Week of April 9, 2012

I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful weather we are having. 

Please take note of these VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Thursday, April 12, 2012 – Field Trip

This is a reminder that the second grade classes will be going to see a production of Ellis Island on Thursday.  We will be leaving school at 11:00 and will return at approximately 2:00. 

 ·         PLEASE remember that there will not be hot lunch served to the second graders on the day of the field trip.  They need to have a lunch from home.  We will be eating in the classrooms prior to getting onto the bus. 

 Week of April 16, 2012 – Stanford Testing.

 Yes, next week is the Stanford Testing for your child. 

·         PLEASE  make sure that your child is at school every day ready for his or her testing.  If at all possible, please do not schedule any appointments or time away from school next week.  It is imperative that he or she is at school each and every day.

·         PLEASE make sure that your child arrives at school on time all week.
 
·         PLEASE make sure that your child has a nutritious breakfast every day.
 
·         PLEASE pack water and a healthy snack for your child every day.
 
·         PLEASE make sure your child is well-rested each and every day.
 
I do not yet have an exact testing schedule to tell you the day and time for each test.  I will forward that to you when I get it from the office.

This week:

Language Arts –

·         Reading:  We are enjoying our new literature book Charlotte’s Web and discovering so many rich and exciting vocabulary words.  We would love to have you join us for reading groups on Wednesday or Friday mornings from 8:10 – 8:40 if you are able.  Please go to link to sign up.  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040F45ADAB283-reading1

·         Grammar:  We’ve been practicing sentence diagramming (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, articles).  I will be continuing to assess the students on their ability to diagram sentences throughout the remainder of the year.  Please review parts of speech with your child to reinforce what we do in class.

 
Science –
·         Students are still learning about simple machines.  We are now learning covering pulleys and their uses.  The students are having fun and are recalling so much information.  Keep working on those science projects.  The kids need to bring them to school on Wednesday, April 18^th.  They will present them to the class on Thursday and Friday.

History –

·         We’ve now finished the Civil War unit.  Wow, that was fun.  The kids did a great job recalling information as we went over things.  You should be able to have a great conversation at the dinner table.

·         Our next unit is Immigration and Citizenship.  We will be learning about America as the Land of Opportunity, important American symbols associated with citizenship and freedom, why immigrants came to America, where they settled, how they got here, their time at Ellis Island, etc.  I will be sending home an assignment that will be due on Monday if possible.  The kids will be interviewing a family member (or alternatively, an adult that they know) who came to America as an immigrant.  As I told the kids today, we all have ancestors who came to America at one point.  Many of us have been here for so long, however, that we are unfamiliar with our heritage.  If you are able to answer all of the questions on the interview form, please provide them.  If not, just make a note on the interview sheet that you don’t know.

 
Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Winkler

April 1, 2012

Hello Families!

Please note the following important announcement:

Field Trip!

Thursday, April 12, 2012

11:00 – 2:00

Celebrity Theater to see a production of Ellis Island

As you know, we are heading to Ellis Island on April 12^th.  Permission slips and money are due by this Thursday.  It is extremely important that I have all forms and money no later than April 5, 2012. 

Don’t forget to send a sack lunch to school with your student on April 12^th.  We will eat in the classroom prior to leaving for the field trip.  There will not be a HOT lunch served to the second graders that day, so please plan accordingly.

Thank you to the parents who signed up to go on the field trip with us.  It is going to be a wonderful show.

Coming up this week:

Reading:  We are starting our literature book Charlotte’s Web on Monday.  Please make sure your student has his or her book at school.  If you have not gotten your book yet, please do so immediately.  I am always looking for parent volunteers for our reading groups, now meeting on Wednesday and Friday mornings from 8:10 – 8:40.  If you are able to volunteer, please make sure you sign up at Sign-up Genius for your time slot.  I always check the list to group the students. If I know you are coming in, I will put your child in your group.

Science:  We continue to learn about simple machines and all of their uses.  I hope that everyone is having a great experience building their invention.  Don’t forget that those are due April 18^th.  If you have any questions about the project, please e-mail me.

History:  We will wrap up our unit on the Civil War next Monday (April 9^th) and will have a short quiz covering the material we’ve learned.  I will be sending home the study guide in the next day or two.  Our next unit will be Immigration and Citizenship. 

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact me.  I check my email several times daily.

Warm regards,

Mrs. Winkler