Friday, December 9, 2011

Snowshoeing and Igloo Building

Hey everyone! Just a quick reminder for the upcoming events! 

If you haven't yet, please hand in your forms for our skating trip and gingerbread decorating party.  Remember, each child needs skates and a helmet for skating on December 22nd. If a student doesn't have their own, please indicate on the note.  We now have enough drivers to transport our students! Thank you to the following parents for signing up:  Brenda S., Sheila T., Christine R., Stacy D., Rob K., and Holly D.  Even if you're not driving and you are able to join us at the rink- PLEASE DO! Many hands make tying skates much easier... :) 

Also, please remember we are asking every student to bring a gingerbread house, pre built, and then icing and decorations.  We will be decorating the houses in the art room together.  Please let me know immediately if you (or another adult) is unable to attend and I can make arrangements/ buddy students up, as we don't want anyone feeling left out for this. 

Thank you to those parents/ students who have signed up to bring sweets for our Classroom Christmas party!  We will be enjoying these and playing a schoolwide Bingo game on Friday December 16th.  They are:

Rawley- fruit tray
Jordin- veggie tray with dip, and cookies, cupcakes or muffins
Sammie- cheese, meat and crackers
Cathrine- juiceboxes
Elora- plates and napkins

SIX MORE SLEEPS 'TIL CHRISTMAS CONCERT!!! I think our class is feeling pretty ready :)

Check out some pics of our classroom as we tried out some snoeshoes, as well as igloo buildling! All this snow and frost is really helping us get into the spirit as we learn about Arctic Communities in Social Studies.

Thank you, and have a FABULOUS weekend :)









 

Saturday, December 3, 2011

December is HERE!!

Hi everyone!
I’ve been a bit neglectful with the blog, as there wasn’t too much to report during report card / interview time, but we’re back on track! Especially since December is going to be a bit crazy!  The two biggest events you need to remember for our Grade 2 class this month is our Gingerbread Decorating party on Wednesday December 21st from 12:30- 2:00. Every student needs a PREMADE / BUILT GINGERBREAD HOUSE, and DECORATIONS/ ICING!  Each student also needs an adult to help them decorate their house! This is just a fun few hours where we hang out in the Art Room and have a good time.  A detailed note describing exactly what you need will be sent home on Monday.  There is also a part to return back to school, confirming your attendance for that time.  If you're unable to come that afternoon, consider inviting a Grandparent or Aunt/ Uncle to come and help. Please watch for the note in your child's backpack :)
The second event is our Grade 2 Skating at Nicholas Sheran Arena, on Thursday Decmber 22nd from 1:45 to 2:45.  A note went home yesterday (Friday) describing this event.  Please fill out the sheet and return to the school as soon as possible, as every student needs skates and a helmet, and we will coordinate parent drivers. 
Thank you for donating all of your shoeboxes! We are turning these into a very special Christmas craft and will be working on these from now until Christmas. 
Here is a quick reminder of what we’re doing in Room 8:
In Social Studies, we have finished with our Lethbridge unit, and moving into learning about Arctic Communities!  We will have a presentation from a former resident of Nunavut come to all the Grade 2 classes to learn about culture and lifestyle in “the north”.  If anyone from our Grade 2B homes as any pictures/ stories to share if they’ve been to Nunavut, they’d be very appreciated!
In Science, we will continue exploring liquids as we move into absorbency and the importance of clean water.  Students have had a lot of fun playing with the medicine droppers, and doing things like layering and mixing liquids!  Some terms we’ve learned about are: mixing, absorbency, high and low viscosity, and surface tension. Ask your student if they can recall what we learned about these words!
In Math, we will continue working with numbers and will get more comfortable adding and subtracting numbers 0-50.  A good way to help your student practice this at home, would be to hand them some change, and ask them to show you numbers in different ways.  “Can you show me .35 cents?”  “Can you show me .35 cents in a different way?” 
In Language Arts, we’re starting a mini research project to learn about reindeer!  Students will be using the computers and books in the library to learn about the lifestyle of real reindeers. 

Our December Calender is filling up!
Please update yours at home:
December 15th- Christmas Concert! Day and evening performances
December 16th- School Wide Bingo, and Class Christmas Party
December 19th- 23rdChristmas Carolling in the gym 8:30-9:00
(we carol in the gym every morning / watch various performances! Come join us for a bit if you have time!)

December 20th- Dress like Christmas assembly at 8:30am
December 21st- Gingerbread Decorating Party at 12:30!
December 22nd- Grade 2s are going Skating! 1:45- 2:45
December 23rd- Last day of class!



Thank you again for sending Oreos for our Oreo day! Below are some photos of last Monday-  It was a spectacular day!!
A very important pink handout came home last Tuesday regarding this year’s Christmas Concert!  Please see the MMH Newsletter posted HERE for more information and other things that are happening school wide. 
Ms. Nevels has been doing a fantastic job preparing our students for the Christmas Concert. She is also coordinating the Grade 2 singing performance at the grand opening of the West Side Save On Foods! Below is a message regarding that performance:
Thanks to those children who brought in their forms to sing at the new Save On Foods on Wednesday.  We now have enough children and can’t accept any more forms.  Please wear your MMH shirt to Save On Wednesday evening.  If you don’t have a shirt please let your teacher know and we may be able to borrow from the school.  Wearing blue or yellow would be appropriate too.  For those participating, we’ll see you there at 5:15.


I think that's it for now!  Have a wonderful weekend :)
-Anna Tsentouros