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6.08.21: And Just Like that the Year's Over

I cannot believe the year's over! Thank you for sharing your student with me all year.

It was so fun seeing so many of you at our Triple Play Fundraiser! It was such a blast spending the first year at HCC with this second grade group.

Thank you for attending student led conferences. We had a lot of fun practicing these and getting the classroom ready for conferences.

Some of your students may have told you, but I will be moving down to half-day kindergarten next year. I will also be Mrs. Pearson since I am getting married in July. I hope I run into you this summer and be sure to tell your student to come visit me down the hall. I will be in Mrs. Curtis's old room.

Have such a fun summer!

Don't forget:

Wednesday: BBQ Lunch, please bring a water bottle.

Thursday: Free dress day, early release 12:30, bring a towel, and field day. LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!



Teach the Teacher Day was such a blast! We learned about everything from gymnastics, soccer, lizards, prey mantis, mario, San Juan Islands, birds, etc.

Spelling relay!

Making dreamcatchers.

Art collaboration with kindergarten!

We found a barn owl on our hike!

05.02.21: What a Fun Week!

100th Day of School celebration, sculpting clay pots, master beekeeper expert, beautiful hiking weather, frog found on the playground, gymnastics outside, passion projects, crew projects about bees, and starting Unit 3 in modules, it was such a fun week!

We will be working on Passion Projects twice a week during the month of May. If you are available to help out on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:30-2:30pm, that would be so helpful! Please let me know if you'd like to help students with their projects at this time.

As always, you can stay up to date on your students assignments and progress in their Digital Student Portfolio on Google Drive. If you need help accessing it, let me know.

Academic Updates & Supports:

  • Modules: This week we started Unit 3 of Module 3. Students have been assigned a pollinator and are working on making their posters which include a scientific drawing of their pollinator, an informational paragraph, the pollinator process, and a few other details. We have been working on our speaking and listening skills as students practice writing their notecards for their presentations at Student Led Conferences.

    • How you can help at home: Do some research about your students pollinator with them at home so they can become more of an expert and add it to their presentation. Ask them what they have learned about their pollinator. Have them find photos or draw pictures of their pollinator at home. You can always send me things they would like printed.

  • Writing: Students have been writing informational paragraphs about pollinators.

    • How you can help at home: Review this with your student. Have them practice writing informative paragraphs about something they know about or maybe something they learn about at home. Here is a resource (CLICK ME!) I created for you to understand how we teach this type of writing at our school.

  • Reading: Students are working on reading fluency and reading comprehension.

    • How you can help at home: To help practice these skills students do weekly reading passages on readworks.org. This is linked in student's Skills Block Google Classroom and can be practiced at home any time. Make sure your student is doing 15-20 minutes of reading a night.

  • Math: We have been working on measurement and graphing. We will be moving into money this week.

    • How you can help at home: Please work with your student on identifying coins, and adding and subtracting them together. Have them count the money at home or pay the cashier, what an important life skill that is taught in second grade!

  • Skills Block: Students are working on their groups individual needs.

    • How you can help at home: If you would like the remainder of your student's cycle spelling words and sight words as well as activities for them to practice on the remainder of the year or throughout the summer, please let me know and I can get those to you.

  • Passion Projects: Students had to choose something they are passionate about. We have been researching their passions. When they are done collecting research and answer their burning question they have to choose how they will present their information (poster board, comic book, video, 3D model, etc.)

    • How you can help at home: Your student can always do research or work on their passion project at home. They can take notes or bring in books or articles or notes from interviewing someone about their project. They can make things to add to their project as well. Help them develop inquiry and research skills at home!

  • Art: This week students made clay pots. Next week they will finish up their pots, and will be collaborating with Mrs. Paine's kindergarten class on Lupine paintings.

  • Hiking: Mrs. Amber is our trail leader on our Tuesday hikes. She has been teaching students the importance of a compass and cardinal directions. Randomly on the trails she will stop and ask students to point north. Students then check on the compass if they were correct or not.

    • How you can help at home: Have your student identify cardinal directions outside and ask how they knew. They can draw a map of a familiar area and label the cardinal directions.

Students use clay to make pots.
100th Day of School celebration.
Hiking learning about cardinal directions and physics.
Our very own Master Bee Keeper at HCC was our expert. Students got to explore the tools and process of beekeeping.
This week we chose our designs for our bottle cap school murals and painted them in groups. They did such an incredible job!
Playground discovery!

04/15/21: It's Been Awhile

  • Photo catch up below! I don't know where time is going but it is flying by! We have 8 weeks of school left, I get married in 86 days, it's been two weeks since spring break already, and we are wrapping up unit 2 of our Module 3. Somehow in all of that I neglected our blog, so below is a bit of a catch up.

  • Genius Hour! We are still looking for Genius Hour volunteers from 1:30-2:30 on Tuesdays to help in our classroom. This is self guided projects of students own interests. Your support would be huge to help students research and create their projects during this fun time. If you are able to volunteer, please let me know. If you would like to stay until the end of the day, you can go on our hike with us from 2:30-3:15 and/or do clerical work (cut, file, etc.) until the bell rings.

  • Updated portfolios: Remember to check out your students assessments on their Google Drive digital Student Portfolio.

  • Inside shoes: Please make sure your student has a pair of inside shoes to wear.

  • Donation sign up for store bought items here (click me!) to support our labs and art projects

Our learning:

Math:

  • Telling time

  • Measurement

  • Money

Writing:

  • Informational paragraph

    • Topic sentence, 3 details, 3 elaborations, and a conclusion

Modules:

  • Pollinators and how do pollinators help plants grow and survive

Labs:

  • Create lab: Drawing a scientific drawing of a flower

  • Engineer lab: Create a seed dispersal tool

Crew:

  • Curiosity and discovery

  • We are working on creating an interactive hallway display about bees to teach others at our school

Hike:

  • Cardinal directions

Skills block:

  • Reading comprehension

  • Reading fluency

  • Spelling

  • Each group has different reading and writing skills they are working on

Making our collaborative bee for a hallway display and the Gala fundraiser.
Using Perler Beads in art to make plants and fruit.
Hiking to a marsh.
Hiking to a pond with tadpoles and frogs.
I can create a scientific drawing of a flower.
Create Lab: Drawing scientific drawings of a flower.
Using measuring tape and centimeters to measure our friends.
A bat was found on a hike with another class. We got to see a pollinator up close!
Wonders and Burning Questions
Girl Crew Time!
Sorting the plastic bottle caps from the bottle cap drive to prepare for our art mural.
Module and lab work from various lessons.
We earned our class store! Students get to spend the money they have been earning in class.
Meet Goose!

3/19/21 All Sorts of Things

Genius Hour!

We are starting Genius Hour on Tuesdays from 1:30-2:30pm. See the letter to the left to explain all about Genius Hour. Students have narrowed down their passions to two choices. Next week they will be generating wonders for each of their topics before they narrow their project down to one choice. You can help your student generate wonders at home! (see examples to the left)

Art Donation Requests

Coming up and research art projects for us to do is one of my favorite things. I have some really fun ideas and I am looking for some items. I'm hoping to do dream catchers, clay, perler beads, weaving, stitching, mobiles, and more. Please let me know if you are able to donate any of the following items:

  • Donation sign up for store bought items here (click me!)

  • Misc. strips of fabric or cut up old t-shirts into strips (weaving)

  • Misc. beads

  • Egg Cartons

Volunteers Wanted:

  • To make cardboard looms for art weaving (direction here)

  • In person support during Genius Hour on Tuesdays from 1:30-2:30 to help kiddos with their projects

Learning:

Math: Addition and subtraction within 1,000, telling time to the nearest 5 minutes, counting money, adding 4 two digit numbers

Grammar: Compound Words

Writing: Informational paragraph

Modules: Plants and Pollinators

Reading: Comprehension of fiction and non-fiction text

  • Student practice assignments are on Google Classroom: Skills Block

Personal Update:

I appreciate all the kind words and thoughts about the collarbone surgery I had. The pain hasn't been to bad, just an occasional zinging feeling from the nerves. It is so much better having the hardware out! It was really uncomfortable, I couldn't wear backpacks, tight straps, etc. Oh and I got a border collie puppy! First step to becoming a future parent, it's quite a bit of work, but Goose (the puppy) is the best!

Reminders:

  • Don't forget about our upcoming Gala Fundraiser! 2nd Grade is creating a game basket with various games.

  • Spring Break: March 29-April 1

  • Go outside and enjoy the sunny days we have been having! :)

Art: Working on a project for the upcoming Gala Fundraiser.
Crew: I can use collaboration, innovation and inquiry to build the tallest structure using marshmallows and spaghetti noodles.

2.23.21 Updates:

  • A message from our school gardening instructor: I am in need of 2 and 5 gallon buckets, along with totes with lids to house our 500 vegetable plants that are now growing. These plants were started in mock greenhouses and will be transplanted into simple hydroponic systems (aka milk cartons) and although most of the smaller plants will be able to live out their lives in those, we have others that will need a bigger system until we can plant them outdoors.

  • In just two weeks we will be starting Module 3! Help provide us with some of our Module books to deepen our understanding on our Amazon Wishlist. (click me) Feel free to share this wishlist with others. Be sure to read over our Module 3 Parent overview to learn about what we will be doing.

  • I will be out of town March 1-8th. I will be available on Class Dojo if you need anything urgently. We will have a sub these days and lots of fun activities to wrap up our Module.

  • Our class report cards will be going home Tuesday, March 9th.

  • In addition to report cards, stay tuned for videos of our Celebration of Learning being sent your way.

  • Curious what we will be working on this upcoming month and module? Looking for Extra Practice on Standards? Check out what you can do at home here. I will post updates as I add new information here.

  • Our Green Light Challenge top 5 right now: Willow, Preston, Autumn, Breesen, Dainen

    • Math facts are so crucial, please encourage your student to work on Reflex Math.

  • If you are not receiving school emails, phone calls, or text messages, please contact the front office as I do not always send the same communication as the office. (if you did not get a call, text, and email about the emergency school closure last Thursday, February 18, then you should contact the front office)

  • PLEASE SEND YOUR STUDENT WITH SNOWGEAR! Snow boots are so critical on our hikes and playground right now. There may not be snow on the roads or in the parking lot, but there is plenty on the trails.

  • Also please make sure you send your student with a water bottle!

  • Our class is in need of lined notebook paper if you have any you don't mind donating.

  • Don't forget about the Read to Ride with Silverwood.

  • Also, our school library is open for checkout! If you need help with checking out a book online, please reach out.

Working with our writing partners to write a fictional narrative about discovering a fossil.

2.14.21 We Survived Valentine's Day!

We survived Valentine's Day! I don't know if you have ever experienced a Valentine's Day celebration in a classroom, but imagine 27 kids opening 27 gifts all at the same time. It's an experience. It's a kids favorite, but I wouldn't say it's mine. ;p Thank you for your patience as your kiddos wrote their Valentines at home and created their bags and boxes. Thank you to those who brought in goodies for us to enjoy.

HELP US GET SOME FUN TEXTS THAT GO WITH OUR NEXT MODULE. Visit our Amazon Wishlist here.

Did you know when you view your students digital portfolio, you can view the documents by what I uploaded most recently? To do this, click on "name" at the top right and change it to "last modified" this should put the documents in order based on when I uploaded them so you don't have to search for what is new.

2.NBT.B.5 (Fluently add and subtract within 100 using strategies based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction.) PRE Assessments have been added to student digital portfolios on Google Drive. This is the exact test format they will have in the next week. Pre assessments are the final assessment given in the beginning of the unit or chapter to see what students already know so I can appropriately support them and we can analyze for growth. I encourage you to take a look at these with your student and practice at home. Students that scored 80% or higher on the pre-assessment will be solving for errors this week. They will see the problems solved incorrectly and they will have to identify where the error happened and how to correct it. To locate this in their digital portfolio it is titled: 2.NBT.B.5 PRE Assessment.

Parents, I loved seeing your students shine and share their learning during student led conferences. If you have any questions about your students progress, academics, or anything else, you can always message me! I hope you enjoyed these!

We are nearing the end of our Module. We are beginning to wrap up our exploration of dinosaurs and fossils. WHAT A BLAST IT HAS BEEN!

A few of our Valentine boxes.
I can build a structure using candy hearts and popsicle sticks that can support the most weight.
I can use collaboration to build the tallest structure using candy hearts and popsicle sticks.

REFLEX MATH:

Parents can easily monitor their child’s math fluency progress on Reflex with a Reflex Parent Reporting Account.

To set up an account, you will need your child’s Reflex sign in information (their teacher’s Reflex Username, the name of the Reflex Class, and your child’s Reflex Password). Your child should have this information if they’re logging on to Reflex regularly.

  1. Go to reflexmath.com/parent

  2. Follow The onscreen instructions to create your free account by entering your email address

  3. Click on the activation link in the email sent you to and enter the required information to create your account. Once you are done, click Continue.

  4. Follow the onscreen instructions to add your child

*If you do not receive the activation email, please check your junk or spam folder

This is a copy of the poem students will be practicing reciting regularly in modules to practice fluency as well as irregular past tense verbs.

Labs:

  • Students are working on finishing up their research lab, by completing their final projects

Skills Block:

  • I am trying to be better at sending high-frequency words (words students should read automatically), spelling words, and decodables home for students to practice at home. I will be sharing these out digitally.


After your Student Led Conference, please don't forget to leave us some feedback on this school-wide survey here.

2.08.21 No Photos, Just Academics this Week

  • This week I somehow managed to not take a single photo. However, I have a lot of academic updates.

  • Reflex Math News:

    • I have discovered Reflex Math student growth charts that are super friendly. These have been uploaded to your student's digital portfolio. Amazing fact fluency growth!

    • We are having a monthly green light contest for the remainder of the year. Each month, the top students with the most green lights will get to pick out an ice-cream to have with lunch. Students can work on this at home and in class.

  • Istation is our progress monitoring for ELA. We do this the first week of each month. It's about 25 minutes on the computer. Students get immediate feedback and track their growth in their portfolios. February's data can be viewed in your students digital portfolio as well.

  • I received feedback from a parent about wanting a form to be able to share contact information so parents can contact one another for play dates. If there is interest, I can create a list with your name and phone number on it and add it to Class Dojo for other parents to see if they would like to contact you for a play date. Please let me know if you would like me to add your contact information to Class Dojo for other parents in our class to see.

  • Donation wanted: Looking for feathers for an upcoming art project.

  • Intent to return forms are due! If you are planning on attending HCC again next year, you MUST turn in this form. Please contact the office for any questions.

  • Math:

1/31/21: Experts, Art, Fossilization

Donations wanted for February 8th:

  • fake or real feathers of variety sizes and colors

  • gummy worms (60 worms total)

  • gummy life savers (30 total)

If you are able to bring in any of these items, please let me know.

Valentine's Party coming up!

We will be celebrating Valentine's Day on February 11th. Student's may bring in Valentine's cards and treats as long as they bring in one for every student. There are 27 students in our class. To save time when student's pass out their cards, please have students only write their name on the "from" section of their cards and leave the "to" blank. Student's may bring in a homemade valentine's box or a valentine's bag to collect their Valentine's in. If your student is unable to make a box or bag at home, they can make one in class. In addition, our school has extra Valentine cards. If you would like these donated to your student to pass out, please let me know and we can provide Valentine cards for your student.

In addition to passing out Valentine's we will be having some treats. If you would like to bring in some treats for our party, sign up here. Please make sure items are store bought. We have some milk allergies in our classroom.

If you have not signed up for Student Led Conferences, please do so here. These are such an incredible experience where your student takes on the show and shows you what they have been learning. Remember, the week of student led conferences is early release!

Student's have been working on their research and we are going to begin to compile their research to make their final projects. I am so excited to see all their findings in their final products.

Students are organizing the steps of fossilization.
Students are repurposing straws to make an art sculpture.
Our Zoom with experts from a museum teaching us about adaptations.
Students received their donated book of the month to take home.
Fun during imaginative play.

1-24-21: Virtual Tour and Much More

  • If you have not already, could you please complete this teacher feedback survey, I would really appreciate your feedback.

  • Students chose their dinosaurs they will be researching in labs. Students may always research about their dinosaur at home and bring in notes or other resources of their dinosaur.

I can use different types of lines, textures, and mediums to make a 3D mug.
I can use discussion norms to participate in classroom discussions about working with fossils.
Hike
Virtual fieldtrip of the Alf Museum.
Zoom with a paleontologist. The students had SOO many questions!
On Thursday we had our fundraiser reward since our class met our fundraising goal.
Unit 2 Parent Letter.pdf
I can write a paragraph about a famous paleontologist.
I can learn new information about dinosaurs using my research materials. I can ask questions about dinosaurs based on my research materials.

1-18-21: What a Week!

That was quite the wind we had the other day! I hope everyone was able to stay safe and not too much damage was done.

We began our hikes on Monday! Thank you to our two hike leaders!

Students will be confirming their dinosaur they are choosing this week. Talk to your student about the dinosaur they may be interested. You can always do some research at home and bring it in.

We have also been doing a lot of learning about paleontologists. Unfortunately our Zoom last week had to get rescheduled because schools got cancelled but we have another one coming up this week. If you have any information on paleontologists, send it in with your student and we can add them to our list of paleontologists we have learned about.

Students have really been making connections with adding and subtracting 10 and 100 from a number.

This week we will be working on adding two digit numbers. Students who have shown mastery of this already will be solving number puzzles before creating their own number puzzles.

Student led conferences are coming up! Over the next couple of weeks students will be working on organizing their portfolios, reflecting on their learning and practicing for their conference during crew.

Feedback wanted!

I would love to be a better teacher and provide the best learning experience for your child!

Please complete this anonymous feedback survey I created.

10 points will be awarded to your student if you message me: survey

I can learn about paleontology by exploring the tools of a paleontologist. I can show respect when using the tools of a paleontologist.
I can identify the shapes that make a dinosaur.I can sculpt the shapes of a dinosaur.
I can learn about paleontology by exploring the tools of a paleontologist. I can show respect when using the tools of a paleontologist.
Hiking fun! Every time we hike by the "bowl" students always ask if they can slide down, this week, they got to! Man was it fun!
I can reenact paleontology stories using my imagination and materials of the Imagine Lab. I can collaborate with others to reenact paleontology stories.
For art we are making mobiles using twigs, pinecones, and rocks we collected on our hikes.
I can learn new information about dinosaurs using my research materials. I can ask questions about dinosaurs based on my research materials.

1.10.21 New Year!

Mr. Hampsch, our music teacher is looking for some help: Hello HCC parents! The music classroom is in need of some wood instrument racks for our 30 ukuleles and 15 guitars (coming soon). I've included some pictures of examples. I wonder if any handy parents with extra time might have fun making these. These are instruments we use often in these classes. You can contact me if you are interested or have any questions. jhampsch@haydencanyoncharter.org (see images below)

Reminders:

  • We will begin hiking twice a week starting this week! Mondays we will be hiking and Tuesdays. Please make sure your students are dressed appropriately.

  • Bottle caps! Don't forget we are collecting plastic bottle caps of all shapes and sizes!

  • You can always view your student's assessments in their digital portfolio. Not all work is going home since students are choosing to use them as evidence and artifacts in their portfolio at school. Not sure how to access their digital portfolio? Just ask me!

  • A cube art project was sent home Thursday. Complete this as a family leaving ONE side blank (white) and return when finished to be added to our school mural.

  • A permission slip was sent home for some Zoom virtual experiences. Please sign and return Monday.

Upcoming events:

  1. We are zooming Wednesday, January 13 with a Vertebrate paleontologist.

  • Brainstorm with your child what questions they might have about fossils for our paleontologist.

  1. Wednesday January 20 ZOOM: Alf Museum Virtual Tour for an Exhibit Exploration

  2. Tuesday January 26 National Museum of Natural History

Thank you so much for all the generous gifts, I was so surprised when I returned to the classroom.

Students are working on researching a dinosaur of their choice. By the end of this week, they will have chosen the dinosaur they will choose to conduct research on. What dinosaur is your student thinking about researching? Message me the answer and your student will receive 5 points.

Students can bring in research materials from home (books, interviews, website articles) to help with their research. Students may also work on their costumes for their mini films at home as well. I had a student express interest in sewing his costume at home, that's awesome!

By the end of this module students will have:

  • a sculpture of their dinosaur

  • a mini film that recreates a paleontologist story we learned about

  • fossils they have dug up in their dig site

  • a narrative written about discovering a fossil

  • their research presented in a way of their choice: trading card, slideshow, poster, or book

I am loving how much students are loving this module!

We have been showing huge growth! We just finished Chapter 2 in math and will be moving to Chapter 8 before going back to Chapter 3. Students will be working on adding and subtracting 10 and 100 from numbers to 1000. The standard is: 2.NBT.B.8 Mentally add 10 or 100 to a given number 100-900, and mentally subtract 10 or 100 from a given number 100-900. We are also constantly working on counting coins, telling time, and measuring in inches and graphing.

For language we are working on collective nouns.

Last week we had quite a few hiccups you might have heard about, it was a rough end to the week. We had several discussions about what expected behavior vs. unexpected. I am hopefully this week will be much better!


12-13-2020 It's Almost the End of 2020!

We are onto our next math chapter!

We are working on Operations and Algebraic Thinking. We are working on adding and subtracting fluently within 20 and even and odd numbers. Want some fun and easy games to play at home as a family and also practice these skills? Click here! (4 copies of the game are on each page). These are the games I have posted on Class Dojo and some of the other games we will be learning in class.

We finished our magnificent things and began our new module on paleontologists and fossils.

Remember the Classroom Climb contest ends on December 18th! Help support the build of our school playground!

Don't forget about the bottle cap drive! Make sure you are collecting plastic bottle caps of all shapes and colors.

We have some fun things planned this week, I hope you enjoy your winter breaks!

PAJAMA DAYS IS THURSDAY DECEMBER 17TH!!

Module 2 Unit 1 Overview.pdf
We received a package from a boy named Scott! He sends us a daily package from the countries he visits so we can learn about the holiday's they celebrate in their country.
Hiking
Our final magnificent thing projects students created. You are looking at a planet mobile, a bean bag chair, a sorting robot, a nurse basket, a trash compactor, and a class pet bearded dragon.
We had a Elf show up in our classroom, we named him Buddy. We made place value Christmas trees, ugly sweater day, playing math games, and peer edited our final drafts.

11-25-20 It's Thanksgiving!

I hope you all have a fun and safe Thanksgiving break!

We are ending our module. Video recordings of your student's final projects were sent home on Class Dojo. I hope you enjoyed them! It has been so fun making our magnificent things. Thank you for all your donations to help with this project!

Mrs. Lamb came out with a schoolwide competition to keep backpack areas nice and neat.
Help us collect bottle caps for our art project in April!
We have a school fundraiser going on right now to help fund our school playground. Right now we are in the lead, but other classes are really close to passing us. A fundraising packet was sent home this week. Share this link or donate here! (click me)
On our hike on Tuesday we found a woodpecker!
Exit tickets are a quick way to check in on whether students understand the concepts we are learning in math. When students turn these in, they have to reflect on their learning: Got it! I kind of get it! or I don't get it yet!
I can listen and learn with our group as we create our magnificent thing.
I can examine our magnificent thing to identify ways to make it better. I can listen to and talk with my group about the work that needs to get done on our magnificent thing.

11-15-2020 Fun in the Snow!

This week we received our final mission from Headquarters. They want us to create a magnificent thing for the classroom. Students had to use initiative and brainstorm things we would like in our classroom. We compiled a list then students got to choose which item they would like to make for their magnificent thing. Students will be creating one magnificent thing with their group for their final performance task for the quarter and our Tools and Work module. Students will have to use perseverance and collaboration just like the characters in the books we have read had to use.

Our magnificent things are:

  • Class pet (bearded dragon)

  • bean bag

  • circuit board that waters our plants

  • robot that organizes things

  • nurse basket for the nurses room

  • planet mobile

  • a backboard that goes on a trashcan so trash doesn't end up on the floor

This week we also took our chapter 1 math test on numbers up to 1,000. As soon as our gradebook is up and running, student results will be posted for you to see.

If you would like to donate an item for our upcoming module, you can do that by signing up here: Sign up sheet

I loved seeing the turkeys in disguise! They were so clever! This week we will be writing an opinion piece about them.

I reached out to family and friends and got every student in our class sponsored to receive a free book from Scholastic every month. This month, students got their own copy of the book The Good Egg. This book is theirs to keep at home. Enjoy!

Curious how your students earn Dojo points and money in class?

Students earn Dojo points for doing their jobs and following our crew promise. They earn Dojo points for participating in class as well. Once a week students have "pay day" where they receive one cent for every point they have. Once a month we have a class store where students can spend their money. If you ever have items you would like to donate to our student store, you can always send them in with your student. These can be anything from hotel shampoos, to hot wheels, nail polish, Legos, playing cards, etc. What a fun way to teach students about money and responsibility!

Any work that is sent home that was completed in class does not need to be returned. This is practice for your student, not all assignments are graded. If it helps motivate your student to complete it at home or make corrections, you can always send it back. :)

In labs, we were working on the explore lab. We were working on choosing a tool that was best for the job. We had a variety of tools and students had to time each other using various tools to move dried beans from one bucket to another. What tool was right for the job? Ask your student and send me the answer and they'll receive 5 Dojo points!

Hiking was super fun in the snow! We are working on making safe choices and leaving no trace on the trail. This week Ms. Watson pointed out Larch trees and the difference between a Larch and a Evergreen.

Parents, I know I ask a lot, but I appreciate everything you are doing to support your student at home and in the classroom. The fun investigations and explorations would not be possible without your support!

Please please please let me know if you ever have any comments or concerns. I really appreciate feedback!

I hope you enjoyed your weekend!

Scholastic Book Orders were sent home in Thursday Folders!

Here is the link for the digital flyers:https://scholastic-clubs.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=675881
Book orders are due November 26th with the hope they will be delivered before Christmas.Remember to use our class code so we receive free books for our classroom!Class code: R9X4VDuring the COVID crisis, you can choose where to have your books shipped: to your home or delivered to me with our class order. With a $25 order, you will get FREE shipping and a FREE Book (use code: READS).Please feel free to forward the Class Page link to extended family and friends who may want to support your child’s reading.
Happy birthday Caleb W. and Jonni!
I can use initiative and collaboration to plan my magnificent thing.
Our hike in the snow!
I can choose a tool that is right for the job.
I can use creativity to disguise my turkey.
We got to play on the grass this week!
I can use different kinds of lines to draw a tool.
Happy birthday Sam!
Surprise photo from our custodian Mr. Michael who found my phone lying around.

11-8-20 Finishing up Unit 2

This week we did a focused read aloud of The Little Red Pen by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel. Several students asked where they could buy the book because they loved it so much. I believe it was purchased on Amazon. It is a great book to talk about perseverance, collaboration, and initiative.

Reminders:

  • Please send your student in weather appropriate clothing. Even though Tuesday is our designated hiking day, we are trying to go on multiple hikes a week. If we have another adult available, we may go on hikes on other days as well. Please be sure to send your student prepared to go on a hike.

  • If you have not provided your student with inside shoes to wear after outdoor play or hiking, please do so.

  • Drinking fountains at school are not turned on. Please send your student with a reusable water bottle.

  • Thursday Folders are sent home every Thursday and should be brought back on Monday.

  • If you are reading this, message me your student's favorite color and your student will receive 5 Dojo points

  • No school Wednesday!

Do you know anyone with connections somewhere that sells snowshoes that would be willing to donate some? I am working on grant and donation letters for snowshoes.

If you have the ability to donate any of the following items for our next module and our next exploration sign up here: link

If you took a look into our classroom this is what you would see:

8:00-8:10am: Students playing and doing their classroom jobs as we get situated for our day

8:10-8:30am: Calendar routine which includes: morning message, number of the day, counting coins, telling time, a synonym of the day, weather graphing, skip counting, our morning song, and more.

8:30-9:30am: Modules: This is our ELA core time where we dive into our module of study (Tools and Work right now).

9:30-10:30am: Specials (Monday-computer science, Tuesday-Art, Wednesday-Makerspace, Thursday-Music)

10:30-10:45am: Snack and recess

10:45-12:00pm: Skills Block-Whole group lesson followed by students breaking into their own groups. At their own groups, they log into Google Classroom to see their tasks for the day. Tasks include a video of reinforcement of the skill they are working on, paper to pencil practice, and an interactive practice, and independent reading. During this time the teacher and push-in support are meeting with groups to teach phonics, reading and writing skills at their levels.

12:00-12:15pm: Math whole group lesson

12:15-12:30pm: Reflex or ST Math practice

12:30-1:05: Lunch and recess

1:05-1:45: Math whole group activity (number talk, number sentence, math journal, build it) followed by differentiated math groups based on ability level. Students work on skills at their level with their group at this time. This could include a physical math game, activity sheet, or digital game or activity.

1:45-2:45: Labs-Students rotate through create, imagine, engineer, or explore lab based on the module we are learning about

2:45-3:15: Imaginative play, Hike, or Engagement investigation-challenge tasks, pumpkin investigation, etc.

3:15-4:00: Crew-students split into their crew groups and work on building habits of character


Hikes are such a blast!
I can show respect for lab materials and my peers. (Imagine lab)

11.01.20 Full Moon, Conferences, Snow, Time Change, Halloween, What Else Could You Throw in One Week?

Quick snip-its of the week:

  • Built catapults using rubber bands, a plastic spoon, and popsicle sticks to launch a candy pumpkin

  • Smoking pumpkin: We put on our safety goggles and added dry ice and warm water to a carved pumpkin to observe what happened

  • Pumpkin eruption: We added dish soap, baking soda, vinegar and water to a carved pumpkin and observed what happened

  • We finished our close read aloud of The Most Magnificent Thing and talked about how the little girl in the story used perseverance, collaboration and initiative

  • We got our faces painted!

  • We took turns going up to the music room and playing with makey makeys with Mr. Swofford and Mr. Hampsch.

  • We went outside to look for natural items to add to our masks we made on Thursday if we wanted to

  • We made very unique and fun face masks (the eye kind) It's not like it was a year ago where you could search face mask and it would actually be a eye mask template.

  • We enjoyed the snow while it lasted!

  • Made a really long hopscotch at recess

  • We got Reflex math certificates

  • We got our ST Math Puzzle Necklaces (for every 100 puzzles they solve on ST MATH, they will receive a new tag on their necklace)

Thank you to everyone who made it to conferences! It was so great getting to chat with each and everyone of you in person or on Zoom. I appreciate all your support!

One of the assessment sheets I sent home at conferences was "iStation". At the top right of this sheet it says "Lexile Level" This is their reading level. Several parents were asking about what books they should get their students for at home. If you visit our "Our Learning" tab on our website I have a link to a website that allows you to search books at their level or see what level a book is. Please let me know if you have any questions. Another option is to have students do the 5 Finger Rule. I attached a photo of it on the "Our Learning" page as well.

Our School Garden lead teacher Mrs. Coons is looking for milk cartons for a gardening project. She is looking for 100 of them. She needs the cartons that have the plastic top, pour spout, as well as the you can never get the carton to open right kind. Small (school milk carton size) up to half gallon size; think almond/soy/oat/coconut milk cartons, half and half cartons (both pint size and quart size) would be great.

Thinking ahead: For a crew project in February we are in need of a ton of colored plastic bottle caps (think soda bottle caps) of any color, even white. Bring these in between now and then as you collect them.

Reminders:

  • Dress code is being enforced, be sure your student is following the school dress code.

  • Please send your student dressed for the weather. We plan to be outside in rain or snow unless it is unsafe to be outside.

  • Veteran's Day is November 11th, we do NOT have school this day!

  • We have 27 students in our class. If you would like to bring treats for their birthday, they must be store bought and dropped off at the office or brought in with your student.

10.25.20 Pumpkin expert, new mission and challenges, and snow!

Announcements:

  • Thursday, October 29th: Student's do not have to wear uniforms to school. It is a free dress day, however NO COSTUMES!

  • This week is early release and conferences. School ends at 12:30pm. Students will NOT be eating lunch at school this week.

  • If you have not signed up for a conference please do so here.

Highlights from this week:

  • We had our first imagine lab his week and the kids loved it! Imagine lab choices of the week were: Duplo Blocks, Play Doh, geoboards, stencils and Spirographs.

  • We received a new mission from headquarters this week! The first challenge was a cup challenge. Did your student share with you how I ruined their cup tower at the very end of the cup challenge? You should have heard the uproar and confusion. Time was ticking down on our mission clock as teams worked together to build the highest cup tower, as teams were close to finishing, I walked around and removed the bottom cup and the towers toppled down. Why? Headquarters directed me to! The purpose of this mission was to reinforce 3 of the habits we are working on; collaboration, perseverance, and initiative. If you are reading this, message me "pumpkin" and your student will earn 5 Dojo points. Student's were no doubt frustrated and so curious why I collapsed their towers, but I was so impressed to see them get right back to work! Successful challenge if you ask me!

  • Art this week, student's built a monster and created an all about me poster for their monster. They're so creative!

  • We wrapped up our pumpkin investigation this week. Student's learned the pumpkin lifecycle, measured their pumpkins, identified the internal and external anatomy, and described their pumpkin using adjectives. Oh, and we carved them and gutted them!

  • We went on a long hike this week and it was beautiful and so much fun. What a gorgeous place we get to explore!

  • In crew we have been working on teamwork and collaboration and what it means to be crew not passengers. Student's worked together to make pumpkin towers with candy pumpkins and toothpicks.

  • We shared our spooky stories with our pumpkins glowing and the lights off.

  • We had a birthday celebration this week! Happy birthday Katherine!

  • We had phenomenal pumpkin expert wrap up our pumpkin investigation! Thank you so much George for coming in and sharing all your expertise on pumpkins! He even left our class with three pets, 2 swan gourds and a coconut. Did you student come up with a name for them?

I love sharing my days with these kiddos! Thank you for all your support and having such wonderful, fun, loving kids!

Cup challenge: I can listen and respond to my classmates' ideas.
I can work collaboratively to dissect a pumpkin.
I can practice leaving no trace by being respectful to my environment.
I can measure my pumpkin's height and circumference using cubes.
I can create a monster.
Imagine Lab: I can show respect for lab materials and my peers.
I can represent the number 47 in multiple ways.

10.17.20 Creating, Exploring, and Engineering!

Thank you so much for the donations for our modules and labs, I so appreciate it! We have been off to a fun start! This week student's began working in their math groups where they are working on material that is academically appropriate for them. In modules students have been completing a series of challenges (choosing the right tool for different jobs). In labs we launched 3 of our 4 labs (explore, engineer, and create labs). Students had to practice collaboration and following our classroom discussion norms when working in their groups. During the create lab, students had to put on their artist toolbelts and use lines to draw a tool. In the explore lab, students worked in groups to build a boat that floats with a 6x6 in. piece of foil. They then had to slowly add pennies and see if they could beat the class record. 43 pennies! Our last lab we launched this week was the engineer lab. Students had to begin engineering and item that they want or need in their lives using recycled materials. It was so neat to see their creativity come alive! Each day students are writing about the tool they learned about and how that tool makes work easier in their module notebooks.

To kick off our October mini-expedition, students wrote spooky stories. This activity has always been a class hit! Students had to draw 2-3 characters, a setting, a problem, and 3 items that had to be included in their story. We then began discussing nouns and adjectives as we learned about sensory words and adding more details to our stories. Students were so motivated to write! As student's were writing I was conferencing with each student discussing their story, celebrating great things they did as writers and ways to improve their writing. After writing two a rough draft and editing their writing, students began to type their final drafts. They are eager to share their spooky stories in the dark under a flashlight. The second component of our October mini-expedition is our pumpkin investigation, thank you to Bird Aviation Museum and Invention Center for supporting this project! Students are put into pumpkin investigation groups and were given a pumpkin. They had to use adjectives to describe their pumpkin and identify the internal and external anatomy of the pumpkin. Next week we will be finishing off our pumpkin investigation doing fun experiments and a deeper dive into pumpkins!

Have you heard of our purple challenge from your student?! In our classroom we use two online math programs (Reflex Math and ST Math) to support students in building mathematical understandings. Reflex Math (login cards were sent home on Thursday with info. about this program). Anyway, we have a challenge, if every student earns enough coins in the program to purchase purple skin for their avatar, we will have a purple party! Students are well on their way to earning purple avatars! Shoutout to Breesen, Sophia, Brax, and Jonni for reaching milestones in Relfex Math!

Want to support your student at home?

  • Have them identify different tools around the house and practice using them. Ask them "How does this tool make work easier?"

  • Practice ST Math or Reflex Math at home

  • Read read read!

  • Do some math dives with your student. Give your student a number and have them come up with as many ways as they can to represent that number. For example: Give them the number 34. They could then draw 3 ten sticks and 4 ones, 4 ten frames with 34 dots, a number line with 34 circled, an equation 30+4=34, etc, 34 cents, etc.

  • Practice counting coins: Students have been earning dimes and pennies on pay day. We start off with just these coins because they support their understanding of our base 10 system.

  • Engineer a project together using recycled materials! Check out the minion my little sister and my dad made from an old propane tank and a shovel for a trash to treasure project.

Which tool is best to pick up beads into a cup? Tweezers, eye dropper or magnify glass?
Writing about tools and sorting tools into categories
We are crew, not passengers! Working together to save Sammy! Poor Sammy (gummy worm)'s boat capsized and he needs to be saved. Students had to flip over his boat (cup) and put him in his life vest (gummy lifesaver) using only paper clips and no hands.
I can build a boat that floats and holds pennies. I can collaborate with a partner in the design and building process.
Engineering an item we want or need in our lives out of recycled materials.
We are crew, not passengers! Lots of frustrations and teamwork during this crew activity.
Makerspace fun with Mr. Swofford
My little sister's recycled materials engineering project. What could you make with your child at home?

10.08.20 We are on a mission and we went hiking!

Some housekeeping things:

  • Write your student's name on their jackets and snow gear (when it's time). Lost and found is growing fast!

  • On Thursday's your student will be bringing home an orange Thursday communication folder. Look for this in your student's backpack and return the folder on Monday.

  • We do NOT need any more toilet paper rolls. I appreciate all the donations!

Challenge:

  • We are learning about tools and work in class. So far we have learned about Chef tools and math tools. If your student practices using one of these tools at home and takes a picture and you send it to me, they will receive 5 Dojo points on Monday. For example: Take a picture of your student using a measuring cup to bake.

We are looking for some items for our module. If you are able to donate any of these items, please sign up here and bring in when you can.

This week we went on our first hike! Man, our group was ECSTATIC! It was so much fun! We also began our modules. We received a mission letter from headquarters. They are asking our class to create an item for the classroom. Headquarters has been sending us different challenges. So far our challenges have been to find a tool to measure rods, and flip red and yellow counters over without using out hands. In math, we have been working on our routines and practicing some of our fun online programs. These programs are Reflex and STmath. Interested in having your student play these at home? Visit the Our Learning Tab. Both of these can be used at home. They are really fun and engaging for students! I am working on getting Prodigy (online math program) working, I will share out login once I can get it linked to Clever.

Snapshot of our learning:

  • Modules: Student's were doing close observations and drawings of chef tools and math tools. We are working on answering the question, "why do we need tools?"

  • Computer Science: Students got their first experience in code.org to do some coding. This can be done at home anytime!

  • Art: Student's learned about Anger and created the character Anger from Inside Out.

  • Skills Block: This week we practiced our iStation test and took our iStation test to see where student's are academically in reading, as well as did skills block benchmark testing.

  • Math: We have been working on math routines (number talks, journaling, and number sentences) and getting familiar with our math computer programs.

  • Crew: We have been working on how to fill someone's bucket and read the book How Full is Your Bucket?

10.04.20 First week in person in the books!

We are looking for the following classroom donations:

  • Pumpkins (carving size)

  • toilet paper rolls

  • computer mice

Please send in items anytime during the month of October.

Please send your student to school with their own personal computer headphones if you have not done so already!

I hope you have been enjoying the photos of your student's because I have been enjoying having them! This week we had some hiccups that come with being a new school but we also had a blast! Thank you parents for being so supportive and flexible!

Student's quickly became comfortable with one another. We spend each morning doing "soft starts" which is play time before we get the day started. This is a great way for kids to catch up with their friends before we get started each day. We then sing our morning song, right now it is a parody of The Git Up. Practice it at home with your student! We did number talks in math, played get to know you activities, began our learning about our emotions, made a kindness alphabet, and so much more!

This week we dive into curriculum. Our first module is Tools and Work, look for a letter going home all about what we will be learning or check it out here. We will also be doing our Skills Block assessments this week to see where each student is with their reading ability. This will allow us to enhance their reading instruction to meet each student's needs. We will also begin working on our understanding of place value through addition and subtraction within 100 and review skills from first grade while we learn math routines.

Tuesday we will be going on our first hike! Be sure to send your student with shoes they can hike in regularly in case we decide to go on another hike during the week.

We will begin our Pumpkin Investigation this month, we are asking for donations of pumpkins.

I am eager to get our week started and begin our first module and investigation!

09.27.2020: We made it through online learning!

We finished our first week of school online style! I cannot express to you how much I appreciate all your flexibility as we get this school ready to open. Our class is such a riot! I loved seeing their personalities in our Zoom meetings and their excitement to be back at school. It was so contagious! I left each Zoom laughing with a huge smile on my face. We have such a fun class! I heard from some of you about technology hiccups, thank you for reaching out. Please let me know if there is anything you'd like to see changed, or things that went well or not so well. There is always room for improvement and any feedback would be great! I want to make learning, communicating, and this year great for you and your student, so please reach out.

With all that being said, I AM SO SO SO EXCITED FOR YOUR STUDENT TO FINALLY STEP FOOT INTO OUR CLASSROOM ON MONDAY!! The moment has finally come, I can't believe it! To the right you will see our daily schedule.

Things to note:

  • WE ARE IN NEED OF TOILET PAPER OR PAPER TOWEL ROLLS. Please send with your student during the months of September and October as you collect them

  • Tuesdays are our hiking days (weather dependent) be sure to send you student in appropriate shoes. They should be wearing appropriate shoes daily in case we go on another hike randomly during the week.

  • Picture day is October 1st! Students should be in their uniforms.

  • Students will have snack twice a day (10:45 during recess and 2:45 right before play or outdoor explore) be sure to send your student with two snacks daily.

  • Please send your student with their enrollment packet on Monday in their backpack. I will get them from your student's backpack and bring them all down to the office in one stack. The photo release form that was included will allow for me to post pictures of your student on our Class Dojo page and our website so you can see all the fun we are having while we learn.

  • Students will be wearing "slippers" in the classroom to keep the dirt outside our classroom. Please send your student with a hard sole slipper/Croc-style shoe with their name on it. These will stay at school.

  • If you did not bring supplies at back to school night, be sure to label each marker and item with the labels I provided you in your student's box

  • Send your student back to school with their box of work they completed and their Chromebook and charger if you checked one out

  • Unfortunately our drinking fountains and hydration stations are not operating right now, please send you student with a water bottle. Students should also bring a reusable water bottle with their name on it to keep in the classroom for future use.

  • On September 24th an email was sent out to all parents, if you did not receive this email, please read it here. This has information about drop off and pick up procedures. Also, if you did not receive the email, I would contact the office so you can receive future communication.

From administration: Masking Requirements

Masks or face shields must be worn when students cannot maintain physical distancing. Students will be given multiple mask breaks throughout the day and teachers will have a “mask break” corner in their classrooms. When students are participating in outdoor learning, hiking, and recess, masks will not be required. Should a student not be able to tolerate a mask or face shield due to medical or mental conditions, they will need to use a clear plastic partition at their seat when they are closer than 6 ft. to others. Please know that these requirements must be followed, as they are in compliance with CDC and Panhandle Guidance and will aid us in contact tracing and increase our chances of having minimal closures should we have a COVID case. We thank you for your cooperation in this matter.


06.19.2020: Classroom Under Construction

Put on your hard hat and check out the size of our classroom!

This week we concluded our June workshop training as a staff. Lots of learning and great conversations and fun! One of the most exciting parts of it all... I got to walk into our classroom! IT IS HUGE! I can't believe the size of the windows and the space we will have for learning!