Monday Message December 12

WELCOME WINTER!  First, thank you so much for sending your children in prepared for the weather.  Reminder: as a school rule, they need boots and snowpants to play in the snow. Sneakers/ shoes are also essential, so that our sitting area does not get wet and/or muddy. If you want to leave anything at school just send it in a bag with a note to leave at school. And remember to label everything… I know how expensive these items can be!

I hope your child is enjoying the COMPLIMENT project. Please help them to be specific, and do a few each night so they don’t get overwhelmed at the end.  This time management technique is a practice to start early. They are due BY FRIDAY.

Considering that this project is still underway we will continue with modified HOMEWORK this week.  I will resume sending SPELLING WORDS home (last week we continued to practice in school, but some children seem to need more time than that.)  There will also be a MATH GAME.  The READING LOG, however, will be optional.

We said goodbye to our STUDENT TEACHER, Taylor St. Jean, on Friday.  The students made an ABC book of appreciation, and she loved it!  We wish her well on her journey.  We will be hosting another student teacher in January so watch for this announcement!

We are continuing our study of Maps, Opinion Writing, Fractions, Time, and Character Development in December.  I will write another “Friday Letter” along with the students this coming Friday.  Thank you for returning the folders.

Finally, we will be doing another STEAM experiment next week!  I will be asking room parents to create a signup sheet for a few items that we have been asked to request from families.  

As always, thanks for all of your support!

Monday Message Nov. 28, 2016

Hello and welcome back!  I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I celebrated with a small family gathering, including my 26 year old twins who travelled home for the holiday. It was very special! 

The Gift of Giving:  I hope you enjoyed the bread that your children brought home from our exciting Bread Baking project!  You can find our slide show on the left side of this blog.

A View into the Classroom:  I am also sharing with you a picture from our classroom life, specifically math stations, and our Student Teacher Taylor St. Jean.  In my last blog post (below) I have included some information about curriculum that we are studying at school these days.

Homework this week:  This is described on the back of your child's reading log.  The only new item is Spelling!  I would like students to cut their words and sort them, as they do in class, one night.  On another night, please have them choose one idea from the "Menu" as a way to study their words.  There will be a test on Friday.  They did well last week!

Reaching Out:  Last Thursday I visited Plymouth and participated in an American Indian "Day of Mourning" over the treatment of native peoples since the early settlers arrived here. It was quite moving.  In our school culture of Service Learning, I thought the children would be interested to hear about it.  If you want to learn more check out this site:
http://www.uaine.org/.

Finally, please let me know if you would like to share a family tradition with our class.  You are welcome to come into the classroom to talk with students, or have your child prepare a short presentation.  I am happy to answer any questions or talk about your ideas.

Thank you!  Have a fantastic week!
Deborah Niles

Monday Message Nov. 21, 2016

Monday Message

November 21, 2016

What’s new in Room 6?  Here is a SHORT update, since I know many of you are getting ready for your Thanksgiving preparations and/or travels!

First, I hope you read the Homework Reminders on the back of the Reading Log. There are a few important items on the “Dates to Remember”.  If you didn’t see it in your child’s folder, click here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1inPO1Vy8B9L_aOfTIJbeSWY8VowubUeZP04qqwja1Ks/edit

Most importantly, we are baking bread on Wednesday!  

If you are coming to help, please arrive by 8:30 am. If you are sending supplies, please send them in tomorrow (Tuesday). I will be setting up after my meeting (which ends at 3:30)... if anyone can come in at that time please email me!! deborah_niles@wayland.k12.ma.us.  Thank you for all your support!  Your children and I really appreciate it!

Students are wrapping up a few units this month:

• In Math we are having a test tomorrow on our Place Value unit.  This forms the foundation for our work in adding and subtracting 2- and 3- digit numbers!  As a short break from our number sense work, our next unit will be on Fractions and Time.  Please help your child by starting to talk about telling time at home.  
• In Science we have finished up our Weather Unit.  We will continue to forecast and report on the weather, however.  This should be exciting as we move into the winter months!
• In Writing we are writing and sharing our Personal Narratives.  We will be moving into our unit on Opinion Writing soon- backed up by “evidence from the text”!
• Our first Spelling Test last Friday was a big success!  Words will start coming home the week after Thanksgiving.
• Those students who have been using Raz Kids regularly will be getting a report of their progress.  If your child has not been using it once per week, please ask them to do so, or let me know if this is difficult for them for any reason.

Thanks again for all of your support at home.  I wish all of you a happy, healthy and relaxing holiday weekend, full of great food and warm hugs!

Monday Message- November 7, 2016

November 7, 2016

Good Morning!  I hope you had a great fall weekend!

Social Studies

This is such an exciting time for our country, and we are feeling it in second grade.  Our fifth graders at Happy Hollow have organized a student voting experience, which we will participate in tomorrow.  We are getting ready by reading up on the election process as well as the candidates.  

Field Trip

Our Field Trip was a big success, after many postponements.  Thank you for your flexibility, and thanks to our wonderful chaperones for their help.  Andrew Munton, Lauren Alongi, Tom McGonagal, Liane Hage, and our Student Teacher Taylor St. Jean all helped to make this a fun and informative day.  Here are a few pictures; I will be creating a slide show once I receive them all!

Halloween

I hope you had a nice holiday if you celebrate.  We had fun making Veggie Skeletons, in honor of our Harvest, in the classroom.  Here are a few pictures from the day:  Lisa Moscoffian is putting together a slide show and I will post that as well.  

Conferences

As these are winding up I am so honored to be working with you in the education of your children.  This is a very special job, and one that I don’t take lightly.  They are very special, and I appreciate all of the feedback and support you give to me and the school community.  I look forward to working on their goals and celebrating their progress!  Again if you have any questions or concerns along the way please let me know.

There is so much going on in Room 6!

First, thank you parents for signing up for a conference!  There is a link to the Fall Conference Doodle Poll on the left side of this blog so you can easily find your time, or sign up if you have not done so.  I can’t wait to talk with you about our goals for your child this year!!

Next, thank you also for sending in your bag with 5 things that we used to learn about your child.  Students are finding out that they have a lot in common, and it is generating great conversation!  The same is true for the items they used to cover their “Writing Reference Books”... these items are also helpful when we are trying to find a topic about which we can write stories.

Finally, recycled cardboard is coming in for our Cardboard Challenge, which will take place in Room 6 on Thursday, September 22.  This activity is inspired by the 5th grades, who will do their outdoor challenge the next day (Friday).  Of course the original inspiration comes from a young boy named Caine… who you can learn about on his website: http://cainesarcade.com/.

NOTE:  There is a $1 donation requested to play the Fifth Graders’ games on Friday, which will be donated to The Imagination Foundation.

For our Second Grade version of the challenge, please send in any clean cardboard, but we will also need any clean recyclables, tape (packing tape, painter’s tape and/or masking tape in easy to use dispensers!), and/or string. Send these items in by Wednesday so we know what we have.

One adult has signed up to help us on Thursday morning (thanks to Liane Hicks Hage!), but we could really use 2-3 more (Sept. 22 from 9-11 am).  Please consider coming in to participate in a wonderful time of creativity, cooperation and fun!

Soon you will be receiving a “Friday Letter” from your child, with information about what we have been learning in school.  Very briefly, we have begun Reader’s workshop with some assessments and lots of great books and book talks!  Writing workshop has also begun and we are starting to generate and share fun Personal Narratives.  In Math we are reviewing odd and even numbers and doubles facts, and getting ready for our Math Stations.  Ask your child what we have learned already about the weather!!!

Parents- if you have not already requested a CORI check please do so, in order for you to volunteer in the classroom and on Field Trips!  Also check the Happy Hollow Eblast for opportunities to help harvest our gardens!  We look forward to a wonderful year together!

Deborah

September, 2016

Dear Families,

Our school year is off to a great start! We are working on getting to know each other and building our classroom community. Children are quickly adjusting to classroom routines and seem happy to be here!

You will see a lot of papers come home this week and next... please send them back asap. If you have any questions let me know.  The best way to do that is via email at Deborah_Niles@wayland.k12.ma.us. Thank you for sending in the supplies… we still have some missing… the most important ones are a pencil box and a set of headphones. Anything else can be provided by backup supplies!

Curriculum Night will be on Thursday, September 8, at 7:00.  I hope you can make it, as I will review a lot of information about what your child will be doing this year, and how you can support them as we journey together!

Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held in October and November… there will be a sign-up sheet available on Curriculum Night.

Classroom Routines:

Snack: Students have time to eat a healthy snack every day. Each student must bring his/her own snack. I am not allowed to supply them and students cannot share. Due to allergies please send only nut-free snacks. PLEASE make sure your child also eats a nutritious breakfast before they leave for school!

Homework: Your second grader will have homework on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights for the rest of the year. Homework for the week will usually be sent home on Monday and will be due back each Friday. We will begin with reading: Each night students should read for 10 - 15 minutes. A Reading Log will be sent home on Mondays to record their reading. Please sign it Thursday night and help make sure it comes back EVERY Friday.

Math and Spelling homework will begin soon. Throughout the year, there may be short assignments or special projects in other academic areas. If your child has been focused when completing homework during the week, they should not spend more than about 30 minutes per night.  If it takes them longer, or if you have any questions, please send me a note. I will help your child make it more manageable.

Information will come home about homework and other important happenings at school on a Weekly Letter from me on the back of the reading log (also available on my blog! This should be kept in the folder. Please check the homework folder each night, and take out any corrected work or notices.

Friday Fun: Each Friday we have some earned time for a creative activity! This might be an art project, creative movement, music, class game or exploration of classroom materials. Students earn time by working hard and following classroom rules.

Missed Work: If your child is absent, late to school, or is dismissed early, missed classroom work will be sent home.  Please have your child complete and return it to school within a couple of days, since our curriculum builds on prior learning. Please call the office if your child will not be in school.

After School Destinations: A destination sheet has been sent home with your child. Please send it back by Monday, if you have not already! If they are going home a different way, please send in a note. Your child may not change plans without a note from home. We want all children to be safe in and out of school! If there is a change during the day please call the office… I don’t always have time to check email.

Volunteers Welcome! Help is always welcome in our classroom. A volunteer interest sheet will be sent home soon. The most important opportunities at this point are:

* Math Stations Assistant: This person would be in charge of one math station and help children complete the activity. I will notify you of possible dates and times.

* Curriculum Assistant(s): This is a very important role that involves helping the teacher: laminating and cutting, changing bulletin boards, making copies of class work papers, or collecting and preparing materials for projects. Time commitment is once per month for about 30-60 minutes each time, (more at the beginning of the year), at your convenience!  If you are interested, please let me know the day(s) and time(s) you are available.  Some projects may be taken home and brought back to school.

We will also need chaperones for field trips and volunteers to help with classroom parties and special events. Room parents will assist me in finding volunteers for these. Important:  Any parent who wishes to volunteer in the classroom or chaperone a class trip must complete a CORI form. These forms can be found in the office. Please do this early in the year, since they take a week or so to process.

Sharing: There will be lots of chances for students to share stories from their lives with the class, so we can get to know each other.  If something special is going on in your family and you would like to send in a picture, or your child wants to share something timely, let us know. Please do not send in any toys or electronic devices.

Special Interests: Does anyone in your family have a special interest, family tradition or expertise you would like to share with our class this year? This could be connected to our curriculum or simply something you and your child think would be interesting to the class.  If so, please let me know and we can arrange a time for you to come in.

 

If you have any questions or concerns here are some ways to contact me:

*    e-mail me at Deborah_Niles@wayland.k12.ma.us (I check email before school and in the evening)

*    Send a note in your child’s homework folder (I check this every morning)

*    Urgent/ during the day:  call the school and dial 0 for the office… they will leave a message in my mailbox, which I check at lunchtime, or will page me in the classroom.

We are all looking forward to meeting you and helping your children learn, grow and have fun in second grade!

Thank you!                                                   

Deborah Niles

End of Year Wrap Up

It was with many mixed feelings that we said good-bye on June 20.  Together we created a warm and wonderful class community this year.  I feel like I made 20 new friends (including our wonderful Leslie Bastarache!!) and hopefully your child made many new friends as well.  

We hope you enjoy the slide shows on the left side of this page;  we will leave them up for at least several months. Your children will begin making new memories, learning and growing with their new classroom communities.  

Please keep in touch and let me know about your adventures as you go through your life.  Your children have so much to offer to the world - their thoughts, their friendships, and their dreams.  We look forward to hearing what they do with these.  

Enjoy your Summer!!

Spring Update

Happy Spring!  It was so good to see all the parents who came in for conferences last month.  I was so pleased to share the great news about your child’s progress, and set goals for the rest of the year.  I can’t believe it’s moving along so quickly!!

Here is a brief update about curriculum and events in Second Grade:

• In Reading, Writing and Social Studies it’s all about the continents!  Students are determining importance while they read books, online resources, and magazines, about geography and culture in their part of the world.  Then they are choosing a few different formats to present their information in writing.  We are learning from each other as they share their research with the class.  Ask them about the fascinating facts they have found!
• In Math we are building solid addition and subtraction skills, for 3-digit numbers, using varied strategies.  It is amazing how they persevere to find that answer and check it to be quite sure!  Of course we continue to review previous skills including fractions and time.  We are also working on an understanding of coins and using them to practice our addition and subtraction skills.
  
  
• As I am sure you have heard, our classroom is home to many chrysalids that are quietly working the magic of metamorphosis right under our noses!  It will be so exciting to see them hatch this week!
• Our field trip to the Butterfly Place was a great success.  Can you find the butterfly in this picture?  (Hint- it is black and white, and is about a foot from Alvin’s right hand!)
• Finally, around the edges we are beginning our garden for the 2016 season.  Children are so excited with the idea that they can grow their own vegetables (yes, vegetables!).  We have planted seeds indoors under a grow light, some hardy varieties outside (last Friday, in the rain!), and we have a green house just waiting for our little seedlings to be ready.  Kids practice math, reading, science and cooperation skills through this project.  They also grow to appreciate the environment, and healthy living in harmony with nature!  Watch for the article coming out in next week’s Town Crier!  

January in Room 6

You would never know it was January from the weather, but you know from the shorter days, and from the presence of snow pants and boots in our hallways!  (Keep them coming in- I’m sure the snow will come!)

The huge project of reports cards is complete, but I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions.  This is a 2-way street and communication is the key to safe and happy travels :)  An enormous amount of time is spent integrating information gained from observations, data and interaction.  This provides a snapshot of your child’s journey on their way to a successful second grade year, and builds goals for the rest of the year.

As you can see from the report cards, there are many specific skills we are working on to meet end-of-the-year standards.  In a general or day-to-day sense, what is going on in Room 6?  Here are some of the highlights:

• Kids love science!  We are in the middle of a unit called “Changes in States of Matter” and they are learning so much about the world around them.  We are working together to conduct experiments in teams to observe, process and document these changes.
• Kids have valuable opinions!  We are learning how to clearly communicate these opinions through Opinion Writing.  In this unit we are using literature as a basis for our writing, so they can develop thoughts about characters, use adjectives to describe them, and use “evidence from the text” to support their thinking.
• Students are finding books, series, authors and genres they love, that will help foster their lifelong practice of reading, and make learning fun!  We have completed our units of Independent Reading Skills, Monitoring for Meaning, Schema and Making Connections, and Retelling.  We are now developing the skills of Asking and Answering Questions to help them interact with reading and build comprehension.
• Students learn phonics skills through our Words Their Way Spelling program.  They sort, discuss, and analyze words to build concrete, life-long word study skills. Thank you for your support for this program, and all of your child's learning, at home!
• Students are becoming great friends, peer-to-peer helpers and responsible learners with the help of our Social-Emotional Learning curriculum.  Speaking of that, we have a family night to expose parents and siblings to some of the methods by which we learn these concepts.  Save the Date!  Thursday Feb 25: 6:30 pm Pasta dinner, 7-8 pm Program.  See the latest E-Blast for more information!
• Finally there is a Math Curriculum and Games Night on March 3 that will be both informative and fun!  Here is the link to a poster with more information Family Math Night.

As always I welcome your feedback, questions and involvement.  Watch this blog for more links to great literature, photos from your child’s day, helpful programs to support the learning of math skills, and other resources.