Tuesday Update!

Happy Tuesday!

I hope your week is off to a great start!  We have had a wonderful first two days of the week in 2nd grade!  I wanted to send out some reminders and information about things we have coming up this week.

Library Check Out
Our library check out day is Wednesday.  Please help your student to remember to bring their library books back tomorrow so they can check out new books.  If they need to recheck out a book, as long as another student doesn't have the book on hold, they can recheck them out tomorrow.  As I mentioned last week, students will be expected to check out two books they can read independently and one book they can read with someone at home if they choose.

Math Wizard
Tomorrow is Wednesday, so we will have our weekly Math Wizard test.  Please remind your student to practice their facts at home.  We discussed this morning, it will only take about 5 minutes a night to study their facts and they will quickly have them down "in a snap."  Students can be quizzed verbally, use an app, write down facts or there are games online.  There are a lot of fun ways to practice facts!

ST Math
Students have started using ST Math again this year.  This is a fun program that has games online for the students to play.  They have a picture password which they should know.  They can access ST Math through the school website or use this link.  These games review skills the have learned in kindergarten or first grade and also introduces new skills they will be learning this year.

Math "Test" Friday
On Friday, we will have a math "test."  I use that term loosely because it will be an opportunity for the students to show all the different strategies they have learned to solve addition and subtraction problems.  They have learned number lines, drawing a picture, tally marks, number bonds, part-part whole charts, tens frames and the commutative property.  The goal is for the to learn all the strategies and then as we progress throughout math this year, they will use the strategies that work best for them..


Example of a part-part whole chart


4 + 6 = 10
Example of a number bond


7 + 3 = 10
Example of a tens frame


Example of a number line

Homework
We will start homework next week.  The students will have approximately 20-25 minutes of homework per night.  They are expected to read for at least 15 minutes (and get this initialed nightly) then complete one section of math.  There will be four sections of math, one night is math facts, one night is games and the other two nights are a review of what we have learned in class.  Here is a blank template for the homework so you can see how it will be set up.  Here is the homework template and here is a color coded homework to show where parents are expected to sign each night.  :)  Please let me know if you have any questions.

I am very proud of all the students hard work these first few weeks of school.  I also appreciate all the wonderful support from home!  I truly feel we are all a team working together to make the students successful!

Have a wonderful evening!

Mrs. Ross

Happy Friday

Happy Friday!

We had a wonderful week in Room 27 and ended with a lot of fun activities today!  I have a lot of important information in the blog post and some fun pictures!

Science

Today in science, we did an experiment called "Dancing Raisins."  Be sure you ask your student what made the raisins "dance" in the soda.  They learned about carbonation and that the bubbles "attach" to the raisins and make the raisins float to the top of the soda and then pop and they fall back down.  We also tested it with Craisins and dried blueberries and had the same results.  We discussed making a hypothesis today and that you base your hypothesis on things you already know.  We also discussed how the goal of the experiment is to answer a questions.  Our question today was "What happens when you put raisins in clear soda?".  The students had a blast with our experiment today.  Click here for pictures.  

Social Studies

We also started our first social studies unit today which covers maps.  We took a tour of the school with a blank map and they had to fill in the map as we went.  We had a discussion about what made our task of creating the map easy and what made it difficult.  We will revisit this conversation next week when they start making their own maps.  Here are a few pictures from our tour.

Math

This week in math, we learned about different addition strategies.  The students learned about part-part-whole charts, number bonds, number lines, drawing pictures and tally marks.  We also started using the strategies to solve word problems.  When we worked on the word problems, we talked about the 3 main things you need when solving a word problem.  You need a complete number sentence, a strategy and a qualifier on your answer (the units).  The students also have been working on writing their own word problems when given a number sentence.  Next week, we will continue working and reviewing strategies.  Our plan is to have a quiz over the addition strategies next Friday.

Reading

In reading this week, we have been discussing characters and character traits.  We are making a chart of the 4 main characters in our read aloud book, How to Eat Fried Worms, and their physical traits as well as character traits.  The students are learning the physical traits are on the outside and character traits are on the inside.  Next week, they will be working more independently on identifying character traits in stories and books.

Bookmarks

In your student's Friday folder, you may find some bookmarks.  These are completed after the read a book.  We discuss the book and then they get a "book worm" (a gummy worm) for completing their book and then they trade out the book for a new one.  

Writing

This week in writing we introduced small moment stories.  These are stories that are true, the author is the main character, the story doesn't take much time (actual length of the event) and has a lot of details.  The students wrote one completely independently as a way for me to see where they are currently as writers.  Now, we have started another story and will go through the entire process together.  We will start with setting and characters next week.  

Math Wizard

We took our 2nd math wizard test this week.  The graded test is in your student's Friday folder.  This is our weekly fact practice test.  They have 3 minutes to complete at least 46 problems correctly.  We encourage the students to practice their facts at home.  It is important for them to know these facts "in a snap."

Library Checkout

The students had their first library check out this week.  They are allowed to check out any books they want.  We had a conversation about the importance of having at least 2 of the books they check out need to be books they can read independently.  I didn't enforce that this week, but starting next week, they will need to make sure they can read their books.  We discussed that they can check out one book to read with someone at home if they would like, but this is not a requirement.

Pizza Party Money

Thank you to everyone who has sent in their money for our 2 trimester pizza parties.  If you haven't sent in your money, just a reminder, it is $5 and that covers both trimester parties.  Please do not send in checks, just cash.  Also, thank you to everyone who has volunteered to send in fruit, chips, drinks or cookies for the parties.  :)

Friday Folders

The kids did an awesome job bringing their Friday folders back this week.  THANK YOU parents for signing them and getting them back to your student.  The folders are in your student's backpack again this week.  Please take the time to go over the papers with your students then sign and return them on Monday.

Parent Pick Up

Please remember to bring your green parent pick up card if you pick your student up from school.  Also, if someone other than yourself is picking them up, please give them the green card.  If someone other than the normal person is picking them up, even if they have the green card, please contact the office and me so we can get them where they need to be.  :)

Sticker Charts/Behavior

The students have been doing very well getting back into the routine of school.  They have been earning stickers very quickly and filling up sticker charts.  At the beginning of the year, we like to give out a lot of stickers to encourage fabulous behavior as we are learning routines and reviewing expectations.  As we get into the swing of things, I will still pass out stickers, but they may not earn as many stickers as we get further into the school year and the students know and demonstrate the expectations.

I have had a wonderful first two weeks with your students!  

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Ross

Happy First Friday!

I hope you have all had a wonderful week!  We have had a fabulous week in 2nd grade!  Here is some important information about next week, Friday folders and other fun things we are doing in 2nd grade!

Next Week: We will be getting into our full routine next week!  I have listed below the fun things we will be working on!

• Math: We will start learning different strategies to solve addition problems.  We will be working on number lines, counting on, tally marks, pictures, number bonds, part-part-whole and tens frames.  We will also be using these strategies to solve word problems.
• Reading: We will start working on character traits next week.  We will discuss the difference between physical traits and traits that describe the character's personality.  We are also going to continue working on our center rotation expectations.  The students will start rotating centers in groups, hopefully by the end of next week.
• Writing:  We will start our first writing next week which is personal narratives.  The stories are called "small moment" stories which means that they only take up a small amount of time, but it allows the writer to give a lot of good details in their writing.  
• Science: On Friday, we have a fun experiment for the students called "Dancing Raisins."  This will help us introduce the scientific method to the students.
• Social studies:  We will learn about the importance of maps and then create a map of the school.
• Specials: We have PE on Monday and Friday next week, please make sure your student wears tennis shoes.  We have media on Thursday and the students will need their earbuds/head phones, so if your student doesn't have any, please send in a pair next week or let me know if you need assistance getting headphones.
• Library Check Out: Our first library checkout day will be next week.  We have library checkout on Wednesday.  Please help your student remember to bring their books back on Wednesdays, so they can check out new books.    

Friday Folders

• The students and I had a discussion today about the Friday folder being their responsibility to get to and from school.  We talked about finding good times to go over the folder with a parent or guardian and that they should come to you with a pen/pencil to have it signed.  :)  It was a good discussion about responsibility.  :)

• The following are things that need to be returned to school.
• Friday Folder Checklist: Please always keep the green Friday Folder sheet in the folder.  This is what I will use for weekly communication.  There is a place for you to sign at the bottom of the front page (under the Work Habits section).  All I need are your initials so that I know you saw the checklist and read the comments on the back.
• Pizza Party Donation: We will be having 2 pizza parties as a trimester celebration this year.  We are asking for a $5 one time donation for your child's portion of pizza.  If you would be willing to provide a drink, healthy side or chip for the pizza party there is also a place to mark that on the form.  Please send cash and no checks.
• RBE Sportswear Order Form: If you would like to order RBE Sportswear for your family there is a form to fill out and return.  The first order is due August 29.  There are some really cute shirt options!! I've already ordered mine!! 
• The following items can stay at home.

• Introduction Letter: I have included a letter that introduces myself to let you know a little more about me.  Please do not hesitate to contact me about any questions or concerns that you have.
• Calendars: I have included a hard copy of the CPS School Year Calendar, the Specialist ABCD Calendar, and the RBE Activities Calendar.  Also, all of these resources can be found on the schedule tab of our blog.
• Student Work Papers: I only have 2 student work papers coming home this week.  One of the papers was working on tally charts and bar graphs.  The other paper is a Math Wizard test.  We will be taking this timed test weekly.  There are 50 problems and your child hasto get at least 46 correct in 3 minutes to move on to the next test.  There are 2 addition tests, 2 subtraction tests, and 1 mixed test.  If your child passes all 5 tests then they are a Math Wizard. We make a BIG deal of being a Math Wizard by getting your picture taken.  Please review this test with your child and start practicing these facts with your child.  Knowing your facts in a "snap" will be so beneficial for your child throughout life.

Snack

• As a reminder, we have an individual snack each day around 9:30.  If your student would like a snack, please send in one with them.  If you need assistance providing snacks, please let me know.

My New Buddy

• The students had fun getting to know students in Ms. Mottaz's class yesterday.  They interviewed each other and then created a poster about their buddy.  It was fun for them to work with students from another class. 

Study Hall

• We will be starting our study hall next week.  This occurs during the first recess and is used as a time for students who didn't complete their homework or didn't complete their work at school.  
• If students do go to study hall, they will still have their lunch recess, so they will have a recess during the day.

Water Bottles

• Please refrain from sending water bottles to school with your students.  We have had trouble with them spilling in backpacks and ruining work or library books.  The students have opportunities to get drinks throughout the day.
• If your student has a water bottle attached to their lunch box as their drink for lunch, they can have them as their drink for lunch.  These are stored in our lunch tub during the day, so if the leak, it is in a contained area that only has other lunch boxes.  Thank you for your understanding!

I had a wonderful week with your students!  I'm so looking forward to spending the school year with them!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Mrs. Ross

Happy 2nd Day of School!

Wow!  We have had a wonderful first two days of school!  The kids have been working so hard reviewing expectations and learning about everything in Room 27.  I am very proud of them!

Yesterday, we read First Day Jitters and then wrote about our jitters while drinking jitter juice, to get all our jitters out. :)  Some of them were nervous, excited, happy, sad, even a few said they were mad.  I think they had different feelings this morning.  :)

 Their smiling faces with their juice. :)

How they felt when they came to school yesterday.  

We have been testing out our flexible seating also.  They have tried at least 3 different places to sit.  We were reading this afternoon, and it was fun to walk around the room, they all looked so comfortable, but were all working so hard also!

Today in math, we made a graph about their favorite pizza toppings.  Cheese was an overwhelming winner with 12 votes, while sausage, ham and pepperoni on had 2 votes each.

In writing, they started their free write notebook today.  This is a place for them to write about anything they want.  We discussed some topics they could write about and away they went.

They picked out a nonfiction and a picture book to keep in their book bags today.  These are books that they will read during our reading centers.  We will be adding a couple more books to their bags in the coming week.  

We have been reviewing expectations at school and will continue that the rest of this week and into next week also.  We have discussed that our school wide expectations are the be safe, respectful, learners and we refer to these expectations as the RBE3.  Today we focused on ways to be safe at school.  Tomorrow, we will discuss being respectful and on Friday, we will discuss being learners.  We are covering these in all areas of the school and talking about how they apply in each area.  

The students have been earning stickers very quickly this week with their wonderful behavior.  They have a few options when they fill up a sticker chart.  If they choose an option that requires something from home (PJ day, stuffed animal day are a few of those options), I will write their choice on the back of their sticker chart and they take it home as a reminder for themselves to bring in whatever is necessary.

I have so enjoyed spending the last 2 days with your students and can't wait to spend the rest of the year with them!

Have a wonderful evening!

Mrs. Ross

Meet the Teacher Night!

What a wonderful meet the teacher night!

I enjoyed meeting so many students and parents at Meet the Teacher Night tonight!  I can't wait to see all the smiling faces on Tuesday morning!

I will update the blog periodically througout the week and every other Friday I will do a more in depth post with information about what we have been working on in the classroom and what we will be working on in the classroom.  The blog has a lot of important information, please take the time to read over the posts.  There are also schedules (our schedule, CPS schedule and ABCD schedule) as well as fun websites for the students to practice skills at home.  I will also post pictures of classroom activities for you to enjoy.  I want the blog to be a great resource for you.  If there is information you would like added to the blog, please let me know.

If your student didn't bring their supplies tonight, they can bring them on Tuesday.

If you haven't verified your email to receive email updates, please verify your email address.  Sometimes the email to verify your email address goes to your junk folder, so you might need to check there.  :)

Please note that we have PE on A days, so we will have PE on the first day of school.  Please make sure your student wears tennis shoes, or packs them in their backpack.

Please remember to send a snack with your student, we have individual snacks that we will eat around 9:30.

I look forward to spending the year with your wonderful children!

Mrs. Ross

Yeah! You Made It To Our Blog!

Welcome to our wonderful blog!  This is where I will post all the fabulous things happening in the classroom.  I will post pictures and weekly (sometimes more often than that!) updates for what we are doing in the classroom. I will also post reminders for upcoming events.  If you were unable to sign up for email updates at Meet the Teacher night, please go to "Follow By Email" on the homepage of the blog, then confirm your email by checking your email and you will then receive email updates from blog.  If you have difficulty signing up for blog email updates, please contact me.  Looking forward to spending this school year with your student!