The Langston Times

Hello Families!  

We just ended a great week of teaching and learning!  

Black History Wax Museum 

Throughout the month of February,  we will celebrate Black History Month here at Killian Elementary School.   Our second grade students will be involved in research projects, oratorical, as well as creating projects to share our rich history and lift up those who have paved the way for so many.  

Please carefully review the information that  will be sent home on Monday to help your child prepare for our Wax Museum. Your primarily responsible will be ensuring your child delivers an AWESOME presentation and their costume and props fits the hero they are researching.  

This week’s reading selection: The Langston Times

Summary: A fictional article in The Langston Times newspaper reports on the opening of Langston Elementary School. Various members of the school and local community comment on the benefits of the new building.

Essential Question: How would the building of a new school affect particular people in a community differently?


blared -   verb  made a loud, harsh sound
revealing -  verb  showing or displaying
result  - noun  something that happens because of something else
seams -  noun   a line where pieces of a material are joined together
features -  noun  noticeable parts or aspects of a thing
solar panel -  noun a flat object that converts light energy into electricity
sources  -  noun places or things that other things come from
progress -   noun movement toward a goal or toward completion
officials  -  noun people who hold a certain office or position
values  -  noun the worth of things in money

Monday
Reread the story of the week.   Complete Text Connections question 1 - 4  at the end of the story. 

*Vocabulary:   Choice Board Activity
*Math:   Eureka Math Activity Sheet 

Tuesday
1. Which caption do you like best, and why do you like it? 

2.  Why did Principal Rice like the construction company? 

*Vocabulary:   Choice Board Activity
*Math:   Eureka Math Activity Sheet 

Wednesday
1. What does it mean to say that a neighborhood looks inviting?

2. How did the crowd prepare for the unveiling? 

*Vocabulary:   Choice Board Activity
*Math:   Eureka Math Activity Sheet 

Thursday 

Reading:  Re Read your story for the week.  

You will take your reading and vocabulary assessment tomorrow.  

*Vocabulary:  Study     

*Math: Eureka Math Activity Sheet 

Famous African Americans Wax Museum

Common Questions and Answers

Q: What is a Wax Museum?

A:  A Wax Museum is an opportunity for the students to
share all of the information that they collected about their
person during their research.

Q: What work will my student need to complete at home?

A: Students will be expected to practice their speech
and decide on a costume to represent their person.    

Q: When will the performance be and can our family come
to watch?

A: We will be performing for other second grade classes
and our families on __________, February _______   @ ____ am.
Our performance will take place in our classroom.

Q: Will my student need to bring their costume, props,
poster and speech to school?

A: YES!!! Please bring everything to school on ____.   

Q: How will my student be graded on this project?

A: Please see the attached rubric to see how
I will be grading.

Wax Museum Project Checklist

Follow these steps to complete your project:

❏ Prepare a 1-2 minute speech about your  person’s life in the
first person (this means to pretend like you are them!)
Write your speech on index cards.

❏ Practice saying the speech with personality and expression.
You want your audience to “believe” you are that famous person.
Memorizing  it would be GREAT!

❏ Decide what you should wear for your presentation.
Try to dress like your person.  Props should add to
your presentation.

❏ Look at the grading rubric to see how you will be graded.
Do you need to make any changes?

❏ Bring everything (speech, poster and costume) to school
with you on the day you present.  

January 24, 2020

January 24, 2020  
 

Greetings! 

Report Cards
Report cards were sent home in your child's blue communication folder on Thursday.  The report card should be kept at home.  The envelope that the report was sent in should be signed and returned.  

Congratulations to those students who made the honor roll. 

Assessments 

When  taking the reading comprehension assessments, students are required to read each  test question independently (unless they have an IEP).  Therefore, I encourage you to speak to your child  about taking their time and reading each question carefully.   They are allowed to use their book when answering their reading questions.   All open ended  questions  must be written in complete sentences.  

Please log into Parent Portal to  check your child's academic progress.  Grades are entered into the system each week.  

This week’s reading selection: Victor’s Journal

Big Idea: How do people in your community help you? Ask your child how this week’s reading selection helps him or her answer this question.
Summary: Victor lives across the street from the field where a new school is being built. He describes each stage of construction for his grandmother and aunt in an online journal.

Essential Question: In what ways might a new school benefit a community? DISCUSS with your child the most important or fun features of his or her school building.




1.  while noun-  a period of time

2.  blueprints noun -  papers that show the plan for building something

3.  cement noun-  a powder made by burning a mixture of limestone and clay

4.  lever noun  - a rod or bar attached to a machine, used to work or control it

5.  frame noun -  the skeleton of a building

6.  insulated verb -  covered to slow or stop the flow of electricity, heat, or sound



Monday
Reread the story of the week. 
Complete Text Connections question 1 - 4  at the end of the story. 

*Vocabulary:   Choice Board Activity 
*Math:   Eureka Math Activity Sheet 

Tuesday
1. Which of these words means a powder used in construction? 
A cement 
B basin 
C velvet 
D statement

2. What is a synonym for blueprints in this sentence? The workers looked carefully at the blueprints. 
A tools 
B walls 
C plans 
D routes

3. What does the word frame most likely mean in this sentence? The frame of the house was the first thing that the workers made. 

4.  Which of these statements about the journal is true?
A It is written from the school’s point of view.
B It tells about the school that the writer attends now.
C It describes what happened before the writer was born.
D It is written from the first person point of view

*Vocabulary:   Choice Board Activity 
*Math:   Eureka Math Activity Sheet 

Wednesday 

1.Why is the town building a new school?

2. How does the writer describe the cranes in the journal?

3. Write one fact and one opinion about the interview in the journal.


*Vocabulary:   Choice Board Activity 
*Math:   Eureka Math Activity Sheet 

Thursday 

Reading:  Re Read your story for the week.  

You will take your reading and vocabulary assessment tomorrow.  

*Vocabulary:  Study     

*Math: Eureka Math Activity Sheet 

My Community and Me

January  20 , 2020

Big Idea: How do people in your community help you? Ask your child how this week’s reading selection helps him or her answer this question.

This week’s reading selection: My Community and Me

Essential Questions: What are some of your roles within your community? How do your roles and your relationships with others change over time?

DISCUSS with your child some of his or her responsibilities at home and at school.



1. role  - noun  - the part played by a person or thing in relationship to others
2. evolve -  verb  - to develop or grow slowly
3. gain -  verb -  to get
4. relies - verb -  trusts; depends
5. running-  verb  - moving or happening continuously
6. develop -  verb -  to slowly bring into being
7. discover -  verb - to see or find out for the first time
8. fascination -  noun -  the state of feeling intense interest in something
9. courteous -  adjective -  polite
10. true -  adjective  - faithful to someone or something; loyal



Monday - Holiday

Tuesday

1. Which of these words means the part played by a person? A spade B role C cash D brisk

2. What is a synonym for discover in this sentence? 
People discover new things almost every day.

A.  discuss       B.  clean        C.  find          D.  drive

3.  Which answer best describes roles and responsibilities?

A.  At school you are about the same as at home.        B.  Neighbors trust you.

C.  You are always the same in your family.                 D.  They change over time.

*Vocabulary:   Choice Board Activity  

*Math: Eureka Math Activity Sheet 

Wednesday

7. How is being a sibling different from being a son or daughter?

8. What are some family responsibilities mentioned in the story?

9. How can classmates help their peers? 10. How do neighbors change?

*Vocabulary:   Choice Board Activity 
*Math: Eureka Math Activity Sheet 

Thursday 

Reading:  Re Read your story for the week.  

*You will take your reading and vocabulary assessment tomorrow.  

*Vocabulary:  Study     

*Math: Eureka Math Activity Sheet (Due tomorrow)

1/10/2020

Greetings! 

Students did a great job adjusting back to normal routines after the long winter break.    I am looking forward to another fantastic week beginning Monday.      

Thursday, January 16th  ends the second nine weeks and will be a half -day dismissal @ 11:30am.    Please send in a note or Classtag me if your child's transportation changes on that day. 

Friday, January 17th will be a  Student Holiday. Monday, January 20th  will be Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.  Schools will be closed.  

Students will take their assessment on Gross Jobs on Monday, January 13, 2020.  We will not have a  new story for 1/13 - 1/17.   Homework assignments will be given each night in reading and math.