Check out the book order that was sent home today with your child. There are lots of great book choices. If you are interested in ordering, please send it in with your child by Friday, Feb. 10 or order on line by Sunday, Feb. 12.
Help! We are on our last boxes of kleenex. With all of the colds and coughing that we've been experiencing lately we need to replenish. If you are able, please send in a box or two with your child. Thank you!
Next Monday, January 30 we will be going outside for Science Lab - rain or shine. Mr. Smith asks that each student have his/her hat, gloves, boots, and coat. Those students without will not get to go outside to look for and identify animal tracks.
January 29, 2011
During math class today, Mrs. Melander (our math specialist) showed us how to go to the Everyday Math online website to play math games! Each of my math students received a user name and password. Please encourage your child to go to this website to practice math in a fun way. Either Google - Everyday math online or go to:
www.everydaymathonline.com
January 23, 2012
We have been very busy learning about the Native Americans that used to live in our area long ago. Last week we learned about the many uses of birch bark. Did you know that the Native Americans used birch bark to make their homes, canoes, pots for cooking in, and to wrap food so it wouldn't spoil? They were very resourceful people! We watched one video from You Tube that showed a man in Canada building a birchbark canoe similarly to the way the Native Americans would have built one long ago. Check out our cool "birchbark houses" and "canoes" that we made in class by looking at our latest slide show. It was amazing the details the students came up with to add to their "triaramas". The book The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich is a great companion story to our unit in Social Studies. We've enjoyed learning about the main character Omakayas and how she and her family live each season. It's a great book!
This week we are reading about the Chinese New Year in reading class. We read the story Chinatown in our anthology. We also had fun reading the story The Runaway Wok. We'll be learning more as the week progresses. Gung hay fat chow!
December 29, 2011
On the Wednesday before break we had a special visitor come read to our class...Mrs. Stadlman. We had everything planned out, unbeknownst to Mrs. Stadlaman! We invited her to read one of our favorite books, Mr. Tannen's Ties. After she read the book, we read a book that we wrote that was inspired by Mr. Tannen's Ties. We titled it "What to Wear?" and the main character was Mrs. Stadlman! Check out our latest slideshow. In it you will see Mrs. Stadlman reading to the class, then the class reading to Mrs. Stadlman, and finally the class presenting a copy of Mr. Tannen's Ties, our book What to Wear?, and a beautiful new scarf to Mrs. Stadlman.
December 18, 2011
Three more school days left in 2011! I can't get over how fast the year went by. I hope all of you have a Merry Christmas and/or happy holiday season.
At last count on Thursday our class had collected $35.22 for Raising Holiday Spirit! Congratulations boys and girls. Thank you all for your generous spirit! In keeping with the spirit of giving, I thought it would be nice to have the children bring in one or two gently used books to donate to the needy. I was thinking a women's shelter might be in need for children's books. If you know of a place to donate the books to please let me know.
I will not be sending our routine homework packet this week. The second grade team understands how busy this time of year can be. The only assignment we are sending is a genre candy cane. Each time your child reads a book, (s)he colors in one part of the candy cane. There will be no other assignments. I will send the spelling test and words home after break so you won't have to worry about keeping them in a safe place. We will return to the homework packet routine Monday, January 9th.
December 11, 2011
This week (Dec 12-16) is Raising Holiday Spirit Week! To help children and families at Oakland and the community this holiday season, the children may participate in the following activities for a donation of 25 cents each day:
Monday: Favorite Character/Mismatch Day
Tuesday: Crazy Hair/Hat Day
Wednesday: PJ Day
Thursday: Spirit Wear Day
Friday: Wear Holiday Colors
If everyone in our class participates each day and contributes at least 25 cents each day, our class will be able to donate $28.75 to the Eagle Fund and Antioch Food Pantry.
Did you receive a bright yellow note last week about Six Flags' Read to Succeed? Students can earn a free ticket to Six Flags if they complete at least 360 minutes (6 hours) of recreational reading by February 24, 2012. Incredible! They get to have fun reading AND earn a free ticket to Six Flags! If you did not get a copy of the form or it has been misplaced, please let me know and I will send a new one home. Please note, that the reading for Read to Succeed is in addition to our regular weekly reading log.
Speaking of reading logs, I know it's a CRAZY time of year, but please continue to insist that your child read at least 60 minutes each week and complete the weekly reading log. They are due every Monday. Homework packets must be completed and returned every Friday. Why not consider giving your child a copy of one of your favorite chapter books this holiday season and read it together during the winter break?
The school wide initiative of PBIS is in full swing. Ask your child how he or she was
Responsible
Respectful
Safe
each day at school.
