I apologize, I am a little late, and the month is already almost over. Just a quick reminder, the temperature has been dropping below freezing and the students need to come to school dressed appropriately. This means hats, gloves, coats, and boots (when necessary).
We have been very busy with reading, learning new math concepts and finishing up our science unit. Please continue to help your student learn their basic math facts, and help them set goals to increase their fluency in reading. It is amazing what 20 minutes a day will do for the success of your student.
I also wanted to say thank you to all you wonderful parents who have put hours of time in our classroom. I greatly appreciate it. We will have an opening for P.E. on the first and third Thursday of each month to help volunteer.
Math: We started our month with introducing 2 digit addition with regrouping. We had a rocky start, but the students are starting to grasp the concept and I am seeing a great improvement. We will continue to practice this concept until they have it mastered. We will also be learning how to measure to the inch and centimeter. Over the next several weeks we will continue reviewing counting money, and telling time to the 1/4 hour.
Reading: We are beginning a new reading unit. The students will be learning how to write a paragraph with details and a topic sentence. We are also beginning to make our books for the book fair and we will begin writing a variety of poems.
Please remember that with the holiday season treats are not allowed in the school. If you would like to donate items for our classroom we are still in need of the following:
** Clorox Wipes
** Paper
** Eraser toppers for pencils
Thank you again for all you do and are continually doing for our class.
Thank you,
Mrs. Woodland
Friday, December 4, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
The PEAK!
We had such an amazing time at the PEAK! The students did not stop bouncing the entire morning. If they were tired when they went home it is because they ran, played, and exercised for two hours straight. This was an amazing field trip and well worth the time. I apologize if my pictures are out of focus, I could not get them to stop for two seconds.
Play place: The students ran up to the top, and slid down the slide screaming at the top of their lung! We have quite the high pitched screamers in our class!
Be careful or you might get tagged by the bouncing ball. The students jumped on a huge blow-up tramp, and tried to avoid getting touched by a ball or falling off the sides.
This was the best part of the day, the students ran across the trampolines and landed on this huge pile of foam bricks. I couldn't help myself and had to jump. It was just way to much fun. Once they were able to cross they could then climb a rock wall on the other side.
Relay Race: The students raced each other through hula hoops, around cones, and over a foam brick, through the rainbow and back again. The ythen switched the rules and the students had to race running backwards. I could not stop laughing! The students were so cute as they ran backwards. They had to really concentrate to keep their balance and coordination.
At the beginning of the day, the students warmed up to the music Walk Like a Dinosaur from Ice Age three. They put everyone this fun bouncing mat were the students couldn't stop jumping; all they wanted to do was jump and move! 
Integrated Art
The students first learned about a well known artist, and then recreated a art picture of their own. Our art teacher is amazing and she is wonderful with the students.
Word Sorts
The students sort their words every Wednesday with a partner. It is called a blind sort. One student is the teacher and the other is the student. The teacher reads the words, while the other writes and sorts. The students love working together.
November Newsletter
Dear parents and students,
What a crazy month this has been. With starting reading groups, short weeks, and fieldtrips the month has flown by. I want you all to know that I have the best class. I hear other teachers talk about their students, and I am so grateful to have each and every one of my students. They are wonderful and I enjoy each one of them. They come to school each day with smiles on their faces and are willing to work hard. Give them a big hug at home, because they deserve it!
I also want to again express my deepest appreciation to all the hours that you, as parents, are volunteering in the classroom. Thank you so much for all you do!
This month is a short month with the Holidays, but let me just review a little about what is going on in the classroom.
Reading: We continue to work on fluency daily. The students will also be learning about author’s purpose, making inferences, beginning-middle-end, setting, and the different types of genres associated with our weekly stories. We are also learning about abbreviations, and plural nouns.
Math: We have begun place value to the hundreds, expanded notation, standard form, fractions- ½, 1/4, 1/3, geometric shapes- hexagons and pentagons, adding and subtracting two digit numbers without regrouping, missing addends, and ordering numbers from least to greatest. We will continue to review counting money and telling time to the ¼ hour. It is a busy month!
Science: Our plants are growing and are almost ready for pollination. Next week the students will be pollinating plants with dead bees (yes, that is right, I said real dead bees). We will then watch our plants change back into seeds. What an amazing process. We have also been working on the food pyramid. Please help your child identify the different food groups as you eat at home.
I hope you all have a great holiday weekend this month. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions or concerns. I love to hear from you. You can e-mail me at twoodland@syracuseartsacademy.org. Please use my Syracuse e-mail address for a faster response, I check it daily.
Thank you,
Mrs. Woodland
What a crazy month this has been. With starting reading groups, short weeks, and fieldtrips the month has flown by. I want you all to know that I have the best class. I hear other teachers talk about their students, and I am so grateful to have each and every one of my students. They are wonderful and I enjoy each one of them. They come to school each day with smiles on their faces and are willing to work hard. Give them a big hug at home, because they deserve it!
I also want to again express my deepest appreciation to all the hours that you, as parents, are volunteering in the classroom. Thank you so much for all you do!
This month is a short month with the Holidays, but let me just review a little about what is going on in the classroom.
Reading: We continue to work on fluency daily. The students will also be learning about author’s purpose, making inferences, beginning-middle-end, setting, and the different types of genres associated with our weekly stories. We are also learning about abbreviations, and plural nouns.
Math: We have begun place value to the hundreds, expanded notation, standard form, fractions- ½, 1/4, 1/3, geometric shapes- hexagons and pentagons, adding and subtracting two digit numbers without regrouping, missing addends, and ordering numbers from least to greatest. We will continue to review counting money and telling time to the ¼ hour. It is a busy month!
Science: Our plants are growing and are almost ready for pollination. Next week the students will be pollinating plants with dead bees (yes, that is right, I said real dead bees). We will then watch our plants change back into seeds. What an amazing process. We have also been working on the food pyramid. Please help your child identify the different food groups as you eat at home.
I hope you all have a great holiday weekend this month. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions or concerns. I love to hear from you. You can e-mail me at twoodland@syracuseartsacademy.org. Please use my Syracuse e-mail address for a faster response, I check it daily.
Thank you,
Mrs. Woodland
Friday, October 2, 2009
Class Butterfly Picture
October Newsletter
Dear Parents and Students,
It is amazing how quickly time flies past us. We have completed all our preliminary testing and over the next month students will be placed into reading groups for direct-leveled reading instruction. The students are doing great and the classroom is now functioning smoothly.
Parent teacher conferences will be held next week. Please come on time, as it is a very tight schedule.
Please remember to continue to save box tops. We have had a few turned in and would love to see many more throughout the year.
I just wanted to personally say thank you to all of you wonderful parents who have helped in the classroom. Over the last month I have been able to create math games, file folder games, high frequency cards, a word wall, our alien book club wall and many more fun items in the classroom thanks to you. I have found many more resources to help enrich the students learning, and will continue to need additional help cutting lamination, and correcting. Thank you again, your efforts are very appreciated.
Reading: Over the next month we will begin our leveled reading groups. Students will be placed in reading groups according to their needs throughout the second grade. We will have a few reading aids come into the classroom to assist with reading groups during this time. In addition to reading groups the students will be learning new vocabulary, author’s purpose, informational and narrative writing. We will continue to practice our 200 high frequency words, and reading fluently at a rate of 85 words per min.
Math: We have been learning different addition and subtraction strategies. The students can now tell time fluently to the half hour and will continue to review telling time to the ¼ hour. Our goal for the next month is to write numerals using expanded form, identify odd and even numbers, complete simple 2-digit- 1 digit addition and subtraction, recognize growing patterns, introduce parallelograms, rhombus, and trapezoids, and estimate length using a nonstandard unit of measurement.
Science: We are currently learning the different classifications of animals. On October 21st Red Butte gardens is coming to our classroom. The students will be learning about the plant cycle and how plants and animals interact. They will also be classifying fruits and vegetables. We will have a grow lab in the classroom, where the student will plant a seed and watch it grow. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students!
Writing: Each month we try to complete one published writing project. Over the month of September the students wrote about butterflies. With each paper the students go through the writing process of prewriting, drafting, revising, editing and finally publishing. For the month of October we will be writing a scary story.
Book Shares: It is time for book shares, please help your child select one book that they can read and then present to the classroom at the end of the month. I will send home the requirements within the next week. Book Shares will be due October 27th.
Thank you again for all the hard work you have put into helping our class.
Mrs. Woodland
It is amazing how quickly time flies past us. We have completed all our preliminary testing and over the next month students will be placed into reading groups for direct-leveled reading instruction. The students are doing great and the classroom is now functioning smoothly.
Parent teacher conferences will be held next week. Please come on time, as it is a very tight schedule.
Please remember to continue to save box tops. We have had a few turned in and would love to see many more throughout the year.
I just wanted to personally say thank you to all of you wonderful parents who have helped in the classroom. Over the last month I have been able to create math games, file folder games, high frequency cards, a word wall, our alien book club wall and many more fun items in the classroom thanks to you. I have found many more resources to help enrich the students learning, and will continue to need additional help cutting lamination, and correcting. Thank you again, your efforts are very appreciated.
Reading: Over the next month we will begin our leveled reading groups. Students will be placed in reading groups according to their needs throughout the second grade. We will have a few reading aids come into the classroom to assist with reading groups during this time. In addition to reading groups the students will be learning new vocabulary, author’s purpose, informational and narrative writing. We will continue to practice our 200 high frequency words, and reading fluently at a rate of 85 words per min.
Math: We have been learning different addition and subtraction strategies. The students can now tell time fluently to the half hour and will continue to review telling time to the ¼ hour. Our goal for the next month is to write numerals using expanded form, identify odd and even numbers, complete simple 2-digit- 1 digit addition and subtraction, recognize growing patterns, introduce parallelograms, rhombus, and trapezoids, and estimate length using a nonstandard unit of measurement.
Science: We are currently learning the different classifications of animals. On October 21st Red Butte gardens is coming to our classroom. The students will be learning about the plant cycle and how plants and animals interact. They will also be classifying fruits and vegetables. We will have a grow lab in the classroom, where the student will plant a seed and watch it grow. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students!
Writing: Each month we try to complete one published writing project. Over the month of September the students wrote about butterflies. With each paper the students go through the writing process of prewriting, drafting, revising, editing and finally publishing. For the month of October we will be writing a scary story.
Book Shares: It is time for book shares, please help your child select one book that they can read and then present to the classroom at the end of the month. I will send home the requirements within the next week. Book Shares will be due October 27th.
Thank you again for all the hard work you have put into helping our class.
Mrs. Woodland
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Set your goals high, you never know what you can accomplish
To all my wonderful students, make a goal, set it high, because you never know what you can accomplish!
September Newsletter
Dear Parents and Students,
Hooray, we made it through our first full week of school. Everyone is doing great and I am so excited to have such a wonderful class. Thank you for all your willingness to come in and help out in the classroom. It is going to be a great year thanks to you.
Change~Change: I am changing the homework folder to the yellow folder. I have also changed the reading calendar to a yearly calendar. I feel that this will help conserve paper and help our homework volunteers when entering the students reading scores for the Alien Book Club.
I will still send home weekly math homework, fluency reading, and comprehension worksheets. These worksheets will be sent home on Monday and are due on Friday. The students should read the fluency passage daily, and practice their high frequency words daily.
Please send the homework folder to school daily. If the students do not complete their assignments in class, they will need to finish them at home and return them the following day. If the student is unprepared the following day they will miss recess to finish their assignment.
Please record the students reading minutes on the reading calendar. Students need to read aloud 20 min each day. Please listen to your child read and help them learn unfamiliar words.
All late homework will have an automatic 3-point deduction.
Math: Over the next several weeks we will be reviewing addition and subtraction strategies. We will also review money, telling time to the nearest hour, basic geometric figures, and graphing. Please help your child master skip counting by 2, 3, 5, and 10’s.
Reading: We are currently learning the 70 phonograms and spelling rules. In the next few weeks we will be identifying specific purposes for viewing media. We are also in the process of benchmarking the students, learning center procedures and leveling the students for reading groups.
Spelling: During the first couple weeks of September I will be sending home a practice Words their Way sort. This is to help the students understand and begin learning the procedures to sorting. Please practice these sorts with your child daily. They will be tested on the spelling sort on Friday. The students will receive one point for correctly placing the word in the right exemplar and one point for correctly spelling the spelling feature. The first graded spelling test will be September 18th.
Science: Our core concept for this month is life cycles. This week we will finish up our study of the butterfly and move into studying insects. As much as I love nature, I am not fond of insects in the classroom. Please teach your child to respect insects, and remind them that they should be outside, not in the classroom.
This will be my last printed newsletter. Please look at the class blog monthly for monthly newsletters. Any important information that needs immediate attention will be sent home in your child’s homework folders. Please look at your child’s folders daily! Don’t forget to return the folders daily. Thank you again for all your support. I appreciate all that you do for our class and for your children.
Have a great month,
Mrs. Woodland
Sunday, August 23, 2009
September 24, 2009
Dear Parents and Students,
We somehow made it through our first two days of school. The students were very tired but willing to participate. I can tell it is going to be a great year. The students are filled with a love of learning and enthusiasm for school. Thank you for all that you have done for our class. Thank you for your help in providing many of the school supplies that were requested. We are well stocked and should be ok throughout the year.
This week we will be testing and beginning our unit on media. To help the students learn about media I will be incorporating Fruit Loops in the lesson. Each student will have the opportunity to taste 3-4 Fruit Loops from different companies. If you have a problem with your student eating Fruit Loops, or any food allergies please let me know by Friday.
We will also be studying how commercials are targeted to certain audiences. With your permission please watch 1 hour of TV with your child. This should be done at two different times: half hour in the evening and half hour on Saturday morning. Please help your child record the commercials for each time period.
I have begun sending home homework in the students’ folders. Please have your child read aloud to you 20 minutes every night and record their time. We will begin charting their reading on our Alien wall in September.
Thank you again for all your support. Don’t forget to view our class blog for further information and monthly newsletters, www.hoorayforsecondgrade.blogspot.com. If you have any questions please contact me during school hours or you can always e-mail me at tamrawoodland@mail.weber.edu.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Woodland
We somehow made it through our first two days of school. The students were very tired but willing to participate. I can tell it is going to be a great year. The students are filled with a love of learning and enthusiasm for school. Thank you for all that you have done for our class. Thank you for your help in providing many of the school supplies that were requested. We are well stocked and should be ok throughout the year.
This week we will be testing and beginning our unit on media. To help the students learn about media I will be incorporating Fruit Loops in the lesson. Each student will have the opportunity to taste 3-4 Fruit Loops from different companies. If you have a problem with your student eating Fruit Loops, or any food allergies please let me know by Friday.
We will also be studying how commercials are targeted to certain audiences. With your permission please watch 1 hour of TV with your child. This should be done at two different times: half hour in the evening and half hour on Saturday morning. Please help your child record the commercials for each time period.
I have begun sending home homework in the students’ folders. Please have your child read aloud to you 20 minutes every night and record their time. We will begin charting their reading on our Alien wall in September.
Thank you again for all your support. Don’t forget to view our class blog for further information and monthly newsletters, www.hoorayforsecondgrade.blogspot.com. If you have any questions please contact me during school hours or you can always e-mail me at tamrawoodland@mail.weber.edu.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Woodland
Disclosure Statement, Class Rules
Dear Parents and Students
I am looking forward to a great year together. The following is a basic outline of what you and your student can expect in our classroom. When you have finished reading this disclosure and classroom behavior policy, please sign and return the bottom portion.
Math: I have high expectations for my students and I expect all math assignments to be completed daily. For students who are unprepared for their daily math assignments they will be required to stay in during their free time or recess to complete the assignments. Students will continue to miss free time or recess until the assignment has been completed. All assignments must be corrected to 80%. Students who fall below the 80% guideline will be required to make corrections and resubmit their assignment on the day it was originally due. (Additional time will be give to make corrections according to individual student needs)
Math test will be given at the end of each unit. Students will need to complete each test with a score of 80% or higher. If the student does not receive a passing score on their unit test a note will be sent home to the parents to sign and return. The students will be given the option to retake a similar test one week later.
Reading: Students will be required to read 20 minutes each day. A reading calendar will be sent home at the beginning of each month for students to log their time. At the end of the month parents are to sign the calendar and return it the following week. This is a required assignment and will be graded. The minutes will be tallied and posted on our Alien Book Club wall. For every thousand minutes the student reads, they will receive a small award.
Book shares- Students will be required to read 6 books through out the year and share them with the class. I call these book shares. I feel it is very important for the students to learn how to communicate and speak in front of their peers. Book shares will take place the last Friday of the month, beginning in October. The books can be anywhere from a short picture book to a small chapter book. I will send out more information on the requirements in the October newsletter.
Spelling: Syracuse Arts Academy has adopted Words Their Way as their school wide spelling program. During the first week of school I will be testing and teaching the students on how to practice and sort their spelling words. The first spelling test will be given September 4th. Please watch for further information about what to expect in your students take home folder and on the class blog.
Writing: Each month we will be focusing on one of the six traits of writing. The students will be expected to write 1 classroom published paper each month. Each paper will be graded according to the six traits writing rubric. At times I will ask parents to help your student edit and revise their papers. Watch for information to be sent home throughout the year. With each paper we will continually focus on the writing process, which includes prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.
September- Ideas February- Voice
October-Word Choice March- Six Traits
November- Conventions April- Six Traits
December- Organization May- Six Traits
January- Sentence Fluency
Science: I am very excited about the second grade science curriculum. To help make science fun and exciting I have scheduled Red Butte Gardens to come to our class. During this unit I will need new women’s nylons. If you could donate a pair of nylons to the classroom I would greatly appreciate it.
Homework: I expect each student to have a homework folder. Folders will be sent home every Monday and returned the following Friday. The homework folders will contain the following:
Fluency passage
Comprehension Activity (goes along with the fluency passage)
2 Math Worksheets
Word Their Way spelling list
Each night the students should read 20 minutes, read the fluency passage once and sort the Words Their Way spelling list. Please complete all items in the folder and return the folder to the classroom on Friday.
Please continually practice reading the high frequency words along with practicing addition and subtraction math facts.
Grading: Grades will be posted weekly on the “Classactiongradebook”. Please go online and enter your students ID number to access student grades. Tests will be graded at point value. Homework assignment will be given a score of 5 points with a deduction of 3 points if turned in late.
Happy Grams: Children love to feel encouragement from their parents, family members and teachers. One way that I encourage this is through, Happy Grams! A Happy Gram is a quick note telling you child what a wonderful person they are. Every week I will send home a Happy Gram in your students take home folder. Please fill out a Happy Gram letter each week and send it back with your student on Friday. We will spend a few minutes every Friday reading them in the class.
Mystery Bag: Students love to share personal items and experiences with the class. Mystery bags are a way for students to share something special with their classmates (show and tell). Four mystery bags will be sent home every Monday. If your child receives a mystery bag for the week, please help them select one item they can bring to school to share with the class. Help your child write three clues about their item. The other students in the class will use the clues to guess the item.
Note: Mystery bags are to only time that I allow toys from home. If your child brings a toy from home at other times during the week it will be confiscated and you, parent or guardian, will need to come in and retrieve it.
Star Student: This year we will be celebrating one student each week. On your designated week please help your child make a poster. The posters can include the following: a picture of the student, pictures of family members, hobbies, vacations, talents, etc. Please have your students’ poster ready first thing Monday morning on your designated week so we can enjoy them in the classroom the entire week. I will send home a reminder in your students take home folder one-week prior.
September 8 Oriah January 11 Joee
September 14 Jaxson January 25 Karsyn
September 21 Olivia February 1 Kylie
October 5 Jaxon February 8 Anthony
October 12 Chloe February 16 Sara
October 19 Jacob February 22 Nathan
October 26 Pacey March 1 Jade
November 9 Parker March 15 Caden
November 16 Kylah March 23 Macy
November 30 Oliver April 12 Destry
December 14 Kyra April 19 Ella
January 4 Colby
I am a new teacher to this school and may need to make some changes throughout the year. Please continually watch for updates on the classroom blog and in your student’s homework folder.
Thank you for all you do for your children. If you have any concerns or questions please contact me at tamrawoodland@mail.weber.edu or call the school, and I will be more than happy to assist you. It is going to be a great year.
Sincerely,
Mrs. WoodlandClass Rules
The following rules will be implemented in the classroom. Please read carefully with your student.
1. Follow directions the first time they are given.
2. Raise your hand and wait for permission to speak.
3. Stay in your seat unless you have permission to do otherwise.
4. Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself.
5. Use kind appropriate words
The following consequences will be used for those students who choose to not follow the rules. Consequences are designed to give students a chance to refocus and think about their choices.
Consequences
1. Verbal warning
2. 1-min skill builder
3. Reseat- move location in the classroom (Fill out refocus sheet)
4. Time owed- 300 seconds (refocus sheet- parent contact)
5. SEVERE: fighting, defiance, continued class disruption, throwing ANY object, note passing will result in automatically moving to step 4.
All behavior will be tracked and recorded in our class behavior book. If you would like to know how your student is behaving in the class you are welcome to come and take a look. I will also present copies of your student’s behavior at parent teacher’s conference.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please sign and return the bottom portion of this page stating that you have read the classroom behavior policy and disclosure statement
_________________________ _______________________
Parent Signature Student Signature
I am looking forward to a great year together. The following is a basic outline of what you and your student can expect in our classroom. When you have finished reading this disclosure and classroom behavior policy, please sign and return the bottom portion.
Math: I have high expectations for my students and I expect all math assignments to be completed daily. For students who are unprepared for their daily math assignments they will be required to stay in during their free time or recess to complete the assignments. Students will continue to miss free time or recess until the assignment has been completed. All assignments must be corrected to 80%. Students who fall below the 80% guideline will be required to make corrections and resubmit their assignment on the day it was originally due. (Additional time will be give to make corrections according to individual student needs)
Math test will be given at the end of each unit. Students will need to complete each test with a score of 80% or higher. If the student does not receive a passing score on their unit test a note will be sent home to the parents to sign and return. The students will be given the option to retake a similar test one week later.
Reading: Students will be required to read 20 minutes each day. A reading calendar will be sent home at the beginning of each month for students to log their time. At the end of the month parents are to sign the calendar and return it the following week. This is a required assignment and will be graded. The minutes will be tallied and posted on our Alien Book Club wall. For every thousand minutes the student reads, they will receive a small award.
Book shares- Students will be required to read 6 books through out the year and share them with the class. I call these book shares. I feel it is very important for the students to learn how to communicate and speak in front of their peers. Book shares will take place the last Friday of the month, beginning in October. The books can be anywhere from a short picture book to a small chapter book. I will send out more information on the requirements in the October newsletter.
Spelling: Syracuse Arts Academy has adopted Words Their Way as their school wide spelling program. During the first week of school I will be testing and teaching the students on how to practice and sort their spelling words. The first spelling test will be given September 4th. Please watch for further information about what to expect in your students take home folder and on the class blog.
Writing: Each month we will be focusing on one of the six traits of writing. The students will be expected to write 1 classroom published paper each month. Each paper will be graded according to the six traits writing rubric. At times I will ask parents to help your student edit and revise their papers. Watch for information to be sent home throughout the year. With each paper we will continually focus on the writing process, which includes prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.
September- Ideas February- Voice
October-Word Choice March- Six Traits
November- Conventions April- Six Traits
December- Organization May- Six Traits
January- Sentence Fluency
Science: I am very excited about the second grade science curriculum. To help make science fun and exciting I have scheduled Red Butte Gardens to come to our class. During this unit I will need new women’s nylons. If you could donate a pair of nylons to the classroom I would greatly appreciate it.
Homework: I expect each student to have a homework folder. Folders will be sent home every Monday and returned the following Friday. The homework folders will contain the following:
Fluency passage
Comprehension Activity (goes along with the fluency passage)
2 Math Worksheets
Word Their Way spelling list
Each night the students should read 20 minutes, read the fluency passage once and sort the Words Their Way spelling list. Please complete all items in the folder and return the folder to the classroom on Friday.
Please continually practice reading the high frequency words along with practicing addition and subtraction math facts.
Grading: Grades will be posted weekly on the “Classactiongradebook”. Please go online and enter your students ID number to access student grades. Tests will be graded at point value. Homework assignment will be given a score of 5 points with a deduction of 3 points if turned in late.
Happy Grams: Children love to feel encouragement from their parents, family members and teachers. One way that I encourage this is through, Happy Grams! A Happy Gram is a quick note telling you child what a wonderful person they are. Every week I will send home a Happy Gram in your students take home folder. Please fill out a Happy Gram letter each week and send it back with your student on Friday. We will spend a few minutes every Friday reading them in the class.
Mystery Bag: Students love to share personal items and experiences with the class. Mystery bags are a way for students to share something special with their classmates (show and tell). Four mystery bags will be sent home every Monday. If your child receives a mystery bag for the week, please help them select one item they can bring to school to share with the class. Help your child write three clues about their item. The other students in the class will use the clues to guess the item.
Note: Mystery bags are to only time that I allow toys from home. If your child brings a toy from home at other times during the week it will be confiscated and you, parent or guardian, will need to come in and retrieve it.
Star Student: This year we will be celebrating one student each week. On your designated week please help your child make a poster. The posters can include the following: a picture of the student, pictures of family members, hobbies, vacations, talents, etc. Please have your students’ poster ready first thing Monday morning on your designated week so we can enjoy them in the classroom the entire week. I will send home a reminder in your students take home folder one-week prior.
September 8 Oriah January 11 Joee
September 14 Jaxson January 25 Karsyn
September 21 Olivia February 1 Kylie
October 5 Jaxon February 8 Anthony
October 12 Chloe February 16 Sara
October 19 Jacob February 22 Nathan
October 26 Pacey March 1 Jade
November 9 Parker March 15 Caden
November 16 Kylah March 23 Macy
November 30 Oliver April 12 Destry
December 14 Kyra April 19 Ella
January 4 Colby
I am a new teacher to this school and may need to make some changes throughout the year. Please continually watch for updates on the classroom blog and in your student’s homework folder.
Thank you for all you do for your children. If you have any concerns or questions please contact me at tamrawoodland@mail.weber.edu or call the school, and I will be more than happy to assist you. It is going to be a great year.
Sincerely,
Mrs. WoodlandClass Rules
The following rules will be implemented in the classroom. Please read carefully with your student.
1. Follow directions the first time they are given.
2. Raise your hand and wait for permission to speak.
3. Stay in your seat unless you have permission to do otherwise.
4. Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself.
5. Use kind appropriate words
The following consequences will be used for those students who choose to not follow the rules. Consequences are designed to give students a chance to refocus and think about their choices.
Consequences
1. Verbal warning
2. 1-min skill builder
3. Reseat- move location in the classroom (Fill out refocus sheet)
4. Time owed- 300 seconds (refocus sheet- parent contact)
5. SEVERE: fighting, defiance, continued class disruption, throwing ANY object, note passing will result in automatically moving to step 4.
All behavior will be tracked and recorded in our class behavior book. If you would like to know how your student is behaving in the class you are welcome to come and take a look. I will also present copies of your student’s behavior at parent teacher’s conference.
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Please sign and return the bottom portion of this page stating that you have read the classroom behavior policy and disclosure statement
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Parent Signature Student Signature
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Welcome to Second Grade!
To my fabulous second graders and parents,
I am so excited to be your teacher next year. It is going to be a great year, and I am thrilled to meet you. I am a new teacher at Syracuse Arts Academy, but I am not new to teaching. I taught two years as a fifth grade teacher, one year in a 4/5 grade split, and I taught as a second grade teacher in Arizona. I also completed my student teaching in a third a grade classroom. I have to say that out of all the grades that I have taught, I love second graders the best.
This summer has been very eventful; I attended a class in July and learned some amazing new ways to integrate literature, music, and art in the classroom. It is going to be a fun year as we learn and explore together.
Last year I began a classroom blog and loved the interaction that I received from the parents. This was such a wonderful experience that I decided create a new blog for my second graders. At the beginning of the year I will ask you to sign a permission slip that will allow me to post your students pictures. When journaling, I only refer to the students by their first name. The blog is secured and you will need to email me your email address in order to access it. Please try to do this before school starts so you can be informed of any upcoming events that may take place in the classroom. My email address is tamrawoodland@mail.weber.edu
Summer is a great time for kids to read. With no school and no homework there are usually plenty of extra hours to fill. Please encourage your child to fill those hours reading. Studies have shown that children who read during their summer vacation retain more of what they learned throughout the school year and are better prepared for that first day of school in the fall. A love of reading will provide a lifetime of pleasure and learning.
You can encourage your child to read by providing them with books, magazines, and newspapers. Have them read aloud to you or to a brother or sister. All that is needed from you is encouragement and perhaps a few trips to the library. Attached you will find my Alien Book Club minute sheet. For every 20 minutes your child reads have them color an alien. Bring this sheet back at the beginning of school and we will have a Popsicle party!
Children love to feel encouragement from their parents, family members and teachers. One way that I encourage this is through, what I call, Happy Grams! Attached is a sheet of happy grams to be filled out by you or another family member. A Happy Gram is just a quick note telling your child what a wonderful person they are.
· Example: Dear Katie, Thank you so much for making your bed today, that made getting ready for school a lot nicer. Love Mom
I will send these in their weekly homework folder and we will spend a couple minutes each day reading them in class. Please fill out one or two happy grams for your student during the summer and we will begin reading them the first week of school.
Thank you for all your support and have a great summer.
Love,
Mrs. Woodland
I am so excited to be your teacher next year. It is going to be a great year, and I am thrilled to meet you. I am a new teacher at Syracuse Arts Academy, but I am not new to teaching. I taught two years as a fifth grade teacher, one year in a 4/5 grade split, and I taught as a second grade teacher in Arizona. I also completed my student teaching in a third a grade classroom. I have to say that out of all the grades that I have taught, I love second graders the best.
This summer has been very eventful; I attended a class in July and learned some amazing new ways to integrate literature, music, and art in the classroom. It is going to be a fun year as we learn and explore together.
Last year I began a classroom blog and loved the interaction that I received from the parents. This was such a wonderful experience that I decided create a new blog for my second graders. At the beginning of the year I will ask you to sign a permission slip that will allow me to post your students pictures. When journaling, I only refer to the students by their first name. The blog is secured and you will need to email me your email address in order to access it. Please try to do this before school starts so you can be informed of any upcoming events that may take place in the classroom. My email address is tamrawoodland@mail.weber.edu
Summer is a great time for kids to read. With no school and no homework there are usually plenty of extra hours to fill. Please encourage your child to fill those hours reading. Studies have shown that children who read during their summer vacation retain more of what they learned throughout the school year and are better prepared for that first day of school in the fall. A love of reading will provide a lifetime of pleasure and learning.
You can encourage your child to read by providing them with books, magazines, and newspapers. Have them read aloud to you or to a brother or sister. All that is needed from you is encouragement and perhaps a few trips to the library. Attached you will find my Alien Book Club minute sheet. For every 20 minutes your child reads have them color an alien. Bring this sheet back at the beginning of school and we will have a Popsicle party!
Children love to feel encouragement from their parents, family members and teachers. One way that I encourage this is through, what I call, Happy Grams! Attached is a sheet of happy grams to be filled out by you or another family member. A Happy Gram is just a quick note telling your child what a wonderful person they are.
· Example: Dear Katie, Thank you so much for making your bed today, that made getting ready for school a lot nicer. Love Mom
I will send these in their weekly homework folder and we will spend a couple minutes each day reading them in class. Please fill out one or two happy grams for your student during the summer and we will begin reading them the first week of school.
Thank you for all your support and have a great summer.
Love,
Mrs. Woodland
Monday, June 8, 2009
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