The LAST Monday in October!

Today is a BIG day in my house! Our oldest turns seven!! It is so hard for me to believe that seven years ago today, I became a MOM! I wouldn't trade it for anything, and it has shaped so many things I believe as a teacher. I am so thankful for her influence on my classroom, and so many other things she has taught me along the way. AND SHE IS ONLY SEVEN! That girl is going to change the world...and your little ones will, too. Anyway, I digress...

I can't believe October is already coming to a close. We have grown so much as second graders just this month! I hope you are starting to notice how different your student's newsbook writing looks from the start of the school year. Maybe not so much in the HANDwriting, but definitely in the content. 

They are blazing little readers. My favorite time of second grade is upon us...moving from learning to read to reading to learn. It's an amazing process! 

The math they are able to do now compared to August! The thinking! The explaining! The understanding! It's all incredible. 

Friday, we celebrate! It's a day full of fun! Crafting, snacks, stories, pumpkin digging...I can't wait!  

Bits from the Birdhouse... D

10/27/14

Be sure to ask your student about this week’s happenings! We will...

• Continue to work on our Old Lady book.

• Continue Unit 3 of Investigations. We are turning our focus to problem solving and various strategies to build understanding of place value. Refer to the handbook if you have questions, and you can always ask me! 

• Continue to learn about Ancient Rome. Any research your student would like to do at home will be presented in class. Already this year, a student gathered AWESOME photos from Ancient Roman times. 

• Research daily life in Rome. 

• Work on our summative presentation in the lab. 

• Have new word study lists. Please be sure to study at home!  

• Have our Fall Celebration on Friday. Don’t forget to send your item! Thanks in advance!  

We’re ready for a 

great week!

It's a New Week!

Happy Monday! Please watch your student's folder this week for a letter about our Fall celebration on the 31st. Have a great week! 

Bits from the Birdhouse... D

10/20/14

Be sure to ask your student about this week’s happenings! We will...

• Continue to work on our Old Lady book.

• Continue Unit 3 of Investigations. We will learn Close to 20, a new addition game and continue to build strategies for number strings, which will lead us to more difficult problem solving situations. 

• Continue to learn about Ancient Rome. Any research your student would like to do at home will be presented in class. One year, a student made a powerpoint about ancient gods and goddesses. It was awesome! 

• Read to discover the legend of how Rome began.

• Study the daily life of Romans in ancient times.

• Have new word study lists. Please be sure to study at home!   

We’re ready for a 

great week!

Short Weeks are Really Weird...

Happy Wednesday! 

We are getting in the groove for the week after a long weekend! I hope you were able to enjoy the extra day with your kiddos. Don't forget that report cards will come home at the end of this week.  

During our new Unit of Inquiry, there will be lots of Social Studies integrated into our small group reading time. There will likely not be as many traditional books come home. For example, in small group next week, we are going to study the legend of how Rome came to be. There will certainly be evidence of their learning, but it will not always look the same. I can't wait to get started! 

Bits from the Birdhouse... D

10/15/14

Be sure to ask your student about this week’s happenings! We will...

• Use mentor authors as inspiration to write a class story. We will eventually PUBLISH this book as a hardback. Watch for information in the coming weeks. 

• Dive into problem solving in Unit 3 of Investigations. We will pre-assess to determine enrichment needs as well. 

• Introduce our new Unit of Inquiry about Ancient Civilizations. Look for the newsletter by Friday. 

• Have new word study lists. Please be sure to study at home!   

We’re ready for a 

great week!

Wednesday Updates

Good morning! Thank you so much for your patience as our Birdhouse Bits are running a little late this week. We are busy this week, but it's really a lot of wrap-up and getting ready to move forward. The grading period ends on Friday, and report cards will come home next Friday, 10/17. 

Conferences will wrap up next week with a few make-ups. Thank you so much for making time to come meet with me. I have loved sharing and learning about what makes each student unique! 

Don't forget that school is CLOSED on Monday, October 13.

Bits from the Birdhouse... D

10/8/14

Be sure to ask your student about this week’s happenings! We will...

• Have our last Child Find lesson on Wednesday. 

• Have Vision Screenings on Thursday.

• Wrap up our math enrichments for Unit 2. We will begin Unit 3 on Monday. 

• Choose pieces for our IB portfolios. 

• Set goals for our writing and revise with intent. 

• Use last week’s word study lists again this week. 

We’re ready for a 

great week!