Tuesday, May 26th, 2015

Today we enjoyed a final field trip to JUMP360. A great, bouncy time was had by all! We also finished cleaning up the classroom, watched the movie "Home," enjoyed an ice cream treat, and played a few games outside during a break in the steady rainfall that we have been experiencing.

Tomorrow will be our last day, a half-day, with graduation ceremony for K2 and G5, as well as the honors awards recognition.

Last days are always a whirlwind, and if I do not get the chance to personally speak with you one last time, please know that it has been a pleasure and an honor spending this past year helping and watching your child grow academically, emotionally, and socially.

Monday, May 25th, 2015

Today in the second grade, we spent the morning:

• attending the class awards ceremony
• corrected the mistakes on our social studies and language arts exams

Kaitlyn won the award for the best P.E./Health student in grade two!

Marianne (not present) won the award for the best Christian Living student in grade two!

Shannon, Wilsoni, and Marianne (not present) were awarded for their participation in this year's choir!

Grace won the award for the best music student in grade two!

Yan-Xi won the award for the best Chinese student in grade two!

 
We spent the afternoon:

• taking our cursive license test
• celebrating Eden and Kaitlyn's birthdays!
• receiving more class awards
• finishing our  Ton Schulton-inspired paintings

These two lovely girls have birthdays that are only two days apart!

Benson is my "Ray of Sunshine!"

Beryl won the most artistic award for her daring designs.

Nathan is always helping, always my "Right-Hand-Man."

Nobody else could be G2's "Daring Dancer" other than Andrew!

Eden's lengthy RRJ's won her best writer!

Grace: our big sister, our friendly neighbor!

The first guy I see most mornings, Ayrton-my morning person!

Shannon is the most deserving of the "Ravenous Reader" award!

Yan-Xi, the boy who does math for fun, is our star "Mathlete."

Always with a funny story to share, Katie is our most "Creative Kid."

Huan won't stop trying, winning him the "Stick-to-It" award!

Ever a leader, Wilsoni is our "Future President."

A friend to everyone, ever a problem-solver, Kaitlyn is the most cooperative.

Reila reminds us all how to be polite-winning her the "Ms. Manners" award.

Yoko blows me away with how much she has grown in terms of her speaking performance, 
winning her "American Idol!"

Tonight's Homework:

• Pack your health card! We will need it for tomorrow's field trip.
• Wear your P.E. shorts and your Sports Day shirt tomorrow.
• Be at school by 8:30 tomorrow at the very latest!

Special Notes:

Your child brought home a packet in their bag which includes:

• the quarter 4 exams (math, language/spelling, reading/phonics, science, and social studies)
• a piece of paper listing any books that your child has not returned to the library (if your child has any overdue books)
• a piece of paper listing any damage to textbook fees that need to be paid (if your child has returned any damaged books)
• any awards that your child won today
• your child's cursive license test

Friday, May 22nd, 2015

Today in the second grade, we spent the morning:

• attending our last mass for this school year 
• enjoying our class potluck!

We spent the afternoon:

• correcting the mistakes on our exams
• learning how to write new capital letters in cursive
• practicing our typing skills and playing computer games

Tonight's Homework:

Complete Handwriting Connections pg. 141-154. The students have started these pages in class, and some have finished them.

We will have our cursive writing test on Monday, when the students will the opportunity to apply for their cursive license!

Special Notes:

• For our field trip on Tuesday, May 26th, the students will need to bring their health insurance card.

• Thanks again for your contributions to our potluck today! A delicious time was had by all!

On This Day...

My lovely students singing...

Thursday, May 21st, 2015

Today in the second grade, we spent the morning:

• attending our last mass rehearsal for the year-I am proud of my students for being well-behaved and patient during this extra-long rehearsal!
• correcting the mistakes on our science exam

We spent the afternoon:

• learning how to write new capital letters in cursive
• having a mid-afternoon tea break
• correcting the mistakes on our reading and phonics exam
• practicing our latest class poem and listening to our latest class story

Sweet student snap of the day!
 

 Tonight's Homework:

Complete Handwriting Connections pg. 136-140. The students have started these pages in class, and most have finished them.

Special Notes:

•  Tomorrow will be our last mass of the year.

• Tomorrow will be our potluck lunch from 11:45-12:45! You can either pack food with your child to bring or drop off food with Ms. Lee or Ms. Huang in the office. We have some freezer space for ice cream. The students will be with Mr. Tung from 11-11:45, when Ms. Zeng and I will be setting up down in the cafeteria. It should be a fun time! Thank you for your contributions!
  
  Friday's potluck sign-up:

1. Nathan: fruit
2. Katie: ice cream
3. Benson: sushi
4. Kaitlyn: pizza
5. Huan: pizza
6. Grace: chips
7. Beryl: dessert
8. Marianne: bread/scone
9. Wilsoni: tortilla chips
10. Reila: egg tarts
11. Andrew: sweet and sour pork
12. Yan-Xi: sushi
13. Shannon: cold salted cucumbers 
14. Yoko: yogurt ice bars
15. Eden: honey cake
16. Ms. Easterling: vegetable curry  

Wednesday, May 20th, 2015

Today in the second grade, we spent the morning:

• going through and returning our textbooks to the library
• practicing our typing 
• learning how to write new capital letters in cursive

We spent the afternoon:

• creating sidewalk chalk art 
• having a mid-afternoon pizza snack
• correcting the mistakes on our math exam
• practicing our latest class poem and listening to our latest class story

 

Tonight's Homework:

• Complete Handwriting Connections pg. 133-135. The students have started these pages in class, and most have finished.
  
  A few students forgot their book at home, and are encouraged to finish their work at home tonight and bring their Handwriting Connections with them tomorrow, as we will be doing cursive everyday until we have our cursive practice test next Tuesday, when the students will have a chance to apply for their cursive license!

Special Notes:

• The students will correct their exams in class throughout this week. Your child will bring his or her exams home by next Tuesday, May 26th at the very latest.

• Friday's potluck sign-up:

1. Nathan: fruit
2. Katie: ice cream
3. Benson: sushi
4. Kaitlyn: pizza
5. Huan: pizza
6. Grace: chips
7. Beryl: dessert
8. Marianne: bread/scone
9. Wilsoni: tortilla chips
10. Reila: egg tarts
11. Andrew: sweet and sour pork
12. Yan-Xi: sushi
13. Shannon: cold salted cucumbers 
14. Yoko: yogurt ice bars
15. Eden: honey cake
16. Ms. Easterling: vegetable curry  

Tuesday, May 19th, 2015

The grade two students have officially completed their quarter four exams-hooray! It feels great to know that we still have a week together to relax, clean up, and enjoy some downtime before summer vacation begins. Thank you for encouraging your child to prepare for these exams!

Below is the schedule that I have for the upcoming activities:

Wednesday, May 20th:

• Return textbooks to the library

Thursday, May 21st: 

• Mass Rehearsal at 8:30 a.m.

Friday, May 22nd:

• Mass at 9 a.m.
• G1 & G2 potluck at 11:45 a.m.

Monday, May 25th:

• Awards Assembly
• Classroom cleaning/taking home art work

Tuesday, May 26th:

• Field trip to JUMP360 at 8:30 a.m. (please pack your child's health card with them)

Wednesday, May 27th:

• Graduation (half-day)

Apart from the above activities, our days will be filled with stories, songs, art, outdoor activities, and cursive writing practice (the G2 students will be proficient in cursive writing by graduation, even though it means practicing up until the last day!)

The Scholastic orders are in! The students are welcome to pick up their books from the library.

Congratulations to my lovely grade two students!

Monday, May 18th, 2015

The grade two students finished their science and social studies exams this morning.

Tomorrow will the be the last day of exams, with the students being tested on language/spelling and reading/phonics.

I have directed the students to bring home any personal possessions. We will return our textbooks to the library this Wednesday.

Tonight's Homework:

• Review for tomorrow's language/spelling and reading/phonics exams.
• Complete Handwriting Connections pg. 127-129. The students have started these pages in class, and some have finished.

Special Notes:

• Friday's potluck sign-up:

1. Nathan: fruit
2. Katie: pizza
3. Benson: sushi
4. Kaitlyn: pizza
5. Huan: pizza
6. Grace: chips
7. Beryl: dessert
8. Marianne: bread/scone
9. Wilsoni: tortilla chips
10. Reila: egg tarts
11. Andrew: sweet and sour pork
12. Yan-Xi: sushi
13. Shannon: cold salted cucumbers 
14. Yoko: yogurt ice bars
15. Eden: honey cake
16. Ms. Easterling: vegetable curry  

Friday, May 15th, 2015

Today in the second grade, we:

• reviewed and reflected on phonics points (suffixes, prefixes, antonyms, synonyms, homonyms, alphabetical order, syllabification) during reading and phonics class
• reviewed grammar points for the the quarter 4 exam and practiced cursive writing in language and spelling class
• took the quarter 4 exam math class 
• reviewed for the quarter 4 social studies exam in independent learning
• practiced our typing skills during computer class 
• reviewed for the quarter 4 science exam in science class  

We also found some time to celebrate our summer birthdays: Kaitlyn, Eden, Huan, Reila, and Yan-Xi!

It took quite a few huffs and puffs to blow out these "magic candles!"

This lucky teacher sure loves these five sweethearts. Happy early birthdays!

This Weekend's Homework:

• Review for the remaining quarter 4 exams: social studies and science (on Monday, May 18th) and language/spelling and reading/phonics (on Tuesday, May 19th.)
• Complete Handwriting Connections pg. 124-126. The students have started these pages in class, and some have finished.

Special Notes:

• Monday and Tuesday will be half days, with the students being dismissed at 11:45 a.m. 

• Next Friday, May 22nd potluck sign-up:

1. Nathan: fruit
2. Katie: pizza
3. Benson: sushi
4. Kaitlyn: pizza
5. Huan: pizza
6. Grace: chips
7. Beryl: dessert
8. Marianne: bread/scone
9. Wilsoni: tortilla chips
10. Reila: egg tarts
11. Andrew: sweet and sour pork
12. Yan-Xi: sushi
13. Shannon: cold salted cucumbers
14. Ms. Easterling: vegetable curry  

Thursday, May 14th, 2015

Today in the second grade, we:

• played our whiteboard team game to review target vocabulary from quarter 4 in reading and phonics class
• finished our unit on time and reviewed for tomorrow's quarter 4 exam in math class 
• practiced our latest class poem, listened to our latest class story, and continued to practice cursive writing in independent learning
• finished our speedy unit on space in science class
• explored the works of Dutch landscape artist, Ton Schulton, and started making landscapes of our own in his signature style of using bright blocks

Tonight's Homework:

• Study for tomorrow's quarterly exam in math class.
• Complete Handwriting Connections pg. 121-123. The students have started these pages in class, and some have finished.

Special Notes:

The Friday, May 22nd potluck sign-up:

• Nathan: fruit
• Katie: pizza
• Benson: sushi
• Kaitlyn: pizza
• Huan: pizza
• Grace: chips
• Beryl: bread
• Ms. Easterling: vegetable curry  

Wednesday, May 13th, 2015

Today in the second grade, we:

• continued our unit on cursive in language and spelling class
• practiced telling time to the nearest five minutes in math class 
• practiced our latest class poem and listened to our latest class story during independent learning
• reviewed the quarter four target vocabulary during reading and phonics class
• continued to explore day and night in science class
• continued to discuss cause and effect in social studies class

Congratulations to the latest kindness star, Katie! I sure appreciate her funny, sweet attitude and the help that she gives myself and others.

 
Tonight's Homework:

• Complete astronomy worksheet.
• Complete Handwriting Connections pg. 118-120. The students have started these pages in class, and some have finished.

Special Notes:

• I have received every student's field trip permission slip and fee. Thank you, G2 parents! 

• I have stapled a request form into your child's assignment book for the potluck on Friday, May 22nd. I would greatly appreciate it if you could write down what your child would like to bring. I will be making a vegetable curry and Ms. Zeng will be making a pasta salad, but we welcome all kinds of food!
  
  If your child is coming on the morning bus, or if you are unable to drop off the food between 11-11:30, I would suggest that he or she bring something that does not require heating, like fruit, bread, etc. I will post the updated list of what everyone is bringing as soon as I hear back from you. Thank you, G2 parents!

Tuesday, May 12th, 2015

Today in the second grade, we:

• reviewed vowel pairs and vowel digraphs in preparation for the major subject exam in reading and phonics class
• continued our unit on cursive in language and spelling class
• practiced telling time to the half-hour in math class 
• practiced our latest class poem, listened to our latest class story, and visited the library during independent learning
• defined and discussed "rotate" and discussed how Earth's daily rotation causes day and night in science class
• practiced identifying causes and effects in  social studies class

Tonight's Homework:

• Complete Social Studies Activity Book pg. 55-57.
• Complete Handwriting Connections pg. 112-117. The students have started these pages in class, and some have finished.

Special Notes:

I have received many permission slip forms and fees for our field trip to JUMP360-thank you! If I haven't received your child's slip and fee, please send it along with your child soon. I appreciate your help! 

Monday, May 11th, 2015

Today in the second grade, we:

• talked about mothers during our weekly assembly 
• took our weekly spelling quiz and took turns sharing in front of the class in language and spelling class 
• practiced telling time to the nearest hour on digital and analog clocks in math class 
• continued to work with vowel pairs ("oo," "ei," "aw," "au," and "ea" specifically) and practiced our cursive writing in reading and phonics class 

Some snaps from today! 

Tonight's Homework:

• In your language and spelling notebook, write 12-15 sentences (3 or more paragraphs) about a story in Journeys or a story you have read. Please be sure to follow the directions on the accompanying rubric.
• Complete Handwriting Connections pg. 106-111. The students have started these pages in class, and some have finished.

Special Notes:

I have stapled a permission slip into your child's assignment book for the field trip on Tuesday, May 26th to JUMP360. The cost is 300 NT.