Today we went to the computer lab and were introduced to "Study Island." This is a program for Math and Reading practice with questions based on the standards of learning for second grade. Today, we completed the reading pretest, and began to earn blue ribbons playing with different reading concepts.
The best news is that this program is available at home for those with Internet access!
1. Go to www.studyisland.com
2. Login: student lunch number@jes
3. Password: jouett
This link will also be available on our class website. Have fun and good luck! :)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Monday Reminders
*Reading Logs are due each Monday. Please make sure these are in your child's folder to collect on Monday morning. A new reading log is placed in the folder for the week.
*PALS testing is all this week and into next week. We will be testing each day for small blocks of time. Please make sure your child gets a good night's rest each night, as well as a healthy breakfast at home or at school! :)
*Homework this week includes the Reading Log and, when appropriate, a math sheet. Please see the note about the math sheets in your child's folder that went home Monday.
*Scholastic Book Orders are due this Friday. A very easy, convenient way is to order online. There is a note in your child's folder on how to do this, or follow these easy steps:
1. Go to www.scholastic.com
2. Click on the "Parent" tab
3. Click on "order books from your class flyer"
4. Login: mrsyouelsclass (password: class)
5. Order away :) Ordering online means no messing with checks or cash - you can use your credit card to pay for it. Books will be delivered to the school with the class order.
*You can still order Scholastic book club with check/cash by sending in the slip in your child's homework folder with the money in a ziploc/sandwich bag!
*PALS testing is all this week and into next week. We will be testing each day for small blocks of time. Please make sure your child gets a good night's rest each night, as well as a healthy breakfast at home or at school! :)
*Homework this week includes the Reading Log and, when appropriate, a math sheet. Please see the note about the math sheets in your child's folder that went home Monday.
*Scholastic Book Orders are due this Friday. A very easy, convenient way is to order online. There is a note in your child's folder on how to do this, or follow these easy steps:
1. Go to www.scholastic.com
2. Click on the "Parent" tab
3. Click on "order books from your class flyer"
4. Login: mrsyouelsclass (password: class)
5. Order away :) Ordering online means no messing with checks or cash - you can use your credit card to pay for it. Books will be delivered to the school with the class order.
*You can still order Scholastic book club with check/cash by sending in the slip in your child's homework folder with the money in a ziploc/sandwich bag!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Word Study
A copy of your child's word study words came home on Monday in the homework folder. We will work with these words in class all week during our reading time. Feel free to use the copy at home to cut apart and have your child practice sorting the words into categories, as well as spelling them out to you.
The features at the top of the list can also be used for activities with your child. For example: your child has short a and long a as the two features for the week. As well as studying the words on the page, you could have your child tell you other words that have the short a/long a sounds. A word hunt is when you use printed text, such as a book or magazine, to find words that match a feature. Another fun activity is to have your child find or draw pictures that match the feature (for example: apple=short a, lake=long a).
Each Friday, your child will be assessed using this same list of words. You will see two grades on the test: a sort grade (how well your child sorted the words into the proper category), and a spelling grade (how many words were spelled correctly). Only 10 words from the list will be assessed each week.
If you have any questions on Word Study, please feel free to contact me! :)
The features at the top of the list can also be used for activities with your child. For example: your child has short a and long a as the two features for the week. As well as studying the words on the page, you could have your child tell you other words that have the short a/long a sounds. A word hunt is when you use printed text, such as a book or magazine, to find words that match a feature. Another fun activity is to have your child find or draw pictures that match the feature (for example: apple=short a, lake=long a).
Each Friday, your child will be assessed using this same list of words. You will see two grades on the test: a sort grade (how well your child sorted the words into the proper category), and a spelling grade (how many words were spelled correctly). Only 10 words from the list will be assessed each week.
If you have any questions on Word Study, please feel free to contact me! :)
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Ticket Incentives
Friday was our first day to turn in tickets that students have earned all week for exhibiting good work habits and good behavior. There is also the added responsibility of not losing your tickets or ticket bags during the week.
Students can earn several Friday prizes each week. There are three levels of prizes:
1-10 tickets=small prize
11-29 tickets=2 small prizes
30+ tickets=3 prizes, one of which is earning time to "play" with our class pets, one of three "Webkinz." Our class is proud to be the owners of Hippy the hippo, Chester the dog, and Lester the lion! The two top ticket earners for the week (top boy, top girl), earn extra time with our pets.
At the end of each month, students must earn 100 tickets to be able to participate in a special "ticket celebration activity." This will be celebrated as close to the first of each month as possible! Students are very excited about this program and were very proud of the tickets they had earned in the first week! :)
Students can earn several Friday prizes each week. There are three levels of prizes:
1-10 tickets=small prize
11-29 tickets=2 small prizes
30+ tickets=3 prizes, one of which is earning time to "play" with our class pets, one of three "Webkinz." Our class is proud to be the owners of Hippy the hippo, Chester the dog, and Lester the lion! The two top ticket earners for the week (top boy, top girl), earn extra time with our pets.
At the end of each month, students must earn 100 tickets to be able to participate in a special "ticket celebration activity." This will be celebrated as close to the first of each month as possible! Students are very excited about this program and were very proud of the tickets they had earned in the first week! :)
Homework and Announcements for the Week of August 17-21
*This will also appear in paper form, stapled in your child's agenda.
Announcements:
*Homework for this week will be the Reading Log. Students need to read at least 5 times during the week for 10 minutes (a total of 50 minutes). Of course, more minutes are always welcome! For our reading incentive this year, we are going to count books through AR quizzes, but please also fill in the ice cream cones at the bottom of the Reading Logs, since not all books are AR. Reading Logs are due on the Monday after the week read (so this week’s log will be due on Monday, August 24th).
*Speaking of AR, student computers should be up and working this week. Our nine week goal is 15 points. For those of you not familiar with AR, students read a book and take a quiz on the computer, testing comprehension of the book. The more difficult the book, the higher the point value. We will be keeping track in class how many AR points each student has earned. A list of AR books are available on the school website, but because of the length of the list, I am not able to print it for families.
Monday, August 17:
Resource (Day 6): P.E.
*Reading Log (10 minutes)
Tuesday, August 18:
Resource (Day 7): Art
*Reading Log (10 minutes)
Wednesday, August 19:
Resource (Day 8): P.E.
*Reading Log (10 minutes)
Thursday, August 20:
Resource (Day 9): Music
*Reading Log (10 minutes)
Friday, August 21:
Resource (Day 10): P.E.
*Reading Log (10 minutes)
Announcements:
*Homework for this week will be the Reading Log. Students need to read at least 5 times during the week for 10 minutes (a total of 50 minutes). Of course, more minutes are always welcome! For our reading incentive this year, we are going to count books through AR quizzes, but please also fill in the ice cream cones at the bottom of the Reading Logs, since not all books are AR. Reading Logs are due on the Monday after the week read (so this week’s log will be due on Monday, August 24th).
*Speaking of AR, student computers should be up and working this week. Our nine week goal is 15 points. For those of you not familiar with AR, students read a book and take a quiz on the computer, testing comprehension of the book. The more difficult the book, the higher the point value. We will be keeping track in class how many AR points each student has earned. A list of AR books are available on the school website, but because of the length of the list, I am not able to print it for families.
Monday, August 17:
Resource (Day 6): P.E.
*Reading Log (10 minutes)
Tuesday, August 18:
Resource (Day 7): Art
*Reading Log (10 minutes)
Wednesday, August 19:
Resource (Day 8): P.E.
*Reading Log (10 minutes)
Thursday, August 20:
Resource (Day 9): Music
*Reading Log (10 minutes)
Friday, August 21:
Resource (Day 10): P.E.
*Reading Log (10 minutes)
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Family Fun
Did you know that Goochland Co. is getting a drive-in movie theatre? It is set to open on August 28th. Here is the website link:
http://www.goochlanddriveintheater.com/
It is located off Rt. 629, right pass the bridge over I64 (Old Fredericksburg Rd.), about a 10 minute drive from Jouett. They are promising affordable entertainment without the drive! I know my family is very excited about it!
http://www.goochlanddriveintheater.com/
It is located off Rt. 629, right pass the bridge over I64 (Old Fredericksburg Rd.), about a 10 minute drive from Jouett. They are promising affordable entertainment without the drive! I know my family is very excited about it!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Food Allergies Alert!
We have a student that has a peanut allergy. Please be considerate and pack your child a snack that does not contain peanuts! Thank you so much for your understanding. We want to make this a safe, comfortable environment for this student! :)
Thursday Routines/Friday Announcement
I will try to send home Thursday folders tomorrow. If not, they will definitely go home next Thursday! Included in your child's papers will be a Scholastic Book Order. Please make checks out to Scholastic. If you prefer, you will also be able to order online, which uses your credit card. Books will still be delivered to the classroom, but you have that added convenience of a different method of payment! I will still accept book orders that include check or cash in the classroom.
Since they announced ice cream for the 3-5th graders today, they are most likely going to have ice cream on Friday. There was a slight price increase to 75 cents. Please send this in a baggie in your child's homework folder with his/her name and the ice cream choice (I have not been told of any different flavors).
Ice Cream Sandwich
Drumstick
Orange Dreamsicle
Chocolate Dreamsicle
Fudgesicle
Snoopy
(I believe these are the choices, but will double check on them).
Thanks so much for all your help! :)
Since they announced ice cream for the 3-5th graders today, they are most likely going to have ice cream on Friday. There was a slight price increase to 75 cents. Please send this in a baggie in your child's homework folder with his/her name and the ice cream choice (I have not been told of any different flavors).
Ice Cream Sandwich
Drumstick
Orange Dreamsicle
Chocolate Dreamsicle
Fudgesicle
Snoopy
(I believe these are the choices, but will double check on them).
Thanks so much for all your help! :)
Monday, August 10, 2009
First Day!
Our first day of school went great! As always, it's a little hectic as the students get acclimated to the new environment, chat with their friends (most they haven't seen since May), and get ourselves settled into a new routine.
I will not be assigning homework for this week. You will notice in your child's agenda, though, that I will be posting either a smiley face, straight face, or frown about your child's behavior for the day.
Smiley face = great day!
Straight face = lost a few tickets, had to be spoken to several times
Frown = had their frog "caught in the net," timeout (which will be in the homework folder), or no show of improvement during the day
If your child receives something other than a smiley face, a short description will describe why your child earned the face they did. If you have any questions about your child's "face," please feel free to contact me! Please initial each day that you have seen your child's "face" and completed the homework for that day!
Starting next week, you will see, attached to your child's agenda for that week, a homework and announcement sheet. If you have not bought an agenda for your child, please send in the $6.00 as soon as possible and we will get one for him/her. If you are having trouble getting an agenda, please let me know and I will see what I can do.
Thanks so much for taking such an interest in your child's education! I am looking forward to a great year! ;)
I will not be assigning homework for this week. You will notice in your child's agenda, though, that I will be posting either a smiley face, straight face, or frown about your child's behavior for the day.
Smiley face = great day!
Straight face = lost a few tickets, had to be spoken to several times
Frown = had their frog "caught in the net," timeout (which will be in the homework folder), or no show of improvement during the day
If your child receives something other than a smiley face, a short description will describe why your child earned the face they did. If you have any questions about your child's "face," please feel free to contact me! Please initial each day that you have seen your child's "face" and completed the homework for that day!
Starting next week, you will see, attached to your child's agenda for that week, a homework and announcement sheet. If you have not bought an agenda for your child, please send in the $6.00 as soon as possible and we will get one for him/her. If you are having trouble getting an agenda, please let me know and I will see what I can do.
Thanks so much for taking such an interest in your child's education! I am looking forward to a great year! ;)
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Other Tidbits of Information!
Students will have snack every day in the afternoon. Please send in a healthy snack to eat each day. This can be accompanied by a small drink (please, no sodas!).
Breakfast $1.00
Lunch $2.00
Ice Cream 75 cents (Fridays)
I will send home Scholastic Book orders every 2-3 weeks (once the previous order has been delivered). These will be sent home in the Thursday folders. They will be due on Friday the following week.
When you do send in money, please place it in a Ziploc bag with your child's name and purpose for the money! :)
Supply List
8 composition notebooks
4 pocket folders with prongs
#2 pencils with erasers
Crayons, colored pencils or markers
Pencil box
Scissors
Ruler with inches and centimeters
Liquid glue and glue sticks
Highlighters
Post-it notes (can be generic brand)
Clipboard
Box of gallon size Ziploc-type bags
Box of sandwich size Ziploc-type bags
2 boxes of tissues
Bottle of hand sanitizer
Container of Lysol/Clorox wipes
A school agenda will be needed as well. These can be purchased for $6.00 at school.
Breakfast $1.00
Lunch $2.00
Ice Cream 75 cents (Fridays)
I will send home Scholastic Book orders every 2-3 weeks (once the previous order has been delivered). These will be sent home in the Thursday folders. They will be due on Friday the following week.
When you do send in money, please place it in a Ziploc bag with your child's name and purpose for the money! :)
Supply List
8 composition notebooks
4 pocket folders with prongs
#2 pencils with erasers
Crayons, colored pencils or markers
Pencil box
Scissors
Ruler with inches and centimeters
Liquid glue and glue sticks
Highlighters
Post-it notes (can be generic brand)
Clipboard
Box of gallon size Ziploc-type bags
Box of sandwich size Ziploc-type bags
2 boxes of tissues
Bottle of hand sanitizer
Container of Lysol/Clorox wipes
A school agenda will be needed as well. These can be purchased for $6.00 at school.
Positive Rewards and Grades
Students are rewarded for their positive behavior and following directions in our classroom! Tickets are given out to individual students, by the teacher, when they display that they know how to follow directions and work to the best of their ability. Students will be responsible for saving the tickets they earn. At the end of every week, tickets are collected and put in the “ticket bank.” Students can earn small prizes at the end of each week, based on their ticket count. Students are also working towards a monthly goal where they can earn a “Ticket Celebration” where they are able to participate in fun activities. This is a positive way to reward students for doing what they know is right!
Grades
In second grade, your child will earn either a S (Satisfactory), N (Needs Improvement), or U (Unacceptable) on graded work. These grades will be averaged and recorded for report card purposes. Not every paper will be formally graded. Other grades you might see on your child’s papers include:
Check plus= “Great Job!”
Check = “Good Work!”
Check minus = “We need to work on this one!”
Papers will be sent home in special folders on Thursdays. Please sign and check off the sheet that is in your child’s folder. These papers are for you to keep at home. Please send back the empty folder with the check sheet as soon as possible. This is another way we can communicate on how your child is doing with their class work! If you have any questions on a sheet, please attach a note and send it in your child’s folder, and I will get back to you as soon as I can. :)
Grades
In second grade, your child will earn either a S (Satisfactory), N (Needs Improvement), or U (Unacceptable) on graded work. These grades will be averaged and recorded for report card purposes. Not every paper will be formally graded. Other grades you might see on your child’s papers include:
Check plus= “Great Job!”
Check = “Good Work!”
Check minus = “We need to work on this one!”
Papers will be sent home in special folders on Thursdays. Please sign and check off the sheet that is in your child’s folder. These papers are for you to keep at home. Please send back the empty folder with the check sheet as soon as possible. This is another way we can communicate on how your child is doing with their class work! If you have any questions on a sheet, please attach a note and send it in your child’s folder, and I will get back to you as soon as I can. :)
Friday, August 7, 2009
Getting Ready for the New Year!
Hooray! The computers are back up and at least one copier is fixed! (Thank you for your patience and understanding about our "technical difficulties"!). That being said, the classroom "back to school information" will be coming home in paper form on Monday. Please be sure to check your child's homework folder, since there are at least two items, at this writing, that need to be signed and returned. One is about this blog, and another is the discipline plan. I will try to also have the basic information posted on our blog, hopefully, by tomorrow night.
Please feel free to post questions and comments on this blog, as parents/guardians. I want this blog to be a way to "brag" about what we're doing in class, as well as a communication tool between home and school!
So, be looking for that information on here at some point tomorrow. I'm very excited about Monday. I had a great time during Open House meeting all the students and parents! I am really looking forward to this school year and the potential it brings!
Please feel free to post questions and comments on this blog, as parents/guardians. I want this blog to be a way to "brag" about what we're doing in class, as well as a communication tool between home and school!
So, be looking for that information on here at some point tomorrow. I'm very excited about Monday. I had a great time during Open House meeting all the students and parents! I am really looking forward to this school year and the potential it brings!
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