November 27 in Room 11

• It is Saturday morning in Room 11 and I am here alone making lesson plans, thinking of the best ways to get kids involved in learning. One of those is by playing games on the computer.
• Below I have added a site which is used in school and which you can use at home for many kinds of skills practice. It is used at school primarily for math practice and friendly competition.
• http://www.aaaknow.com/grade2.htm
• You can get the jump on other second graders by playing some the speed games at home and using the timer.

November 25 in Room 11

• This was a catch-up-get-a-lot-done-day! Students finished their Thanksgiving packets, wrapped up their Thanksgiving feast stories and made the last of their folding Thanksgiving cards.
• Mrs. Nelson practiced music for the Christmas program. Everyone received a pink paper printed with the words to the longest songs. They should be working on memorizing these words every waking moment. (When they are not studying or eating.)
• The class went to the Scholastic interactive web-site on the SMARTboard. They learned about the parts of old sailing ships like the Mayflower, and the Pilgrims' journey crossing the Atlantic. They also peeked into everyday life for the Pilgrims and Native Americans of that time, discovering some of the foods these folks really had on that first Thanksgiving...not turkey!
• Students took a STAR reading test in the computer lab. Many children have really made progress!
• The class earned a reward last week and were paid today with the cartoon Bugs Bunny Thanksgiving.
• We have some terrific artists in Room 11. The kids drew and colored a character from James and the Giant Peach. These pictures bring smiles to the teachers' faces.
• When students finished a math paper, they lined up to participate in a SMARTboard interactive game. Many students were having so much fun they did not want to go out to recess.
• More of these interactive internet games to come as teachers learn more about the most appropriate and fun games out there!

November 24 in Room 11

• Students began working on Thanksgiving packets as part of their bellwork.
• The class played dodge ball in P.E. They are getting better and better!
• There was no Walk-to-Read today. Instead, the class worked in teams to read and find facts in a little book called Voyage of the Mayflower. Students highlighted important information in the book before they wrote answers on their papers. Then they colored their books.
• Mrs. Craig set up a math matching game on the Smart Board. First the class played, then individuals dueled as classmates worked on math addition fact papers.
• We wrote key facts about our Thanksgiving feast in boxes. Later we may use these notes to write a paper about our feast.
• The biggest excitement of the day was cleaning out desks. Crayons found! Missing papers discovered! Long-lost pencils unearthed!

November 21 in Room 11

• Swimmers each received a certificate of accomplishment after class.
• Students wrote about their favorite part of swimming.
• Garrett's favorite was Dolphin Swim. Zoe liked jumping in at free time best.
• Ryan wrote, "I like swimming in the deep end. I like using flippers. I like doing the Rocket Ship. I love free time."
• Riley said, "I like swimming because I get to dive. I like my swimming teacher the way she is. I like to have fun with my friends."
• There was a spelling test today but because of the very short week next week, there will not be a test so no words went home.
• Students were reminded about good manners, polite listening and quiet behaviour at a meal. They thought about being thankful for the food and their friends.
• All second graders gathered in the gym for a delicious Thanksgiving feast. The servers heard many compliments and thank-yous.

November 20 in Room 11

• Second graders started the morning off by practicing long and short vowel sounds.
• Sadly, tomorrow is the last day our class gets to swimming for P.E. Whaaaaaaa!
• James and the Giant Peach: Oh, no! Shark attack! What will they do? What happens next?!?!
• The Thanksgiving feast is almost upon us. Students in Mrs. Lojkovic's class actually cut up their own veggies and will be doing some cooking themselves! Our class brought vegetables, made place mats and hats, discussed the Thanksgiving story and wrote down things we are thankful for, both at home and in our classroom. We'll be talking about some of these things during our celebration.
• Students in Room 11 took apart computers today. Under the direction of Suzy Callery, the class was divided into teams, given how-to instructions, then turned loose on old computers the school district has been using for teaching tech classes.
• During this session, Mrs. Callery explained that computers have a tiny hole in the side through which a computer can be opened for emergency repair in case of power outage. One boy talked to his mother about computers all the way home from school, explained about the tiny hole a paper clip can be inserted into, and wanted to take the family computer apart now that he know how to do it. She said no.

November 19 in Room 11

• The placemats for our feast are colored and complete.
• The most difficult skill at the swimming pool is learning how to walk on the pool deck and in the dressing room.
• Our spelling pre-test produced ten gum chewers today! Wow! Spencer, Logan, Zoe, Devin, John, Jonathan, Ryan, Meagan, Dylan and Jacob. It's the largest number we've ever had.
• Before school started today, a big truck drove over our playground and dumped a load of new cedar chips under the play equipment. This brought about loud cheers and rambunciousness, setting the tone for the morning. Now the playground smells like the deep woods.
• Trinity's puppy visited before school today.
• Babe played with The kids at recess today. She wants all the second graders to move to her house and live in her kennel with her.
• We are still working on grouping tens and ones during math class. Today our papers were colored according to which numbers were in the tens place and which numbers were in the ones place. If the bouquet of flowers looked odd, students usually checked their work. It was a good method for self correction.
• Students will be attending the feast on Friday as Native Americans or Pilgrims, so we spent some time this afternoon crafting appropriate headgear. While we worked, we practices songs for the Christmas concert.

November 18 in Room 11

• Still swimming... Oops! Some people forgot their suits today.
• During a math review, students used their own whiteboards to explore place value. Some of the students took turns being the teacher by writing their own clues for the class.
• During bellwork time, everyone practiced spelling.
• Mr. Dunn directed a play in which all students participated. Some thesbians played rocks, others were mountains, still others were water and sand. It was a good demonstration of how rocks break down into tiny bits of sand and end up at the beach.
• We tried another Senteo activity today. First, students partner-read the Weekly Reader, next, they answered questions on the SmartBoard about what they read by using remote "clickers." After that, they checked their answers and compared their results with the rest of the class.
• We are preparing for two celebrations--our second-grade Thanksgiving feast on Friday, and the Winter concert in December.

November 17 in Room 11

• Preparations for Friday's feast are in full swing. Today's project was creating placemats.
• Swimming continues to be exciting. A reminder to bring a plastic bag for wet suits.
• Mrs. Craig reviewed place value in math.
• We had a math test this afternoon.
• At our feast we will have 14 Native Americans, 3 boy pilgrims and 5 girl pilgrims attending. We'll need to work on out headgear.
• Each child received a class list this afternoon and was asked to write in what they were thankful for about at least five students in the class. Some children wrote something about everybody.
• Because we wrote about what we were thankful for in our friends, Mrs. Stebbins read Frog and Toad are Friends aloud. She used the document camera so that all the students could see the pictures.
• The "bin project," an activity box created for those who have finished their work, held supplies for making a very popular pop-up turkey card, colored with markers.

November 14 in Room 11

• Meagan is a gum-chewer this week, too! I forgot to put her name in yesterday. My apologies. I'm glad you're reading this blog, Honey.
• Children brought home notes about a feast the second graders will be preparing themselves. To be held on Friday, November 21, this special meal will be shared by all the second graders.
• Our students are getting to be real little fish in swimming class. The teachers appreciate the pleasant fatigue students return with to school.
• The family project turkeys have been returned to school with a myrial of different materials. They are beautiful. Come see them in the second grade hall!
• The children read and attempted to follow directions on how to construct a paper turkey this afternoon. If they were successful, a turkey went home on the bus this afternoon.
• In math, students did most of a paper on estimating with the teacher, but finished it by themselves. Next, they teamed up to work out a ten's and one's place activity, using counting rods and cubes.
• Our Thanksgiving descriptive writing project produced some really heartwarming pieces. What fun to step inside the sensitive brains of second graders as they tell and write about what things make an impression on them. (Enlightening, too!...)

November 13 in Room 11

• Swimming is going well. At least one person has moved up a group.
• The class continues to listen to James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. Because the insects in this book have very distinct personalities, each one reacts to James and their predicament in a different way.
• As the students write about Thanksgiving during the Writers' Workshop, they think of more and more ideas. Details you would not imagine bubble up from their memories, creating delightful papers.
• We worked more on our satellites during art.
• Library today!

November 12 in Room 11

• Swimming went well today. Everyone remembered their suits!
• We already have three gum-chewers in spelling. (congratulations to Zoe, Riley and Jonathan!)
• Our Thanksgiving remembrances in writing class are moving right along.
• Because of some difficulty in our scheduling, Mrs. Nelson, our music teacher, has asked us to practice some of our Christmas music on our own. We are singing Christmas songs in the bus on the way to swimming. If you can have your child sing his/her songs for you at home, that would be appreciated.
• Students made "sand" out of Jolly Ranchers by shaking the candy in jars to simulate wave action on rocks. This was not a quiet activity.
• To record this experiment, the children are drew pictures of rocks and sand, Jolly Ranchers and sugar.
• Place value continues to be a bug-a-boo for many students. During math, second-graders continue to work on the the meaning of "ten's place" and "one's place."

November 10 in Room 11

• The kids in Room 11 are attending swimming lessons at the North Bend Municipal Pool this week and next.
• Spencer can do a flip off the diving board!
• Most students have finished their Thanksgiving flip books.
• For our writing project this week, second graders are asked to write Thanksgiving sense words: tastes, smells, sounds, sights, and feelings, both in their hearts (emotions) and to the touch (physical). I was astoundeded to learn that the second graders in this class have turkey, but the food has no smell or taste, that crowds of cousins come to visit but do not make any sounds and nobody's grandmother wears perfume, sings or hugs... I think somebody needs some reminding.
• Using counters in math helped students understand concepts of grouping in tens and ones.
• As part of our school Veteran's Day celebration, the high school jazz band and choir joined otur students at Hillcrest in paying tribute to our veterans. They sang and played patriotic and moving music to honor those who fought to preserve the freedom we enjoy in our great country.
• The veterans attending lent a real sense of purpose and pride to the afternoon's activities.

November 7 in Room 11

• Swimming sessions for Mrs. Craig and Mrs. Stebbins room begin Monday. Remember to bring a swimming suit.
• In math we are sorting on grouping tens an "leftoverones." Its a tough concept for second graders.
• Many students were monitored for their reading progress today. Its fun to see actual data on improvement.
• Hill Bills are out! Lots of students earned Hill Bills today and there will be more opportunities toe earn them in the future. Hill Bills are rewards for being "caught being good."
• Our class made wallets for our Hill Bills this afternoon. Several students were able to stuff a Hill Bill into their new wallets.
• Second graders participated in some new technology when we used a Senteo program to take data this afternoon as we answered questions about facts and opinions. Students were given transmitters ("clickers," but they do not click.) into which they entered their lunch numbers (works like a PIN). Then a multiple choice question is flashed on the Smart Board and students enter their choice on their transmitter. The computer recaords right and wrong answers, who hasn't answered yet, and other chosen data, then makes a graph of the results. No names of who got things wrong are posted. Its as much fun as a game. Mr. Martin, Mrs. Craig and Mrs. Bryant all came to watch this activity. It was a learning experience for all of us.
• Jonathan had a show and tell item to demonstrate today.

November 7 in Room 11

• Today began with some really exciting news: "Somebody found a real, live salamander in the boys' bathroom!!"
• We had Library with Mrs. Green and got new books.
• As Mrs. Craig read James and the Giant Peach, we heard that the peach grows so large it falls off the tree and rolls down the hill and out into the ocean. Make a prediction--what will happen next?
• Students began to make flip books about things they are thankful for.
• Each child wrote in his or her journal where their favorite place to play outside is. This could include a description of things in nature to see, smell and hear.
• Fundraiser items and prizes arrived. Our class did a wonderful job of earning money for Hillcrest, and prizes for themselves.
• In the computer lab, students researched satellites. It was a really exciting session, producing ideas for our next art project
• In art class, the kids began constructing their own communication satellites. They began with a drawing of what their satellite would look like. Second graders will continue to work on this project for several weeks.

November 5 in Room 11

• We have moved on from measuring in inches to working withgroups of tens. Yayy! New information! We counted several groups of ten bugs on our worksheet today. If there were leftover bugs, they were counted in the ones place. For example, 13 ladybugs can also be grouped as 1 group of 10 and 3 ones. This is a hard concept for second graders.
• We continue to delve into the story of James and the Giant Peach.
• There was no Walk to Read today, so we had reading in our own room and worked on a whole-group activity.
• Our reading story for the week is Around the Pond.
• Teachers spent the afternoon going to school themselves. Students had early release.

November 4 in Room 11

• Based on events from this week and last, two books were read aloud to us: The School Nurse From the Black Lagoon and Duck for President.
• Our math worksheet required more measuring. We are getting really good at measuring in inches, even if the items aren't in exact inches.
• Everyone left school with a Thanksgiving turkey project which is meant to be a fun family-togetherness activity. Hopefully it will be just that.
• Mr. Dunn brought in samples of different kinds of sand from all over the world during science class. Students learned how to make sample slides, then observed the sand samples through microscopes. What everyone saw was surprising: boulders!!
• We keep practicing reading and writing. Slowly but surely, students get better and better. Some students have moved up to a higher reading group.
• We had inside recess and music today.

November 3 in Room 11

• With the combination of shifting of Daylight Savings Time, Halloween partying and its accompanying sugar highs and lows, the serious arrival of rain over the weekend and a plain old Monday morning, there were a lot of very tired, cranky children in school today. Whew!
• The first thing we did in the morning was to write in our journals about our favorite animals. some students wrote about real animals, others wrote about imaginary ones.
• In keeping with the animal theme, in P.E. we played Run, Octopus, Run.
• As we read James and the Giant Peach, we hear that James has discovered some giagantic, friendly insects. The new vacabulary words for Around the Pond are banks, crator, edge, moss path, and shallow
• As the winter holidays approach, the second graders discussed some facts and fictions about Thanksgiving.
• In writing we finished writing a story about a coat left behind by a Halloween ghost.
• Measuring a drawing of a house with twelve-inch rulers took up our math time.