It's Open House!!!

 Wednesday is Open House! It is from 6p.m-8p.m. Please join us for some great things.
   The Scholastic Book Fair is open and we will have a lot of  fun sharing our room with you.
It will also be a great time to sign up for Conferences.
Don't forget to look for your child's progress report on Friday!  Have a great week!
      Mrs. Nye

Seasons, weather and such....

 We have been studying weather this week in our class. I was reminded of the basic seasons as I went through a lesson I wanted to teach. Then I remembered a fabulous book I had when I was little. I don't know how I got a hold of it. I had it even when my kids were young. Recently, I picked up a copy from Scholastic. Turns out the book is more then 60 years old. It was written by Virginia Lee Burton in 1942. Anyway, it tells all about the little house, the seasons it sees through the years and the changes that go on around it over a number of years. We really enjoyed it. I was happy to see that the book spans the generations with approval and high regard. Here is a Disney video of it. Maybe your child would like it.
http://youtu.be/Y881yjtFluQ

 We are collecting Box Tops!!! I just found out that we get ten cents per Box Top for our class. Seems small, but it adds up! Let's bust out those Box Tops so we can buy something for our classroom!! Bring them in!

  We also passed out the Entertainment Books for this year. We make a lot of money for the school on this one. One book is $30 but saves you way more than that. There is also an App you can use when you buy the book that adds even more savings and discounts to your pocketbook. If you do not want to sell or buy a book please make sure it is returned to school by the end of this week. If you purchase or sell some, send in the money with your child in the same time frame.

   This week we will be taking our first reading and math assessments for the year. Please make sure your child is getting to bed early and bringing a snack to school everyday. Have a super week.
                           Mrs. Nye

Zen Classroom Moments....

   This week we read "Zen Shorts" by Jon Muth. We enjoyed this book so much. Many of the students were disappointed when I had to return it to the public library on Friday.  This book showed us how to calm down and think about our disagreements with others. Stillwater teaches 3 friends how to stop and think about things by sharing short stories with similar scenarios. We loved this book. I'm going to have to get it for our library. In the meantime, I have found this awesome video that you can watch with your children so they can share the book with you.    http://youtu.be/K3GQ67Kt2Xc
    Hope it works for you.
    This new week will bring more structure and routine for your child. We have introduced jobs in our class and testing routines. We had a very successful spelling test this week and the coming week should be great too. But keep studying those words. You will see our weekly spelling stars on our window. If your child is on the window this means that they have made a fabulous effort and generally have improved or have not missed more than one or two words. If they do not appear, it is time for some help at home.
    FUN FRIDAY- we introduced Fun Friday this week. When students have finished both their reading log and homework, they are allowed to participate in games and activities at the end of the day.  If their work is not completed, including reading log being filled out, they spend time in an alternate 2nd grad room completing their work.  Please make sure you are checking their reading logs nightly. You can read to them or they can read to you. They can even read to a stuffed animal or sibling!
    Friday dress- Remember that Fridays your child may wear jeans and a uniform shirt. The first Friday of each month is dress down day for $1 towards classroom funds.
     We will be going to our library to check out books on Wednesday. Please turn in your childs's library permission slip.  If you can't find it, have your child tell me and I will make some copies.

Our first field trip will be on  October 23rd to the Children's Museum. More info to come. We love volunteers and want you to come. Our bus seating is limited so please be prepared to follow us in your car if necessary. Except permission slips at the beginning of October.
   Have a very "Zen" week!!
         Mrs. Nye

How I Spent My Summer Vacation!

  We had so much fun last week! We got to know each other. I learned what everyone likes that begins with the same letter as their first name! I learned birthday  months and most importantly, what a fabulous group of kids we have. We talked about reading a lot. Our entire year will be focused around reading and building our stamina in that area. We began math and I was very impressed with the eagerness in the room to jump right in!
    Friday we read "How I Spent My Summer Vacation" by Mark Teague.  We learned that he is a writer as well as an illustrator. We thought that was cool. So we might try our hand at that sometime. We wrote about our summer vacations, too. 
    This week we will be moving on in Math and Phonics, increasing our ability to read for longer amounts of time and we will also spend a great deal of time on classroom procedures and citizenship within our community. Don't forget to check homework folders on Monday for any finished work, homework and newsletters. Have a great week!
             Mrs. Nye

First Day Success!!

  We had an awesome first day in 2nd grade! Such wonderful new students. It's going to be a great year.
I have sent home an information packet with your child. Please fill it out and send it back as soon as possible. Also, you will find a brown paper bag in your child's backpack.  This is for them to fill up with things that help describe them. We will be sharing them over the next several days. Please send them in as you can.
   I just found out today that Open House will be on August 29th. Mark it on your calendar.
   Please send an afternoon snack with your child each day and a bottle of water. These are necessities that help keep them in the classroom and focusing on their work. We eat lunch very early so their tummies are growling by snack time at 2p.m.
    Look for a newsletter and homework on Monday in homework folders! Friday should be awesome! Have a great weekend.
     Mrs. Nye