9/21-9/25

We had a good week in 2B. In science, the kids learned about the different types of water on earth. They conducted an experiment and found that salt water is more dense than fresh water. We had an eye opening lesson about the different layers of the earth. It was fun to hear their reactions to this new piece of information:) Finally, on Friday, we did our 2nd STEM project of the year. The challenge was to build a boat out of aluminum foil that can float, while holding as many plastic dinosaurs as possible. The kids each designed their own boat in secret, tested their boat, made adjustments to their design, and finally gathered around as we did the final test to see who's boat could hold the most dinosaurs. 

Scavenger hunt for polygons

Math Centers: Learning about Fractions

Science Experiment

Science Experiment

Presenting on the Character Traits of the book they read

Character Traits of the Pout Pout Fish

Character Traits

Character Traits

Testing our Aluminum foil boats

Our Winners! Sofia's boat held 68 dinosaurs and Lizzie's held 70!!!

Memory: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.              

Ephesians 2:8-9

Spelling: Lesson 7 on/ong:

on, onto, fond, con, apron, long, song, along, belong, strong

Phonics: Short vowel sounds and consonant cluster with r review

Grammar: Reflexive Pronouns

Reading: Setting

Math: Test Friday

Science: How does Earth Change Slowly?

Writing: Write to Inform, Natural Disaster Books

Important Information:
-The end of the 1st quarter is a mere two weeks away. Be sure to sign up for a parent teacher conference time using the link on sycamore. If you are unable to attend, I would be happy to set up a conference with you the week following parent teacher conferences
-Our room moms have been hard at work planning a wonderful Harvest Party for our 2nd grade class! Our class will be traveling to the F.I.S.H. pantry to help sort donated items during the afternoon of 10/14. We are still in need of parents who would be willing to drive students to the pantry and back, and then to possibly stay and help with the remaining party festivities. If interested, contact Darla Hollowood, Rhonda Coplin, or Kristen Gross. Thank you:)
Field Trip Permission forms for this were sent home in Friday folders. Please sign and return as soon as possible! 

Sept. 14-17

This week we wrapped up our Social Studies/Science Unit on landforms and maps. The kids sculpted landforms out of clay, glued them to a plate, and painted their plates to design a landform community. Our final project for the unit had the kids tracing their bare feet to create a barefoot island. They designed their island community adding landforms, a compass rose, and a key. Next week we will begin a unit more focused on science.

Sculpting Landforms

Sculpting Landforms

Finished Landform Projects

Brainstorming examples of proper nouns

Mix and Mingle Game: Share with your partner 3 examples of a proper noun

Write as many math problems as you can that equal the number 14. 

Looking Ahead to Next Week:
Memory: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16
Spelling: Lesson 6 ake/er

rake, take, lake, make, shake, her, water, super, person, tower

Grammar:pronouns
Phonics: consonant cluster -r
Reading: Character Traits
Math: TEST Thursday
Science: What is the Earth?
Writing: Writing to Inform Final Project

We had a short, but good four day week in 2B. Jay J. is officially back at school! It has been so wonderful to watch your children care for and serve their good friend. This week we learned about the plot of a story, which will be continued next week. We also spent a lot of time learning about nouns in grammar, landforms in social studies, and the long and short i vowel sound.

Noun Scavenger Hunt

Looking for people, places, and things

Looking Ahead to Next Week:
Memory: Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Spelling: List 5 chunk -old, -ame  TEST Thursday

Grammar: Proper Nouns

Phonics: Long and Short U

Reading: Plot Review

Math: TEST Tuesday

Science/Social Studies: Landforms

Writing: Writing to Persuade 

Important Information:

-No School Friday Sept18th, enjoy a three day weekend! Us teachers will be attending a conference:)

-2nd grade sings at the 8am service this Sunday 9/14. Meet in the upstairs balcony at 7:45am.

We had a great week in 2nd grade! We spent the week reviewing author's purpose and types of sentences, and also spent a lot of time finishing up our social studies unit on communities. The kids worked together in groups to design their own community. There were many creative communities including Villain World, Puppy Town, and Spy World--an urban community filled with "spy" scrapers and even a spy academy. I was pretty impressed with what they came up with:)

Reading in our classroom library

The students wrote an informational piece meant to inform the class about a book they've read

Spy World

Villain World

Cookie Town

Pumpkin Town 

Puppy City

Memory:  Second Article (part two)

… He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

Spelling: Chunk -ate, -ish TEST FRIDAY
Phonics: Long and Short I
Grammar: nouns
Reading: Plot (beginning, middle, end)
Math: Lessons 11-13
Social Studies/Science: Landforms--check out the news below!
Writing: Write to Inform

Important Info and News

• No School on Monday for Labor Day!
• We will be doing a Social Studies project next week. If you have a shoebox lid (or two or three) laying around, please send it with your child to school by Thursday of next week! Thank you!
• a couple of classroom wish list items: expo dry erase board spray, paper towels   Thanks for your help! 

Week 3

Quite the week in 2B.
As many of you know, Jay J fell in PE on Monday and was taken to Cardinal Glennon where they found that he had re-broken his leg. Jay J had surgery on Tuesday afternoon and is at home recovering. We hope he will be able to join us back at school sometime next week. Please pray for Jay J and his family as they go through the healing process one more time. What comfort it is to know that we have God to provide healing and comfort through this time.

Jay J. is all smiles in his new wheelchair

We missed Jay J. this week, but the kids stayed busy. They made lots of get well cards for their friend. We also learned about Author's purpose. In writing we focused on writing with the purpose of informing our readers. To do this, the kids interviewed a classmate, wrote a paragraph, and presented them to the class.

Long and Short A Word Sort

Writings lists during literacy centers

Creating patterns during math

Interviewing a Classmate 

Presenting their informational writing to the class

Looking Ahead to Next Week:
Memory- 2nd article of the Apostle's Creed: And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. 

Spelling- List 3, chunk -ick
Grammar- Types of Sentences Review
Phonics- Long and Short O
Reading/Writing- Author's Purpose Review
Math- Lesson 9-10, TEST Tuesday
Social Studies- My Place in the World

News and Important Information:

• Scholastic book orders were sent home today. Please consider ordering a book, or several books, for your child. Every dollar spent earns our classroom points that I use to buy books for our classroom. Scholastic book orders can easily be made online. On the sidebar of this blog, you will see a red box for scholastic book club. Click that, and it will take you right to a page that says Miss Beach's Class Book Orders. In case you ever need it, our classroom code is N98GL. Thank you in advance for helping our class:)

• Wednesday 9/2 is a half-day. We will dismiss at noon. 

Aug. 17-21

Our first full week of school was filled with learning. In grammar, we learned what makes a sentence complete--it needs SWAG! See if your 2nd grader can remember what SWAG stands for :)
In social studies, we learned all about maps. The kids got to work together in small groups to create a giant map, and on Friday, they got to explore different types of maps, including google earth. They enjoyed looking at Zion Elementary School from a bird's eye view.

All sentences have a subject and a predicate

Working hard during Literacy Centers

Working hard during Literacy Centers

The community of "Densville"

Making their maps

Looking Ahead to Next Week:
Memory: First Article of the Apostle's Creed: I believe in God the Father Almighty.
Spelling: chunk -ack (test Friday)
Grammar: 4 types of sentences
Phonics: Long and Short A
Reading and Writing: Author's Purpose
Math: Lessons 5-8
Social Studies: What is my place in the world?


Important Info:
-Please return the digital citizenship informational slip with your students on Monday! If you need an extra copy, let me know
-STAR results were sent home in today's Friday folder, along with their reading levels (according to the STAR test) and their AR point goal for the quarter. Use the website arbookfinder.com to find AR books, their point value, and their reading level. Encourage your child to read books around their level. 

First Week of School

We had a wonderful first week of school in 2B! We learned lots of procedures for the year, made "Jitter Juice" to take away our first day jitters, learned about what qualities make a good reader, writer, mathematician, and scientist, completed our first STEM challenge, and even created a time capsule which we will open on the last day of school. It was a very exciting week! I look forward to the school year ahead!

Exploring the New Classroom

Exploring the New Classroom

Brainstorming ideas of what they hope to learn in 2nd grade

Brainstorming ideas for what THEY can do to be successful this year

After reading "First Day Jitters," we made Jitter Juice to take away our first day jitters

Prayer Partners

A very special group of 2nd graders!

Signing our Class Rules

Exploring different science tools

Exploring different science tools

STEM Challenge

STEM Challenge: The goal was to build a tower out of spaghetti noodles, tape, and yarn, that is strong enough to hold up a marshmallow. 

Looking Ahead to Next Week:
Memory- As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. 1^st Peter 4:10  TEST Friday
Grammar- Complete Sentences
Phonics- Long and Short E
Spelling- chunk -ug, -ip, -aw   TEST Friday
Reading- Introduction to Centers, AR, and the STAR test
Math- Lessons 1-4, Introduction to Adapted Mind
Science/Social Studies- Maps
Writing- T-riffic Summer

News and Information

• Back to School Night is Tuesday, August 18 from 6:30-8pm. Come by for a 20 minute session to learn lots of important information about our classroom this year. 
• Friday, August 21 is our first All School Spirit Day. Kids may wear their red zion t-shirts, a vbs shirt, or an LHS shirt to show off their Zion school pride