We Made It!

We finished off our first week strong!  I am so impressed with these 2nd graders!  They have really settled into our routines and procedures well.

We had our first memory work test today.  I am very understanding when it comes to memory work--I do not grade spelling, and I am fairly fluent in 2nd grade phonetic spelling. ;)  It is not meant to be high-stress--as long as they show that they know the Bible verse, I am happy.

They also had their first art class with Miss Kane.  Ask them what they did!

The students also took a math placement test today.  This test is low-key and serves to give me an idea of where the students are starting the year in their knowledge of math and its vocabulary. 

After silent reading and finishing up STAR tests, we did a practice AR quiz.  Next week the students will get a bookmark with their AR levels on it to help them pick out books that will be easy enough for them to read independently without getting frustrated, while still challenging enough to help them continue to grow as readers.  Each week the students will find a book in their AR levels to read for comprehension, then they'll take an AR quiz on it. 

Have a blessed, restful weekend!

 

August 29

Ice Cream Social/Open House:

Tonight is our open house and ice cream social from 6-7 PM!  Classrooms will be open from 6:00-6:15.  We hope you can come by to enjoy some ice cream and fellowship!

Volunteer opportunities are still available!  Our areas of greatest need are Thursday and Friday lunch parent (11:15-12:00) and our harvest party.  Please let me know if you'd like to volunteer!

Today was another full day of learning procedures, getting to know each other, and getting into our routine! 

We settled into silent reading, checking out classroom library books (which will stay at school).  I was impressed how quietly and responsibly the second graders looked for books and handled them! 

We also took our STAR testing through Accelerated Reader.  This test gives me some valuable information about your child's reading fluency and comprehension.  I will send these reports home when all students have tested.  Please know, I understand that we are coming off of months of summer and they are still adjusting to a new class and teacher--these scores are just a starting place. I have other tools for assessing your student's reading skills and use many different observations and tools in order to assess your student.

The students also did our first Math-a-Minute, which is a timed math test with 15 math facts on it.  They start on +0 (with all of the math problems adding 0), and work their way up.  They have one minute to complete the test.  If they don't finish, or if they get one wrong, they have the chance to do it again the next time we do Math-a-Minutes.  This is intended to help the students become fluent in their math facts.  I encourage them to do their best, I assure them that they will oftentimes have to do a Math-a-Minute more than once before they pass, and I remind them they aren't to share which one they're on with their friends.  It's a competition for themselves only. :)

Then the students decorated a runner to look like themselves.  Since our yearly theme is "Endure," we have a race track on our door and the students' runners will complete the decoration. They ended up looking pretty unique and fun!

They had another P.E. class today.  Ask them what they did!

We also did a practice memory work test (their first memory work test is TOMORROW).  I'm not picky about spelling on the memory work tests--as long as I can tell which word they put on the line, I mark it correct.

We also did Day 2 of our morning work together.  The students should check their work carefully as we go over it together.  If they get 100%, they get a sticker; 5 stickers gets them a reading log/flash card pass!  Some students have already earned their first two stickers!

We also wrote in our Interactive Journals for the first time.  Interactive Journals are an informal way for me to get to know the students on a more personal level.  They aren't graded, and they serve as a weekly dialogue between me and your student.  I love doing them and know that they're a good use of our time!

Thank you so much for sharing your 2nd grader with me this year!  I am thoroughly enjoying each day!

 

First Full Day of School! (We made it!)

It was a fun, long day in 2nd grade today!  Be prepared for your 2nd grader to come home tired!  Note:  Some of the students expressed confusion about the yellow homework sheet.  This sheet should stay in their homework folder all week and should go home each night and come back to school each day.  I'll stamp it each day they complete their homework/reading/flash cards, and then they'll turn it in on Friday to be graded.  I hope this clarifies things!

We started off with a tour of our desk and a tour of the classroom so we could get acquainted with the important things we'll be using throughout the year. Then we reviewed some procedures and took a look at our classroom blog. 

Then we learned about each of the classroom jobs and the responsibilities the students will have throughout the year to help our classroom run smoothly.  2nd grade is a fun time of learning and growing, becoming not only more independent, but also branching out and noticing the needs of others and then working to meet those needs.

We got a chance to work on our morning work--language arts skills on one side and math on the other.  We'll do the first few together so the students can get the hang of it, and then they will start working independently each morning by the end of the week.  This morning work will come home on Friday, as it's in a packet they'll use for the whole week.  We will be doing this type of morning work most mornings, so we did it together today.  They'll transition into doing a page by themselves, and then checking it as a class, by Friday.

We also discussed our Purple Hand Pledge.  We say this pledge in the mornings, along with our pledge of allegiance to the cross and to the flag, showing its importance to our school.  The pledge states, "I will not use my hands or my words for hurting myself or others."  After discussing what this looks like, and what we should be using our hands and words for, the students take the pledge, outline their hand on purple paper, and sign it to indicate that they make this pledge.  These hands will be posted for the year, and we oftentimes come back to the pledge and discuss it as needed.

I also did an All About Mrs. Picker presentation so they could get to know more about me, beyond just what they see in the classroom.  The presentation ended with a game--since I'm an identical twin, I took childhood pictures of me and my twin sister and had the students guess which one was me.  Ask them how well they did!  (I usually get several wrong!)

We ended our day by starting our read aloud of The Tale of Despereaux.  Then the 2^nd graders got to go to their first P.E. class of the year!  Ask them what they did!

Have a restful, low-key night!

 

First Day of School!

What a great start to the year we had today!

We started off the day with chapel.  Mr. Haan and Pastor Josh shared a message about our theme for the year, Endure, based on Hebrews 12:1-2.  We learned that "enduring" in this scripture passage isn't talking about working out and enduring in a physical race; rather, it's talking about focusing on Jesus throughout our lives and pushing through, with God's grace and strength, to finish this life faithful to Him.

After chapel, we did our first brain break!  I utilize these a lot during the year to get the students up and moving, get their blood pumping, and give their brains an opportunity to do something else to recharge.  Then we learned some procedures to help our classroom move smoothly.  We discussed our morning routine, how and when to use the restroom, how to make sure they have all of the materials they need, and what to do to end our day.

Then we had a chance to go out to recess.  Those who brought a snack were able to eat it outside during recess.

After recess your student learned about their homework sheet.  This week the reading log is yellow and it is extra credit (this week only)--I am giving them a chance to get familiar with it and get in the habit of keeping it in their homework folder.  If your child reads for 20 minutes each night, please initial for the night.  They will bring their sheet back each day.  We'll start flash cards next week, so no flash cards yet!

The students also had an opportunity to learn about our classroom management system, and the students also learned about our schedule for each day.

We packed up and talked about how our dismissal procedure works.  It was a whirlwind of a day!

Note:  I will be updating the blog each day this week, but will update less frequently after that--about once a week for the rest of the year.

 

Before School Starts!

Welcome to the blog for Bethlehem Lutheran's 2nd grade class!  I am excited to be using this website as a way to communicate with you this year, keeping you in the know about upcoming events, as well as sharing what we are doing throughout the school year with you. Below are a few things to be ready for before school starts.

About Mrs. Picker:
The bio at the bottom of this page has some general information about me and how I came to teach at Bethlehem.  Please take some time to peruse it and get to know me!  I'm happy to answer any questions you have about me!

Supplies:
All school supplies are taken care of through your registration fee.  Below are the only supplies that the second graders need to bring (if you haven't given them to me already):

• water bottle with pop-up lid
• backpack
• 2 large boxes of Kleenex
• 3 large containers of sanitizing surface wipes
• gym shoes with non-marking soles—Velcro or slip-on preferred (these will stay at school throughout the year)
• child-sized headphones (no ear buds, please)

First day:
Our first day of school is Tuesday, August 27.  It is a half day, so dismissal is at 11:15 AM.  Please review our drop-off and pick-up procedures (at the bottom of this post) to help it run more smoothly.  We will not be having lunch at school that day, unless your child goes to Eagles' Nest, so please keep that in mind when planning.  They are welcome to bring a healthy snack for our first recess, however.

The first day of school starts with chapel.  I'd like to invite you to stay and worship with us on our first day, if you are able!  It is truly a wonderful thing to hear so many children singing and worshiping together with their teachers and classmates!

Pick-Up:
2nd grade lines up on the curb for pick-up line, closest to the crosswalk.  Students who go to Eagles' Nest will do so before the rest of the class heads outside.  Students with older siblings will go with their older sibling to that grade's line; those with younger siblings will pick up their sibling and sit with them in our line.  Thank you in advance for your patience in pick-up line this first week as we all get the hang of the procedure!

Volunteering:
We still have some open volunteer opportunities in our class.  Check out the pink sign up sheet on the desk outside of our classroom this week!

Our greatest need is for lunch parents--11:15-12:00 on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays.  You take the kids out to recess, come in and monitor them in the classroom, reminding them to clean up at about 11:55.  It's fun, and I have some procedures in place to make it as easy as possible.  Please let me know if you are able to give the kids a break from me.  ;)

A volunteer packet need to be filled out by each volunteer each year, regardless of how many times you are volunteering during the year.  I have packets available in the classroom.  You read the packet, fill out and return the first few pages, and you're ready to go!  Please let me know if you would like a packet sent home with your student.  Once the packet is turned in, you'll receive an email with an online Sexual Abuse Awareness Training.  It takes about an hour and must be completed before volunteering in the classroom.  (This training is good for two years, so you may be up to date on it still.)

Important Schedule Information:
Below is the list of specials for this year.  Please send your child with appropriate shoes and a water bottle on P.E. days.  All specials (except art) are in the afternoon, so we won't have them on early dismissal days.

• Monday:  Spanish
• Tuesday:  Reading buddies
                  Library
                  Technology
                  Spanish
• Wednesday: P.E.
• Thursday:  P.E.
• Friday:  Art

I'm looking forward to a great year with these fabulous 2nd graders!

Mrs. Picker