Friday, August 14th, 2015

Today in the second grade, we:

• listed the rhyming words in our monthly poem and practiced listening to and identifying middle consonants in reading and phonics class
• worked with today's number (14), continued to work with number lines and counting forwards and backwards in math class
• continued our unit in handwriting and took turns sharing in front of the class during language and spelling class
• reviewed the inquiry skills we learned in class this week (observing, classifying, measuring, planning an investigation, making a model, and predicting) in science class 

 Tonight's Homework:

• Complete Journeys Practice Book pg. 3.
• Complete the Think-Tac-Toe (in your child's assignment book.) The students are directed to choose four activities from the sheet. You can sign each activity they complete. All written work should be shown in your child's language notebook.  
• Prepare for next Monday's (August 17th) spelling quiz: found, flounder, thought, school, forgot, quite, spell, later (from this month's class poem.)

Special Notes:

• We will be having a weekly sharing time every Friday during language and spelling class. I directed the students to either show something special and tell us about it (i.e. show and tell), or tell us about a book they like or recently read, a movie they enjoy or recently watched, a vacation they took, etc. This weekly sharing time's purpose is to gradually create more confidence, poise, and preparation in the students' public speaking abilities. It is also meant to be a time when the students practice listening respectfully and paying attention to key details during their peers' sharing time. 

• It was a great first week in the second grade! If you haven't had the chance to meet me, please do pop by the classroom next week so we can have a little chat.

Thursday, August 13th, 2015

Today in the second grade, we:

• practiced identifying initial consonants, listened to "Henry and Mudge" in our Journeys book, discussed examples of the genre "realistic fiction," identified words with short vowel 'a' and 'i' and identified the subject in sentences during a double period of reading and phonics class
• worked with today's number (13), counted using bundles of 10, and practiced using a number line in math class
• practiced our monthly poem, continued our unit on handwriting, and listed ways we can be good speakers, viewers, and listeners in language and spelling class
• practiced measuring, classifying, and comparing in science class

 Tonight's Homework:

Complete Math Practice 1.1-1.2.

Special Notes: 

• Tomorrow is the second Friday of the month, meaning that the students are able to wear their own clothes for the day! They still need to bring an extra shirt to change into after P.E., please. I look forward to seeing my students in their everyday clothes!

• If I haven't received your class fund or lunch fee, please sent it with your child tomorrow. Thank you!

G2 2015-2016 Schedule

Wednesday, August 12th, 2015

Today in the second grade, we:

• reviewed rules and morning routines and procedures in ECA
• visited the library for the first time this year in the morning (grade two students are allowed to check out two books at a time)
• worked with today's number (12) and practiced counting to 100 by 10s in math class
• continued to discuss what makes a good citizen, listed the different responsibilities we have throughout our day, and discussed why we have rules and how they help us to be fair with one another in social studies class
• started our science notebooks by brainstorming and writing down different inquiry skills in science class
• continued our handwriting unit, discussed why we listen, speak, and view, practiced our class poem and started our language notebooks by writing down the spelling words for next Monday in language and spelling class

Working hard with today's number!

Tonight's Homework:

In your science notebook, write three things that you do with each of the five senses (sight, taste, smell, hearing, feeling.) Ex: smell = We can smell yummy food. We can smell flowers. We sometimes smell a garbage truck. 

Special Notes:

• Thank you for sending your child to school in their P.E. uniform today, along with a spare shirt in case he or she got sweaty! Unless we have Mass, the students should wear their P.E. uniforms every Wednesday and Friday.

• I have received more lunch fees and class fees-thank you! The deadline for these fees is this Friday, August 14th. I encourage you to send your child's elective preferences back to me tomorrow if haven't done so already. I will announce the elective for your child as soon as we have all of the responses.

• I have stapled a materials request sheet from our art teacher, Ms. Chen. We will share many of the materials that you have already provided for your child (markers, glue sticks, etc.) but there are still a few more items that she would like the students to bring expressly for art class. I understand that some of you might be feeling overwhelmed by the amount of materials, fees, and other things we have asked from you! Please be assured that we are asking for almost everything that we will need for the coming school year this week so that the students are fully prepared to engage in their lessons.

• I have only received a few handbook agreements back, so I have stapled another copy into your child's assignment book for you and your child to sign and return. Thank you!

• I have enjoyed communicating with many of you through Class Dojo! If you haven't already, I encourage you to install the app on your phone, as it will be the most timely way for me to send messages to you and vice versa.   

Tuesday, August 11th, 2015

Today in the second grade, we:

• organized our school materials during ECA
• started our social studies notebook, discussed different kinds of communities, and listed ways we can be good citizens in social studies class
• started our math notebook and reviewed grade one math skills (adding and subtracting) in math class
• discussed what it means to be a scientist in science class
• practiced our monthly poem and started our unit on handwriting in language and spelling class

Tonight's Homework:

Complete Social Studies Activity Book pg. 1.  

Special Notes:

•  I have taken a peek at the homework for caregivers that have been returned, and am excited by your thorough responses. I look forward to reading through them tonight and using your replies to help inform my instruction. Thank you for taking the time to share with me!

• I have made a note in your child's assignment book if I have received your child's lunch and/or class fees. I will continue accepting these fees throughout this week.

• I have a few policy agreements from the back of the handbook signed and returned. I will also accept these throughout this week. 

•  I have stapled an elective form into your child's assignment book. They are encouraged to choose three that they might enjoy. The elective lists will be made on a rolling basis, so I encourage you to return the form tomorrow to ensure your child gets one of his or her favorite choices.

• I am excited to see most of the G2 parents signed up with Class Dojo! If you are having trouble signing up or have questions about the program, please come visit me after school and I can walk you through it. It is a great way to track your child's behavior, as well as a convenient way to contact me.  

• Thank you for sending your child to school with the materials they will need this year! As you can see from above, we have already started two of our classroom notebooks, and will be starting the rest this week. If you have any questions about the materials needed in class, please let me know.

Mickey and Kellen show us what pocket folders look like! You can get a pocket folder with five, six, or more pockets. This will be where we keep your child's written work in chronological order.

• We will begin having our spelling quizzes next Monday. The students will have a spelling quiz every Monday so that they have the weekend to complete their think-tac-toe in order to review their words.
  
  We will start off with eight spelling words, increasing by two with every month so that by the end of the school year, the students will have up to 26 words to study. The students spelling words will be pulled from all of their major subjects.
  
  The spelling words for the quiz on Monday, August 17th come from our current class poem, "Show Fish."

1. found
2. flounder
3. thought
4. school
5. forgot
6. quite
7. spell
8. later  

1st Class Picture!

Monday, August 10th, 2015

It was a pleasure to spend time with your child today! We spent the day getting to know each other and the books we'll be using in class, as well as becoming familiar with the rules, responsibilities, and expectations that come with being a grade 2 student.

Unless otherwise requested, I will be assigning one, two, or three pieces of homework per night, which should be able to be completed in 30 minutes maximum. The homework schedule will be as follows:

Monday: Language and Spelling
Tuesday: Social Studies
Wednesday: Science
Thursday: Math
Friday: Reading and Phonics

The above subjects will always be assigned on these days, although additional homework may be assigned as well.

The students' homework will also be listed in their assignment book, where I will write comments periodically and staple in announcements. I also welcome your comments via your child's assignment book or via your Class Dojo account.

Tonight's homework:

• Please prepare the supplies needed for class (in the welcome letter stapled to your child's assignment book.)
• Please complete the "Homework for Caregivers" (also stapled to your child's assignment book.)
• Log onto your Class Dojo account and see how your child did today! Please send me a message or return the bottom half of the sheet in your child's assignment book about Class Dojo. Thanks!

Special Notes:

•  I will collect your child's class fee and lunch fee through the end of this week. 

• We will be learning (and memorizing) a poem and a song every month in G2. The students had the opportunity today to vote for the first poem they would learn. They chose:

Show Fish by Shel Silverstein

I found a flounder and I thought, "Swell,

I'll take it to school for show and tell."

But I forgot, for quite a spell,

To take it to show and tell,

And now it's two weeks later... Well...

I'll take it to school for show and smell.

We'll be practicing this poem everyday for the month of August, exploring the rhyme and rhythm in this silly little stanza.

P.E./Health Introduction

Welcome to the 2015-2016 academic school year!

I am happy to say that I will continue as the physical education and health teacher for grade 1 to grade 7 this year. 

During this year I hope to be able to teach students various aspects of a healthy lifestyle. I intend to include various movement concepts, body management, loco-motor movement, manipulative skills, various fitness concepts as well as self and social responsibilities.

This year we will also introduce a new required medical form for students. This will help me address any issues relating to students and potential health risks. Please have the “check” completed and submitted to the office for record.

                Grading will be based on student participation in both Health and P.E class. This includes asking or answering questions, class discussions, work completion, teacher-self-peer evaluations, and a class test.

I look forward to another fun and active year with all the returning, and new students.

Sincerely,

Mr. Adam Yanna

Requirements for health/P.E class

Health:

• Gr 1-2: folder book with multiple plastic sleeves

P.E.

• Dominican P.E uniform (+ extra shirt for after each lesson) – required for participation
• Running/gym shoes (in good condition) – required for participation 
• Water bottle - required for participation 
• Sunscreen
• Cap
• Face Towel

Welcome!

Dear Parents and Students, 
                                                                                                     

Welcome to the second grade! I hope that you had a wonderful summer vacation and are ready for an amazing new year of learning! I am very excited to get to know each and every one of you. More importantly, I look forward to working with everyone on building a strong community of citizens, questioners, readers and writers.

In order to start the year off properly, students will need to have some resources to help facilitate their learning. Please gather the following supplies and bring them with you to school on Monday:

A pencil case with pencils, erasers, a long ruler, and a pencil sharpener

Crayons, markers, coloring pencils and glue for class use
Apart from the students’ pencil cases and notebooks, I would like to have the students share the stationary that will be needed in class to encourage community cleanliness and mutual responsibility. I will take the students’ collected stationary and divide them into communal kits. These items do not need to be labeled.

Tissue paper for class use

A dry erase marker (any dark color)

A water bottle

A 6-pocket accordion-type folder (for filing student work)

One or two books which will be used to help build our class library (this is optional and more books are always welcome!)

Six (6) A-4 notebooks (one for each major subject and ECA)

 A healthy snack and water (no junk food, chocolate bars, or soft drinks, please)

*PLEASE LABEL YOUR ITEMS WITH YOUR NAME!*

The school handbook contains several rules and policies. Parents, please take the time to review the handbook with your child so that both you and your child are aware of the school policies. Some key items to remember are:

·         Students are required to wear the full school uniform to school on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, in addition to Mass Celebration Days. Students may come to school in their casual (sport uniforms) on Wednesdays and Fridays except on special occasions which will be announced beforehand.

·         Students should arrive at school no later than 8:30 a.m.

·         Students will be ready and waiting to go home at 4:10 - 4:15 p.m. everyday.

I would also like to collect $4000 NTD from each student for the class fund. This fund will be used to: 

·         purchase additional supplies the class may need

·         pay for the school yearbook, the school magazines, sports’ day t-shirts, and various school-based activities  

·         rent costumes for special events

Second grade is a year filled with fun, growth and increasing responsibilities. It is my hope that your child will be excited to share his or her daily activities and experiences with you at home. In addition to the conversations with your student, I will also be communicating with you through the communication book. Part of your student’s success depends on the open communication we have as adults. It is important for you to check and sign the communication book nightly so that you are aware of your student’s progress. It is also the main mode of communication between the school and home. 

I will be tracking your child’s behavior through Class Dojo. I will be sending home information about this program and how it can help you stay up-to-date on how your child is performing behavior-wise while at school.

If you ever have any comments, questions or concerns, please write to me in the communication book. I am also available for meetings by appointment. Just contact Ms. Lee in the Office and we can work out a time. 

I will be regularly posting homework assignments, special announcements and pictures on this blog. I encourage you to bookmark this page and visit it on a regular basis in order to stay up-to-date on what is happening in your child's class. 

Once again, welcome to the second grade!  Let's work together to make it a great one.

Sincerely,

Miss Miriam Easterling

Grade 2 Homeroom Teacher

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