Day 3!

 Ice Cream Social/Open House:  Tonight is our open house and ice cream social from 6-7 PM!  Classrooms will be open from 6:00-6:20.  We hope you can come by to enjoy some ice cream and fellowship!

Volunteer opportunities are still available!  Our areas of greatest need are Monday and Wednesday lunch parent (11:15-12:00).  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 started the day off with reading buddies!  We met our buddies and did an "interview" with them to get to know them better.  If they finished early, they had a chance to start reading together.  We'll meet with our 6th grade buddies weekly, and it's fun to see the kids build a neat, close connection!

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. :)

We also took our STAR reading test.  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.

After lunch, 2nd grade had their first Spanish class of the year.  Ask them what they did!

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 three stickers!

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 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!

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.

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