Friday, August 27, 2010

We read a book about being a friend to a new student.
On Wednesday, we had 5 minutes of extra recess becasue we got over 50 digits correct on our math probe.  Our class total was 104.   Next week we need 105 digits correct.
Rosa Parks changed laws about "colored" people and being ablle to do the same as white people.

We completed a full week of school with only a shortened day on Monday.  It was a good week.  We are still working on some routines for second grade.  As a reminder, the students will be bringing home spelling homework on Tuesdays - due back on Wed.  They also have moth practice sheets on Thursday night that are due on Friday.  Thanks for helping with that.

There are book orders in their Friday folders today.  These are due back next Friday.  Included is a pink letter about ordering on line.  They have made it much simpler this year so feel free to try that.  If you send the order to school, checks need to be made out to Scholastic.  One check for all of your orders.

In math we have been working on addition strategies.  They have remembered quite a bit from first grade!  We will be doing Bubble math starting next week.  Mondays are addition and Thursdays are subtraction.  Hopefully, by next Friday the students can explain it to you but they haven't tried it yet.

Every Tuesday is math probe day.  They are working to beat their personal best as well as the class best.  Quite the challenge. 

Next Monday my student teacher starts.  Her name is Casey Faircloth.  Mrs. Faricloth will be with us through most of October.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

August 24, 2010

The weather is certainly nicer today than it has been!

Today we learned about the president and government.  Some people took their first A.R. tests today.  Addends are the numbers you add together in addition problems.  The sum is the answer.

The students have spelling homework on Tuesday nights.  They receive a spelling sticker if they bring it back on Wed.  These stickers can be used for trips to the prize box!
Pictures are on Thursday so if you plan to order, send the form and the money by then.
There are purple sheets in your child's bag about A.R.  Please read and sign so that your child may bring it back to school by Thursday.

First week of school

We made it through the first week.  Everyone worked hard and did their jobs.  We have written our classroom rules and posted them in our classroom.  The students also took their first math checker this week.  I was pleasantly surprised by the abilities they show in math.  We even had a 100%!  This week we really practiced some of the routines that take place in second grade. 
The students will have spelling homework one night a week starting next week.  I am not sure if it will be on Tuesday or Thursday yet.  It will almost always be a yellow, two-sided worksheet that practices the skill that week.  We always have pretests on Monday and posttest on Friday.  They have the opportunity to get a challenge list if they get the first 10 words correct on the pretest.  The last two words are bonus words.  The students also can earn spelling stickers.  When they have earned 12 stickers they can go to the prize box. 
Next week we will be taking the STAR test on the computers.  We tried today but there were some technical glitches that stopped us.  Once that is done I will send home A.R. goal sheets for you to look over and sign.  At that time we can start A.R.
I hope everyone enjoys the weekend.  Know that my door is always open to visitors and would love to have you stop in for a visit. 
Mrs. Staker

Puppies!

Today Mrs. Faircloth brought three of her 8 week old puppies to school.  The kids were so good to the puppies.  She told them all about how they are sent to the people who buy them.  She also told them about the different puppies and their personalities.

First day of school

Our first day in second grade was hot!  We did math timed tests.  Today we have P.E.

Welcome to Second Grade!

Thank you for visiting my blog.  In second grade we will not be sending home a newsletter.  As part of our technology integration, my blog will be taking the place of the weekly newsletter. 
Updates will be occurring several times a week with summaries of the students' day as they journal as a class.  They will spell the words and tell me the punctuation that will be needed. 
On Fridays there will be a post from me about our week and any announcements you need to know about.