Dear Parents,We have added a new component to our reading block this week called

“Literacy Cafe.” It is a “menu” on the wall where we will add strategies each week to help us succeed in reading. Each letter in cafe stands for a different component of reading:

C: Comprehension – “I understand what I read” A: Accuracy – “I can read the words” F: Fluency – “I can read accurately, with expression and I understand what I read” E: Expand Vocabulary – “I know, use, and find interesting words.”

This week we added “Check for Understanding” under comprehension. To make sure we understand the books we are reading we stop for a minute and ask ourselves, “Do I know what’s going on in the book?”

Thursday we had an assembly to pump up the kids for our annual Fun Run next Friday. During the Fun Run, students will have a warm up session followed by a run/walk on the blacktop, then tally up their laps, and lastly celebrate with a popsicle at the end! Our school wide goal this year is for each student to raise $25.00. If this goal is met, Oxbow will be able to increase the technology in the school for the kids to use. The top two classes will earn a blizzard party! Each student in the third place class will receive a coupon for one free game of bowling. There are also other prizes available. A donation sheet and prize list was sent home yesterday in your child’s binder.

Please remember to check your child’s OWL binder each night. We have started math homelinks this week, which you will see in the binder behind the planner. Homelinks for each unit will be put in the binder ahead of time. It is crucial that your child does not go ahead on homework assignments. Please complete them as they are assigned on the planner each night.

Please look for a conference note in your child’s take home folder today. If you were unable to sign up for a time at Parent Night, I assigned one for you. Please return the bottom of half of that note by Friday, September 28th. Another reminder will be sent home closer to your conference date.

It has been finalized that Mrs. Petersmark will be working in my place while I am out on maternity leave. For those of you who don’t know, Mrs. Petersmark is a recently retired teacher from Oxbow. Since she has retired in 2010, she has continued to sub in the building. For every doctor’s appointment I have until my leave, she will be the sub in my room so the kids get to know her better and she learns our classroom routines. Mrs. Petersmark is a fantastic teacher and your children will be in wonderful hands while I am out.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Remember you can reach me by our folder, by email, or by phone.

Sincerely, Mrs. Ealy

Donations: We are in need of paper towel rolls. Thank You! Please remember to return library books every Thursday!

Letter from Mrs. Ealy

What We’re Learning Math – This week students reviewed number grid puzzles and comparing numbers by using less than, greater than, and equal to signs. We also spent a lot of time exploring different names for numbers as well. For example another name for 10 would be 5+5 because it equals 10! Next Tuesday, we will have our first math test. A test alert was sent home earlier this week to help prepare for the test. It will be on number sequences, counting money, telling time, number grid puzzles, and comparing numbers.

Reading – During reading this week we read a book called “Goldie Socks and the Three Libearians.” It was about how to find a just right book. We reviewed the 5 finger rule that helps us determine whether a book is just right for us. Our Literacy Cafe was also introduced this week. We learned about Check for Understanding to help with our comprehension. Read more about our Cafe in the letter from Mrs. Ealy!

Writing – We continued working on the steps of the writing process. We spent most of our time on the 'Rehearsal' step. When rehearsing, we start out by telling our stories out loud to ourselves, then to our writing partners, then across a 5-page booklet, and then we sketch a picture to hold our thoughts onto each of the pages in our booklet. The rehearsal step will be key because if done properly, the children will have an easy time stretching their ideas across all of the pages. We're hoping that each page of our stories will be a separate event which will one day lead us into thinking of each event/page as a paragraph! After we rehearsed, we moved onto the next step (which we've all been anxious for) called, 'Drafting.' In that step, we write the words to accompany our sketches.

Health – This week we continued to talk about our feelings and emotions. We discussed how to share our feelings with others in a respectful way. We brainstormed different techniques to use when we are frustrated and feel that we need calm down. Last, we came learned what it means to be a good listener and how to show that we are good listeners.

Next Week’s SpecialsMonday – P.E. (Wear Sneakers)Tuesday – Art and ComputersWednesday – Music and P.E. (Wear Sneakers)Thursday – Library and Music Friday – Wellness

2nd Grade NewsMrs. Ealy’s Class

September 21, 2012

Upcoming Events and Dates to Remember

Sept. 25 Dining for Dollars at ApplebeesSept. 28 Fun Run

Conference Note DueOct. 2 Picture Day