Miss Alex's Class

End of 1st Trimester

2010-10-29T10:04:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it is already the end of our first trimester! Please make sure you sign up for a time to meet with me to discuss your child's progress. There is a list outside of Ms. Maureen's office, and one was sent home with the weekly homework.

Important November Dates: (PLEASE SEND IN MONTHLY CONTRIBUTIONS!)
Nov. 4- ImaginOn (students can bring library cards and check out books)
Nov. 18- Billy Jonas at ImaginOn
Nov. 23- Authors' Celebration/CCS Thanksgiving Feast
Nov. 24- Thanksgiving holiday begins

Authors' Celebration is a time where parents/friends come in and listen to the stories students have published in class. An invitation will be sent home.

Here is a look at what we are working on or will begin to work on in class:

Math Groups: measurement

Reading Groups: folktales/nonfiction

Writing: creating realistic fictional stories

Science: rocks/minerals; human body

Social Studies: North Carolina culture/geography

Grandparents' Day 2010!

2010-09-17T04:30:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Grandparents' Day! Thanks to all of our families for coming to our classroom and spending time with us! These are some of the precious moments that were captured. . . .

Jeffrey and his family members are having a good conversation!

Joshua, Carlos, and Joneisha are getting ready for Grandparents' Day.

Clay is having fun at Grandparents' Day!

Isabel is getting help from her great-grandmother.

Joneisha is happy to be with her family!

Jaden was very surprised to see her grandad!

Our families are enjoying watching us perform!

Kaylyn, Isabel, Morrighan, and Jathan are performing "Grandparents are Great!"

We are meeting other people's families.

Nikolis, Jamie, and Grandma Abida.

Morrighan is interviewing her grandmas.

Kaylyn loves her MiMi!

Thanks to Mr. Barry for taking all these great pictures!!

Welcome Back to School!

2010-08-30T08:14:00.000-07:00

We are beginning our 3rd week of school. I have really enjoyed getting to know your fabulous kids!! Here are some of the things we are working on.

Math/Calendar Work:
-writing the date (day of week, month, day, year)
-working with amounts under $1.00(different ways to make an amount)
-telling time (to the nearest hour/half hour/5 minute)
-describing numbers using different forms (standard, base ten blocks, written, expanded form)

Reading:
-dictionary skills
-spelling
-listening center
-reading groups

Writing:
Our first writing unit is personal narrative. All stories we write will be from our lives. Writers will learn how to write a personal story that is important to them; focus on the important parts of the event; add details to bring stories alive.

Science:
-Ms Alex is working with the class on soil and plant growth
-Ms Lanning is working on health and nutrition

Social Studies:
We are learning about our classroom community-how we are alike and how we are different; have a classroom job; talk about strategies of relating and working with others and resolving conflict- through class meetings.

Happy New Year!!

2010-01-05T13:02:00.000-08:00

Here is what our class is doing in the new year:

Math: Students are memorizing their math facts. Deb Hopkins will be coming in every Thursday to quiz students on their facts. Students are also adding and subtracting 2 and 3 digit numbers with borrowing and regrouping. A word problem is being added to students' daily morning calendar work.

Reading: Students are working in their reading groups to read a fiction and nonfiction text on their reading level every 2 weeks. Reading groups are expected to present information learned from nonfiction selections to the class during project presentations.

Writing: Students are working on fiction writing.

Social Studies: We are partnering up with teaching artists from the Light Factory to create a documentary featuring Charlotte: past, present, future.

Science: We are continuing to work with Staci from Reedy Creek in our ecosystem study. Students will also be learning how cameras work to capture an image.

Our January Field trip Schedule:
Jan. 12 - ImaginOn
Jan. 21 - Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing performance
Jan. 26 - ImaginOn

December Schedule

2009-11-30T14:39:00.000-08:00

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family!

If you have not conferenced with me for the first trimester, please call the school to schedule a conference. Report cards went home with the students last week.

Below is a schedule of the next 3 weeks before our Christmas winter break.
Dec. 1 - ImaginOn
Dec. 11 - Early Dismissal
Dec. 15 - ImaginOn
Dec. 17 - Family Night/Informance
Dec. 21- Jan 1 Winter Break

Students will be working on the following goals over the next several weeks before our break:
Math- memorizing add/sub facts, addition/subtraction of 2 and 3-digit with borrowing (2nd graders); memorizing multiplication/division facts, multiplication/division with up to 2 digit numbers(3rd graders)
Reading- reading groups are still reading non-fiction text
Writing- fiction writing
Social Studies- communities- past/present/future (Charlotte)

Grandparents's Day!

2009-10-23T14:06:00.001-07:00

What a blessing grandparents are! I was overwhelmed by the number of families who showed up to celebrate grandparents with us! I was also so impressed by the program your children put together and pulled off!! That is why I love my job!

Bailey is waiting for things to begin.

We learned Greyson's grandmother is quite an artist and Kylie's grandfather plays an instrument!

Raven and her grandmother!

Killian and his grandparents!

Jeremiah and his family!

We had a packed house!

Isaiah and his family!

Bailey and her grandmother!

It was Sebastian's mom's birthday!

Zoe and her grandmother!

Joseph with his grandmother!

Callie, Kylie, and Bailey

Joseph, Clinton, Deanna, and Cesar

Kweli, Zyasia, Nyzha, and Amberly

Zoe and Sebastian

Raven, Arianna, George, Isaiah, and Chantail

Joneisha, Kaylyn, James, Jeremiah, and Killian

Fun at Freedom Park!

2009-10-23T11:38:00.000-07:00

Walking to Freedom Park

Hi, Deanna!

Go Zyasia!

Eating lunch at Freedom Park

Miss Staci is giving us an awesome lesson
(and yes, that poor bobcat's ear is about to fall off!)

An Apple a Day. . .

Ecosystem lesson with Miss Staci
at Freedom Park

Busy October!

2009-10-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

Wow! This month has been busy! Sorry I have not been posting lately. We have had many students absent from our class the last 2 weeks due to illness! I hope everyone is feeling back to normal!

Last week. . . .
We went to the Renaissance Festival and had a great time! Thanks to all of the parent drivers!! We also had a wonderful lesson about weather from Miss Staci, and enjoyed delicious food prepared by Cesar's mom as a part of Hispanic Heritage Month. Thanks, Maura!

This week. . .
Tuesday- We will walk to the Farmers' Market and pick out some healthy snacks for our class. Please let me know if you can walk down with us. We will leave around 9am.

Thursday- We will be attending the performance "New Kid" at the Children's Theater. The performance is at 11 but we will go earlier to check out books at ImaginOn. Please send your child's library card and a book bag to transport books back to school. We will garden Thursday afternoon around 1:30. We would love your help!

Friday- NO SCHOOL! Our school is invited to eat at Dilworth's Neigborhood Grill that night. We will get a portion of the proceeds so please come out with your family and friends!

Thanks,

Alex

Writing Journals

2009-10-01T15:21:00.001-07:00

Parents,

I am so impressed by your writers!! I stayed up way too late the other night pouring over their awesome stories because I couldn’t put them down!

Students are going home with “traveling” writing journals this weekend so they don’t miss any of the great stories that are all around them.

These “traveling” journals should come back to school everyday so they can continue writing these stories during Writer’s Workshop.

Please help by encouraging your student to live like writers- seeing life experiences as opportunities to share with others. Maybe your family could begin to write together!

Thanks for helping us along our journey to becoming great writers!!

Alex

Welcome Miss Lee!

2009-09-21T13:37:00.000-07:00

Our class has a new assistant teacher! Miss Lee will be working with us in the mornings until lunch. She is wonderful! When you drop off your child, come up and meet her!

Festival in the Park

2009-09-21T13:32:00.000-07:00

Festival in the Park!

Our class will be attending Festival in the Park this Friday at Freedom Park. We will leave the school around 9am and return in time for dismissal. Many of the booths will have activities for kids. We will also be receiving one of our ecosystem lessons from Miss Staci while we are there. If you would like to come with us, please see me so I can tell you about our schedule.

Below is a list of things your child will need:

-snack

-lunch

-water bottle

-walking shoes

-comfy clothes

-sunscreen, hat, sunglasses are optional

Why do we practice spelling and ways to learn spelling words

2009-09-16T14:05:00.000-07:00

We are all writers! We all have something to say, and it is important to be able to effectively communicate our ideas to others through our writing. Spelling our words correctly will help us to do this! It is an important part of our writing lives! Each week, students will be responsible for learning 10 words. They will write their spelling words on Mondays in their agendas, and will practice them at home. On Fridays, students will be tested on their words. I am trying to ensure that they do this, but some students might fly under my radar! So please check their agendas on Mondays to see that they have some words to learn. Below are some ideas to help students learn spelling words.

Strategies to learn spelling words:

- Write spelling words 3 times each

- Put words in ABC order

- Categorize words

- Make or purchase letters that can be manipulated to spell words

- Spell words in a pan of sand with a stick

- Make a big alphabet chart on poster board and tap out letters with a flyswatter to spell words

- Write sentences using the words

- Make flash cards for the words

- Write acronym poems with the words

Composting Newsletter

2009-09-09T13:33:00.000-07:00

We are composting!

We are composting at CCS! We want to help the planet like worms, trees, flowers, and our Friendship Garden by composting.

Composting is turning some of our food trash, and things that were once living that are found outside into good soil.

We will compost at CCS by saving some of our food left over from lunch. We will also collect dried leaves and other things outside that were once living.

Composting Do’s: Composting Don’ts:

-fruit -meat

-worms -ice cream

-soil -cake

-sun -fabric

-vegetables -milk

-water -juice

-paper -candy

-bark

-leaves

This newsletter was created by Kylie, Callie, Zoe, Greyson, Arianna, Joneisha, and Chantail

Week of September 8-11

2009-09-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

We are going to have a busy week!

Tuesday (Sept. 8)- we are going to ImaginOn. Don't forget your library books and library cards! We welcome parents coming with us!!!

Wednesday (Sept. 9)- we will be having our first ecosystem lesson with Miss Staci from Reedy Creek at Freedom Park from 1-3pm. There will be a note sent home on Tuesday telling parents more about this.

Friday (Sept. 11)- half day; students need to be picked up by 1:00.

**The rest of the week will be spent decorating our classroom shirts and preparing a presentation on composting that our class is doing for the whole school!

Classroom Shirts: (we could use the following if you have them at home)
-buttons with big holes
-big knitting needles
-knitting/craft thread
-fabric scraps
-sewing sissors (they will be returned!)

*we could also use some parent volunteers in decorating our shirts!

Clinton's photographs taken the first week of school!

2009-08-31T12:45:00.000-07:00

George is all smiles!

Thumbs Up, Joseph!

Zoe is showing off her cool writing journal!

Week of August 31-September 4

2009-08-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

We are only in our third week of school, but have already accomplished so much! We know how to do calendar work independently, work cooperatively in math and literacy centers, and have several wonderful stories already written in our writing journals!! I am so excited about all the progress we are already making in our class! This week we will incorporate science into our weekly schedule. We will talk about soil properties, composting, and planning our garden for the fall season.

Weekly Homework:
Math- "Keeping the Skills Sharp" (please assist your child until they become independent)
Reading- read and sign reading record nightly (there should be at least 4 entries per week)
Spelling- memorize spelling words (a test will be given on Friday)
**all homework is due on Friday**

Upcoming Events:
Sept. 7 - no school for Labor Day
Sept. 8 - ImaginOn
Sept. 9 - First day of ecology study at Freedom Park
Sept. 11 - early dismissal is at 1:00
Sept. 14-18 spirit week (flyer to go home later to explain)

Week of August 24-28

2009-08-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our second week of school! Last week was a great week of getting to know each other and learning how our class will run. This week we will try to get into our daily routines.

Class Schedule:

8:00- 9:00 Morning/Calendar work
9:00-10:00 Math/ Centers (Wed-Art Collaboration; Thurs-Music Collaboration)
10:00-10:30 Break/Snack(Mon-Dance)
10:30- 11:45 Literacy/Centers(Fri-Drama)
11:45-12:15 Lunch
12:15-12:45 Recess
1:00-2:00 Writer's Workshop
2:00-3:00 Specials (Mon-Art; Tues-Music; Wed-P.E.; Thurs-Guidance; Fri-Science/Garden?)
**We will rotate on Tuesdays between Science Ecology study and ImaginOn
**Social Studies will be incorporated into Literacy/Centers/Guidance
**This schedule is a flexible working schedule!

Homework:

Homework is assigned on Mondays and turned in on Fridays. Students will record homework in their agendas. Agendas need to be brought back to school every day just in case we need to communicate a change in our schedule or assignments. It is a great help for parents to give as much support as needed in this area until students are able to work more independently at home.

Typical Homework:

-Math-Keeping the Skill Sharp sheet (usually contains 10 or so previously taught skills and a word problem)
-Reading- Read every night from a book that is on your child's reading level. I will be sending home a sheet that helps find "just right" books for kids. Also, we will be going to ImaginOn this week and I will show students how to find these books for themselves.
-Writing-vary depending on our unit; assignments will be given during writer's workshop.
-Spelling-10 words specific to student level

Parent Involvement:

Thanks for checking in with me about how you can help our class! A list of ways to be involved during the school day is posted. If you would rather help during field trips or for items that can be done at home, just let me know and when an opportunity arises, I will contact you.

Thanks for your support!

Miss Alex

Class Newsletter August 17, 2009

2009-08-18T13:35:00.000-07:00

Dear Parents,

It is so good to be back in school! We had a wonderful first day! I wanted to pass on a couple of things until the students get the hang of writing information for you in their agendas.

Supplies:

Thanks for all the supplies and snacks that you brought in! Don’t forget to pay your child’s $15 school activity fee. We have some great opportunities to give our kids hands-on experiences in and out of our school. We will be participating in an ongoing outdoor ecology unit with some help from the educators at Reedy Creek Nature Preserve. We will also begin planting this fall and will go to the Farmers’ Market. Activity fees will also cover all Children’s Theater performances.

Homework:

Homework will be written in student agendas every Monday morning. Homework will look the same most weeks. But for the first week of school, we need to get parent information forms filled out. I would also love to get parents to fill out a Multiple Intelligences survey for their child (this will go home soon). We are already learning how we are smart in our class! This week, students will also need to learn how to spell their classmates names (see below), and find a good place to read at home(assignment will be sent home).

ImaginOn:

We will be going to ImaginOn next Tuesday, August 24. We will be trying to find books that are “just right” for us. Please send library cards with your kids and comfortable clothes and shoes that day. We will be going to ImaginOn every other Tuesday this year.

Parent Involvement:

I am working on a list of ways that parents can donate their time in and out of our class.

Class Blog:

We will be blogging about our year soon! Stay tuned!

Thanks for entrusting your children to me this year!

Miss Alex

2^nd grade student names(for week 1 spelling homework):

Jeremiah Nyzha Kaylyn Killian

Raven Sebastian Isaiah Zyasia

James Amberly Arianna Joneisha

George