Hello Families!  Thank you so much for all the supplies that were sent in for tomorrow.  We have a big day planned!  I'm sure the children will enjoy the morning.

They will start in our classroom exploring some Halloween Science.  Then move to Mrs. Smith's room for a few Halloween games.  Lastly, for about thirty minutes, they will visit Mrs. Harnden and listen to a story and make a craft.  Upon their return to our classroom, around 10:30, they will enjoy some snacks and get ready for the parade.

All children at this age are encouraged to wear their costume to school instead of trying to change into it. We just don't have much time.  We will have Miss. VanHall here for the morning.  She will travel with our class to take pictures for us.  I will be remaining in room 14 while the other second grade children come here.

We do have a half day of school.  Our dismal time will be 11:29.  

Check out all this school spirit!  We have over half the class wearing pink today.  Our class ROCKS!

We enjoyed our mini bat unit this week.  It is a great lead into our next unit all about animals and habitats.  This also fit in nicely with everything they have been doing in ISM.  If you see an antonym and synonym bat paper in their folder, it is Homework!  We just had so much happening today and I wanted the children to attempt to monitor their own timing instead of me setting a timer.  So, if you see that as homework, you know some distractions were going on during class time.  

Next week is going to very excitable for the children.  Halloween falls on Wednesday.  I will do my best to keep learning on the forefront of each day, but I'll also keep it with some flexibility because they are kids after all!  

On Thursday, if you would please allow your child to bring in one treat from their trick or treating.  We will do a writing lesson using our five senses and what better way to do this but with a little candy treat!  Thank you.

If you are out and about this weekend and come across some Halloween stickers, I could use some.  I've been looking but must not be at the right places.  I'd greatly appreciate it.

​Have a fantastic weekend!

In recognizing October as Cancer Awareness Month, Morgan Elementary is invited to wear pink tomorrow.

In your child's folder today, you will see a math packet filled with word problems.  These are for you to practice showing their work on their papers.  Looking at how to make equations from word problems and then to solve them.  It is also important that they label the answer.  This is not homework that is expected to be returned tomorrow!  This is a few weeks of practice.  Word problems are always challenging.  We will continuously practice them all year long.  This is just a few sheets to have on hand for some time together.

I am going to give the students a math test tomorrow.  I will walk them through it very carefully since this is the first unit test.  Second grade is lots of modeling, modeling, modeling.  I want to help build strong strategies for testing skills and to be sure they are following directions very carefully.  Both oral directions and written directions.  Most errors in mathematics come from missing some careful details.  With many students in our class this year, details are a struggle.  I don't want to bore those who are already careful with details, but we will work together at least for this first test.

If ever you are looking for something extra to do with your child in regards to math, I suggest speed math (fluency) drills.  This can be flashcards, one minute timed math sheets that you can print off of the internet, or simply oral practice with doubles, doubles plus one, doubles plus two.  

Watch for new spelling words again next week.  Tomorrow I will give them a review from unit one spelling words.  This is great practice for them.  It really tells us who are retaining the information and using the words and spelling strategies.

​Enjoy the brisk air and sunshine while we have it!

Hello Families,

Halloween is quickly approaching!  We have been doing some bat exploration this week in both reading and math.  It's been fun!  Next week, as we move into Unit 2 in our reading theme and Unit 2 in our math, we will continue to plug in some Halloween fun since they are so excited!

One thing to keep in mind, we will decorate a bag in case anyone wants to send in items to pass out to their classmates.  This can be wrapped candy, small trinkets, pencils, stickers, etc.  If your child wants to pass out something, please try to send it to school by Tuesday.  Wednesday, Halloween, is a very busy half day.  Also, we have 27 students and all must be included.

You will see a few math papers today coming home.  They are not homework from the workbook, just some extra practice sheets.  I will be testing them on Friday for some fluency skills and using strategies we have talked about.  I will also send home some word problem practice sheets.  This will be a packet, take your time to do these.  This is a year long concept! Really, a life long concept!  Lastly, in regards to math homework, this weeks packet is coming home missing a few pages.  Not sure what I did, but nonetheless, there is less work in the weekly packet!  Enjoy the surprise!!!!

​Have a great evening!

It was a marvelous day in room 14.  The children showered me with birthday wishes and we celebrated with a little extra recess this afternoon.

We have completed our first reading unit.  This week we will model and practice taking the theme test on line.  This is a long test that will take some endurance.  Today went very well once they learned how to login.  If ever you want to practice with your child, they do have their login information and I sent it home at the beginning of the year.  

We do not have new spelling words.  With each theme testing week, at the end of each unit, I will do some reviewing throughout the week of all the words that they have been learning.  Then on Friday, I will give a review spelling test.  This might be words that they needed to spell for a weekly test, or it might be words that fit the patterns that we have been learning.  It is meant to see how many children are strong memorizers for a weekly test and those who are able to apply the spelling strategies and revisit words that we have learned along the way.

Thank you so much for all the Halloween support.  The supplies are starting to come in.  Please note that Mrs. Lasky has shared the costume expectations via email.  The parade information is there as well.

Congratulations to Amjad for losing a tooth today.  I know it was a surprise since it happened at recess while playing soccer.  But happily, it was a baby tooth.  

​Enjoy the evening.