Hello Parents and Students,
I am excited to be starting my 3rd year here at Hunter Elementary and my 9th year of teaching. While every year is different I am happy to see many familiar faces as your students and I have all risen into the Third Grade.
There are many changes afoot this year such as your student having a Basics 1 (B1) and Basics 2 (B2) class where they will switch teachers to a variety of new electives. Please be sure to check the gold "Monday Folder" each day for new information from the school and all of us teachers. I will relay information to you as soon as I get it but for the first few days of school there will be so much information coming home that it will be necessary for your child to bring home their "Monday Folder" daily. It is my hope that this will prevent information overload.
Big things to keep in mind...
*No School on September 3rd
*Open House is September 10th! It starts with a PTA Meeting at 5:30 followed by K-2 Open House from 6:00-7:10 and 3-5 Open House from 7:10-8:00. There will be a CogAt Information Meeting at 8pm.
If you need to reach me for anything feel free to email me at gharvey@wcpss.net. You can also follow us on Twitter at HarveyHeroes.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
Last Week of School!
Hello Parents & Heroes,
It is with bittersweet emotions that I write the last blog of the year. We have walked down the Second Grade academic year together and as we all prepare to journey toward our first year in 3rd Grade there are a few things to keep in mind. This summer, it is important that everyone continue to read at home and practice their math facts. Next year, we will all be learning multiplication (through the twelves tables) and the firmer our foundation in addition and subtraction the better we will all achieve. Secondly, we will all be learning cursive next year which is daunting enough. It is vital that we all keep a journal (or diary) over the summer so that we can continue to improve the quality of our work. Each sentence that we write must have a subject (noun), a verb (action) and at least two adjectives. Each paragraph must be indented. We have successfully done this all year and I know that we can continue to do this over the summer break.
Next year we will all face challenges...more homework, more tests, more projects. It will be difficult but remind your student that all challenges must be met with courage and perseverance. A little bit of work each day this summer (20-30minutes) will yield great rewards next fall. Every student is receiving a packet of assignments to help them become stronger students for next year. Please encourage them to work at them. Otherwise, next year will be fraught with more challenges.
Thank you all for helping to make this such a wonderful year! I look forward to seeing you all next fall at the Open House! Have a terrific summer!
-Mr. H
Important Announcements
*Thursday is the last day of school, please do not come to school on Friday
*Camp Day is on Thursday. Please make sure to send in all supplies by then.
*Wednesday is the Talent Show from 1-3pm in the gym. Any parents that wish to attend should plan on being at school by 12:50pm.
*The Spelling Bee is Tuesday at 12:30 in the Library. The students competing are: Ellia Jones, Genesis Covington, Darius McCleod, Amy Joo, Will Ellyson, & Noah Anderson. Our alternate is Eve Medvetz. Parents that wish to attend should arrive at school by 12:20 so that they can be seated.
*Math Day was today. Be sure to ask your child how they liked going to 3rd Grade and meeting some of their future teachers.
*Report Cards go home on Thursday. Please be sure to look over them with your child. I am truly proud of all of the students progress this year! Every student has made at least one years progress in their reading ability. Please be sure to give your child a hug and tell them how proud you are of them.
It is with bittersweet emotions that I write the last blog of the year. We have walked down the Second Grade academic year together and as we all prepare to journey toward our first year in 3rd Grade there are a few things to keep in mind. This summer, it is important that everyone continue to read at home and practice their math facts. Next year, we will all be learning multiplication (through the twelves tables) and the firmer our foundation in addition and subtraction the better we will all achieve. Secondly, we will all be learning cursive next year which is daunting enough. It is vital that we all keep a journal (or diary) over the summer so that we can continue to improve the quality of our work. Each sentence that we write must have a subject (noun), a verb (action) and at least two adjectives. Each paragraph must be indented. We have successfully done this all year and I know that we can continue to do this over the summer break.
Next year we will all face challenges...more homework, more tests, more projects. It will be difficult but remind your student that all challenges must be met with courage and perseverance. A little bit of work each day this summer (20-30minutes) will yield great rewards next fall. Every student is receiving a packet of assignments to help them become stronger students for next year. Please encourage them to work at them. Otherwise, next year will be fraught with more challenges.
Thank you all for helping to make this such a wonderful year! I look forward to seeing you all next fall at the Open House! Have a terrific summer!
-Mr. H
Important Announcements
*Thursday is the last day of school, please do not come to school on Friday
*Camp Day is on Thursday. Please make sure to send in all supplies by then.
*Wednesday is the Talent Show from 1-3pm in the gym. Any parents that wish to attend should plan on being at school by 12:50pm.
*The Spelling Bee is Tuesday at 12:30 in the Library. The students competing are: Ellia Jones, Genesis Covington, Darius McCleod, Amy Joo, Will Ellyson, & Noah Anderson. Our alternate is Eve Medvetz. Parents that wish to attend should arrive at school by 12:20 so that they can be seated.
*Math Day was today. Be sure to ask your child how they liked going to 3rd Grade and meeting some of their future teachers.
*Report Cards go home on Thursday. Please be sure to look over them with your child. I am truly proud of all of the students progress this year! Every student has made at least one years progress in their reading ability. Please be sure to give your child a hug and tell them how proud you are of them.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Hello Parents & Students!
Can you believe that Memorial Day is in EXACTLY TWO WEEKS! It seems like the end of the year is upon us! However, there is still so much more to do! This week we are wrapping up our research on our Famous Americans. By the end of the week your child should have a brightly colored (large) index card with their finished speech. I hope that your student will be able to memorize their speech and really make it pop. They have worked so hard on this all I want if for them to have a little fun with it. As I stated before, we will be sharing our speeches with the First Grade on May 30th & Kindergarten on May 31st before presenting it to you all the 31st of May.
Last week, we finished reading We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes which was a comical story told from the perspective of a captive Gopher Snake. Your student was asked to explain many higher level concepts such as "Is it better to be a Gopher Snake in the wild or captive?" and "Do you think that animals from different species can really coexist?" I was floored by some of the creative and unexpected answers I received such as "It's better to be free in the wild than have everything you need and be a pet. Having someone make all the decisions for you isn't fun especially if you were born free," I also thought it was interesting how several students supported their answer for the question regarding different species based on interactions that they have had with their pets such as dogs/cats living in harmony. That is one thing I love about the new core curriculum, it makes you asks questions that you may think students will have difficulty with but then you see how observant kids really are realize how much they already know.
This week and next week we are reading Tuck Everlasting as our read aloud book. In it, we will examine how the characters and community of TreeGap have changed and haven't through the course of the book. Then, we'll examine a little closer some of the ways that Raleigh has changed. I'm hoping that we'll be able to fit in a Venn Diagram or two and explore a few higher level thinking questions too. Be prepared for some interesting questions and comments around the dinner table. Please be sure to sign off on the back of the sheet each night so that your child gets credit. Remember, you child only has to record one answer in writing on the back.
Our Math extension groups have wrapped for the year. During the rest of the year all of the Harvey's Heroes will be back in the saddle in my room. We will continue to explore fractions, word problems, and problem solving strategies so that your child will be a strong student next year. The 4th Quarter Math Assessment will be coming up next week (before the Memorial Day Weekend). That way once we're back I'll be able to remediate and extend all the students who need it.
That is about all that I have to say. If you have any questions then please feel free to email me or contact me at school. As always, I can be reached at Gharvey@wcpss.net. Have a terrific week and be sure to turn in those IMax movie forms. They cannot be accepted after Friday, May 18th.
**Don't Forget***
Can you believe that Memorial Day is in EXACTLY TWO WEEKS! It seems like the end of the year is upon us! However, there is still so much more to do! This week we are wrapping up our research on our Famous Americans. By the end of the week your child should have a brightly colored (large) index card with their finished speech. I hope that your student will be able to memorize their speech and really make it pop. They have worked so hard on this all I want if for them to have a little fun with it. As I stated before, we will be sharing our speeches with the First Grade on May 30th & Kindergarten on May 31st before presenting it to you all the 31st of May.
Last week, we finished reading We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes which was a comical story told from the perspective of a captive Gopher Snake. Your student was asked to explain many higher level concepts such as "Is it better to be a Gopher Snake in the wild or captive?" and "Do you think that animals from different species can really coexist?" I was floored by some of the creative and unexpected answers I received such as "It's better to be free in the wild than have everything you need and be a pet. Having someone make all the decisions for you isn't fun especially if you were born free," I also thought it was interesting how several students supported their answer for the question regarding different species based on interactions that they have had with their pets such as dogs/cats living in harmony. That is one thing I love about the new core curriculum, it makes you asks questions that you may think students will have difficulty with but then you see how observant kids really are realize how much they already know.
This week and next week we are reading Tuck Everlasting as our read aloud book. In it, we will examine how the characters and community of TreeGap have changed and haven't through the course of the book. Then, we'll examine a little closer some of the ways that Raleigh has changed. I'm hoping that we'll be able to fit in a Venn Diagram or two and explore a few higher level thinking questions too. Be prepared for some interesting questions and comments around the dinner table. Please be sure to sign off on the back of the sheet each night so that your child gets credit. Remember, you child only has to record one answer in writing on the back.
Our Math extension groups have wrapped for the year. During the rest of the year all of the Harvey's Heroes will be back in the saddle in my room. We will continue to explore fractions, word problems, and problem solving strategies so that your child will be a strong student next year. The 4th Quarter Math Assessment will be coming up next week (before the Memorial Day Weekend). That way once we're back I'll be able to remediate and extend all the students who need it.
That is about all that I have to say. If you have any questions then please feel free to email me or contact me at school. As always, I can be reached at Gharvey@wcpss.net. Have a terrific week and be sure to turn in those IMax movie forms. They cannot be accepted after Friday, May 18th.
**Don't Forget***
- IMax "To the Arctic" is next Thursday, 24th. We are leaving at 9:20am and will be back in time for lunch. Please make sure that your child is on time to school.
- Field Day will be in Tuesday, May 29th.
- Electives end this Wednesday.
- ArtPlosure is Saturday in Moore Square. It is a great time where kids can see local artists, create items, and see the huge sandsculpture that is created every year in Moore Square. It's free so mark it on your calendar! Here's the link: http://www.artsplosure.org/artsplosure2012/index.html
- Lego is also having a thing at the NR Hilton (on Wake Forest Rd). This event is not free but you can find more information about it at: http://events.triangle.com/raleigh_nc/events/show/248388544-help-lego-builder-dan-parker-build-a-6foot-wide-lego-deathstar-see-a-huge-hall-filled-with-custom-lego-creations-see-top-secr
Monday, May 7, 2012
May 7th-11th
Hello Parents & Students,
I hope that everyone had a terrific Cinco de Mayo! Your child should have reminded you of a few reasons that this holiday is celebrated (think Battle of Puebla). Just like last week, we will be revved up to cover a lot of information in only a little bit of time. We've only got another 22 days of school left but there is still several assessments that must be done as well as Muffins for Mom (this Friday @ 8:45am in the courtyard). Electives are winding up and will conclude on May 24th! Please also stay tuned for announcements about FIeld Day which is slated to be on Tuesday, May 29th.
Reading/Writing-We are working on our research projects this week and all of next week. Our finished projects have to be completed by May 29th so that we are ready for our Wax Museum Test Runs! We will be presenting our Wax Museum for First Grade on May 30th & Kindergarten on May 31st. The "Tour de Force" presentation will be on Friday, June 1st. This alligns with our curriculum in that your child is reading a variety of literary sources and generating a report in their own words.
Math-We have wrapped up our Mini-Unit on 3-D shapes and Measurement and now we are on to Fractions! The most common fractions that students see in 2nd grade are 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, as well as 2/3, 3/3, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4. In the next two weeks I will be helping your child to see the relationships between the numerator/denominator of the fractions as well as solve word problems involving fractions. It is vital that your child have a firm foundation of these skills so that they are able to thrive next year. Some of the students will be exposed to LCD (least common demoniator) as a problem solving strategy. This skill can be difficult if your child does not have a firm number sense (what numbers add up to, how they relate to each other) so please be sure to practice this at night!
Science-Do you hear sobs? Perhaps sniffles, and the cascading of tears falling on the hot pavement outside? If you do...it's because we have wrapped up our Unit on Sound. We played with cork-board guitars, examined pitch through creating pan flutes, how wind creates sound using wind-chimes & poppers, as well as many other fun and creative labs. However, the time is now up and we are moving onward to Social Studies again/ However, don't cry to hard...there will be a few science experiments (easy ones I promise) coming home over the next few weeks and during the summer to help keep your son/daughters' skills sharp.
Social Studies-We are beginning to look at communities across various regions of America and the globe. Your child should be able to identify and describe people, vegetation, and animal life that is specific to certain regions around the world as well as be able to explain how their are interconnected. Local and World news has a variety of nonfiction articles about communities around the world. Please consider reading some of these with your child so that they are a. exposed to various cultures b. can build their schema c. be exposed to NonFiction text.
Etc, etc...
*North American Market was today and it was great! I hope that your child tells you all about the deals they found and what they learned. There were many great bargains and it was exciting to see all the entrepenurs around Hunter.
*Elective end on the 16th! However, Orchestra kids...please keep playing those instruments over the summer...practice makes perfect:)
*Dads, Mother's Day is THIS SUNDAY. I've told your student to remind you.
*ArtPlosure is next Saturday in Moore Square. It is a great time where kids can see local artists, create items, and see the huge sandsculpture that is created every year in Moore Square. It's free so mark it on your calendar! Here's the link:
http://www.artsplosure.org/artsplosure2012/index.html
**Lego is also having a thing at the NR Hilton (on Wake Forest Rd). This event is not free but you can find more information about it at http://events.triangle.com/raleigh_nc/events/show/248388544-help-lego-builder-dan-parker-build-a-6foot-wide-lego-deathstar-see-a-huge-hall-filled-with-custom-lego-creations-see-top-secr
Have a terrific week!
Mr. H
I hope that everyone had a terrific Cinco de Mayo! Your child should have reminded you of a few reasons that this holiday is celebrated (think Battle of Puebla). Just like last week, we will be revved up to cover a lot of information in only a little bit of time. We've only got another 22 days of school left but there is still several assessments that must be done as well as Muffins for Mom (this Friday @ 8:45am in the courtyard). Electives are winding up and will conclude on May 24th! Please also stay tuned for announcements about FIeld Day which is slated to be on Tuesday, May 29th.
Reading/Writing-We are working on our research projects this week and all of next week. Our finished projects have to be completed by May 29th so that we are ready for our Wax Museum Test Runs! We will be presenting our Wax Museum for First Grade on May 30th & Kindergarten on May 31st. The "Tour de Force" presentation will be on Friday, June 1st. This alligns with our curriculum in that your child is reading a variety of literary sources and generating a report in their own words.
Math-We have wrapped up our Mini-Unit on 3-D shapes and Measurement and now we are on to Fractions! The most common fractions that students see in 2nd grade are 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, as well as 2/3, 3/3, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4. In the next two weeks I will be helping your child to see the relationships between the numerator/denominator of the fractions as well as solve word problems involving fractions. It is vital that your child have a firm foundation of these skills so that they are able to thrive next year. Some of the students will be exposed to LCD (least common demoniator) as a problem solving strategy. This skill can be difficult if your child does not have a firm number sense (what numbers add up to, how they relate to each other) so please be sure to practice this at night!
Science-Do you hear sobs? Perhaps sniffles, and the cascading of tears falling on the hot pavement outside? If you do...it's because we have wrapped up our Unit on Sound. We played with cork-board guitars, examined pitch through creating pan flutes, how wind creates sound using wind-chimes & poppers, as well as many other fun and creative labs. However, the time is now up and we are moving onward to Social Studies again/ However, don't cry to hard...there will be a few science experiments (easy ones I promise) coming home over the next few weeks and during the summer to help keep your son/daughters' skills sharp.
Social Studies-We are beginning to look at communities across various regions of America and the globe. Your child should be able to identify and describe people, vegetation, and animal life that is specific to certain regions around the world as well as be able to explain how their are interconnected. Local and World news has a variety of nonfiction articles about communities around the world. Please consider reading some of these with your child so that they are a. exposed to various cultures b. can build their schema c. be exposed to NonFiction text.
Etc, etc...
*North American Market was today and it was great! I hope that your child tells you all about the deals they found and what they learned. There were many great bargains and it was exciting to see all the entrepenurs around Hunter.
*Elective end on the 16th! However, Orchestra kids...please keep playing those instruments over the summer...practice makes perfect:)
*Dads, Mother's Day is THIS SUNDAY. I've told your student to remind you.
*ArtPlosure is next Saturday in Moore Square. It is a great time where kids can see local artists, create items, and see the huge sandsculpture that is created every year in Moore Square. It's free so mark it on your calendar! Here's the link:
http://www.artsplosure.org/artsplosure2012/index.html
**Lego is also having a thing at the NR Hilton (on Wake Forest Rd). This event is not free but you can find more information about it at http://events.triangle.com/raleigh_nc/events/show/248388544-help-lego-builder-dan-parker-build-a-6foot-wide-lego-deathstar-see-a-huge-hall-filled-with-custom-lego-creations-see-top-secr
Have a terrific week!
Mr. H
Monday, April 23, 2012
April 23rd-27th
Hello Parents & Students,
Welcome to another glorious week of school. Please keep in mind that this Friday is an Early Release! We will dismiss at 1:15pm. For all of you that were able to make it out to Hunter Heritage...THANK YOU! It was a profound success and everyone I talked to had only positive and encouraging things to say. The Second Grade Team and myself especially enjoyed all the kids who came out to dunk us!
This week in....
Reading/Writing-We are continuing to work on researching our Famous Americans (for our Wax Museum projects). Please be sure to turn in those forms so that I know what person your child is researching. In addition, we are also going to researching reptiles this week. In our Read Aloud, we have begun reading We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes which is a hilarious adventure story featuring...you guessed it, a snake. However this snake is a Gopher Snake and not a Rattlesnake. In class we are discussing the similarities between these reptiles and working to create visual aids (Venn Diagrams) to show what we have learned. This week should be a lot of fun!
Math-In Math we have jumped back into another unit of measuring. This time we are working in the metric system as well our United States Customary Units. Today we made decimeter rulers and tomorrow...well the sky is the limit. This is a mini-unit though so do not be surprised when we start a new topic next week! I also wanted to thank all the parents who ensured that their students corrected any mistakes on their students' last quiz. Second grade students have to demonstrate mastery with addition/subtraction of two and three digit numbers for the Third Grade. With continued support I know that every students will be successful.
Science-Your son or daughter is learning about hertz, decibels, and various other sound terms. We have played with a dog whistle and have a few more sounds experiments up our sleeves. Be on the lookout for some wacky homework Tuesday night involving Science & sounds.
FYI...
*Early Release on Friday
* Green Picnic on Friday
*Field-Trip to Duke Homestead next
Wednesday!
**Parent Chaperone's are WELCOME and APPRECIATED!
Welcome to another glorious week of school. Please keep in mind that this Friday is an Early Release! We will dismiss at 1:15pm. For all of you that were able to make it out to Hunter Heritage...THANK YOU! It was a profound success and everyone I talked to had only positive and encouraging things to say. The Second Grade Team and myself especially enjoyed all the kids who came out to dunk us!
This week in....
Reading/Writing-We are continuing to work on researching our Famous Americans (for our Wax Museum projects). Please be sure to turn in those forms so that I know what person your child is researching. In addition, we are also going to researching reptiles this week. In our Read Aloud, we have begun reading We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes which is a hilarious adventure story featuring...you guessed it, a snake. However this snake is a Gopher Snake and not a Rattlesnake. In class we are discussing the similarities between these reptiles and working to create visual aids (Venn Diagrams) to show what we have learned. This week should be a lot of fun!
Math-In Math we have jumped back into another unit of measuring. This time we are working in the metric system as well our United States Customary Units. Today we made decimeter rulers and tomorrow...well the sky is the limit. This is a mini-unit though so do not be surprised when we start a new topic next week! I also wanted to thank all the parents who ensured that their students corrected any mistakes on their students' last quiz. Second grade students have to demonstrate mastery with addition/subtraction of two and three digit numbers for the Third Grade. With continued support I know that every students will be successful.
Science-Your son or daughter is learning about hertz, decibels, and various other sound terms. We have played with a dog whistle and have a few more sounds experiments up our sleeves. Be on the lookout for some wacky homework Tuesday night involving Science & sounds.
FYI...
*Early Release on Friday
* Green Picnic on Friday
*Field-Trip to Duke Homestead next
Wednesday!
**Parent Chaperone's are WELCOME and APPRECIATED!
Monday, April 16, 2012
April 16th-20th
Hello Parents and Students,
This week we are celebrating the 85th Anniversary of Lucille Hunter GT Magnet Elementary School! Spirit Week will be happening all week so please be sure to participate. Today was "Plant a Tree Day" where one lucky 2nd Grader got to help plant a tree to celebrate Hunter Elementary. Tomorrow is "Exhibit Day" and Wednesday is "Alumni Day." Please read the blue sheet in your Monday Folder to learn more about those days. Thursday offers an opportunity for your child to dress up as a student in any decade since the 1920's, so whip out those bowler hats and flapper dresses or the bell-bottoms and big hair. Thursday will be a lot of fun, but it's always more fun with YOUr participation. Finally, on Friday please make sure to wear your "Hunter T-Shirt" and to attend the "Hunter Heritage" event from 5:30-7:30pm. I'll be in the dunking booth 5:25-5:40pm but don't feel like you have to come that early. Mrs. Tympkin, Mrs. Baird (formerly Dew), Ms. Durizch, and many others will be there after me so why not dunk them instead? Let's have a great week and if you need anything please email me!
Sincerely,
Mr. H
Top News
*Mr. Harvey's Math Students will be having their Unit 11 Math Test on Thursday. Please make sure that your student is well-rested and ready to achieve success.
*Report Cards have gone home today. There were some issues with the system losing the comments so each report card that was affected (the later half of the class) will be recieving a word document stapled to the report cards with the comments. I am working closely with NC Wise and the front office to fix this but the system doesn't understand how I am registered at Carnage Middle (for my internship) and Hunter (as a teacher). If you have any questions please email me at gharvey@wcpss.net
*Thank you for everyone who sent in money for the High Touch/High Tech Sound Field Trip. We cut it close but we were able to raise enough to cover the cost. We only have 1 more Field-Trip left this year (to Duke Homestead in Durham ) and we are working hard to make it cost as little as possible. We should be sending out a permission form in the next Monday Folder regarding it. There will be a need for Parent Volunteers:)
*Today the information sheet for "The Wax Museum" project went home in the Monday Folder. Please take a few minutes this week to discuss who your child should choose. Keep in mind that it cannot be a Pop-Culture Icon but rather a Famous American who impacted the world in a positive way. All to often, celebrities and pop-icons serve as negative role-models rather than positive ones. Also, your child will have the opportunity to dress up as this person for the wax museum so encourage them to select a person that they would like to emulate.
*NEXT FRIDAY (April 27th) is an Early Release. Please plan your child care accordingly.
This week we are celebrating the 85th Anniversary of Lucille Hunter GT Magnet Elementary School! Spirit Week will be happening all week so please be sure to participate. Today was "Plant a Tree Day" where one lucky 2nd Grader got to help plant a tree to celebrate Hunter Elementary. Tomorrow is "Exhibit Day" and Wednesday is "Alumni Day." Please read the blue sheet in your Monday Folder to learn more about those days. Thursday offers an opportunity for your child to dress up as a student in any decade since the 1920's, so whip out those bowler hats and flapper dresses or the bell-bottoms and big hair. Thursday will be a lot of fun, but it's always more fun with YOUr participation. Finally, on Friday please make sure to wear your "Hunter T-Shirt" and to attend the "Hunter Heritage" event from 5:30-7:30pm. I'll be in the dunking booth 5:25-5:40pm but don't feel like you have to come that early. Mrs. Tympkin, Mrs. Baird (formerly Dew), Ms. Durizch, and many others will be there after me so why not dunk them instead? Let's have a great week and if you need anything please email me!
Sincerely,
Mr. H
Top News
*Mr. Harvey's Math Students will be having their Unit 11 Math Test on Thursday. Please make sure that your student is well-rested and ready to achieve success.
*Report Cards have gone home today. There were some issues with the system losing the comments so each report card that was affected (the later half of the class) will be recieving a word document stapled to the report cards with the comments. I am working closely with NC Wise and the front office to fix this but the system doesn't understand how I am registered at Carnage Middle (for my internship) and Hunter (as a teacher). If you have any questions please email me at gharvey@wcpss.net
*Thank you for everyone who sent in money for the High Touch/High Tech Sound Field Trip. We cut it close but we were able to raise enough to cover the cost. We only have 1 more Field-Trip left this year (to Duke Homestead in Durham ) and we are working hard to make it cost as little as possible. We should be sending out a permission form in the next Monday Folder regarding it. There will be a need for Parent Volunteers:)
*Today the information sheet for "The Wax Museum" project went home in the Monday Folder. Please take a few minutes this week to discuss who your child should choose. Keep in mind that it cannot be a Pop-Culture Icon but rather a Famous American who impacted the world in a positive way. All to often, celebrities and pop-icons serve as negative role-models rather than positive ones. Also, your child will have the opportunity to dress up as this person for the wax museum so encourage them to select a person that they would like to emulate.
*NEXT FRIDAY (April 27th) is an Early Release. Please plan your child care accordingly.
Monday, April 9, 2012
April 9th-13th
Welcome Back Students and Parents!
I hope that you are all well-rested and ready for the next eight weeks of school! The break seemed to fly by for me, but I'm even more afraid that the rest of the year is going to fly by too. We still have a lot of educational objectives to hit in order for your child to be ready for 3rd Grade. The natural reaction to Spring is to kind of relax and coast through the rest of the year, some people call it "Spring Fever" but let me allay any concerns you have. We HH (Harvey Heroes) are going to continue to go full throttle until the end of the year. With great expectations come great rewards and I know that with our continued focus on academics your child will be ready to lead the pack next year!
Here is what you can expect for your child to be working on over the next week or two...
Reading: We are exploring genres such as historical fiction, humorous stories, and mysteries. Hopefully, your child will be bringing home books from our school library which fall into these genres. Specifically, we are exploring the structure of these texts (do they follow the setting/characters/plot/problem/ solution?) and discussing why we would read these genres.
Writing: Over the few weeks your child will continue to work on writing paragraphs (4 or 5 complete sentences about a topic). It is important that your child master concepts such as starting sentences with capital letters, using descriptive adjectives, and ending the sentences with a punctuation mark. Writing paragraphs will lead into the next big concept of researching animals and generating our own non-fiction reports.
Math: In Math we are continuing to explore strategies to solve multiple step math problems. There is still some difficulty when solving word problems as to which operation to perform (addition or subtraction). Please continue to remind your student to ask themselves if the answer they get makes sense. Most times students are able to understand where they went wrong when I probe them however, my goal is for them to realize this themselves so that next year they will achieve to their full potential on all their assessments.
Science: I am excited to say that we are kicking off our unit on SOUND this week! Be sure to pick up a pair of earplugs as your child may be coming home this week with some rather random sounding homework. We also will be having our High Touch/High Tech In-House Field Trip this Thursday. Our time is from 11:05-12:40 but we will be eating lunch from 10:30-11am so that your child will not be to hungry to concentrate on all the fun experiments.
Social Studies: I want to start by saying how wonderful all of the projects were! The students demonstrated a lot of pride in their work and of course the class learned best by learning for themselves. I can see that many of the students have become more comfortable in front of an audience and are better able to explain their ideas. Thank you parents for any help you offered your child. This week we will be wrapping up our land form unit. We will have a short assessment on Friday but do not worry about how difficult it will be. All of the students should know everything that will be asked. Hopefully, you've learned a little bit too about some of America's diverse regions.
FYI: The Titanic Sank on April 15th, 1912 (although it struck the iceberg on the 14th). As it is the 100th anniversary, your student will have a short lesson on Friday on the engineering behind the Titanic, class structure that existed back then, and be introduced to a few of the famous passengers (think J.J. Astor & The Unsinkable Molly Brown). My goal is to pique your child's interest in this topic and encourage them to learn more about it. I know that Keith O'Brien has been ravenous about this topic all year).
Hunter Heritage is April 20th (next Friday). Please plan on coming to attend this school wide fellowship. In fact, if you come please feel free to swing by the dunking booth where I'll be for ten minutes (poor pitchers only, good pitchers need not attend).
Friday from 1:50-2:35 we will have our 3rd Quarter PBIS celebration! Please do not plan on checking your child out during this time. We will be in the gym and it may be hard to hear the office asking for your child. If you do need to check your child out early that day please let me know in the morning so that I can plan accordingly.
Report Cards go home on next Monday (April 16th). Spirit Week also kicks off next week. As it is a major milestone for our school I encourage everyone to motivate your students to participate in all the daily activities (hat day, etc.). Middle Schoolers do not get to generally participate all week like we do here in elementary. There should be a pink letter in your Monday Folder describing all of the fun we will have next week!
Have a terrific week back and thank you all for reading!
Sincerely,
Mr. H
I hope that you are all well-rested and ready for the next eight weeks of school! The break seemed to fly by for me, but I'm even more afraid that the rest of the year is going to fly by too. We still have a lot of educational objectives to hit in order for your child to be ready for 3rd Grade. The natural reaction to Spring is to kind of relax and coast through the rest of the year, some people call it "Spring Fever" but let me allay any concerns you have. We HH (Harvey Heroes) are going to continue to go full throttle until the end of the year. With great expectations come great rewards and I know that with our continued focus on academics your child will be ready to lead the pack next year!
Here is what you can expect for your child to be working on over the next week or two...
Reading: We are exploring genres such as historical fiction, humorous stories, and mysteries. Hopefully, your child will be bringing home books from our school library which fall into these genres. Specifically, we are exploring the structure of these texts (do they follow the setting/characters/plot/problem/ solution?) and discussing why we would read these genres.
Writing: Over the few weeks your child will continue to work on writing paragraphs (4 or 5 complete sentences about a topic). It is important that your child master concepts such as starting sentences with capital letters, using descriptive adjectives, and ending the sentences with a punctuation mark. Writing paragraphs will lead into the next big concept of researching animals and generating our own non-fiction reports.
Math: In Math we are continuing to explore strategies to solve multiple step math problems. There is still some difficulty when solving word problems as to which operation to perform (addition or subtraction). Please continue to remind your student to ask themselves if the answer they get makes sense. Most times students are able to understand where they went wrong when I probe them however, my goal is for them to realize this themselves so that next year they will achieve to their full potential on all their assessments.
Science: I am excited to say that we are kicking off our unit on SOUND this week! Be sure to pick up a pair of earplugs as your child may be coming home this week with some rather random sounding homework. We also will be having our High Touch/High Tech In-House Field Trip this Thursday. Our time is from 11:05-12:40 but we will be eating lunch from 10:30-11am so that your child will not be to hungry to concentrate on all the fun experiments.
Social Studies: I want to start by saying how wonderful all of the projects were! The students demonstrated a lot of pride in their work and of course the class learned best by learning for themselves. I can see that many of the students have become more comfortable in front of an audience and are better able to explain their ideas. Thank you parents for any help you offered your child. This week we will be wrapping up our land form unit. We will have a short assessment on Friday but do not worry about how difficult it will be. All of the students should know everything that will be asked. Hopefully, you've learned a little bit too about some of America's diverse regions.
FYI: The Titanic Sank on April 15th, 1912 (although it struck the iceberg on the 14th). As it is the 100th anniversary, your student will have a short lesson on Friday on the engineering behind the Titanic, class structure that existed back then, and be introduced to a few of the famous passengers (think J.J. Astor & The Unsinkable Molly Brown). My goal is to pique your child's interest in this topic and encourage them to learn more about it. I know that Keith O'Brien has been ravenous about this topic all year).
Hunter Heritage is April 20th (next Friday). Please plan on coming to attend this school wide fellowship. In fact, if you come please feel free to swing by the dunking booth where I'll be for ten minutes (poor pitchers only, good pitchers need not attend).
Friday from 1:50-2:35 we will have our 3rd Quarter PBIS celebration! Please do not plan on checking your child out during this time. We will be in the gym and it may be hard to hear the office asking for your child. If you do need to check your child out early that day please let me know in the morning so that I can plan accordingly.
Report Cards go home on next Monday (April 16th). Spirit Week also kicks off next week. As it is a major milestone for our school I encourage everyone to motivate your students to participate in all the daily activities (hat day, etc.). Middle Schoolers do not get to generally participate all week like we do here in elementary. There should be a pink letter in your Monday Folder describing all of the fun we will have next week!
Have a terrific week back and thank you all for reading!
Sincerely,
Mr. H
Monday, March 19, 2012
April 19th thru April 23rd
Hello Parents & Students!
Spring break is only 8 days away! Can you believe it? However, please don’t catch “Spring Fever” even if tomorrow is the 1st day of Spring, we still have a lot of work to do and a whole Quarter of school left! This week we do not have electives as it is elective down week. Next week will be the start of our 4th Quarter Electives. Also, I want to send a HUGE SHOUT OUT to Mrs. O’Brien and her daughter McKenna for helping us on Friday with our St. Patrick’s Day crafts. We would not have finished our blarney stones or our Leprechaun Marionettes without their help. I also want to thank Mrs. Jones for sending in some card-stock! The Heroes would not be as heroic without all of our wonderful families and their support!
Reading/Writing-We are continuing to learn about some amazing women that have impacted our world. This week we are going to learn about explorer Mary Kingsly, author Amy Tan, model/philanthropist Christy Turlington, astronaut Ellen Ochoa, and diplomat/author/figure skater Michelle Kwan. Please encourage your son or daughter to seek out other famous women who have helped to impact the world.
In Writers Workshop this week, we will continue to ask ourselves "How did this person's actions verify or belie their beliefs" as well as express "Would the world have been a better or worse place had that person not behaved in the way that they did? Your student will be given the opportunity to express their opinion and to support that opinion with facts from what they have read. We will also wrap-up our fantasy writing where we write about meeting a Leprechaun! I have read some terrific stories so far and hope to see some more. Please ask your child how their writing is going each day when they come home. I can tell you that we are indenting about 95% of the time and using capital letters and punctuation marks 99% of the time. Those 3rd Grade teachers are going to be ecstatic next year!
Math-Your student (if they are in my classroom for Math) will be taking another math preassessment this week to see if they qualify for math enrichment. The results should be available by the end of next week. We will also continue to work on our 3-digit addition and subtraction strategies. This week we are working with three-digit addition/subtraction problems that involve missing addends. An example is “Nevaeh has 5 boxes of stamps. Each box contains 100 stamps. If she mails letters to her friends and has 132 stamps left, how many letters did she send? The equation would be 500 (solved by 100+100+100+100+100=500) minus ?=132. So to solve the equation the student would subtract 123 from 500 and find the missing addend.
Spring break is only 8 days away! Can you believe it? However, please don’t catch “Spring Fever” even if tomorrow is the 1st day of Spring, we still have a lot of work to do and a whole Quarter of school left! This week we do not have electives as it is elective down week. Next week will be the start of our 4th Quarter Electives. Also, I want to send a HUGE SHOUT OUT to Mrs. O’Brien and her daughter McKenna for helping us on Friday with our St. Patrick’s Day crafts. We would not have finished our blarney stones or our Leprechaun Marionettes without their help. I also want to thank Mrs. Jones for sending in some card-stock! The Heroes would not be as heroic without all of our wonderful families and their support!
Reading/Writing-We are continuing to learn about some amazing women that have impacted our world. This week we are going to learn about explorer Mary Kingsly, author Amy Tan, model/philanthropist Christy Turlington, astronaut Ellen Ochoa, and diplomat/author/figure skater Michelle Kwan. Please encourage your son or daughter to seek out other famous women who have helped to impact the world.
In Writers Workshop this week, we will continue to ask ourselves "How did this person's actions verify or belie their beliefs" as well as express "Would the world have been a better or worse place had that person not behaved in the way that they did? Your student will be given the opportunity to express their opinion and to support that opinion with facts from what they have read. We will also wrap-up our fantasy writing where we write about meeting a Leprechaun! I have read some terrific stories so far and hope to see some more. Please ask your child how their writing is going each day when they come home. I can tell you that we are indenting about 95% of the time and using capital letters and punctuation marks 99% of the time. Those 3rd Grade teachers are going to be ecstatic next year!
Math-Your student (if they are in my classroom for Math) will be taking another math preassessment this week to see if they qualify for math enrichment. The results should be available by the end of next week. We will also continue to work on our 3-digit addition and subtraction strategies. This week we are working with three-digit addition/subtraction problems that involve missing addends. An example is “Nevaeh has 5 boxes of stamps. Each box contains 100 stamps. If she mails letters to her friends and has 132 stamps left, how many letters did she send? The equation would be 500 (solved by 100+100+100+100+100=500) minus ?=132. So to solve the equation the student would subtract 123 from 500 and find the missing addend.
Also, next week we will begin taking the quarterly math assessment. Please make sure that your child gets a good rest each and every night as well as a hearty breakfast.
Science-We have wrapped our Science Unit on Matter. You may still see one or two experiments come home over the next quarter to reiterate the learning that we did so don’t be alarmed. Your child will continue to study matter next year under the Common Core although the experiments will be different. Please keep this in mind when you are thinking about activities to do this summerJ
Science-We have wrapped our Science Unit on Matter. You may still see one or two experiments come home over the next quarter to reiterate the learning that we did so don’t be alarmed. Your child will continue to study matter next year under the Common Core although the experiments will be different. Please keep this in mind when you are thinking about activities to do this summerJ
Social Studies-Your student will be jumping headlong into Geography this week and next. We will be learning states along the East and West Coast (COW’s live on the West Coast-California, Oregon, Washington) as well as the states in our country’s interior. We will be learning a lot more than that though. Your student will learn geographic terms such as peninsula, isthmus, island, and strait to name a few. You will see a short project coming home today which will be due next Thursday. This project can easily be done in one to two hours however homework for the next two weeks will be at a minimum to allow your child plenty of time to complete it. If you need any supplies please let me know. I am more than willing to give your child construction paper, crayons, etc. Also, if time is a factor please know that your child can work on it during lunch, inside recess, or as part of their morning work.
News for the Week
*Science Night is March 28th (the Wednesday before Spring Break) at 5:30pm
*March 30th is a Teacher Workday!
*Spring Conference Sign-Ups are coming home today! Please sign up for 3 spots and rank them 1st, 2nd, 3rd choice so that I can hope to accommodate you.
*Spring Break is April 2nd-6th. We will see you back on April 9th!
*The Healthy Hunter Challenge for the week is to EAT HEALTHY!
Have a great week!
News for the Week
*Science Night is March 28th (the Wednesday before Spring Break) at 5:30pm
*March 30th is a Teacher Workday!
*Spring Conference Sign-Ups are coming home today! Please sign up for 3 spots and rank them 1st, 2nd, 3rd choice so that I can hope to accommodate you.
*Spring Break is April 2nd-6th. We will see you back on April 9th!
*The Healthy Hunter Challenge for the week is to EAT HEALTHY!
Have a great week!
Mr. H
Saturday, March 10, 2012
March 12th-16th
Hello Parents & Students!
What a week we have in store, let me tell you! Please be sure to read the entire blog as there are many details and dates that you may miss out on if you just skim it. Also, here is a link that you and your student may find helpful to learn about other famous women that have shaped our world http://www.women-scientists-in-history.com/historia.html I hope that you find it helpful and full of fun facts! I know that I have!
Reading/Writing-This week we will continue to learn about some remarkable ladies that have impacted the world. So far, you should have heard about Annie Oakley, Marie Antoinette, Amelia Earhart, Zora Neal Hurston, Anne Frank, and Marian Anderson. It was refreshing to have so many writers and artists to learn about and the overwhelming message is how young, old, beautiful, or plain...everyone can make a difference if they choose to. As such, we will continue to learn about some more exciting ladies this week. On the agenda are: Dolly Madison, Joan Baez, Mother Theresa, and Mary Todd Lincoln. We will be taking a short sidebar on "the Ides of March" to learn about another historical figure who helped shape the world and the lady by his side, well in Egypt anyway.
For the writing component this week, we will be asking ourselves "How did this person's actions verify or belie their beliefs" as well as express "Would the world have been a better or worse place had that person not behaved in the way that they did? Your student will be given the opportunity to express their opinion and to support that opinion with facts from what they have read. We will also be working on a fantasy writing where we meet a Leprechaun! All in all, it should be a fun and exciting week in the world of writing!
Math-Your student (if they are in my classroom for Math) will be wrapping up their second Geometry unit for the year this week and take a quick assessment on Tuesday. Please make sure that your student gets plenty of rest. On Wednesday, we will be jumping into our next unit in Expressions which will deal with three (3) digit addition and subtraction. While this may sound a little scary, most of the numbers that your child will be working with will be under 750 and will generally involve subtracting/adding a single or double digit number with a triple digit number. (ex. 749-32= or 438+32=) The expectation now is that your child has an understanding of their math facts (7+7=14) and can QUICKLY compute basic addition and subtraction. Please make sure that if your child is not quickly adding/subtracting one digit numbers that they spend an extra 5-10 minutes a night working on this skill. I promise you, if your child has not mastered this skill by the end of the year then they will have a difficult time in 3rd grade when they are exposed to multiplication.
Science-By now, you have probably been wondering about all of the bizarre things your child has told you about matter. Such as, "Did you know that Splenda dissolves faster in room temperature water than Equal and Sweet and Low? We have been mixing gravel, salt, water, tissue paper, and a whole lot of other things in our science class last week and will continue to do so this week. The matter unit will be leaving the 2nd grade next year (due to common core) but will always live in your child's heart due to all of the fun applications that is has with everyday activities. Please continue to encourage your child to explore endothermic and exothermic experiments at home (with supervision of course) as well as anything matter related. Science is an adventure in learning that never has to end, although we only have 50 minutes to devote to it in class.
News for the Week
*3rd Quarter Electives end this Thursday.
*Friday (the 16th) is an EARLY RELEASE
*The Heroes will be having a St. Patrick's Day Activity Day on Friday, if you wish to help out or volunteer please let me know. I can work with your schedule (anytime after 10:45am). We still have lunch from 11:05-11:35 on Friday but the Heroes can eat and work if that will allow you to help us with an activity.
*Science Night is March 28th (the Wednesday before Spring Break) at 5:30pm
*March 30th is a Teacher Workday!
*Spring Conference Sign-Ups are coming home today! Please sign up for 3 spots and rank them 1st, 2nd, 3rd choice so that I can hope to accommodate you.
*Spring Break is April 2nd-6th. We will see you back on April 9th!
*Healthy Hunter Challenge is starting this week. We are "Moving It" this week and Eating Healthier Food next week!
Take Care!
Mr. H
What a week we have in store, let me tell you! Please be sure to read the entire blog as there are many details and dates that you may miss out on if you just skim it. Also, here is a link that you and your student may find helpful to learn about other famous women that have shaped our world http://www.women-scientists-in-history.com/historia.html I hope that you find it helpful and full of fun facts! I know that I have!
Reading/Writing-This week we will continue to learn about some remarkable ladies that have impacted the world. So far, you should have heard about Annie Oakley, Marie Antoinette, Amelia Earhart, Zora Neal Hurston, Anne Frank, and Marian Anderson. It was refreshing to have so many writers and artists to learn about and the overwhelming message is how young, old, beautiful, or plain...everyone can make a difference if they choose to. As such, we will continue to learn about some more exciting ladies this week. On the agenda are: Dolly Madison, Joan Baez, Mother Theresa, and Mary Todd Lincoln. We will be taking a short sidebar on "the Ides of March" to learn about another historical figure who helped shape the world and the lady by his side, well in Egypt anyway.
For the writing component this week, we will be asking ourselves "How did this person's actions verify or belie their beliefs" as well as express "Would the world have been a better or worse place had that person not behaved in the way that they did? Your student will be given the opportunity to express their opinion and to support that opinion with facts from what they have read. We will also be working on a fantasy writing where we meet a Leprechaun! All in all, it should be a fun and exciting week in the world of writing!
Math-Your student (if they are in my classroom for Math) will be wrapping up their second Geometry unit for the year this week and take a quick assessment on Tuesday. Please make sure that your student gets plenty of rest. On Wednesday, we will be jumping into our next unit in Expressions which will deal with three (3) digit addition and subtraction. While this may sound a little scary, most of the numbers that your child will be working with will be under 750 and will generally involve subtracting/adding a single or double digit number with a triple digit number. (ex. 749-32= or 438+32=) The expectation now is that your child has an understanding of their math facts (7+7=14) and can QUICKLY compute basic addition and subtraction. Please make sure that if your child is not quickly adding/subtracting one digit numbers that they spend an extra 5-10 minutes a night working on this skill. I promise you, if your child has not mastered this skill by the end of the year then they will have a difficult time in 3rd grade when they are exposed to multiplication.
Science-By now, you have probably been wondering about all of the bizarre things your child has told you about matter. Such as, "Did you know that Splenda dissolves faster in room temperature water than Equal and Sweet and Low? We have been mixing gravel, salt, water, tissue paper, and a whole lot of other things in our science class last week and will continue to do so this week. The matter unit will be leaving the 2nd grade next year (due to common core) but will always live in your child's heart due to all of the fun applications that is has with everyday activities. Please continue to encourage your child to explore endothermic and exothermic experiments at home (with supervision of course) as well as anything matter related. Science is an adventure in learning that never has to end, although we only have 50 minutes to devote to it in class.
News for the Week
*3rd Quarter Electives end this Thursday.
*Friday (the 16th) is an EARLY RELEASE
*The Heroes will be having a St. Patrick's Day Activity Day on Friday, if you wish to help out or volunteer please let me know. I can work with your schedule (anytime after 10:45am). We still have lunch from 11:05-11:35 on Friday but the Heroes can eat and work if that will allow you to help us with an activity.
*Science Night is March 28th (the Wednesday before Spring Break) at 5:30pm
*March 30th is a Teacher Workday!
*Spring Conference Sign-Ups are coming home today! Please sign up for 3 spots and rank them 1st, 2nd, 3rd choice so that I can hope to accommodate you.
*Spring Break is April 2nd-6th. We will see you back on April 9th!
*Healthy Hunter Challenge is starting this week. We are "Moving It" this week and Eating Healthier Food next week!
Take Care!
Mr. H
Monday, March 5, 2012
March 5th-9th
Hello Students & Parents,
No doubt you heard about all the excitement last week. Maleficent was declared innocent due to a lack of "concrete proof" (and a shock admission by her security chief) and the Cat in the Hat also swung by on Friday to spend the day with us. This week is going to be just as exciting...because...Mr. Tom Birdseye is finally here! This Tuesday you can meet him from 8am-9am and enjoy a bagel with this acclaimed author. I was privileged to talk with him both Sunday and Monday and he has some terrific stories to tell you. The students spent forty-five minutes with him today hearing about events in his life that have helped shape his stories. Tomorrow, the students will have a workshop with Mr. Birdseye so please be looking for some exciting work samples to be heading home this week!
There are also a lot of "happenings" in our academics this week. We are beginning Unit 10 in Math which deals with Geometry. Today and all this week we will be exploring congruent/similiar shapes as well as classifying shapes based on their characteristics. This is a short unit but very important so please encourage your child to have their homework done each night so that we can go over it in class the next day.
In Spelling...a.k.a. Fundations we are going full force into Unit 7 featuring open syllables. The most important thing to keep in mind with this unit is that open syllables are when the syllable ends with a vowel. Up to this point most of our syllables have split in between two consonants. Please also be sure that your student understands their long and short vowel sounds. Last weeks spelling assessments are coming home today, I was pleased with all of the students performance but did notice how there was some difficulty regarding vowel sounds. We are working very hard in class to correct this for the future but please help support me with this at home.
In Reading/Writing this week we are working on writing imaginative texts! Your child will be writing fantasy stories and specifically using fantastic details to capture their ideas. In Reading, we will be analyzing the actions that character have made in the text and asking ourselves "what would I have done in that situation?" and "how can I apply that solution to my life?" Both of these are very "higher level thinking questions" but questions that your child will be expected to answer under the new common core. A great way that you can help at home is by modeling what you would do based on what you read. For example, you could share how in Watch Out Jack, the Giant's Back by Tom Birdseye, Jack caused a lot of trouble by stealing the Giants' gold and harp. You could mention how that is one reason why it is important not to take things from others.
Finally, in Science this week we are continuing to learn about Matter and the various mixtures that can be created through combining solids and liquids. We will be attempting to seperate tissue from gravel and water (spoiler alert...it doesn't work well) as well as trying to melt solid water (ice) the fastest! Be prepared for some funky homework parents!
Have a great week and please email me with any concerns,
Mr. H
Dont' Forget...
*Next week is Healthy Hunter "Move It, Move It" week. Be sure to stay active at home because we will be staying very active at school.
*Next Friday (March 16th) is an Early Release Day.
*Third Quarter Electives end NEXT THURSDAY! (March 15th)
*Science Night is coming up on March 26th at 5:30 pm. (the Wednesday before Spring Break)
No doubt you heard about all the excitement last week. Maleficent was declared innocent due to a lack of "concrete proof" (and a shock admission by her security chief) and the Cat in the Hat also swung by on Friday to spend the day with us. This week is going to be just as exciting...because...Mr. Tom Birdseye is finally here! This Tuesday you can meet him from 8am-9am and enjoy a bagel with this acclaimed author. I was privileged to talk with him both Sunday and Monday and he has some terrific stories to tell you. The students spent forty-five minutes with him today hearing about events in his life that have helped shape his stories. Tomorrow, the students will have a workshop with Mr. Birdseye so please be looking for some exciting work samples to be heading home this week!
There are also a lot of "happenings" in our academics this week. We are beginning Unit 10 in Math which deals with Geometry. Today and all this week we will be exploring congruent/similiar shapes as well as classifying shapes based on their characteristics. This is a short unit but very important so please encourage your child to have their homework done each night so that we can go over it in class the next day.
In Spelling...a.k.a. Fundations we are going full force into Unit 7 featuring open syllables. The most important thing to keep in mind with this unit is that open syllables are when the syllable ends with a vowel. Up to this point most of our syllables have split in between two consonants. Please also be sure that your student understands their long and short vowel sounds. Last weeks spelling assessments are coming home today, I was pleased with all of the students performance but did notice how there was some difficulty regarding vowel sounds. We are working very hard in class to correct this for the future but please help support me with this at home.
In Reading/Writing this week we are working on writing imaginative texts! Your child will be writing fantasy stories and specifically using fantastic details to capture their ideas. In Reading, we will be analyzing the actions that character have made in the text and asking ourselves "what would I have done in that situation?" and "how can I apply that solution to my life?" Both of these are very "higher level thinking questions" but questions that your child will be expected to answer under the new common core. A great way that you can help at home is by modeling what you would do based on what you read. For example, you could share how in Watch Out Jack, the Giant's Back by Tom Birdseye, Jack caused a lot of trouble by stealing the Giants' gold and harp. You could mention how that is one reason why it is important not to take things from others.
Finally, in Science this week we are continuing to learn about Matter and the various mixtures that can be created through combining solids and liquids. We will be attempting to seperate tissue from gravel and water (spoiler alert...it doesn't work well) as well as trying to melt solid water (ice) the fastest! Be prepared for some funky homework parents!
Have a great week and please email me with any concerns,
Mr. H
Dont' Forget...
*Next week is Healthy Hunter "Move It, Move It" week. Be sure to stay active at home because we will be staying very active at school.
*Next Friday (March 16th) is an Early Release Day.
*Third Quarter Electives end NEXT THURSDAY! (March 15th)
*Science Night is coming up on March 26th at 5:30 pm. (the Wednesday before Spring Break)
Monday, February 27, 2012
Feb. 27th-Mar. 2nd
Hello Parents & Students,
It is already the last week of February and we have almost a million things to do this week! Well, it may feel like a million things even if it isn't. This Friday is "Read-Across America Day" in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday. I am inviting YOU parents into the classroom to read YOUR favorite Dr. Seuss book (mine is The Lorax). Just let me know any twenty minutes window that you are available during the day and I can pencil you in and adjust my plans. This Friday we are also our Jump Rope for Hearts celebration "Jump In." Our time is 2:50 pm-3:30pm so if you have any transportation changes please be sure to let me or your child know by Friday morning. Also, all Read-A-Thon forms should be submitted by tomorrow for credit. Any forms turned in after tomorrow may result in your child not receiving their prize. Finally, on Wednesday the class is putting Maleficent on trial. The citizens of Kingdom Come have have charged Maleficent with crimes against their beloved Princess Aurora. Every student in class has a part to play as this drama unfolds. Please make sure that on Wednesday your child is dressed for their part.
Reading News-This week we are continuing to study personal narratives. We are starting the week by learning about Annie Oakley and how she overcame gender stereotypes to capture the hearts of millions. Your child will also learn more about Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman and Dred Scott. Particularly we are looking at their personalities and the qualities that they had and demonstrated by their actions. All of these famous African Americans contributed greatly to the founding of Black History Month and I know how sad we all are to see it end. Be sure to keep the learning going at home by taking your child to the library on weekends and holiday breaks so that they can become intrinsically motivated to learn!
Writing News- Your student is plugging along on their own Personal Narrative. It is my hope that by looking at various other personal narratives your child is able to accurately tell about their lives or a major event in their life. The main concept I am evaluating for in their work is indenting, punctuation, and supporting details. Stretching "It was a nice day" into "Sunday was a nice day because it was sunny and seventy degrees" is only one example of what your child should be able to do by the end of this activity. Please continue to encourage them at home by asking them probing questions.
Science Update- Today was our "High Touch/High Tech" field-trip. Your student went fishing, made ice cream, and created our own "chemical reactions." Do not be surprised if your student wants to create a lot of concoctions at home over the next week. This field-trip is a great segway into our new Science Unit on Matter. In class we will be mixing gravel, toilet paper, salt, and water to analyze what changes these items go through. We will also learn words like "exo-thermic" and "endothermic."
Math- We have been working so hard on subtraction and using extended notation to help us understand regrouping over the last week and a half. This week we will be practicing subtraction with word problems and having our Unit 9 test on Thursday! Friday we will spend reviewing items that we did not test well on so that we can begin our new unit next Monday. Please have your student get a good nights rest on Wednesday night so that they are well rested and ready to show me how brilliant they are.
Fundations- Our Unit 6 assessment is coming up this Wednesday!!! It seems like we have finally mastered our skills from Unit 6 and are ready to head into Unit 7. Unit 7 includes open syllables, y as a vowel, combining open syllables with closed and v-e syllables, y, ly, ty suffixes. Some sample words include: no, music, relate, cry, baby, and chilly. Some trick words we will be looking at are: why, large, change, every, family. Your Unit 7 Fundations packet is coming home today in the Monday Folder!
Final Thoughts-Next week is our Author Visit by Tom Birdseye. He will be in school on Monday and Tuesday of next week. Today a notice is coming home regarding a bagel meet and greet with Mr. Birdseye. On Friday, your student is invited to wear a hat (funky or not) to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday. We will still be having Math-Tiles on Friday from 1:40pm to 2:40pm.
*Thank you all for the help you do with your child each and everyday at home. We are almost 3/4 of the way through the year however we still have so many more fun things to learn. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me at gharvey@wcpss.net. Have a terrific week!
It is already the last week of February and we have almost a million things to do this week! Well, it may feel like a million things even if it isn't. This Friday is "Read-Across America Day" in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday. I am inviting YOU parents into the classroom to read YOUR favorite Dr. Seuss book (mine is The Lorax). Just let me know any twenty minutes window that you are available during the day and I can pencil you in and adjust my plans. This Friday we are also our Jump Rope for Hearts celebration "Jump In." Our time is 2:50 pm-3:30pm so if you have any transportation changes please be sure to let me or your child know by Friday morning. Also, all Read-A-Thon forms should be submitted by tomorrow for credit. Any forms turned in after tomorrow may result in your child not receiving their prize. Finally, on Wednesday the class is putting Maleficent on trial. The citizens of Kingdom Come have have charged Maleficent with crimes against their beloved Princess Aurora. Every student in class has a part to play as this drama unfolds. Please make sure that on Wednesday your child is dressed for their part.
Reading News-This week we are continuing to study personal narratives. We are starting the week by learning about Annie Oakley and how she overcame gender stereotypes to capture the hearts of millions. Your child will also learn more about Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman and Dred Scott. Particularly we are looking at their personalities and the qualities that they had and demonstrated by their actions. All of these famous African Americans contributed greatly to the founding of Black History Month and I know how sad we all are to see it end. Be sure to keep the learning going at home by taking your child to the library on weekends and holiday breaks so that they can become intrinsically motivated to learn!
Writing News- Your student is plugging along on their own Personal Narrative. It is my hope that by looking at various other personal narratives your child is able to accurately tell about their lives or a major event in their life. The main concept I am evaluating for in their work is indenting, punctuation, and supporting details. Stretching "It was a nice day" into "Sunday was a nice day because it was sunny and seventy degrees" is only one example of what your child should be able to do by the end of this activity. Please continue to encourage them at home by asking them probing questions.
Science Update- Today was our "High Touch/High Tech" field-trip. Your student went fishing, made ice cream, and created our own "chemical reactions." Do not be surprised if your student wants to create a lot of concoctions at home over the next week. This field-trip is a great segway into our new Science Unit on Matter. In class we will be mixing gravel, toilet paper, salt, and water to analyze what changes these items go through. We will also learn words like "exo-thermic" and "endothermic."
Math- We have been working so hard on subtraction and using extended notation to help us understand regrouping over the last week and a half. This week we will be practicing subtraction with word problems and having our Unit 9 test on Thursday! Friday we will spend reviewing items that we did not test well on so that we can begin our new unit next Monday. Please have your student get a good nights rest on Wednesday night so that they are well rested and ready to show me how brilliant they are.
Fundations- Our Unit 6 assessment is coming up this Wednesday!!! It seems like we have finally mastered our skills from Unit 6 and are ready to head into Unit 7. Unit 7 includes open syllables, y as a vowel, combining open syllables with closed and v-e syllables, y, ly, ty suffixes. Some sample words include: no, music, relate, cry, baby, and chilly. Some trick words we will be looking at are: why, large, change, every, family. Your Unit 7 Fundations packet is coming home today in the Monday Folder!
Final Thoughts-Next week is our Author Visit by Tom Birdseye. He will be in school on Monday and Tuesday of next week. Today a notice is coming home regarding a bagel meet and greet with Mr. Birdseye. On Friday, your student is invited to wear a hat (funky or not) to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday. We will still be having Math-Tiles on Friday from 1:40pm to 2:40pm.
*Thank you all for the help you do with your child each and everyday at home. We are almost 3/4 of the way through the year however we still have so many more fun things to learn. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me at gharvey@wcpss.net. Have a terrific week!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Feb. 13th-17th
Hello Students & Parents,
Burr, is it cold in here or what? I suppose the Groundhog was right after all. We are already halfway through the exciting "Healthy Heart/Black History Month" month and there is still so much more to learn and do. Please read below to find out the "411" regarding the learning and activities for this week.
To start with, this week we are working on Literacy Activities regarding No Flying in the House. Your student will write about their favorite character (and explain why with supporting details from the text), answer higher level thinking questions, and analyze vocabulary choices from the text in an effort to "dig deeper" into our Read Aloud. In small reading groups the H.H. (that's Harvey's Heroes) will continue to analyze what we read so that we can make text-to-text and text-to-world connections. We will also continue to practice generating inferences based on what we read. A little shout out of sorts should go to Annabeth and Ava for using inferences to deduce who Annabel Tippens mother and father was in No Flying in the House. If you haven't heard of that story then please ask your child
In Spelling, we are continuing to work on Unit 6 and reviewing our syllable breaks as well as our vowel teams. The "oi," "au," and "ue" continue to give many students trouble so please be sure to monitor your students' understanding regarding those. We will be using many of the words from Unit 6 in our writing for the next few weeks so now is the time to learn them for good. In Writing, we will also continue to work on our indenting (we are about 75% proficient in that) as well as using proper nouns (50%) and elaborate detail (50%). I hope to have all of the students at 100% proficiency by the end of the quarter!
As for Math, we are jumping into subtracting two digit numbers. We will be using this skill with time, money, and basic word problems. Many of the numbers will not involve regrouping but there will be a touch of that. Please make sure that your student becomes comfortable with showing their work. It helps me to monitor their understanding of skills if I can see what your student is thinking. Many times, students forget that when subtracting a number such as 100-47 the middle 0 becomes a 9 whereas the 0 on the right becomes a 10. Little things such as this can be the hardest to master. Please keep a watchful eye on your student as they practice this skill in their homework.
Finally, in Science we are beginning to study "Changes" in our matter Unit as well as continue to learn about traditions such as Valentines, Black History Month, and next week Mardi Gras. With changes, please do not be surprised to find some "seemingly random" homework assignments. The best way for students to get hands-on learning is through supervision at home. This allows for topics covered in class to be performed independently at home. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.
I look forward to another exciting week with your student!
- Mr.H
Don't Forget...
*Tonight at 6pm is a PTA Meeting in the Media Center at 6pm
*Tomorrow is The Harvey Heroes Heart Healthy Valentines Day Celebration starting at 11:50am (snacks) and crafts at 12:20pm
*Friday is an Early Release Day-students leave at 1:15pm
*Monday (the 20th) is Presidents Day-No School
*Tuesday (the 21st) is a Teacher Workday-No School
Burr, is it cold in here or what? I suppose the Groundhog was right after all. We are already halfway through the exciting "Healthy Heart/Black History Month" month and there is still so much more to learn and do. Please read below to find out the "411" regarding the learning and activities for this week.
To start with, this week we are working on Literacy Activities regarding No Flying in the House. Your student will write about their favorite character (and explain why with supporting details from the text), answer higher level thinking questions, and analyze vocabulary choices from the text in an effort to "dig deeper" into our Read Aloud. In small reading groups the H.H. (that's Harvey's Heroes) will continue to analyze what we read so that we can make text-to-text and text-to-world connections. We will also continue to practice generating inferences based on what we read. A little shout out of sorts should go to Annabeth and Ava for using inferences to deduce who Annabel Tippens mother and father was in No Flying in the House. If you haven't heard of that story then please ask your child
In Spelling, we are continuing to work on Unit 6 and reviewing our syllable breaks as well as our vowel teams. The "oi," "au," and "ue" continue to give many students trouble so please be sure to monitor your students' understanding regarding those. We will be using many of the words from Unit 6 in our writing for the next few weeks so now is the time to learn them for good. In Writing, we will also continue to work on our indenting (we are about 75% proficient in that) as well as using proper nouns (50%) and elaborate detail (50%). I hope to have all of the students at 100% proficiency by the end of the quarter!
As for Math, we are jumping into subtracting two digit numbers. We will be using this skill with time, money, and basic word problems. Many of the numbers will not involve regrouping but there will be a touch of that. Please make sure that your student becomes comfortable with showing their work. It helps me to monitor their understanding of skills if I can see what your student is thinking. Many times, students forget that when subtracting a number such as 100-47 the middle 0 becomes a 9 whereas the 0 on the right becomes a 10. Little things such as this can be the hardest to master. Please keep a watchful eye on your student as they practice this skill in their homework.
Finally, in Science we are beginning to study "Changes" in our matter Unit as well as continue to learn about traditions such as Valentines, Black History Month, and next week Mardi Gras. With changes, please do not be surprised to find some "seemingly random" homework assignments. The best way for students to get hands-on learning is through supervision at home. This allows for topics covered in class to be performed independently at home. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.
I look forward to another exciting week with your student!
- Mr.H
Don't Forget...
*Tonight at 6pm is a PTA Meeting in the Media Center at 6pm
*Tomorrow is The Harvey Heroes Heart Healthy Valentines Day Celebration starting at 11:50am (snacks) and crafts at 12:20pm
*Friday is an Early Release Day-students leave at 1:15pm
*Monday (the 20th) is Presidents Day-No School
*Tuesday (the 21st) is a Teacher Workday-No School
Friday, February 3, 2012
Feb. 6th-10th
Hello Parents!
Well, Sir Walter Raleigh and all of his groundhog buddies said it will be winter for the next 6 weeks...so please make your child aware of the high each day so that they can discuss whether it is higher or lower than our average weather. We should have a pretty excited discussion on the first day of spring I'm hoping. Aside from that, the big news this week is that (drum roll please) there is NO HOMEWORK (except to read for 20 minutes each night) so please take this time to have your student PRACTICE YOUR MATH FACTS.
This week we are going to start learning about "Changes" in Science. Over the next few weeks we will explore the various states of matter and how they can change. We will create some mixtures as well as solutions. It should be a very exciting unit. To kick start it, we are going to learn about digestion the first half of the week. We will learn how digestion begins in the mouth and how our solid food changes state and becomes a liquid and then a solid again. The second half of the week the students will be learning about the heart (an intergration with Healthy Heart Month). We will learn about the role of the heart and its importance to the human body while at the same time learning about how the vitamins in our food is transfered to our cells. Your child may have plenty of questions so consider this a warning.
In Math, we are going to spend some more time on fractions. Specifically, we are going to explore fractions through cutting apples (Heart Health) and fraction sticks. We will also be intergrate some literacy into Math time through reading fraction related books. All in all, it should be pretty exciting time!
In Reading, we will dive into letter format so that we can prepare to write to our friend Gavin McLamb who moved to Oklahoma this past Friday (also because it is a 3rd quarter objective). We are going to jump into the concept my reading a Toot and Puddle book entitled Wish You Were Here. Independantly, we will continue to work on researching non-fiction topics by learning about various Peguins.
That is about all I have to say for the moment. Please continue to send in "Box Tops" for education which runs through this week. Also, all Yearbook orders are due by Feb. 13th or the price will rise by a few dollars. Please don't wait! Please also pay attention to following announcements so that you are "in the know." Finally, I will not be in school all of text week so if you email me and do not hear back from me please do not take it personally. I have made arrangements for Mrs. Hollaran to substitute for me and she is AMAZING. All of my supplies are arranged in order and things should run smoothly. If there are any concerns please let anyone on the Second Grade team know and I am sure they will work to remedy it. Mrs. Tympkin can be reached at jtymkin@wcpss.net
Don't Forget
PTA General Membership Mtg.
Hunter Media CenterFeb 13, 2012 6:00pm
EARLY RELEASE
Feb 17, 2012 1:15pm
TEACHER WORKDAY
Feb 20, 2012 8:45am
Well, Sir Walter Raleigh and all of his groundhog buddies said it will be winter for the next 6 weeks...so please make your child aware of the high each day so that they can discuss whether it is higher or lower than our average weather. We should have a pretty excited discussion on the first day of spring I'm hoping. Aside from that, the big news this week is that (drum roll please) there is NO HOMEWORK (except to read for 20 minutes each night) so please take this time to have your student PRACTICE YOUR MATH FACTS.
This week we are going to start learning about "Changes" in Science. Over the next few weeks we will explore the various states of matter and how they can change. We will create some mixtures as well as solutions. It should be a very exciting unit. To kick start it, we are going to learn about digestion the first half of the week. We will learn how digestion begins in the mouth and how our solid food changes state and becomes a liquid and then a solid again. The second half of the week the students will be learning about the heart (an intergration with Healthy Heart Month). We will learn about the role of the heart and its importance to the human body while at the same time learning about how the vitamins in our food is transfered to our cells. Your child may have plenty of questions so consider this a warning.
In Math, we are going to spend some more time on fractions. Specifically, we are going to explore fractions through cutting apples (Heart Health) and fraction sticks. We will also be intergrate some literacy into Math time through reading fraction related books. All in all, it should be pretty exciting time!
In Reading, we will dive into letter format so that we can prepare to write to our friend Gavin McLamb who moved to Oklahoma this past Friday (also because it is a 3rd quarter objective). We are going to jump into the concept my reading a Toot and Puddle book entitled Wish You Were Here. Independantly, we will continue to work on researching non-fiction topics by learning about various Peguins.
That is about all I have to say for the moment. Please continue to send in "Box Tops" for education which runs through this week. Also, all Yearbook orders are due by Feb. 13th or the price will rise by a few dollars. Please don't wait! Please also pay attention to following announcements so that you are "in the know." Finally, I will not be in school all of text week so if you email me and do not hear back from me please do not take it personally. I have made arrangements for Mrs. Hollaran to substitute for me and she is AMAZING. All of my supplies are arranged in order and things should run smoothly. If there are any concerns please let anyone on the Second Grade team know and I am sure they will work to remedy it. Mrs. Tympkin can be reached at jtymkin@wcpss.net
Don't Forget
PTA General Membership Mtg.
Hunter Media CenterFeb 13, 2012 6:00pm
EARLY RELEASE
Feb 17, 2012 1:15pm
TEACHER WORKDAY
Feb 20, 2012 8:45am
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
January 24th-27th!
Gung-Hey-Fat-Choy Parents!
Happy Year of the Dragon! This week we will be wrapping up our Science Unit on Weather! Today you will receiving a weather project to help me ensure that your student understands all of the weather vocabulary and concepts discussed in our unit. This will also enable you to measure their understanding as many of these concepts will be reviewed in later grades. Also, it will help keep things fresh in their heads for our Meteorologist visit on Wednesday at 2:30pm. Please encourage your child to have a good question or two to ask him when he visits.
In Reading we are taking a dive back into Fiction books. Of course, with the "Cafe" your child can choose fiction or non-fiction books to read during our Literacy time but for the next nine weeks we will be focusing our energies on Author's Purpose and writing detailed summaries of the stories that we read as well as making connections. The important thing is for your student to be able to go back to the story and pull out specific details to support their thinking. The easiest way for you to help your student is to encourage them to read each night and then model connections that you have with the text. For example, if your child read Cinderella then you could share about the first time that you read the book or share how you felt like Cinderella when you got married...anything like that. As for writing, in the coming weeks we will begin writing our personal narrative. For the time being though, I will push your child to use proper spacing, punctuation, and capitalization. We are also trying to "decimating" the overused words in our writing and attempting to use more eloquent words. Your child was given a personal dictionary to help with this.
Mathematically speaking, your student is reviewing the basics of graphing for this week. We are reexamining pictographs and all of their features (title, key, named columns, etc) and practicing creating our own. We will also be creating bar graphs and comparing the different uses for different graphs. You will find one homework assignment about bar graphs where they will have to create their own measuring objects in the kitchen. If you have any questions please email me.
Wish List
Since it is already the middle of the year we are beginning to run out of things in the classroom. If anyone would like to donate the following items to the class all of the Heroes would be grateful. We could use:
-colored expo markers
--notebook paper
-#8 pencils (nothing fancy)
-crayons
Important Dates
*Healthy Hunter will be sending home an announcement next
week...get ready for some heart healthy information about
Healthy Heart Month & find out ways to keep your student from
becoming sweeter around Valentines Day.
*Readathon begins on TOMORROW!
*One Hunter Family Night is Friday, January 27th starting at 4pm for the students and 5 pm for the parents.
*Yearbook orders can be sent in by February 15th for the early bird price of $14, after that the price goes up to $17.
Happy Year of the Dragon! This week we will be wrapping up our Science Unit on Weather! Today you will receiving a weather project to help me ensure that your student understands all of the weather vocabulary and concepts discussed in our unit. This will also enable you to measure their understanding as many of these concepts will be reviewed in later grades. Also, it will help keep things fresh in their heads for our Meteorologist visit on Wednesday at 2:30pm. Please encourage your child to have a good question or two to ask him when he visits.
In Reading we are taking a dive back into Fiction books. Of course, with the "Cafe" your child can choose fiction or non-fiction books to read during our Literacy time but for the next nine weeks we will be focusing our energies on Author's Purpose and writing detailed summaries of the stories that we read as well as making connections. The important thing is for your student to be able to go back to the story and pull out specific details to support their thinking. The easiest way for you to help your student is to encourage them to read each night and then model connections that you have with the text. For example, if your child read Cinderella then you could share about the first time that you read the book or share how you felt like Cinderella when you got married...anything like that. As for writing, in the coming weeks we will begin writing our personal narrative. For the time being though, I will push your child to use proper spacing, punctuation, and capitalization. We are also trying to "decimating" the overused words in our writing and attempting to use more eloquent words. Your child was given a personal dictionary to help with this.
Mathematically speaking, your student is reviewing the basics of graphing for this week. We are reexamining pictographs and all of their features (title, key, named columns, etc) and practicing creating our own. We will also be creating bar graphs and comparing the different uses for different graphs. You will find one homework assignment about bar graphs where they will have to create their own measuring objects in the kitchen. If you have any questions please email me.
Wish List
Since it is already the middle of the year we are beginning to run out of things in the classroom. If anyone would like to donate the following items to the class all of the Heroes would be grateful. We could use:
-colored expo markers
--notebook paper
-#8 pencils (nothing fancy)
-crayons
Important Dates
*Healthy Hunter will be sending home an announcement next
week...get ready for some heart healthy information about
Healthy Heart Month & find out ways to keep your student from
becoming sweeter around Valentines Day.
*Readathon begins on TOMORROW!
*One Hunter Family Night is Friday, January 27th starting at 4pm for the students and 5 pm for the parents.
*Yearbook orders can be sent in by February 15th for the early bird price of $14, after that the price goes up to $17.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
January 17th-20th
Happy Chinese New Year!
Well, not really. Chinese New Year is this coming Sunday (January 22nd) but we are learning about this tradition all week as part of our Language Arts integration with Social Studies. Today in class we read Lion Dancer: Ernie Wan's Chinese New Year. Please ask your child what this non-fiction book was about. We will continue to research this topic over the course of the week. These leads me to our first "webquest" of the year which is completely optional. In an effort to motivate and excite your student I will be posting webquests at least twice a month through the blog (The webquests will of course still be available to students who do not check the blog but will require them going to the bookmark). Have your student click on this link: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/chinesenewyear1.html and read about Chinese year. Once they have read about Chinese New Year (and taken the quiz at the bottom if they like;) then please have your student go to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGtGRlVGOTVfUVlkWVBZR3p2MVU4U1E6MQ and complete four questions about the Webquest. As this is the first one of the year and I am trying to familiarize myself with google.docs please be patient with it being "rough around the edges." Hopefully, in a few weeks in will be very engaging.
Aside from this new development, the rest of this short week will be action packed with our brand new electives, 2nd Quarter Math Assessments, Running Record Literacy Assessments, and Weather Science Experiments. Don't forget that next Wednesday we will be having a celebrity Meteorogist visit the 2nd grade to talk to your child about weather.
The word of the week is illusory which means deceptive, based on an illusion. Please encourage your child to use this word as well as last weeks word "emulate" to drum up their language skills. In a related note, Noah Anderson made it to the 9th round of the School Wide Spelling Bee! All of the Heroes are especially proud of this young man so be sure to give him a high-five if you see him in the hallways!
Other important things:
*The PTA Book Exchange is this Friday. Please have any books that you wish to donate turned in by tomorrow. So far I have recieved about 8 books. Remember that any gently used books that you wish to donate will be welcomed regardless of difficulty level!
*There is No School on Monday, January 23rd as it is a Teacher Workday
*Readathon begins on Tuesday, January 24th.
*One Hunter Family Night is Friday, January 27th starting at 4pm for the students and 5 pm for the parents.
*Yearbook orders can be sent in by February 15th for the early bird price of $14, after that the price goes up to $17 (an extra $3, which as we all know can be used toward a CookOut Milkshake:)
Well, not really. Chinese New Year is this coming Sunday (January 22nd) but we are learning about this tradition all week as part of our Language Arts integration with Social Studies. Today in class we read Lion Dancer: Ernie Wan's Chinese New Year. Please ask your child what this non-fiction book was about. We will continue to research this topic over the course of the week. These leads me to our first "webquest" of the year which is completely optional. In an effort to motivate and excite your student I will be posting webquests at least twice a month through the blog (The webquests will of course still be available to students who do not check the blog but will require them going to the bookmark). Have your student click on this link: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/chinesenewyear1.html and read about Chinese year. Once they have read about Chinese New Year (and taken the quiz at the bottom if they like;) then please have your student go to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGtGRlVGOTVfUVlkWVBZR3p2MVU4U1E6MQ and complete four questions about the Webquest. As this is the first one of the year and I am trying to familiarize myself with google.docs please be patient with it being "rough around the edges." Hopefully, in a few weeks in will be very engaging.
Aside from this new development, the rest of this short week will be action packed with our brand new electives, 2nd Quarter Math Assessments, Running Record Literacy Assessments, and Weather Science Experiments. Don't forget that next Wednesday we will be having a celebrity Meteorogist visit the 2nd grade to talk to your child about weather.
The word of the week is illusory which means deceptive, based on an illusion. Please encourage your child to use this word as well as last weeks word "emulate" to drum up their language skills. In a related note, Noah Anderson made it to the 9th round of the School Wide Spelling Bee! All of the Heroes are especially proud of this young man so be sure to give him a high-five if you see him in the hallways!
Other important things:
*The PTA Book Exchange is this Friday. Please have any books that you wish to donate turned in by tomorrow. So far I have recieved about 8 books. Remember that any gently used books that you wish to donate will be welcomed regardless of difficulty level!
*There is No School on Monday, January 23rd as it is a Teacher Workday
*Readathon begins on Tuesday, January 24th.
*One Hunter Family Night is Friday, January 27th starting at 4pm for the students and 5 pm for the parents.
*Yearbook orders can be sent in by February 15th for the early bird price of $14, after that the price goes up to $17 (an extra $3, which as we all know can be used toward a CookOut Milkshake:)
Monday, January 9, 2012
January 9th-13th!
Hello Parents and Heroes!
It is the second week of the new year and already we have a full list of exciting things! On Friday, our class will celebrate having earned 1,000 star tickets by watching a student selected video and playing a movie comprehension trivia game. This activity should fit perfectly with our Early Release Day schedule, remember that school ends at 1:15pm on Friday. Also, we are registering for our new electives tomorrow! Our new electives will start on Tuesday, January 17th.
A quick run-down of our lessons this week include: reading a variety of Non-fiction texts about Gandhi & Martin Luther King Jr. (while answering "How," "Why," and "What if" questions regarding them). We will also be exploring weather (and air pressure) through a variety of science experiments this week, please be sure to ask your student each day what they have done in class to learn about weather. For writing we will begin practicing using contractions/apostrophes in our writing. In case it's been a while since you've reviewed the rules of apostrophes here is a quick crash course: Rule 1-Use the apostrophe with contractions. The apostrophe is always placed at the spot where the letter(s) has been removed. Rule 2-Use the apostrophe to show possession. Place the apostrophe before the s to show singular possession. Rule 3-Use the apostrophe where the noun that should follow is implied. Example: This was his father's, not his, jacket. Rule 4-To show plural possession, make the noun plural first. Then immediately use the apostrophe. Example: two children's hats. Rule 5-Do not use an apostrophe for the plural of a name. Rule 6-Use the apostrophe and s after the second name only if two people possess the same item. Example: Cesar and Maribel's home is constructed of redwood. Rule 7-Never use an apostrophe with possessive pronouns: his, hers, its, theirs, ours, yours, whose. They already show possession so they do not require an apostrophe. Rule 8-The only time an apostrophe is used for it's is when it is a contraction for it is or it has. I hope that these reminders help you and your child. Finally, in Math we will be wrapping up our short unit on time this week and taking a brief quiz. The NCSCOS says that your child should be able to tell time to within 5 minutes but I will continue to challenge your student to tell time to the minute for the rest of the year. Please try to quiz your student throughout the year to monitor their understanding of telling time, after all...it is a life-skill. I would also like to take this time to introduce our "Word of the Week" which is emulate. Please challenge your child to tell you the meaning of the word and to use it in a sentence at some point in the week.
Finally, please be sure to look over all of the information inside your son or daughter's Monday Folder. There is a lot of information from the PTA coming home today. Some items include the book trade which will be occuring next Friday, Readathon, and the One Hunter Family Night. I've listed some of the dates below.---------------------Important Dates------------------------------
January 13th-Early Release at 1:15pm
January 16th-NO SCHOOL!!!
January 20th-PTA Book Exchange
January 24th-Read-a-thon Begins
January 26th-One Hunter Family Night
February 13th-Healthy Hunter Challenge Begins
It is the second week of the new year and already we have a full list of exciting things! On Friday, our class will celebrate having earned 1,000 star tickets by watching a student selected video and playing a movie comprehension trivia game. This activity should fit perfectly with our Early Release Day schedule, remember that school ends at 1:15pm on Friday. Also, we are registering for our new electives tomorrow! Our new electives will start on Tuesday, January 17th.
A quick run-down of our lessons this week include: reading a variety of Non-fiction texts about Gandhi & Martin Luther King Jr. (while answering "How," "Why," and "What if" questions regarding them). We will also be exploring weather (and air pressure) through a variety of science experiments this week, please be sure to ask your student each day what they have done in class to learn about weather. For writing we will begin practicing using contractions/apostrophes in our writing. In case it's been a while since you've reviewed the rules of apostrophes here is a quick crash course: Rule 1-Use the apostrophe with contractions. The apostrophe is always placed at the spot where the letter(s) has been removed. Rule 2-Use the apostrophe to show possession. Place the apostrophe before the s to show singular possession. Rule 3-Use the apostrophe where the noun that should follow is implied. Example: This was his father's, not his, jacket. Rule 4-To show plural possession, make the noun plural first. Then immediately use the apostrophe. Example: two children's hats. Rule 5-Do not use an apostrophe for the plural of a name. Rule 6-Use the apostrophe and s after the second name only if two people possess the same item. Example: Cesar and Maribel's home is constructed of redwood. Rule 7-Never use an apostrophe with possessive pronouns: his, hers, its, theirs, ours, yours, whose. They already show possession so they do not require an apostrophe. Rule 8-The only time an apostrophe is used for it's is when it is a contraction for it is or it has. I hope that these reminders help you and your child. Finally, in Math we will be wrapping up our short unit on time this week and taking a brief quiz. The NCSCOS says that your child should be able to tell time to within 5 minutes but I will continue to challenge your student to tell time to the minute for the rest of the year. Please try to quiz your student throughout the year to monitor their understanding of telling time, after all...it is a life-skill. I would also like to take this time to introduce our "Word of the Week" which is emulate. Please challenge your child to tell you the meaning of the word and to use it in a sentence at some point in the week.
Finally, please be sure to look over all of the information inside your son or daughter's Monday Folder. There is a lot of information from the PTA coming home today. Some items include the book trade which will be occuring next Friday, Readathon, and the One Hunter Family Night. I've listed some of the dates below.---------------------Important Dates------------------------------
January 13th-Early Release at 1:15pm
January 16th-NO SCHOOL!!!
January 20th-PTA Book Exchange
January 24th-Read-a-thon Begins
January 26th-One Hunter Family Night
February 13th-Healthy Hunter Challenge Begins
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
January 3rd-6th 2012
January 3, 2012
Hello Students and Parents,
Welcome to the very first week of the new year! This month is full of items such as our PBIS “Dance In” this Friday from 10-10:45am. Please be sure to read all of the items at the bottom of the page to ensure that you don’t miss a beat at Hunter Elementary. This month will also be full of assessments for your student. This week will be conducting assessments on AIMsWeb to measure the growth rate of the your child in regards to Math Facts and Reading Fluency. Your child will also have their 2nd Quarter Math Assessment, and possibly a writing/running record assessment. Due to that fact the homework for this month may seem rather light. It will gear up again in February but for the rest of this month please make sure that your student gets plenty of rest each night and a warm hug as they leave each morning. This two factors can dramatically increase the testing ability of your child.
In Reading/Writing continuing to work on making connections across texts as well as reading non-fiction books. In writing we are creating “how to books” regarding non-fiction topic. With regard to foundations we are discussing multi-syllable words with vowel pairs ai, ay, ow, ou, ee, ea, oa (i.e., tailor, crayon, roasting) as well as working on memorizing our 125-150 HFSW. Please make sure that your student is practicing them at least once a week.
Scientifically speaking, we are beginning our Unit on Weather this week and will continue through the end of January. The class will analyze the changes in matter that occur in nature (the water cycle) as well as discuss weather terms. We even have a special meteorologist visiting our grade sometime soon!
In Math, we are working on a short unit dealing with time. The 2nd Grade Standard Course of Study mandates that your child should be fluent in reading a clock to the hour, half/quarter hour, and in increments of 5 minutes. I challenge each of my students to be able to read a clock accurately to the minute. Please encourage your student in this life-skill at home using both digital and analog clocks.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------NEWS------------------
January 17th-M.L.K Jr. Holiday (no school)
January 21st-End of the 2nd Quarter
January 24th-Teacher Workday (no school for students)
January 31st-2nd Quarter Report Cards sent home
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