Second graders should bring a small stuffed animal to school this week for use in their math classes. The stuffed animals should fit in backpacks and be able to stay at school until next week.
All second and third graders will be taking the reading and mathematics M.A.P. tests this week on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
Please be sure to have your child get plenty of sleep the night before and eat a healthy, protein-filled breakfast the morning of each test session.
By now you’ve probably noticed some changes with 2/3 homework and expectations.
We are getting back on track with our weekly letters home in our Family Discussion Journals. You can expect to see them again on a regular basis! Please be sure to write back to your child each week. They look forward to reading your letters!
All Reading Logs need to have three paragraphs now. The first paragraph is still answering the teacher’s question. The second paragraph is still a summary of what was read. The third paragraph is where students address an assignment from the back of the Homework Chart.
Students are welcome to choose an assignment that is a good fit for the book they read that week, the mood they’re in, etc. If a student is choosing one assignment over and over again, we will ask them to try something new. These assignments were modeled in class for all students. It was a great example for the second graders and a wonderful review for third graders, whose responses needed a bit of a pick-me-up. Third graders should be backing up their opinions with examples from the book. If they say a character is: brave, mean, dishonest, nice, courageous, etc. then they should provide a snapshot from the book that illustrates this character trait. Second graders should take a shot at this, too, but it is an
expectation for third graders.
For your information, the longest paragraphs of the Reading Log letter should be
the first and third. These are the two places where students are using their own
ideas and opinions to comment about what they’ve read or a question they’ve been
asked. The summary paragraph should not be the longest! This point has been
talked about MANY times in class throughout the school year.
In addition, third graders must write at least one paragraph of their Reading Log
letters in cursive. It doesn’t matter which paragraph, but there needs to be one done in cursive.
Finally, as a new homework assignment, Book Bags started going home with students a few weeks ago. You should have received a letter giving more details about Book Bags. In a nutshell, the Book Bag takes the place of the Reading Log. Book Bags are sent home on Fridays and are due back to school on Wednesdays. The only thing that students must do
in the Book Bag is a page in the journal. We think these are a great way for kids to read a variety of books about a topic and do fun activities and games, too! The whole family can enjoy the Book Bag!
As always, if you have any questions regarding your child’s homework assignments, please contact your child’s teacher. Thank you!
Both second and third graders are now required to read for a minimum of thirty minutes daily at home. Please be sure to sign your child’s homework chart after all homework is completed.
Thank you!
We hope that 2011 was a wonderful year for all of our families. The coming year, 2012, is sure to be even better.
This week you will be receiving a conference letter or email with your child’s scheduled conference time for the following week. Again, this is a student-led conference so be sure to have your child come along with you.
Soon our second and third graders will be sailing the Atlantic Ocean and landing in the New World. They will endure hardships and have to make tough choices just like the Pilgrims did hundreds of years ago.
Our culminating event will be the Pilgrim Feast on Thursday, December 15. All 2/3 classes will meet in the gym to experience Pilgrim games, activities, crafts, and foods. This is a fun and entertaining event, and it is one that requires many, many parent volunteers.
Soon our room representatives will be contacting families regarding this event. We hope to see many of you there!
Thank you to our room representatives and all parent volunteers that helped to make our Halloween party a huge success! The kids had a FANGstastic time! We appreciate the countless hours that you spent preparing for this event.
Now it’s time for our next big event at 2/3…our Pilgrim Feast! Mark your calendars for Thursday, December 15 from 10:30-1:30pm and look for further information on how you can help to make this feast come to life.
Thank you for participating in your child’s fall goal setting conference! It is always a joy to sit down as a team and plan together. We look forward to the next conference in January when our students will share great evidence to support their learning.
Later this month the 2nd and 3rd grade students will be celebrating Halloween. Our party will be held on the afternoon of October 31. Please use the following guidelines when planning for the day:
Mrs. Stochl will send further information regarding Halloween costumes and information. We just wanted to give you a head start as you plan for the day.
Happy fall!
It’s that time again! Beginning next week conferences will be taking place to set goals for the first part of the school year. You should have received a confirmation letter with the date and time of your child’s conference, along with a parent reflection form. Please send the bottom portion of the confirmation letter back to school as soon as possible. Then complete the parent reflection and bring it with you to your child’s conference. This information is very important in helping to set goals for your child, and we appreciate your input.
Here is a copy of the parent reflection form in case you need it. Parent Goal Reflection
We look forward to meeting with you and your child!
Additional information regarding your child’s daily schedule, specials classes, and specific classroom tidbits can be found under our Contact Information.