We had a fire drill, an earthquake drill, and a lockdown. Every time we were waiting for one of them to start, we pretended to work at our tables. It was exciting. When we did the earthquake drill we had to hide under the tables. If you don’t have tables in your house, hide inside a doorway. If you’re in your room, you could hide under your bed.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
We had a fire truck outside in the field. The fire fighters had stickers and magnets for us. The fire truck had headphones hanging down from the ceiling. Noah got to put them on and heard what the people were saying. Some kids heard that somebody was sick, and the firefighters had to go back and help the sick people. We hope the sick people got better.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
We made zoomers. We used plastic disks with holes in the middle. We put string through two of the holes and tied it to make a loop with the disk in the middle. We wound the string, then pulled it out gently and pushed it in to hear it make a whooshing sound. We had Mrs. Couch as a teacher this morning. Most of us gave her a hug.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
We had a substitute teacher. She was so nice. She helped us with math. We had library and checked out books. We also had much and physical education.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Newsletter 3, 2006-2007
2006-2007 Room 302—Newsletter 3 http://room302.blogspot.com
October 2, 2006
Dear Families,
Here is what I have to share:
Reading
Good readers are always making connections between the story and something that they’ve experienced or read: the story reminds them of other things that aren’t in the story. We often take a second to share these connections when I’m reading aloud, but we can never share all of them. This is one of those things that you can do much better at home than I can do at school. When you’re reading aloud, take the time to share your connections, and take the time to let the children share theirs as well. You may only have time for one or two books, or one or two pages, but the conversation can be just as important. It helps make the stories personal, relevant, and meaningful—this means that reading becomes personal, relevant, and meaningful.
Math
The first graders are moving into the book called Building Number Sense. The second graders are starting Coins, Coupons, and Combinations. As we finish a book, the students will bring home their old workbooks. You’ll find that we’ve done some of the work, but usually not all of it. Sometimes the books have lots extra, or things we don’t need. The students may use those books as they like. We don’t need them back once we’re done with them.
Science
For our first science investigation, we balanced tag board shaped like crayfish, triangles, and arches. We also tried a tag board pencil and a real pencil. We used clothespins for counterweights, and figured out which configurations were stable. There is a lot of excitement and interest during our science times. It’s great. Now we’re into experimenting with tops.
Book Orders
I’m going to start sending book orders home. Order if you like, but don’t feel obligated. If you do order, please do not send cash, only checks. And please make out checks for each book order, rather than one for all.
We’ll always take time to look through the orders and circle the books that look interesting. I encourage the children to save the part with the books and use that section to help find new things to read. Sometimes a library can be a bit intimidating because it has so many choices, but if children walk in with a list of interesting things, it’s easier for a librarian to help them.
Library
We’ll again have library on Wednesday this week, due to an assembly on Friday afternoon.
Chapter Book
Our current one is My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannet. Before that we finished Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park.
Field Trip
We’re signed up to go to the Seattle Children’s Theater on to see The Sorcerer's Apprentice by OyamO. We’re going with the other second grade class, leaving right away in the morning and returning to school about 2:00. It looks like we’ll have room for 10 adults to chaperone, so let me know if you would like to join us. I’ll take the first ten. I’ll be sending permission slips for the kids at a later date.
Class Video
From time to time I video tape things that are happening at school. Then the students take turns taking the tape home to share. The tape should return to school the next day so the next person gets a chance; please help your child remember.
Email List
In an effort to help with communication, I’d like to put together a mailing list so that I’ve got another way to get you information like this. If you’d like to be on it, please send me an email requesting that I put you on the list. Include your name and your child’s name so I can identify you. (If you got this newsletter via email, you’re already on the list. If you didn’t, you’re not.)
Classroom Visits
Any time you’d like to visit, you’re welcome to do so. Just make sure to stop in at the office to sign in and get a Visitor sticker.
Calendar
Friday, October 6—Taylor’s birthday Friday, October 13—no school
Thursday, October 12—70’s Dance, 6-8:30 Friday, October 27—early release, 12:15
Sincerely,
Jeff
October 2, 2006
Dear Families,
Here is what I have to share:
Reading
Good readers are always making connections between the story and something that they’ve experienced or read: the story reminds them of other things that aren’t in the story. We often take a second to share these connections when I’m reading aloud, but we can never share all of them. This is one of those things that you can do much better at home than I can do at school. When you’re reading aloud, take the time to share your connections, and take the time to let the children share theirs as well. You may only have time for one or two books, or one or two pages, but the conversation can be just as important. It helps make the stories personal, relevant, and meaningful—this means that reading becomes personal, relevant, and meaningful.
Math
The first graders are moving into the book called Building Number Sense. The second graders are starting Coins, Coupons, and Combinations. As we finish a book, the students will bring home their old workbooks. You’ll find that we’ve done some of the work, but usually not all of it. Sometimes the books have lots extra, or things we don’t need. The students may use those books as they like. We don’t need them back once we’re done with them.
Science
For our first science investigation, we balanced tag board shaped like crayfish, triangles, and arches. We also tried a tag board pencil and a real pencil. We used clothespins for counterweights, and figured out which configurations were stable. There is a lot of excitement and interest during our science times. It’s great. Now we’re into experimenting with tops.
Book Orders
I’m going to start sending book orders home. Order if you like, but don’t feel obligated. If you do order, please do not send cash, only checks. And please make out checks for each book order, rather than one for all.
We’ll always take time to look through the orders and circle the books that look interesting. I encourage the children to save the part with the books and use that section to help find new things to read. Sometimes a library can be a bit intimidating because it has so many choices, but if children walk in with a list of interesting things, it’s easier for a librarian to help them.
Library
We’ll again have library on Wednesday this week, due to an assembly on Friday afternoon.
Chapter Book
Our current one is My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannet. Before that we finished Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park.
Field Trip
We’re signed up to go to the Seattle Children’s Theater on to see The Sorcerer's Apprentice by OyamO. We’re going with the other second grade class, leaving right away in the morning and returning to school about 2:00. It looks like we’ll have room for 10 adults to chaperone, so let me know if you would like to join us. I’ll take the first ten. I’ll be sending permission slips for the kids at a later date.
Class Video
From time to time I video tape things that are happening at school. Then the students take turns taking the tape home to share. The tape should return to school the next day so the next person gets a chance; please help your child remember.
Email List
In an effort to help with communication, I’d like to put together a mailing list so that I’ve got another way to get you information like this. If you’d like to be on it, please send me an email requesting that I put you on the list. Include your name and your child’s name so I can identify you. (If you got this newsletter via email, you’re already on the list. If you didn’t, you’re not.)
Classroom Visits
Any time you’d like to visit, you’re welcome to do so. Just make sure to stop in at the office to sign in and get a Visitor sticker.
Calendar
Friday, October 6—Taylor’s birthday Friday, October 13—no school
Thursday, October 12—70’s Dance, 6-8:30 Friday, October 27—early release, 12:15
Sincerely,
Jeff
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Today in science some of us decorated our tops. The tops spin on our tables or on the floor. We used plastic disks and straws to make the tops. We had paper circles with black and white designs on them. There was also a blank one we could decorate with any design we wanted. We put those paper disks on the tops to make them look very cool while they were spinning. The rest of the class finished painting the pictures for their October calendars.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Monday, October 02, 2006
A librarian came from the public library to our school. She read us two books named Mudball by Matt Tavares, and Mabela the Clever by Margaret Read MacDonald. She gave us library cards that need to be activated. They have little bracelets attached to them. They’re stretchy and they cling to your wrist. Everybody in the whole school gets one.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
We made mobiles again today in science, but these were bigger. They were twice as big as the ones we made yesterday. They were kind of hard to make because you had to get so much stuff and do so much stuff. We had a choice of making them by ourselves or having a partner to help us.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
We got our pictures taken. Everybody got all dressed up and looked nice. Brandon and Jesse matched—they both wore the same shirt and pants. Except Jesse had a mohawk.
We made mobiles in science. We made them out of rubber bands, paper clips, index cards that we decorated, and a straw cut in half. They turned out perfect. We hung them from the lights in our room. They balanced, and they look beautiful.
Friday, September 22, 2006
It was Ashley’s birthday. She turned eight years old. Her mom brought delicious chocolate chip cookies, Wonka’s Laffy Taffy, and green apple fruit punch. She brought chips, too, and we had those on Monday. It was a half day. Ashley’s mom stayed the whole time and even ate lunch with her.