Spelling List #3 and Seeds

Here are the words for the 3rd spelling test that will remain on Wednesday for next week even though we are out of school on Monday, September 2.

Spelling List #3

tune

page

nose

space

size

fine

mice

late

cube

blaze

home

vote

erase

confuse

spice

I am also asking that each student bring in one bag of dry beans or seeds to begin one of our first in class projects. Examples would be: sunflower seeds with shells, kidney beans, black beans, etc. Please bring these as soon as possible.

Newsletter, Spelling and Updates

Happy Monday! Can you believe we are in the last week of August? Here are some items of importance for this week and the following:

Weekly Newsletter was sent home on Friday, August 23, 2013. If you did not receive a copy, feel free to click the link and print or send a note notifying me. It is important to post these visible to you and your child to help with reminders of upcoming events and/or due dates.

Spelling List #2 was put in binders on Thursday, August 22, 2013. Again, feel free to print off the list or notify me if you did  not receive a copy.

Behavior Charts will be sent home starting this Friday, August 31, 2013. We did a "trial run" of our new behavior clip chart last week. It worked beautifully! The boys and girls are working so hard trying to reach the top! After the student reaches the top (Outstanding!) 5 times, they will go onto the Clip Chart Hall of Fame and receive a new clip. I have placed in each students folder a copy of what you should see this Friday, August 31.

HOMEWORK: I understand the confusion with the changing of homework assignments and appreciate your flexibility. This week we are going to try a different method of recording our homework assignments. Instead of sending home and entire week's plan, I am going to have the students put a teacher made sticker on the day of the same style sheet with the homework just for that particular day. I also will offer the option of you receiving an anonymous text message/email from the Remind101 program. If you would like to receive the homework assignments daily via this method, as well, please check your child's DOG binder for the sign-up instructions on Tuesday or CLICK HERE. (My printer went down at the end of the day) This method does NOT give out your cell phone number or e-mail. It is a random number and e-mail.

Finally, here are some additional dates added to this week's and next week's calendars:
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
1. Spelling Test #2
2. Math Quiz over lessons 1 - 3 (study sheets will be sent home Tuesday)
Friday, August 30, 2013
1. Geography Terminology Quiz (study guide will be sent home Tuesday)
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
1. Math Quiz over lessons 1 - 6
2. Reading Comprehension Test (study guide will be sent home Thursday/Friday)
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
1. Science Quiz on Parts of the Plant (study guide will be sent home this Wednesday)
2. Spelling Test #3

AGAIN, please remember these dates can change. Please read your newsletter and/or our website. I would encourage you to sign-up for the Remind101 as well. Thank you for being an awesome team as we continue to make this a M&M year (momentous and memorable)!

Spelling Lists and Math Review

Here are the words for first Spelling Test next Wednesday, August 21, 2013.

1. Monday
2. Tuesday
3. Wednesday
4. Thursday
5. Friday
6. Saturday
7. Sunday
8. weekend
9. seasons
10. year
11. three
12. Proverbs (Challenge/Bonus Word)

The Challenge word will always relate to what the students are studying in religion or our scripture memory verse.
Here is the Math Review I sent home today in preparation for our Rocket Math timed placement tomorrow.

REMINDER: We do not start our Friday electives until Friday, September 6, 2013. Therefore, school will be dismissing at 2:00 PM until then.

Scripture Memory Verses and Other Updates

We are having a fabulous week! Your students worked incredibly hard on Tuesday with a small group activity. You could have heard a pin drop because they were working so hard. I was able to take some wonderful action shots of your kiddos while they were working.

Today we dove deep into our baseline assessments. Once again, they demonstrated such determination to do their best on every question/problem. Very impressive! Kuddos to you the parents and guardians, too!

I have finally been able to compose our  listing of our Monthly Scripture Memory Verses. We have been practicing our August verse daily when we have transitional time during class. They are doing great! I will be sending home the hard copy of the memory verses tomorrow, Thursday, August 15.

I, also, will be posting the Spelling List #1 tomorrow. The first list will be all review sight words from the previous year that I have noticed this week alone they are struggling to spell without aids (i.e., days of the week, months of the year, etc.). These are key to composition skills for our writing this year.

Finally, I will be sending home a parent volunteer form tomorrow afternoon. If you already know that you would be interested in helping in our classroom (i.e., special crafts, small celebrations, special lessons, etc.), please feel free to e-mail me at 2ndgrade@saintanndecatur.org. Again, thank you for being such an active part of your child's learning experience.

Wednesday Night's Homework - Student is to either read one of their library books to you and/or have you read to them. Then they are to illustrate the beginning, middle and end of the story.

First Day!

I want to first say what a wonderful first day I had with all of your students! From today's events, we, as a class, have figured out the true meaning of flexibility. Your kids are AWESOME!!

We had an AMAZING Science lesson today completely prompted by exploration into our first chapter of study. We reviewed the term "hypothesis" and were able to build a list of hypotheses of how a bird built its nest out of mud. We will continue to investigate, research and develop our hypothesis to which we will later build a probable theory.

Due to the events of today, I was unable to send home all the appropriate papers that I had hoped to send home today. Therefore, the monthly scripture memory verse sheet will be sent home Tuesday, August 13. The memory verse for this month is as follows: "Every child is known by his actions, by whether it is pure and right." - Proverbs 20:11

Just a quick reminder about snack...It is only 10 - 15 minutes each morning. It serves as a nice transition between Religion and Reading/Language Arts. So I am asking that you only send one (1) item with your child for snack and water to drink please. Make sure they know what you have packed for snack, for a few of them were unsure what was supposed to be snack and what was for lunch.

I am looking forward to a fabulous year!

WELCOME!!!

I am looking forward to our new school year with each one of you! I thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone last night. I want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to do the most important thing to start the school year off on the right foot...being informed about and involved in your child's educational process.

I neglected to mention during our Knight Gathering that if you have not turned in any of the forms mentioned below they need to be returned, completed, to the school as soon as possible. Some of the forms can be printed off of our FABULOUS new school website. (If the form is available it is hyperlinked.) I also will include, on Monday, August 12, a form in the DOG binder that is required on file for each student stating the you have read the updated parent/student handbook. If you are in need of any of these forms, please let me know via e-mail. Please be specific about which forms are needed so we can do our part on paper conservation.

Forms Needed:

• School Medication Prescriber/Parent Authorization
• Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama - Form DI-2 Driver Information (See Note Below)
• Release and Authorization
• Health Form 2013 - 2014
• Emergency Form
• School Cast

DRIVER NOTE: Please remember that if you would like to drive on one of our field trips this year, this form along with a current copy of a valid driver's license, insurance card and documentation that you have complete the YPI course need to be turned in as well. 

I also did not send home the school lunch menu for this month. So I have provided it for you to print at home or you can e-mail me your child's order and send the appropriate amount (labeled) in your child's DOG binder on Monday. However, if you prefer the hard copy it is not due until Friday, August 16. 

August Lunch Menu

Lastly, I have put a printable copy of what is in your child's DOG binder available to you at home. 

Don't forget the signed copy of the "Class Rules" needs to be turned in on Monday!

Most Important: Come Monday with a SMILE on your face that shines the light of Jesus! 

"In the same way, let your light shine before all men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16