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!