Mrs. Creticos's 2nd Grade Class

News: Week 23, February 6 - 10, 2012

2012-02-06T12:42:00.000-06:00

It was great seeing all of you last week. Please remember that talking about your child's progress in school is not a twice a year activity. Please let me know about any concerns as they arise.

Language Arts - Unit 4, Better Together
Story: Head, Body, Legs
Genre: Folktale
Skills & strategies: Cause & effect, drawing conclusions, rereading
Vocabulary: Written – gasped, attached, frantically, swung, delicious. Oral – accomplish, arduous, labor, rejoice, succeed.
Spelling: Diphthong ou, ow

Book Reports – Students who have classroom numbers from 4011 through 4020 will have book reports due at the end of the month on February 27th. We discussed this last week in class, and they should have brought home a story map for their project.

Math – We are finishing up our geometry unit by studying symmetry and reviewing the geometry concepts. A study sheet of concepts went home last week.

Social Studies – We continue studying geography and will focus on weather and climate, regions, and natural resources.

4th Grade needs many clear 2 liter plastic bottles (cleaned out) for science. If you use these please save them and send them to school. I will see that they get to the 4th grade science teachers.

Valentine's Day Party – will be on February 14th at the end of the day. If your child chooses to send Valentine's to school for classmates, please be sure you send one for each child. We have 19 children in our class; 6 boys and 13 girls. I prefer that you not put individual student names on the Valentines as distribution goes faster if not addressed to individual children.

PTO News – Please help our wonderful PTO earn much needed money by supporting these programs:
Box Tops for Education – are on many popular products. Send them to school ASAP. The class with the most box tops wins a prize.
Escrip – Already buying things online? Sign up for Escrip and Longfellow earns a percentage of your purchase at no additional cost to you.
Winter Carnival – please attend this fundraiser on March 3rd. The kids always have a blast. Last year $5,000 was raised at this event.
Market Day – Stock up for those busy days when there is no time to cook.

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for at least 20 minutes every night. Home Links and social studies pages are due the next day unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Feb. 7 – Library
Wed., Feb. 8 – PE – Wear appropriate clothing - remember gym shoes
Thurs., Feb. 9 – Spelling and Vocabulary due
Fri., Feb. 10 –Path to Math homework due (Mr. Pod's group only); Writing sheets p. 35 & 36 due
Mon., Feb. 13 – PE – Wear appropriate clothing - remember gym shoes; Mad Minutes pack D11 or challenge math due
Tues., Feb. 14 – Library, Valentine Party

News: Week 21, January 23 - 27, 2012

2012-01-23T12:48:00.000-06:00

Conference appointment time letters are coming home today. Please either return the bottom half of the letter or email me to confirm that you have received the letter and that you are able to make the appointment. Conferences are next week.

Lisa Renn will join our class this week to student teach for the next eight weeks. She is currently a preschool teacher at Concordia. I am looking forward to working with her.

Language Arts - Unit 3, Let's Create
Main Selection: Stirring Up Memories
Genre: Autobiography
Strategies & Skills: Generate questions, draw conclusions, cause & effect; sentence combining & punctuation
Vocabulary: Written –creating, familiar, glamorous, imagination, memories, occasions; Oral – coincidence, contemplate explain, scheme, worthy
Spelling: Vowel r: –air, -are, -ear, -ere (two words with the –ar sound are included in the on level list)
A note about last week's on level spelling word homework – Usually, the word search from Treasures has the spelling words printed on the word search page. Last week, that was left out by the publisher and caused some problems for some families. The word searches provided by Treasures usually consist of only the ten pattern-of-the-week words and not the review or the high frequency words.

Book Reports – Students whose classroom numbers are from 4001 through 4010 will have their creative book reports due next week. Remember, the book should be a longer fiction chapter book or a nonfiction book that takes your child longer that a day or two to read. Please see the creative book report menu for specifics. It is available online if you have misplaced yours

Math – We have been doing various explorations involving geometric concepts. By the end of the unit, children are expected to know the names of two dimensional shapes. I will send home a study guide to help in learning these. This week we will be studying points and line segments, parallel line segments, quadrangles, and begin 3 dimensional shapes.

Social Studies – We will be studying geography, which complements our Tastings program

Tastings – Our last Tastings is tomorrow! We will visit Greece. Much of our food for this ten week program was donated by Whole Foods Market River Forest.

Mathathon - Pledges were due on January 20th. If you still have pledges to turn in, please do so as soon as possible.

4th Grade needs many clear 2 liter plastic bottles (cleaned out) for science. If you use these please save them and send them to school. I will see that they get to the 4th grade science teachers.

PTO News – Please help our wonderful PTO earn much needed money by supporting these programs:
Box Tops for Education – are on many popular products. Send them to school ASAP. The class with the most box tops wins a prize.
Escrip – Already buying things online? Sign up for Escrip and Longfellow earns a percentage of your purchase at no additional cost to you.
Winter Carnival – please attend this fundraiser on March 3rd. The kids always have a blast. Last year $5,000 was raised at this event.
Market Day – Stock up for those busy days when there is no time to cook.

Nourish to Flourish – January's theme is to get plenty of sleep and eat a healthy breakfast. Include fresh fruit every morning. If you wish, on Friday, send a healthy breakfast food for your child to have as a snack. This Friday is also Pajama Day. Your child may wear pajamas to school.

.Upcoming events and homework:
Read for at least 20 minutes every night. Home Links and social studies are due the next day unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Jan. 24 – Library; MAP Test – Reading
Wed., Jan 25 – PE – Wear appropriate clothing - remember gym shoes
Thur., Jan. 26 – Spelling/Vocabulary homework due
Fri., Jan. 20 – Path to Math homework due (Mr. Pod's group only); Writing sheet p. 31 & 332 due
Jan. 30 – Feb. 3 – Conference and Book Fair Week – half days of student attendance on Thursday & Friday (AM only)
Mon., Jan. 30 – PE – Wear appropriate clothing - remember gym shoes; Mad Minutes C11 or challenge math due

News: Week 20, January 16 - 20, 2012

2012-01-17T16:40:00.000-06:00

Today, January 17, is Dining for Dollars – Order dinner from Homemade Pizza Co. and the Longfellow PTO will earn money.

Please join me in welcoming student teacher Lisa Renn to our classroom. Ms. Renn will officially begin her student teaching on January 23rd, but will be visiting the class this week. She will be with us for eight weeks.

Conferences are coming up soon. Please return the letter regarding your conference appointment time as soon as possible. I will send out letters with your exact conference time later this week.

Cursive Writing - Please monitor your child while (s)he is doing the homework practice sheets. Be sure that the letters are being formed properly, and that your child is sitting properly with the paper at the proper angle (corner should be pointing at your child's tummy). Writing practice pages are due on Friday of each week.

Language Arts - Unit 3, Let's Create
Main Selection: Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
Genre: Fantasy fiction
Skills: Cause & effect, generate questions, the verb "have", book titles
Vocabulary: Written – impatient, demand, furious, emergency, sincerely, neutral; Oral – depend, modern, operate, produce, supply
Spelling: Vowel r –or, -ore, -oar; Homework will be due on Friday of this week because of the Monday holiday.

Book Reports – Students whose classroom numbers are from 4001 through 4010 will have a creative book report due at the end of the month. Remember, the book should be a longer fiction chapter book or a nonfiction book that takes your child longer that a day or two to read. Please see the creative book report menu for specifics. It is available online if you have misplaced yours

Math – We begin our geometry unit this week. An informational letter about this unit will come home this week.

Social Studies – We will begin our geography unit this week, which complements our Tastings program. Last week we did some activities in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. We watched a short video of the book, Martin's Big Words, and also read an edition of Scholastic News devoted to his life and work.

Tastings – This week we will visit Sweden. Last week's Swiss oatmeal was a huge hit. A recipe collection will come home at the end of our Tastings program. Parent volunteers are need on Tuesdays afternoons to help out, from 1:35 – approximately 2:35. Please let me know if you can help out with set-up and clean-up.

Mathathon - Pledges are due on January 20th.

4th Grade needs many clear 2 liter plastic bottles (cleaned out) for science after Winter Break. If you use these please save them and send them to school. I will see that they get to the 4th grade science teachers.

PTO News – Please help our wonderful PTO earn much needed money by supporting these programs:
Box Tops for Education – are on many popular products. Send them to school ASAP. The class with the most box tops wins a prize.
Escrip – Already buying things online? Sign up for Escrip and Longfellow earns a percentage of your purchase at no additional cost to you.
Winter Carnival – please attend this fundraiser on March 3rd. The kids always have a blast. Last year $5,000 was raised at this event.
Market Day – Stock up for those busy days when there is no time to cook.
Nourish to Flourish – January's theme is to get plenty of sleep and eat a healthy breakfast. Include fresh fruit every morning.

Yoga – a flyer went home last week describing this after school class for grades 2-5. Contact Mr. Podlasek if you have questions.

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for at least 20 minutes every night. Home Links and social studies are due the next day unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Jan. 17 – Library, Mad Minutes or challenge math due; MAP Test – Math
Wed., Jan 18 – PE – Wear appropriate clothing
Thur., Jan. 19 – Dibels mid-year benchmark testing
Fri., Jan. 20 – Spelling homework due; Mathathon money due; Path to Math homework due (Mr. Pod's group only); Writing sheet p. 29 & 30 due; Conference forms due
Mon., Jan. 23 – PE – wear appropriate clothing; Mad Minutes B21 or challenge math due
Tue., Jan. 24 – Library; MAP Test – reading
Jan. 30 – Feb. 3 – Conference and Book Fair Week – half days of student attendance on Thursday & Friday (AM only)

News: Week 19, January 9 - 13, 2012

2012-01-09T12:20:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful break, and are rested and ready for the rest of the school year.

Winter Party – We will have a Happy New Year Party this Wednesday during lunch with a soup luncheon. I will provide soup and bread. Please have your child bring a drink and anything else to eat if you think they would like more. We will also watch a short movie during the lunch hour.

Conferences are coming up soon. Watch for conference information to come home.

Winter Break Homework – is due today.

Cursive Writing – begins this week! We are so excited! Each week one or two double sided writing pages will come home for practice. Please monitor your child while (s)he is doing these practice sheets. Be sure that the letters are being formed properly, and that your child is sitting properly with the paper at the proper angle (corner should be pointing at your child's tummy). Writing practice pages are due on Friday of each week.

Kindness Market – Thank you to all our volunteers (Senja's mom, Macy's mom, Dhanya's dad, Brixton's mom, Jane's mom and grandpa, Eva's mom, Grey's grandmother, and my friends, Mrs. McDonnell and Mr. Flynn – I hope I haven't left anyone out) who made our Kindness Market a HUGE success. Our class raised $169.64 and the total (unofficial) 2nd grade profit was $629.00. The 2nd graders voted to donate the profits to Hephzibah Children's Association. A representative from Hephzibah will come to our school and meet with the children to receive the donation.

Language Arts - Unit 3, Let's Create
Main Selection: Music of the Stone Age
Genre: Expository
Skills: generate questions, author's purpose, summarize, past-tense verbs, letter punctuation.
Vocabulary: Written – impossible, pleasant, talent, treasures Oral – craft, decorate, divide, precious, represents
Spelling: Vowel r –ar

Book Reports – Students whose classroom numbers are from 4001 through 4010 will have a creative book report due at the end of the month. Remember, the book should be a longer fiction chapter book or a nonfiction book that takes your child longer that a day or two to read. Please see the creative book report menu for specifics. It is available online if you have misplaced yours (please let me know if you have trouble accessing this site – I was having some difficulty when I tested it out earlier, bit think it is fixed).

Math – We didn't get to finish the unit before break as I had hoped. So we will finish up this week with the test at the end of the week.

Social Studies – We will finish up our economics unit this week. Vocabulary words will come home to study for the test at the end of the week. Our next social studies unit will cover geography.

Tastings – We've extended our Tastings program for three more sessions on January 10, 17, and 24. We will be visiting Switzerland, Sweden, and Greece. Parent volunteers are need on Tuesdays afternoons to help out, from 1:35 – approximately 2:35. Please let me know if you can help out with set-up and clean-up.

Mathathon – Keep working on those math problems and collecting your pledges. Pledges are due on January 20th. There is still time to participate if you did not sign up before break; just send me a note.

4th Grade needs many clear 2 liter plastic bottles (cleaned out) for science after Winter Break. If you use these please save them and send them to school. I will see that they get to the 4th grade science teachers.

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for at least 20 minutes every night. Home Links and social studies are due the next day unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Jan. 10 – Library
Wed., Jan. 11 – PE – wear appropriate clothing; New Year soup party
Thur., Jan. 12 – Spelling & Vocabulary homework due
Fri., Jan. 13 – Reading tests, Writing sheet p. 27 & 28 due
Mon., Jan. 16 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – No School
Tue., Jan. 17 – Library, Mad Minutes or challenge math due; MAP Test – Math
Thur., Jan. 19 – Dibels mid-year benchmark testing
Fri., Jan. 20 – Mathathon money due; Path to Math homework due (Mr. Pod's group only); Writing sheet p. 29 & 30 due
Tue., Jan. 24 – Library; MAP Test - reading

News: Week 18. December 19 - 23, 2011

2011-12-19T12:29:00.000-06:00

As we go into the final weeks of the year, I would like to wish you all a very lovely winter break and a great start to the new year. If you are traveling, I wish you safe travels. Happy Holidays!

Winter Break Homework –Each child is to write a letter to someone who has given them a gift or done something kind for them. See the homework assignment for more details.

Kindness Market – is this Thursday morning. We need as many parents as possible to help us out. Come when you can and stay as long as you can.

Language Arts - Unit 3, Let's Create
Main Selection: Abuelo and the Three Bears
Genre: fantasy fiction
Skills: Visualize; summarize; compare and contrast; understanding idioms; present tense verbs; commas in a series
Vocabulary: Written – medium,, arrive, argue, stubborn, noticed, cozy. Oral – attractive, depart, exaggerate, gesture, soothing
Spelling: Vowel r – ear, eer, ere
No spelling and vocabulary homework due this week. Just practice your spelling words for the Friday test.
Math – We will learn the partial sums algorithm method of adding 2 digit numbers. We will also learn the more familiar carrying method. Please see my blog for links to explanations of the partial sums method.

Social Studies – We will continue our economics unit and will look at how people and nations trade with each other.

Tastings – Last week we traveled to Australia and tasted Granny Smith apples with yogurt sauce (a delicious blend of vanilla yogurt, orange juice, and cinnamon). Ask your child about how Granny Smith apples were discovered. We will be doing 3 extra Tastings after Winter Break. I will send a note with further details.

Parent volunteers are need on Tuesdays afternoons to help out, from 1:35 – approximately 2:35. Please let me know if you can help out with set-up and clean-up, and which of the next 7 Tuesdays you are available.

Mathathon – Booklets have been passed out to those who have signed up. There is still time to sign up before Winter Break. Money is due January 20th.

4th Grade needs many clear 2 liter plastic bottles (cleaned out) for science after Winter Break. If you use these please save them and send them to school. I will see that they get to the 4th grade science teachers.

MAP Testing dates have been pushed back from right after Winter Break to beginning on January 17th.

Alternative Lunch – If your child has sensory overload issues and would like to participate in an altnative lunch program on Tuesdays and Thursdays, please let me know. I have forms explaining this program in detail. Forms are due on December 21. Before signing your child up, please read the details carefully.

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for at least 20 minutes every night. Home Links and social studies are due the next day unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Dec. 20 – 2nd Grade Larks Pizza Lunch; Library
Wed., Dec. 21 – PE – wear appropriate clothing; Larks Concert; alternative lunch forms due
Thur., Dec. 22 – Kindness Market
Mon., Jan. 9 – Winter Break assignment due; PE – wear appropriate clothing
Tues., Jan. 10 - Library
Mon., Jan. 16 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – No School
Tues., Jan. 17 – MAP testing begins. Exact dates TBD
Fri., Jan. 20 – Mathathon money due

News: Week 17, December 12 - 16, 2011

2011-12-12T15:22:00.000-06:00

Holiday party – will be after Winter Break. More news to come.

Winter Break Homework – is coming home today. Each child is to write a letter to someone who has given them a gift or done something kind for them. See the homework assignment for more details.

Kindness Market – is NEXT week. This week all the 2nd graders will vote to select a charity to which the profits earned will be donated.

Language Arts - Unit 3, Let's Create.
Main Selection: Alvin Ailey Kids: Dancing as a Team
Genre: Expository text
Skills: Visualize; summarize; compare and contrast; thesaurus, antonyms; action verbs, abbreviations
Vocabulary: Written – perform, effort, remember, mood, proud. Oral – annual, anticipate, cherish, emotion, festive
Spelling: Vowel r – er, ir, ur

Math – We have been exploring different types of addition problems and the graphic organizers used to solve them. This week we will work on estimating costs, and begin looking at strategies for adding two digit numbers. No math packs or challenge math will be due until after Winter Break. I have many math games linked on my website and blog for extra math practice.

Social Studies – We will continue our economics unit and will look at saving money and how markets operate.

Tastings – Last week we traveled to South America and tried a super grain called quinoa (KEEN-wah). Good news! We will probably be able to extend our Tastings after Winter Break with three more Tastings at no extra cost. Stay tuned for more details.

Parent volunteers are need on Tuesdays afternoons to help out, from 1:35 – approximately 2:35. Please let me know if you can help out with set-up and clean-up, and which of the next 7 Tuesdays you are available.

Mathathon – Flyers went home earlier about participation in the Mathathon to earn money for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. The pledges will be due in January.

Food Pantry Donations – The student council is organizing a food drive to help stock the Food Pantry. The Food Pantry is asking for protein items such as peanut butter, canned meats, tuna, salmon and beans (canned or dry). In addition, baby items or toiletry items such as diapers, baby food, baby formula, bar soap, shampoo, and deodorant. As always, any other items are acceptable as well. Cash and checks are welcome, too. Last day to donate is December 16th. Please send donations to our classroom.

4th Grade needs many clear 2 liter plastic bottles (cleaned out) for science after Winter Break. If you use these please save them and send them to school. I will see that they get to the 4th grade science teachers.

Alternative Lunch – If your child has sensory overload issues and would like to participate in an alternative lunch program on Tuesdays and Thursdays, please let me know. I have forms explaining this program in detail. Forms are due on December 21. Before signing your child up, please read the details carefully.

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for at least 20 minutes every night. Home Links and social studies are due the next day unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Dec. 13 – Library
Wed., Dec. 14 – PE – wear appropriate clothing;
Thurs., Dec. 15 – Spelling/Vocabulary homework due
Fri., Dec. 16 – Food Pantry donations due
Mon., Dec. 19- PE – wear appropriate clothing (no math packs due – prepare for the Kindness Market)
Tues., Dec. 20 - Library
Wed., Dec. 21 – PE – wear appropriate clothing; Larks Concert; alternative lunch forms due
Thur., Dec. 22 – Kindness Market
Mon., Jan. 9 – Winter Break assignment due

2011-11-28T11:15:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Break. It is hard to believe that the year is going by so quickly.

Kindness Market – Each year the 2nd grade classes hold a Kindness Market to raise money for a charity as chosen by the children in the classes. Our Kindness Market will be held on December 22, which is approaching quickly. Each family is asked to make crafts for their 2nd grader to sell. This project supports our math and social studies units. We will need as many adult helpers that day as we can get. If you, or any other relative, is available on that day and can come, please let me know.

Book Reports – for students with classroom numbers 4011-4020 are due this week.

Language Arts - Unit 2, Community Heroes.
Story: African American Inventors
Genre: Biography
Skills and Strategies – generate questions; compare and contrast
Spelling pattern: long u
Vocabulary: written – allowed, powerful, invented, instrument, products, design Oral – devise, ingenious, investigate, superior, wits

Book It! – Please have your child turn in their completed Book It calendars for November by this Friday. Remember that a parent signature is needed on the calendar. If you have lost your calendar, you can make your own, or send me a note stating that your child has read the required 20 minutes per day for at least twenty days during the month of November.

Math – We will finish up unit 3 and review it this week.

Social Studies – We begin our study of economics this week. Watch for social studies homework to come home.

Tastings – The week before last we traveled to Thailand to sample cucumber salad and mango. Most of us thought that it was delicious. The food was provided by Sagano in Oak Park.

Parent volunteers are need on Tuesdays afternoons to help out, from 1:35 – approximately 2:35. Please let me know if you can help out with set-up and clean-up, and which of the next 7 Tuesdays you are available. If you haven't sent in the $7.00 to help defray the cost of this in-school field trip, please do so as soon as possible. Much of the food is donated by local businesses.

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for at least 20 minutes every night. Home Links are due the next day unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Nov. 29 – Library; Kindness Market forms due
Wed., Nov. 30– PE – wear appropriate clothing;
Thur., Dec. 1- spelling/vocab homework due;
Friday, Dec. 2 – spelling test; Pizza Hut calendars for November due
Mon., Dec. 5- Math money pack 2 due and Math Challenge packs due; PBIS celebration; PE – wear appropriate clothing
Tues, Dec. 6 – Library

News: Weeks 13 & 14, November 14 - 25, 2011

2011-11-14T12:44:00.000-06:00

We were quite excited to see the falling snowflakes last Thursday! Please remember that we go outside for class recess most days, even if it is too cold for lunchtime recess. Be sure your child is dressed for the weather with hats, gloves, boots, warm jackets, and snow pants when necessary.

Kindness Market – Each year the 2nd grade classes hold a Kindness Market to raise money for a charity as chosen by the children in the classes. Our Kindness Market will be held on December 22, which is approaching quickly. Each family is asked to make crafts for their 2nd grader to sell. This project supports our math and social studies units. A flyer is coming home today that will explain this project in more detail.

Book Reports – for students with classroom numbers 4011-4020 will be due on Monday, November 28th.

Language Arts - Unit 2, Community Heroes.
Week 13-
Story: One Grain of Rice
Genre: folktale
Skills and Strategies – generate questions; make inferences; character, plot, and setting
Spelling pattern: long o
Vocabulary: written – collectors, store, reward, clever, double, amount Oral – conquest, energetic, exhausted, hero, physical
Week 14: No new story, spelling words, vocabulary, etc. due to the short week.

Math – Last week we learned about finding the median (middle) number in a set of data by counting our pockets, lining up in order of the fewest to the most pockets, and then finding the child in the middle. We also talked about the mode, the most common number. This week we will continue two rule frames and arrow problems and working with money. I am hoping to get the test in before Thanksgiving break. We have also had a couple of new students qualify for the math challenge pack for homework. Congratulations!

Science – We will finish up our experiments with sink and float this week, with the test on the concepts the following week. We have really enjoyed this unit and the students have been very good, observant scientists. After Thanksgiving Break we will begin our economics unit in Social Studies.

Tastings –Last week we traveled to Italy and sampled bruschetta (ask your child the correct pronunciation) with a white bean puree along with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. The food was donated by Whole Foods Market River Forest, Winberies Restaurant, and Trattoria 225. Your child also brought home a coloring page of a part of a Michelangelo painting. With adult permission, they should try to be like Michelangelo painting the ceiling on his back: tape the picture to the underside of a chair or table and color with crayons or colored pencils.

Parent volunteers are need on Tuesdays afternoons to help out, exact time to be from 1:35 – approximately 2:35. Please let me know if you can help out with set-up and clean-up, and which of the next 7 Tuesdays you are available. If you haven't sent in the $7.00 to help defray the cost of this in-school field trip, please do so as soon as possible. Much of the food is donated by local businesses.

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for at least 20 minutes every night. Home Links are due the next day unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Nov. 15 – Library
Wed., Nov. 16– PE – wear appropriate clothing;
Thur., Nov. 17 - spelling/vocab homework due; spelling test
Friday, Nov. 18 – spelling test (no new homework due for Mr. Pod's Path to Math group)
Mon., Nov. 21- Math money pack 1 due and Math Challenge packs due; PBIS celebration; PE – wear appropriate clothing
Wed., Nov. 23 – No school, Institute Day
Thur.-Fri. Nov. 24 & 25 – No school, Thanksgiving Break
Mon., Nov. 28 – Book reports due for class numbers 4011-4020; PE – wear appropriate clothing
Tues, Nov. 29 – Kindness Market Initial Planning Form due; Library

News: Week 12, November 7 - 11, 2011

2011-11-07T15:13:00.000-06:00

A very belated thank you to our wonderful room parents who planned and helped out with the Halloween party. Thanks to Macy's mom for organizing, and to Jane's mom, Sofia's mom, and John's mom for helping out.

Kindness Market – Each year the 2nd grade classes hold a Kindness Market to raise money for a charity as chosen by the children in the classes. Our Kindness Market will be held on December 22, which is approaching quickly. Each family is asked to make crafts for their 2nd grader to sell. This project supports our math and social studies units. A flyer coming home soon will explain this project in more detail.

Book Reports – Children whose classroom numbers are 4011 – 4020 were given their book report menus and we had a discussion of the expectations for their book reports which will be due after Thanksgiving break. Please go through the directions with your child and let me know if you have any questions. We are continuing to present book reports for the children who have already completed their projects.

Language Arts - Unit 2, Community Heroes.
Story: Tall Tale
Genre: Nonfiction expository text
Skills and Strategies – main idea and details, cause and effect, read ahead
Spelling patterns: long e
Vocabulary: written – landmark, state, government, symbol Oral – escape, brave, glow, surround, prevent

Math – Starting next week, our math packs will involve practice with money, in preparation for our Kindness Market. In class we will concentrate on money, time, and finding the media for a set of numbers.

Science – Last week we tested the cargo capacity of boats made by teams of students. Ask your child about the capacity of his or her team's boat.

Tastings – Last week we traveled to Mexico and tasted guacamole and tortilla chips which were purchased from at the Golden Lamb in Oak Park. We learned about the nutritional components of the food we were eating, including the good fats that are found in an avocado. We also learned the difference between a fruit and a vegetable.

Parent volunteers are need on Tuesdays afternoons to help out, exact time to be from 1:35 – approximately 2:35. Please let me know if you can help out with set-up and clean-up, and which of the next 7 Tuesdays you are available. If you haven't sent in the $7.00 to help defray the cost of this in-school field trip, please do so as soon as possible. Much of the food is donated by local businesses.

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for at least 20 minutes every night. Home Links are due the next day unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Nov. 8 – Library
Wed., Nov. 9– PE – wear appropriate clothing;
Thur., Nov. 10 - spelling/vocab homework due; spelling test
Friday, Nov. 11 – No school, Veterans Day
Mon., Nov. 14 – Mad minutes A61 OR Math Challenge packs due

News: Week 11, October 31 - November 4, 2011

2011-10-31T11:48:00.000-05:00

Headphones – please send inexpensive headphones that will work with a standard computer jack input to school. We are using the netbooks and many of the programs have sound. Sharing headphones is strongly discouraged at school due to the possibility of also sharing lice.

Student Council is sponsoring Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. Boxes went home last week for children to use to collect money. Please return them by this Friday, November 4, if your child decides to participate.

Book It Calendars – if your child has read for the required 20 minutes per day for 20 days in October and filled out the calendar he or she is eligible to receive a coupon for a personal pizza from Pizza Hut. Please return the calendars, signed by a parent or guardian, by this Friday. If you have lost your calendar you can download one from the school website, make your own, or send me a parent or guardian signed note that states that your child has read for at least the minimum required.

Book Reports – will begin this week. Children who have classroom numbers 4001-4010 will present, and children with numbers 4011-4020 will receive their Book Report Menus this week.

Language Arts - We continue Unit 2, Community Heroes.
Story: Doña Flor
Genre: Folklore – tall tale
Skills and Strategies – cause and effect; rereading
Spelling patterns: long e
Vocabulary: written – commotion, rattled respected, shivering, and tangle. Oral – complaint, nation, privilege, scent, unique.

Spelling homework – will come home on Tuesday of this week and will be due on Friday, Nov. 4th instead of Thursday.

Math – We will begin Unit 3 this week. Please watch for a newsletter explaining this unit.

Science – Ask your child how you can make a paper clip float and how you can change a lump of clay to make it float.

Tastings – Our 2nd grade this week. We will be meeting with Ms. Sandy Noel, former District 97 PE teacher and "traveling" to countries around the world to learn about the cultures and tasted healthy foods from those cultures. Parent volunteers are need on Tuesdays afternoons to help out, exact time to be from 1:35 – approximately 2:35. Please let me know if you can help out with set-up and clean-up, and which of the next 7 Tuesdays you are available. A form will come home this week explaining the program and asking for $7.00 per child to help defray the costs. Most of the food is donated by local businesses.

Police Alert – Last week a letter went home about a person who is trying to lure children to his car. There are many incorrect rumors going around among the children. We talked about this in class, and I tried to be very clear that no child has been hurt. We also discussed the police safety tips in the letter. District 97 has posted the police alert at http://www.op97.org/documents/PoliceAlert-10-25-11.pdf

Finally – we have been using the document camera, commonly called an "Elmo" as often as we can, and cannot wait until we get one permanently in our classroom. Thank you to those of you who have donated money through our Fun Run. The only issue I am having is that almost every time I turn it on the class begins singing the Sesame Street Elmo song.

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for at least 20 minutes every night. Home Links are due the next day unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Nov. 1 – Library
Wed., Nov. 2– PE – wear appropriate clothing;
Fri., Nov. 4 – Mr. Pod's Path to Math homework due; spelling/vocab homework due; spelling testMon., Nov. 7 – Mad minutes A51 OR Math Challenge packs due
Friday, Nov. 11 – No school, Veterans Day

News: Week 10, October 24-28, 2011

2011-10-24T12:48:00.000-05:00

Headphones – please send inexpensive headphones that will work with a standard computer jack input to school. We are using the netbooks and many of the programs have sound. Sharing headphones is strongly discouraged at school due to the possibility of also sharing lice.

Halloween parties – Please contact Susan Stanislaw if you would like to help out with the party. Times are as follows:
12:00 – Put on costumes; perhaps time for a story
12:45 – Line up for the parade
1:00 – Parade starts
Party will begin after the parade
A few reminders:
 No costumes may be worn in the morning. Children will have time to change right after lunch.

 No toy weapons may be brought to school as part of a costume. Please leave these at home.

The Pumpkin Festival will also take place on Monday, October 31. Bring your pumpkin to school that morning to display in the lobby. Awards are made to the best pumpkins in a variety of categories. Pumpkins must go home that day, or they will be discarded.
Please let me know if your child is not allowed to participate in Halloween activities. Longfellow provides an alternative party for those children who do not participate in Halloween events.

Book Reports – will begin this month. Children who have classroom numbers 4001-4010 will present during the week of October 31.

Language Arts - We begin Unit 2, Community Heroes.
Story: Babu's Song
Genre: Realistic fiction
Spelling patterns: long a spelled ai and ay
Vocabulary: written – concern, exclaimed, figure, vendor. Oral – disposition (personality), embrace, gracious, just (fair or right), dignity

Math – We will review and assess Unit 2 this week. A study guide will be done in class. Please use the corrected study guide to help your child prepare for the test.

Science – We continue with Sink or Float unit. Ask your child what we have discovered so far in our experiments.

Tastings – Our 2nd grade Tastings have been postponed for a week and will begin next week. We will be meeting with Ms. Sandy Noel, former District 97 PE teacher and "traveling" to countries around the world to learn about the cultures and tasted healthy foods from those cultures. Parent volunteers are need on Tuesdays afternoons to help out, exact time to be announced. Please let me know if you can help out with set-up and clean-up. More info to follow.

Chess Club – will begin in November. A flyer went home last week, and is also available online.

Opera for the Young – will visit Longfellow on Wednesday and perform Hansel and Gretel.

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for at least 20 minutes every night. Home Links are due the next day unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Oct. 25 – Library
Wed., Oct. 26– PE – wear appropriate clothing; Opera for the Young performance: Hansel and Gretel
Thur., Oct. 27 - Spelling homework due
Fri., Oct. 28 – Mr. Pod's Path to Math homework due; spelling test
Mon., Oct. 31 – Mad minutes A41 OR Math Challenge packs due; Halloween parade and party; Pumpkin Festival

News: Week 9, October 17 - 24

2011-10-17T15:30:00.000-05:00

Conferences are this week. Please be on time as often they are scheduled back-to-back. Be sure to visit our book fair in the hallway near PKP.

Snacks – Please do not send any snacks to school that contain nuts. We have children in this class with both peanut and tree nut allergies. Read labels carefully – many products contain nuts, especially peanuts. Children who bring snacks that contain peanuts to school will have to wait until lunch time to eat them.

Halloween parties – We will participate in the annual Halloween parade and have a classroom party on Monday afternoon, October 31st. Please let me know if your child is not allowed to participate in Halloween activities. Longfellow provides an alternative party for those children who do not participate in Halloween events. A few reminders:

 No costumes may be worn in the morning. Children will have time at lunch and right after to change.

 No toy weapons may be brought to school as part of a costume. Please leave these at home.

The Pumpkin Festival will also take place on Monday, October 31. Bring your pumpkin to school that morning to display in the lobby. Awards are made to the best pumpkins in a variety of categories. Pumpkins must go home that day, or they will be discarded.

Book Reports – will begin this month. Children who have classroom numbers 4001-4010 will present during the week of October 31.

Language Arts - This is a unit assessment week. Therefore, there is no new story, nor any spelling and vocabulary homework.

Math – We will be working on "What's My Rule" tables, and subtraction strategies. We will begin the unit review at the end of the week, and will do the assessment next week.

Science – We are having a great time exploring the scientific concepts in our Sink or Float unit. Ask your child what we have discovered so far in our experiments.

Tastings – Our 2nd grade Tastings will begin next week. We will be meeting with Ms. Sandy Noel, former District 97 PE teacher and "traveling" to countries around the world to learn about the cultures and tasted healthy foods from those cultures. Watch for more information to come home this week.

Bear Necessity donations – Each week children at Longfellow may turn in their Bear Necessities to participate in a raffle (grades k-3) or visit the Bear's Den to purchase prizes (grades 4 & 5). Donations of items that can be used as prizes are needed. If you would like to help out, please see the Wish List on the PBIS blog.

Finally – a BIG thank-you to Dr. Wardzala, an audiologist, who came to our class and told us about his job, as a connection to our Treasures story about a girl who is deaf.

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for 20 minutes every night. Home Links & social studies homework are due the next day, unless otherwise noted. October 17 – 23 – Conference and Book Fair Week
Tue., Oct. 18 – Library
Wed., Oct. 19 – PE – wear appropriate clothing
Thur., Oct. 20 - No school in the PM
Fri., Oct. 21 – Mr. Pod's Path to Math homework due; No school in the PM
Mon., Oct. 24 – Mad minutes A31 OR Math Challenge packs due; – PE – wear appropriate clothing;

News: Week 8, October 10 - 14, 2011

2011-10-11T15:15:00.000-05:00

If you have not returned the original conference request sheet, please do so as soon as possible. Please also send in the conference confirmation form as soon as possible so that I know you have received it.

Book Reports – will begin this month. I have met with children whose class numbers are 4001 – 4010. Those children have brought home a book report menu for a creative book report that is due the week beginning October 31st. Children with numbers 4011-4020 will have their book reports due at the end of November, and I will meet with them in early November to explain their options. Please read the introduction in the menu. This menu is also available through my blog. Look at the Language Arts Forms and Links in the left hand column.

Language Arts –Story: My Name is Yoon
Genre: realistic fiction
Skills: Summarizing, making and confirming predictions
Spelling: short and long o and u words – your child will bring home either the regular list or challenge list and homework (due on Friday this week due to shortened week).
Vocabulary words: Written words –cuddle, favorite, patient, practiced, settled, wrinkled Oral vocabulary: custom, greet, journey, liberty, varied

Spelling word lists for this week have been uploaded to Spell City http://www.spellingcity.com/ You can practice your words and plays games to help learn those spelling words. Go to the above website and click on Find a List and search teacher using Creticos. There is a link in my blog under the Language Arts Forms and Links, as well in the Spelling Words Tab at the top.

Math – The main focus this week will be frames and arrows routines, and what's my rule.

Science – We will begin our science unit Sink or Float this week.

Art Exhibit – Two students from our class, Dhanya and Senja have artwork displayed in the exhibit "Longfellow Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month" at the Oak Park Public Library Main Branch through October.

Bear Necessity donations – Each week children at Longfellow may turn in their Bear Necessities to participate in a raffle (grades k-3) or visit the Bear's Den to purchase prizes (grades 4 & 5). Donations of items that can be used as prizes are needed. If you would like to help out, please see the Wish List on the PBIS blog.

Digital Backpack - You can now subscribe to the Digital Backpack and be kept up-to-date on important school information. Please visit Longfellow's Digital Backpack page (linked below if you are receiving this by email or in paper form; linked on the District 97 tab at the top of my classroom blog if you are reading this online) for more information.

Upcoming events and homework:

Read for 20 minutes every night. Home Links & social studies homework are due the next day, unless otherwise noted.
Wed., Oct. 12 – PE – wear appropriate clothing; – PTO New Family Dinner at 6:30PM
Thur., Oct. 13 – Spelling homework dueLarks meet at lunch
Fri., Oct. 14 –Lesson 4 reading tests; Mr. Pod's Path to Math homework due; Spelling homework dueLarks
October 17 – 23 – Conference and Book Fair Week
Mon., Oct. 17 – Mad minutes A21 OR Math Challenge packs due
Tue., Oct. 18 – Library
Wed., Oct. 19 – PE – wear appropriate clothing;
Thur., Oct. 20 – No school in the PM
Fri., Oct. 21 – No school in the PM

News: Week 7, October 3 - 7, 2011

2011-10-03T12:46:00.001-05:00

Coming home today – conference sign-up sheets. Please fill out and return to me by this Friday at the latest.

Fun Run – You are still welcome to turn in any pledges this week. We had a great time last Friday running and walking laps at Longfellow Park.

Walk to School Day is this Wednesday. If at all possible, have your child walk to school that day. Children who are unable to walk to and from school will have the opportunity to walk around the block with staff at the lunch hour.

Language Arts –Story: Meet Rosina
Genre: expository photo essay
Skills: Summarizing, identifying main idea and details
Spelling: short and long i words – your child will bring home either the regular list or challenge list and homework (due on Thursday).
Vocabulary words: Written words –signing (using sign language) cultures, relatives, celebrate Oral vocabulary: amusement, entertain, magnificent, skill, remarkable.

Book It calendars are coming home this week. Any child who reads for 20 minutes a day, for 20 days out of the month and returns their parent-signed calendar will get a coupon for a free personal pizza from Pizza Hut.

Math – Weekly math packets start this week. Most children will bring home the Mad Minutes. Please see the written instructions for using these. Children who are secure in their math facts will bring home a challenge packet. In general there are 5 problems for each week. Your child should do 1 problem per day. Both the challenge math books and the Mad Minutes are due the first day of the following week.

Social Studies – We postponed the test until this week, and will complete it on Tuesday.

Technology – Ms. Rosen, D97 Technology Integrationist, came to our classroom last week and showed us how to use the net books. All the students logged on to their Treasures account.

Scholastic News – I received all of September's Scholastic News issues last week. I will send these home for at-home reading. October's issues will come home throughout the month.

Bear Necessity donations – Each week children at Longfellow may turn in their Bear Necessities to participate in a raffle (grades k-3) or visit the Bear's Den to purchase prizes (grades 4 & 5). Donations of items that can be used as prizes are needed. If you would like to help out, please see the Wish List on the PBIS blog.

Digital Backpack - You can now subscribe to the Digital Backpack and be kept up-to-date on important school information. Please visit Longfellow's Digital Backpack page (linked below if you are receiving this by email or in paper form; linked on the District 97 tab at the top of my classroom blog if you are reading this online) for more information.

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for 20 minutes every night. Home Links & social studies homework are due the next day, unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Oct. 4 – Library
Wed., Oct. 5 – PE – wear appropriate clothing; Walk to School Day
Thur., Oct. 6 – Spelling homework due; Larks meet at lunch
Fri., Oct. 7 –Lesson 4 reading tests; Mr. Pod's Path to Math homework due
Mon., Oct. 10 – No School, Columbus Day
Tues., Oct. 11 – Mad minutes A11 OR Math Challenge packs due
Wed., Oct. 12 – PTO New Family Dinner at 6:30PM

News: Week 6, September 26-30, 2011

2011-09-26T12:16:00.000-05:00

Fun Run – is this Friday and there is still time to collect those pledges. This is a fundraiser for our PTO that promotes healthy living while raising much needed funds for our school. We are hoping that each child will bring in pledges totaling at least $40. You may pledge online at http://www.thegetmovincrew.com/, or send your pledges in to school. On Friday, second grade will participate at 9:45 to 10:30 at Longfellow Park. If possible, have your child wear orange on Friday.

Language Arts –Story: Family Farm – Then and Now
Genre: expository text
Skills: Summarizing, identifying main idea and details
Spelling: short and long a words – your child will bring home either the regular list or challenge list and homework (due on Thursday).
Vocabulary words: Written words –harvest, crops, knowledge, machines, irrigate Oral vocabulary: bond, fatigue, reflect, resume, relationship

Passport to Reading started today. All 2nd grade students are divided into 7 groups based on their decoding skills. They will meet with their Passport teachers for ½ hour, 4 days per week (no Passport on Wednesday)

Math – We will begin Unit 2 this week. A newsletter is coming home today describing the unit in detail. Please visit my blog for links to games for your child to play to strengthen their math skills. One popular game is Number Twins, which will help your child learn his or her complements of 10 facts.

Path to Math – Students in Mr. Podlasek's group have homework that is due this Friday, September 30.

Social Studies – We are finishing up our first unit and will have the test later this week. Flashcards will come home this week (really they will – I forgot to send them home last week) to help your child study the vocabulary for the test.

Technology – we are planning to have Ms. Rosen, D97 Technology Integrationist, come to our classroom this week to show us how to use the Net books that are available to our classroom.

Longfellow Larks – a few children have asked me about signing up for the Longfellow Larks lunchtime singing group. If your child has not signed up and would like to participate, there is more information and a form online: http://www.longfellowlarks.blogspot.com/ If you do not have access to a computer, send me a note and I will get a form for you.

Bear Necessity donations – Each week children at Longfellow may turn in their Bear Necessities to participate in a raffle (grades k-3) or visit the Bear's Den to purchase prizes (grades 4 & 5). Donations of items that can be used as prizes are needed. If you would like to help out, please see the Wish List on the PBIS blog.

IMPORTANT - Student Information Form – If you receive a paper copy of my Student Information form attached to this newsletter, please either fill it out online on my blog (preferred), or fill in the attached form and return. Thanks!

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for 20 minutes every night. Home Links & social studies homework are due the next day, unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Sept. 27 – Library
Wed., Sept. 28 – PE – wear appropriate clothing; Wear Longfellow spirit wear
Thur., Sept. 29 – Spelling homework due; Larks meet at lunch
Fri., Sept. 30 – Fun Run – wear orange; Lesson 3 reading tests; Mr. Pod's Path to Math homework due
Mon., Oct. 3 – Picture Day; PE- wear appropriate clothing
Wed., Oct. 5 – Walk to School Day
Mon., Oct. 10 – No School, Columbus Day

News: Week 5, September 19 - 23, 2011

2011-09-19T12:34:00.000-05:00

Language Arts –Story: Mr. Putter & Tabby Pour Tea
Genre: fiction
Skills: Plot, character & setting; identifying commands and exclamations
Spelling: short o, e, and u words – your child will bring home either the regular list or challenge list and homework (due on Thursday).
Vocabulary words: Written words –company (to be in the company of someone), delighted, enjoyed, share, thinning, & wonderful. Oral vocabulary– agree, appreciate, companion, fond, & loyal

The Treasures weekly assessment that we did last week will be coming home this week. Please note that we did the first part of the assessment together, so it is a group effort. Some children elected to write their own short answer to the one longer answer question.

Treasures student accounts – Some students have told me they have lost their Treasures online account information. I will send it out again this week.

Math – We are reviewing Unit 1 and will have the test at the end of the week. Students are working on a study guide for the test at school. It will come home later this week and can be used to review the concepts that are on the test. The test will also include a challenge section that is not in the study guide.

Path to Math – is a differentiated math grouping that all 2nd graders will participate in for an hour every Friday morning. Students will be divided into one of four groups based on their math skills. The four 2nd grade teachers will lead these groups, with Ms. Scaro assisting. The aim is to increase math success for all students.

Social Studies – We will focus on using a map grid; cities, suburbs, and rural areas. Watch for vocabulary flash cards to come home.

Fun Run – will take place Friday, September 30. Second grade will run or walk from 9:45 to 10:25 at Longfellow Park. Our grade color is orange. This is a PTO sponsored fund raiser. More information is available on our school website.

Bear Necessity donations – Each week children at Longfellow may turn in their Bear Necessities to participate in a raffle (grades k-3) or visit the Bear's Den to purchase prizes (grades 4 & 5). Donations of items that can be used as prizes are needed. If you would like to help out, please see the Wish List on the PBIS blog.

Picture Day Forms are coming home today.

Upcoming events and homework:

Read for 20 minutes every night. Home Links & social studies homework are due the next day, unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Sept. 20 – Library; Super Summer Math Pizza Party
Wed., Sept.21 - PE – wear appropriate clothing; A.L.L. registrations due (deadline extended)
Thur., Sept. 22 – Spelling homework due; Larks meet at lunch
Fri., Sept. 23 – Week 2 reading tests
Mon., Sept. 26 – PE- wear appropriate clothing
Fri., Sept. 30 – Fun Run – wear orange
Mon., Oct. 3 – Picture Day
Wed., Oct. 5 – Walk to School Day
Mon., Oct. 10 – No School, Columbus Day

*****If you need a paper copy of the Thursday packet, please let me know ASAP*****

News: Week 4, September 12-16, 2011

2011-09-12T15:29:00.000-05:00

We had a great visit with storyteller Chris Fascione last week. Ask your children about the stories he told and where you can find more stories. At left, one of the students in our class was selected to help out with a skit.

Student Information – Please fill out the student information form on my website. If you do not have access to a computer, please let me know and I will send you a paper form.

Language Arts – We begin Unit 1, Friends and Family this week.
Story: David's New Friends
Genre: realistic fiction
Skills: Character & setting; alphabetical (dictionary) order
Spelling: short a, short i words – your child will bring home either the regular list or challenge list and homework (due on Thursday).
Vocabulary words: carefully, different, excited, groan, whisper

Treasures student accounts – All students in our class have a personal account that lets them use the Treasures reading program at home. Last week each child should have received (either at Curriculum Night or through the Home-School folder) a half sheet of paper with his or her user name and password on it to access this Internet resource. Please let me know if you have trouble accessing your child's account. If you did not receive your log in information please let me know and I will send you a new one.

Math – We will finish up Unit 1 this week. Activities will include reviewing counting patterns; greater than, lesser than, equal to; learning about math stations; and a review of the unit in preparation for a test next week. Our first math Home Link will come home on Tuesday and is due on Wednesday.

Social Studies – We will continue People and Places by exploring communities. We are also learning about directions: northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest.

A.L.L. classes are starting up soon. Sign-up forms are due September 16. More info in the Digital
Backpack.

Fun Run Fundraising materials are coming home today. Please go through them with your child. We had an assembly today explaining this new fundraiser.

Please attend this week's PTO Meeting if you possibly can. The class with the highest percentage of attendance wins an extra PE class.

Please send in –
$5.00 for Scholastic News
$5.00 party fee
When sending money to school, please be sure to put it in an envelope (used are fine) with your child’s full name and what the money is for.

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for 20 minutes every night. Home Links are due the next day, unless otherwise noted.
Tue., Sept. 13 – Library
Wed., Sept.14 - PE – wear appropriate clothing; PTO Meeting, 7:00 PM
Thur., Sept. 15 – Spelling homework due
Fri., Sept. 16 – Week 1 reading tests; A.L.L. registrations due; Back to School Family Picnic, 5:30 PM
Mon., Sept. 19 – PE- wear appropriate clothing
Fri., Sept. 30 – Fun Run
Mon., Oct. 3 – Picture Day

*****If you need a paper copy of the Thursday packet, please let me know ASAP*****

News: Week 3, September 5 - 9, 2011

2011-09-06T16:16:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who came to our Curriculum Night last Thursday. I enjoyed meeting all of you. I have linked the Curriculum Night Slide Show on my classroom blog.

Student Information – Please fill out the student information form on my website. If you do not have access to a computer, please let me know and I will send you a paper form.

Language Arts – We continue to do the Start Smart portion of Treasures. We are settling into routines and learning how to manage in small groups. We have been working on writing a class personal narrative that includes descriptive details. We have finished our first Gooney Bird Greene book, which is about writing personal narratives (which Goney Bird calls "absolutely true stories"). This book also focused on the structure of a story, character, setting, multiple meaning words, and word choice.

Treasures student accounts – All students in our class have a personal account that lets them use the Treasures reading program at home. Last week each child should have received (either at Curriculum Night or through the Home-School folder) a half sheet of paper with his or her user name and password on it to access this Internet resource. Please let me know if you have trouble accessing your child's account. If you did not receive your log in information please let me know and I will send you a new one.

Math – This week we will continue to work with money, practice partnership and small group routines, learn about math boxes, and work with number grids.

Social Studies – We will begin the first unit in our social studies book, People and Places. All homework will be done in class.

A.L.L. classes are starting up soon. Sign-up forms are due September 16. More info in the Digital Backpack.

Library – if your child needs to exchange books more often than our weekly library visit, we can usually find a moment in the day to make a quick personal visit to the library.

Please send in –

$5.00 for Scholastic News
$5.00 party fee
$2.00 for storyteller (see permission slip)

When sending money to school, please be sure to put it in an envelope (used are fine) with your child’s full name and what the money is for.

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for 20 minutes every night.
Wednesday, September 7 – MAP testing; PE – wear appropriate clothing
Friday, September 9 – Storyteller at Longfellow
Monday, September 12 – PE- wear appropriate clothing
Wednesday, September 14 - PTO Meeting, 7:00 PM
Friday, September 16 – ALL registrations due; Back to School Family Picnic, 5:30 PM

News: Week 2, August 29 - September 2, 2011

2011-08-29T15:25:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful beginning to the school year. This is a great class and I am excited about the upcoming year.

VERY IMPORTANT – We have students with nut allergies in our classroom. Please do not send any homemade treats to school for celebrations, or treats made in a facility that processes nuts. A letter is coming home with more info.

Emergency Form – Attached is the information we have on file in your child's emergency form. Please go over this carefully and make any changes that are necessary, sign, date, and return to school. Even if there are no changes, we need this signed and returned. Thanks!

Curriculum Night – is this Thursday starting at 6:45 in the auditorium. From 7:15 – 8:00 we will meet in our class (Room 208). This event is for adults, so, if at all possible, please make other child care arrangements for your child and his or her siblings.

MAP and Dibels testing – begin this week. We will take the reading portion of the MAP test on Wednesday morning of this week, and the math portion on Wednesday morning next week. A letter went home last week with detailed information about this test. The letter is also available in the Digital Backpack which is linked below. The Dibels testing measures fluency and phonics achievement. We will do this test on Thursday of this week.

Reading – We are doing the Start Smart part of our new Treasures reading program, which will take approximately 2 weeks. This is designed to help the students learn the routines that will be followed throughout the program, and review previously learned material.

Math – The 1st unit of Everyday Math is also a review of previously learned materials, and an opportunity to learn our classroom routines in math. This week we will be working with money, clocks, calendars, and the base ten system.

Digital Backpack – Our district is making a real effort to use less paper. One way of doing this is through the digital version of the Thursday packet. It is very important to check this every week so that you don't miss any important information from our school, district, or community. The link is at the bottom of this newsletter. It is also linked on our school web page on a tab at the top of the page. If you do not have computer access, a paper copy can be sent home with your child on Thursday. Please let me know if you need a paper copy.

Writing – To begin our work with the writing process, we are reading the first novel in the Goonie Bird Greene series by Lois Lowery, titled Goonie Bird Greene. This series of books focuses on the writing process, while telling great stories. The first book focuses on two of our Six Traits of Writing: organization and word choice. We will be reading most, if not all, of the books in this series as the year goes on. Ask your child to tell you the absolutely true story of how Goonie came from China on a flying carpet. We have also begun learning about writing friendly letters by writing in our Let’s Chat notebooks.

Scholastic News – If you haven’t done so, please send in $5.00 to cover your child’s subscription to Time for Kids. When sending money to school, ALWAYS put it in an envelope or a plastic sealable bag with your child’s full name and what the money is for.

PE News – Gym class is now twice a week for 33 minutes each session. You child must have gym shoes to participate in PE. Either tie or Velcro shoes are fine. If possible, have your child keep a pair of shoes at school for gym class. We have gym on Monday morning and Wednesday afternoon with Mr. Sakellaris.

Lunch Hour Change –Longfellow has a new lunchtime procedure this year. Although each student will have a 55 minute lunch period as in the past, the times will be staggered. Second graders will eat at 11:00 and go outside as a group at 11:25, coming back into the building at 11:55.

If you have any completed Super Summer Math packets at home, please send them back to school so you child can be invited to a special celebration.

You may wish to send a sweater or sweatshirt for your child to keep at school. While our room is quite toasty at this time of year, some of the air-conditioned parts of the building can be rather chilly.

Upcoming events and homework:
Read for 20 minutes every night.
Thursday, September 1 – 2nd grade Curriculum Night, 6:00 PM in our classroom
Monday, September 5 – Labor Day, No School
Wednesday, September 14 – PTO Meeting, 7:00 PM
Friday, September 16 - Back to School Family Picnic, 5:30 PM

News: Week 1, August 22 - 26, 2011

2011-08-28T11:40:00.000-05:00

Welcome to 2nd Grade! I have heard wonderful things about your children from the first grade teachers, and I know this will be a great year for us all. Just a few notes to get the year started.

School-Home folder – Please be sure to review this folder each evening and also be sure that your child brings this to school every day. I supply the first folder and inner note pocket. If this folder becomes damaged or lost please replace it. If you and your child prefer a different method for transporting notes and homework to and from school, that is perfectly all right.

Newsletters – My newsletter comes home weekly on the first school day of the week, which is usually a Monday. Please review the newsletter with your child on the day it comes home I also post my newsletter online on my blog, typically at the end of the day on Monday. To see the online version, go to our district web page at http://www.op97.org and follow these links: Longfellow School, to Directory, and then find my name on the list. This will link to my district web page and on that you will find a link to my blog. You can also email me directly from the Directory page.

How to Contact Me – The very best way to contact me is by email. My address is dcreticos@op97.org. A written note is also excellent. Voice mail (524-5830, box 8427) is also an option, but with many of us sharing a phone line, not always the most efficient way to get a message to me. Of course, in an emergency or when the information must get to me before the end of the school day, please call the school office at 524-3060.

Scholastic News - Each child will receive a copy of this children’s magazine on a regular basis. This is a wonderful resource for current events that will enhance our 2nd grade curriculum. As noted on the supply list, the cost is about $5.00 per child for the year. Please send this money in an envelope with your child's name on it.

Homework – will not start for a couple of weeks, and then we will ease into our routines. Right now your child's only homework is to read for at least 20 minutes every night. Silent reading, being read to by an adult, or reading to an adult are all acceptable options.

Upcoming Events:
Thursday, September 1 – 2nd grade Curriculum Night, 6:45 PM
Monday, September 5 – Labor Day, No School
Wednesday, September 14 – PTO Meeting, 7:00 PM
Friday, September 16 - Back to School Family Picnic, 5:30 PM

I look forward to seeing you at our curriculum night next week.

Greetings!

2011-08-10T16:29:00.000-05:00

I am looking forward to a great upcoming year, and I hope you are too. This is where I will post my newsletter every week, along with other relevant information, photos, and links to other web sites, so please check back often. In the meantime, why not sharpen your math skills by playing some of the suggested games, or create your own avatar. Links are on the left side of the page.

If you would like to see some of our activities and projects from the past two years, click on the tabs at the top of this page.

I look forward to seeing you soon!