inside Mrs. Allentuck's classroom

Happy President’s Day Weekend!

As you all know, it has been a pretty packed week. In between the play and the Valentine’s Party we did get some other work done as well, including; the estimation jar of paper clips, spelling quiz on suffixes, subtraction practice, Mexican geography and new books in reading class. I suggested to the students to try to get some reading done on book report books this weekend so it doesn’t become too last minute. Most students have the blank books they need to start their reports, if not, they can easily be made at home or I can give them more next week. As with all projects, I encourage rough drafts, pencils and making light lines on which to write their words.

The end of the trimester is next Friday and I look forward to seeing you all at conferences on March 1 and 2. I’m glad we have time to catch our breath before our next big event, the Fiesta!  The play was just wonderful, they all did such a great job. They had such a blast working with Mrs. Brentano and learned so much at the same time. Thanks to all of you that were able to attend and the snacks for both events were just right! Thank you parents!  I have posted a slide show of the play below.

If you have any questions about anything in the classroom let me know, otherwise, have a wonderful long weekend!

Katharine

Some lucky ticket holders

Greetings,

Sorry that I’m a little late with this but I experienced ‘technical difficulties’ when I finished this on Friday afternoon. However, I’m trying again….

We were invited to watch the 5th graders skits illustrating East Indian folk tales on Friday morning so our Spelling Quiz was postponed until next Friday. Needless to say, no one seemed too disappointed at the last minute change. We will continue to work on suffix spelling patterns throughout this upcoming week. As you may know, there is another book report due on March 6th. Almost everyone has chosen their book and I think we have learned a lot about choosing appropriate books; ones that not only are a good match with the assignment, but ones we enjoy as well! I have scanned a copy of the assignment at the bottom of this entry.

Please note: We will make the blank books in school and the students can take them home to fill with their information and ideas  as described in the assignment below.

Upcoming Dates in 2nd grade: Tuesday, February, 14th. Valentine’s Party last period. The bags are up and Valentines can start coming in tomorrow (Monday) and Tues.
    Wednesday, February, 15th. 2nd grade play. 1:30 Small cast party following the performance.

I have attached a few shots from Choice period last week. Choice time is a wonderful part of the curriculum where all sorts of imaginative and creative play occur. Last week, the discovery of a box of popsicle sticks made for crowd pleasing puppet shows.

Contributing to the Morning Message

Joe's puppet showAbbey's show...Act IIContinuing to care for our plantsAct IIContinung to care for our plants

February March Book Report029

Dear Parents,

We have begun our study of Mexico! In reading groups we’ve all read Hill of Fire, which tells the story of the volcanic eruption in Paricutin in 1943. Mrs. Clausen’s slide show included her visit to that site as well as others in Mexico. Our pinatas from Art class now grace the classroom and we have been making maps and learning about the geography of Mexico.  While the Fiesta is scheduled for March 5, we will continue that unit until the break on March 9th.

We enjoyed sharing our Comic Strip book reports with the class and it’s great to see that everyone has a solid sense of the flow of a story, it’s problems and how they are resolved. I will be introducing a new book report assignment on Monday and that will be due on Tuesday, March 7th. I realize that half the challenge of the assignment is in selecting the right book and I am hopeful that will be easier with each report. I will make sure they have made their selection by the end of next week.

We visited the Computer Lab last week for some review with the Spelling City website. The students continue to really enjoy that site and it’s a great resource for reinforcing spelling patterns we have been working on all year. You can click on the link anytime from the left side of this website under Classroom Links or just go onto Spelling City and type in Kathy Clausen’s name for our spelling lists to appear.

Lunch Bunch (or Brunch Bunch) this past week was a big hit, as they all have been this year. The kids look forward to them so much, thank you to all the parents that contribute to them.

Have a great weekend,

Katharine

Finally! The flag was green and we went!  The 2nd graders had a blast on the ice last Monday, they all learned so quickly.

As some of you might have noticed, our classroom inherited a veritable jungle of house plants when my daughter recently moved out of her apartment in Vermont. There were 16, so everyone was assigned a plant to care for. Joe’s Dad, Adam Weinberg, came in and helped the class understand just how much water and sun each plant needs to thrive. He went through each one and left us with a moisture meter that ensures we won’t overwater.

Next week begins our Social Studies unit on Mexico. On Monday to get us started  Mrs. Clausen will treat us to her slide show from when she traveled to Mexico some years back with some colleagues from BCD.

We’ve finished our maps and they will be posted in the coat room. I’ve attached some photos of those map making classes. Next week we will not introduce a new spelling lesson, instead do some review of past lessons. Don’t forget to visit Spelling City, it’s a terrific resource and fun way to reinforce previous  phonics lessons.

We’ve hung more suet for the birds and I’ve heard from the class that we’ve had some takers.

Book Reports are due on Tuesday and Lunch Bunch is set for this Wednesday.

Enjoy the weekend despite this gloomy Friday,

Katharine

Hard at work at mapmaking.

Greetings,

I’ve attached a short slide show from a variety of different events over this last month and some from the end of last year. Some chip trading, choice time, peer reading and finally hanging a suet feeder for our friends, the birds.

All that time spent manipulating those yellow, blue, green and red chips has really paid off as we move to putting pencil to paper. We are also estimating larger and larger numbers in our estimating jar and will do the final count tomorrow to see who came the closest. If anyone would like to send in something new for the jar, please do. We’ve done dried pasta and beans, but perhaps there’s something different  in your pantry we could count!

Prepositions are ruling day in our Written Expression class and we have begun to design our maps. Homework is coming in on time and prepared with care. I appreciate the help and support you give in that department. Book Reports are ongoing, everyone seems to be on track with them, but I am going to do a check in next week in hopes that everyone has finished their books and is ready to move on to the report.

Students are coming in with snow boots which is great, but if you could also send in some indoor shoes for them to change into during the day, that would be helpful.

Mrs. Heady would like to get the class out for some ice skating on Monday, so if you have skates at home, please send them in – otherwise, she will size them up and they can use a BCD pair. Seeing the 1st graders out on the ice today really wet their appetite.

Ski Friday’s seem to be going really well, please remember to label your equipment to help prevent mix-ups.

Have a great weekend,

Katharine

Greetings on this dreary Thursday,

As you may know, our Social Curriculum in Lower School includes three major themes this year. Our first theme was Cooperation and this trimester we are discussing Courage. It seems particuarly fitting as we pause to celebrate Martin Luther King Day this Monday. Today we will read about Dr. King and talk about how he was courageous and all the other peacemakers they know about who have shown great courage.

In Math we have moved from the chip trading board to paper and pencil, as children learn best when they can work with manipulative materials before moving to abstract symbols.  With chip trading we traded in 10 yellows for 1 blue which is just what you do when you ‘carry the ten’, you are re-grouping just as they did with their yellow chips.  Throughout the year we have always been looking for mathematical patterns and relationships to help strengthen number concepts so that place value and regrouping are not just rote steps but are coming from a solid foundation. I am confident that with continued practice these important skills will continue to develop.

Finally some snow!…..Albeit wet. I have been asked to remind you to please label ALL ski equipment, even rented equipment can be labeled with some masking tape and initials. We want to be sure everyone goes home with their own equipment.

Finally, I was lucky enough to sneak over and visit play practice this afternoon and it was a real treat to watch everyone learn their line-readings, their entrances and exits and their words. While most were pretty solid with their lines, some could still use some practice……perhaps this weekend?

Most everyone has almost finished their books for their January book reports, but if not, this weekend might be a good time to catch up with that as well. Other than that, I wish you all a relaxing, snowy weekend!

Happy New Year to All,

Today is our first Ski Friday! We have read over the lists and everyone seems to be clear on where they are going.  There will be a shortened lunch period right before we pack up and the buses roll at 12:45. Luckily the weather calls for a fairly warm day. The kids have been doing a great job of having hats and gloves each day before they head out to recess and there are a few extra pairs of gloves here as well.

We are starting our Map Unit in Social Studies and have been busy marking where we’ve traveled to and where we live on classroom maps. As we learn how to read maps, how and why we use them, their different parts (legends/keys, scale, title, compass rose, etc.) we also learn a whole new vocabulary at the same time. We will work with compasses next week before we tackle making our own maps, of our bedrooms, our school and then our imaginary lands.

A new book report has been assigned for January. It calls for a 6-8 comic strip panels explaining the different parts of the story. I have attached the assignment if (!)some get lost along the way. Everyone should have a book selected by Monday and the final project is due on Tuesday, January 31st. Comic Strip Book Report Project

In the packets that went home this week, you might notice Pascal’s Penguin. Ask your child if he/she can explain the pattern, it took  a couple of days of fiddling with it, but I think we finally all got the different parts.

And again, I would like to thank you ALL for your thoughtful and generous holiday gift. I cannot tell you what a smile it brought to my face.

Have a great weekend,

Katharine

Social Studies this December has been devoted to the study of peace; what it looks like, what it feels like, how we can encourage it in ourselves and others. We have talked of places that bring us peace and how to find that peace that is inside us all. Some of my favorite contributions to what peace is include:

listening to instruments, watching the sun rise and set, seeing things grow, being warm, being read to by the fire, light shower of rain, gazing at one thing, darkness, and finally, everyone here.

We used those and many other themes as a starting point for our Peace Poems which are posted above.

Thank you to our class parents and all parents that have helped with some of the wonderful events we’ve enjoyed so far this year. Thank you all for your Secret Snowflake contributions. It gives the children a great opportunity to practice what it means to give and  receive a gift.

Finally,  I want to say what a pleasure it has been to be a part of this class and the entire 2nd grade community. We’ve had a wondeful 2011 and I wish you all a wonderful, fun, restful and peaceful holiday with your families.

Dear All,

The holidays are upon us along with our first snow! Please remember to have a set of dry clothes for the cubbies and a pair of ‘indoor’ shoes to put on when the snow boots come off. Thank you.

As you know, the Winter Concert is tomorrow at 1:30. I have their BCD holiday concert t-shirts and they can wear anything for bottoms.

Chip trading has begun in Math. This method of instruction helps develop a basic understanding and visualization of number, place value and regrouping through the concrete manipulation of trading colored chips on game boards —and they love it!

I hope you’ve had a chance to visit Spelling City. The children seem to really enjoy it and it’s a another useful tool as they work to master their spelling words each week.

I have FINALLY posted some photos in a slide-show from Grandparent’s Day below.

I look forward to seeing those of you who can make it to the concert tomorrow, and if I don’t see you, have a wonderful, restful weekend!