Happy Fall Harvest Party!

Happy Fall Harvest Party!  Today was a great day!  A HUGE thank you to all the parents who donated food/materials and were able to help at the party - it was a success & the kiddos had a blast.  These parties would not be able to happen without all your help!  Check out a few pictures from the party here.

Fall Pumpkin Book Projects

WOW!!!!  We were so excited to see the end product of all the pumpkin book characters - they turned out super cute!  We had pumpkin book character show case this afternoon and had a chance to look at all the pumpkins in 2nd grade.  Click here for pictures.

Conferences, No School & No Homework

Coming home is your child's Friday Folder is a yellow sheet that has a date/time for your child's Parent/Teacher Conference.  Please make sure that the bottom portion of this sheet is returned by next Wednesday, November 1.  I cannot believe that these start next week - this trimester has flown by!

Just as reminder, on Monday, October 30 we will have no school due to a Teacher Work Day to prepare for conferences.

Due to us not having school on Monday and Halloween is Tuesday, we will not be giving out homework next week.  We will start with homework the following week, November 6.

Brrr...this week was cold, warm and cold again

Please remember to send your child with winter coat and jacket next week.  Even when the high is supposed to be in the 50's when we got out for morning recess it is still cold.  Your child might want a winter coat at morning recess but only a sweatshirt or jacket at second recess.  Please help your child be prepared for the day - thanks!

Special Visitors

On Thursday, Ben's grandfather, mom and two younger brothers came in as a special treat for Ben's birthday.  Ben's grandfather read Tacky the Penguin (and used some great voices!).  Then, we celebrated Ben's birthday by enjoying a brownie.  It was a great afternoon!

Mrs. Neale also came in today and read to our kids.  She read two books that had a similar theme.  Ask your kiddo what was similar about the two books.

What's Been Happening in 2nd Grade?

• Math: This week, we talked about story problems (word problems) that include subtraction.  There are two different types of subtraction story problems: change to less and comparison.  
• A change to less story problem starts out with a number and then some get taken away - you are solving for what is left.  
• There were 10 bears in a cave.  3 bears leave.  How many bears are left?
• A comparison story problem starts with comparing two different items and solving for the difference.
• Mrs. Ross has 10 pieces of candy.  Ms. Mottaz has 3 pieces of candy.  How many more pieces of candy does Mrs. Ross have than Ms. Mottaz?

• Writing: This week, the student created their own utensil writing to add to the series that we read last week Spoon, Chopsticks, and Spork by Amy Crouse Rosenthal.  We also started our second personal narrative.  The student chose a topic and then selected the three BIG events of their story.  Next week, we will be continuing to work on our narratives.  This narrative will have less teacher input, so we can have a better idea of what your child's independent narrative writing ability is.
• Reading: This week, we will talked about seven different reading decoding strategies to solve unknown words.  We practiced using these strategies in our reading small groups in a variety of texts.  Below is a chart of the strategies we worked on.  Next week, we will be focusing on using context clues to figure out words.
• 

• Social Studies:  We discussed what living in an urban city and rural area would be like.  We also discussed the similarities and difference between living in Columbia to living in one of these places.  Next week, will be finishing up our geography and culture unit by talking about culture.  We will learn that culture is the values, beliefs and customs of a group of people.  We will then talk about these values, beliefs and customs of people who chose to live in an urban city, a rural or suburban city.

• Word Study: We will continue to work on short and long vowel word patterns next week.  Next week we will focus on short u and long u words.  Next week's words are: shut, huge, truck, put, plus, June, rude, tune, flute, & huge.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Ross

Happy MU Homecoming!

Everyone looked SO great in their black & gold today!  I hope that all of our spirit can cheer MU on to a win tomorrow.

Fall Pumpkin Book Project

Just a reminder that your child's fall pumpkin book project is due this Tuesday, October 24.  We have received quite a few pumpkins already & they look amazing!  We have sent home a paper pumpkin and extra book project papers for students who said that they needed them.  If you have any questions please ask!

Fall Harvest Party

The Fall Harvest Party is next Friday, October 27 from 1:45-2:30.  Kristy Rysdam, has developed a Sign Up Genius for materials that are need for the party.  Please check out the Sign Up Genius by clicking here.  If you are able to come the day of the party, we would love to have you!

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Earlier this week, we sent home a Parent/Teacher Conference request sheet.  This sheet is to help us be able to schedule a good time to meet with your family.  It is our goal at RBE that we meet with 100% of our families.  Mrs. Ross & I have extended our conferences over two weeks to help ensure that we can meet with all of our families.  If you have not sent back in your request sheet, please do so by Monday.  Thanks!  A confirmation date will be coming home in next week's Friday Folder.

Just as reminder, on Monday, October 30 we will have no school due to a Teacher Work Day to prepare for conferences.

This week was warmer...next week will be cooler

We just wanted to share again with you what our expectations are for students at RBE to wear outside at what temperature.  This week was warmer, but please remember that we have our morning recess at 9:50 - it was still in the 50's.  Next week, the temperature is supposed to drop and be cooler.  Please remember to send your kiddo with a jacket or sweatshirt every day!

 

Special Visitors

As you read about last week, October is Bilingual Child Month, Tommy's family sent in egg rolls for us to have as a special snack on Thursday.  Mrs. Richardson came in and talked about Vietnamese culture.  We also learned about Mexican culture from Yareli, the culture in Nicaragua from Valentina and the culture in Burundi from Felix.  Yareli brought in Hot Tamales for us as a snack.

Tristan's dad came in as special visitor yesterday.  He told us about being a diesel mechanic in the Navy.  He also read us a book The Night Before Thanksgiving.  

Maker Space Monday

The students enjoyed Maker Space Monday.  This week they had a chance to explore Ozobots.  They made a different paths for the Ozobots to make their way through.  Some students worked together to make a giant path.  We also explored the patterns to make the Ozobots go rapid fast or super slow.  They had fun! :)

A Tasty Math Lesson!

Today, we had a taste testing math lesson that the kiddos loved!  We invited Mrs. Reynolds and Ms. Ragsdale's classes to our classroom.  We had 6 different types of candy corn and the students had the opportunity to taste each type and then choose their favorite one.  After taste testing, we turned our votes into a tally mark chart.  We then used this data to make a double bar graph.  Make sure the next time that you are at RBE that you check out our chart and graph in the hallway outside our classroom!

What's Been Happening in 2nd Grade?

• Math: We finished up our second math unit on addition strategies this week and took our assessment.  Today, we started unit 3.  The focus of this unit is teaching the students strategies to solve subtraction problems.
• Writing: This week, we started publishing our small moment stories!  We are so excited about how these are turning out!  Next week, we will continue to work on publishing our stories.  We have also read three books that are connected (Spoon, Chopsticks, and Spork).  The student will be creating their own utensil book to add to this series.  Our plan is turn them into a book and send them to Amy Krouse Rosenthal.

    

• Reading: This week, we finished up talking about story elements of a story.  In second grade, when we talk about story elements we talk about characters (and their traits), setting (when & where), problem and a solution that solves the problem.  The kiddos made a Story Element Tree of a book that we have read together or a book that they had read on their own.  These trees are hung up in the hallway across from our classroom.  Make sure to check out our Story Element Forest the next time you are at RBE! :) Next week, we will start to discuss how we can use context clues as a strategy to solve unknown words.
• Social Studies:  We will continue to discuss and talk about rural, urban and suburban and how the culture of these environments can be different.
• Word Study: This week we continued to focus on vowel patterns.  We learned that "e" is a magic letter that turns a short vowel into a long vowel sound.  Over the past two week we have focused on short and long a and o words Next week we will focus on short i and long i words.  Next week's words are: stick, gift, rich, swim, thin, five, life, nine, prize, & drive.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Ross

Happy Chicken BBQ Eve!

Happy Friday!

I cannot believe that tomorrow is the 60th annual RBE Chicken BBQ!  The BBQ runs from 4:00-8:00 pm.  Remember that you need to park at Rock Bridge High School and a bus will shuttle you over to the elementary school.  I hope to see everyone tomorrow.  Ms. Mottaz & I are working the drive thru from 4:00-6:00.  Be sure to check out the silent auction.  An itemized list came home yesterday with your child about everything that you can bid on.  There are lots of different items!  In the Teacher Town section we have 2 pictures (of the Moss class), 2 crafts (every Moss student created a portion of each craft), and 2 pizza lunch party certificates that you can purchase for your child & a couple of friends.  Below is a preview of the pictures and crafts.

School to Home Communication

There are a variety of ways that we communicate with you on a weekly basis.  The Friday Folder, that comes home on Friday & is returned to school on Monday, is a way that I can share with you specifics about how your child is performing in the classroom.  The other major way that I share out information about what is happening in the classroom is through our weekly blog updates & various emails that I may send out about things.  I really try my best to make the blog and emails full of information that you want to know - so please read through it so you are informed!  If you ever have a question or concern please let me know - email is really the best way to get a hold me!

2nd Grade STEAM Club!

 

2nd grade students have an opportunity to participate in STEAM Club.  Ms. Mottaz & I sponsor STEAM Club and we will meet once a month starting in November.  This club is usually really well received by students and is filled on a first come basis.  A permission slip will be coming home on Monday in your child's Friday Folder - so be on the look out for it!  If this is something that your child is interested in attending, please fill out the permission slip and return as soon as possible.  We take the first 40 students that sign up.  The club will meet from 2:45-3:45.  So for your child to be able to attend, s/he will need to be able to picked up at 3:45.

Fall Pumpkin Book Project

Just a reminder that your child's fall pumpkin book project is due October 24; however, you finish the project before the due date you can send it in with your child.  We already have few pumpkin characters that have made an appearance.  If you have any questions, please let me know!

Fall Harvest Party

The Fall Harvest Party is October 27 from 1:45-2:30.  Kristy Rysdam, has developed a Sign Up Genius for materials that are need for the party.  Please check out the Sign Up Genius by clicking here.  If you are able to come the day of the party we would love to have you! 

Library Checkout

Just a reminder that our library checkout day is Friday.  Please help your child remember to bring back his/her library books every week!  Mrs. McKinzie & Mrs. Wood in the Media Center appreciate this.

Missouri Weather is Changing

You never quite know what type of weather we will be having in Missouri!  This week has had lows in the 40's and highs in the 80's.  Below is an expectation chart that we use at RBE to decide what needs to be worn outside.  If the temperature is at least 60 degrees your child does not need a jacket, but if the temperature is below 60 degrees your child needs a sweatshirt or light jacket.  We have been talking about that it might be easiest to keep one of these items in your child's backpack.

 

October is Bilingual Child Month!

As a celebration of Bilingual Child Month, Ahmad's mom and sister came in today and shared about Libya.  Ahmad's mom read Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? in Arabic and then his sister read in English.  It was really neat to be able to hear both parts of the story together!  They also made a special sweet bread to share with the class.  Each student also had the opportunity to have his/her name written in Arabic - which is coming home in your child's backpack.  Ahmad also showed off his traditional clothes that are worn in Libya.  It was a great learning experience!

Bird Day Field Trip & Bird Wise

The kiddos had a BLAST on our field trip on Wednesday!  We are so super lucky that the Audubon Society and the CPS Science Department put it on for us. We learned about birds of prey, bird banding, different bird adaptations, and what owl pellets are.  They learned so much!  You can check out the pictures from our Bird Day field trip here.

The Audubon Society is also hosting a Bird Wise learning opportunity at Daniel Boone Regional Library on Sunday.  You can check out the flyer below with information.  This might be a great follow up for your kiddo from the field trip this week!

What's Been Happening in 2nd Grade?

• Math: We are wrapping up Unit 2 on addition strategies and we will be taking our Unit 2 assessment on Tuesday and Thursday next week.  Coming home in your child's Friday Folder are the Home Links for Unit 2.  These are a great resource for you to be able to review with your child on what we have learned during Unit 2.  These Home Links do not need to be returned to school.
• Writing: This week, the students peer edited their writing looking for capitalization and punctuation.  We also taught students about revising and the kiddos worked hard on either adding, removing, moving or substituting words to make their writing the BEST that it can be.  We finished up teacher conferencing with the students on their first small moment (personal narrative) story, and next week we will start publishing this story.  
• Reading: We are still working on identifying and explaining what the story elements are in a book that has been read.  In second grade, when we discuss story elements we are specifically thinking about the characters and their traits, the setting (when and where), the problem and the solution.  We have also been talking about why an author wrote a book.
• Social Studies:  We will continue to discuss and talk about rural and urban.
• Word Study: This week we started to focus on vowel patterns.  Our first vowel pattern that we studied was short and long a.  We learned that "e" is a magic letter that turns a short vowel into a long vowel sound.  Next week we will focus on short o and long o words.  Next week's words are: clock, chop, spot, rock, job, joke, stove, broke, hope, those.

Junior Achievement

Yesterday was our last Junior Achievement time with Mrs. Dent.  We talked about money and played a fun memory game with money.  A certificate is coming home in your child's Friday Folder for completing Junior Achievement, and Mrs. Dent also gave the pencil and a sticker (these are coming home in your child's backpack today).

Book Talks with Mrs. McKinzie

Today Mrs. McKinzie came and shared three books for her October Book Talk.  The books she talked about are below - so you can check them out! :) 

Black and Gold Day!

Next Friday will be Black and Gold day to celebrate MU Homecoming.  If your student would like to participate, they can wear black and gold to school next Friday.

Have a fabulous weekend and I look forward to seeing everyone at the Chicken BBQ tomorrow!

Mrs. Ross