Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears

Since our production of Under the Sea with Jacques Cousteau was such a success, we once again used the same format, combining audio recordings of the Green Learners performing their parts with images to create something quite special.  During Unit 2 of our reading program we learned about pacing and built fluency skills through repeated oral reading practice including choral-reading, echo-reading, and partner-reading all culminating in this new performance.  We learned how punctuation helps tell us where to pause in our reading, and how some things are read faster (exciting parts of stories) or slower (directions) than other things.  I'm also happy to say that every child got a speaking role in this production.  Watch the video and listen to the children's awesome pacing and inflection after the break.

紫禁城

Today's visit to the VMFA was a great success.  We learned a lot about China at the Forbidden City Exhibit.  Thank you Capital One for sponsoring our visit.

Under the Sea with Jacques Cousteau

I'm pleased to invite you to check out the premier of Under the Sea with Jacques Cousteau, the Green Learners' first foray into the wonderful world of readers' theater.

I had originally envisioned students memorizing their lines, creating elaborate costumes and sets, and using a web cam to create a video presentation.  This proved implausible because Election Day on Tuesday and swimming at the YMCA on Friday cut our language arts time short.  Instead, we utilized the voice recorder on my phone, Google Image searches, and Windows Movie Maker to create something special.

Not all students had speaking rolls this time around but now that we're all familiar with the methods and technologies used to create what you'll find after the page break, we can better plan how to incorporate everyone into the processes next time around.  Now that we're past our first 30 days of instruction. our new language arts program has readers' theaters like this one every third week.

VICTORY!

It is my pleasure to inform you that we are victorious in our effort!  The second grade raised the most money for animals at Maymont and will therefore be going there on the 14th of October.  Please sign and return the permission slip, and don't forget to pack a lunch for your child on Tuesday.  Also, let me know if you'd like to chaperone.  Also, also, don't forget that Monday is Columbus Day and that means early dismissal; the learners will be let out at 11:25.

Week 6 Spelling Words

lips, log, leg, leaf, lock
kitchen, kangaroo, kitten, kick, kite
jeep, jacks, jump, jacket, jar
well, worm, wing, window, witch

What's Rainbow Writing?

A parent asked me today what "Rainbow Writing" was.  It's simply taking the letters of each word and writing them one at a time in ROYGBV order (sorry Indigo, I don't have a marker for you). Here's an example.

Week 5 and the Maymont Animal Appreciation Program

I want to go to Maymont.  I also want you and your child to go to Maymont.  And I want us to all go on October 14th.  Let's work together to make this happen.

Every year we raise money as a school to donate to Maymont's Animal Appreciation Program.  Basically, the kids get money and bring it in to school so that the good people at Maymont can keep the animals fed and happy.  This year is no different.

To thank the schools that participate Maymont has a day of festivities.  However, not every child in every school can go.  Only the grade level at Westover Hills that raises the most money can go.  I want that to be us.

For more information about  the program, just click the link above.  Everything is already set up on this end.  We just need your help raising the most money.  Of course any money id just fine, since it goes to a great cause.  But, still, it would be nice to win.

In math this week we'll continue talking about place value. We'll be focusing on standard form (the way we usually write numbers) and expanded form (316 = 300 + 10 + 6). For practice at home you can have your child play Place Value Hockey.

Our focus in social studies science this week will be maps. We'll look at some mountain ranges and rivers.  Check the study guide that went home for specifics.  In science we will continue recording daily weather data as part of our morning meeting.

PALS is finally over so learning our routines and rituals in language arts will continue unhindered. We'll keep responding to stories in our  response journals.  This week we'll learn about setting & problem/solutions in fiction and start talking about characteristics of non-fiction

As always I'm looking forward to another great week. Keep checking on your child's behavior via ClassDojo.

Sand Dollar Spending Time

On Friday we spent our hard earned Sand Dollars on souvenirs from the school store.  Your child earned one dollar for every positive point earned on ClassDojo.  I'm pleased to say that our class had quite a few learners that got to shop in the most expensive section of the shop.

Week 5 Spelling Words

corn, can, cane, cow, candle

horn, hook, hose, horse, house

fork, fox, four, fence, fan

dice, deer, desk, dive, dishes

Week 4 Spelling Words

towel, tub, tire, tie, two

gate, gum, gas, goose, goat

needle, nut, newspaper,  nose, nails

pen, pipe, pail, pan, pin

Week Number 4 of the 2014/2015 School Year

In math this week we'll be talking about place value. We'll be focusing on ones, tens, and hundreds and ways to represent them. For practice at home you can have your child play Place Value Hockey.

Our focus in science this week will be weather. We'll look at common storms and other weather phenomena. We will talk about the importance of measuring, recording, and interpreting weather data. We will also begin recording daily weather data as part of our morning meeting.

This week we'll continue PALS and learning our routines and rituals in language arts. We'll talk about response journals & reading logs and then get into discussions about the differences between fiction and non-fiction, ending the week with talks about characters and settings in fiction.

As always I'm looking forward to another great week. Keep checking on your child's behavior via ClassDojo. In closing here's a picture of the Green Learners learning about ordinal numbers.

Parents' Night

Even and Odd Numbers

This week we have been learning about even and odd numbers.  To help us remember which are which we sang this song together.

Rainy Day Duck Duck Goose

How To Take Care of Books

Our second week of school was a whirlwind of classroom rearranging and getting used to routines.  One of our Language Arts objectives this week was learning how to care for books in the class library.  The kids made a list of a few tips.