The Weber Weekly

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!  Is it ever going to warm up?!  I hope all of you are staying warm and trying your best to enjoy this bitterly cold winter.  Speaking of cold, our classroom has been pretty chilly lately.  Even with the heat cranked up, the kids and I have felt a chill in the room.  Please, please make sure you're dressing your child appropriately for the low temps.  Kids that have are coming to school in tshirts are sitting in the classroom with their arms tucked inside their shirts.  Feel free to send an extra hoodie to leave in the room for your child.  Also, please make sure that hats, gloves, etc. are labeled with your child's name.  Our lost-and-found bin is filling up quickly!

I'm so bummed I didn't make it to Family Fun Zone on Monday.  I heard we had a great turnout and that the kids had a blast!  Thank you for continuously supporting our school!

In language arts this week, we began a fiction/nonfiction study about penguins.  We really focused our time on author's purpose as well as fact and opinion.  The kids are collecting penguin facts and will use their gathered information to write our first expository piece.  We even made "Penguin Treats" for our Snazzy Snack this week!  Big thanks to the families of Abby, Caeley, Ali, and Madison for donating supplies for our recipe this month.

Next week we'll be wrapping up our math unit on addition and subtraction.  Your child should be secure with double-digit addition and subtraction with and without regrouping.  Everyone has been working really hard on this unit and I'm impressed with how far they've come!      

We continued to learn about MLK, Jr. in social studies this week.  We also had our weekly visit from Mrs. Wrobel, the school social worker, for our Second Step program.  The kids are learning all about empathy and compassion and how it's okay to be different.  The lessons are really valuable and they're helping to build a stronger sense of classroom community. 

Next week I'll be out of the building on Monday and Tuesday.  I'll be at the District Office for Language Arts Common Core and will be checking email periodically throughout the day.  Feel free to email if you need me.  Tomorrow my little guy turns the big TWO, so I will be unavailable this weekend.  I'm looking forward to a relaxing family weekend celebrating my little baby boy! 

The Weber Weekly

We have had an AWESOME first full week back!  We spent a good chunk of this week reviewing expectations and practicing routines, procedures, and transitions.  One thing that I really pride myself on is classroom management.  For years administrators and other teachers have complemented how well my classroom is run.  The kids have a blast in my room, but definitely understand my expectations.  I truly believe that continuous review plays a big role.  The kids take ownership of their behavior and work hard to set a good example.  Their amazing behavior is what leads to maximum learning potential.  I am in awe at each and every one of the kids and how far they've come in just a few short months.     

This week in writing, we transformed from second grade students into doctors and nurses.  First, the students dressed the part with masks and gloves.  They gathered tools such as a scalpel (scissors), stitches (tape), and bandages (Band-aids).  Each team assisted each other throughout the surgery.  They cut off the letters they didn't need for a contraction and stitched them back together with tape and a Band-aid (apostrophe).  I cannot wait to share pictures with you!  (Coming soon!)

We've been working hard on two-digit addition with regrouping.  We started out just adding two 2-digit numbers and we've worked our way all the way up to FOUR numbers!!  It's incredible watching these little people work so diligently to add all the numbers to find a very large sum.  Yesterday, we began 2-digit subtraction with regrouping.  We'll be working on these concepts for the remainder of January.

In social studies, we began one of my favorite topics...Martin Luther King, Jr.  It is heartbreaking, yet so powerful to teach these kids about this influential American and the history of our nation.  The looks on their faces, their innocent questions, their realizations of how different life was during this time...these children are filled with so much empathy and compassion and I truly believe these discussions bring us closer together as a class.  We'll continue learning about Martin and then lead into other famous African Americans such as Rosa Parks and Ruby Bridges.

I want to thank all of you so much for donating supplies to our classroom.  Our Expo dry erase markers, glue sticks, and hand sanitizer supply has been restocked and ready to get us through the next couple of months.  Thanks for your generosity!

Six Flags reading logs were sent home this week.  Please have your child record the books he/she is reading.  Their totals must equal six hours in order to receive a free ticket to Great America.  While this program is running, there is no need to have your child record books on the classroom reading log (on the back of the calendar). 

Here's a peek at what's to come next week:

• Monday - Happy Birthday Martin Luther King, Jr. (No School)  This is also our Family Fun Zone night.
• Tuesday - Healthy Health Class (gym shoes required)
• Thursday - Library Day

Reminder:  If you haven't returned your report card signature card and envelope, please do ASAP.  Thanks!  :)

The Weber Weekly

Welcome back!  Happy New Year!!  I hope all of you had a restful and warm winter break.  Mr. Weber spent most of his break out plowing snow, while Keaton and I stayed cooped up indoors.  We colored and painted, put together puzzles, read lots and lots of books, baked cookies, played trains and trucks, and squeezed in lots of snuggle time.  I am feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the next semester.  Third and fourth quarters are always my favorite because we cover a lot of fun topics in science and social studies.  We will also dive into a nonfiction literacy unit which will allow us to spend quality time researching in the Media Center.  Oh, and did I mention we will be starting cursive next week?!  Mrs. Watkins and I are also in the process of planning a couple of field trips for the spring.  I'm looking forward to an amazing second half of second grade!!

During this time of year, we start to run low on many classroom supplies.  If you would like to donate anything to replenish our supplies, we would greatly appreciate it!  Here's what we need:

• hand sanitizer
• Clorox disinfecting wipes
• glue sticks
• Ziploc baggies

Please check with your child as well to see if there are any desk supplies that he/she might need.

Our Lost & Found bin has been overflowing with hats, mittens, and scarves.  Please help out our classroom by labeling all of your child's winter accessories.  Also, please remind your child the importance of dressing appropriately and bundling up when going outside.

Our PTO is sponsoring a Family Fun Day on Monday, January 20th (MLK Day) from 4:30-8:30 at Family Fun Zone in Crest Hill.  There will be roller skating, laser tag, arcade games, prizes, food, and fun.  The best part is that a portion of everything sold goes back to our school.  This is a private party reserved for all Grand Prairie families and will not be open for the public.  Children must be supervised at all times and are not allowed to be dropped off at the event.

Our next PTO meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 14th at 6:00 pm.

The January book order is due back next Thursday, January 16th.

Yearbook order forms were sent home before break.  If you're interested in reserving a yearbook for your child, please send in your payment and order form at your earliest convenience.  If you need an additional form, please stop by the main office.        

Have a fun weekend!