Chitter Chatter

Good afternoon!    This week will be very busy and very fun!!!!  

Let’s start off with Parent/Teacher Conferences which are scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30-8:00.  I don’t have signups for the following students: Cham, Courtney, and Brooklyn.  Please go to my blog and sign up ASAP. The 2nd quarter begins this week.  Report cards will be handed out at Parent/Teacher Conferences.  Just a reminder that conferences are only 15 minutes long.  I promise to end my conferences on time if you promise to be on time for your conference.  

This week we will also have an Art/Science  afternoon on Wednesday. I have tentatively scheduled it from 1:45 to 2:45. We will do 1 art project, 1 science project, and a surprise.  

Also starting this week are my Math and Reading Tutoring groups.   I have sent emails to those students who I believe would benefit from this tutoring.  If you have received an email, please let me know if your child will be staying for tutoring  after school.  Math Tutoring is Monday  from 3:00-3:30 and Reading Tutoring is Tuesday from 3:00-3:30.

We are still doing I-Ready Reading and I-Ready Math every other morning.  Each student  has to do 45 minutes  of Reading and Math each week.  The program was provided to our school by a grant and the grant requires the 45 minutes weekly on Math and Reading.  If your child is absent, they can not make up the time they missed.  Their time loss will be counted against the whole class.  

Please try to have your child here every day.  I currently have 5 students who are not finished with their work from the 1st quarter.  Unfortunately, they will be missing recess until they catch up.

This week we are learning how to add 2-digit numbers (ex. 23+16=39).  This is the beginning of the “hard” math.  They will be bringing math homework home daily.  Please make sure they complete it and bring it back.  Remember that homework will be a part of their PRIDE (citizenship) grade. I will be keeping track of the Reading Logs and Math papers when they are returned.

We are also finishing up our How-To papers. In Phonics, we are on soft g/soft c words.  Different kinds of nouns (common and proper) is our grammar focus this week.  We will also review prefixes and begin learning about suffixes.  In Reading ,we are learning about the Main Topic and Key Details in  a story will still practicing our Reading Strategy of prediction.  I will be introducing Narrative Nonfiction books as well.  

The last thing I want to remind you about is that all the dioramas are due on November 7.  If your child wasn’t here last week, they need to come and see me ASAP to get their animal assignment and the paper that you need to sign and return.  This will be their  Science Mastery grade for the 2nd quarter.

If you have any questions, please let me know.  
Ms. Blok

Quest will be participating in the Besst Realty Canned Food Drive from October 1st to October 19th. This is a great way to help families in our community. Last year, we collected and donated over 22,000 items. You can donate any canned food, travel hygiene items, full size hygiene items, toothbrushes, and floss. Thank you for your help! Remind your child to bring their canned items to our classroom first so we can count them.

Wednesday is our Ice Cream Party for doing an outstanding job of selling cookie dough.  The permission slip for this party is further down my blog.  Please make sure you have submitted yours child’s permission slip. I would hate to have to tell your child that they don’t get to have ice-cream.  I have received 17 permission slips out of 25.

On Thursday, all 2nd Graders will have their hearing screened.  Please see the flyer that went home earlier in the week.

We will be working on lots of new things this week.  We will continue working on finding the key details in our reading, learning how characters respond to events in the stories, and we will continue working on the story structure.  In writing, we will begin our rough draft of our How-To narrative.  We will work on nouns, commas in series, short o/long o, blends, and we will be starting week 2 of our animal unit.  This is a review week in math.  We will be going over everything we have learned in Unit 1 to make sure that are ready to start Unit 2 after fall break.

Just a reminder, that if your child is absent frequently, they may be falling behind the rest of the class.  I understand about doctor’s appointments etc.  but please make sure that they are here on time as much as possible.  

If you have any questions please let me know.  Parent/Teacher Conferences will be on October 23rd and 25th.  Sign up information will be sent out soon.

Have a great week!  
Ms. Blok