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Bethlehem Lutheran School provides a Christian education, preparing the whole child for life-long learning and service to the Lord.

Monday, March 18, 2024

Week 28

We have a fun week ahead of us!

Fun Day!
We have our All-School Fun Day coming up on Thursday, March 21!  This was one of the incentives that the school earned through their Fall Fest fundraising.  On this day, there will be no homework and no school work.  The students will spend all day rotating through fun activities, including card-writing for missionaries, BINGO, an extra fun P.E. activity, a movie, and ending the day with the Zaniac at 1:45!  Lunch will also be provided that day.  Each student will get one hot dog, a bag of chips, and a Capri Sun.  If your student would like to bring more food to supplement this lunch, they're welcome to!  They can also bring a snack for morning recess, as usual.  This will also be an extra spirit wear day!

Christian Studies:
This week in Christian Studies we'll be learning about the Transfiguration of Jesus.  We'll determine when we see Jesus as true man and when we see Him as true God.  We'll also learn about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, and we'll connect that with Easter and our own promise of salvation.

Math:
This week in math we'll start algebra, but don't worry--we're starting with basic missing addends!  We'll be using bar models to identify what we know and what we're missing in the equation.  We'll be using drawings and equations to represent addition and subtraction situations, analyzing the word problems to determine how we're going to solve it.

Language Arts:
This week in Language Arts we'll be looking at using y as a vowel, specifically when it says a short i sound.  We'll be practicing lots of different and interesting words, and I've encouraged the students to use the words we work on in class to help them study, as I'll be pulling from those words for our practice test and final test on Friday.

Social Studies:
We'll also be continuing our unit on Heroes in Social Studies.  This week we'll be looking at those who fought for women's rights.  We'll also talk about farmworkers' rights, and we'll discuss who is on Mount Rushmore and why.

Monday, March 11, 2024

Week 27

We have a full week ahead of us!  Here's what we're doing this week:

Math:
We'll be finishing up our module on addition and subtraction fluency.  We'll use some of the strategies we've learned to add 3 and 4 two-digit numbers, looking for doubles, tens, and near doubles to help us add quickly and accurately. 

Christian Studies:
We'll learn about the parable of the sower this week and we'll discuss how we are the soil.  We'll discuss what the soil stands for, and we'll determine which soil we'd like to be.  We'll also talk about Mary anointing Jesus with expensive perfume, and we'll tie that into Lent.

Language Arts:
This week we'll be spelling words that use a silent e for other uses (other than a magic e).  Some of the uses we'll be looking at are:
~after an "s" to distinguish it from a plural
~after an "s" to distinguish between homophones
~after a "v" or "j" to end a word
~after "th" at the end to make a voiced sound

We'll also start a new book called Money Matters!  We'll discuss things like budgeting, expenses and income, and the history of money.

Art:
Last week we learned about Georgia O'Keeffe and saw lots of examples of her artwork.  Each student received a different picture of a flower, zoomed in, and they used their pencil to draw the details they want to include.  This week we'll be using water colors to paint our flowers!

Social Studies:
We'll start a new unit on heroes.  We'll discuss what heroes are and how they help us.  We'll also talk about heroes for freedom in history.

Monday, March 4, 2024

Week 26

We have another different week ahead of us!

Early Dismissals:
We have two early dismissals coming up on Friday, March 8 and Monday, March 11.  School will be let out at 11:15 AM.  Please let me know if your child's after school plans are different on that day so I can get them where they need to go!

Christian Studies:
We've been learning about Jesus' early ministry, and this week we're learning about the miracle of Jesus healing a blind man who had great faith. We'll also learn the parable of the rich fool.  We always have great discussions about how to apply what we've learned in these stories to our everyday lives!

Math:
This week in math we're starting our new module on addition and subtraction fluency.  We'll use the steps we've been doing in addition and subtraction and will rewrite equations and practice adding and subtracting, with and without regrouping.

Language Arts:
This week in language arts we'll be spelling contractions that end in "have," "will," and "would."  We'll identify the two words that make the contraction, then we'll identify which words fly out when we slam them together, and we'll remember to put an apostrophe there.

Science:
We'll be finishing up our science unit on how we can find the best place for a plant to grow.  This week we'll look at a claim and identify whether we agree or disagree with it.  We'll also state evidence for why we agree or disagree.

Monday, February 26, 2024

Week 25

We have a busy week this week!  Here are some things to know:

Chapel:
Chapel this week is on Friday for Grand-Friend's Day, rather than on Wednesday.

Book Fair:
The book fair is this week!  Our class will get to preview it on Monday morning, and can bring money starting Tuesday.  Please make sure their money is in a bag or envelope with their name on it.  You can calso refer to the Newslice for information on how to add money to their account.  They will be able to shop during recess!

Report Cards:
Report cards will go home on Thursday, February 29.  Please check their homework folders for them.

Grand-Friend's Day:
Grand-Friend's Day is on Friday, March 1.  If you haven't done so yet, please follow the QR code on the flyer sent home last week.  Each student needs an adult to accompany them that day.  Please see my email for more information.

Early Dismissal on Friday:
Friday is an early release day.  Students will be released at 11:15.  Please plan accordingly, and let me know if your child's regular after-school plans are different that day!

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Week 24

We're back to an almost-normal week, and we have a lot on the docket this week!

Math:
We'll be reviewing adding with regrouping (aka "carrying the one"), and we'll start on subtraction with regrouping (aka "borrowing").  We'll list the steps for both addition and subtraction, and we'll be spending lots of time practicing going through each step.  The more they practice the steps in order, the easier it will become.  Here are the steps that we're using:

Addition:
1.  Add the ones
2.  Regroup, if needed (10+)
3.  Add the tens

Subtraction:
1.  Look at the ones
2.  Regroup, if needed (top # is less than bottom #)
3.  Subtract the ones
4.  Subtract the tens

Language Arts:
This week we'll be using our language arts time for a big writing piece.  We've read two stories about kids who have made decisions about money.  In Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday we read about Alexander's poor decisions about money.  In A Chair for My Mother, we read about the little girl and her family's decision to save to buy a chair.  The second graders will create a character who makes a decision about money. They'll write a story with a couple of events, using signal words (i.e., first, next, then) to signify the sequence of events.  They'll go through the writing process to prewrite, write a draft, revise, edit, and publish their writing.

Christian Studies:
We're into the start of Jesus' ministry in Christian Studies!  This week we'll be talking about Jesus and Zaccheus.  We'll focus on Jesus' grace and forgiveness, and the way our hearts can change when we're forgiven.  We'll also talk about Jesus stilling the storm, and we'll connect that miracle to how Jesus can still the storms (or fears) in our lives.

Science:
We've learned about some of the things a plant needs to survive.  This week we'll be looking at pollination and how plants can reproduce.  We'll be examining bees and why they're such good pollinators, and then the students will design and build their own pollination gadget, using their knowledge of bees and pollination.

Art:
In art we'll learn about Thomas Kinkade and the style of his artwork.  Then the kids will create their own masterpiece, inspired by Thomas Kinkade's artwork.

Monday, February 12, 2024

Week 23--LEST Week!

 Monday, February 12:

~Day 100! ~Tri-City Americans assembly at 9:20 AM. (Fall Fest incentive) Tuesday, February 13: ~LEST spirit day--students can wear standard of dress bottoms and any LEST shirt (this year's or previous years' LEST shirts). If they don't have an LEST shirt, they should wear standard of dress. ~LEST Preview Assembly at 1:45 PM. Wednesday, February 14: ~Spirit wear last day ~Early dismissal on at 11:15 AM. ~Valentine's Day party. Students can bring valentines for their classmates!

Monday, February 19:
~No school (Presidents' Day)

Monday, February 5, 2024

Week 22

We’re heading in to a full week of school!  Here’s what to expect:

Stuffed Animal and Movie Day!
The 2nd graders will be watching The Lion King (2019 version) on Thursday afternoon!  For the movie, they can bring a stuffed animal (standard-size or smaller, please) to have on their desk.  If they’d like to bring an extra snack for the movie, they can bring that in their lunchbox that day.

Christian Studies:
This week in Christian Studies we’ll be learning about the start of Jesus’ ministry.  We’ll discuss how He called His disciples, and we’ll talk about Him healing a man at the pool.

Math:
This week in math we’ll finish off our module on taking apart (“decomposing”) numbers to help us add and subtract more fluently.  We’ll then start two-digit addition and subtraction.  We won’t finish this module before our long LEST break, so we’ll do some review when we get back and make sure we get some extra practice in before we move on after LEST.

Language Arts:
This week we’ll be reviewing spelling concepts we’ve learned over the last several weeks.  Those patterns are: the 3 Great Rules (doubling, change, and drop), Consonant-le endings, Kind Old Words, and the Bossy R concept for or and ar.  The practice test will have the same 10 concept words as the test on Friday, so they will be able to get some good practice in.

Science:
We planted some radishes last week and they’ve popped up quickly!  This week we’ll be observing the parts of that plant.  We’ll also be discussing the fruit and pollen in plants and what purposes they serve for the plant.  We’ll start to discuss how animals can help plants.


About Mrs. Picker

Mrs. Rebekah Picker grew up just across the river in Hermiston, Oregon. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Concordia University in Portland, Oregon in 2010 with a degree in Early Childhood/Elementary Education with a minor in Professional Church Work. In May of 2014, Rebekah received her Master of Education degree from Heritage University. She started at Bethlehem in 2010. Rebekah is married to David, who works as a sales manager in the Tri-Cities area. She also has two daughters and a son. Fun fact: Rebekah is a mirror-image twin, meaning that she is right-handed and her identical twin is left-handed.