

Wednesday 11.01.2023

Homework:
 
1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Math fact fluency page - 2 sides
Math Chapter 2 Assessment is Friday (see updated review sheet here)
 
3. Practice reading and spelling multisyllabic words (like those found in the Unit 5 packet that went home last week)
 
***Disguise a Turkey locker decoration - This went home today and should be brought back on Monday, 11/6. This is meant to be a fun activity (not stressful) and can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. ;)
 
Mrs. Medina decorated our door for Halloween and we won the school's door decorating competition! Our class earned a student choice dress down for this Friday 11/3.
 

Monday 10.30.2023

Homework:

1. Read 20 minutes 

2. Math 2.7 Homework pages - Finding even and odd sums

  • Even + Even = Even sum
  • Odd + Odd = Even sum
  • Even + Odd = Odd sum
3. Phonics/Spelling: Practice new spelling patterns - Multisyllabic words
  • Please see the packet that went home last week for ideas of activities to try at home, as well as several lists of words that follow the patterns we are learning.
 

Tests and Quizzes:

  • Math Chapter 2 Assessment is Friday, 11/3 → See review sheet here.
    • Please note there was a mistake with the IXL correlations. They have been updated to the following:
    • A.1-7 → counting and number patterns
    • E.1-E.5 → even and odd numbers
    • X.1-X.5 → repeated addition and arrays

10.30.2023-11.03.2023 Week at a Glance

 

Religion

Students will:

  • discuss how our church remembers those who have died and how we can follow the examples of the lives of the saints.

Math

Students will:

  • identify sums of doubles.
  • practice repeated addition and arrays
  • Review Chapter 2 concepts for test on Friday 11/3

Phonics

Students will:

  • Spell and read multisyllabic words
  • Apply the -ic vs -ick rule to multisyllable single syllable words
  • Spell and read trick words

Reading/Writing

Students will:

  • Infer meaning of unknown words
  • Define multiple-meaning words
  • Generate and respond to student-generated questions about Sky Tree
  • Revise a sample paragraph about trees by inserting missing sentences
  • Sequence key details
  • Analyze how authors develop imagery
  • Describe the structure of Sky Tree
  • Analyze how an author uses varied structure to give a text rhythm

Science

Students will:

  • Begin new unit on weathering and erosion
  • discuss patterns of how water and rivers flow.
  • discuss what rivers have in common
  • participate in an activity where we model how rivers flow
 
Reminders:
  • Please review the Halloween guidelines that the administration sent out on Tuesday.
  • No All School Mass on Tuesday, 10/31
  • Halloween class party is Tuesday, 10/31, in the afternoon → Thank you to the parents who are supplying the snacks and volunteering their time!
  • No homework on Tuesday → Happy Halloween!
  • All School Mass  Wednesday, 11/1 → All are welcome to join us for All Saints’ Day (a holy day of obligation). Students should sit with our class.

Thursday 10.26.2023

1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Math 2.6 Homework pages - Even and odd numbers
 
3. Start practicing new spelling patterns - Multisyllabic words
*The new packet went home today, and it includes lists of words that we will be working on in class, along with optional ways to practice.
*It also contains the new trick wordsagainst, know, knew, always, often, once. (Students are expected to be able to read and write these words. We will also be practicing them in class.)
 
Additional Reminders:
  • Mrs. McMahon sent home the Clever badges today in backpack mail. Please check your child's home folder for his/her Clever badge and a note from Mrs. McMahon. Thank you!
  • Pumpkin Decorating Contest - 10/26 and 10/27
    • See the Knight Notes for details.
  • Please see the email from Mrs. Hein regarding the Halloween costume dress code for the party next Tuesday.

Wednesday 10.25.2023

Homework:
 
1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Math 2.5 Homework pages
 
3. No Spelling Homework - New packet with sample list words will go home tomorrow as we start learning about how to spell multisyllabic words.

Tuesday 10.24.2023

Homework:
 
1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Math 2.4 Homework pages
 
3. Practice words with suffixes -ed, -ing, -s, -es
  • Unit 4 Assessment is tomorrow, Wednesday, 10/25
  • The new unit packet (with examples of the new spelling patterns) will go home Thursday.
 
Additional Reminders:
  • Pumpkin Decorating Contest - 10/26 and 10/27

10.23.2023-10.27.2023 Week at a Glance

 

Religion

Students will:

  • Tell the story of Zacchaeus
  • Describe ways that Jesus showed his love for everyone
  • Identify John the Baptist as a holy man who taught people about the coming of the Messiah
  • Define miracle

Math

Students will:

  • Find a pattern to solve word problems
  • Use repeated addition to add equal groups
  • Use arrays with repeated addition
  • Find even and odd numbers in number patterns

Phonics

Students will:

  • Read words with vowel teams ou, oo, ue, and ew
  • Practice trick words again, please, animal, sure, use, and used
  • Practice reading fluently
  • Read words with vowel teams au and aw
  • Divide words into syllables
  • Read and spell compound words
  • Learn trick words against, knew, and know

Reading/Writing

Students will:

  • Determine connections between key terms and topics
  • Draft and rehearse an informational paragraph
  • Combine simple sentences using conjunctions to explain key concepts from Why Do Leaves Change Color?
  • Identify the connections between texts
  • Write and share an informative paragraph about the impact of weather on trees in fall
  • Describe the impact of color in Sky Tree paintings

Social Studies

Students will:

  • Identify and locate geographic features on a physical map
  • Apply knowledge of geographic features
  • Use a political map of the United States to identify the location of various US states

Tuesday 10.17.2023

Homework:
 
1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Continue practicing words with suffixes s, es, ing, ed
 
3. Math Lesson 2.2 Homework pages 
 
Additional Reminders:
  • $1 dress down - Wear Pink on Wednesday 10/18→ Bring $1 (or more) to donate for breast cancer research
  • Parent Teacher Conferences are Thursday, 10/19
    • Please be on time - We will try to cover a lot in the 10 minute slot! 🙂
  • No School for students - Thursday, 10/19, or Friday, 10/20

Monday 10.16.2023

Homework:
 
1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Continue practicing spelling words that have suffixes s, es, ed, ing
 
3. Math Lesson 2.1 Homework pages
 
Additional Reminders:
  • $1 dress down - Wear Pink on Wednesday 10/18→ Bring $1 (or more) to donate for breast cancer research
  • Parent Teacher Conferences are Thursday, 10/19
    • Please be on time - We will try to cover a lot in the 10 minute slot! 🙂
    • If you have not yet signed up and would like to, please visit the link that Mrs. Hein and Mrs. McMahon sent out last week.
    • I look forward to speaking with you!
  • No School for students - Thursday, 10/19, or Friday, 10/20

10.16.2023-10.18.2023 Week at a Glance

 

Religion

Students will:

  • Explain that the Ten Commandments are a guide to follow Jesus. 
  • Discuss the importance of obeying our parents, as Jesus obeyed his parents.
  • Define the term Ten Commandments.

Math

Students will:

  • Use patterns to skip count
  • Model skip counting to find the total in equal groups

Phonics

Students will:

  • Read and spell the sound of -ed
  • Mark up the suffix -ed
  • Learn trick words sure, use, and used

Reading/Writing

Students will:

  • Use key terms to identify change process in leaves
  • Draft a conclusion
  • Analyze multiple-choice questions to choose the correct definition for survive and usually

Social Studies

Students will:

  • use maps by reading the map features of: title, compass rose, and map key.
  • Identify different kinds of maps and when we would use them
  • map reading skills to answer questions about three different locations

Thursday 10.12.2023

  • Student choice dress down tomorrow!
  • Please see the link sent out to sign up for parent teacher conferences. I hope to speak with all of you about your child's progress so far this year.
  • Library books are due tomorrow, Friday 10/13
 
Homework:
1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Math - study for tomorrow's test
 
3. Phonics/Spelling - Practice reading and writing words with suffixes -ed, -s, -es, -ing
 
 

Wednesday 10.11.2023

Homework:
 
1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Math: 1.13 homework page - 2 step word problems
 
3. Phonics/Spelling: Practice reading and writing words with suffixes -ed, -s, -es, -ing
 
Reminders:
  • Food Pantry Collection is tomorrow, Thursday, 10/12 - 2nd grade should bring crackers
  • Please see the link sent out to sign up for parent teacher conferences. I hope to speak with all of you about your child's progress so far this year.
  • Library Day is Friday - Please send back library books on Friday.
  • Here is a link to our class wish list. If you would like to purchase something for our classroom during these "Prime Days", please take a look. Always appreciated, never expected. :)

Tuesday 10.10.2023

Homework:
1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Math: 1.12 homework page - fact families
 
3. Phonics/Spelling: Practice reading and writing words with suffixes -ed, -s, -es, -ing
 
Reminders:
  • Food Pantry Collection is Thursday, 10/12 - 2nd grade should bring crackers
  • Please see the link sent out to sign up for parent teacher conferences. I hope to speak with all of you about your child's progress so far this year.
  • Library Day is Friday - Please send back library books on Friday.
  • Here is a link to our class wish list. If you would like to purchase something for our classroom during these "Prime Days", please take a look. Always appreciated, never expected. :)

Monday 10.09.2023

Homework:
1. Read 20 minutes
 
2. Math - 1.11 homework page - missing addends
 
3. Spelling/Phonics - Practice reading and writing words with suffixes -ed, -s, -es, -ing