OMSI, TAG Testing, Hand Washing, and Other Second Grade News

Hello Families!

We have had a fun and busy week.  We have a new principal (yay!) who is working hard to get to know the students, teachers and school routines.  We started a new science unit on states of matter, and we wrapped up our first math unit on growing patterns and graphs.  In writing, the students are busy creating personal narrative stories and trying out writing craft moves that we admire in our mentor authors.  

TAG Testing:
All Atkinson 2nd graders will have TAG testing next week on Wednesday, October 23.  This test is used to help us identify potentially Gifted students in the district.  This testing will fit into our regular schedule.  More information is coming home in  today's Friday Folder.  Hopefully the letter will answer any questions you may have.  Please be sure that your student gets plenty of rest and a nutritious meal the night before and morning of testing.  Thank you!

Hand Washing Experiment:
The results are in!  We finally got an answer to our scientific question, is it important to wash our hands?  For our experiment, we had three pieces of white bread.  The first was our "control" and only handled with sterile gloves.  The second was our clean bread, handled only with clean hands that had just been washed with soap.  The third piece was our dirty bread that had been handled by all of the students in class after they had been outside playing and had not washed hands.  Please see the results below:

We hope that this experiment illustrates how important it is to wash hands as often as possible throughout the day.  
Speaking of which...  some of you have told me that you have taken your children to get flu shots.  Thank you!  It is nice to know that we have a protective shield around our sensitive students at Atkinson who may be unable to get a vaccination.

OMSI Trip:
Our trip to OMSI is on Tuesday, Oct. 22.  THANK YOU to the parents who have stepped up to volunteer.  Our Trimet bus is leaving EARLY on Tuesday, so it will be very important for students to be ON TIME to school.  We will be walking out of the building at 8:45 am, so please plan to be here at 8:35.  Thank you!

Fall Festival:
It is a 2nd grade tradition to hold a fall festival of crafts on Halloween day.  We divide the three 2nd grade classes in thirds to form new class size groups, so that the students have a chance to get to know each other.  The students circulate through the 3 rooms to complete a fall craft.  This activity will be held in the afternoon and we could use as many parents as interested to help out.  If you would like to join us, please let me know.  Thank you!

Regular Volunteer Gigs:
We have a few current times that volunteers are always welcome: garden, running club and during art class.  

Our garden times are once a month and listed outside of the classroom door, and also here:  9/20, 10/18, 11/21, 1/17, 2/14, 3/13, 4/23, 5/15 (12:10 - 12:55 each session).  If you would like to join us for garden, you can sign up outside the door, or just show up!  Thank you to Lilah's mom, Erin, for helping us out today!

We have art class once a week, on Mondays from 10:10-11:10.  The art teacher, Kawaji Armitage, has told me that she welcomes parent volunteers, so if you would like to join the class for art, please let her know or just come on by.  

Running Club takes place during our lunch recess on Fridays.  This exciting event is run by the wonderful PTA and can always use volunteers.

Thank you!
I will be getting more volunteer opportunities out to you as they become available.  

Have a wonderful weekend and I look forward to seeing you all on Monday.

Upcoming Field Trips + More

Happy Friday Families!
It has been a busy week in Room 108.  We wrapped up our first Health unit (on disease transmission/prevention).  Our word work groups are getting started on their leveled work.  We have begun talking about different types of communities. 

Many of us have felt a bit under the weather with sore throats and other ailments this week.  Please remind students to wash their hands with soap each time the use the bathroom.  We are reminding them at school as well.

Creepy Crawlies:
It is that time of year when uninvited, itchy friends often get on heads and hair and cause lots of stress and work for families.  I went through it MANY times with my own children, so I sympathize with those who get to deal with lice.  Although schools are not allowed to share information about outbreaks, etc., I would like to recommend that you check your child's head for nits and live bugs weekly for the next few months.  It is easiest to deal with if caught early.  Thank you for your help!

Field Trips:
We have 4 field trips scheduled for this year.  I sent home a letter in today's Friday Folder explaining the trips and costs.  I will put them below as well.  Trip donations can be made on SCHOOL PAY. Please let me know if you have any questions.  Thank you!

OMSI (Oct. 22, 2019) Click here for more details

Tickets = $6.00 per person

Trimet = $1.00 per person

PLAY (Dragons Love Tacos on February 7, 2020)

Tickets = $8.50 per person

School Bus = $3.00 per person

PYP (Portland Youth Philharmonic on April 8, 2020)

Tickets = FREE!

School Bus = $3.00 per person

Mt. Tabor (Portland Parks and Rec Geology Study, May 20, 2020)

Cost = $8.50 per student

Total Field Trip Costs Per Student = $ 30.00 THANK YOU!

Scholastic News Magazine:

Each (most?) weeks, your child will be bringing home a Scholastic News magazine in their Friday Folder. You do NOT need to return these to school. Students may keep them home to help them answer their homework pages and also to practice their reading skills. Thank you.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

September 27 Updates

Hello Families!
We had a great week in Room 108.  The students are settling into the expectations for work and behavior.  We have completed our first Health unit on staying healthy.  This unit included strong vocabulary such as transmission, prevention, diagnose and treatment.  We did a hand washing experiment as part of this unit as well.  We have done some preliminary work in science - talking about how scientists making close observations.  We have also begun talking about communities in Social Studies.  Today, we defined a community as 
a place where people live, work, play and solve problems together.

This definition will show up in homework this week as well.

Class Phone List:
Thank you to Amara's mom, Laila, for putting together a class contact list.  A hard copy came home in today's Friday Folder, but there is also a LINK that you can access to make changes as needed.

Behavior Sheets:
I would love to know what you think about the class behavior sheets we have sent home.  I did not get a chance to fill them out for today (Friday), but the kids all had a wonderful day.  This is my first year trying something like this - it is my attempt at following up the behavior slips that Ms. Parr and Ms. Humphrey sent home in first grade last year.  My goal is that these slips provide a little more information for families - I hope they serve as a conversation starter, not as a punitive measure. 
If you would take a minute to fill out this online feedback form, it will help me decide whether or not to continue with this practice.  Thank you.

Pictures:
Today, the students designed a survey of questions for their classmates and then went around and took data.  We will be using this data to make graphs, etc in the next couple of weeks.

September 20 - Information and News

Hello Families.
It's been quite a week!  Students are definitely feeling more comfortable.  Please take a moment to check in with them and remind them about appropriate behaviors and expectations at school.  We are reviewing these expectations as well.  Thank you!

Field Trips -
We are sending home one permission slip for all 4 field trips we are planning to take this year.  Please be sure to sign all four sections on the back.

Our first trip is coming right up.  All three 2nd grade classes will be going to OMSI to explore the museum.  We can take as many chaperones on this trip as would like to come.  

In order to attend the trip with us, please 
1. pay for your admission and Trimet ticket on School Pay, and 
2. be sure your volunteer background check are up to date.  

If you have problems with School Pay, please check with Sara in the office.  I will be sending more information on this trip home in the next couple of weeks.  Thank you!

Behavior/School Skills Forms - 
These are coming home today in your child's Friday Folder.  Please take a look and let us know if they seem helpful or not.  Also, please email or ask if you have any questions about what you see there.  Thank you for your support!

Atkinson Climate Strike -
Today, our classes came together outside to celebrate our planet earth!

Garden -
Today was our first day in the garden for the year!  We have a new garden person, Bryce.  Today, students went over the garden expectations, dug for potatoes, onions and garlic, and sorted seeds.

The Worm Whisperer

Thank you to August and Kinley's dad, Taylor, for coming in to help at garden time!

Self Portraits -
Students also worked on self portraits to accompany their simile poems today.

Open House Follow Ups

Hello Families!

Thank you to all who were able to make it out to Open House/Back to School Night last night.  We know it is difficult to get out of the house on a school night for events.
For those who were unable to attend, please be sure to sign up for a conference.  Conferences will be held on November 25 and 26 - the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving.  If you will be unable to attend conferences, please let me know so we can work out an alternate plan.

Homework:
The first homework of the year is coming home today!  It should be fairly simple and easy for students to do independently.  However, feel free to help as needed/wanted.  
Today's homework includes reading (or being read to) daily, an optional reading log (where students can illustrate their favorite parts of the books/stories), a short math and literacy sheet, and practicing their lunch numbers (number included on index card in folder).
Speaking of homework, I would like to let you know my rationale and expectations for homework.  Please read below for my homework philosophy...

Homework Philosophy:
First of all, I do not send homework to add stress or additional headaches to your busy lives.  Every year, there are families who want homework and families who don't.  Therefore, please do what works best for your family and situation.

I send homework for the following reasons:

1. To give students practice taking something home and bringing it back to school,

2. To allow parents to see what 2nd grade students should be able to do independently, on their own - as well as the sorts of things we are working on in class,

3. As a communication bridge between school and home,

4. An opportunity to practice skills we are learning in class.

When I get homework back, I will always look it over and offer feedback to the student.  If a student has taken the time to do homework, I feel it is important for him/her to be acknowledged for this work.
I will also check off that I got it back so parents can double check that students are keeping up with turning things in.

Given these goals, it is really up to you and your family how much you want to invest in homework.  If homework is making your life difficult, please send me a note and let me know.  We are a team, so please feel free to communicate as needed.

Behavior Sheets:
I am trying something new this year.  Ms. Johnson and I are keeping a daily record of each child's school and behavior skills.  I will be sending them home next week.  The point of these papers is to allow us to communicate behaviors, effort, etc with you.  Next week, you will be getting a month worth of sheets.  Please check the back sides as well as we sometimes put notes on the back.  Also, there may be empty columns periodically if we don't have time to fill them out on a day.

I would love to hear your feedback on these sheets.  Let us know if they are helpful to you or not.  Thank you!

Field Trips:
The second grade team is busy scheduling field trips for the year!  You will be getting more information on these soon.  I will let you know when to look for the info in your child's Friday Folder. 

Our trips this year will be:

OMSI,
Dragons Eat Tacos (downtown play),
Portland Youth Philharmonic (maybe - still waiting to hear), and 
Portland Parks Geology trip to Mt. Tabor.

Seesaw:
If you have not had a chance to sign up for Seesaw yet, let me know and I will send home another sheet with the sign up information if you need it.  This is a great way to see your child in action at school!

Schedule:
Our schedule is a bit wonky this year.  Our "specials" are spread around, which means that we have a slightly different plan each day.  In today's Friday Folder, you have a copy of our schedule. This paragraph is also linked to an online version.  

Classroom Volunteering:
In the next couple of weeks I will get out some information for classroom volunteering.  There are opportunities for garden volunteering, helping in art class, and working with small groups and/or individuals during reading and math time.   

*The garden volunteer sheet is located just outside the classroom door if you would like to take a look and sign up for one or more sessions.

Also, if you have not gone through the process of a PPS district background check, please take a few minutes to get this started.  You need to have a background check on record in order to volunteer.  CLICK HERE for more information.
Thank you in advance!

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Welcome to a year of new friends and fun!

Hello Families!

I can't believe that two weeks have already passed.  We have been hard at work learning routines, getting to know each other, completing assessments, and generally preparing for the year ahead.  I can already tell that this is a fabulous group of kiddos and I am looking forward to getting to know each and every one of them as the year goes on.

This blog is were I will attempt to post pictures, information, and news you can use during the upcoming year.  I will email you when there is a new blog post so you can be sure to look.  Generally, I post at the end of the week.  I strive to post weekly, but often it is more like once or twice a month.

THANK YOU to all of you who have taken the time to complete your parent "homework" packets.  Please be sure to fill out the purple parent questionnaire.  This is very helpful for me and lets me get a head start on getting to know your child.

Also, if you are able to send in a family picture, please do.  These pictures bring a feeling of home into the classroom.  We post them on the wall so students can look at them when they need/want to.

Lunch Numbers:
If your student gets hot lunch, please take a little time this weekend to help him/her memorize their Student ID number.  You can find this number on official communications from the school.  I will also be sending it home this week so your student can practice.  They use this number when ordering school lunch, and it is important that they get it right so they don't accidentally charge another student's account.

All About Me Bag:
Thank you for helping your child complete their All About Me bags!  Ms. Johnson and I learned a lot about each kiddo, and they all enjoyed sharing a bit of themselves with the class.

School Pay:
The second grade team is asking for a $20 donation from each family to cover the costs of Scholastic News magazine as well as buses for field trips. If you are able to donate, it is most helpful for the office is you can make your contribution through School Pay.  Ms. T can then run a report for me to let me know who has contributed.  Thank you in advance.  Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Information on field trips and associated costs will be coming soon!

Volunteer Information/Background Check:

If you do not have a current background check on record with PPS, please do so as soon as possible.  This is a necessary process to go through in order to volunteer, attend field trips, etc. You can visit the PPS website here for more information on background checks:  http://www.pps.net/Page/149

Scholastic Book Orders:
A Scholastic book order form will be coming home with your students soon.  A letter explaining online ordering is coming home today.  Scholastic is a great way to provide reading materials for your child for a (usually) discounted rate.  If you would like to order, it is best if you can do it online.  That way, we do not have money and/or checks in the classroom to get lost.  

1. Choose books with your child from the paper flyers or online at: scholastic.com/bookclubs 
2. To order online, connect to our class using our Class Code: HXNPK

WELCOME LETTER

CLASS SCHEDULE

Important Dates:

Picture Day, Tuesday, September 17
PTA Meeting, Tuesday, October 8, 6:30pm
Principal's Coffee, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 8:45am
No School, Friday, October, 11

Websites for Kids

Hello Families.
At conferences, a couple of you asked for some names of websites that are appropriate for kids and students. The following websites are from a list I put together last year to send home for summer learning. I hope they are helpful!

A great place to start is www.kidsites.com.  It is a list of links to interesting websites for young students.  Many of the sites I list below are also on kidsites.com.

Reading-

http://www.readingrockets.org/ (great information for parents and caregivers on reading and ways to improve reading skills)

www.starfall.com (basic phonics and beginning reading strategies)

www.storylineonline.net  (famous people read story books aloud)

www.smories.com  (original stories written and read by children)

www.mrsp.com        (Mrs. P’s Magic Library – stories read aloud)

www.aesopfables.com/aesopsel.html  (Aesop’s Fables to read or listen to)

http://storynory.com   (audio stories for listening)

www.storycove.com  (online stories to read with a free membership)

www.epubbud.com    (free original stories for e-readers + opportunity to write and “publish” your own)

http://en.childrenslibrary.org (International Children’s Library – collection of children’s books in various languages that can be accessed and read online)

www.meegenius.com (iphone/ipad app for reading – get 6 free books when you sign up)

www.magickeys.com (online storybooks to read yourself)

Math-

www.aaamath.com  (dry explanations by grade level – good resource)

www.coolmath4kids.com  (lessons and games – there are ads here, so beware)

www.mathkinz.com  (worksheets for math skills)

www.ixl.com (math questions by topic and grade level)

General –

www.brainpop.com (videos of many topics with comprehension questions – may require membership – also comes as an app)

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/ (Dance Mat Typing – fun typing skill development for kids)

www.khanacademy.com (lessons on almost every imaginable topic from elementary to college level)

www.sfskids.com (music, instruments, etc)

www.pbskids.org (games and activities based on public television programs)

www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html (science games for kids)

www.kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/ (fun reading and facts about animals, habitats and places)

http://gws.ala.org/ (Great Websites for Kids – a collection of links to various sites)

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/website-lists (Best kid websites according to Common Sense Media)

For Parents –

Some of the above websites have excellent information for parents and caregivers.  One of my favorites is www.commonsensemedia.org which helps parents to help children navigate media of all sorts.