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!

We are a National Blue Ribbon School!

WOW! What an amazing day at TMSE. This afternoon, it was announced that we have achieved recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School!! Last spring, we were one of 5 Alabama schools nominated by state superintendent Tommy Bice. We worked on the application last spring, hoping to do justice to all of the incredible things that make TMSE a unique place to learn and grow. Today, Mrs. B announced to the school that we were recognized! This year, just over 300 hundred schools in 47 states were recognized. 

It is so difficult to put into words how TMSE has challenged and changed me over the last six years. I am so honored and so proud to be part of this school. I have learned that I am truly a mermaid, and TMSE is the place for me. I'm so glad it's the place for your family, too. 

Congratulations will certainly be heard for the school, but I want to say congratulations to YOU. Six years ago, lots of families took a chance on a brand new idea in Tuscaloosa. Six years later you are here, and are absolutely essential to why this beautiful school family works. I am so grateful for the opportunity to teach your child in this place. 

We will all celebrate soon, so be on the lookout for more news in the coming weeks. Tell your friends, tell your family...WE ARE A BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL! I really just want to shout it from the rooftops. 

Northern Redbook

Here are a few pictures of the city planning project! I hope your student had lots of great things to say during this project. We learned about what a city really needs and what can wait. Students voted on a city name and learned that sometimes the Mayor has the power to say no. :) Students designed a grid map and found the coordinates of their buildings. It was an amazing experience to say the least! If you have a chance tomorrow, come see it for yourself!

It's Field Trip Week!

I can hardly believe that it is almost October! It's a big one in my family as we celebrate two birthdays this month, and it starts off with a BANG in the classroom, too. We have our first TWO field trips of the school year on Thursday and Friday!! If you asked to attend our Community field trip, there is a note in your student's folder today. 

Ms. Thomas finished her placement on Friday, so it's just me in the classroom. It was awesome to have another person in the classroom to start the school year; it's going to to take me a while to get used to not having her here! If you asked what you can do to help me in the classroom at the start of the year...get ready! I'm going to need you soon. :) 

Conferences begin this week. I will do my best to get reminder notes home. I'm excited to meet with everyone! This class has had such an awesome start to the school year, and it's a thrill as a teacher to have amazing things to talk about with parents. 

Remember! If you want to see Northern Redbook, make plans to stop in before 2:30 tomorrow. We will have our city "De-Construction" before we head home for the day. 

Bits from the Birdhouse... D

9/29/14

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

• Continue Child Find with a lesson on Wednesday. 

• See “School House Rock” at the Bama on Thursday.  

• Work in Investigations Unit 2. We will focus on building and describing rectangles as arrays.  

• Wrap up our community systems unit. Our field trip is Friday! Watch for a reminder note. 

• Continue Narrative Writing. We will look at the editing checklist for Narrative Writing. Make plans to be at school on October 7 for Writing Night! 

• Have guided reading and word study as best we can with TWO FIELD TRIPS! 

We’re ready for a 

great week!