Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Writer's Workshop
Cleaning the House
I cleaned the house with my mom. I cleaned the living room. I picked up scraps a lot. I went down stairs. I said, I will help you mom. My mom took a rest on the couch. I use the vacuum and cleaned and took a rest. Then my mom went to clean the bathroom. I woke up and helped my mom.
(24)
My Life
My mom old me that a stroke means his brain is bleeding, so we went shopping for my dad. I missed my dad a lot. I remember when we surprised me. I was talking about my dad.
My brother was in school. My dad was supposed to pick him up. He did not come back. My dad drove all the way to Brooklyn Park because he was sick, he had a stroke! he went to the emergency hospital. Water was dripping from my sisters eyes. I felt sad for her. I tried to make her happy.
(1)
The Super Fast Water Slide
I went swimming with Victoria and Marisa. I went down the slide, don don don... before I knew it, wooosh. I went speeding down the slide. I went again and again. I went 19 times. I had an awesome time going down the slide! Then there was a safety break, then we went to get a snack. After the safety break I went back on the water slide again and again and again. Then I wanted to go so I said to my mom, “Can I go one more time please mom?”
“Thank you,” I said after we went home. I had a fun time going swimming.
(?)
My Grandma’s
I got to go to my Grandma’s house! I felt great. I really wanted to go. Now we finally went. I was bouncing in my seat. We got some lunch and got McDonald’s. We got there . I jumped out the open door and said hi. I said hi and bounced outside and I saw the garden. I saw all the vegetables. They looked good. I went back then suddenly someone opened up the door. It was my auntie and uncle Austin and these girls came in. I said, What is your name? The two girls said there names. One girl’s name was Alley and the other girl’s name was Katie. I said my name was Barb. I said what is your age? And they said 5 and 6. My age is 7 too and that was very cool.
(3)
I cleaned the house with my mom. I cleaned the living room. I picked up scraps a lot. I went down stairs. I said, I will help you mom. My mom took a rest on the couch. I use the vacuum and cleaned and took a rest. Then my mom went to clean the bathroom. I woke up and helped my mom.
(24)
My Life
My mom old me that a stroke means his brain is bleeding, so we went shopping for my dad. I missed my dad a lot. I remember when we surprised me. I was talking about my dad.
My brother was in school. My dad was supposed to pick him up. He did not come back. My dad drove all the way to Brooklyn Park because he was sick, he had a stroke! he went to the emergency hospital. Water was dripping from my sisters eyes. I felt sad for her. I tried to make her happy.
(1)
The Super Fast Water Slide
I went swimming with Victoria and Marisa. I went down the slide, don don don... before I knew it, wooosh. I went speeding down the slide. I went again and again. I went 19 times. I had an awesome time going down the slide! Then there was a safety break, then we went to get a snack. After the safety break I went back on the water slide again and again and again. Then I wanted to go so I said to my mom, “Can I go one more time please mom?”
“Thank you,” I said after we went home. I had a fun time going swimming.
(?)
My Grandma’s
I got to go to my Grandma’s house! I felt great. I really wanted to go. Now we finally went. I was bouncing in my seat. We got some lunch and got McDonald’s. We got there . I jumped out the open door and said hi. I said hi and bounced outside and I saw the garden. I saw all the vegetables. They looked good. I went back then suddenly someone opened up the door. It was my auntie and uncle Austin and these girls came in. I said, What is your name? The two girls said there names. One girl’s name was Alley and the other girl’s name was Katie. I said my name was Barb. I said what is your age? And they said 5 and 6. My age is 7 too and that was very cool.
(3)
Monday, October 5, 2009
Writing 1
King Sized Cotton
I and my friend went to the Mall of America. It was awesome. I got a king size cotton candy and it was good and I fainted because it was so good. They took me to the nurse and they fixed me up. After I woke up me and my friend went too wild.
(6)
The Tree House Adventure
I went to my cousin’s house because my mom and dad had an adult party. For dinner we had pizza and chicken nuggets. The next morning they shoed me their tree house. The berries were edible so we picked some before we ate any. We washed them first and then we ate them. Then my brother and my cousin got more wood nails and a hammer. We pounded down some branches. We invited Ben V. and we had an adventure.
(11)
The Playing
I was playing because I wanted to. My mom went to me and my mom said can I play with you.
(13)
The Store
My mom take me to the store and by a new shoe, shirt, candy, scarf, pants, gloves, apples, juice then we go home. The next morning my dad and my mom we go to see my aurnties then go outside and play then we go home. The next morning I ride my bike . It was fun to ride.
(25)
The Bike Ride to the Coon Rapids Dam
My family is going to the Coon Rapids Dam. We all take off on our bikes. We ride past houses. We come to a stop. We keep on going. We saw a TV on the side of the road. We go on a trial. The leaves fall upon us. We stop to get a drink and I take a sip. I found a dead bee on me. The wind was blowing in my face. My hair was swinging through the air. I keep pedaling my feet were getting tired. I saw a park. My bike was getting out of balance. We came to a stop. “We’re almost there,” said my mom. My pedals on my bike were going faster and faster across the trail. The wheels were going round and round. My hands were holding on tight.
Sweat was dripping down my face. We finally got there. We rode our bikes on the cement. The water falls were streaming down the water falls. There were fishermen at the side.
Our bicycle wheels turned around as we rode slowly across the sidewalk. As we rode across we turned onto a different sidewalk as awe stop to make a decision which way to go. My dad fixed my seat because it was crooked. His had touched my seat as it turned. Cars were going passed us. My little brother started talking in baby language. Our bikes started moving again and we went a different way than we went before. We pass tree. I looked ahead of me and we were getting closer. I was getting happier and happier. We rode to the rocks in our driveway. I get off my bike. I took a step on the grass and went in the shed to park my bike.
(18)
Daisy
I went to Daisy Camp and someone got sick and it was my friend Alana! She and my friend Emma were in a room with two beds but Emma wasn’t sick. She was just helping her. So no one was going to get sick. They finally got out and they had lunch and dinner with us and then they went back in. When it was time to leave they came out and I went back home. I was tired and I went to sleep. The next day I went to school. I brought my Daisy bag and talked about my bag and the next day I went to my Daisies and we did a skit because we were doing it for our moms. We were going to do it by the next Thursday. I was so excited I was jumping for joy. I couldn’t wait for Thursday and then I got a gumball. I got green and then Amber’s mom drove me home and I got on the TV. I watched a cool show. I did not know what I was watching. It was a girl show.
Oh my goodness I was tired. I needed a nap. I went to brush my teeth and I went to bed. I heard something. I thought it was a ghost. I wasn’t afraid. I knew it was my cat Emily. She jumped on my bed and she tickled my feet with her claws. She crawled around my neck. It tickled. She meowed. Cats are funny ha, ha. Then she dropped on the floor.
(3)
Facing Ben
On Saturday I faced Ben’s flag football team. They were really good but at the second Noah got a touchdown. Then it was 6 to 12. I got a flag. It was fourth down and they went for a big bomb. He passed it and they caught it but I got the quarterbacks flag just before he threw it. Once they did a reverse somebody was blocking me but I got his flag so we won.
(20)
SCUBA
I went SCUBA diving. I really saw whales when I went SCUBA diving. Did you know that? A whales spine is 2 times bigger than our spine. Our spine is so small it is probably 5 inches. Did you know that girls are smarter than boys? It is true.
(9)
Practice Swimming
I went swimming at Jackson Middle School. I was shy. I took all my clothes off except my swimming pants. I went in the water. It was cold. I got into it. I was warm. I practiced. We all went to Walmart. We bought a lot of stuff. We paid them and then we went home.
(24)
Rainy Rainy Splash Splash on my head.
(14)
Soccer
We were playing soccer and I had the ball and then Will took the ball and he shot the ball but he missed and got in Brandon’s face. Then I got the ball and I made a score!!!
(26)
Night Wrestle
Once I had a sleepover at my Grandma’s house. When were about to wake up we wrestled in bed.
(10)
School Mystery
I was just getting out of school when I remembered it was Friday. So I went to the front office and looked for my dad… He wasn’t there DUN! DUN! DUN! So I went outside and walked to my daycare and my dad picked me up.
(19)
My Dog
Me and my family wanted a dog so bad I tell you!! So we went to a house. We saw a real cute dog! He was so cute! My mom asked me and my sister if we wanted him. Of course I wanted him and my sister wanted him too! My mom thought he was cute! And my dad thought he was cute too! SO we got him and his name is Toby!!
(14)
I and my friend went to the Mall of America. It was awesome. I got a king size cotton candy and it was good and I fainted because it was so good. They took me to the nurse and they fixed me up. After I woke up me and my friend went too wild.
(6)
The Tree House Adventure
I went to my cousin’s house because my mom and dad had an adult party. For dinner we had pizza and chicken nuggets. The next morning they shoed me their tree house. The berries were edible so we picked some before we ate any. We washed them first and then we ate them. Then my brother and my cousin got more wood nails and a hammer. We pounded down some branches. We invited Ben V. and we had an adventure.
(11)
The Playing
I was playing because I wanted to. My mom went to me and my mom said can I play with you.
(13)
The Store
My mom take me to the store and by a new shoe, shirt, candy, scarf, pants, gloves, apples, juice then we go home. The next morning my dad and my mom we go to see my aurnties then go outside and play then we go home. The next morning I ride my bike . It was fun to ride.
(25)
The Bike Ride to the Coon Rapids Dam
My family is going to the Coon Rapids Dam. We all take off on our bikes. We ride past houses. We come to a stop. We keep on going. We saw a TV on the side of the road. We go on a trial. The leaves fall upon us. We stop to get a drink and I take a sip. I found a dead bee on me. The wind was blowing in my face. My hair was swinging through the air. I keep pedaling my feet were getting tired. I saw a park. My bike was getting out of balance. We came to a stop. “We’re almost there,” said my mom. My pedals on my bike were going faster and faster across the trail. The wheels were going round and round. My hands were holding on tight.
Sweat was dripping down my face. We finally got there. We rode our bikes on the cement. The water falls were streaming down the water falls. There were fishermen at the side.
Our bicycle wheels turned around as we rode slowly across the sidewalk. As we rode across we turned onto a different sidewalk as awe stop to make a decision which way to go. My dad fixed my seat because it was crooked. His had touched my seat as it turned. Cars were going passed us. My little brother started talking in baby language. Our bikes started moving again and we went a different way than we went before. We pass tree. I looked ahead of me and we were getting closer. I was getting happier and happier. We rode to the rocks in our driveway. I get off my bike. I took a step on the grass and went in the shed to park my bike.
(18)
Daisy
I went to Daisy Camp and someone got sick and it was my friend Alana! She and my friend Emma were in a room with two beds but Emma wasn’t sick. She was just helping her. So no one was going to get sick. They finally got out and they had lunch and dinner with us and then they went back in. When it was time to leave they came out and I went back home. I was tired and I went to sleep. The next day I went to school. I brought my Daisy bag and talked about my bag and the next day I went to my Daisies and we did a skit because we were doing it for our moms. We were going to do it by the next Thursday. I was so excited I was jumping for joy. I couldn’t wait for Thursday and then I got a gumball. I got green and then Amber’s mom drove me home and I got on the TV. I watched a cool show. I did not know what I was watching. It was a girl show.
Oh my goodness I was tired. I needed a nap. I went to brush my teeth and I went to bed. I heard something. I thought it was a ghost. I wasn’t afraid. I knew it was my cat Emily. She jumped on my bed and she tickled my feet with her claws. She crawled around my neck. It tickled. She meowed. Cats are funny ha, ha. Then she dropped on the floor.
(3)
Facing Ben
On Saturday I faced Ben’s flag football team. They were really good but at the second Noah got a touchdown. Then it was 6 to 12. I got a flag. It was fourth down and they went for a big bomb. He passed it and they caught it but I got the quarterbacks flag just before he threw it. Once they did a reverse somebody was blocking me but I got his flag so we won.
(20)
SCUBA
I went SCUBA diving. I really saw whales when I went SCUBA diving. Did you know that? A whales spine is 2 times bigger than our spine. Our spine is so small it is probably 5 inches. Did you know that girls are smarter than boys? It is true.
(9)
Practice Swimming
I went swimming at Jackson Middle School. I was shy. I took all my clothes off except my swimming pants. I went in the water. It was cold. I got into it. I was warm. I practiced. We all went to Walmart. We bought a lot of stuff. We paid them and then we went home.
(24)
Rainy Rainy Splash Splash on my head.
(14)
Soccer
We were playing soccer and I had the ball and then Will took the ball and he shot the ball but he missed and got in Brandon’s face. Then I got the ball and I made a score!!!
(26)
Night Wrestle
Once I had a sleepover at my Grandma’s house. When were about to wake up we wrestled in bed.
(10)
School Mystery
I was just getting out of school when I remembered it was Friday. So I went to the front office and looked for my dad… He wasn’t there DUN! DUN! DUN! So I went outside and walked to my daycare and my dad picked me up.
(19)
My Dog
Me and my family wanted a dog so bad I tell you!! So we went to a house. We saw a real cute dog! He was so cute! My mom asked me and my sister if we wanted him. Of course I wanted him and my sister wanted him too! My mom thought he was cute! And my dad thought he was cute too! SO we got him and his name is Toby!!
(14)
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Parent Night Outline
Welcome to Parent Night!
Introductions:
Our 2EE Community this year:
My Teaching Philosophy: The goal is growth!!!! These kids are beautiful, brilliant and amazing. Let’s find our passion and find the the wonder of living!
Our Daily Schedule:
9:15 Students may arrive
9:30 Morning Work, Morning Meeting
9:55 Math
11:45 Lunch and Recess
12:45 Spelling and Handwriting
1:00 Reading Mini Lesson (Comprehension Strategies, Vocabulary, etc.)
1:45 Writers Workshop
2:30 Snack and Read Aloud
2:45 Specials: Day 1-Art Day 2-Phy Ed, Music
Day 3-Prep Para, Media Day 4-Prep Para, Music Day 5-Phy Ed
3:45 Prepare for Dismissal
Communication:
Oxbow Main Office: 763-506-3800
Oxbow Absence Line: 763-506-3806
Oxbow’s Website: http://www.anoka.k12.mn.us/oxbowcreek
My Email: Neil.Eerdmans@anoka.k12.mn.us
2EE Website: http://www.anoka.k12.mn.us/E2quest
Bi-Weekly newsletter: Coming home every other Friday
Homework:
#1 piece of homework: Read! Read! Read!
Reading Calendars: Record your minutes on your reading calendar. Any minutes he/she reads count. Any minutes read to your child count as well! This is your child’s #1 priority when it comes to homework. Please return your monthly reading calendar as soon as the month ends. The first one will be due the first week of October.
A homework packet will come home on most Thursdays. This packet will have math problems that go along with what we are doing in math and a reading selection. Spelling words come home on Monday and the tests will be at the end of the week.
Book a Day- Volunteers!
I love “book a day,” it gets kids to practice reading with quality literature! As far as “book a day” goes, if your child is not ready to read certain books, read the book to them and they can tell the volunteer what the book was about. This will show if your child is able to follow the stories and discuss parts of the story. (Plot, setting, and characters) Get your kids to give the starting sounds of words, words form context clues, and have them read easy sight words. Get your child to read on their own. Reading together will model that reading is a fun activity, and something that we can enjoy together! Each child will bring home a book every night to read to their parents or have it read to them. If you have a book going at home, USE THAT BOOK for book a night. The key is that we are reading! The next day they discuss what the story was about with the volunteer. The kids get a charge out of reading to you as well. It is critical that kids find reading to be an enjoyable activity!! I am very flexible with times; we can work it out! I will also use volunteers for mastery checking, although “book a night” is a great assessment tool in itself! Have fun with this and do it regularly!! This is your child’s homework.
Spelling:
Spelling words come home every Monday. Our spelling tests are every Friday. If a week has 3 or fewer days of school in it there will be no list for that week. Practicing daily will help students retain the words longer than cramming it all in Thursday night!
Those of you who really want to get a jump start should start working on common contractions. (i.e. does not=doesn’t) That’s our hardest test of the year!
Check out this site: SpellingCity.com Students can go to this site and test themselves with spelling words, hear a voice pronounce the words, use the words in a sentence. There are also games to play with the words.
What will reading look like in 2EE?
The Daily 3: Students engage in 3 out of 4 of the following tasks:
1. Read to self 2. Read with a partner 3. Meet with your reading teacher 4. Respond to your reading. (Writing, filling out a graphic organizer, etc.)
I get to read with students 1-1 and in small groups. I am able to keep track of progress and encourage the kids as they grow. It is great!
What will math look like in 2EE?
Daily Math Message, Mental Math, Using different strategies to problem solve, Understanding vs. memorization, Spiraling skills, Math journals, Student reference books, Math games, Homework Links. The math curriculum that we started last year is great!!
Science
Social Studies
Health
These will be intermixed with the theme books and centers. They will rotate throughout the year. We are now working on bus safety for health. The virtual journey is an incredible way to address these objectives!!
Why do I like the MAP test so much? It is like a time trial! It shows growth!
Our Theme-
E2 Quest: Coast to Coast
This year we will be crossing The United States. Each of the students will be a local yocal and take two of the cities along the route. They will tell us about where they live and what is significant about the area. It is fun and we will all learn a lot. We use the Internet to share our many exciting adventures. The writing is real. The trip teaches that writing is used to convey information, communicate, and to entertain. There is a natural application to math when considering a trip. There is the budget, miles, traveled, problems faced and solved, packing, and transportation. There are easy ties to our science, health, and social studies curriculum as well. Simply put, traveling is one of the best ways to learn, even if it is virtual. The places are real and all the situations we face teach lessons of independence and interdependence. As we cross the country we will face many celebrations and challenges. Each of these challenges contains a lesson. We have to deal with the weather, people, terrain, and each other. The lessons are applicable to life and made real by the Internet. If you want a peek, check out last years trip at www.e2quest.blogspot.com I will use the first two months to insure we have a grasp of the standards and the packages. In November we will begin to work with the theme and I hope that you can take part!
Dates:
September 22: Kelley Farm Field Trip (9:30-1:15)
September 23: Picture Day (Envelopes coming soon)
October 15-16: MEA (No school)
October 19: No school (Staff Development)
October 20, 22, and 23: Goal setting conferences
October 27: No school
November 26, 27: Thanksgiving (No school)
December 15: Old Log Theatre Field Trip
December 22: 2EE Class Holiday Party 1:30-2:30
Winter Break: December 23-January 4
Some practical ways to help your 2nd Grader:
1. Read with your child: Read to them and let them read to you! Talk about what you read. Make it pleasurable!
2. Limit screen time: When it comes to reading I don’t think T.V., video games, and computers are our enemies….. but they surely are our competitors!
Look at the math if your child replaced just one ½ hour show a day with reading: 30 minutes x 30 days = A monthly calendar with 900 minutes!
3. The pleasure principle: Do all you can to connect pleasure with reading. Get cozy! Curl up together. Stack books around the house. Put books by your beds!
4. Money Jar: Give your child a jar with change and/or bills. Change the amount often. Practice counting. Ask your child to show you different combinations to make specific amounts of money.
5. Telling Time: Time can be very difficult for second graders. Point out the hour and minute hands. Count the minutes around a clock. Talk about what time it is throughout the day.
6. Writing: In second grade we do a lot of writing about everyday life experiences. Some kids have a tough time trying to figure out something to write about. As fun, interesting things happen in your child’s life remind him/her to write about it at school!
7. Handwriting: Help your child to keep practicing the correct formation of their letters. Remind him/her when to use upper and lower cases letters. We do not learn cursive writing in second grade.
8. Learning on the Computer: Useful Links on Oxbow and 2EE’s Website: These free links will connect you with all sorts of games and activities that support our learning. Kids will be familiar with these websites since we visit them during our computer time.
Miscellaneous:
Plastic home folder: Please check every night and send back every morning!
Water Bottles: Our brains need water so water bottles are very welcome in 2EE. Remind your child to bring it home for regular washings!
Snack Time: Sending a snack with your child is optional but the afternoons do get long! Healthy (or at least somewhat healthy!) snacks only. Students are not allowed to “share” snacks.
Birthday Treats: Students may bring a store bought birthday treat if they so choose to. We presently have 26 students in our class. IMPORTANT NOTE: We have students in our room with peanut allergies.
Going outdoors: If it is above zero degrees we go out. Please send your child prepared! If your child is well enough for school our school policy is that he is well enough to go outside so staying in is not an option.
Morning media check out: Students can check out books every day of the year from 9:15-9:30A.M. What a great privilege!
Bring home books from our classroom: Students are also allowed to borrow my books. That’s why I have them!!! Please don’t forget to return them!
Scholastic book orders: Almost every month I will send home Scholastic book order flyers. These are totally optional but usually include a lot of great deals. They are always due on the 15th of that month!
Lunch money: Try to remember to write your child’s pin number on your check when you send lunch money. If you have to send cash put it in an envelope and label it with your child’s name, homeroom (2EE), and pin #.
Supply list: If your child needs something a note will come home.
Show and Tell: Each week your child will have a day for show and tell. Have them bring a few items that can be shared with our class so we could better get to know them. An example might be a boy bringing a baseball, a picture of his dog, and a rock from his rock collection.
*Reading calendars: Just one more reminder…Reading calendars are due at the beginning of each month with a record of all the minutes read in the previous month. Don’t forget that minutes your child is read to by someone else count as well! If this stresses your child DO NOT use this. Some kids love it others don’t. We want to make reading a good thing!
Parties: We will have 3 parties this year and I have a sign up for party volunteers.
If you would like to help that would be great! We usually meet at Caribou a couple
of weeks before the party to make our plan!
We are partners- 1/3, 1/3, 1/3
I hope we will be friends!
I need to be your partner. Please communicate with me! If I don’t return a call during the day, I will try in the evening. Your child is going to go through some big changes this year and will be learning a lot. Let’s work together to make this a great year!
Call Me! Or Email Me!!
Please call if you have a concern. I am almost always check my voicemail by 7:30. The number is 506-3843. Each night I will leave a detailed description of the days activities so that you can discuss the days events with your child. I am great at replying to e mail at all hours, Neil.Eerdmans@anoka.k12.mn.us!!
Our Goal is Growth!
P.S. You may here the terms BBA, Green, URLoved, Highlights, Cinema and others… I will try to get to those tonight or you could youtube search Neil Eerdmans and here more about these terms. Thanks!!
Introductions:
Our 2EE Community this year:
My Teaching Philosophy: The goal is growth!!!! These kids are beautiful, brilliant and amazing. Let’s find our passion and find the the wonder of living!
Our Daily Schedule:
9:15 Students may arrive
9:30 Morning Work, Morning Meeting
9:55 Math
11:45 Lunch and Recess
12:45 Spelling and Handwriting
1:00 Reading Mini Lesson (Comprehension Strategies, Vocabulary, etc.)
1:45 Writers Workshop
2:30 Snack and Read Aloud
2:45 Specials: Day 1-Art Day 2-Phy Ed, Music
Day 3-Prep Para, Media Day 4-Prep Para, Music Day 5-Phy Ed
3:45 Prepare for Dismissal
Communication:
Oxbow Main Office: 763-506-3800
Oxbow Absence Line: 763-506-3806
Oxbow’s Website: http://www.anoka.k12.mn.us/oxbowcreek
My Email: Neil.Eerdmans@anoka.k12.mn.us
2EE Website: http://www.anoka.k12.mn.us/E2quest
Bi-Weekly newsletter: Coming home every other Friday
Homework:
#1 piece of homework: Read! Read! Read!
Reading Calendars: Record your minutes on your reading calendar. Any minutes he/she reads count. Any minutes read to your child count as well! This is your child’s #1 priority when it comes to homework. Please return your monthly reading calendar as soon as the month ends. The first one will be due the first week of October.
A homework packet will come home on most Thursdays. This packet will have math problems that go along with what we are doing in math and a reading selection. Spelling words come home on Monday and the tests will be at the end of the week.
Book a Day- Volunteers!
I love “book a day,” it gets kids to practice reading with quality literature! As far as “book a day” goes, if your child is not ready to read certain books, read the book to them and they can tell the volunteer what the book was about. This will show if your child is able to follow the stories and discuss parts of the story. (Plot, setting, and characters) Get your kids to give the starting sounds of words, words form context clues, and have them read easy sight words. Get your child to read on their own. Reading together will model that reading is a fun activity, and something that we can enjoy together! Each child will bring home a book every night to read to their parents or have it read to them. If you have a book going at home, USE THAT BOOK for book a night. The key is that we are reading! The next day they discuss what the story was about with the volunteer. The kids get a charge out of reading to you as well. It is critical that kids find reading to be an enjoyable activity!! I am very flexible with times; we can work it out! I will also use volunteers for mastery checking, although “book a night” is a great assessment tool in itself! Have fun with this and do it regularly!! This is your child’s homework.
Spelling:
Spelling words come home every Monday. Our spelling tests are every Friday. If a week has 3 or fewer days of school in it there will be no list for that week. Practicing daily will help students retain the words longer than cramming it all in Thursday night!
Those of you who really want to get a jump start should start working on common contractions. (i.e. does not=doesn’t) That’s our hardest test of the year!
Check out this site: SpellingCity.com Students can go to this site and test themselves with spelling words, hear a voice pronounce the words, use the words in a sentence. There are also games to play with the words.
What will reading look like in 2EE?
The Daily 3: Students engage in 3 out of 4 of the following tasks:
1. Read to self 2. Read with a partner 3. Meet with your reading teacher 4. Respond to your reading. (Writing, filling out a graphic organizer, etc.)
I get to read with students 1-1 and in small groups. I am able to keep track of progress and encourage the kids as they grow. It is great!
What will math look like in 2EE?
Daily Math Message, Mental Math, Using different strategies to problem solve, Understanding vs. memorization, Spiraling skills, Math journals, Student reference books, Math games, Homework Links. The math curriculum that we started last year is great!!
Science
Social Studies
Health
These will be intermixed with the theme books and centers. They will rotate throughout the year. We are now working on bus safety for health. The virtual journey is an incredible way to address these objectives!!
Why do I like the MAP test so much? It is like a time trial! It shows growth!
Our Theme-
E2 Quest: Coast to Coast
This year we will be crossing The United States. Each of the students will be a local yocal and take two of the cities along the route. They will tell us about where they live and what is significant about the area. It is fun and we will all learn a lot. We use the Internet to share our many exciting adventures. The writing is real. The trip teaches that writing is used to convey information, communicate, and to entertain. There is a natural application to math when considering a trip. There is the budget, miles, traveled, problems faced and solved, packing, and transportation. There are easy ties to our science, health, and social studies curriculum as well. Simply put, traveling is one of the best ways to learn, even if it is virtual. The places are real and all the situations we face teach lessons of independence and interdependence. As we cross the country we will face many celebrations and challenges. Each of these challenges contains a lesson. We have to deal with the weather, people, terrain, and each other. The lessons are applicable to life and made real by the Internet. If you want a peek, check out last years trip at www.e2quest.blogspot.com I will use the first two months to insure we have a grasp of the standards and the packages. In November we will begin to work with the theme and I hope that you can take part!
Dates:
September 22: Kelley Farm Field Trip (9:30-1:15)
September 23: Picture Day (Envelopes coming soon)
October 15-16: MEA (No school)
October 19: No school (Staff Development)
October 20, 22, and 23: Goal setting conferences
October 27: No school
November 26, 27: Thanksgiving (No school)
December 15: Old Log Theatre Field Trip
December 22: 2EE Class Holiday Party 1:30-2:30
Winter Break: December 23-January 4
Some practical ways to help your 2nd Grader:
1. Read with your child: Read to them and let them read to you! Talk about what you read. Make it pleasurable!
2. Limit screen time: When it comes to reading I don’t think T.V., video games, and computers are our enemies….. but they surely are our competitors!
Look at the math if your child replaced just one ½ hour show a day with reading: 30 minutes x 30 days = A monthly calendar with 900 minutes!
3. The pleasure principle: Do all you can to connect pleasure with reading. Get cozy! Curl up together. Stack books around the house. Put books by your beds!
4. Money Jar: Give your child a jar with change and/or bills. Change the amount often. Practice counting. Ask your child to show you different combinations to make specific amounts of money.
5. Telling Time: Time can be very difficult for second graders. Point out the hour and minute hands. Count the minutes around a clock. Talk about what time it is throughout the day.
6. Writing: In second grade we do a lot of writing about everyday life experiences. Some kids have a tough time trying to figure out something to write about. As fun, interesting things happen in your child’s life remind him/her to write about it at school!
7. Handwriting: Help your child to keep practicing the correct formation of their letters. Remind him/her when to use upper and lower cases letters. We do not learn cursive writing in second grade.
8. Learning on the Computer: Useful Links on Oxbow and 2EE’s Website: These free links will connect you with all sorts of games and activities that support our learning. Kids will be familiar with these websites since we visit them during our computer time.
Miscellaneous:
Plastic home folder: Please check every night and send back every morning!
Water Bottles: Our brains need water so water bottles are very welcome in 2EE. Remind your child to bring it home for regular washings!
Snack Time: Sending a snack with your child is optional but the afternoons do get long! Healthy (or at least somewhat healthy!) snacks only. Students are not allowed to “share” snacks.
Birthday Treats: Students may bring a store bought birthday treat if they so choose to. We presently have 26 students in our class. IMPORTANT NOTE: We have students in our room with peanut allergies.
Going outdoors: If it is above zero degrees we go out. Please send your child prepared! If your child is well enough for school our school policy is that he is well enough to go outside so staying in is not an option.
Morning media check out: Students can check out books every day of the year from 9:15-9:30A.M. What a great privilege!
Bring home books from our classroom: Students are also allowed to borrow my books. That’s why I have them!!! Please don’t forget to return them!
Scholastic book orders: Almost every month I will send home Scholastic book order flyers. These are totally optional but usually include a lot of great deals. They are always due on the 15th of that month!
Lunch money: Try to remember to write your child’s pin number on your check when you send lunch money. If you have to send cash put it in an envelope and label it with your child’s name, homeroom (2EE), and pin #.
Supply list: If your child needs something a note will come home.
Show and Tell: Each week your child will have a day for show and tell. Have them bring a few items that can be shared with our class so we could better get to know them. An example might be a boy bringing a baseball, a picture of his dog, and a rock from his rock collection.
*Reading calendars: Just one more reminder…Reading calendars are due at the beginning of each month with a record of all the minutes read in the previous month. Don’t forget that minutes your child is read to by someone else count as well! If this stresses your child DO NOT use this. Some kids love it others don’t. We want to make reading a good thing!
Parties: We will have 3 parties this year and I have a sign up for party volunteers.
If you would like to help that would be great! We usually meet at Caribou a couple
of weeks before the party to make our plan!
We are partners- 1/3, 1/3, 1/3
I hope we will be friends!
I need to be your partner. Please communicate with me! If I don’t return a call during the day, I will try in the evening. Your child is going to go through some big changes this year and will be learning a lot. Let’s work together to make this a great year!
Call Me! Or Email Me!!
Please call if you have a concern. I am almost always check my voicemail by 7:30. The number is 506-3843. Each night I will leave a detailed description of the days activities so that you can discuss the days events with your child. I am great at replying to e mail at all hours, Neil.Eerdmans@anoka.k12.mn.us!!
Our Goal is Growth!
P.S. You may here the terms BBA, Green, URLoved, Highlights, Cinema and others… I will try to get to those tonight or you could youtube search Neil Eerdmans and here more about these terms. Thanks!!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
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