December 17-20

We have three and a half school days left before break and a week of fun and learning.

If your child has not already brought in a shoe box, please have him/her do so. This will be used to carry home the gingerbread house that the students will be making in class on Tuesday.

Wednesday is our International Festival. The students will rotate from one second grade classroom to the next visiting different countries including France, Russia, Spain and China. On this day, your child can wear to school the flag t-shirt they made and wore for the Second Grade Show with uniform bottoms. The afternoon is about celebrating different cultures and having fun.

Thursday is a noon dismissal and the Lower Division Sing-a-Long. You are welcome to join us at 11:00 in the Janet Root Theater. Please come sit with us if you can.

Our field trip to Fresh Food Hydroponics (http://ffhydro.com) was a big hit. If you have some time, I would encourage you to visit to pick some fresh produce. The strawberries and beans were delicious.

We are reviewing spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and handwriting this week in language arts. There will be no formal spelling or vocabulary quiz. We will be reading various holiday stories including Kyle's First Kwanzaa by Angela Shelf Medearis, The Chanukkah Guest by Eric A. Kimmel, The Black Snowman by Phil Mendez, and The Happy Elf by Harry Connick, Jr.

The students will be bringing home their Readers' Toolkit this week to use. Please ask them about it and encourage them to use it as they read.

In math, the students will learn to develop paper-and-pencil strategies for adding 2- and 3-digit numbers and use estimation to check if answers are reasonable.

I wish you a wonderful holiday. Be safe and merry.

Ms. O'Mullane

December 10-14

Welcome to our last full week of school for 2012. There are only 9 school days left until we break for the holidays. Our last day will be a noon dismissal on Thursday, December 20. The Lower Division Sing A long will also take place on this day (11:00am for grades K-4 in the JRT).

This week the students will go on their first Second Grade Field Trip to the First Fruits Hydroponics Farm (3215 46th Avenue North). You are welcome to meet us there at 10:00. This will be a fun field trip and last about 1 hour.

This is the last week we are collecting gifts for the Holiday Gift Drive. Please wrap and label each gift with the Family number and Child's name. A post it or peel away label on the gift with gift content is helpful. This Friday, December 14, the students will carry the gifts to the gym to be sorted by family. Thanks for your generosity for these families in need.

Our Second Grade International Festival will be held on Wednesday, December 19 after lunch. Please pack your child a very light lunch on this day, seeing food will be served at the festival.

Current Event sharing continues this week. Our presenters this week will be: Tuesday: Auggie, Jackie; Wednesday: Ainsley, Aidan; Thursday: Victoria, Will; Friday: Isabella.

Our Parent Reader this week will be H. Coleman. This is the last week we will have Parent Reader until January. Thanks to all who have come in to read this year.

Here is a glance at what is going on in the classroom this week.

Literacy
* Phonics - s/c or j/g, dge
* Spelling: pledge, central, gentle, celebrate, huge, fudge, fireplace, gymnast, price, space;
* Bonus Spelling: century, general
* Story of the Week - Imogene's Anthers by David Small
* Vocabulary: consulted, eventful, prodded, miniature, milliner
* Reading workshop: Good readers think about what they are reading. Students will continue using their tool kits to guide them as they read
* Writing workshop: Using a dictionary to spell unknown words; Editing checklist; Writing reflections for the Electronic Portfolio
* Grammar: Nouns are names of people, places and objects/things; Proper nouns are capitalized
* Handwriting: Paragraph writing; y - slide down; j - down and turn; the dot comes second

Mathematics - Unit 4
* Estimating costs
* Students will develop strategies for adding 2-digit numbers mentally and calculate the total cost of two items
* Making change for whole-dollar amounts up to $100
* Pencil and paper strategies for adding 2 and 3-digit numbers

Social Studies
* Holiday celebrations around the world
* Exploring Europe

Science - Changes - Separating Mixtures of Color

* The students will brainstorm how colors change when mixed

* The students will use chromatography to separate black and green inks into their component colors

We will also be harvesting the garden, sharing our Antarctica book with our Kindergarten buddies and recording our reflections on Voice Thread.

Have a wonderful week -

Ms. O'Mullane

December 3-7

I hope you enjoyed your weekend as I did decorating my house and yard to celebrate the festive season.

The students had their first compliment party last Friday and are trying hard to fill up the Q Jar (Quality work, Quality attitude and Quality behavior) again. What progress I have seen since the beginning of the school year and I am so lucky to have such a wonderful group of second graders in my care this year. Thanks again for all your support in the education of your amazing children.

We are currently collecting gifts for the Holiday Gift Drive. Please wrap and label each gift with the Family number and Child's name. A post it or peel away label on the gift with gift content is helpful. On Friday, December 14, the students will carry the gifts to the gym to be sorted by family. Thanks for your generosity for this family in need.

The Lower Division Holiday Sing Along will take place on Thursday, December 20 at 11:00 for grades K-4 in the Janet Root Theatre.

Our Second Grade International Festival will be held on Wednesday, December 19 after lunch. If you would like to help out with planning or assisting on the day, please contact G. White or K. Leary who are coordinating this event.

Current Event sharing continues this week. The new Current Event calendar is in your child's Take Home Folder. Our presenters this week will be: on Tuesday: Claire and Matthew; Wednesday: Noah and Stella DeFrain; Thursday: Nico and Rose; and Friday: Nick and Stella Davis

Our Parent Reader this week will be M. Emerson. Thanks again for making our Friday morning a special one.

Here is a glance at what is going on in the classroom this week.

Literacy
* Phonics: long e, ey and y
* Spelling words: speedy, keyhole, valley, twenty, donkey, chimney, money, breezy, nobody, hungry

* Story of the Week: Wombat Divine by Mem Fox

* Vocabulary: divine, audition, beamed, stroked

* Grammar: Abbreviations

* Reading workshop: Readers read fluently by reading with talking voices; Readers make their reading sound smooth by going back and rereading; Readers read with phrasing and intonation by noticing and using punctuation

* Writing Workshop: Using the dictionary as a tool for writing; Story endings

* Handwriting: Capitals, Commas, and Paragraphs

Mathematics - Unit 4

We started our new math unit today and so please have a look at the new Family Letter that I placed in your child's Take Home Folder. We also will review the Unit 3 quiz, which I have sent home for you to look at and do some further review with your child. Please return this school when you have view and signed it.

This week the students will:

* solve change-to-more number and parts-and-total number stories

* explore reading temperatures on a thermometer, finding the total value of a group of coins, and develop readiness for classifying geometric shapes

* read and show temperatures and solve number stories about temperature change

Social Studies

* Complete a scavenger hunt A to Z about Europe

* The students will begin investigating holiday traditions around the world. If you have a holiday tradition you would like to share with the students, please email me and we will set up a time for you to come to the classroom and share this tradition

Science - Changes 

A Dissolving Race: Warm and Cold Water

* The students will explore the relationship between the temperature of liquid and how fast a solid dissolves

Separating Mixtures of Color

* The students will brainstorm how colors change when mixed

* The students will use chromatography to separate black and green inks into their component colors

Welcome Back! November 26-30

I hope you and your children had a fantastic Thanksgiving break, as I did with my family. We are now rested and ready to finish off 2012 with a bang.

I want to congratulate the students again for a wonderful Second Grade Show. I felt so proud of the students. What an amazing job they did. Thanks to all those involved in helping us paint t-shirts and set up and take down the stage. What a great team effort. Please check out the link on November 16 ebytes for some wonderful pictures: http://ebytes.shorecrest.org/?q=ld-11-16-2012

We are currently collecting gifts for the Holiday Gift Drive. Please wrap and label each gift with the Family number and Child's name. A post it or peel away label on the gift with gift content is helpful. On Friday, December 14, the students will carry the gifts to the gym to be sorted by family. Thanks for your generosity for this family in need.


The Lower Division Holiday Sing Along will take place on Thursday, December 20 at 11:00 for grades K-4 in the Janet Root Theatre.

Our Second Grade International Festival will be held on Wednesday, December 19 after lunch. If you would like to share your culture or help out with planning or assisting on the day, please contact G. White or K. Leary who will be coordinating this event.

Current Event sharing resumes this week. Our presenters this week will be: on Tuesday: Auggie and Jackie; Wednesday: Ainsley, Aidan; Thursday: Victoria, Will; Friday: Isabella

Our Parent Reader this week will be H. Kreps (Nov. 30) and M. Emerson the following Friday (Dec. 7).

Just a reminder that for the health, safety, and security of our students, all arriving parents and visitors will sign in at the Lower Division Office to receive a visitor's pass to wear. If you are prefer meeting your child on campus after school, please meet him/her at the lunch picnic tables.

This week the students will learn to log in on Voice Thread and title slides in their Electronic Portfolio. The Electronic Portfolio is a collection of work in the form of a Voice Thread that the students will share with you in May.

Here is what else is going on in our classroom this week.

Literacy
* Phonics: ch, th, tch, sh
* Spelling: cheese, matchbox, toothbrush, starfish, sketch, sandwich, bathtub, shadow, thankful, crash
* Vocabulary: token, collection, clomping, plaque
* Story of the Week: Jamaica Louise James by Amy Hest
* Reading Workshop: Readers visualize what is going on in their books by making pictures in their minds as they read (characters, action, setting); Readers get their "lost" mental picture by going back and rereading; Readers read fluently with talking voices
* Grammar: Abbreviations
*  Writing Workshop: Personal Narrative writing; Publishing our non-fiction book a-z about Antarctica
* Handwriting: Ll down and bump; Kk karate - down, bump, kick and slide away; capitals and commas

Mathematics: Unit 3 
* Review Unit 3 and assessing progress check
Mathematics: Unit 4 - Addition and Subtraction
* Students will solve change-to-more number stories

Social Studies - Europe
The students will locate Europe and start making a fact file about Europe (the second smallest continent in the world),

Science - Changes - A Dissolving Race - Two Forms of Sugar
The students will compare two forms of the same substance - a sugar cube and granulated sugar and how they dissolve in water. The students will record and discuss their observations.

November 12-16

Wow. What a fantastic job the students did last Thursday reciting the poem, The Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt. I was so proud of them. Thanks for coming out and supporting us.

We are all very excited about the upcoming Second Grade Program. The students are so excited and have been working very hard to get ready. They will be rehearsing every morning this week in the Janet Root Theater for the big performance on Friday, November 16th at 8:30am.

Mrs Rowe will need volunteers to help set up the stage tomorrow in the JRT from 9:30-11:30am, if you are available.

Please make sure that your child wears blue denim bottoms (shorts, skirts/skorts or pants) on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Their flag shirts are here at school for them to get changed into.

Other reminders:
* Holiday Gift Drive - The Holiday Gift Drive will take place December 3-December 14. A container will be placed near your child's classroom door to collect holiday gifts. On Friday, December 14, the students will carry the gifts to the gym to be sorted by family.
* The Lower Division Sing Along will take place on Thursday, December 20 at 11:00 for grades K-4 in the Janet Root Theatre.
* Thanksgiving Break - Nov. 19-23
* Current Events: Tuesday: Claire, Matthew; Wednesday - Noah, Stella Grace; Thursday - Nicolas, Rose; Friday - Nick and Stella D.

Because we are busy preparing for our show, there are only five new spelling words this week. When the students return from Thanksgiving break, we will be back at ten new spelling words every week. As the year progresses we will build the spelling list up to fifteen words, preparing them for third grade.

We will also be finishing off Unit 3 in math, including reading a graph, making change by counting up and solving multistep problems for amounts under $1.00, and,  making chance using nickels, dimes, and quarters. We will also be reading Thanksgiving stories, including Three Young Pilgrims) and do various activities around the Thanksgiving theme and doing some more science experiments as part of our exploration of solids, liquids and gases.

I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving celebration with your family and friends. It is such a special time to come together and to give thanks. How lucky we are to have so many wonderful things in our lives.

First Grade Service-Learning Project

First Grade Service-Learning Project:

First grade's service-learning project for the SPCA is in full swing. They are collecting items needed for the care of the animals. PLEASE help your child experience “giving” for such a wonderful cause. Below are some of the suggested items needed by the SPCA. The collection bins are in the hallways and need filling! First grade will take all the collections to the SPCA on November 14^th.  Thank you so much to those who have donated so far! You may also go to the "Animals Wish List" at the following link to see what they need.

http://www.spcafl.org/

Donate a Dog or Cat Bed

The Book Fair has kicked off this week. Today the students got the chance to preview books and created a Wish List. The fair is open from Monday (Nov. 5) to Thursday (Nov. 8) if you wish to check it out with your child.

The second graders are excited! This year the four classes are combining their talents for Poetry in the Park, which will take place this Thursday, November 8th at 8:30am. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and joins us for this annual event. The students sound fantastic and you are in for a treat. Boys will dress in black, to represent the spider, and the girls will dress in fun, brightly colored clothing, to represent the fly.

The children are also working hard to get ready for our Second Grade Program. Please continue sending in brown paper grocery bags, clear/white gallon milk water bottles (no yellow) for creating the scenery and stuffed jungle type animals labeled with student names (animals can be brought in the week of the show). You should have received a note about this last week. Mrs. Rowe will need help setting up the stage in the JRT on Tuesday 11/13 from 9:30-11:30am if you are available.

Current Events begins again this week, so please refer to the calendar in your child's Take-Home Folder.

I want to thank all those parents who helped prepare the t-shirts for painting today and/or helped the students paint their show t-shirts today. I took a personal day, but heard that the afternoon was a success. I can't wait to see the students on stage representing countries from all around the world.

This Friday is a Professional Work Day for faculty and no school day for the students.

I wish you a wonderful week - Ms. O'Mullane

Kia Ora - October 30-Nov. 2

Kia Ora, is hello in Maori (New Zealand). My grandmother was from New Zealand, and so this greeting is close to my heart.

The Halloween Parade and Fall Festival will take place this Wednesday, October 31. Fall Festival will follow after the parade and we are asking that parents sign out their child in the classroom for Fall Festival. I will post the sign-out sheet on the classroom door.

The Book Fair will take place the week of November 5 in the Student Center. We will be previewing books at the beginning of next week and if you wish your child to purchase some books, please send you child will some money in a sealed envelope, or visit the fair with your child during our recess time (1:30-2:00) or at dismissal time.

The second graders are excited! This year the four classes are combining their talents for Poetry in the Park, which will take place on Thursday, November 8th at 8:30am. Please plan on coming to this annual event. The students sound fantastic and you are in for a treat. Boys will dress in black, to represent the spider, and the girls will dress in fun, brightly colored clothing, to represent the fly.

The children are also working hard to get ready for our Second Grade Program. Each child is responsible for making the flag of the country he/she has been assigned. This will be due on Thursday, November 1, along with a wire coat hanger. We also need brown paper grocery bags, clear/white gallon milk water bottles (no yellow) for creating the scenery and stuffed jungle type animals labeled with student names (animals can be brought in the week of the show). You should have received a note about this today.

We will also need volunteers to help the students paint their t-shirts on Monday, Nov. 5 and Tuesday Nov. 6, set up the stage the week of the show, and organize a snack for us to enjoy after the show. Please email me or Gina White if you are interested in helping us out.

Rosetta Lee will be presenting at 6:30 on November 8. SPA is sponsoring this event. Ms. Lee will be talking about identity formation.

School will be closed November 9th. It is a Professional Development Day.

I was so proud of of all those students who brought in a Current Event to share last week on our Open Week of sharing. Since this week is short, we will not begin Current Events again until the week of November 5. If your child has a news article that they would like to share this week, please have them practice at home and then bring this to school to share. Your child has a new Current Events calendar in their Take Home Folder, so please take a look so your child can be prepared to present.

Each Friday morning the students look forward to a parent reading to them. Thanks to all who signed up to read to us.

I wish you a wonderful week ahead.

Ms. O'Mullane

Konnichiwa - Week 9 - Oct. 22-26

Our greeting this week is Konnichiwa, which is the translation of hello from Japan. Fall is definitely in the air and this weather is just beautiful.

Picture re-take Day will take place on Tuesday, October 23rd. Students must return their photo package to have a retake. Students who were absent on Picture Day need to have their picture taken on this day.

The Halloween Parade and Fall Festival will take place on Wednesday, October 31. Fall Festival will follow after the parade and we are asking that parents sign out their child in the classroom for Fall Festival. I will have a sign-out sheet posted in class for you to sign your child out for the day.

The Book Fair will take place the week of November 5 in the Student Center. More details will be coming about this event.

Poetry in the Park will be on Thursday, November 8th at 8:30am. Please plan on coming to this annual event. You are in for a treat. Your child has a copy of The Spider and the Fly poem in their Take Home Folder. Please help them memorize their part.

Ident-a-kid will be here on Wednesday, January 23 and the Whole School Picture taken on Tuesday, January 29th.

Rosetta Lee will be presenting at 6:30 on November 8. SPA is sponsoring this event. Ms. Lee will be talking about identity formation.

School will be closed November 9th. It is a Professional Development Day.

Please keep Dawn Weinman and her family in your prayers and thoughts. Dawn (assistant head of Lower Division and Curriculum Dean) is in a critical condition in St Anthony's Hospital.

Kristin Leary will be our Parent Reader this Friday. This week is Open Week for Current Events. If your child has an article that they would like to share, please have them bring this in to share.

Here is what else is going on in our classroom.

Literacy
* Phonics - long o sound; ow, oa
* Spelling - yellow, snowflake, sailboat, window, carload, plus five high frequency words
* Vocabulary - brave, preparations, spectator, compete
* Story of the Week - Koala Lou by Mem Fox
* Reading Workshop - Readers can retell stories across their fingers using transition words such as first, then, next, after that, and finally; Readers help themselves when they get stuck retelling by using strategies  - touch a page and retell the big thing that is happening on each page; use the illustrations to remind themselves about what is happening in the story; skim the text; Readers make predictions by using the picture in their minds
* Writing Workshop - Introduction to Poetry
* Handwriting - Uu - down, travel up and back down; Ii - down and the dot comes second; Ee - start, hit the ball, run the bases and stop
* Grammar - Statements

Mathematics - Unit 2
* Review and progress check for Unit 2
* Unit 3 - Place Value, Money and Time - Review place value in 2-digit and 3-digit numbers

Social Studies - Antarctica
* The students and I will continue communicating with Ms. Ameilia in Antarctica. Last week we emailed Ms. Ameilia our questions and this week we will read her reply. I will post her answers on next week's blog
* The students will continue to gather facts about Antarctica in the hope of creating a A to Z book for our reading buddies. We will also look at glaciers and icebergs and make our own.

Science - Changes
Last week the students created a mixture of two solids. Building on their experience with mixing solids, whose parts are easily distinguishable, students now explore mixtures of a solid and a liquid. After observing three solids - gravel, toilet tissue, and kosher salt - and mixing each one with water, students discuss the changes they observe. As students compare the three mixtures, they conclude that although gravel does not change when mixed with water, tissue changes in texture and appearance, while salt disappears altogether.

Kwasindiswa - Week 8 - October 15-19

Kwasindiswa is hello from Tanzania. I hope you enjoyed your three day weekend and this beautiful fall weather. I still can't believe that it is already October and Fall Festival is just around the corner (October 31)). This time of year is one of our busiest times in second grade with getting ready for two performances: Poetry In the Park (Thursday, November 8); and our Second Grade Program (Friday, November 16 @8:30am) which take place about one week apart. Please continue helping your child practice the poems for these performances. Copies are in his/her Take Home Folder.

Box Tops and Cash for Trash: Congratulations to Second Grade for winning the competition for the most Box Tops collected. Please continue sending in items that help earn dollars for our school. A big thank you to all who have brought items in this year. Keep it up!

Picture Re-take Day: Picture Re-Take Day will take place on Tuesday, October 23. Students must return their photo package to have a re-take. Students who were absent on Picture Day need to have their picture taken.

Dancing Mat Typing: Students began keyboarding today in the computer lab and really had a lot of fun. Your child can also practice at home. Please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/

Spirit Day: Every Friday is Spirit Day. Students may wear any shirt with a Shorecrest logo, specifically Shorecrest Spirit Wear, camp intramural or uniform shirts. These should be worn with uniform, Spirit Wear or denim bottoms.

Book Fair: The Book Fair will take place the week of November 5 in the Student Center.

All School Pep Rally: There will be an All School Pep Rally on Friday, October 19 at 1:45 in the Crisp Gym.

After School Programs and Athletics/Intramurals: Session One ends this week and Session Two will begin the week of October 29.

This week Nick, Stella D, Auggie, Jackie, Ainsley, Aidan, Victoria, Will and Isabella, will be presenting their Current Event.

Our Parent Reader this week will be Kim B. Thanks for sharing your love of reading with the students.

Here is our week at a glance.

Literacy
* Phonics - r-controlled vowel: ar
* Spelling - carpet, charge, harmful, artist, pardon, plus five high frequency words (recorded on the back of the homework log sheet
* Vocabulary Words - Your child should be able to read and know the meaning of: shrugged, stained, pumped, clearing; which are from our story of the week, Owl Moon
* Reading - Owl Moon by Jane Tolen
* Reading Workshop - The students' will learn to use their Reader's Tool Kit, e.g. flagging unfamiliar words, making predictions, flagging parts of the story they liked. I will be sending your child's own Reader's Tool Kit that they can use and keep at home, once they become more familiar with how to use it
* Writing Workshop - Publishing our small moment narratives. The students will edit, type and illustrate their story
* Handwriting - Magic c to d; Golly Gee! I turned c into g; writing sentences using punctuation marks

Mathematics - Unit 2
* Frames-and-arrows routines
* What's My Rule" Routines (identifying missing numbers in number pairs that are generated by a rule, and determining the rule used to generate number pairs
* Counting strategies for subtraction
* Shortcuts for harder subtraction facts

Science  - Changes

Students will use two solids to create and investigate a mixture


Social Studies - Antarctica
* Antarctica is covered in ice and snow all year round. Discussion: Would you like to live in a place like that? Why or why not? What would you need in order to survive in such a cold climate? Location of Antarctica
* During this unit, we will get to follow a real life scientist's adventure in Antarctica - Ms. Ameilia. We will email and follow her blog and possibly Skype. This week the students will pose questions that they have about Antarctica and email Ameilia. If you would like to check out her blog it is:
http://ameliashevenell.wordpress.com/

Shalom - Week 7 - October 8-11

Shalom and welcome. What a great time I had meeting with you at our recent Parent/Teacher conference. I hope you found the time we spent together informative and helpful. As I have mentioned before, it is such a pleasure coming to school each day and working with such an enthusiastic group of learners. Please keep exposing your child to good literature and have them read each day, as well as, practice addition and subtraction facts, telling the time, totaling coins, and practice weekly spelling and vocabulary words. Your partnership in educating your child is so important and I appreciate all your support.

This week is a four day school week for the students, so the students will have their spelling and vocabulary quiz on Thursday. Each child has their own set of high frequency words to practice. You will find these on the back of this week's homework log.

The Halloween Parade/Fall Festival will take place on Wednesday, October 31st. Fall Festival forms will be coming home this week. The parade will begin at 8:30 and be followed by Fall Festival.

Session 2 After School Programs and Athletics/Intramurals will begin the week of October 29.

Picture re-take day will take place on Tuesday, October 23. Students must return their photo package to have a re-take. Students who were absent on Picture Day need to have their picture taken.

Current Events - This week, Claire, Matthew, Noah, Stella DeFrain, Nicolas and Rose get to present. Please refer to the Current Events sharing calendar in your child's Take Home Folder.

Library day is Tuesday, and it is terrific that most students are remembering to return their library books on this day.

Picture Lady/Gentleman will begin this Tuesday, October 9th and the students and I can't wait to find out what artist will be presented to us.

Here are some themes/concepts covered in class this week. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at any time. Have a wonderful week.

Literacy
* Spelling - High frequency words (see your child's Homework Log for their individualized list)
* Stories of the Week - The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry; Christopher Columbus by Barbara deRubertis
* Vocabulary - ancestor, smoldering, ruin (n) and creatures (definitions are on the back of the Homework Log) -  students should practice reading and learning the meanings of these words
* Reading Workshop - Readers figure our tricky words by using all they know; Readers figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words by rereading tricky words and phrases aloud; Readers can retell stories across their fingers using transition words such as first, then, next, after that, and finally
* Grammar - A sentences ia a group of words that tells a complete thought.
* Writing Workshop - Editing and publish a small moment narrative
* Handwriting - Capital partners (c, o, s, v, w); letter t and magic c Bunny (change c to a)

Mathematics - Unit 2
* Subtraction from addition
* Fact families (up to and including 10)
* Exploring weights, scales and equal groups
* Review the concepts that a number can be named in many ways

Social Studies - North America
* Finish and share postcards from a famous North American Landmark

Science - Changes - Lesson 4 - Mixing and Separating Solids
Students will use two solids - kosher salt and gravel - to create and investigate a mixture

Have a wonderful week and enjoy your three day weekend together -

Ms. O'Mullane

Spanish Blog from Bennett Zamoff

Don't forget to check out Senor Zamoff's Spanish blog:

http://spanishchiquitos.blogspot.com/

Week 6 - Bonjour - October 1-5

Welcome to another week in second grade. I can't believe that it is already October and fall. Today the students wrote about their favorite thing about this time of year and most students wrote about Halloween, Thanksgiving and the cooler weather. It is a magical time of the year.

Our greeting for this week is Bonjour, which is hello in French. It is a four day school week for the students, with Thursday being a no school day, due to conferences. By now you would have received an email confirming your conference time. I am looking forward to our meeting. Please arrive a couple of minutes before your scheduled time so we can start on time.

Current Events continues this week. Auggie, Jackie, Ainsley, Aidan, Victoria, Will and Isabella are scheduled to share.

Library check-out is every Tuesday, so please remind your child to bring their books back on this day. This year the students are able to check out three books.

Thanks to all parents who have signed up for Parent Reader this year. We really look forward to this time. Our parent reader this week will be B. Burke.

This Friday, we will be planting plants in the garden and each child will need to bring in a pair pf gardening gloves to school. We will be planting at 1pm, if you would like to join us.

Just a reminder that Friday, October 12th is a Professional Development Day and no school for the students. Also, Fall Festival will be on Wednesday, October 31st. The students will be dismissed from the classroom to enjoy the festival. A note about the festival will be coming home soon.

Here is a glance at the main concepts covered in class this week.

Language Arts
* Phonics: long vowel i/ie, igh
* Spelling: high, lightning, tied, fright, mighty, plus five high frequency words
* Reading: Winners Never Quit! by Mia Hamm; Climb Your Mountain by Helen Thayer
* Vocabulary: techniques, specially, struggle, traction
* Reading Workshop: Readers: Readers figure out tricky words by using a variety of print strategies (Read through the whole word - beginning, middle, end; try different pronunciations; using all they know)

* Grammar: Review structuring a sentence
* Writing Workshop: Proofreading and editing a small moment story; publishing our landmark postcard (writing to a family member or friend)

Mathematics - Unit 2
* Turn around shortcut for addition and provide practice for a shortcut for addition facts that have 9 as an addend
* Explore and practice doubles plus 1 plus 2 facts
* Addition strategies that use doubles facts
* Subtraction from addition

Social Studies
* Landmarks of North America project. Students will publish their North American Landmark Postcard.

Science - Changes - Lesson 4 - Mixing and Separating Solids
Students will use two solids - kosher salt and gravel - to create and investigate a mixture

Have a wonderful week and I will see you on Thursday -

Marion O'Mullane

Math Games

Many games you have at home or see at the local store involve mathematical thinking. Children develop their skill in an almost effortless way when they play these games with each other and adults. The ages shown are suggested by the manufacturer, however, let the interest and motivation of your child by your guide when selecting and playing the games (Rf. Everyday Math, Home Connection Handbook).

Counting, Adding and Subtracting
Chutes and Ladders (3+)
Hi Ho! Cherry-O (3+)
Sorry! (6+)
Trouble (6+)
Uno (6+)

Attributes, Patterns, and Geometry
Crazy Eights - traditional card game (4+)
Guess Who? (6+)
Guess Where? (6+)
Jigsaw puzzles
Rummikub (8+)
tangrams (5+)

Strategy and Spacial Perception
The a-MAZE-ing Labyrinth (8+)
Battleship (7+)
checkers (3+)
Jenga (3+)
Connect Four (7+)
mancala (6+)
memory (many names exist for this game of matching face-down pictures (3+)
Mille Bornes (8+)
Othello (8+)
Pretty Pretty Princess (5+)

More excellent games can be found on the Internet by searching under "educational math games."

Week 5 - September 24-28

Welcome to Week 5. Our greeting of the week is Guten Tag, from Germany. The week's word of the week in Spanish was chosen by Victoria, and is, catarata -- which means waterfall.

This week the students will be reviewing all spelling and vocabulary words, which you will find on the back of the Homework Record Sheet. I will be testing up to ten review words that they missed on today's pretest. Any student who has mastered all words can have a break from spelling this week and do some extra reading each day for homework.

By now you should have received an email regarding the conference time you signed up for.  If you need to reschedule your time, please contact me to so we can arrange another time to meet.
There will be no school on conference day, Thursday, October 4th.

The students completed their first math assessment last Friday, and I will be sending these home this week. Please review this, sign and send it back to school. If you would like me to make you a copy, just let me know.

The students have been enjoying using the ipads in class and will continue learning to use different applications to enhance their learning in math and spelling this week. A favorite at the moment is an app called Rush Hour - a sliding block puzzle game that promotes problem solving and critical thinking skills. 

The students have been having fun practicing for the second grade show. We will focus on practicing the Europe poem this week, reviewing The Seven Continents and South American poems. The students seem to be a very creative and musical group. Last week I taught them the Kerry Dance, which has some very basic elements of Irish dance in it. They were quick at picking up the steps and words.

Here is an outline of curriculum content for the week. The students will continue presenting their Current Events and our Parent Reader is Claire's mom (Jill E.). 

Literacy

* Phonics, spelling and vocabulary review
* Reading: A Chair for My Mother, by Vera Williams
* Reading Workshop - Readers help themselves understand the story by figuring out the author's purpose; Partners show respect for their reading time together by following the procedures of partner time (sitting hip to hip, using one book at a time, using quiet voices); Partners can help each other read with smooth voices by echoing reading.
* Writing Workshop - Small Moment Writing - Taking a small moment and stretching it across page; adding interesting details
* Grammar Review - Sentence structure
* Handwriting - Center Starting Capitals (C, O, Q, G, S, A, I, T, J); Capital review and number practice (1-10)

Math - Unit 2 -Addition and Subtraction Facts

* Make up, represent and solve addition number stories
* Review easy addition facts like +0, +1, +1, +2, +3
* Double facts
* Turn-Around Facts and the +9 shortcut

Social Studies - North America

* North American Landmark research and project work

Science - Lesson 3 - Where Did the Water Go?

Students discuss how the water in the petri dishes has changed since last lesson; they discuss where they think the water in the uncovered petri dishes has gone; students will set up an investigation of evaporation and condensation and read about changes in the state of water.

Have a wonderful week -

Ms. O'Mullane

Week 4 - September 17-21, 2012

Our greeting of the week is "privet", which is hello in Russian. Thanks to our classmate, Nick, who helped us choose this one.

Friday, September 21st, is The International Day of Peace. The Lower Division community will gather on that morning at 8:15. Families are welcome to join us in the courtyard.
Parents, we need your help with the rock garden. Please have your child find a rock that will fit in the palm of his/her hand. Have your child decorate the rock, keeping the purpose in mind. We suggest acrylic paints, permanent markers, colored pencils, or any combination of those. Mrs. Rowe has agreed to varnish the rocks if they are turned in by Tuesday, 9/18.

Library check-out is every Tuesday. Please remind your child to return their books on this day, so they are able to check out more books to read. Parents are there to help with check-out only at this time.

Conference day in on Thursday, October 4th. A confirmation of your conference time will be sent out later on in the week. If this time no longer works for you, please contact me so we can arrange another time to meet.

Current Events continues this week. Please refer to the calendar in your child's Take Home Folder to see the day your child is scheduled to share.

Spelling words this week will be made up of five words that follow the spelling rule for the week and five high frequency words (which your child does not know how to spell). Each child will have their own list of words, depending on their individual needs, so I have not created a list on Spelling City this week. Your child can type in their own list of words, if they want to use this website to help practice their spelling words.

The children will bring home the first Home Link in math this week and sit for their first math assessment. We will be doing lots of practice in class to help build up their confidence and proficiency in telling time, adding coins, counting on a number grid and line, as well as using tally marks.

We will practice our second poem for our show titled: South America. Please have your child read over this poem each day as part of their reading homework.

Here are some themes/concepts covered this week in class.

Language Arts

* Phonics - long vowel e/ee, ea; Inflections -ed, -ing

* Spelling - seaweed, please, teacher, beneath, nearly, plus five high frequency words

* Vocabulary - anxious, ached, crooned, scent

* Reading - Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

* Reading Workshop: Readers help themselves understand the story by asking themselves questions as they read (What am I wondering? What questions do I have?); Readers help themselves understand the story by stopping and thinking after reading chunks of text; Readers help themselves understand the story by figuring out the author's purpose; Partners show respect for their reading time together by following the procedures of partner time (sitting hip to hip, using one books at a time, using quiet voices)
* Grammar - Parts of a sentence. A sentence has two parts - a naming part and a telling part. To find the naming part of a sentence, you can ask yourself, who or what the sentence is about. You can find the telling part by asking yourself what someone or something is or does.

* Writing Workshop - Editing and publishing reflections; Topics from the Heart; Small Moment Narrative writing

* Handwriting Without Tears - Pencil grip and slanting paper; Frog Jump Capitals (FEDPBRNM)

Mathematics - Unit 1

* Comparing numbers using the relation symbols greater than, less than, equal to

* Introducing Home Links (Math Homework)

* Exploring Temperatures, Base 10 Structures and Dominoes

* Review Unit 1 and assessment

Social Studies

* Research facts about famous North America landmarks using World Book for Kids (Log-in : Shorecrest; Password: chargers). Student will put facts about their chosen North American landmark in a web and add to this throughout the week. They are learning to read and take notes.

Science - Changes - Freezing and Melting

* Students will observe and record the properties of ice;

* Students design and implement a method for melting an ice cube

* Students set up an investigation of evaporation

I wish you a wonderful week.

Ms. O'Mullane

Week 3 - September 10th-14th

Our greeting of the week is "G'Day" from Australia. Each week I am teaching the students how to say hello in a different language. Last week our greeting was Buenos dias, which is hello in Spanish.

Welcome to our third week of the school year. I hope you had a terrific weekend, as I did. September is a busy month, with the beginning of Current Events (this week) and Showcase Student (the following week), Picture Day is on September 11th, and our classmate, Victoria celebrates her 8th birthday.

Thanks to all who signed up for Parent Reader, which is held at 8:10 on Fridays. This week's Parent Reader is Kimberly B (September 14th) and next week will be Kristin L (September 21st).

Current Events
Current Events begins this week and I can't wait to hear what interesting news the students have found. I showed the students two great online news websites last week: http://dogonews.com/ and also http://www.timeforkids.com/news which can be used for current event's sharing. Please refer to the calendar in your child's Take Home Folder to see the day your child is scheduled to share.

Second Grade Show
The students are starting to learn the first poem, The Seven Continents, for our second grade show. I have put a copy of the poem, along with the three other poems, that the students will be required to recite for the show, in your child's Take Home Folder. Please have your child read over The Seven Continents poem each day as part of their reading assignment this week. My goal is to introduce one new poem each week in the month of September. The second grade show, I am a Small Part of the World, will be on Friday, November 16th at 8:30am. Please mark this date on your calendars.

Here is our curriculum at a glance for this third week of learning:

Language Arts
Phonics: long vowels a/a-e, i/i-e, o/o-e, (y)oo/u-e, CVCe Pattern in Longer Words
Spelling: mistake, refuse, bedtime, misplace, homemade, racetrack, classmate, cupcake, notepad, amuse
Reading: Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes;
Reading Workshop: Readers help themselves stay focused by making plans for themselves; Readers improve their fluency by rereading books; readers improve their fluency by reading at an appropriate rate (not too slow; not too fast); Readers improve their fluency by noticing places with dialogue and make their voices match the voice of the character who is speaking
Vocabulary: precious, envious, discontent, humorous
Grammar: Commands and Exclamations. A command is a sentence that tells someone to do something. It begins with an action words and ends with a period. Strong commands end in an exclamation point.
Writing Workshop: Routines and Procedures; Discovering one Small Moment; Stretching one Small Moment
Handwriting: Preparing to write; Posture, Paper, And Pencil Skills

Mathematics - Unit 1
* Exploring place value patterns on number grids
* Equivalent names for numbers and reviewing the calculator
* Counting and looking for patterns on the calculator
* Comparing numbers using the relation symbols (great than, less than and equal to) and introducing Home Links
* Reading and displaying temperatures, combining values of ones, tens and hundreds using base 10 blocks and exploring addition facts on dominoes

Social Studies - North America
* A journey to North America
* What are some famous North American Landmarks? Exploration in the computer lab using Google Earth

Science - Changes
* Scientific Method (Ask a question; Make a hypothesis; Conduct an Experiment; Collect Data; Analyze Information; Report Results)
* Changes: Students will begin the unit by thinking and talking about a familiar concept; how things around them change. Through a hands-on exploration, students look at the changes that result when they drop an effervescent tablet in water. This activity serves as a pre-unit assessment and sets the stage for our next two lessons in which students look at how water can freeze and melt into a liquid again.

Week 2 - September 4-7

Thanks for the great turn out at Thursday's Back to School Night. I hope you found this session helpful. I look forward to working with you and your children this year. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at momullane@shorecrest.org.

This week your child will be learning to spell another 10 words which relate to our phonics study. Please help your child learn these words, which will be tested on Friday. In addition to these spelling words, your child needs to learn the meanings of the 4 new vocabulary words, which will also be tested this Friday. These 4 words are not tested as spelling words, but meaning words.

At last Thursday's information session, you received the Current Events Calendar for the month of September. The students will be reporting on current events/news on a biweekly basis. Please help your child select an article in the local newspaper, magazine, or internet. The article needs to be related to current news and something you child found interesting. Once the article has been selected, your child should read it and then write a few sentences describing what they read, the source in which the article was found and the date it was published. They will bring in the article, along with their summary and read it to the class. The activity will help to improve the students' public speaking and note taking skills, as well as keep them in touch with what is happening in the real world. We are very excited to listen to and learn about the news that the students will bring in. Current Events will begin next Tuesday.

A reminder that Friday is Spirit Day and your child can wear their Spirit Wear to school on this day.

Picture Day will be held on September 11th, and you will be receiving more information about this later on in the week.

Thanks to you for helping your child collect Cash For Trash Items and Boxtops - which means $ for our school. Keep collecting and sending items in.

Here is our week at a glance:

Literacy
Phonics: short vowels e, o, u and inflections e and es
Spelling: helmet, puppet, rotten, subject, contest, suspect, talent, basket, dentist, bottom
Reading: Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk
Reader Workshop Mini-Lessons: Readers choose books to read by finding a book that is just right (not too hard, not too easy easy, just right); Readers help themselves stay focused by making plans for themselves; Readers help themselves stay focused by taking a quick stretch break; reread the part they missed and/or stopping to envision what's going on in the story
Vocabulary: reference (book), illustrator, impossible, wondered
Grammar: Statements and Questions
Writing Workshop: Procedures and Routines; Launching Small Moment Writing; Choosing a topic you know and care about
Handwriting: Warm-up routines

Every Friday, the students shop for new books to add to the collection of books they are reading in the classroom. We are beginning to talk about how to choose books, based on interest and their reading ability. Please check out the link below about how to support your child with choosing a Just Right Book, whether you are at your local library, home or book store.

http://www.brainpopjr.com/readingandwriting/readingskills/choosingabook/grownups.weml

Mathematics - Unit 1 (Review)
* Practice with addition facts and establishing partnership principles in math
* Grouping by tens and practicing exchanging $1, $10, $100 bills
* Introducing My Reference Book and the Math Box routine
* Working in small groups and reviewing number patterns and sequences

Social Studies
* The compass rose is a symbol that helps you read a map
* A globe is handy for finding places on Earth. A world map can show all of Earth, too
* North America

Science
* Using Scientific Method

Have a wonderful week -

Ms. O'Mullane

Week 1 - August 27-31

The students are off to a great start! Last week was spent going over our classroom procedures and rules, as well as having some fun getting to know one another, designed to develop students' sense of belonging to the class. The students came up with a set of class promises centered around the Shorecrest Honor Pledge and Lower Division Motto, which are now proudly displayed on a chart on the classroom wall. Dr. Bianco visited us on Friday and made the comment that the students looked very settled and ready to learn. How proud of them I was. I am looking forward to a great year ahead.

Just a friendly reminder (if you haven't already) completed and turned in the Getting to Know You Questionnaire, that I sent home on the first day of school. I would love to have this from you. This information helps me get to know your child better and best meet his/her needs in the classroom.

Back-To-School Night is this Thursday, August 30th at 7pm. During this time you will have the opportunity to learn more about our classroom routines and expectations, instruction and grade level curriculum. You will also have a chance to sign up for various activities going on in class (e.g. Parent Reader) as well as fall conference day.

Here is our week at a glance. I explained our homework routine in an earlier blog, so please scroll down the page and have a read. I would encourage you to sign up for my blog, for weekly updates. I update my blog each Monday.

Have a wonderful week and hope to see you this Thursday.

Literacy
* Phonics - Short vowels a and i
* Spelling List 1- picnic, plastic, rabbit, fabric, napkin, Spanish, giggle, candid, zigzag, habitat
* Vocabulary - privacy, artistic, deluxe, expressed (the students will learn the meaning of these words and be able to use them in context)
* Reading - Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
* Reading Workshop - Unit 1 Study: Readers Build Good Habits
The students will learn that readers use all of their precious reading time by getting started right away, that readers choose a reading spot by finding a place that will help them do their best reading, that readers show they understand how the classroom library is organized by following routines and procedures for book shopping, and readers choose books to read by finding a book that is just right (not too hard, not too easy, just right).
* Grammar - Sentences express a complete idea. A sentence begins with a capital letter, and ends with an end mark, such as a period.
* Writing Workshop - Routines and Writing Assessment (An Animal for A Day)
* Handwriting - Assessment (Upper and Lower Case Letters)

Mathematics - Unit 1 - Numbers and Routines
* Introduce the Math Message routine; and to review number sequences and number lines
* Introduce the tool kits and guide children as they find the values of coin combinations
* Review months, weeks, and days of the week

Social Studies
* What is a continent?
* Draw a map of the world assessment
* Begin learning The Seven Continents Poem

Science
* Scientific Method
* Using the five senses

Over the next two weeks, we will be creating our Time Capsules, that we will fill with memories that will be sealed and opened up at the end of the school year. I wonder how much the students will grow, physically, emotionally, and academically this year.

Have a terrific week. I hope to see you on Thursday.

Ms. O'Mullane

Work for Monday, August 27, 2012

The wind has picked up in this last hour as I write to you all. I am glad that we will be all safe in our homes today as tropical storm Isac passes by. I have been watching the weather channel with Grace and have found it all fascinating how a hurricane develops and travels, and most importantly, how to keep safe. A great website I found that you might like to visit is: http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-hurricane.htm to give you more information about hurricanes.

Today we were going to talk about the short "i and "a" vowel sounds and brainstorm words that have the short "i" and/or "a" in them.

This week's spelling words (which will be quizzed on Friday) includes words with the short "i" and "a" in them. They are: picnic, plastic, rabbit, fabric, napkin, Spanish, giggle, candid, zigzag, and habitat. You can read these and then write them as rainbow words on a piece of paper. Rainbow words are words written in three different colors, You can also go to the website http://www.spellingcity.com and select "Find a List." Type my name Omullane. Then, select the unit and week that we are working on. Have fun completing one of the free activities online to help you practice your spelling words.

I also would like you to read at home and watch the weather outside. If you like, write a poem or narrative about what is going on outside your home and how you feel.

Warmest wishes and I will see you on Tuesday.

Ms. O'Mullane

Our Homework Routine

Homework is assigned Monday through Thursday. It should take approximately 15-20 minutes or so to complete, varying somewhat with each child’s personal work habits. In addition, students are required to read for at least 20 minutes each night.

 At the beginning of second grade, it is best to monitor the reading and, if possible, read along with your child. As the year progresses, you child will become a more independent reader and will be ready to choose favorite authors. It is perfectly acceptable for your child to read easy books at the beginning of the year. This creates a comfortable reading experience and enhances fluency. As time goes by, you will want to encourage more challenging selections (in partnership with me). 

Each week your child will receive a homework log where he/she will record their daily homework assignments on. Simply initial the right margin of the homework log to indicate your child has completed the homework and reading for that day. 

The homework record sheet is kept in the “take home folder”, which will also contain notes from school and work samples. Please empty the folder each day from the KEEP section of the folder (at the back), and return any notes/work in the NOTE section of this folder. There is a section at the back of the folder where your child will keep his/her reading reflections in. A reading reflection will be assigned once a week. I will talk more about homework at this Thursday's information session. 

Thank you for your cooperation. Enjoy this special time with your child.

Kind regards,

Ms. Marion O’Mullane

momullane@shorecrest.org

Welcome to Second Grade!

Dear Students,

    Welcome to our class!

     Hello. I’m Ms. O’Mullane, your second grade teacher. I am really looking forward to getting to know you and working with you this year.
     I am originally from Australia and have been teaching for 19 years, both in Australia, Europe and the USA. This is my sixth year teaching at Shorecrest and I just love teaching second grade. This year is special for me because my daughter, Grace, will be in second grade too (and right next door).
     How was your summer? I hope you had a terrific one, just like I did.
I am looking forward to meeting you on Tuesday, August 21st between 12:00-1:00 for our scheduled Meet Your Teacher time and then of course on Wednesday, August 22nd for your first day of second grade.
     On the first day of school, we will play some getting-to-know you games. I want you to think about something special that you would like to share about yourself. Remember the first day of school is a half-day.
      Please come everyday with a healthy snack to eat during our morning break.

      Until then, rest up and enjoy the rest of your break.

Ms. O’Mullane
Room 2-2
momullane@shorecrest.org

PS. Please bring your school supplies on Tuesday, August 21st, to our scheduled Meet Your Teacher time, along with a photograph of yourself taken during your summer vacation.

Thanks and Best Wishes

Thanks for working in partnership with me this year in educating your children. It has been a wonderful year and I wish you and your children the very best in the new school year. A big thank you to Molly C. and Julie P. for being our Parent Representatives and all those parents who volunteered in the library, to read to the students, and help with classroom projects. Thanks for supporting your child at home with their homework and home reading. You made the time to work with your children and this did make a difference.

I will be doing lots of traveling over the summer and studying too (Reading Workshop at Columbia University in New York). Please send me an email or join me on Facebook to keep in touch. Your children have become part of my Shorecrest family and I want to know how they are doing. If you need anything in the new school year, please don't hesitate to contact me.

You have received a Summer Packet for ways to support your child's learning over the long summer vacation. Most importantly, encourage your child to read each day and continue writing in their journal or on postcards to friends.

I leave your children with this poem:

"You're a very special person,
And I wanted you to know,
How much I enjoyed being your teacher,
How fast the year did go!

Please come back to visit me
as through the grades you grow
Try hard to learn all that you can
There is so much to know!

The one thing I tried to teach you
To last your whole life through
Is to know that you are SPECIAL
There's no one else like you!"

Ms. O'Mullane

May 21-25

Welcome to our last full week of school before a day and a half next week left until summer vacation. I thank you all for your partnership in educating your children - and what a fantastic class this has been to teach. They have grown in so many ways - academically, socially, emotionally, as well as physically. I am so proud of them.

This week we are finishing off the last social studies and math units, as well as publishing some stories, reviewing math, writing reflections, and sharing facts about what we learned about penguins. We are also doing some fun Readers' Theater and writing letters to the new second graders coming up.

May 30 is the last day of school and a noon dismissal. On this day, we will play some games, and after PE, will have a special ice-cream treat (thanks to our room parents).

I want to thank Molly C. and Julie P.. for the great job they have done being our Room Parents this year. You made my job easier and thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Next Tuesday, I will be sending home a Summer Packet, full of some ideas for review over the summer. Please practice the math facts (for all operations), the partial-sums addition and trade-first subtraction methods in math, and give your children plenty opportunities to read and write.

There is no more homework or spelling words for the school year, but please continue to encourage your children to read.

This is our last week of Current Events with Emma and Caden sharing on Tuesday, Zara and Cian on Wednesday, Luke and Lizzie on Thursday and Genesis and Maverick on Friday.

Parent Reader for Friday is D. Crupi. Thanks to all the parents who came in to read this year. We appreciate the time you made for us. You being there made a huge impact of the students.

Warm wishes and a happy week to you all -

Ms. O'Mullane

Important Changes for Friday

The PE staff is so excited for this Friday May 18, 2012. Our regularly scheduled "Splash Day,” will have to be modified in order to comply with recent water restrictions. The PE staff has arranged for a large inflatable maze to be delivered in place of the water slide. We will also provide multiple play areas and other (dry) activities that are sure to put a smile on your child's face. Spirit wear will take the place of swim wear for our "Friday Fun Day.” We are certain our students will enjoy what we have in store for them and we appreciate everyone's flexibility in this matter. We can't wait!

Thank you,

Your LD PE Staff

FLOPS AND TOPS FOR BURKINA

Flops and Tops for Burkina
Lower Division Service Project
Benefiting Hope for Burkina, May 8th – May 17th

Help make a child in Burkina Faso smile.
Donate a baseball cap, a pair of flip-flops, Crocs, or sneakers and wear a spirit shirt and/or hat (with uniform bottoms) to school!

• Donations may be used or new.
• Donate as many shoes/hats as you can spare. Wear your spirit shirt every day you donate!
• Collection bins will be located in each LD hallway.

Burkina Faso

• A West African country located south of the Sahara Desert and north of Ghana.  
• A land-locked country about the size of Colorado (105,900 sq. mi)
• Climate is tropical.
• Burkina has 16.3 million people that make up 60 ethnic groups and 4 primary religions.
• The Burkinabe people speak 6 languages.
• Burkina is one of the poorest countries in the world.

The People of Burkina Faso        

• Over half live on less than $1/day.
• Only 41% of school age children are in school and most don’t finish.
• 3 out of 10 children die before they turn 10 years old.
• Malnutrition and water borne illnesses are the nation’s biggest threats. Less than 50% of Burkinabes have access to clean drinkable water.

source: http://hopeforburkina.org

May 14-18

Welcome to our second last full week of second grade. I can't believe there are only eleven a a half more school days left in the school year! and the learning and review continues.

Last week was a very busy week for us, but a wonderful experience for us all. Thanks for coming along to our African Animal Museum and Electronic Portfolio sharing session last Tuesday and a big thank you to Lizzie, Zara, Luke and Gabby's moms for helping out on our MOSI field trip last Thursday, which was full of fun and learning.

Just to remind you that all library books were due back on May 10th and if your child still has any at home, please send these to school. Splash Day will take place this Friday, May 18th during your child's regular PE lesson. Students are to wear appropriate swimwear under their school uniform. Please keep in mind each child must wear their regular school uniform at all times except during their PE period. Don't forget sunscreen and/or hat, and of course a plastic bag (for wet swimmers) and towel.


Our ice-cream sundae party will take place on the last day of school after PE. You are welcome to join us at the picnic tables at about 11:15. Thanks to our class representatives for organizing this celebration.

Current Event continues this week with Gabby and John sharing on Tuesday, Lucy and Connor on Wednesday, Quentin and Skyler on Thursday and Lucile and Ethan on Friday.

Friday's Parent Reader is Jamie McElroy.

We are continuing review high frequency words this week in spelling: follow, pretty, couldn't, happen, themselves, direction, nothing, life, someone, without, instead, either, lunch, important, less, own, think, round, scared, person, short, add, wanted, young, question, yourself, answer, money, simple, more

In reading workshop, we are doing a mini-unit on Summer Reading and in the writing workshop, the students are working on publishing one last personal narrative.

In math, we are continuing our measurement unit, including providing experiences with finding perimeters by measuring to the nearest centimeter, exploring area, capacity and weight.

In social students, the students are learning about Antarctica and doing some research on different penguin species.

We have finished our Butterfly unit in science, and so we will end the year doing some fun experiments, including Static Stuff (How can a balloon move water without touching it?).

Warmest wishes for a great week ahead -

Ms. O'Mullane

We Have Butterflies

Our butterflies are here and are fluttering about. The students have discovered that in the process of metamorphosis, the mouth parts of the Painted Lady changed from the chewing mandibles of the caterpillar stage to the sucking proboscis of the butterfly. The butterflies are using the proboscis to suck up nectar (sugared water and juice of the orange). We will continue observing the butterfly this week, including parts of its body and butterfly behavior.

Tomorrow is an exciting time for your children when they get to share their electronic portfolios. The teachers and I have worked really hard in preparing the portfolios (with the help of your children) and hope you can come along. Your child will share at 8:15am. Please met us at the computer lab and celebrate and sample some of the wonderful work your child has done this year. After the share, please join your child back in the classroom for our African Animal Museum.

This Thursday is our field trip to MOSI. If you did not order your child a lunch through SAGE, please pack his/her lunch in disposable packaging. We will be leaving school after 8:30 and returning at the end of the day. If you wish to join us on the trip, please met us at the museum. We will be touring the museum before having an hour long lesson in the science lab, followed by lunch and more touring of the museum. We are looking forward to this day out.

Current Events sharing continues again this week with Emma and Caden sharing on Tuesday, Zara and Cian on Wednesday, Luke and Lizzie on Thursday and Genesis and Maverick on Friday.

Our Parent Reader this Friday is K.Peters.

Thanks to all who have been regulars in the library this year - Kris Peters, Stacy Broome, Debra Crupi, Molly Camp, Kristin Leary, and Jill Breton for all your hard work. Your time and dedication is most appreciated. If anyone would like to help Mrs. Smay out in the library as the year comes to a close, I know she would appreciate the help. Please email her.

We will continue our review in language arts and this week we will review some high frequency word in spelling: being, also slowly, bring, hear, often, page, store, while, however, kids, check, listen few stuff, problem, such, cleans, teacher, dream, sister, plan, they're, possible, thought, really, understand, near, rest, soon

In math we will work on the concept of measurement and practice the partial sums addition and trade first subtraction methods (ready for third grade).

The students will present information about their African animals and get ready to visit the continent of Antarctica.

Please contact me is you have any questions/concerns.

Have a wonderful week - Ms. O'Mullane

April 30th - May 4, 2012

Wow! Tomorrow is May and only 22 more school days left until the end of the school year. This next month will be a busy month with assessing and reviewing second grade concepts, sharing electronic portfolios (May 8th @ 8:15), MOSI field trip (May 10th), and Splash Day (May 18th), as well as sharing our African Animal projects, and end of year party.

This morning the students discovered that their caterpillars had made their chrysalis' and now (except for an occasional twitch), the pupa appears to be lifeless. The pupa is hanging head-down and some of the butterfly structures are forming under the protective shell. We will continue observing this stage (which last for about 7 to 10 days) this week and students will make predictions about what will emerge from the chrysalis.

Current Events begins again this week with Gabby and John presenting on Tuesday, Lucy and Connor on Wednesday, Quentin and Skyler on Thursday and Lucile and Ethan on Friday.

Thanks to all those dedicated parents who work in the library each Tuesday. We appreciate all that you do.

Our Parent Reader this week is M. Camp.

We will continue our review in language arts and begin our unit on poetry. In math, we will finish off our work with fractions and do some review so the students are ready to complete their next math assessment. In social studies, the students will finish off their African animal project, that they will be hoping to share with you next Tuesday (following the electronic portfolio sharing session).

Spelling words this week are made up of vocabulary words from various subjects including the Life Cycle of the Lady Painted Butterfly, math and social studies. Spelling practice (as well as reading) is a part of the homework routine each day. Your support at home is most appreciated and really does make a big difference.

This week's spelling list includes the following words:

adaptation, caterpillar, chrysalis, continent, emerge, equivalent, fraction, habitat, metamorphosis, molting, predator, proboscis

I wish you a wonderful week -

Ms. O'Mullane

SPLASH DAY - A MESSAGE FROM THE PE TEAM

SPLASH DAY K-3

We will be hosting the Lower Division Splash Day on Friday, May 18, 2012. The event is scheduled during each grade’s normal PE period and will last approximately 30 minutes. Splash Day consists of a variety of safe and fun water games and toys. Activities are designed to soak, spray, and splash. Students will not be swimming or submerging themselves in water. Participants are sure to enjoy the large inflatable water slide again this year. A dry area, “The Beach,” will be available to any students not wishing to get wet or participate in Splash Day. Equipment, games, activities and supervision will be present for those students playing on The Beach.

What to bring/wear:

· Wear appropriate swimwear to school under the school uniform. Please keep in mind each child must wear their regular school uniform at all times except during their PE period.

· Sunscreen and/or hat

· Towel

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

LD PE Team

727-522-2111

Ext. 442