Polar Express/Holiday Party on Thursday, 12/15!!

Our Polar Express Unit and class holiday party will take place on Thursday, 12/15. Students are allowed to come to school in their pajamas and wear them all day. They may also bring small blankets and pillows if they would like. We will be serving hot chocolate and munchkin donuts during the movie. We will have Happy Meals from McDonald's for lunch. In the afternoon, we will make some crafts and decorate cakes. I look forward to seeing some of you at our event!

Progress Reports Q2- Will be sent home today, 12/13!

Hi Parents-

       Please check your student's communication folder. I have sent home progress reports for your review. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Please remember to check your child's grades on a weekly basis on Progressbook. I grade papers and update the books weekly!


Thanks,
Ms. Walker

Math Unit 6 Updates

We will have our unit test over Chapter 6, double-digit addition with regrouping tomorrow!

Math Enrichment Packet for Unit 6 is due no later than Thursday, 12/15 for 10 points of extra credit to be factored into the students' total point average.

No Spelling Home Learning Week of 12/12

Enjoy the week off from spelling! We will resume after the break :)

Spelling Words Week of 12/5

List A:
whiskers
whisper
gathering
shopping
whimper
birthday
smashing
whirlwind
freshest
teacher
champion
cheetah
wharf
wheat
thousand
*gingerbread
*angels
*conductor
*reindeer
*snowflakes

List B:
whale
who
splash
sheep
both
then
chase
teeth
teach
which
than
catch
lunch
whistle
match
*gingerbread
*angels
*conductor
*reindeer
*snowflakes

Holiday Musical Update!!

Hi Parents-

      Our holiday musical will take place on Tuesday, December 6th at 7:30 pm. Students are to meet in our classroom at 7pm prior to the performance. Please make sure you are on time, as we need to change into our costumes and line up accordingly. Ms. LaPointe will be bringing the shirts for each child. Mr. Smith has asked that the students wear their NAVY school uniform bottoms (skorts for the girls and long pants for the boys, IF POSSIBLE). If you do not have navy, KHAKI is acceptable as well. Please let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to seeing all of you very soon!

Please make sure your child continues to practice their singing and their lines :)

Thanks,
Ms. Walker

Holiday Musical Info

Hi Parents-

     The holiday musical is fast approaching! I sent out an email from our homeroom mom, Kelli LaPointe, but in case you missed it we have ordered shirts for every child in the class. We will distribute shirts in our classroom the night of the event. Also, please make sure your children are practicing the songs from the CD sent home with your child a few weeks ago. Additionally, if your child has a solo or speaking part, it is imperative that they know their parts. I received a very disappointing report from our music teacher, Mr. Smith, who has informed me that the students in my class are unprepared and do not know their parts or words to the songs. Please help him in preparing for the musical by practicing at home.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Ms. Walker

Spelling List Week of 11/28

List A
woodpecker

chicken

quickly

rocket

knocking

thumbtack

cracker

silk

shrink

backpack

stocking

package

jacket

wreck

ticket

*library

*Christmas tree

*tennis

*mashed potatoes

*ornaments

List B

neck

lake

sick

ask

lick

pack

woke

kick

lock

poke

walk

chalk

silk

talk

smoke

*stocking

*package

*jacket

*wreck

*ticket

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi Families-

     I want to wish you and your children a very Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are enjoying the time off with your families. Please have a safe, restful and fun holiday week. I will see everyone on Monday!

Best wishes,
Ms. Walker

Thanksgiving Feast Tomorrow! 11:30 am at the Picnic Table Pavilion

Our 2nd grade feast will take place from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm tomorrow. We will be feasting at the picnic tables in the pavilion near the soccer fields. If you are volunteering/setting up, please plan to arrive by 10:45-11:00 to help set up our table and get food ready for the kids!

I look forward to seeing everyone at the very special event tomorrow :)

Thanks so much,
Ms. Walker

Spelling List Week of 11/14

List A

favorite

special

soldier

decide

fruit

electric

stomach

throat

disappointed

carriage

afraid

difference

citrus

celery

cylinder

List B

their

really

used

house

clothes

through

would

could

should

because

things

any

went

think

people

Bonus:

*Thanksgiving *regions *symbols *colonies *moccasins

Paper Towel Rolls Needed!

If you have empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls, please send them in by Monday, as I would like to make totem poles with the kids to represent the Native Americans of the Pacific Coast.

Will Ms. Walker Kiss a Duck? :)

That's right...start emptying your piggy banks if you would like to see Ms. Walker kiss a real duck at the homecoming pep rally on December 2nd. All proceeds from the fundraiser will support CCA's homecoming events. Fundraiser begins tomorrow! The elementary teacher with the most money raised will give the duck a big smooch ;)

Spelling List Week of 11/7

List A:
children
captain
parents
helium
paradise
believe
building
science
police
squirrel
statue
ancient
neighbors
oyster
loaves
*exercises
*passengers
*research
*liquid
*solid

List B:

here*exercises

were
friend
little
some
would
down
they
across
floor
clock
told
catch
cloud
happen

*passengers

*research

*liquid

*solid

2nd Grade Thanksgiving Feast

Hi Parents-

    Our second grade Thanksgiving Feast will take place on Friday, November 18th. A letter was sent home with your child on Thursday, November 3rd outlining details. The feast costs are separate from our party fund as stated in our initial letter. The cost of the feast is $5 per student (feast details are in the letter) and is due no later than Friday, November 11th. Also, please fill out the letter and let us know if you will be able to assist in decorating for the feast or if you will be in attendance.

   If you have a financial hardship and are unable to provide $5 for your child's feast, please let me know as soon as possible. I will make arrangements, as I don't want any child to miss out on this exciting event!

Best,
Ms. Walker

Magazines Needed!

If anyone has old magazines that they are no longer using, we would love to have them for a science activity. Please send them in by Tuesday if you have any.

PS-- please make sure they are appropriate for a 7 yr old to review e.g. Better Homes, Southern Living, Real Simple, Cooking Magazines etc. are typically safe bets! (Or if you can "screen" them beforehand and tear out ads that are alcohol-related or have sexual content).


Thanks!

Spelling Words week of 11/1

List A:
pillow
coffee
office
giggle
collect
glitter
carrot
lettuce
happen
puzzle
rubber
spilled
really
accident
excellent
*Native Americans
*feast
*harvest
*Pilgrims
*turkey

List B:
brass, silly, better, funny, cross, dress, tell, sell, letter, pretty, happy, full, cliff, pull, toss
*Native Americans
*feast
*harvest
*Pilgrims
*turkey

Magic Tree House: Thanksgiving on Thursday Books Needed by 11/1

Hi Parents-

      Beginning on Tuesday, 11/1, we will be reading Magic Tree House: Thanksgiving on Thursday as a class. I currently have only 6 copies of the book,so I will need books to be donated or brought in from the library, home collection, book store etc. If you would like your child to have their own copy to read in class, please send one in with them by 11/1. I do have a few copies to share, but not enough for everyone. If anyone is interested in donating some copies to our classroom for volunteer hours, please let me know! The books are available at Barnes and Noble for approximately $4-$5 each.


Thanks,
Ms. Walker

Fall Festival is Monday, 10/31!!

Our second grade fall festival will be held in our classrooms from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm on Monday, October 31st. We will be doing educational activities for reading, math and science, as well as some crafts and fun "fall" festivities. A pizza lunch will be served and has been paid for by the party fund that you all donated to earlier in the year. If your child does not eat pizza, please pack a lunch!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

I look forward to seeing some of you on Monday for this fun-filled event!

Best,
Ms. Walker

Weekly Update Delay

Hi Parents-

       I wanted to apologize in advance for not sending a weekly update last week or this evening. Between grad school and powering through report cards, I am a little swamped. In any case, it's not an excuse to keep you out of the loop. I will send an update out this weekend outlining the past few weeks.

Thanks,
Ms. Walker :)

At-home Volunteer Needed Again- T-day Headdress Feathers

Hi Parents-
    

        For our Thanksgiving feast, we will be wearing headdresses and I really need paper feathers traced and cut. I have a template and have construction paper. Please let me know if you are interested in helping out and getting some volunteer hours. I need them as soon as possible, as the students are going to earn feathers for their headdress for doing good deeds, good behavior etc.


Thanks,
Ms. Walker

At-home Volunteer Needed

Hi Parents-
        
        Our annual holiday musical is fast approaching. I will be sending home a letter tomorrow from our music instructor, Mr. Smith, outlining dates and details. In the interim, he has provided one CD of the music that the children need to memorize for the performance. He has asked that each classroom have 18 copies burned so that the students can take them home and learn the songs. If anyone is interested in providing and burning 18 copies of the CDs for volunteer hours, please email me ASAP. I need to get these out to the students next week so that they can start singing in the car, shower and in their sleep :)

Thanks so much!

Ms. Walker

Spelling Words Week of 10/24

*Since this is a short week, we will only have one list*

step, nest, club, stone, next, brave, glad, lost, space, storm, frog, slip

Bonus:

*Halloween

*pumpkins

*leaves

*autumn

*costume

Pearson SuccessNet Math Site

Hi Parents--

        Please make sure to check your child's blue communication folder for a light blue sheet of paper with their username and password for Pearson SuccessNet at home math learning. This site is a resource we use in the classroom during math instruction and the same animated video lessons we watch in class can be watched again at home by logging in to this site. This site also has practice sheets, games and much more! I hope everyone will login and explore the options offered through this site!

Please let me know if you have any questions :)

Thanks,
Ms. Walker

Math Enrichment Packet Unit 4- Due FRIDAY 10/21

Math Enrichment packet for Unit 4 went home with your child in their blue communication folder today.  The packet is worth 10 extra credit points to be factored into their math average grade.  The packet is due this Friday, 10/21. By Thursday, we will have learned thru 4-8 so students may need some help on 4-9. Late work will not be accepted.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Thanks,
Ms. Walker

Spelling Words Week of 10/17

List A

chute

slice
globe
excuse
refuse
bathe
blaze
stove
tune
rise
smile
escape
*explode
*quiet
*beautiful
*eagle
*dollar

List B
bone
 close
 those
 goes
 these
  note
 one
hope
 blame
 brake
 huge
 tune
*explode
*quiet
*beautiful
*eagle
*dollar

**Reading Extra Credit Opportunity**

Hi Students and Parents--

Our first marking period will officially end on 10/27. I like to give students an opportunity for extra credit each quarter for reading/language arts. Since this assignment is extra credit, it is OPTIONAL yet highly encouraged. I will be replacing the student's lowest test or assignment score in either reading OR language arts depending on which assignment is the lowest and which grade this opportunity will benefit the most. Please find below a link to the extra credit assignment. Your child is to choose a picture book or chapter book at their appropriate reading level and complete the book review form. They may read a new book or use a book they have read since the school year started. The book review form MUST be in the student's handwriting with word choices and sentences written by the student. Students must write in complete sentences with proper capitalization and punctuation where necessary. Spelling should be to the student's best abilities. Please do not correct their spelling for them. Parents can guide students but this needs to be 2nd grade work done by your child.

This assignment is due on Friday October 21st. Late work WILL NOT be accepted.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/reading/book-review.pdf

Thanks,
Ms. Walker

Chief Meteorologist Tom Sorrells was our Guest today at CCA!!

Chief Meteorologist Tom Sorrells from News Channel 6 visited the 2nd graders today to enhance their excitement and understanding of the weather/storms unit in science. He spoke about how he became interested in his field and about hurricane safety. We even got autographed pictures to keep!

Spelling List Week of 10/10

There will only be one list this week, as we took a pretest today and these words proved to be perfectly challenging for everyone :)

Please note that this week's focus is compound words. I have already let the students know that these words are to be written together e.g. hotdog NOT hot dog. If written separately, the lesson is defeated.

Also, beginning two weeks ago I started a dictation sentence on the test. I have noticed that it can be "easy" to memorize these words, but then they aren't remembered, used or spelled correctly in their actual writing. We will continue to have a dictation sentence for the remainder of quarter 1 and then our tests will slowly evolve to 100% dictation or short stories. These spelling tests are more difficult, but much more effective in the long-run.

pancake, breakfast, bedtime, schoolhouse, hamburger, outside, hotdog, northwest, sidewalk, overcook, peanut, backyard, downpour, sandwich, meatball

Bonus:

*quarter

*courage

*nickel

*explorer

 

 

 

Unit 3 Math Test Results....WOW!!

Comgratulations to our class! Our average test score for unit 3 Math was a 93 :) YAY!!! Keep up the FANTASTIC work!

Scholastic Book Clubs- How to order!

Scholastic Book Clubs: Online Ordering Information
Web address: scholastic.com/bookclubs
Class Activation Code: H7PBH
Dear Parents,

Now it's easier than ever to find the perfect books for your child -- shop our NEW online Book Clubs Web site. Choose from a much-wider selection of books than in the printed flyer. Plus, you can send your orders directly to me online and use your credit card to pay.

Best of all, we earn a FREE book for the classroom library every time a parent places an order online.*

It's so simple! Here's how it works:

• SIGN UP at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the "Register" button in the "First Time Here?" section. Register for your own user name and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code shown above. This unique code ensures that your order is sent to me.
  
• SELECT the books you'd like to order -- choose from thousands of titles -- many more than in our monthly flyers.
  
• SEND your order to me online by the due date stated on the site and your child's books will be delivered directly to my classroom.

Ordering online is fast, easy, and secure.

Of course, you can still order using the form from the printed flyer (will go home with your child on 10/10). But why not see for yourself how convenient it is to order online?

PS-- I posted a list of recommended books and a wish list for our classroom library.

Also, many of the books are listed by AR level. Most of our STAR testing is complete, so I will be sending AR levels home this upcoming week.


Thank you,
Ms. Walker

*Excludes eBooks.

Door Decorator Needed!

Hi Parents--
       I would like to know if anyone is interested in decorating my door a few times this school year for the various seasons. I started decorating my door last school year and now apparently everyone has gotten wind of it and has beautiful doors. In any case, I don't have the extra time right now to do it but if you are creative and interested please let me know :) I am thinking I would like to start with a door for fall (leaves, pumpkins, etc.).

Thanks so much :)

Ms. Walker

Spelling List Week of 10/3

*There will only be ONE spelling list this week*


didn't

 I'll

 shouldn't

 won't

 doesn't

 they've

 you'll

 don't

 it's

we're

you're

she'll

 we've

 *precipitation
*thermometer
*drought
*weather

Spelling Lists week of 9/26

List A:

1. climb

2. thought

3. never

4. fishing

5.contest

6. traffic

7. morning

8. know

9. upset

10. pretzel

11. plastic

12. kitten

*poetry

*rhyme

*imagine

*Florida

*Tallahassee

List B:

1. skip

2. dime

3. just

4. tape

5. bump

6. kick

7. woke

8. froze

9. eve

10. lack

11. huge

12. taste

*poetry

*imagine

*rhyme

*Florida

*Tallahassee

Progress Reports, Communication Binder/Folder, Progress Book etc. Reminders

Please note that Progress Reports were sent home in your child's blue communication folder TODAY. I do not need them returned to school, but please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I am here to help and available for conferences if need be.

Please make sure your child's communication folder is cleared out on a nightly basis, most importantly over the weekend after graded work has been sent home. I see far too many folders overflowing with papers that are more than a week old and this is not acceptable.

Lastly, please make sure you are checking your child's grades on Progress Book on a regular basis. I post new grades weekly and now that we are entering the 6th week of school, we are well underway with the curriculum and graded work.

Thanks,
Ms. Walker

Open House 9/20

This is a friendly reminder about open house tomorrow evening from 6pm to 8pm. I will be giving a brief presentation beginning promptly at 6:15pm which will be followed by a question/answer opportunity. I look forward to showing off our classroom and beautiful student work tomorrow evening. See you all there :)

Second Grade Social- Wednesday, September 14th

Hi Parents-

      I just wanted to send a friendly reminder about our Second Grade Social on Wednesday morning from 7:30 am to 7:50 am. This is a chance for you to stop by our classroom and mingle with other parents in our classroom. We will have beverages and breakfast snacks! Also, if you are able to contribute to supplies, please contact Kelli LaPointe.


Hope to see you all there :)

Ms. Walker

Houghton-Mifflin "At-Home" Activities

Hi Everyone!

      I found an excellent resource for practicing and reinforcing reading skills that we are learning each week at home. Some activities are teacher-created and others are provided online by the Houghton-Mifflin company. Here is the website where your children can practice weekly vocabulary, spelling, phonics etc. that accompanies each story we are reading in class. This week we are reading Mrs. Brown Goes to Town if anyone wants to give it a try. I appreciate feedback if your kids enjoy these activities..they look pretty fun :)


http://www.mrsmacdonaldteacher.com/2nd%20Grade%20Reading%20Resources.html#grade2

Math Enrichment Packets

An enrichment packet for math was sent home with your child on Friday. Please note that this is simply enrichment and is a tool to enhance and challenge your child's learning. While I am NOT requiring that your child complete the packet, I do encourage you and your child to work on it together or they may do it independently. If your child chooses to complete the packet, they may return the packet to school by Tuesday, 9/13 for 10 points of extra credit factored into their grade average for math. Once again, this assignment is optional but highly encouraged to promote higher order thinking and additional learning :)

Also, extra credit will be given for effort and completion.


Please let me know if you have any questions!

Picture Day is Tomorrow, September 9th!!

Our picture day for the yearbook will be tomorrow, 9/9 at 8:30 am. Please make sure your child is dressed in school uniform (must be in uniform shirt...no spirit shirts tomorrow).

If you would like to order pictures, an envelope was sent home in your child's communication folder (navy). Please make sure you return this to me by tomorrow, if interested!

Can't wait to see all my beautiful little ladies and handsome gentlemen tomorrow :)

Home Learning Procedure Update

Good evening!

       I just wanted to take a moment to update everyone on my new home learning procedure. I am trying to find a way to streamline the process for both the students and myself. Last year I had the students tear out their math sheet every day and I had them write their spelling on loose leaf paper. Long story short, it was a big mess of papers, lost home work etc. and I didn't find it very effective to say the least. This year, I thought I would try housing all of the home learning in one place for each math and spelling. I originally had intended to send the math workbook and spelling notebook home daily, but I realized after one day that this is a lot of responsibility for the kids to remember both books every day and to take them back and forth from home to school...not to mention that I need to find time to check them all :) In any case, the students and I voted today to send home the workbook and notebook every MONDAY and the completed home learning for the week will be due to me every FRIDAY to be graded for completion. Hopefully, this system will work out well. I will still continue to assign daily home learning and expect students to do their assignments on a nightly basis. Leaving all of the work for Thursday evening will not promote good learning habits for their future, so please help me in encouraging them to complete home learning nightly.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Spelling Words Week of 9/29

Hi Parents!

       Welcome to our first week of spelling words. Your children took a pre-test today with words from our Houghton-Mifflin curriculum. If your child scored 11/12 or 12/12 words correctly, they will be practicing the advanced spelling list, "list A", for this week. If your child scored 10/12 or less, they will continue to practice the words from the curriculum, "list B,"  to strengthen their understanding for the test on Friday. This week's words focus on short "a" and short "i" vowel sounds. Each week, your child will receive 12 regular spelling words plus five bonus words. Two bonus words are standard, but I like to call the additional 3 words "super challenge words." They are simply a challenge and I realize they may be difficult at times. I do like them to practice all 17 words in their home learning, but most importantly, your child should learn their 12 words for the week before completely prior to focusing on challenge words.  I give one bonus point for each correct challenge word for a total of 5 points. If a child misses a regular word, but gets a challenge word correct they still only get 1 pt. additional, and the correct challenge word will NOT replace the missed word from the regular list.

Spelling Home Learning for the week is as follows:

Monday: ABC Order
Tuesday: Spelling Sentences
Wednesday: Pyramids
Thursday: Spellingcity.com to practice for Friday's test

Spelling List A
apple
rabbit
patch
glad
plant
mask
trap
milk
drip
slid
twins

*scratch
*picnic
*hungry
*dairy
*balanced


Spelling List B
bag
win
is
am
his
has
ran
if
dig
sat
was
will

*scratch
*picnic
*hungry
*dairy
*balanced


Also, I did assess all students on the Words Their Way Inventory that I mentioned in last week's word press. I am in the process of scoring each test and will introduce word sorts for each child's needs once I have them leveled correctly. This may take some time so bear with me as I get this program established in our classroom.

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions. Happy spelling!

Ms. Walker

Welcome!

Welcome to our classroom blog! I will be updating this site on a weekly basis. Please check back often for updates :)