Room 100 Happenings

Thank You and Good Bye

2010-05-27T15:30:00.000-07:00

Big, long, sad sigh.

I have started writing this post many times and have deleted each word repeatedly. Somehow a post on a blog does not adequately express how grateful I am for the opportunity to teach your children for two years.

When I was first hired at Beye I was dubious at best about looping. I couldn't imagine spending TWO YEARS with the same students! What would I do with them? What if they were a really hard class? (What if the parents were difficult?) Then last May something happened. I realized just how invested I was in this class. Their unique energy and enthusiasm for all things was infectious. I was eager to start another year and grateful for the opportunity to see the students really grow up! Over the last two years we became a family away from family. We got to know each other on levels beyond academic achievement. We grew comfortable laughing with each other and comforting each other on bad days. I am proud of the academic progress we made and marvel at the physical and emotional growth!

I am so glad I got to be a part of your child's life. Thank you for trusting me and supporting me. Please use me as a resource and an advocate for your child if you ever need one. I hope you will keep me informed about little celebrations and milestones.

Have a wonderful summer!
Betsy Parkinson

2010-05-18T06:50:00.000-07:00

Outdoor Learning Day
We will be outside tomorrow from 8:30-10:00. Your child might want a water bottle. Make sure your child's name is clearly written on the bottle.

Block Party
Even if you can't help during the party-it's time to get creative! Do you have any games that children from all three classes can play? Ideas for activities? They can be formal or less structured. We want to make sure that students have a variety of games and activities to choose from. This will make the party easier to supervise and safer for the children. We don't have a budget for games, but most activities should be simple enough that we could gather supplies pretty easily. Please send in $4.00 to cover the cost of a craft and food.

Pizza Lunch/Coins for Kids
Wow! The students held a very productive class meeting on Monday about using our math coins for our Student Council fundraiser instead of a pizza lunch. It was impressive the way all ideas were respected and considered. After the meeting they took a vote and decided to give the coins to the fundraiser. It was a very unselfish act and I was proud of all the students for sharing their opinions. I am proud of the students for being so generous. In fact, I am so proud and so impressed that I have arranged for a pizza lunch that day through other means. I plan on sharing this information with them tomorrow. I want them to bask in the glow of being generous for now.

Writing
You should have received the writing assessment last week. Congratulations to all the students who scored a 6! Students enjoyed doing Madlibs in the computer lab, (see the link to the left) and during our writing time. I'm sure they are all ready for third grade. What I remember most about teaching third grade was the potty humor. If a toilet flushed 3 miles away I would lose my class to uncontrollable laughter for a good 10 minutes. The madlibs were filled with nouns like "underwear" and "toilet". Now-your sweet children seem ready to take on the challenges of third grade! (I'm sure the third grade team will thank me later.) At any rate, the madlibs were a great opportunity to review parts of speech. Try some with your kids this summer. It's a great way to fill up time in the car.

2010-05-06T05:37:00.000-07:00

Reading/Writing/Math
It's that time of the year again. I'm doing lots of assessments with the children in addition to our regular curriculum. Be sure to look for these assessments in your child's folder. We will finish The Stories Julian Tells on Friday and we are working on money in math. We are writing poems.
Cinco de Mayo
See Below for a YUMMY recipe for Mexican Buñuelos, a traditional treat that may be prepared for The Battle of Pueblo, celebrated on May 5. They might also be prepared for Independence Day in September or Mexican Revolution in November. Many thanks to Ana Paula's family for sharing this recipe and also sending in traditional Mexican Candies for us to sample as we worked on our Mexican crafts.
Field Trip
All permission slips must be turned in by Monday! If you have not already done so, please sign and return the slip. There is no cost for this trip.
Outdoor Learning Day
Wednesday, May 19th is our outdoor learning day. We will be playing a 50 states game on our large map. We will practice math facts by jump roping the answer. We will practice spelling words with sidewalk chalk-I still need some. Finally we will be reading a story in the shade. If you would like to volunteer on this day to help at one of the stations that would be AWESOME! If I have enough volunteers we can rotate stations with small groups, rather than trying to do everything as a whole class. We'll be working outside for most of the morning~if the weather cooperates. In the afternoon we will stay inside so we can go to computer lab and library.
Other News
Be sure to check the dates below and look for an email from our second grade coordinators about our block party on June 2nd.

Mexican Buñuelos Recipe

Ingredients
• 1 c milk .
• 1 tsp baking powder .
• 1 tsp salt .
• 4 tbsps butter .
• 4 c flour .
• oil (for frying) .
• cinnamon-sugar mixture .
• 1/2 c sugar .
• 2 eggs

Directions
• Step #1 In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt & sugar.
• Step #2 In smaller bowl, beat eggs & milk.
• Step #3 Add this slowly, beating, to flour mixture.
• Step #4 Add a half a stick melted butter, beat.
• Step #5 Place dough on floured surface & knead til silky & elastic.
• Step #6 Roll into balls or ropes, & flatten with the palm of your hand.
• Step #7 Fry in hot oil, (370º), til golden.
• Step #8 Drain on paper towels.
• Step #9 Roll/toss in cinnamon/sugar mix.
• Enjoy the Mexican Buñuelos recipe

Easy Mexican Buñuelos Recipe

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 (8-inch) flour tortillas, whole or cut into shapes
Directions
On a plate, mix the sugar and cinnamon. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, add enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the pan. Heat over medium-high heat until a deep frying thermometer, inserted in the oil, reaches 350 degrees F. (If you do not have a thermometer, test the oil with a piece of tortilla, which should sizzle when it touches the oil and should brown in about 2 to 3 minutes.) One by one, fry tortillas until golden brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer the crisps to paper towels to drain. While still warm, transfer to cinnamon-sugar mixture, turn to coat and serve.

2010-04-27T16:11:00.000-07:00

We have a lot of upcoming dates. Please mark your calendar accordingly. As each event comes closer more details will be provided.
Cinco de Mayo
Our class will be learning about Mexico next week. I'll be providing Chips and Salsa as a snack on Wednesday to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. It's not very creative-so if your family celebrates Mexican Independence or has a special recipe they would like to share with the class let us know! We'll have our snack in the afternoon.
Dates
May 5 Cinco de Mayo celebration
May 11 New Rebozo Field Trip during lunch-See permission slip for more information
May 12 Safety Trailer
May 14 All school photo.
May 19 Outdoor Learning (Weather permitting) -We need lots of sidewalk chalk for this.
May 21 Buddies Celebration
May 24-28 International Week
May 24 Mouse and the Motorcycle Movie-Anyone want to provide some popcorn?
May 25 PBIS Board Game Day/Pizza lunch from Math Money
May 26 Meet Olympic Team
May 27 Mrs. Parkinson gone in p.m.
May 28 Olympic Day
May 31 Memorial Day
June 1 Read-a-thon and Clean-a-thon
June 2 Block Party
June 3 Last Day of School
Other Announcements
Student Council is sponsoring the last fundraiser of the year called "Coins 4 Kids." This non-for-profit asks children to collect coins to help other children with cancer. It's a great way to show our children that they have the power to effect change and help others, just by donating coins, and that coins really add up!

April 23, 2010

2010-04-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

Earth Week
The students enjoyed all the activities sponsored by Beye School's Green Team.
Reading
We wrapped up our unit on Courage. Our last story was a story about a boy who was nervous about entering the school spelling bee, Brave as a Mountain Lion. We did not take a comprehension test on this story. Instead we had an in-class spelling bee. Congratulations to our first place speller, Luke Meister, and our second place speller, Jewell Johnson!
Writing
We shared our autobiographies this week. As you read them keep in mind that the students did their own editing and revising. I left notes for students about things to look for as they edit. Students were then responsible for making these changes on their own. I was VERY impressed with their independence on these stories. Our focus was on writing interesting details to support a main idea. Way to go, second graders!
Math
You should have seen the math test on fractions in the folder this week. We are moving on from fractions into measurement. This includes a review of time, money and linear measurements. I will be supplementing our Everyday Math Curriculum with a lot of computation practice.
Science
Our butterflies have formed chrysalids. Thanks to Kate Ulrich for transferring them to our butterfly house. We eagerly awaiting the butterflies! In the meantime we are reading about frogs and toads and about their life cycle.
Calendar
I will update the blog next week with a list of upcoming events and dates for the rest of the year. We have a lot of exciting things happening in May!

2010-04-16T03:12:00.000-07:00

Earth Day
Please look for information from our green team about Earth Day activities. We will have no PAPER homework next week except a spelling list and a reading log. Try to make time to practice math facts. Use some of the links to the left to practice other math concepts, the 50 states and look for new links about butterflies and frogs.
We will walk to the theater on Thursday with our buddies and two other classes immediately after eating lunch. No one will be allowed to purchase a snack. We will have a treat when we return. Yvonne Collins has coordinated this with the parent coordinator from Ms. Hallerberg's class.
Reading
We enjoyed reading the story The Empty Pot this week. It was a springboard for a discussion about honesty and doing the right thing-even when it is hard. During our reading groups children chose a biography to read. We will be doing some simple reports on these biographies next week. We will practice taking notes and summarizing.
Writing
We are finishing our autobiographies. We focused on using supporting details to make our writing interesting. The students did a great job demonstrating an understanding of this. These will go home next week.
Math
We are learning about fractions in this unit. We are practicing writing fractions, finding fractions from a whole and finding fractions of a set. These are difficult concepts and are expected to be developing, not secure. We also practiced our addition facts this week. Keep practicing those facts at home! A 75 problem test will be given at the end of April.
Social Studies
We wrapped up our unit on American Government and are really focusing on learning the remaining 50 states.
Science
It is amazing what students can learn in one week! We made careful observations of our caterpillars this week. Ask your child what a true leg and a pro leg is. Your child should also be able to tell you about bristles. We will focus next week on the life cycle of the butterfly and learn a little about a frog's life cycle as well.

2010-04-08T03:26:00.000-07:00

Our third trimester is in full swing! We have so much going on right now in the classroom it would make your head spin! As the weather gets nicer and the sun is up longer it is tempting to push the bedtimes back. Please try to maintain a bedtime and healthy mealtime routine as much as possible. I notice when those heads get droopy!
Earth Day Movie
We'll be walking to the Lake with our buddies and a few other classes on April 22. Please return the permission slip and $6.00 as soon as possible. (Permission slip went home on Thursday.)
Reading
We read A Picture Book of Martin Luther King this week. The reading strategy that we focused on was identifying the main idea and supporting details. This is a difficult concept and most of the students needed help identifying which ideas were the most important and which ideas supported the idea.
I am reading a biography of Malcolm X out loud to the students. We learned that Malcolm X's childhood was very different from Martin Luther King's.
Writing
We continue to work on our autobiographies. Like in reading, we are focusing on a main idea and details in our writing.
Math
Fractions! We love fractions! We spent a good deal of time exploring fractions this week and talking about the whole. We also reviewed multiplication arrays and we keep practicing those facts. I'm sure you noticed on the homework calendar that the students will be expected to answer 75 mixed addition facts in five minutes by the end of the month. Practice!
Science
Caterpillars arrived! We will be studying the Painted Lady caterpillar and butterfly for the next few weeks. We will take what we learned last year and build on it this year as we focus on making detailed observations. We will also be learning about the frog's life cycle through various books and activities.
Peaceful Problem Solvers
As a school and as a class we are working on solving problems peacefully. That means trying to talk things out, ignoring inappropriate behavior, walking away, laughing, and getting an adult when you've tried everything else. Take a minute to talk to your child about what they would do if someone cut in front of them in line or if they got teased on the playground.

2010-03-17T08:52:00.000-07:00

Reading
We read a short story called Dragons and Giants this week. We talked about some basic story elements and worked on the reading strategy of drawing conclusions.
In reading groups we discussed biographies and students read biographies of Amelia Earhart and Walt Disney. Next week we will start writing our autobiographies.
Writing
We began cursive writing this week! We also spent the first 25 minutes of each day doing some free writing. We have been so busy writing our expository and research papers we have had very little time to do some free-choice writing. It was a nice relaxed way to start our day. I even noticed a few students choosing to write during our one indoor recess!
Math
We are working hard on mental math strategies and talking about how we solve problems. We are reviewing measurement, money and time. Continued practice of our algorithms and basic facts is also a focus.
Social Studies
We started reading about Government this week. Students learned that there are three kinds of government-local, state and national. We also learned about taxes and services.
Personal News
On a personal note, I wanted to share some bittersweet news with you. I love teaching at Beye and always feel at home here. You all generously share your children with me and I have always felt that you exemplify family involvement in education. So it is with some regret that I have decided to teach at my neighborhood school, Irving, next year. I am eager to begin teaching and investing in my own neighborhood school and I look forward to the challenges as well. I learned from all of you what it means to care about your school and I hope to apply those lessons at Irving. I am grateful for the two years at Beye, in particular getting to know the 24 wonderful families represented in room 100! In the meantime, we have a full trimester left and I approach it with a renewed energy and determination to make it a valuable and memorable end of the year!

2010-03-11T03:51:00.000-08:00

Reading
We started a new unit in our Open Court series. This unit is about courage. We practiced making personal connections with the story, Molly the Brave and Me. We also talked about point of view. This story was written in first person.
In reading groups we talked about biographies. Students learned that a biography is a story about someone's life. We will be reading and writing biographies in the coming weeks and months.
Writing
We will get a chance to share our Dinosaur Research Projects and papers AND our Expository books with our reading buddies on Friday! We started cursive handwriting with an introduction to correct posture, pencil grip and curves!
Math
You should have received the first math workbook on Wednesday. We continue to practice the basic facts. This next unit really solidifies mental math strategies. It is a review of our 100 chart, place value and sums of 10 and 100. It also reviews subtraction, addition, multiplication and division. Whew! We'll be busy. Please look at the link to the left, Oswego Math. It is a great website that has all different math games. Ask your child which game s/he played on Wednesday. Each child was asked to play a different game depending on what math skills they needed to practice.
Social Studies
Next week we will begin our Social Studies unit on Economics.
Dinosaur Projects
The dinosaur projects were fantastic! Please look at some of the pictures of the presentations. (There are also some older pictures on this link that never got shared.) We enjoyed looking at Ms. Hallerberg's projects as well. All projects go home on Friday.

2010-03-05T11:36:00.000-08:00

Dinosaur Projects
Dinosaur projects are due Monday. We will have an hour and a half of our day dedicated to sharing our projects and giving our speeches. Despite this chunk of time it is likely that not all students will get to share their projects on Monday. I know they will be excited and I will make every effort to give feedback to each child! Everyone should be prepared on Monday, as the students will be chosen at random to present their museum display. If your child needs more than 5 minutes to demonstrate, please let me know via email if at all possible. It will help me plan accordingly. Thanks!

Canned Food Drive-
As part of National Nutrition Month we are having a school wide can drive. Send those cans in this month! We are also learning a tip a day about being healthy and choosing nutritious foods.

Story Telling
Ethan won a raffle prize for our class and we were treated to a half hour of story telling from Mrs. Friesen. Ask your child about this special experience!

Scholastic Book Orders
Scholastic Book order forms will go home on Monday. You can view them online today by clicking the link. Congratulations to Luke and Jackson who won a free book for completing the at home reading chart in our classroom!

Report Cards
Report Cards go home next week. Make sure you look for these as they have valuable information about your child's academic progress. There should be no surprises, but if you have any concerns please do not hesitate to schedule a conference.

Room 100 Happenings

2010-02-26T04:05:00.000-08:00

We had a full week in Room 100!

The Field trip was wonderful. Thanks to all the parents who were able to join us! Students enjoyed the museum and I think they were impressed with how much they could appreciate the different exhibits because of their studies. Our behind the scenes tour was fun, too!
We earned a popcorn party because of our participation in zero waste lunch day on Wednesday! Hooray! Way to go!
On Friday we are having our PBIS dance celebration. This is a school wide event to celebrate our great behavior this second trimester. Students who did not earn a pink slip have also earned a blue ribbon.
We are excited about our ART START RECEPTION on Tuesday from 4:30-5:30 at Village Hall!

Reading
We are working on our last dinosaur story. This story is called Let's Go Dinosaur Tracking. We are learning about what fossilized dinosaur tracks can teach us about how dinosaurs lived. We continue to work on the reading strategy of main idea/detail. We are also working on monitoring our reading as we go. We talked about making sure we really understand what we have read before moving on to the next paragraph or page.
Writing
We are working on our research papers diligently. The first two paragraphs have taken form and next week we will work on our final paragraphs. We are running about 3 days behind because of all the exciting interruptions to our schedule.
Math
You probably noticed the emphasis on computation in the last few homework packets. This will continue next week. Be sure to practice those basic facts!
Dinosaur Projects
Next week there will be no spelling or writing homework to give students time to focus on the projects. Make sure your child starts memorizing the script/speech they will give for the class. After working out a bunch of kinks, I think I finally got the link to the project working. Another copy of the script will go home with the homework next week.

Have a great 3 day weekend!

2010-02-21T05:13:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all the parents who helped us celebrate Chinese New Year! It was a great success.
Field Trip
Thursday is our Field Trip to the Field Museum. The bus will leave promptly at 9:00. Children need to bring a packed, clearly labeled lunch that is 100% disposable. Please review with your child appropriate behavior for field trips. It is crucial that children remain with their group for safety reasons. The museum is very crowded in February and it is easy to get lost.
Reading
We just finished the story Why Did the Dinosaurs Disappear. Students read about how scientists try to explain the disappearance. No one knows for sure why they disappeared. Ask your child which of the theories they think is most likely.
Writing
We spent most of this week gathering notes for our dinosaur project. We talked about using different sources and organizing our notes. The focus of this research paper will be a descriptive paragraph about the dinosaur. Students will also be responsible for creating "bullet points" of interesting facts. We will review "hook" beginnings, transitions and adjectives when we write our paragraph.
Math
We spent most of the week talking about subtraction with regrouping. This coming week we will talk about arrays and multiplication. When you see an array-point it out to your child. An easy example is a dozen eggs. It is a 6x2 array.
Social Studies
We enjoyed our Chinese New Year celebration. For the remainder of the month we will discuss African American History. We will read several books in our reading groups and- if there is time-write some poetry inspired by Mari Evans and Nikki Giovanni.
Art Start
Remember to Save the Date for our Artists Reception at Village Hall on March 2nd. The reception begins at 4:30. It should be a lovely opportunity for your children to experience an art opening!

2010-02-12T03:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day!
Happy Presidents Day
Happy Chinese New Year!
Whew! There's a whole lot of happy going around...
Reading
This week we read our third story about Dinosaurs. This story dealt specifically with Dinosaur Fossils and Paleontologists. We continue to work on the reading comprehension strategy of Main Idea and Detail.
Writing
We began our research on our dinosaurs this week. We practiced taking notes for our research paper. We used the online source, Enchanted Learning. This source is linked to the left. We are also enjoying looking through many books from the library. Next week we will learn how to take notes using a book as a source. (Hint: This is another chance to practice main idea and detail!)
Math
Unit 6 is heavily focused on computation strategies and algorithms. As always, if your child needs help with math and you are unfamiliar with what s/he is learning in school, it is OK to help! You won't do any long term damage! Just be sure to EXPLAIN what you are doing! The strength of this program is that it introduces many ways to solve one problem. If you teach your child another way it is most likely a valuable introduction to a future lesson. Keep practicing those facts!
Science
We finished our Science Unit on Sink and Float. The students did a great job making boats and understanding the concepts of buoyancy. (Take a look at the successful boats pictured!) While the dinosaur unit isn't technically a Science unit, we are revisiting Rocks and Fossils concepts and learning about how scientists share their research through writing.
Social Studies
We are reading the book Year of the Dog and will finish it next week in time to celebrate Chinese New Year. If you would like to join us for this, stop by next Friday, February 19th from 12-1. It should be a simple celebration of the Chinese culture and a wonderful way to bring closure to a book the students have really enjoyed reading.
Art Start
Thanks to all the families who have helped with this quilt! You will be so impressed when you come to the opening at Village Hall! There are new pictures-and they are AMAZING! (Only an artist can look at a bag of buttons that has spilled on a table and turn it into a beautiful photograph!) The link is posted above. There are many new pictures and the ones from last week are included. This time there is an option to purchase the pictures as requested by some of the parents.

Update your Calendar!

2010-02-08T03:35:00.000-08:00

It was a wonderful seeing everyone during conferences last week. I hope your child understands just how proud I am of his/her progress!
Calendar Updates
It is time to update your calendars! We have lots of things going on in February. There are many opportunities to help in the classroom. As always, if you are unable to help during the day, I would love help with some projects that can be done at home.
Links to a class list, a copy of the Dinosaur Research Project, and the permission slip will go up shortly. All will be sent home as hard copies.
February 8th-Dinosaur Research project goes home.
February 9th -Art Start*, 12:00
Tastings*, 2:20
February 12th - Valentines Day Card Exchange*, 12:20. We will pass out Valentines and listen to a Valentine's Story. This will be a simple celebration of friendship. Tammy Schulz has volunteered to help with this celebration. If you have additional ideas, please contact me or Tammy. (See homework packet for class list.)
February 15th-President's Day, no school
February 16th-Art Start*, 12:00
February 19th - Chinese New Year Party*, 12:00-1:00
We have been reading the Year of the Dog for the last month. As a celebration of this novel and the holiday, we will make a Chinese craft, sample another Chinese food, (Tastings this month will feature Chinese food.) and play a game. Yvonne Collins Moore has volunteered to help with this party. If you would like to help with this party, please contact me or Yvonne!
February 20th - Beye Fun Fair!
February 23rd - Art Start*
February 25th - Field Trip to the Field Museum-Look for the permission slip! We would like lots of chaperones.
March 1- Casmir Pulaski- No School
March 2 - Art Start Reception at Village Hall, 4:30-5:30 (Time confirmed later.) Our quilt will go on display at the Village Hall. It will be our Gallery Opening!
March 8th - Dinosaur Projects Due

All the events with an asterisk are events where your help is welcome! If you are unable to join us, consider getting involved in a different way!

Thanks for your continued support.

2010-01-20T14:06:00.000-08:00

Music Concert
What a fantastic music concert! Mrs. Friesen does a wonderful job with the students and they work so hard to please her! I was giggling in the back as I watched my class demonstrate their trademark enthusiasm throughout the performance!
Conferences
I look forward to seeing each of you this coming week. I think you will enjoy the time with your child. I will try to answer any questions about the remainder of the year and next year. I will highlight some of the progress your child is making!
Art Start
Ms. Pamela Penney has done a great job coming in to the classroom and teaching about fiber art. We have dyed our own yarn and fabric using kool-aid. We designed our quilt squares and started some applique. Next week we will begin doing some stitching. All the while we have been learning about our states and how to do some research. Mr. David Kindler came and took some pictures of our endeavors. The link is posted to the left. Enjoy! Please check out Oak Park Education Foundation's website. It is a wonderful organization and deserves our support!
Reading and Research
Next week we begin an exciting unit on Fossils and Dinosaurs. This complements our earlier study of rocks and soil. Students will be doing a research project on a dinosaur here at school. There will also be a home component. Detailed instructions will follow and other homework will be adjusted prior to the due date.
Math
We completed our unit on geometry and have started a unit on computation. Please continue to practice math facts.
Science
This week we added to our buoyancy chart. We learned that in addition to the type of material and bubbles in the water, shape also affects buoyancy. Fun experiments and hands on lessons have allowed children to explore buoyancy while thinking scientifically.
Animal Camouflage
As we finished our unit on animal camouflage we did two activities that allowed students do demonstrate an understanding of types of camouflage. We worked in the computer lab using a painting program called Pixie to "paint" pictures of animals camouflaged. We also did an project with our reading buddies. We designed animals that were camouflaged somewhere in the room.

2010-01-15T03:26:00.000-08:00

January 15, 2010

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SPELLING BEE PARTICIPANTS!!!
Tija, Garrett, Josh, Jackson, Jack, Drew, Jonathan, Sophia and Ana Paula ALL did a great job representing room 100! They were poised, confident and brave! Our Sophia hung in there and won third place! I was proud of all of them for participating.

Conferences
The conference schedule is posted to the left. Please make sure you arrive on time, particularly if there are people scheduled before and after you. You will have an opportunity to see your child do some math, read and go over some recent writing. You and your child will get a glimpse of some of the third grade goals and expectations. You will see what kind of progress your child is making towards these expectations.

Behavior
We had several class meetings this week to discuss ways we can follow directions and be productive. Students needed reminders about keeping hands and feet and objects to themselves. Sigh.

Reading
You may have noticed the last reading assessment came home with a score that did not reflect the work on the test. Students spent some time this week fixing, finishing and polishing their extended response and comprehension questions from last week's test. We are working really hard on writing an extended response question that is organized, answers the question and uses good mechanics.

Writing
Ask your child about his or her non-fiction/expository book!

Math
We have enjoyed the hands on nature of the geometry lessons. Please continue to practice the basic addition and subtraction facts. Review time and money whenever you think of it!

Science
Ask your child what affects buoyancy. (The material the object is made of will affect buoyancy.) We made some predictions about whether or not size will affect buoyancy. We'll test those predictions Monday!

2010-01-06T12:30:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year! I hope 2010 will be a wonderful year for each of the students in my class!
There are a couple of reminders and curriculum updates.
Winter Recess
Expect that your child will be outside at least once during the day for at least 25 minutes. Unless the temperature is below 5 degrees or the wind chill is below -5 degrees we will go outside at lunch. Do not count on a warming center. Make sure your child is dressed appropriately!!!
Music Concert
Don't forget to mark your calendars for our second grade music show on Wednesday, January 20 at 6:15. The title of the show is Sing Me to Peace. It is sure to be a treat! Detailed instructions to follow.
Conferences
Conferences are scheduled for the week of February 1rst. Please look for a schedule with your child's homework on Monday. Please return it by Wednesday. Your child will come with you to this conference. You will spend 15 minutes with your child and 15 minutes with me.
Art Start
I hope you had a chance to read about Art Start in the letter that went home on Tuesday. If you are able to volunteer for any of the days, it would be GREATLY appreciated. We will be meeting on Tuesdays from 12:00-1:00. Our first class will be January 12, but volunteers are not needed until the 19th. Your child will receive his/her states on Monday.
Reading
We continue to read in our Open Court book about different animals that camouflage. This week we read about sea creatures that use camouflage. Did you know an octopus can change colors?
I am also really enjoying reading the book The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin with all the students during our small reading groups. Some groups are reading independently and some are reading the book with more support. It is a great novel about a Chinese American Girl trying to make friends, learn about her strengths, and learn about her culture. Each Friday we will discuss the chapters we read during our Book Group. We will finish it in time to celebrate Chinese New Year in February.
Writing
We are learning about organization in writing. We learned that it is important to group similar ideas together when writing a story. We read and looked at a lot of non-fiction books and learned about the characteristics of non-fiction books. Each student will write their own book. Each book will have two paragraphs, a picture with a caption, a diagram and a glossary. This format used can be used again when students do their own research project later this spring.
Math
Students had a great time exploring different geometric concepts this week. We talked about polygons and angles and attributes. In addition we reviewed- through games -place value, time, money, and addition. We also looked at division for the first time through a conceptual game. PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRACTICE ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION FACTS! GET FLASHCARDS OR MAKE FLASHCARDS!
Science
We started a brand new science unit called Sink and Float. At first I was skeptical that the science would be challenging and age appropriate! I learned a lot about buoyancy and surface tension as I prepared for this unit. It is an interesting topic and the students love getting their hands wet!

2009-12-15T11:34:00.000-08:00

Dear Families,

There are a few upcoming events that I wanted to share with you.

Wednesday, December 16th is our 3rd ZERO WASTE LUNCH DAY. For those who pack a lunch, please try to bring only containers that can be reused.

Thursday, December 17th is our grade level viewing of Shrek. We will watch this as a grade level and then do some writing about it in the afternoon. The movie, while irreverent, is a great example of the fairy tale elements we've been studying. While many of the students have already seen the movie, hopefully they will look at it with a critical eye for the literature elements! They are greatly exaggerated, which should make them easy to spot. They are getting so good at identifying these characteristics, that one of the students declared the Grimm Brothers to be horrible fairy tale writers. He explained they did not start with "Once upon a time" and they certainly did not end "happily ever after." Alas, he may have a future as a literary critic.

This Friday morning, December 18th, the entire school will be participating in the BEYE SCHOOL HEALTH FAIR EXPO. We will travel with our reading buddies to 10 events that explore fitness and health.

Friday afternoon will be a low key celebration of Fairy Tales. We are not having a holiday party. All the materials and supplies have been prepared. The students will have a Mystery Guest at the celebration!

Our second set of conferences will take place the first week of February. These conferences will focus on grade-level standards and third grade transitions and expectations. I hope you will leave the conferences with a good understanding of your child's academic strengths and goals. You should also leave with some concrete ways you can help your child prepare for third grade. Some parents have expressed concerns about the transition, so we are meeting with the third grade teachers to figure out how we can best facilitate the transition and make the expectations clear.

Room 100 Happenings

2009-12-14T11:51:00.000-08:00

Whoosh! I think I just saw the first four months of second grade go by!
Report Cards
I hope you have had time to review your child's report card. Do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions regarding the grades or comments.
Shrek
As you know we are celebrating the reading and writing of fairy tales this week. On Thursday morning we will watch Shrek. In the afternoon we will do some writing about the movie and talking about the characters. We appreciate you supporting this as a fun learning opportunity and we hope you trust us to teach your child how to watch movies as critical thinkers!
Fairy Tales
Most of the students are finishing their fairy tales and the rough drafts are heading home. We will keep the published versions at school a little longer. We want to read them to our Book Buddies but won't have time until after the break. They turned out great! We will have a short celebration of fairy tales on Friday afternoon. Students will be given a fairy tale-themed snack, craft and activity book. It will be relaxed. I do not need volunteers that day, but if you would like to help prepare some of the activities, please let me know.
Homework
There is no reading log or spelling homework this week. I hope this gives you a little extra time to devote to those after school family activities. When we return in January students will participate in a reading incentive program. Details will go home the first week after break. Instead of a regular reading log for 3 weeks, students will have the opportunity to earn a trip to a Six Flags amusement park.
Math
We are starting to work on double digit addition. Students will not immediately learn the traditional algorithm that is most familiar to you. Instead, students will be asked to think about addition in terms of mental math strategies. You will find that you probably add in your head the way they are taught to do it on paper. It will seem unfamiliar at first, but soon you and your child will understand the algorithms and the logic behind them. As you help with homework it is OK to teach your child "the old way" as long as you explain WHY you are doing it, not just how.
Winter Break
If I do not see you before the break, please know that I wish you a restful few weeks. I look forward to seeing all of you next year!

2009-12-02T19:14:00.000-08:00

Dear Families,

Below is a letter that is in your child's mailbox. Please look for it, and return the permission slip by next Friday.

We, especially me, enjoyed being back in a routine this week. We were able to do our centers and reading groups and play math games. It was very nice to have few interruptions.

Please ask your child about

Tastings on Tuesday
Our bad luck in the computer lab on Wednesday
Planning our Fairy Tale stories
"Start, Change, End" number stories
Our substitute on Friday

Dear Royal 2nd Grade Families,

We have all enjoyed learning about fairy tales this month. We have enjoyed getting lost in the land of make believe and learning critical reading and writing skills at the same time.
We will continue our study of Fairy Tales throughout the month of December. As a culmination and celebration of our learning we would like to watch the movie Shrek as a grade level. This movie incorporates many different Fairy Tale characters in a funny, second grade way. It also contains the basic elements of Fairy Tales that we are studying.
The movie is rated PG, mostly because it contains some potty humor. (We feel this humor is similar to the humor introduced in book series like Captain Underpants, Stink, and Junie B Jones.) We understand some families may have some concerns about this, so we encourage you to discuss it as a family and let us know if you would prefer we offer an alternative movie for your child. Please turn this over to see the permission slip.
We will watch this movie on the morning of Thursday, December 17th. This provides us with ample time to discuss the movie as a class and do some follow up activities. Each class will have a Fairy Tale themed afternoon on Thursday or Friday with different activities that celebrate this genre. These celebrations will take the place of Winter Holiday parties. Please contact your child’s teacher if you wish to help with these activities.
Thank you as always~and may you live happily ever after!
Your royal, humble teachers,
Mrs. Parkinson, Ms. Hallerberg and Mrs. Schweigert
(This permission slip is in your child's folder.)
Shrek Permission Slip

___________My child has permission to watch the movie Shrek on Thursday, December 17th.

___________My child does not have permission to watch this movie. Please provide and alternative movie.

Child’s Name _________________________________________

Please return this slip by Friday, December 11th so we are able to plan accordingly.

Room 100 Happenings

2009-11-18T12:11:00.001-08:00

Whew! The Mayflower Journey was an exciting one. Thanks to all of you for helping your child get in costume, get in character and learn about these pilgrims. Thanks also to those parents who built the ship and took pictures at our party. We are writing about our journey this week.
Reading
We read three different Cinderella stories this week. One was in our Open Court book and it is the traditional version that is most familiar to us. We also read Rough Face Girl, a Cinderella story from a Native American tradition. The setting is the shores of Lake Ontario. Finally, we read a Chinese version of Cinderella, Leh She. Ask your child how all these Fairy Tale stories are similar.
We are also reading a story, Molly's Pilgrim about a little girl who moved to a small town from Russia. After a homework assignment instructing her to make a pilgrim, she learns that she is a pilgrim, too. She dresses her pilgrim in traditional Russian clothes.
Writing
We are working on summaries from our Mayflower Journey. We are practicing capitalization and punctuation whenever we get the chance. We learned that proper nouns and dates need to be capitalized. We are also practicing commas in a series and commas in dates.
Math
Keep practicing those math facts! Practice telling time and counting money. This week we practiced making change. The students learned the strategy of counting up to make change. We used our number grids to help. If you need a number grid for homework, please ask!
PBIS Celebration
Next Tuesday afternoon will be our first school-wide celebration for successfully keeping office referrals less than 20 during the first trimester!!

Students can wear/bring paw-jamas to school and pawp-corn will be distributed to classrooms.

Room 100 Happenings

2009-11-12T03:48:00.001-08:00

Mayflower Basics

We will sail on the Mayflower on Monday and Tuesday. Children should come in their costumes. They will wear the same costume both days. Do not wash it after the first day. We will leave the ship and "go up on deck" for lunch and special area classes only. Lunch count will be done like a typical day. Please make sure your child is on time both days.

Packing for the Mayflower
Children were given a supply request with their character description. Those supplies can be sent in on Friday or Monday morning. Children can pack a small bag of five items to take with them on their journey. It should be a combination of things to occupy them during the long journey and sentimental items. It is meant to teach them how difficult it must have been for the pilgrims to decide what to take to the New World. No electronics. No action figures.

Native American Play

Students put on a short play about the Iroquois League of Nations for Mrs. Fogg's class. Each table represented one of the Iroquois Nations that made up the League. Students learned this system of representation is a model for our United States Congress and the United Nations. Ask your child if s/he was part of the Seneca, the Cayuga, the Oneida, the Onondaga or the Mohawk Nation.
Reading
We continued with our regular studies in reading and math. Students did not take a test this week on The Story of Three Whales. We worked a lot on the reading skill of monitoring and clarifying. Ask your child what she does when she comes across an unfamiliar word or concept.
Math
Next week we will work on making change. This is tricky, tricky, tricky for some kids. Give your child an opportunity to "buy" things with coins and then get change back. Use the strategy of counting up!

Room 100 Happenings

2009-11-04T03:49:00.001-08:00

We have had a very busy, short week. The students have come in with an abundance of energy. They used that energy to produce some great work!
Mayflower
Please look for more information about our Mayflower excursion in your child's folder next Monday. Also, please look for a note regarding building the Mayflower and taking it down in today's folder!
Reading
This week we read the story Corduroy by Don Freeman. We worked on the reading strategy of monitoring and clarifying. We also worked on describing the characters in the story by making a character pyramid poem. Look for it in the packet that will go home next week! Reading groups are working on summarizing, responding to literature and silent reading strategies.
Writing
Of all the great work the class did this week I am most proud of the wonderful writing. Each student wrote about a day in the life of an Eastern Woodland boy or girl. They included rich details and were able to summarize what life might have been like 400 years ago! We used the book Tapenum's Day as a model. I will display these stories in the classroom for a while.
Math
We finished Unit 2 last week in math and are currently working on Unit 3. The focus in this unit is place value and time and money skills. In order to keep our addition and subtraction facts fast we started taking a weekly timed test. We will take a 5 minute math fact test every Monday morning. You should see these tests in your child's folder. After a child masters a test she will move on to the next level.
Social Studies
We have been learning a great deal about the Eastern Woodland tribes. We are focusing on these tribes because of their interactions with the first European settlers, but also because they are often under-represented in the presentation of Native American life. We are learning that the Eastern Woodland tribes lived in wetus and longhouses, planted the three sisters and were hunters and gatherers. After Thanksgiving, when we learn about early colonization and the formation of our government, we will learn how the Iroquois Nation greatly influenced our system of a representative government.
Science
Alas, our worms have died. I was disappointed to discover last weekend a rather icky smell coming from our composter. Despite following directions very carefully, the worms were not happy in their little home. We are looking into other options and I will keep you posted. Please do not send in any more items to be composted until further notice.

Room 100 Happenings

2009-10-28T12:56:00.001-07:00

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween. Thanks to all the parents who are set to help on Friday. Thanks to all the parents who are sending food, prizes and other goodies. Finally, thanks to all those parents who are sending their child to school well-rested and full of a good healthy breakfast to get through the special events of the day.
Reading
We continue to read stories with the theme of kindness. This week we focused on the reading skill of recognizing cause and effect. Reading groups are working on fluency, skimming, looking for the main idea and summarizing.
Math
Please practice math facts at home frequently! The addition and subtraction facts should be mastered securely. Next week we will work on solidifying our understanding of place value and money skills.
Science
Two students each week will be responsible for tending our composter. Students can bring in a small ziplock bag of compostable material. PLEASE NO FRUIT or VEGETABLE peelings. We had some trouble with fruit flies. Items such as leaves, grass clippings, dead houseplant leaves, onion and garlic "papers" are OK. Coffee grounds are useful, too. This week Alexa and Ruby are our environmentalists.
Social Studies
We are focusing on the Eastern Woodland Tribes of North America this week and next. This week we learned about the "Three Sisters" of the Native American diet. We also learned a game and started some beading.
Many of you have asked for a list of the states for our Friday quizzes. Click here for a list of our states in the order they are introduced.
You can now contact me via voice mail if that is easier than email. Dial 708-406-9218 and leave a message.

Room 100 Happenings

2009-10-23T03:46:00.000-07:00

Conferences
I enjoyed meeting with EACH family this week! Thank you for coming. If you got home and realized you forgot to ask me something, please do not hesitate to set up another meeting, phone call or time to talk.

Reading, Writing, Math (and all that other stuff we do!)
Hopefully conferences gave you an idea of what we are doing in the classroom and how you can help. I am very pleased with the progress the students are making and I know you have been working hard at home to support our efforts.

Halloween
Thanks to those of you who volunteered to help with the party. It will be just right. Remember that students will change into their costumes AT LUNCH time. Please do not send your child to school in a costume. We will have PE that day, so don't forget gym shoes. If you are helping with the party or will be home that day, it is helpful to have your child go home to eat and change. I can't wait to help the children who stay at school change into costumes, so do not feel like your child will be stranded if you can't help that day. We will be eating lunch one hour later than usual-from 12:00-1:00. Tammy Schulz will provide a small snack to get them through gym and the extra hour!

Mayflower
Your child will receive his/her Mayflower assignments and directions next week with the homework. Please read these over carefully and let me know if you have any questions.

Zero Waste Lunch
Beye School is trying to have a zero waste lunch day this coming Wednesday. Please help your child pack a zero waste lunch. If your child will be getting hot lunch that day, talk to her about only taking packets of things she really needs and how to dispose of them.

Reading Log and Halloween

2009-10-20T03:43:00.000-07:00

Families,

I inadvertently left the reading log off the homework packets. The students noticed and celebrated. (It's always heartwarming to hear how they really feel.) I told them that if they read extra this week they did not need to record the minutes or write the summary. They solemnly agreed. Sorry for any confusion.

When you stop by for conferences please consider signing up for helping with our Halloween Party. There are lots of ways you can help from home, before the party or during the party.

Our party will be at the end of the day for scheduling reasons. Lunch is moved to 12:00 that day and if possible, students are encouraged to go home and get dressed for the Halloween parade. (Of course I will help any child who needs help getting dressed and can't go home!) The parade starts around 1:15. Our party will start when we return around 1:50.

Room 100 Happenings

2009-10-16T03:51:00.000-07:00

What a rainy week!
Conferences
I am looking forward to seeing each of you at our scheduled conference. If you cannot make it please send me an email or call the school immediately so we can reschedule. We'll be going over some reading, writing and math assessments and also talking about work habits and social skills. It is a packed agenda and I look forward to sharing my observations with you. The book fair will be going on in the commons throughout the week. Take a minute to stop by on your way!
Reading
Students are working on identifying the main idea and details that support this main idea. This works very well with our writing goals, too. After your child reads for 20 minutes. Ask her if she can tell you what the main idea of the chapter or book was. Have her list some ideas that support that main idea. Encourage her to go back to the book if she is not sure!
Math
Practice! Practice! Practice! The main objective of our unit is to make addition and subtraction facts fluent. Practice these at home, in the car and at dinner! Practice them at breakfast, on the way to the bus...
Writing
We are still working on the writing process. This week we did a timed writing assessment. It was a narrative prompt and I am scoring it using the 6 traits of writing as a guide. I will share those at conferences.
Science
We have our composter-thanks again to Barbara Dolan. We will begin composting next week. We will also be carefully observing some worms before we introduce them to the composter. Cool Stuff!
Social Studies
In addition to the opportunity to see the Teepee on Friday, we have been reading some books about the First Nations. There was some good discussion after we read a book, Encounter by Jane Yolen, about Christopher Columbus. Please ask your child about these discussions. Also, look for information about the Mayflower to come home next week. It will have information about your child's character and the supplies needed for our journey.

Second Grade Travels

2009-10-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

We have a lot of important dates coming up. Please mark your calendars so you and your child are prepared for each event.
October 16th:
9:00-9:55 Native American Teepee. Children will get the opportunity to sit in a real teepee and imagine what it would be like to live on the Great Plains. This is a PTO sponsored event.
10:30-11:00 Soil Adventure Mobile. Students will look at an exhibit on soil, listen to a story and meet earthworms. It is a supplement to our study of rocks and soil. If you have not already paid your $4.00 to cover the cost of this in school field trip, please send your money immediately.

October 19th
3:05 Conferences Begin
October 20th
10:00 Picture Day. Ordering envelopes went home on Thursday. If you did not receive one please let me know right away.
3:05 Conferences -

October 21st
We will visit the Book Fair as a class. The book fair is open all week after conferences. The proceeds go to support many of our reading initiatives.

2:05 - 6:15 Conferences

October 22nd
11:05 Conferences

October 26th
9:50 Green Team Assembly

October 30th
11:00 Halloween Class Party. This is a tentative time pending parent participation, principal approval and other logistical obstacles!
12:00 Our lunch is moved to 12:00 on this day. We will parade after lunch as a school.

Second Grade Travels

2009-10-02T03:58:00.000-07:00

It seems Fall has arrived!
Science
Please see the note in your child's folder about an exciting opportunity to learn more about soil when the Field Museum's Soil Adventure Mobile comes to Beye! The cost for this program is $4.00 per child. Please send payment in no later than Tuesday, October 6.
We have been learning a lot about rocks and minerals. Students learned that rocks are made up of minerals. We are learning to sort rocks by properties and we are learning about different types of rocks. Thanks to all of you who generously shared your rocks from home!
See the link to the left for a fun way to do some cyber mining! Can you find gold?
Conferences
A sign up sheet for conferences will go home on Monday with the homework. RETURN IT THE NEXT DAY! You will have a chance to indicate your first three preferences for conference times. On Tuesday I will compile the list and send home a complete list of conferences. I look forward to sharing your child's work and progress with you!
Tastings
We had our first tasting of the year on Tuesday. Yummy! Please see the note in your child's folder for more information about this second grade tasty tradition.
Reading
Everyone is doing a great job on the reading logs! I am sure you must be noticing the great progress your child is making in reading with these extra minutes of sustained silent reading at home. I know it is not always easy to make your active second grader sit down and read. (Try making 24 of them do it!) Your efforts are showing up in the classroom every day.
Scholastic Book orders are due Monday! Go to the link on the left to place an order.
Writing
We published our first stories. They are fantastic. I'll share them at conferences. We will learn a trick to make our stories more interesting next week. We will introduce a problem into our story!
Math
Practice the basic addition and subtraction facts every day! Buy or make a set of flashcards. We will send home fact triangles next week that should be kept in a safe spot.

Second Grade Travels

2009-09-24T03:50:00.001-07:00

We had a full week in Second Grade! We got to see a one woman play about Helen Keller. It was a great opportunity for us to talk about differences and challenges. On Friday we plan on harvesting the garden we planted last year. (Check your email for details.)
Items Needed
If you have not already sent in these items, please do so by next Friday.

an empty paper towel roll or your child's scroll from last year
a labeled ziplock bag of coins: 5 quarters, 11 dimes, 10 nickels, 25 pennies. We will use this money during our math class. At the end of the year we will order pizza!

Books Needed!
As your child returns the reading log the hours are logged on to a chart and your child gets to take a trip to the treasure chest after a certain amount of hours. I would like to reward your child with a book for these efforts. A few families have already donated some books for this purpose. If you have books that your child has read and no longer want to store them, consider donating them to the book bank! (Free books from our Scholastic orders will also go to the book bank.)

Reading
We began our guided reading groups this week. It was a great opportunity for me to work with your child in a small group on some reading strategies. Students are reading stories about Skyscrapers and Families around the World. This is in addition to our Open Court Reading program.
Writing
Students began publishing their narrative stories. We will work on some fiction stories next week.
Math
We completed Unit 1 in math. You will receive the Unit Assessment and an individual profile for your child next week. Please check it carefully. Our next unit will focus on number stories and the basic facts. Some students will begin taking timed tests on the basic facts in the next few weeks.
Social Studies
We completed our study of People and Places. Your child learned about urban, suburban and rural areas. We also honed our map skills. We continue to take our weekly map quiz. See the link to the left for a game the students played in computer lab. It is a great site to practice the 50 states!
Science
We will begin our study of rocks and minerals next week! Our study of rocks and minerals will lead into a study of erosion and soil. We will be looking at different types of soil and doing some planting and composting. We'll take a brief look at fossils and then revisit fossils in January when we read about dinosaurs in our Open Court books.

Thanks!

2009-09-18T11:54:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Barbara Dolan, Drew's mom, for volunteering her handy skills and making us a composting bin. I'm sure we will learn a lot from the experience!
Thanks also to all the parents who have sent in empty rolls of paper towels. If your child has her scroll from last year, you could send that in instead!

2009-09-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

Please check out the pictures from our Bon Voyage Picnic. If you are having any trouble viewing the pictures, let me know.
Reading
This week we read a story about a little boy named Jack and his sister. They jump into a book and have many adventures similar to adventures in Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales with characters named Jack. We had a great book discussion about what kinds of books we would like to jump into.
Writing
We are working on stories about our picnic or about a memorable trip. Students will get to choose one to publish next week. Our revisions have focused on our beginnings and endings. Some children are working on supporting details.
Math
We are working hard on place value. Some students have learned about Roman Numerals while others are focusing on adding and subtracting using the number grid. Our Unit 1 assessment will begin next week.
Social Studies
We are finishing up our People and Places unit. We have learned about map grids, urban areas, suburbs, rural areas and getting food to markets. We reviewed the concept of a community and group.
Science
We will begin a unit on rocks, fossils and soil the week of September 24. If you have interesting rocks, minerals or fossils, consider sending them in next week to share with the class. (Please nothing valuable or sentimental.) We will be composting, too. I'm looking for a volunteer who is handy to make a SMALL, clear plastic composting bin for our class. Interested?
We need a few things for math.
Please send in the following by September 24.

paper towel rolls

a ziplock bag of coins: 5 quarters, 11 dimes, 10 nickels, 25 pennies. We will use this money during our math class. At the end of the year we will order pizza!

If you would prefer to read this blog online please let me know. You can look for the posting on Fridays, but an email will go out when it is updated.
Thanks!

Second Grade Travels

2009-09-09T18:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all the parents who joined us for our Bon Voyage Picnic! A good time was had by all! It was a great sendoff to what will be a wonderful journey.
Reading
We read a funny story this week about some brothers who try to read together. The students made great connections to other texts and to personal experiences.
Writing
We have used our brainstorming books and started writing in our draft writing books. Next week we will do a quick review of the different parts of a narrative story. Students should have a beginning, middle and ending for each of their stories. We will revise and edit these stories.
Math
We continue to practice place value and time and money skills. Kate Ulrich has generously donated her time to organizing volunteers who would like to tutor students in these important life skills. If you would like to volunteer to tutor on a regular basis or just on occasion, this is a great opportunity.
Social Studies
We are wrapping up our first unit on People and Places. Children are using map skills and discussing the difference between urban, suburban and rural areas. We were able to watch President Obama's speech on Wednesday. His message of responsibility and goal setting really hit home with our class. Many of the students looked at me as he mentioned these words, wondering if maybe I had helped write his speech. (In case you were wondering, no.)
Science
We have 4 monarch caterpillars in our classroom and many cicada shells. The students are enjoying observing these insects. Thanks to Ethan for generously sharing his creatures!
Mayflower
After many hours of reading, planning and meeting with colleagues I have decided to move ahead with the Mayflower re-enactment. A balanced curriculum will be presented to the students with the help of many of our District 97 educators. We will begin our study of Native Americans in early October. With our ongoing theme of travel and journeys we will explore Native American life in the Eastern Woodlands and the Great Lakes. Lynn Allen will be helping with several lessons and activities and our 5th grade reading buddies, who also study the First Nation, will be learning along with us. We will continue to explore the journeys of other cultural groups as the year progresses. As always if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
Scholastic Book Orders are due September 14. There are many favorites available. For each online order we receive a free book for the classroom.
A blog!
You may have noticed that the newsletter is the printed version of a blog. Please check it out at
http://bparkinsonop97.blogspot.com
If you would prefer to read the blog online rather than get a paper version let me know.

2009-09-04T13:15:00.001-07:00

Homework Tips

A homework calendar will be given out on the first Monday of the month.
A homework packet will go home each Monday.
All homework is due Friday.
Homework should not be a battle. If you are ever having difficulty~schedule a conference.
Homework should be considered an opportunity to see what your child is doing at school.
Homework will not be graded. The only grade your child will receive is for completion.
Reading minutes will be logged weekly. The minutes will not count unless the reading strategy portion of the log is completed.

First Day

2009-08-26T03:45:00.000-07:00

We had a great first day back at school. It was good to see old friends and meet some new friends. We welcome Ana Paula, Jeremiah and Sophia to Beye. We are so glad Darrin will be in our class this year, too!

Welcome Back!

2009-08-21T01:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back Everyone! I hope you all had a great summer. I look forward to a great year in Room 100! I hope to see everyone at Curriculum Night on Wednesday from 5:30 to 6:30. We'll meet in the Auditorium as a grade level and then meet back in the classroom.