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 :)

 

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 15^th- Christmas Concert! Day and evening performances
December 16^th- School Wide Bingo, and Class Christmas Party
December 19^th- 23^rdChristmas 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 20^th- Dress like Christmas assembly at 8:30am
December 21^st- Gingerbread Decorating Party at 12:30!
December 22^nd- Grade 2s are going Skating! 1:45- 2:45
December 23^rd- 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

Just a quick reminder!

Hi folks!

2 things:

1) Your student brought home that very important yellow handout that has all the available times for Parent Teacher Interviews! If you have other students at the school, most likely THEIR interviews are on November 24th and 25th.  I know different grade levels are doing different things, but hopefully the yellow handout isn't too confusing!  Please indicate your 1st and 2nd preference, and include any helpful notes (for example "I work untill 5pm) that will help with planning.  Remember, I am very open to other dates/ times as well, if one of the provided ones do not work with your schedules. Just let me know via email, phone call, note in agenda, carrier pigeon.... I promise we'll make something work :)

2) Another reminder that we are making Stone Soup on Wednesday! Today we brainstormed a list of appropriate soup ingredients, and your child signed up to bring something in. I tried to make it very clear to the class, to bring something that they thought would already be in their fridge at home, so parents don't have to stress.  In other words, please do not run out to the grocery store in a panic for purchasing 1 carrot.  Whatever you have in your fridge is fine!! If you don't have any produce that would be soup-friendly, and your student is keen on bringing something, you could just put some dashes of salt and pepper in a zip lock bag and we'll toss that in the pot! If you're wondering how much to bring, just a small ziplock bag with your cleaned, chopped ingredient will be great! We will be enjoying our Stone Soup just before lunch on Wednesdsay, after the Remembrance Day assembly. 

Thank you!!
-Anna

November!

Hello!

Thanks for checking in! With the Fall Break and Interview Days, November is a VERY quick month with lots to do.  If you are ever confused with what needs to be brought in on what days, PLEASE email me and I will respond as quickly as possible!  I’m one of those people who needs everything to be written down which is probably why my desk is covered in sticky notes J  I think this blog post covers everything that is happening in November, so grab your calendars so you can be filled in!

Here are some important things for THIS WEEK:

On Monday, students will be bringing home a signup sheet for Parent Teacher interviews.  .  Please fill out the bottom of that sheet with your 1^st and 2^nd option, and I will do my best to accommodate everyone.  If none of the below times and dates work with your schedule, please contact me immediately, and we will find a time that works.  Interviews are usually about 20 minutes long- it is optional whether or not you’d like to bring your student.  Feel free to add a comment about your preferred time (example: “any time after 4pm).  When every student returns the form, I will then send out a notice indicating your 20 minute interview.

On Monday, students are also asked to “Bring Something From Their Past” to share with small groups! If students don’t have anything to bring, tell them a story about when they were younger, and they can share that story with their classmates. 

In Music, Ms. Nevels has been teaching the story of Stone Soup ,and we will be reading the story in class.  It is a story of how being generous brings out the kindness in others.  Together, we are going to make Stone Soup in the classroom.  on Monday, students will sign up to bring a vegetable to school for Wednesday, November 9th 2011.  It is most appreciated if your ingredient is washed, chopped, and ready to be 'tossed' into the pot.  We will be enjoying our soup right before lunchtime on Wednesday, October 9th.  Thank you for your help with this!

Our Halloween Writing books are almost done!!!  This truly is a lot of hard work on behalf of the students, especially for the beginning of Grade 2.  When they make their way home, please take time to read your student’s story. They have a lot to be proud of with those books J

Random notes:

*Blue Hot Lunch forms are due Monday.

*Scholastic book orders are due on Monday

There is no spelling/ sight words next week due to the short week.

All Students need to have indoor shoes at school.  Please check with your child if they have dry shoes to put on during wet days.  Several of us have misplaced them or forgotten them at home. 

Grade 2s are having their first (and hopefully annual) OREO COOKIE DAY!! Why?!?! Why not!??! OREO Day is on Monday, November 21^st and will be filled with Math, Language Arts, Science, and Art activities completely centered around OREO COOKIES!  (yum!)  In preparation for this, we are asking each parent to send in a bag of OREOS with their student.  On Monday November 14^th a paper notice will go home, reminding you about this day, and we are asking that the OREO bags come in on Friday, November 18^th.  If you fear the cookies might get eaten in your home (I know this is the case at my house!) then feel free to send them earlier.  We are also asking that on Monday October 21^st, each student wear something black and white from their closet- Please don’t go and spend money at Park Place! I’m really excited for this day and I know we’ll have a lot of fun with these activities. 

Sock It To ‘Em has started! This is a charity event put on by our caretaking staff.  They will be collecting NEW socks for those in need around Christmas time.  There will be a giant stocking in the office where students can come and pin new socks for donation on in the office. 

The calendar gets bigger and bigger...here are the happenings!

Thanks and have a great weekend! Enjoy the extra hour of sleep J

November dates:
Monday November 7^th- Bring Something From Your Past!

Monday November 7^th- Scholastic and Hot Lunch orders due
Tuesday November 8^th – After School Skate at Nic Sheran

Wednesday November 9^th- Bring a vegetable for Stone Soup!
Wednesday November 9^th- Remembrance Day Assembly 10:30
Wednesday Novmeber 9^th- School Council meeting at 6pm 
Thursday November 10th Fall Break No School
 Friday November 11^th Fall Break No School 
Tuesday November 15^th- After School Skate at Nic Sheran
Wednesday November 16^th Spirit Assembly @ 830am: PJ Day
Wednesday November  16th  PT Interviews for Grade 2B
Thursday November  17th  PT Interviews for Grade 2B
Friday November  18th  PT Interviews for Grade 2B
Friday November 18^th- Bring a bag of OREOS!

Friday November 18^th Report Cards sent home 
Monday November 21^st- Oreo Cookie Day (details to follow)

Monday November 21st  PT Interviews for Grade 2B
Tuesday November 22^nd- PT Interviews for Grade 2B
Thursday November 24^th – Friday November 25^th- No School
Wednesday November 30^th- Character Education Assembly in pm



~ Last Week of October ~

Hello everyone!

Thanks for checking in on the blog!  First thing, a quick reminder to all parents that EACH STUDENT needs to bring in 1 pumpkin for Monday, October 24^th.  We will keep these pumpkins at the school until the 27^th or 28^th (definitely in time for you to carve them at home for Halloween!) and we will be using them all week for different Math activities!  Please put the students’ initials somewhere tiny near the stem or underneath the pumpkin perhaps, just so we don’t get confused.  Thanks!  

Thanks to those parents who were able to come and hang out during our field trip to the Galt Museum!  We had a blast with Belinda as we learned about Early Lethbridge and why people came here.  

Thank you as well to Constable Ian Patey, who came in on Wednesday to teach all the Grade 2 classes about the history of the RCMP, and to answer questions!  Students got to take home awesome treat bags, and we learned a lot from him.

Last week, a purple sheet was sent home in regards to some Math Facts!  We’ve talked in the classroom how in Grade 2 we need to be quick with our Math Facts to 10, and be able to see the relation between addition and subtraction.  We practise this every morning with our Domino of the Day, and ask that you practise this at home with your student.  

It’s good to see some of our MMH students at After School Skating at Nicholas Sheran arena!  There are 4 more of these left on Tuesdays from 3:30- 4:30.  Each student needs their own skates and helmet- if you don’t have a helmet, we have some you can borrow at the rink.  

Since Halloween falls on a Monday, our Halloween parade will start at 12:45.  Come on out and watch the fun costumes go by as we parade around the school!  Remember, this year, we are encouraging students to have simple, easy to put on costumes!! The easier the costume, the better- as we don’t want line ups at the bathroom, or anyone needing major assistance with face painting, etc.  If your child has a costume that can easily be put on or slipped over their clothes that would be fantastic!!  Also, please do not send scary weapons/ props with your student to school.  We will parade around the school from approx.. 12:45 to 1:15.  Afterwards, we will be doing Halloween activities for the remainder of the afternoon, and enjoying our Halloween treats at 2:05. 

Thanks to those parents who have signed up to bring treats that day for our 25 students:

Jordin- Fruit Tray
Aaron- Veggie Tray
Nicole- Cheese, Meat, and Cracker Tray
Ainsley- Cookies, cupcakes or muffins
Juice boxes- Elora
Plates and Napkins- Morgan

You'll notice on the calendar below, that our class is holding Parent/ Teacher interviews at a different time than others.  I often find that with parent teacher interviews it's difficult to stay on time so I'd like to hold this year's interviews on other days to allow us more opportunities to meet.  Please note, that while these interviews are mandatory, I am more than happy to meet with you at a different time if the suggested ones do not work with your schedule.  There will be a notice sent home with interview times for the evenings of Monday, November 21st and Tuesday November 22nd. Meeting before school on both of these days is also an option as well.   I will let you know well in advance when this notice goes home.  

That's all for now!  Enjoy the beautiful autumn weather!

-Anna Tsentouros

Here are some important dates for your November calendars:  

November dates:
Tuesday October 25^th- Retakes! 

Tuesday October 25th- After School Skate at Nic Sheran 3:30-4:30
Tuesday November 1^st- After School Skate at Nic Sheran
Tuesday November 8^th – After School Skate at Nic Sheran
Wednesday November 9^th- Remembrance Day Assembly 10:30 am
Wednesday Novmeber 9^th- School Council meeting at 6pm 
Thursday November 10th Fall Break No School
 Friday November 11^th Fall Break No School 
Tuesday November 15^th- After School Skate at Nic Sheran
Wednesday November 16^th Spirit Assembly @ 830am: PJ Day Friday November 18^th Report Cards sent home 
Monday November 21^st- Oreo Cookie Day (details to follow)

Monday November 21st  PT Interviews for Grade 2B
Tuesday November 22^nd- PT Interviews for Grade 2B
Thursday November 24^th – Friday November 25^th- No School
Wednesday November 30^th- Character Education Assembly in pm

October News!

Hello parents and Happy Friday!!  Just a few items to let you know about:

 

Short and Sweet!!

We are taking the bus to the Galt Museum on Tuesday afternoon.  Thanks to the parents of Byron, Nicole, Cathrine, Jordin, and Brooke R. .  If you are taking the bus with us please be at the school by 12:25, as the bus picks us up for 12:30.  If you are meeting us at the museum, our program begins at 12:50.  We will be done at 2:20 and return to school at 2:30ish.

There is no spelling or sight words next week due to the 3 day school week.  Please use this time to review the sight words we have had to date.  J

Halloween is on October 31.  We ask that students bring a simple slip-on costume to school.  They can quickly change into it at lunch time.  We hope to have the most amount of instructional time as possible that day and save the Halloween fun for the afternoon.  We hope you can join us to participate in the costume parade at 12:30.

For the week of October 24-28 each child needs to have a pumpkin at school.  We will be measuring, weighing, and comparing our pumpkins.  They will come home on Friday October 28 in time for families to carve them on the weekend.  Please let your child pick out their “perfect pumpkin” for this activity.  Thanks!

Last but not least- A huge thank you to those who purchased books at the Scholastic Book Fair for our classroom! I'm really excited to show the kids and to have some fun with them in the room!!  Your continued support is very much appreciated :)

Enjoy your weekends! 

-Anna Tsentouros

Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday already?! Where has the week gone!!

On Thursday, we started our Fire Prevention and Safety unit.  Students started exploring the Sparky the Fire Dog Website, and next week we have a guest speaker from the fire department coming in. On Thursday, your child brought home some Fire Safety homework. Please help them create a map of your home, complete with an exit route and meeting place.  I realize your weekends will be packed with Turkey and deliciousness, so I’ve asked they be returned on (or before) Wednesday October 12^th. 

*NOTE* One student's homework ended up on the coat room floor!!! If this homework belongs to do, you could just do your house floorplan on a blank sheet of paper from home, or grab an extra copy on Tuesday. 

Students have done an awesome job with their Data Analysis review sheets, so we’ve been working on our test these past few days.  Next we’ll move into some basic counting and practise with numbers.  If your child is pretty quick with counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s, try asking them to count but at different starting points (like in the middle of the 100 chart or on an odd number) or backwards.  Get them to practise their listening skills by asking questions like, “Can you count by 5s, backwards, from 85 to 25?”

Science: Magnet tests will get marked this weekend (in between turkey dinners!) and next week we’ll kick off learning about Liquids. Discovering Liquids is always a fun and messy time.   

After Thanksgiving, we will begin one of my favourite writing projects in Grade 2: Our Halloween/ Fall book.  This year’s book will focus on writing based on our five senses, and it gives students a chance to really practise using their juicy words and begin the editing process from their sloppy copy to their good copy. 

We are all set to go for our field trip to Fort Whoop Up on Wednesday October 12^th! Thanks to the following parents who have volunteered to drive:

Cathrine’s Mom
Zane’s Dad
Aaron’s Mom
Brooke’s Mom
Aries' Dad
Byron’s Mom

Please be at the school for about 12:40ish, as we are due to be at the Fort from 1:00- 2:30. 

SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR AT MMH!  The scholastic book fair will be set up in the library, and is open ALL DAY (but closed over lunch).  Parents and younger siblings are welcome to visit the book fair at ANY TIME.  Our class will be going twice: once on October 13^th at 11:15 (our usual library time), and then again on Friday the 14^th for about 15 minutes in the morning.  If you wish to shop with your child at the book fair, you can come and excuse them from class and quickly take them through.  On our first visit, students can fill out their Wish List of what they want / prices, bring it home on Thursday, and then shop on Friday. If you send money in your students agenda, I can keep it safe for them. 

As many of you participate in scholastic orders throughout the year, and have other commitments, please remember, this is completely optional and you shouldn’t feel pressured to buy anything! And I will remind students of that on this end J

Our Grade 2 class met their MMH Families for the very first time on Wednesday, and watched an amazing assembly about something new called the Bucket Philosophy at our school.  It’s based on the book “Have you Filled a Bucket Today?” and it’s a really awesome idea that encourages everyone to use positive encouragement to be a Bucket Filler.  Here’s a link for you to watch if you’re interested I bringing the bucket philosophy into your home:

Bucket Philosophy

Hot Lunch forms are due October 12^th, for the lunch on October 19^th. If your form disappeared in a backpack, please ask the office for a new one.

Life Touch Picture orders are due on October 14^th. If you’d like retakes, please select “retakes”, and return the package.  Picture Retake Day is October 25^th. 

Last but not least, don’t forget about the Free Skate our school puts on at Nicholas Sheran arena.  Our next date is Tuesday October 11^th from 3:30- 4:30. Students require their own skates and helmets (as there are limited ones to borrow) and need their own rides to and from the arena.  If there is anyone from our class who would really like to go, but is stuck for a ride TO the arena, please email me.  

That’s all for now!

Have a great weekend with your families.

-Anna Tsentouros