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October 30, 2006 Issue The Stroud Crowd Newsletter > October 30, 2006 What's New in Room 202? In math, we have been working on writing and solving addition and subtraction story problems. We are learning how to read informational text by using text features like headings, the table of contents, and the glossary in our Science book called Solids and Liquids. We used the book to create a taxonomy of vocabulary words and to write a nonfiction book report that included 4 interesting facts and 3 new vocabulary words. We sang “I’ve Been Working on My Costume” at the Fab Friday Assembly, and we made clothes pin skeletons, paper flowers and color prints with the Art Docents for Day of the Dead. Students may bring in photos of loved ones who have passed (pets, too) to place on our Day of the Dead altar. Congratulations to Hazel and Carmen, our Check It Out winners. Parent Volunteers Remember, you are invited to our Halloween Party on October 31 from 2:10-3:10. Check with Ellie (Dylan’s mom) to see how you can help. NEEDED: coupons for math (OK to be expired, ex. 50 cents off), yarn (any color), fabric scraps What's the Buzz? The Buzz Group theme Nov. 6 will be FAMILY (a photo, keepsake, traditions, etc.) Story Corners Practice your story. 11/3 Colby, Levi, Wren, Briana 11/9 Leo, Jessica, Amy, Kaye Reminders
The Stroud Crowd Newsletter > October 23, 2006 What's New in Room 202? In math, we have been exploring multiples and patterns in the hundred chart, and practicing ways to use the hundred chart as a math tool. Guest teacher Emily (Hazel’s mom and certified math coach/teacher) helped us practice our doubles and use tens frames to solve problems. We saw how math is used in a variety of ways on our math trail field trip to QWEST field, and we collected a lot of data that we will use this week to create some story problems to submit to the mathtrails.org website. We had our first Reading Buddies with the Pandas from the KIDS INC preschool and it was a huge success. We read them stories and helped them make a pumpkin art project that they could take home. I was very impressed with how responsible and caring the second graders were with their buddy and with how they selected books with their audience in mind. We are learning how to say school related words and phrases in Spanish, and we continue to practice D’Nealian handwriting. The students enjoyed hearing author Peter Brown read aloud his books, and were surprised to find out how long it takes an author to write and publish a picture book—2 years! Congratulations to Deena, our Check It Out winner. Parent Volunteers We had our first Music Docent lesson with Aaron (Kaye’s dad) and we learned about the music of Mexico to go along with our Art Docent unit on the Day of the Dead. Check out our beautiful prints hanging outside the room. Remember, you are invited to our Halloween Party on October 31 from 2:10-3:10. Check with Ellie (Dylan’s mom) to see how you can help. NEEDED: coupons (any kind), yarn (any color), fabric scraps What's the Buzz? The Buzz Group theme Oct. 30 will be Halloween or something spooky. Story Corners Practice your story. 10/27 Beck, Greer, Hazel, Will 11/3 Colby, Levi, Wren, Briana Reminders
The Stroud Crowd Newsletter > October 16, 2006 What's New in Room 202? In math, we have a daily routine called “Today’s Number.” Students have to create a minimum of 4 equations that equal the number of the day. This routine allows students at all learning levels regular practice in solving number combinations, and an opportunity to explore building numbers and build upon their own strengths. We highlight students’ strategies and approaches to composing numbers by sharing aloud. Several students are even using multiplication and division. In room 202, we express our math thinking through words, numbers and pictures, and we work in a variety of groupings. We played a game in computer lab called Clock Wise where we got to practice telling time. The Reptile Man assembly was a big hit, and the kids enjoyed recording what they learned about reptiles in their journals. We continue to use thinking maps to plan a story about ourselves. I have arranged for our class to be Reading Buddies with the preschoolers at KIDS INC. We plan to meet on the 3rd Thursday of each month. We explored 3 liquids (water, oil and corn syrup) and created a table in our Science Notebooks to record our observations. Congratulations to Paige for being our Check It Out class winner. Parent Volunteers We had our first Art Docent lesson on Thursday, and the kids really enjoyed printmaking. Thanks to all of the volunteers that continue to donate their time. Please help yourself to bottled water in the refrigerator in my classroom (on the floor by the computers) while you are here volunteering. We will have our first Reading Buddy time with the preschoolers this Thursday 10/19 from 10:00-10-:30. If you are available, I’d love to have some extra adults in the room to assist with the little ones. You are invited to our Halloween Party on October 31 from 2:10-3:10. What's the Buzz? The Buzz Group theme Oct. 23 will be sports, since that is our field trip day to Qwest Field Story Corners Practice your story. 10/16 McKenzie, Paige, Dylan, Jakob 10/20 Cecilia, Levi, Carmen, Cole 10/27 Beck, Greer, Hazel, Will Reminders
The Stroud Crowd Newsletter > October 9, 2006 What's New in Room 202? In math we continue to practice estimating and strategies for adding number strings (3 or more addends), especially looking for ways to make a ten. We played a money game in computer lab where we had to use our good counting skills to purchase items with exact change. You can play this game from home on your computer. Go to the West Woodland Computer Lab website, Fun and Games, Math, and scroll down to the game called money. I’m sure the kids can show you! We are also still keyboarding and practicing typing the alphabet with correct finger positioning. They are making amazing progress. Our first week of reading groups went very well with all of our fantastic parent helpers— 12 reading volunteers! Reading groups take place on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:30-10:30. We also had reading centers this week where we listened to books on tape, read books on the computer (you can also link to the tumblebook library from the WW computer lab website), worked with word family linking cubes to make words, wrote in our journals, and practiced reading fluently using the reading phones. We also talked about how good readers read expressively. In writing we are using thinking maps to plan a story about ourselves. Each day we have used a new thinking map to organize our ideas and plan our writing. We started our discussion about liquids and made a bubble map, and this week we will begin our liquids explorations and investigations. We also had our first class meeting and compliment circle. Congratulations to Jessica for being our Check It Out class winner and to Declan for being the Spanish class Check It Out winner. Continue to work on weekly Spelling lists and to do your 20 minutes of reading for the new October Reading Challenge calendar. If you ever need extras, check the parent board outside my room. Parent Volunteers We began D’Nealian handwriting instruction with Jennifer (Wren’s mom) during morning work time Tuesday and Thursday this week. The kids were so focused on learning this new “fancy” handwriting. Beginning this week, we will practice handwriting with her every morning until they have learned the whole alphabet. Feel free to stick around and help monitor and assist students as needed (Thanks Julie!) She has provided you with a copy of the alphabet to keep at home for reference—it went home Friday. Thanks to Melanie for putting our class mailboxes together and to Janice for writing out all my science focus questions and vocabulary onto sentence strips. All 12 of my reading volunteers were FABULOUS this week and the students will make so much more progress thanks to you. Chrissy donated some new cool things for the class store, Jennifer R. organized my first book order and inventoried my science kit, Jennifer P. brought us some snacks, and Tina helped keep kids on track during Buzz Groups. Oh, and I’m sure you’ve heard from your kids about the amazing spooky snacks Ingrid has made for us—mummies, vampires, and even eyeballs! Wow! None of your hard work goes unnoticed. I appreciate all of you. What's the Buzz? The Buzz Group theme Oct. 16 will be “Something About Me.” Bring an object that lets you share something about yourself to the group Story Corners Practice your story. 10/12 McKenzie, Paige, Dylan, Jakob 10/20 Cecilia, Levi, Carmen, Cole Reminders
STROUD CROWD NEWSLETTER > October 2, 2006 What's New in Room 202? We had our first class store on Friday, 9/29. While many students opted to trade in their sticks for small items, some decided to save their sticks until they have enough for a larger item. We had an interesting class discussion on spending versus saving, and it was good practice trading tens for ones to make change! The next store day will be Friday, October 20. We spent some time this week exploring calculators as a math tool, working on adding doubles and the doubles plus one / minus one strategies (ex. knowing 5+5=10 helps you with 6+5=11 and 4+5=9). We read Two of Everything and wrote our own doubles math riddles about the magic pot, and practiced strategies for adding number strings (3 or more addends), especially looking for ways to make a ten. In computer lab we started keyboarding and practiced keeping our fingers on home row. In reading, we’ve been working on predicting, fantasy and realism, high frequency words, phonics, identifying the beginning, middle and end, and story mapping. Congratulations to Leo for being our Check It Out class winner. Our class also started earning marbles in the jar this week for good behavior, and when the jar is full, we’ll celebrate our accomplishment. We continue to work on good listening skills in second grade, so remember to encourage your child to listen to your directions the first time at home as well. Remember to bring in your liquid along with the assignment sheet for our science unit this week, continue to work on weekly Spelling lists, and to do your 20 minutes of reading for the new October calendar (handed out Friday)! Parent Volunteers Thanks goes out to Jennifer R. for the cool things for class store and to Leo’s parents for the comfy rolling desk chair. Remember that our volunteer schedule goes into full swing this week. If you need an extra copy, check the wall outside the room or email me at listroud@seattleschools.org . I’ll be making some adjustments for those who have requested changes and will get you an updated schedule soon. We’ll begin handwriting instruction during morning work time (9:10- 9:30) Tuesday and Thursday this week, then every morning beginning next week. Feel free to stick around and help monitor and assist students as needed. It’s helpful to have lots of eyes to correct those students who are in the habit of forming their letters from the bottom up! I purchased some mailboxes (two 12 compartment organizers) to help make Friday paper pass out time go more quickly, but realized when I opened the box that I actually need tools (and time) to put them together. If anyone is willing to assemble them for me, I would greatly appreciate it. You’ll need a hammer, Phillips head screwdriver and glue. I’m guessing they’ll take about 20 minutes altogether. Thanks for everything! What's the Buzz? The Buzz Group theme Oct. 9 will be to bring in a sign of Fall, something that shows that Fall is here. Story Corners Practice your story. 10/6 Maci, Deena, Declan, Wren 10/12 McKenzie, Paige, Dylan, Jakob Reminders
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