Friday, January 27, 2017

1/23-1/27

Looking Ahead to Next Week:
Memory: The Fourth Commandment- Honor your father and your mother
Spelling: ai: air, train, chair, laid, fair, rain, mail, brain, paid, obtain,
Grammar: commas review (commas in a date, commas in a series, commas in a letter)
Phonics: sounds of c
Reading: Main Idea
Math: -2 fact test and written assessment on Wednesday
Science: We will have a test over Ch. 10 LS 2 on Wednesday, a study guide will be sent home on Monday. We will have a test over Ch. 10 LS 3 on Friday, a study guide will be sent home on Wednesday.
Writing: We will be researching and writing a biography report

Important News and Information:
- Noon dismissal for this coming Wednesday, 2/1 for a teacher inservice day

-I have been asked to join Cheryl Haun, along with Andrea Lohmann, and Sherry Bervirt, to travel to Belize. Mrs. Haun and Mrs. Lohmann have been working with early childhood teachers in Belize for many years. Zion Church is working on forming a partnership with various communities in the country, and our school's chapel offerings for the year are going towards purchasing Bibles for teachers and students in Belize. I am extremely excited for the opportunity to travel to the country,  bring Bibles to many schools, and form relationships with teachers there! Unfortunately, this trip means that I will be gone from school from Feb. 6-10. The kids will have a sub who will do a great job! I will have limited internet access while I am in Belize, so if you have anything important for the sub to know while I am gone, such as change in dismissal arrangements, please let Julie Schmidt know in the office, and she will send that information to the sub.

-Jump Rope for Heart Day is quickly coming up. Here is some information about the day from Mrs. Steinbacher:
 #1-THE SCHEDULE
           Fri. Feb. 10            8:05-9:05            2B and 2S-All Students
#2- PARENT VOLUNTEERS are needed for our Kindergarten through 5th grade events.

#3- DONATION ENVELOPES should be turned in by FRIDAY, FEB. 10, but may be turned in before that date. 

#4- Families are doing a fantastic job with ONLINE DONATIONS! We’ve already raised over $4,000.00 through the online process.

#5- STUDENTS WHO HAVE RAISED AT LEAST $5.00 for the American Heart Association may wear ATHLETIC CLOTHING on their event day.

#6- Contact Mrs. Steinbacher at msteinbacher@zionharvester.org with any questions or to volunteer


***Classroom wish list items: We are in need of paper towels, expo dry erase spray, and sharpened pencils. If you would be willing to donate any of these items, it would be greatly appreciated:) 


We did an experiment to see if changing the shape of an object would change it's mass

Practicing contractions

Practicing contractions

We did an experiment to see what would happen to gummy bears when left in water overnight. Most of the kids said in their hypothesis that the gummy bear would shrink. 

Favorite Character Day

We discovered that the gummy bear grew in size!



Working hard on writing

The Magic House came to do a Science Spectacular presentation on Friday. We learned lots of cool things like Bernoulli's Principle which helped our classmate keep a ping pong ball in the sky. We also learned about gravity, centripetal force, and many other things! 

Friday, January 20, 2017

1/17-1/20


Looking Ahead to Next Week:
Memory: The Third Commandment- Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Spelling: oa/ote:
coat, soak, boating, floated, soaking, throat, moat, vote, remote, hotel
Grammar: Contractions
Reading: We will be reading our 3rd quarter whole class novel: Stone Fox
Math: Test of subtraction 0 and 1 facts and a written test on Tuesday, 100 addition fact test Friday
Science: What are physical and chemical changes? We will have a test over lesson 1 on Thursday. Study guide will be sent home on Tuesday
Writing: 5 paragraph writing over favorite season of the year. 

Important News and Information:
--Bring in box tops to contribute to our class bag. The class who brings in the most box tops by Feb. 17th wins a prize!
-National Lutheran Schools Week is next week! Kick off is on Sunday with 2nd grade singing at the 10:30am service. Artwork from Zion students will also be on display in the welcome center of the church. Open House is that afternoon from 1-3. 
-Dress Up Days:
Monday: P.J. Day
  • Wear pajamas/sweats
  • May bring one stuffed animal/pillow
  • May wear slippers (bring change of shoes for outside)
Tuesday: Fake Injury Day
  • Throw on your bandages and slings we are all broken today
  • No injuries that impair your ability to function and/or cause a mess
  • Jeans optional
Wednesday: Character Day
  • Dress up as a favorite Bible, book, or movie character
  • Jeans optional
Thursday: Ultimate Spirit Day
  • Do you have the Spirit in you?
  • Wear your Red, White, and Black to show your Zion Lutheran School Spirit
  • Jeans optional
Friday: Holiday Day


  • Bring out your cheesy holiday gear and show your festive fun
  • Ideas: 4th of July, Easter, Christmas, Valentines Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Thanksgiving, or all of the above!
  • Jeans optional





The kids were very surprised to find out that each container held the same amount of water! This demonstration introduced us to volume



Check out the finished artwork in the welcome center this weekend!

The kids worked in groups to compare the volume of liquids in different measuring cups



On Friday, we did a STEM activity. The question we sought to answer throughout this process was: What makes a structure strong and stable?  To answer this question, we learned about engineer, Simon Rodia. He built the Watts Towers in California using many little pieces to create something big! He also used the shape of a triangle to make his structures strong and stable.  The kids were given marshmallows and toothpicks to create strong and sturdy structures. 








This week we had a Faith Family Activity, after getting to know each other better in a scavenger hunt game we learned that we are all an important piece to God’s church.  Together with all believers we can be a picture of God’s love and Jesus’ Salvation to the world.  We each made a cross that will be put together to create on big cross.  Look for it in church this weekend!  We were able to celebrate with each other Baptisms in January and February and renew our baptismal 

Friday, January 13, 2017

1/9-1/13

Looking Ahead to Next Week:
Memory: The Second Commandment: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
Spelling: ee: see, free, deer, peel, tree, weep, beep, need, freedom, wheel
Phonics/Grammar: We will be taking a mid year assessment to help me see exactly where the kids are at with various phonics and grammar skills. I will use the information gathered from this test to guide our learning this quarter.
Reading: Nonfiction Text Features
Math: Math will continue to feature a 100 addition fact test each time we take a test. To help the kids keep up with this skill, we will continue to practice these in class everyday, however, this sheet will not be sent home for homework. Instead, our homework fact sheets will begin to focus on 25 subtraction facts. 
Science: Ch. 9 Lesson 3- Liquids and Gasses. A Study guide will be sent home on Wednesday, and we will have our quiz on Friday.
Social Studies: We will learn about the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and his impact on our country.


Important News and Information:
-No School on Monday 1/16 for Martin Luther King Day
-2nd grade sings at the 10:30 am service next Sunday, 1/22
-Zion Open House is Sunday, 1/22 from 1-3pm. 
-National Lutheran Schools Week is 1/23-1/27. During the week we will celebrate being a part of a Lutheran School. Dress up days are as follows:
Monday: P.J. Day
  • Wear pajamas/sweats
  • May bring one stuffed animal/pillow
  • May wear slippers (bring change of shoes for outside)
Tuesday: Fake Injury Day
  • Throw on your bandages and slings we are all broken today
  • No injuries that impair your ability to function and/or cause a mess
  • Jeans optional
Wednesday: Character Day
  • Dress up as a favorite Bible, book, or movie character
  • Jeans optional
Thursday: Ultimate Spirit Day
  • Do you have the Spirit in you?
  • Wear your Red, White, and Black to show your Zion Lutheran School Spirit
  • Jeans optional
Friday: Holiday Day

  • Bring out your cheesy holiday gear and show your festive fun
  • Ideas: 4th of July, Easter, Christmas, Valentines Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Thanksgiving, or all of the above!
  • Jeans optional



Brainstorming adjectives to describe silly pictures




We did a fun activity in grammar where the kids drew a picture, then, while music was playing, the kids walked around the room. Once the music stopped, they had to find a seat and write a sentence using adjectives to describe their friend's drawing 


We practiced summarizing nonfiction books this week in guided reading


In science, we did a lab where we experimented different ways to measure solids



Friday, January 6, 2017

1/4-1/6

Looking Ahead to Next Week:
Memory: The First Commandment: You shall have no other gods.
Spelling: ear/ath: hear, near, fear, dear, smear, math, path, bath, aftermath, Sabbath
Grammar: Adjectives
Phonics: Er and Est endings
Reading: Fiction and Nonfiction
Math: Test Thursday. We are continuing to practice our 100 addition facts. The goal is for everyone in our class to finish the facts in 5 minutes or less!
Science: We will have two short quizzes next week. Quiz over Ch. 9 LS. 1 will be on Wednesday (study guide will be sent home on Monday). Quiz over Ch. 9 LS. 2 will be on Friday (study guide will be sent home on Wednesday).
Writing: 5 paragraph writing

Important News and Information:
-New AR goals for 3rd quarter have been made. These goals have increased to reflect the new requirement of 40 minutes of reading 4 nights a week. This is the ideal amount of reading time to grow as readers! This will be part of homework each week throughout the rest of the school year.
-Writing will be included on grade cards for both 3rd and 4th quarters. This week, the kids wrote for 20 minutes about their Christmas break. I conferenced with each student, and together, we chose a goal for them to focus on this quarter. I am excited to see them continue to progress as writers!
-Jump Rope for Heart information was sent home in folders on Friday.
-Donuts for Dad's is this coming Wednesday, 1/11 beginning at 7am in the church basement
-2nd Grade Sings at the 10:30am service at Zion on Sunday, Jan. 23rd! Please have your child meet in the balcony classroom at 10:20.
-National Lutheran Schools Week is just around the corner! Join us for Open House on Sunday, Jan. 23 from 1-3pm. We will then have dress up days throughout the week to help celebrate:
2017 NLSW Dress Up Day Descriptions
January 23 – 27, 2017
Monday: P.J. Day
  • Wear pajamas/sweats
  • May bring one stuffed animal/pillow
  • May wear slippers (bring change of shoes for outside)
Tuesday: Fake Injury Day
  • Throw on your bandages and slings we are all broken today
  • No injuries that impair your ability to function and/or cause a mess
  • Jeans optional
Wednesday: Character Day
  • Dress up as a favorite Bible, book, or movie character
  • Jeans optional
Thursday: Ultimate Spirit Day
  • Do you have the Spirit in you?
  • Wear your Red, White, and Black to show your Zion Lutheran School Spirit
  • Jeans optional
Friday: Holiday Day

  • Bring out your cheesy holiday gear and show your festive fun
  • Ideas: 4th of July, Easter, Christmas, Valentines Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Thanksgiving, or all of the above!
  • Jeans optional
-Wed. Feb. 1st is our next noon dismissal. Zion is offering half day care. If you would like this for your child, a registration form must be filled out (sent home in today's folder) and returned by Friday, Jan. 27th.

The kids had fun playing games during indoor recess on Friday due to the cold weather!