The Weber Weekly

Busy, busy, busy!  We've been so busy lately and I have a lot of updates for you.  I hope you can bear with me for the duration of this post ;-)

We finished our fractions unit and have moved onto graphing.  The kids have learned how to collect data, create tables, and how to use bar and pictographs.  We'll continue working on graphing all next week.

In writing we're researching facts and collecting information for our first expository piece on penguins.  The children now have a clear understanding of the difference between facts and opinions which will be beneficial during their reports.  We also wrote and created another Snazzy Snack recipe this week - - Penguin Treats!  Thank you to the families of Michael, Ella, and McKenna for being our Snazzy Snack shoppers this month.  

In shared reading, we've been reading nonfiction texts and determining the main idea.  We're also focusing on the author's purpose (inform, entertain, and persuade) as well as the author's message.

I wanted to remind you of the reading log programs that are happening now.  Your child can work on the Million Minutes Challenge logs and/or the Great America reading logs.  The Million Minutes challenge runs from October 1st - May 1st.  Every month your child will bring home a log to record the amount of time he/she reads in a day.  At the end of the month, the forms are collected and the total number of reading minutes are recorded.  After just three months into the contest, here's our data:  Our school has read a total of 145,862 minutes and we have 854,138 minutes to go.  The grade level that's in the lead is SECOND!  As an overall school, Mrs. Palmer's class is in 1st place, Mrs. Cox's class is in 2nd place, and Mrs. Elmusa's class is in 3rd place.  The January logs will be due next week.  The Great America reading logs will be due on Monday, February 11th.  Your child needs to read a total of 360 minutes in order to receive a free ticket.  Please remember that I will no loger send home reading logs on the back of the homework calendar; instead your child should be working on either the Million Minutes or Great America log.

Since returning from break, we've been taking every precaution to avoid the terrible flu bug that has been going around.  We talk daily about the importance of washing hands, covering our coughs and sneezes, using Kleenex, and keeping our fingers out of our noses.  We've also been going through a lot of hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes.  THANK YOU to all of you that donated these supplies to our classroom recently.  In addition to all of these precautionary measures, we need your help at home.  Please, please, please monitor your child's health closely.  If your child has a fever or flu-like symptons, DO NOT send him/her to school.  Your child needs to be fever-free for at least 24 hours before returning to school.

Our breakfast program is in full swing now.  If your child is interested, he/she can purchase a breakfast upon arrival to school for just $1.50.  Your child will have time to eat the breakfast in our classroom.

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

Earlier in the week, your child took home a PTO Awards letter.  If you know of a deserving teacher, staff member, or PTO member, please write a short, one to two paragraphs explaining why he/she should win an award.  You can also pick up a nomination letter in the office.  Please return your writing in a sealed envelope labeled "PTO Awards".  

Mrs. Boggs is hosting Fine Arts Night on Tuesday, January 29th from 5:30-7:00 pm.  The children will have art projects on display and they will also be allowed to show you around our classroom. The 5th graders are providing entertainment by putting on a Talent Show at 6:00 pm.

Grand Prairie is hosting a food drive for Creekside Cares the week of February 4th - 8th.  The Creekside Cares program helps feed 160+ families in District 202 by providing a backpack full of food.  Please send any non-perishable foods that you're willing to donate.

The GP Student Council is hosting a "Re-Use a Shoe Drive".  If you have any shoes you'd like to donate, they can be dropped off in the bin in front of the school office.

I recently sent a class list and directions for Valentine's Day cards.  If your child is going to pass out Valentines, he/she needs to have a card for everyone in the class.  In addition to the cards, your child also need to create a container to hold all of the Valentines.  We will be celebrating on Thursday, February 14th.  Please do not send the cards or containers before then.

Thank you to Mrs. Besich for being our Mystery Reader this week!  We still have several dates available; click the tab at the top of this page to see our schedule for the year. 

I will be out of the building on Monday and Tuesday for Common Core.  I will still have access to email, so feel free to contact me, if needed.

Finally, I'm leaving you with pictures of my little birthday boy.  I can't believe he's a year old already!!  

  

The Weber Weekly

Grand Prairie is celebrating Red Ribbon Week!  Here are the daily themes:

Monday: "Healthy living is no sweat" - wear sweats or workout clothes

Tuesday: "Follow your dreams" - wear pajamas and slippers

Wednesday: "Color your world healthy" - wear bright colors or tie-dye

Thursday: "Team up for a healthy lifestyle" - wear sports apparel

Friday: "Live heart-healthy" - wear red

 Wednesday we will be having our Fall Festival!   Children will not be allowed to wear the costumes, makeup, or hair color to school that day.  Instead, we will be getting ready shortly before the parade in the afternoon.  Please make sure your child's costume is appropriate for school; i.e. no blood, weapons, or violent themes.  Your child needs to be able to get into costume on his/her own since there will not be anyone to assist with costume changes.  I encourage you to save the face paint and makeup for after school.  We welcome all families to attend the parade outside the school at 2:00. 

In math we are expanding our number sense knowledge by exploring numbers up to the ten-thousands place.  We will be comparing and ordering numbers as well as learning how to round and estimate.  If everything goes as planned, we will be taking our first math outcome assessment next Wednesday.  Your child's math homework next Monday will be a review of everything on the test.

Today we began writing our Snazzy Snack recipe for Cheesy Spider Webs.  We will finish the writing piece tomorrow and then move into the editing and publishing stages of our Class News Story.  Later in the week, we will be learning how to write a letter to an author.  The kids will include connections, feelings, and questions in their letters.

Today we began a new book in shared reading, The Ox-Cart Man.  The children will be learning how to activate their background knowledge and how that can be helpful when reading.

We began a science unit on Matter.  The children will be reading their textbook and completing hands-on experiments to learn all about solids, liquids, and gases.

Here are a few other things happening this week:
November 1st - Market Day Pie Fundraiser ends
November 1st - October reading log/homework calender is due
November 3rd - Electronic Recycling Drive (10:00-1:00)

Remember that we have an Institute Day next Tuesday, November 6th.  Parent-teacher conferences are also happening next week.  Please let me know if you need a reminder of your scheduled conference time.  

 
     
 
 

The Weber Weekly

OH MY, we have a BUSY week ahead of us!!  Today we kicked off our Community Worker visits by welcoming Officer Burgess into our classroom.  Mr. Burgess was fully dressed in his police uniform and ready to answer questions from the curious minds of our classroom.  He explained the importance of following the law and staying safe.  He even showed us some of the tools he needs for his job, such as his flashlight, badge, and handcuffs.  Thanks for visiting our classroom, Mr. Burgess!  We will have several other guest speakers from the community this week including the Mayor, a firefighter, and a nurse.  I can't wait to post pictures of all of our visitors.

In math this week we will learn how to write numbers up to 99.  We will also learn how to compare two-digit numbers using models and symbols.  Don't forget to encourage your child to practice his/her math facts.  Every Friday we will have our Minute Math test, which is a timed 1:20 for 40 addition problems and a 1:20 for 40 subtraction problems. 

Our wonderful writers have been so busy drafting, editing, and revising descriptive paragraphs.  Mrs. Starkman invited us into the Media Center to publish the paragraphs using Microsoft Word.  The kids began typing their paragraph today and will continue to publish on the computer all week.

We began a new nonfiction big book today, Tell Me a Story, Grandpa.  The kids will be learning about and then applying skills to help them decode unfamiliar words in this text.  These strategies will be useful when kids come to tricky words during independent reading. 

Other things happening this week:

Tuesday 

• Zoo Day - Your child can bring his/her favorite stuffed animal.  Please make sure the stuffed buddy is small enough to fit on top of a desk and that it doesn't make any noise.
• Mystery Reader Day 
• Mayor Collins and a firefighter (Mr. Kraft) will be visiting for Community Workers Week.
• PTO Meeting - 6:00 PM in the Media Center

Wednesday

• Picture Day - If you would like to order pictures, payment and order form must be sent to school. 
• Naglieri Testing for 2nd Grade
• A nurse (Mrs. Erhardt) will be visiting for Community Workers Week.  

Thursday

• Grand Prairie Spirit Day - PJ Day!  Your child can bring slippers to wear in the classroom, but please make sure he/she wears gym shoes to school.
• Fire Station Field Trip - Don't forget that this is a walking field trip.  Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately and has comfortable walking shoes.  
• Market Day orders are due

Friday

• International Walk/Bike to School Day 
• Taffy Apple order forms due 

In other news, I would like to congratulate Colin and Ashlee for being named our "Pillar of the Month" and "Student of the Month" for September.  Congratulations; keep up the great work!!  

Finally, I would like to thank all of you for thinking of me on my birthday.  You sure made my day extra special!  I was amazed with all the cute home-made cards, gifts, and well wishes.  Thank you!!  I couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather this weekend either.  Mr. Weber and I took our little guy to Honey Hill Orchard to pick apples and pumpkins and to see the animals in the petting zoo.  It was a perfect day!   

The Weber Weekly

The Weber Weekly

Busy, busy, busy!!  We are so busy in second grade trying to accomplish many more goals before the end of the school year.  The children have been working really hard and I'm very proud of their efforts.  I would like to point out that fourth quarter midterms will be coming home this Friday.  Please be on the lookout in your child's take-home folder.  The midterm will need to be reviewed and then signed by Monday, April 23rd. 

Grand Prairie is hosting a Poetry Night on Thursday, May 10th.  The event will take place from 5-7 pm at the Joliet Public Library (Black Road Branch).  Be watching for more information. 

 

Has your child been reading books for the Slammers Book Contest?  Don't forget that one book equals one base and the goal is to get "home".  Your child will need to read four "just-right" books in order to earn a ticket to the baseball game.

 

Our BIG end-of-the-year sight word test is sneaking up on us.  Your child will need to read, spell, and write all of the second grade sight words by the end of fourth quarter.  I will be sending home a list of all the words this week.  Encourage your child to practice, practice, practice!

 

Second grade will be starting an ABC Countdown this Friday.  Can you believe there will only be 26 days of school left?!  Each letter in the alphabet will represent something we'll do here in the classroom.  We'll start with Z (Zebra Day) on April 20th and end with A (Autograph Day) on the last day of school.  Be watching for the calendar in your child's folder this week.    

 

School Supply forms for next year are due back this Friday, April 20th. 

Our field trip to Pilcher Park is happening May 1st.  Thank you to the 14 family members who volunteered to chaperone; unfortunately I can only take two of you.  We randomly picked names out of a bucket on Friday and if you were chosen you should have received an email from me. 

 

One of your child's fellow classmates has a dad that needs your help.  Please check out the following link:   http://www.giveforward.com/justinabrahammedicalfund 

 

Grand Prairie will be celebrating Earth Week April 23rd through the 27th.  Be watching for more information.  

On Thursday, April 26th, Dr. Fran Walfish will be speaking at PEHS from 6:30 - 8:30 pm.  The topic of the presentation is The Self Aware Parent: Resolving Conflict and Building a Better Bond with Your Child.  This presentation is aimed at helping parents cope with the challenges of raising children in modern society.  Specific takeaways from this event include: learning how to set boundaries, establishing sound disciplinary structure, problem-solving strategies, gaining control over children of varying academic levels in one household, opening the lines of communication with children, and knowing when behavioral symptoms warrant therapeutic intervention.  

With the warm weather upon us, I would like to remind all of you of Grand Prairie's dress code.  Shorts and skirts must be such a length that when you stand with your arms at your side, the fingertips touch the bottom hem.  Off the shoulder, backless, strapless, or shirts with thin "spaghetti" straps (at least two finger widths wide) will not be allowed unless a shirt is worn over them.  Shirts must also cover the stomach. 

The Weber Weekly

I hope you all had a very enjoyable spring break!  To get back into the swing of things and ensure a successful remainder of the school year, we are reviewing rules and routines this week.  I want all of my students to be prepared for third grade, not only academically, but behaviorally as well.  The expectations have been set and the children are working hard to stay on green for the next 34 days.  I introduced the class to a new "yellow" policy today and I want to explain it to all of you as well.  It's simple:  if a child has a yellow (or orange or red) day, he/she will be filling out a form indicating the reason for the yellow and the actions that can be changed for the future.  I will read over what your child has written and we will both sign it.  Then your son/daughter will bring the form home for you to look over and sign as well.  It's very important that you discuss the behavior with your child, sign the form, and return it back to school.  If your child forgets the paper, he/she will be missing recess the following school day.  My hope is that this new policy will help everyone stay on track for the last two months of second grade. 

We are starting a new math unit this week:  MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!  We will be counting coins, showing different ways to make the same amount, estimating prices, and adding totals/making change.  You can help your son/daughter prepare for this unit by counting coins in a piggy bank, paying for things at the store, or having him/her add up things from the weekly grocery ads. 

Our shared reading focus this week is character traits and character development over time.  We will be exploring the main character in a famous Jack Ezra Keats book, A Letter to Amy.  We're also starting a new chapter book this week for read aloud, The Mouse and the Motorcycle. 

In writing we've been looking at various authors that have written persuasive texts and the similarities between them.  The children will be drafting another persuasive essay this week. 

Over the next several weeks, we will be researching different animal habitats in science.  The children will explore the arctic, desert, alpine tundra, ocean, grassland, and rainforest. 

I'm sure you've heard by now that we won our tenth ribbon for our whole-class behavior.  The children voted once again for a PJ and Stuffed Buddy Day.  On Wednesday, April 11th, the kids can wear their jammies and bring one small, stuffed buddy to school.  Please make sure the stuffed animal is small enough to fit on top of a desk and that it doesn't make any noise.  The children are so excited and looking forward to Wednesday.  I'm very proud of all of them!

On Thursday we will be having another School Spirit Day - - Go Green!  (Dress in green clothes.)

Your child recently brought home information for the Joliet Slammers reading program.  He/she has the opportunity to earn a ticket to a baseball game simply by reading four "just-right" books.  Each base equals one book and your child needs to reach home plate.  The books your child needs to read should be just right for him/her, so for some kids that means four chapter books. 

Tomorrow night, April 10th, there is a PTO meeting at 6:00 in the Media Center. 

I will be out of the building tomorrow for district training with the rest of the second grade team.  If you need to get in touch with me, I will be checking email periodically and returning phone calls Wednesday.  Please encourage your child to have a GREEN DAY tomorrow by showing respect to our substitute. 

And now I leave you with pictures of my Easter Bunny...

The Weber Weekly

We had such a fun week back after break!  The kids were so cute in their PJ's Thursday.  Thanks to everyone for participating in this school-wide Spirit Day.

We have been busily writing letters to the soldiers this week.  The kids reviewed all the steps of a friendly letter, brainstormed ideas, and then drafted a letter.  After editing, they wrote a final copy on fancy stationary in their best second grade handwriting.  We're going to send the letters to the troops overseas for the holidays.  Some of their ideas included things such as, "You're very brave for fighting for our country.";  "I wish you could come home for Christmas.  I'm sorry you won't be able to see your family."; and "Thank you for protecting our freedom."  They really poured their hearts out into these letters and I know the troops will be happy to read them.  I have such a caring group of second graders this year!  :)

 
We started a Geometry unit in math this week.  The kids are becoming experts at plane shapes and solid figures.  They're really expanding their math vocabulary with words such as face, edge, and vertex.  We'll continue geometry next week as well.

Our shared reading focus for the week was story elements.  We read a big book called His Majesty the King and identified the different parts of the book including main characters, setting, and plot.  The kids then learned how to use a graphic organizer as an aid to create a summary of the book.

We had a blast in science this week!  We began by reading a Dr. Seuess book called Bartholomew and the Oobleck.  In the book, a gooey green substance called Oobleck fell from the sky and wrecked havoc in the kingdom.  The kids had to make predictions about the Oobleck by using their five senses.  They were shocked to learn during the experiment that Oobleck has characteristics of both solids and liquids - - it acts like a liquid when being poured, but like a solid when a force is acting on it.  You can grab it and then suddenly it will ooze right out of your hands!!  Check out our pictures from the experiment:

We concluded our science unit by making a delicious experiment that shows all three states of matter - - Root Beer Floats!  Here are some more pictures: 

Thanks again for donating items to make these experiments a success!!

We have a lot of upcoming events at Grand Prairie that I'd like to highlight:

December 6th - - PTO Meeting at 6 pm in the Media Center

December 8th - - Market Day pick-up at 4:45 in the gym

December 8th - - Scholastic Book Order due (GREAT holiday gift idea!)

December 12th - - Holiday Gift Shop (Be on the lookout for more information)

December 22nd - - Winter Parties 

Mitten Tree:  In the "Spirit of the Season", 5th Grade Student Council needs your help to continue to give to those less fortunate.  December 1st – 15th you can donate new or gently used mittens, gloves, hats, and scarves for the “Mitten Tree”.  We will display the donations on our mitten tree, along with your child’s name and class.  (Please be sure to include the student’s name with your donation.)  Student Council will also be collecting new and gently used boots and coats.  These items will be donated to Grand Prairie families in need.  If we have any surplus items, they will be donated to a local shelter.  Give from your heart and help keep our Grand Prairie community and beyond warm this season!!

Food Drive:  Student Council will continue to collect non-perishable food until December 20th.  All food will be distributed to Grand Prairie families this holiday season.  

Is your family in need of help this holiday season?  It's the time of year for holiday giving!  Grand Prairie will be able to assist families who might be less fortunate during this year’s holiday season.  If you are in need of specific items such as winter coats, clothes, or boots for your children or would appreciate food for your holiday table, please contact our school social worker, Bianca Dassinger at 815-436-7000 ext. 208 or email at bdassing@psd202.org.  You may also write her a note and leave it at the front office.  You can be assured that all names will be kept confidential.  Please be aware that we might not be able to fulfill everyone’s wishes, but we will try our best to put something under the tree for each request.

The Weber Weekly

I can't thank all of you enough for all of the donations lately!  From Snazzy Snacks, to the science experiments, and the apple tree, your generosity has been amazing!!  I am so lucky to have wonderful, caring, and supportive families this year.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Due to our day off on Tuesday, we were VERY busy this week!  The kids have been working really hard on their most recent writing project, which is a realistic short story.  They've used graphic organizers to develop their main character and to map out their story plan.  They're drafting their stories now and will be publishing them next week.  Be watching your child's folder to see his/her latest writing piece. 

Our math concepts are getting very challenging and the children are doing a great job keeping up.  We're still working on place value as well as name collection boxes, rounding, and estimating.  We'll finish this unit next week with our outcome assessment.  In the meantime, we're still working on the memorization of basic facts.  I hope your child has been practicing his/her facts at home.

Science has still been a favorite subject this week.  The kids have been learning about the ways that matter can change, such as freezing and melting.  We're going to continue our science unit next week with the Water Cycle. 
The children continued to explore how using what they know helps them as readers.  They learned that good readers use clues in the text to help them figure out what the author doesn't tell them directly; this strategy is called making inferences.  Making inferences means using text clues, plus what the children know, to make a guess about characters, ideas, or story events.  The children were given several opportunities to make inferences in our shared reading story, Dear Juno. 

Please take note of these upcoming Grand Prairie events:

• Monday, November 14th - - Lights for Learning order forms are due
• Tuesday, November 15th - - Rain Forest Family Night at 6:30 p.m. in the gym
• Wednesday, November 16th - - Picture retake day
• Friday, November 18th - - 2nd quarter midterms go home

Happy Veteran's Day!!

 
  

The Weber Weekly

This school year is flying by; I can't believe it's almost November!

Our week was packed full of fun and interesting activities.  Here are the highlights:

A big congratulations goes out to Joshua Stratton for being selected as our "Student of the Month" as well as Andrew Fedmasu for being selected as our "Pillar of the Month".  Keep up the great work, boys!  

The kids are LOVING science!  It's so fun to see their excitement for each new experiment we do in the classroom.  They know all about mixtures and solutions now.  We performed experiments working with oil and water, salt water, lemonade, and Jell-o.  Make sure to ask your second grader about the soup factory separating activity!  Next week we will begin to explore solids, liquids, and gases with a lot more experiments. 

We read Cinderella and worked on creating summaries of the story for writing.  Be on the lookout for your child’s writing piece later in the week.  They blew me away with their quality summaries and illustrations; we may just have some future authors or illustrators in our classroom!

Math has been all about place value, ordering numbers, and greater than/less than.  We played place value BINGO for prizes earlier in the week.  Friday we had a little fun with a mystery monster grid.  Students followed the mysterious Battleship-like directions to reveal Frankenstein on graph paper.

We've been reading Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle for two weeks now.  The children wrote about their favorite part so far and it seems like the majority of the class agrees:  they LOVE the sassy, rude parrot that Mary is dealing with right now!  Ask your child to tell you about it. 

The Monster Bash was a huge success last night.  Thank you to everyone that was able to come out for some spooky fun!  Miss Hampton enjoyed seeing so many of the second graders there.  She was amazed by the packed dance floor filled with kids showing off their moves!

Don't forget Monday is our special PJ and Stuffed Buddy Day.  The children have definitely earned the celebration with their spectacular behavior and hard work.  We can’t wait to dress comfy and meet all the new stuffed friends that will be joining our class!  

Be sure to take note of these upcoming events:

November 1st - PTO Meeting in the Media Center at 6:00 PM

November 3rd - School "Rainbow" Spirit Day (Second graders wear YELLOW)

November 10th - Market Day pick-up at 4:45 in the gym

I'd like to give a special thanks to several family members:

Thank you to Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Lewis, Mrs. Korwin, Mr. England, Mrs. Koss, and Mrs. Saavedra for planning and running our Fall Celebration.  It was so nice to be able to sit back and watch the kids enjoy themselves at the party.  We can tell you put a lot of time into organizing the afternoon and we applaud your efforts.  Thank you!!

Thank you to Mrs. Fedmasu for being our Mystery Reader this week.  She read one of her favorite Disney stories, Atlantis.  The kids really enjoy having family members visit our classroom to share their love for reading.  If you'd like to sign up, check the Mystery Reader schedule below to see what date works for you.

BIG thanks to everyone that donated items from our "Giving Tree".  Your donations of baggies, plastic silverware, disinfecting wipes, construction paper, and candy will really make a difference in our classroom.  I am so thankful to have such wonderful, supportive families this year.

Thanks to our "Snazzy Snack" shoppers for the month of October.  We are really grateful for the families of Luke Deal, Andrew Fedmasu, and Raymond England.  These three boys are bringing in all the supplies and ingredients that we'll need for our "Cheesy Spider Webs" that we're making on Monday.  

The Weber Weekly

We had an AWESOME week in second grade!  The kids earned their 10th ribbon for whole-class behavior and we celebrated with a Dance Party!!  We had a great time doing the Cha Cha Slide, Hokey Pokey, and YMCA.  I hope your child had as much fun as I did.  :)  I'm so proud of this class!  I can't stop bragging to my husband (also a teacher) about how wonderful my class is this year.  We have a great group of second graders!

Here's a recap of what the kiddos learned this week:

• The kids have been working really hard on their math facts.  I can't believe the improvements I've seen in such a short amount of time.  They have been practicing their facts every day and have most of the addition facts memorized.  It's pretty amazing what they can do now.  
• The children started brainstorming ideas for a personal narrative this week.  They're choosing an event that has happened in their life and they are going to write about it using several details.  One of their details must include a simile.  They had a lot of fun learning about similes and writing simile poems. 
• We learned about a new genre in reading this week called Historical Fiction.  This type of text has characters and events that could have happened in the past.  This was confusing for some children because it's very similar to Realistic Fiction; the only difference being the time period in which the story could occur.      

 Please take note of the upcoming events:

• October 4th - PTO Meeting in the Media Center at 6:00 pm
• October 5th - Picture Day
• October 13th - Market Day pick-up at 4:45 in the gym

In other news...

• Conference time is quickly approaching.  Be watching your child's folder next week for important fall conference information.
• Some of the children have been very forgetful with their Book Buddies.  Please remind your child to be extra responsible with the books and the bags.  All Book Buddies need to be returned to school every Thursday with all the books inside.  I really want to continue this program throughout the school year and that will only be possible with your support. 
• Big thanks to the families of Raegan and Gabe for being our "Snazzy Snack" shoppers for the month of September.  Next week your child will be creating their first recipe, Apple Smiles.  This will surely be a memorable experience!
• Mystery Readers will be starting in two weeks.  We still have some available dates if you'd like to sign up.
• I'd like to thank all of the parent volunteers that started this week.  The kids really enjoy seeing their family members in the classroom and I really appreciate all the extra help.  Thank you!
• We are in need of a few extra supplies in our classroom.  If you can help out with any of the following, the kids and I would sure appreciate it.  The items include:  Clorox disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, Ziploc baggies (all sizes), and colored cardstock paper.  Thanks for thinking of us during your shopping trips.  :)  
• As always, my door is always open.  If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please feel free to contact me.  The easiest way to reach me is via email at jweber@psd202.org.  You could also call the school or send me a note in your child's yellow folder.  
• Have a happy weekend! 

The Weber Weekly

Anytime there's a post titled "The Weber Weekly", you can expect to find a recap of our week as well as a list of upcoming events.  Here's what was happening this week:

• In math we continued working on addition and subtraction strategies.  The children learned how addition and subtraction can be related, also known as "fact families".  Please look in your child's folder each evening for graded homework and Quick Checks to see how he/she is doing in math. 
• Have you heard about "IPICK" or the "Five Finger Rule"?  These are strategies that the children must use every time they are choosing new books.  Using these strategies will enable children to read books that are "just right" as well as books that are interesting and serve their purpose for reading. 
• In writing we worked really hard on cinquain poems.  The children were so excited to share their poems with their classmates.  They have become experts on cinquains!
• During social studies, the class exlopred different types of maps.  They learned all about map keys, a compass rose, and maps created from an aerial view.  We are also learning about different types of communitites, focusing specifically on cities.

Here are some upcoming events:

• We do not have school on Labor Day which is this Monday, September 5th. 
• There is a PTO Meeting on Tuesday, September 6th at 6:00 pm in the Media Center.
• Thursday, September 8th, is the due date of our first book order.  Remember you can go online to www.scholastic.com/bookclubs   On the parent page, click the "Don't have a User Name and Password?" link, then register for your own username and password.  When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code, which is GQGGP.  This code ensures that your order is sent to me.
• The Grand Prairie Ice Cream Social is next Friday from 5:30-7:30 pm.
• On Friday, September 9th, our school will be recognizing Patriot's Day.  Please encourage your child to dress in red, white, and blue. 

Here a few important reminders:

• Please make sure you're dressing your child appropriately for school.  Shorts must be long enough so that they go past the fingertips when arms are held at sides.  Tank top straps must be at least two fingers wide.  Remember you can also send a sweatshirt with your child since our classroom is rather chilly.
• Don't forget we have snack time every afternoon in second grade. 
• Book Buddies come home every Monday (or Tuesday if we don't have school on Monday) and they must be returned again on Thursday.  If your child does not return his/her Book Buddy, they can no longer participate in the program. 
• If your child is celebrating his/her birthday in school, please do not send edible treats.  Instead, I encourage you to wrap a gift that your child can open and then donate to the classroom, such as an indoor recess game or books for our classroom library.

What a week!

We've been really busy here in second grade!  Here are a few of the highlights from the week: 

• The children learned all about cinquain poetry in writing.  Ask your son/daughter to describe the pattern  (1-2-3-4-1) for cinquains.  We will be continuing this format again next week.  The class also learned a really fun song and dance to help remember verbs.  Have you seen the Verb Dance yet?!
• We've been working really hard on addition and subtraction this week.  Please help your child remember to complete the nightly homework sheet.  The homework is always a review of what we did in class that day, so you really shouldn't need to provide much support.  
• We've had a jam-packed literacy block this week!  The kids have been working really hard on building their stamina during independent reading.  Right now we are modeling-modeling-modeling!  It's important to set high expectations and get all the routines in place so that we have a successful reading block for the remainder of the year.  I'm really excited about all the growth I know they're going to make as readers in second grade!
• Our social studies unit is all about communities.  We have been discussing the difference between needs and wants and resources within the community that help people meet their basic needs.  Next week we will explore the different communities in depth so that children have an understanding of cities, suburbs, and rural life.

I would like to thank everyone for coming out to Curriculum Night on Tuesday.  It was so great to meet everyone and talk about the upcoming year.  I know I covered a LOT of information in a very short amount of time, so if you still have questions about anything, please contact me.  I would also like to thank the families of Luke S. and Carter P. for donating supplies to our second grade pantry.  I really appreciate your generosity!

Finally, I'd like to remind you of a few very important tidbits:

• I need all papers from the left side of your Curriculum Night folder signed and returned as soon as possible.  These include:  class directory, behavior policy, Snazzy Snack permission, parent letter, Book Buddies permission, and Blog permission.  As soon as I have all the responses, I will be sending out more information.  
• Please remember to send in one healthy snack with your child each day.  The afternoons tend to be very long for a child with an empty tummy.  You may also send in a bottle of water, but no juices please.  
• Did your child have a green day today?  Did they have an entire green week?  I'm very proud of the awesome classroom behavior!  Remember that if your child has any color other than green that you must initial inside the box indicating that you are aware of their day.
• A yellow order form for Highlights Magazine was sent home earlier in the week.  Please check either yes or no and return it back to school by Monday.  
• The first Scholastic book order will be coming home next week; be watching your child's folder for more information.  
• Our Book Buddies program (for the children with signed permission slips), will be starting on Monday.  I explained the system to the class today and they are super excited to get started.  Remember to keep the books in a safe place so that they do not get damaged and return all SEVEN of them inside the bag on Thursday.  With your support, we can make this a very successful program.   

I appreciate all the notes, phone calls, and emails that I've received thus far.  With your continued support we can ensure the best possible experience for your second grader.  I'm really looking forward to this school year; we have such a terrific class!!  If you need to get in touch with me over the weekend, feel free to email at jweber@psd202.org.  Have a nice weekend!