We will be square dancing today, January 4,5, and 6th. Children may wear jeans or sweatpants, appropriate shirts, and gym shoes. All are invited to attend the final school-wide program on Wednesday, January 6th at 1PM in the gym.
December 22nd is our last day of school before vacation. Students may wear Christmas colors. It is a full day of school.
Many times, after the initial excitement of Christmas wears off, children begin chanting the age-old refrain, “I’m bored!”
If this happens in your home, get your child involved in some fun, educational activities by logging on to Spelling City (www.spellingcity.com). First click on FIND A LIST. Then you can search by my name (Amy Dittman) and find all of our spelling lists so far, including the words for Cinderella, the story we will do after the holidays.
Spelling City can teach your child words (be sure the speaker is on!). A pleasant voice says the word, spells it, and uses it in a sentence. Then your child can play about a dozen games using the words. When they are ready, they can take a test on the words.
The children have seen the site and are excited to use it.
Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Monday, December 14th is an early dismissal at 1:30PM.
Friday, December 18th we have Mass at school at 1:45PM.
Next Tuesday, December 22nd is our last day of school before Christmas vacation. It is a full day with the final Advent Service at 2PM in the gym.
If you have not yet sent in a monetary gift to be applied to a group gift for the priests and wish to do so, it is not too late. Please put your donation in an envelope marked PRIESTS GIFT and I will send it to the office.
Please be sure to send in book orders by Tuesday as I will need to place the orders Tuesday evening in order to get Christmas delivery.
These are a few more songs from the Open Court reading series that we use at school.
SETTING READING GOALS (The More We Get Together)
The more we browse the story, the story, the story the more we browse the story, the more prepared we’ll be. Do you have any wond’rings, or problems, or clues? Let’s talk about the purpose for reading today.
SUMMARIZING (Comin’ Round the Mountain)
To tell you all I read would take too long. So I have to think and plan how to respond. I can sum up, sum up, sum up the most important facts. It will check my understanding to the max!
These are from the “Stick Out Your Neck” series by Carson-Dellosa Publishing.
ACTION WORDS (Bingo)
Some words tell things that you can do and verbs are what we call them. V-E-R-B-S, V-E-R-B-S, V-E-R-B-S and verbs are what we call them.
Here are some action words for you to act out as we sing them: S-T-A-N-D, S-T-A-N-D, S-T-A-N-D and verbs are what we call them!
(I just add more verbs to act out like: march, jump, skip, bend…)
THE ANTONYM SONG (The Muffin Man)
Oh, do you know the antonyms, the antonyms, the antonyms? Do you know the antonyms? The meanings aren’t the same.
If I say young then you say old. If I say hot, then you say cold. If I say bought then you say sold. The meanings aren’t the same.
If I say up then you say down. If I say smile you say frown. If I say sit then you say stand. The meanings aren’t the same.
The second grade class sings a lot of songs. It seems that I have a song for nearly everything- and if I don’t, I try to create one! The first one is from the Open Court reading series. The next two are from a language resource I purchased last summer. (I will get the name of it tomorrow!) The last song is one of my own creation!
MAKING CONNECTIONS (I’m a Little Teapot)
I can make connections, so can you. It’s really simple. Here’s all you do. When you start to read just let your mind go And make connections to things you know.
THE GRAND JAZZ BAND (Do Your Ears Hang Low?)
Sam can tap his drum ratta-tatta-tatta-tum Jan can play a jazzy sax and so can her cousin Max If you clap your hands together you can join their happy band It’s a grand jazz band.
PIP’S MITTENS (She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain)
Liz is making mittens for her kitten Pip Every day she’ll knit another little bit Pip thinks kitty mitts are silly but he’ll wear them if it’s chilly in the winter they will keep him nice and warm!
TRANSPARENT, TRANSLUCENT, OPAQUE (Twinkle, Twinkle)
Transparent you see right through,for that a Ziploc bag will do. Translucent is not so clear. Wax paper will do for here. Opaque lets no light get in like paper bags or cans of tin.
Special Upcoming Events
5- 9 Stanford 10 Tests
9 Mass at school @ 1:45PM
12 Early Dismissal (Jeans Day)
14 Author visit at school
23 Mass at school @ 1:45PM
28 Picture Make-up Day
30 Class Halloween Party
I explained that they cannot study for these tests. They should, however, get plenty of rest and eat a nutritious breakfast each morning.
Homework this week will be minimal due to testing.
Tomorrow we start our first story in our new reader. It is a humorous one called “Ant and the Three Little Figs.” Be sure to ask your child to tell you about it!
The C.A.P.P. program went very well today. The children discussed the difference between laughing with and laughing at someone., They talked about how it feels to laugh at yourself and how it feels to laugh at someone else. The lesson reinforced what we have already learned through the no bullying program.
Tomorrow we will also conduct our first germ experiment. (This is my favorite science unit because we do so much gross, icky stuff!) Be sure to ask your child what we did---they could even demonstrate if you are feeling brave!
Please continue to practice spelling words. Use any reinforcement that works for your child: singing, shouting the letters, writing the words in the air, karate spelling (they know what that is), cheerleader spelling (they know that one too!). Share what works for you!
Math flashcards will be coming home tomorrow. Please help your child practice the math facts. Committing them to memory is the foundation for later math skills. The cards must be returned to school each day as we also practice.
If you have not yet returned your child’s YMCA or C.A.P.P. permission slip, please do so as soon as possible. We are going to the YMCA Thursday morning for our running assessment and the C.A.P.P. program will be presented on Monday.
The second graders have been working very hard this week! They are quickly learning the classroom routines and participating in lessons. They are already demonstrating a real interest in their academics and a caring attitude toward their classmates. I am looking forward to a terrific school year!
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
3 New Family Night 7PM
4 Mass at school 1:45PM
7 Labor Day NO SCHOOL
14 Early Dismissal 1:30PM
16 Picture Day/ Head checks
18 Mass at church (weather permitting)1:30PM
21 C.A.P.P. program 10:10AM
*Be sure to return permission slip that will be sent home.
22 OPEN HOUSE
Visit with your child’s teacher beginning at 6:30PM
Ice Cream Social begins at 7PM
Family Fun Magazine is a wonderful resource that I have enjoyed for years! I will forward interesting games, crafts, and organizational ideas that I think you might be able to use.
The latest issue has a teacher form letter that I will include in your first newsletter from me. Should you need another,you can download it at the following link.
Feel free to use this form to contact me! Just check the box and circle the information you want me to have. Be sure to sign the form when you submit it.
Let me know if you find this convenient.
http://a.familyfun.go.com/Resources/global/printables/templates/FF0909MGI-TeacherFormLetter.pdf
The new floor in my classroom is almost finished! It is absolutely beautiful. It will also be easier to keep clean than carpeting which is important from an allergy and cold/flu perspective. I will try to post a sneak peek soon!
I thought I would be able to post the materials list before you received the printed one from school…but it seems that I have left my list in my locker at school. Because my floor is being redone, I am unable to get into my classroom. You should receive your list from the school soon.
Here is another site that makes practicing math (as well as memory games and vocabulary) seem like child’s play: www.playkidsgames.com/games/mathfact/default.htm#
If your child is complaining that there is NOTHING to do, get him or her to write a story. Check out the website www.tikatok.com. Children draw pictures which are scanned to the site. (Not tech 
Have your child practice their math facts. Don’t forget to visit SpellingCity and APlus Math for fun practice games.
I will post the supply list for next year in about a week. You will also get one in information that comes from the office.
I can earn ten free books for my classroom next year just by collecting the tabs from Kleenex boxes. If you would save the tabs from your tissue boxes and send them in on the first day of school, I will forward them for the free books. Any tabs after 30, I will pass on to Mrs.Tarr. Check out the program at www.scholastic.com/kleenex.
Tomorrow is cleaning day! The students may wear appropriate play clothes. I do not need any cleaning supplies thanks to the generous donations made after my recent request!
Please sign and return the retreat permission slip as soon as possible. The first and second grade retreat will be Friday afternoon at St. Stephen Church. The topic will be “Noah’s Ark.” We will sing songs, read stories, make animals for the ark, and have a snack.
I hope everyone had a lovely weekend! We are in the downhill slide of the school year. Please help your child to remember that there are still 9 days of school left---we have lots of fun things to learn about right up to the last day!
The Chinese Auction, a fundraiser for 8th grade, will take place Friday afternoon. Tickets are 25 cents each or 5 for $1.00. Tickets will be on sale through Friday morning.
Our next Mass will be on Ascension Thursday, May 21 at 1:45PM at school. The third graders will be the special guests as they will be celebrating having made their First Holy Communion.
Guardian Angel Games Day will be on Friday, May 22nd. Please let me know if you will be sending in a board game for us to use. Be sure it is one that your child knows how to play and can easily explain to others.
NO SCHOOL ON MAY 25th as it is Memorial Day.
Second grade will be attending a retreat at the church with first grade on the afternoon of Friday, May 29th. A permission slip will be coming soon as well as additional information.
All the second graders planted lima beans today. Students planted the seeds, described the process in their log books, and made posters depicting the parts of plants and their purpose.
We will check the growth of the plants every few days and record the progress in the log books.
The class was VERY excited to see the worms and pill bugs that tagged along in the compost soil I brought from home. Ask your child to describe the food cycle from plant to worm to plant again!
I am seeing a slide in math fact retention. This is causing mid-term grades in math to be lower than they were previously. If you see any slippage in the immediate recall of math facts, be sure your child practices every day. Flashcards are a fine way to practice and are listed on the homework sheet. I am also including a very good site that has math games which may increase interest and, therefore, the amount of time spent practicing.
Be sure to check out the GAMES section on the left side of the webpage. There are four games (MATHO, Concentration, Hidden Picture, and Planet Blaster). All of the games are really fun and very educational.
If your child completed the Catapult Reading for April, please return the yellow booklet on Monday. I need to collect them and give them to Mrs. Stevens.
The permission slips for the end-of-the-year field trip to Clarion University for “fit-trition” day are due on Wednesday, May 6th.
Permission slips for the safety program being presented on Friday, May 8th by Mrs. Snow are due. These signed slips are required in order to participate.
Mid-term reports will be coming home on Friday, May 8th.
Our last Mass at the church (weather permitting) will be at 1:30PM on Friday, May 8th.
Mrs. Marvin’s last day before she starts maternity leave will be Friday, May 8th.
*Do you get the feeling Friday, May 8th is a BIG day?! :)
Please check the older posts if you haven’t been here for a while. I still need volunteers to walk with the class to Mass on Friday. Thanks!
A few parents have already let me know that they really like the blog. It is an easy way to stay updated while saving a few trees! Please let me know what YOU think!
On May 22, the second graders are going to have a games day with their Guardian Angels. If your child has a board game (one that has easy-to-learn rules and can be completed in 30 minutes or less) please consider sending it in to school. We will get together with the angels in the afternoon for about an hour. This has been a terrifically fun afternoon in the past and I am sure this year’s class will have a great time!
On May 8th (in the morning) second and third graders will participate in a wellness/safety program. It will consist of a pre-test, a lesson, and a post-test. This is being presented by Mrs. Snow (mother of one of our second graders) for one of her classes. An information sheet and permission slip came home today. Please read it over and return the permission slip as soon as possible. I think this will be a great opportunity for the children.
We will have our last school Mass at the church on Friday, May 8th (weather permitting) at 1:30PM. I, however, need to leave school at 1:10PM, after getting the students ready for Mass. Their 7th grade Guardian Angels have volunteered to walk with the students to and from Mass and sit with them during the service. Miss Oliver has been very gracious in taking on this responsibility!
I was wondering if any parent might be available to help the 7th graders. It would mean being at school at 1:00PM, walking to Mass, sitting with the students, and walking them back to school where Miss Lynch will dismiss them. You can earn 1-1/2 hours of Parent Partnership time. Please let me know as soon as possible. (You can also take your child home as soon as you get back to school! No fighting the bus line! No scrambling to find parking! No waiting outside! How’s that for incentive!)
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/kids/green-kids/plants-kids.html
Because Mrs. Marvin will be leaving on May 8th for maternity leave, all the second graders will be together with me all the time beginning May 11th. Yeah! I am looking forward to working with them. It may take a few days to transition, but the students are already used to being together for reading, spelling, and handwriting three days a week and math five times a month, so I am not anticipating any problems.
This will be a wonderful ending to a terrific year!
Happy Earth Day! We read THE LORAX today in honor of Earth Day. Students had a lot of good ideas about ways to protect the air, water, plants, and animals on our planet. We talked about Reducing-Reusing- Recycling- and Refusing (that’s a new one!). We even discussed composting and worms! Ask your child how they can help take care of God’s creation.
Tomorrow, they will get coloring sheets and a bookmark to reinforce what we learned.
On Tuesday, students learned the steps involved in making a t-shirt, from growing the cotton to packing the shirts and delivering them to stores. They worked in groups to write out these steps and illustrate them. Then they each created their own t-shirt design. These are displayed on a “clothesline” in the hallway. I think they look awesome!
Monday, April 20th is an early dismissal day. Students will be released from school at 1:30PM.
Friday, April 24th is a professional day for the teachers. Students do not have school.
Mass on Friday will be at 1:30PM at St. Stephen Church weather permitting. If it is raining, we will have Mass in the gym at 1:45PM.
Tomorrow is Mismatched Day. This was supposed to take place during Catholic Schools Week, but the weather had other ideas! Students who bring one item to donate to St. Elizabeth’s (paper towels, toilet paper, kleenex, napkins, soap,…).may wear mismatched items of clothing as long as they are school appropriate. I, personally, shall be wearing two different socks, rolled up jeans (to show off the socks, of course), a turtleneck,and a wacky librarian (my other career) t-shirt. This will all be topped off by a side-splitting hair piece! Students will also be providing acts of service around the school---some cleaning and tidying. It should be a fun day!
If anyone can donate a box of Kleenex, a container of Lysol wipes, or a Mr. Clean magic eraser, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!
The students received their poetry books today. They had so much fun looking through them and admiring each other’s poems and illustrations. It is an awesome feeling to be a published author! Your children are to be congratulated!
There will be living stations at school tomorrow in the gymnasium at 10:15AM. All are invited.
Tomorrow we have an early dismissal at 12:00 noon for Easter vacation. School will resume on Tuesday, April 14th. I hope you have a lovely holiday with your family and friends.
If you have a box of tissue or a container of Lysol wipes that you could donate, I would really appreciate it. Due to the lengthy spell of cold and flu bugs, we have depleted our supply. Thanks so much!
The students finished brushing loose sand from their dry fossils today. They were very excited to see their final products! I was going to send them home tomorrow, but they were so enthusiastic, I bagged them and sent them today! Be sure to ask your child to explain the process we used to make them.
If you are reading this, you must have received the important notice that went home today. Please let me know what you think of receiving information through this blog as opposed to paper notices.
We peeled away the milk cartons today and revealed the fossils beneath. The plaster was still damp so we only brushed off the first layer of sand. After the plaster dries completely, we will finish removing the loose sand and see the treasures created by the students.
Yesterday, the students followed the directions that were in our story MonsterTracks for making fossils. The students did a terrific job sequencing the steps. We started with clean milk cartons. Water was added to sand until it could be shaped into a ball that held its shape. Each student put a ball of sand in the milk carton. They then pressed an item into the sand to make an impression. Equal parts of plaster of Paris and water were mixed in a bucket and poured over the impression. On Monday, we will release our fossils from the cartons. I can’t wait for the children to show you their finished products!
I receive print versions of two magazines that have tons of ideas for parents from recipes and crafts to ideas on bedtime and organization. If you have a minute, take a look at www.familyfun.com and www.parentandchild.com.
A quick clip about the duck-billed dinosaur found in Montana that your child might find interesting!
Dinos: Getting To Know a Duck-Billed Dinosaur - AOL Video
It is time to give technology a try! I will be posting important information on this site for second graders and their parents. It will include a calendar of events, topics we are covering in school, ideas for extending these topics at home, and websites where your child might find additional practice in various subjects.
CALENDAR:
Thursday, April 9: 12:00 noon dismissal for Easter
Monday, April 13: NO SCHOOL
Thursday, April 16: BOOK ORDERS are due
Friday, April 17: Mass (may be at church- watch for updates)
Monday, April 20: Early dismissal at 1:30PM
Don’t forget about trying http://www.spellingcity.com
It is an excellent way for students to practice their spelling words each week. Let me know what you think of it!
We are nearly finished with our reading/science unit on dinosaurs. Ask your child to tell you about the dinosaur he or she studied. you might also enjoy hearing the two dinosaur songs we learned!
