The Weber Weekly

PHEW!  For being a short week, we sure were busy!!  I'm happy to report that we are finished with our Discovery testing (for now).  I'm so proud of all of the kids for doing an excellent job on these assessments.  I'm looking forward to sharing the results with you at conferences.

We continued to build our stamina in Daily Five during reading this week.  The class is doing an awesome job with "Read to Self", "Work on Writing", and "Read to Someone".  Next week we will begin "Listen to Reading" and "Word Work".  It is so important to spend time at the beginning of the year establishing expectations and routines; this will ensure a very smooth and successful transition into guided reading groups.

In math we've been learning many different strategies for problem-solving.  We read a counting story about animals visiting a water hole.  After reading, the challenge was to independently figure out how many animals were in the story.  It was AMAZING to see the many different ways the kids went about finding the answer.  I didn't prompt them at all (other than to persevere), and we had a huge variety of strategies.  Many kids used math tools while others drew pictures or used their hundreds chart.  We will continue to learn multiple ways to problem solve as the year goes on.  Don't forget to be on the lookout for math homework Monday afternoon.

We've had several class meetings this week, one being about hygiene.  I've told the kids how important it is to keep their fingers out of their noses, mouths, and even underwear.  We talked about how if you feel itchy underneath your clothes, it needs to be dealt with in a private manner in the restroom.  We also discussed the importance of washing hands and ways we can prevent the spreading of germs.  We have tissues and hand sanitizer readily available for anyone who needs it.  Please, please talk to your child and reiterate healthy hygiene practices.

Finally, I'd like to point out some upcoming events/reminders:

• Second grade t-shirt order forms & payments are due next Thursday, September 12th.
• The Ice Cream Social is next Friday from 5:30-7:30.  I sure hope to see all of you there!!
• Our Watch Dog Kick-Off is Wednesday, September 25th at 5:30.
• Our back-to-school celebration for second grade will take place at Haunted Trails on Thursday, September 26th.  Please join Mr. Weber, Keaton, and I (and the other second grade teachers) for a night of pizza, arcade games, laser tag, go-karts, and more.  Watch your child's folder for more information.