Farewell to Ms. Natale

It has been a privilege working with such a skilled, loving student teacher.  We will miss Ms. Natale.  Good thing we have our slideshow of photos to remember her.

Our class sang a song for Ms. Natale too.  Can you tell what song we used as a model?

Second Grade Superstars

Monday Memo 12/17/18

Hope to see you tomorrow morning at the assembly at 9 for the second grade to lead the school in the song "Give Light."

Science with Ms. Knox

Math

Time to move on!  We finished fractions and time and completed a unit assessment on Friday.  Our next unit will be Adding and Subtracting Two-Digit Numbers.

Writing

The writers in our classroom completed at least two personal narratives!  Your child should have brought one of them home, and the other one is in school in his/her portfoilio.   Coming up soon--opinion writing.

Reading

We loved The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes, and we have started a new read aloud:  Alvin Ho:  Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look.  Alvin is a second grade boy who lives in Concord, Massachusetts and who struggles with some anxiety issues.

Party in a Bag

The bag for this assignment will come home on Thursday.   Friday will also be Pajama Day in our classroom!  

Farewell, Ms. Natale

We loved our time with Ms. Natale and wish her well as she embarks on what is sure to be a hugely successful teaching career.

I hope everyone enjoys a wonderful vacation.  Thank you for all of your help and support.

Monday Memo 12/10/18

I hope you had a great weekend.  It's a busy time of year!

Assembly on Monday

Hope you can join us Monday at 9AM for the all school assembly.  The second graders will lead the school in singing "Give Light" with the beautiful candle holders they created.

Sharing

Thank you so much for helping your child organize their Holiday Tradition sharing.  We are so excited to share these this week!

Science

Our scientists traveled to Ms. Niles' classroom this week, where Ms. Sherman (Ms. Niles' student teacher) helped them conduct an experiment with salt and water.  This Friday, it's off to Ms. Knox's laboratory where they will separate colors!

Math Shuffle

Math Shuffle was a lot of fun, and this week, we are switching groups.  Our focus in these new groups will be on place value!

Mystery Reader

Thank you to Carolyn Bargoot for being our Mystery Reader this week!

Have a great week!  Please let me know of any questions or concerns.

Monday Memo 12/3/18

Good morning!

I hope you and your family had a wonderful weekend.  Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate!

Homework

Please click here for the December Homework Calendar.    I will send home the paper copies tomorrow.  No homework tonight in observance of Hanukkkah.  Please note a very important date:  Monday, December 17 at 9AM, the second grade will perform at the assembly.

Science

"Plop, plop, fizz, fizz...."  Lab partners in our classroom conducted an experiment on Friday involving the magic of an Alka Seltzer tablet.  Our science rotations begin this week, and this Friday, your second grade scientist will travel to Ms. Niles' laboratory for another experiment to further explore states of matter.

Mystery Reader

Many thanks to Erin Gibbons, this week's Mystery Reader.  Click here to schedule your turn!






Illness Alert

Please see this letter about strep throat in our classroom.

Have a great week.  Please contact me with any questions or concerns.

Monday Memo 11/26/18

Bread Baking Bonanza

Thank you to everyone for making our bread baking such a success.  We are especially indebted to our five wonderful adult bakers Mr. Cavallo, Mrs. Lyons, Ms. Newman, Mrs. Bradford, and Mrs. Lok.  I literally could not have done it without you.  I hope your families enjoyed the pumpkin bread.

 

Facetime-ing with our PenPals from California!

 

It was so much fun to "meet" our penpals from my aunt's second grade class in Santa Monica, California.  Our students had excellent questions for their penpal, and they were practically itching to write their first letter to their new friend on the west coast.  We will put the finishing touches on our letters and send them off this week.  Ask your child the name of their penpal!

Writing

We are very close to publishing our personal narratives!  Students have learned so many great strategies for writing, including using good leads to engage the reader, strong verbs, dialogue, endings that include thoughts and feelings...the list goes on and on!  Ask your child what the title of her story is!

Homework

The Compliment Project is being sent home today.  Please help your child complete it by next Friday.

Mystery Reader

We loved having Mr. Blocker read to us last week! Check the sign up here if you'd like to come in.

Have a great week!

Miriam

Monday Memo (Tuesday Edition) 11/13/18

Good morning!

I hope you had a lovely long weekend.  I know many children participated in various activites to honor veterans. That is wonderful.

Mystery Reader

Thank you to Liza Hesterberg, our latest Mystery Reader.  Click here for your opportunity to join us!

Math Stations

It was also so great to have Ms. Nguyen, Khoa's mother, join us for Math Stations.  Please click here for the schedule and the opportunity to volunteer.

Thanksgiving Bread

Many thanks for responding so generously to our room parents' (Kelley and Ann) call for volunteers for donations and time for our Thanksgiving Bread project next Wednesday.  It is sure to be a great day!

Writing

We are very close to publishing our first personal narratives!  The students have learned so much about writer's craft and word choice.  Ask your child about their story.  Hopefully, they can also tell you what makes a good lead!

Fraction Fun

We are wrapping up place value and are on to fractions, just in time for our baking project.  It would be great if you could involve your child in a home baking project involving measuring cups.  This really brings this important math concept to life in a fun way.

Have a great week!  Please contact me with any questions or concerns.

Miriam

Monday Memo 11/5/18

Greetings, Room 3 Families!

Reading

Last week, I attended Literacy For All, a conference for teachers in Providence.  There were many great take-aways, but one point really stood out to me: 

“Books in the home are as important as parent’s educational level in 
determining the level of education children will attain.”  

                                      Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 
June 2010

Please take your child to the public library as a regular practice.  Also, you should check 
out the Happy Hollow Community Bookstop. Located in the front lobby of the school, you or your child can sign books out anytime.  

Thankful Project

Most of you have completed the parent homework Thankful Project. Thank you so much! 

Please send it in this week. 

Thank you

It was great to have Liza Hesterberg, Kelley Bradford, and Adrienne Deranian join us on Halloween 

to make veggie skeletons. Thank you to everyone for all of your vegetable contributions. 
It was a blast.

Homework

Click here for the November Homework Calendar.

Thanksgiving Bread

Thank you to Room Parents Kelley and Anne for sending out the call for help and donations 
for our annual Thanksgiving Bread project. I appreciate your generosity.

Have a great week! Please let me know of any questions or concerns.

Miriam

Monday Memo 10/29/18

Good morning!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend.

Science

We conducted our final weather experiment on Friday by observing bubbles on the wind.  It was lots of fun!

Writing

Composing engaging leads for personal narratives has been our focus in writing this week.  Students are composing fine stories about the small moments in their lives.

Mystery Reader

Thank you to Gwen McNeilly for being our Mystery Reader this week. Please click here to sign up for your turn!

Have a great week!  Please let me know of any questions or concerns.

Miriam

Monday Memo 10/22/18

Good morning!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Book Fair

Our class will visit the Book Fair on Wednesday!  You can send cash in an envelope with your child's name on it if you wish.  Some people prefer to shop with your child, either before or after school during the week, or during the Happy Hollow Movie Night on Friday.  Either way, your child will enjoy browsing with his classmates.

Field Trip

Thank you so much to our wonderful chaperones Kelley Bradford, Zach Blocker, and Albie Bargoot for volunteering their time last week on our field trip.  What a great day we had!

Mystery Reader

Thank you to Kelley Bradford, last week's Mystery Reader!  To sign up for your turn to be a Mystery Reader, please click here.

Veggie Skeletons

Our fabulous room parents Kelley Bradford and Anne Lyons will be contacting you to send in a cut-up vegetable for our Annual October 31st Veggie Skeleton project.  Thanks in advance for your contributions.

Parent Homework

I believe I sent the Top Secret Parent Homework to everyone whom I already conferred with.  Please send in whenever you are finished.  Click here if you need another copy.

Have a great week!

Miriam