September · Week 1 · Day 3 · School day 3

Day 3: Every Name Has a Story

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🧊 Play with your child: Matter Sort

The day, step by step

1. 10–15 min Morning meeting and calendar 2.NBT.1, 2.NBT.3, 2.NBT.8, 2.OA.3

   1. Greeting: choose a greeting (handshake, wave, a friendly "good morning") and greet each person by name.
   2. Calendar: read the full date, then ask "What day was it 3 days ago? What day will it be in 5 days?"
   3. Days of school: today is day 3. Show it with base-ten pieces: 0 tens and 3 ones. Write it in expanded form: 3 = 3.
   4. Number of the day: 3. Is it odd or even? What is 10 more (13) and 10 less?
   5. Question of the day: "Do you know how you got your name?" Everyone answers in a complete sentence with a reason.

2. 20 min Phonics and fluency RF.2.3a, RF.2.3f, RF.2.4

   1. Spelling: stamp, chest, trunk, cliff, split. Say the word, tap the syllables, then write it. Check each part.
   2. Dictation sentence: "Gus will stack the blocks on the shelf." Check capitals, end marks and the pattern.
   3. Fluency: partner read. Take turns reading a sentence each, then swap starting places.
   4. Tricky words: because, always, around. Read each one, say which part is tricky, then spell it aloud and write it twice.

3. 25–30 min Reading workshop and read-aloud RL.2.3, RL.2.1

   The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi (or any book about names)

   1. Before: "Unhei just moved from Korea. She is not sure she wants to tell her class her name. Why might she feel that way?"
   2. During: "How is Unhei feeling now? What made her feelings change?"
   3. After: "Why did Unhei decide to keep her name? What did her classmates do to help?"

   Then read: 15 minutes of independent or partner reading from "just right" books, then one sentence in a reading notebook.

4. 30–40 min Math and math centers 2.NBT.1, 2.NBT.3

   1. Write 246 on a place-value chart: hundreds, tens, ones.
   2. Build it with blocks, then say it: "two hundred forty-six." Write it in expanded form: 200 + 40 + 6.
   3. Your child builds and writes 3 numbers in expanded form: 318, 152, 490.

   Math center: Three ways: for each number card, draw it with quick pictures (squares, lines, dots), write it in expanded form and write its name.

5. 20–30 min Science 2-PS1-1

   1. Say: "Scientists describe materials by their properties: color, texture, hardness and whether they bend."
   2. Pass around 6 objects (a spoon, a sponge, a rock, a rubber band, a cotton ball, a pencil). Describe each one with two property words.
   3. Make a chart: object, what it is made of, two properties.

6. 20–25 min Writing W.2.3, W.2.5, L.2.2

   Write about your name: "My name is ___. I got my name because ___. I like my name because ___." Ask a family member if you do not know the story.

   In 2nd grade, children plan, draft and revise. Expect correct spelling for patterns and tricky words already taught; sound spelling is fine for new words.

7. 20–30 min Centers and independent practice

   • Word work: build closed-syllable words with letter tiles, then sort them by vowel
   • Book bins: choose three "just right" books for your book box
   • Math: build numbers with base-ten blocks and write them three ways
   • Map corner: draw a map of your desk or table with a key

   Device time (5 to 10 minutes): Matter Sort.

8. 5 min Closing circle SL.2.1

   Ask: "What did you learn about someone else’s name?" Each child shares one thing.

Short day? Do the morning meeting, phonics and fluency, reading and math. Fold science or social studies into the read-aloud talk.