Notes From Mrs. Bell---

How can it be Friday already? Have you noticed that your child comes home tired?  We are really engaged in our school day together.  I love these kids curious minds as we take on new topics each day.  It's been a very exciting week here as we've dug deeper in our Pebbles, Sand and Silt Science explorations, completed our first Social Studies unit of study on Where We Live, stepped into our Phonics Weekly Lessons with a focus on Closed Syllable Patterns, focusing on Main Idea and Supporting Details in Reading, Addition & Subtraction Numbers in Math and taken on Persuasive Writing by discussing our own Misadventures in Writing.  

I really love the time we invest in our Writing Journals as I don't always have the opportunity to hear every single story from all 17 students all throughout the day.  As I bring home one group's Writing Journals each evening to read and respond to, I learn so much about every child in our classroom.  One student wrote they never want to leave our awesome room as it makes them feel so good! Wow, did that make my heart happy reading that.  One student mentioned that they spent an afternoon reading instead of playing video games! They went on to tell me their reading minutes totals thus far. Smart choice!  When I mentioned I had mowed the lawn in my journal one day this week, a few let me know that they've gotten to mow their lawn too.  When I mentioned that we cleaned off our garden, some told me about their family gardens too.   Another student wrote about their responsibilities at home that have helped them be more responsible at school doing chores on their acreage, helping set the table, cook supper, fold clothes, etc.  No wonder this student excels in school! Another student let me know that their cat died.  And that's why they weren't very talkative.  And yet another student wondered what I ate with my family last night for supper? I really enjoy reading their journals to learn what they do after school, what they are reading, watching on TV, playing outdoors, who their friends are, etc.  In fact, sometimes they let me know that they saw me out and about and of course, they have lots of questions about what I do outside of school too.  If you haven't gotten a Writing Journal for them to use at home yet, consider getting one for them this Christmas season.  It's a great way to build their writing and reading skills and another form of communication with you as well.

We moved from the first 30 Days of Writing and Reading to our Full Writing Curriculum, Phonics Curriculum and Reading instruction.  What does that mean?  It means that we now have whole group work and guided stations to help us build the necessary skills to move on to the next level in the next grade in a small group setting.  The kids have transitioned well into their new small groups for Guided Reading and Guided Math.  

You can keep track of what's happening best by following our class Twitter account where I post what's happening most every day!  Or you can check back on our blog each week where I keep you updated as well.  In Reading we are working on Asking Questions and Main Idea within our first unit. The kids have been so engaged to what I'm reading, asking and putting together for them to build on their reading skills.  I've met with each group to work on their fluency levels and each group loved their non-fiction books where some didn't want their small group time to end! I love it! They are eager to learn and I'm eager to guide them along the way.  

In Guided Math we work in small groups on many math skills and then meet with me in a small group to work on the core lesson for the day.  I review what their homework will be for the night, if there is an assignment, though we haven't sent any 2nd Grade Math Homework home yet, and get an opportunity to work more closely with every child in our class.  We just took our Unit 2 Math Test  and recorded our grades in our Data Binders. You should have found your child's test in their Friday Folders.  I too, have to keep up on the work as if I don't check papers one evening, then the next evening I then have 34 papers instead of 17 papers to check.  I did share this scenario with the students and they realized they have it much easier being responsible for just one sheet compared to 17 that I do on a daily basis for each subject area that we have continued work I keep track of.  

In addition, you may sign up to receive a notification email of when updates have ben made to our class blog.  To do this, visit the blog address listed above.  Along the right hand side of our blog, enter and submit your e-mail address.  An e-mail will automatically be sent to your address each day I make an update to the class blog!  How simple is that to stay informed.

Don't forget we have a class Twitter account! We will tweet something we learned/accomplished each day.  Check out their work on our Twitter account.  It is exciting to be on the cutting edge of the latest technology made available to us.  Our class Twitter account address is @mrsbell2nd

Congratulations to 13 of 17 students for meeting their September Reading goals!  Students brought home coupons for a free Casey's slice of pizza for meeting their goal!  They also earned a Class Dojo point for completing their assigned homework and a PBIS ticket for being a responsible student!  15 of 17 students returned their September Reading calendars.  From here on out, Pizza Hut will issue a free personal pan pizza coupon for meeting your monthly reading goal!  Mrs. Bell has monthly incentives as well!  One of the best ways to help your child learn reading skills is to read aloud to him or her.  Reading aloud and talking about books helps your child understand stories and make sense of words.  As you read aloud, your child "makes pictures" in his or her head, imagining the story in action.  Your child's vocabulary will grow as he or she hears new exciting words and ideas.  Try reading aloud to your child - it's easy, fun and educational!  Students shared where they are keeping their October Reading Calendar posted at home.  These calendars went home on September 29th in their Homework Folders.  Please help direct your child where to place their calendar in a safe place that can be marked on daily with how much reading they are doing, hearing at home, etc.  If you misplaced it, just print one or create your own to keep track of this month's minutes.  We will be tracking minutes through April.

Students are rewarded with PBIS tickets for being respectful, responsible and safe at any time throughout our building by any adult.   Be sure to ask your child about their PBIS tickets received daily and if they remember how they earned them. 

ClassDojo is a simple, safe classroom management app that helps teachers encourage students in class and easily communicates with parents.  Each Friday we will print our individual ClassDojo pie charts and then students will individually evaluate their week by setting goals for the next week.  I trust you'll take time to go through this with your child to see how they can improve their behavior each week.

Each Friday we celebrate our Mid-Prairie pride by wearing our Mid-Prairie and/or Mid-Prairie East Elementary apparel! Show your school spirit and wear it proudly each Friday.  Check out the Mid-Prairie School website for ongoing apparel sales throughout the school district all year long.  Furthermore, each Wednesday we'll continue our Workout Wednesdays to promote healthier living by working out while eating healthier!  

Please stop in our room to see what your child is learning! We'd love to share with you!