Mrs. Louthan's Blog

Weekly Update

2012-01-27T05:06:00.000-08:00

Hi Families,

We have certainly had a busy week. We finished up our MAPS testing in math on Thursday - expect to see those results soon. We also saw an assembly presentation on the life of Harriet Tubman. Our next social studies unit in February will focus in on Black History and students will continue their learning about heroic Americans like Harriet Tubman.

MATH: This week in math students have been doing a lot of important work. They have continued to work on subtracting 2-digit numbers and on the trade first method explained in the homework this week. Many parents remember this as "borrowing". We've also began work understanding multiplication. This learning starts with understanding arrays. Homework on this topic will come home for next week.

WRITING: Our dinosaur research on individual dinosaurs began this week. Students used library books and internet resources to find information. We talked as a class about safe ways for kids to research online and the dangers of finding inappropriate or nonfactual information. My blog has a link on the right to a RESEARCH TOOLKIT where your child can find kid friendly search engines for finding more information about their dinosaur at home.

REMINDERS AND IMPORTANT INFO

*Conferences begin next week
*Half-days of school Thursday and Friday
*New field trip information/permission slip coming home on Monday

Have a great weekend ;)

Weekly Update

2012-01-19T17:42:00.002-08:00

Dear Families,

Thanks for supporting your 2nd graders at home with their book report projects. They look amazing! We took some time this morning to have the students share their projects with each other.

This week in science we've continued our study of rocks and minerals. Students took apart a "cookie rock" to find the minerals inside. They also learned about weathering and erosion and the rock cycle. Next week we continue to learn about the different categories for rocks.

Learning about dinosaurs has been particularly exciting for the class this week. Next week we dive into researching students' specific dinosaurs. Kids will read books and internet resources and practice taking notes for their reports.

MAPS testing began again this week. Students took the reading portion on Thursday morning and will take the math test next Thursday. They all did an amazing job focusing and trying their best.

Thanks for completing the conference sign-up sheets. I hope to have a schedule set and times sent home on Monday.

Have a great weekend!

Weekly Update

2012-01-13T08:56:00.000-08:00

Wow! What an exciting week! Our first real snow and the buzz worthy spelling bee last night. Great job second graders – you are terrific spellers! Second place was our very own Lucy C. Pictures of other winners are coming soon.

This week we started a new science unit about rocks and minerals. We learned about the layers of the Earth including the crust, mantle, and core. We also discussed properties of rocks and minerals including hardness which was observed during our scratch test experiment.

This week in writing second graders began the highly anticipated work on cursive. During each lesson this week we covered 2 similar letters. This will continue through the lower case alphabet and then we will move into capitals. I have told the students to print on class assignments until we complete the entire alphabet. I know writing their name in cursive is very exciting so they are allowed to practice that on assignments. Cursive in second grade is just an introduction so students will not be expected to complete assignments in cursive this year.

Jump rope for heart is coming up in February. Every child will participate during their gym time. It is optional to raise money or make a donation. Forms and information came home on Wednesday and are due the second week of February. Please email Tom Rocco if you have any questions: trocco@op97.org.

Thanks for sending your kiddo prepared for the snow and low temperatures. Please send spare shoes for your child to change into when they bring boots.

Have a great 3-day weekend!

Happy Holidays

2011-12-23T12:14:00.000-08:00

Dear Families,

What a terrific fairy tale celebration we had today. THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone who brought in supplies, helped out with an activity, or just showed up to enjoy some time together. The class had a blast!

Also, thank you all so much for the generous gift cards. That was extremely thoughtful! I'm sure 2012 will bring many more fun and memorable moments for the class.

Enjoy the holidays!

Weekly Update

2011-12-15T13:52:00.001-08:00

Dear Families,

The countdown to winter break has certainly begun yet somehow we've managed to stay on track with our learning goals.

This week students started writing their own personal fairy tales. They have all learned so much about this genre and are including many aspects in their own writing.

We also continued on with our geometry unit. We've reviewed many concepts from last year but have added some more specific vocabulary including: points, line segments, angles, and parallel lines. Ask your kiddo the difference between a square and a rhombus.

The spelling bee is next month. A blue information packet went home on Thursday. The spelling bee will be held in the school auditorium on Thursday, January 12th from 6:30-8:30pm. Please return the sign up sheet to school if your child would like to participate.

Sadly, we said goodbye to one of our friends this week. Zion heads off to a new school in the new year. We'll miss you Zion!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Naper Settlement

2011-12-11T18:58:00.000-08:00

A visit to the schoolhouse.

Weekly Update

2011-12-08T18:49:00.000-08:00

Dear Families,

Please check your kiddo's folder today for their report card. The envelope should be signed by a parent and returned to school to use next trimester.

This week in math we finished up unit 4 and began a new unit focused on geometry. A parent information page on the new unit is coming home today. During the last unit the kids did a great job of practicing how to add double digit numbers using the partial sums method - they were all pretty amazed with themselves at what they could accomplish. :)

Our field trip today went great. The class learned a great deal about life in the 1800s including the fact that houses lacked the heat we enjoy today - brrr! I'll post some pics from our trip on the blog soon.

Have a great weekend!

Weekly Update

2011-11-30T19:24:00.000-08:00

Dear Families,

Please welcome the newest member of our class...Mrs. Claus!

She also goes by Cinnamon, Princess, and Nibbles. :)
We are all very excited to have her in class. She occasionally graces us with her presence when she comes out of her hut for a drink or a snack.

This week in reading we started a new unit entitled, Let's Create. Our stories this week were about kid musicians and dancers. It was very fitting considering our most recent performance. Hopefully your kiddo brought home a disk from Mrs. Casanova with pictures to remember the experience. If you haven't already seen our famous second graders displayed on the Beye School website then check out this article about their work in Art Start: OPEF

This week in the computer lab kids tried out some new spelling games located on the right hand side of the blog. Your kiddo should now know how to use Spelling City online to practice their spelling words. Try it out as an option to help your child practice their weekly words.

In writing we started a brand new unit on Fairy Tales. Ask your kiddo to tell you at least 4 features of fairy tales.

In math, we have been learning about different strategies for adding together 2-digit numbers. You'll see homework on these skills coming home next week.

Reminders:
*Photo retakes on Thursday
*Next Friday we head to the Naper Settlement
*Report cards come home Friday as well

Have a great weekend!

Weekly Update

2011-11-22T05:40:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving Families!

This week we packed in a lot of learning fun into a short time. We:

-Saw 2 social studies based movies.
-Shared our amazing book report projects.
-Wrote special thank you letters to Mrs. Casanova.
-Made a wreath of things we are thankful for with our 4th grade buddies.
-Reflected on our goals established after parent-teacher conferences.
-Enjoyed a tasting of East Africa with a dessert from Mombasa.
-Participated in a reteaching from Mrs. Foleno on playground behavior/personal space.
-Practiced being an inventor with Mr. Bulger.
-Received a special memento from Mrs. Casanova.
-Tried out some new Thanksgiving themed computer games.
-Elected our new Student Council Representatives. Congratulations Lou and Lucy!

And finally are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our new hamster on Monday!

Enjoy your time with family and friends this week. :)

Thanksgiving Fun

2011-11-20T10:32:00.000-08:00

Try one of these fun Thanksgiving Day games:

Word Search

Dinner Table Challenge

Weekly Update

2011-11-17T14:27:00.000-08:00

Dear Families,
We've got paw pride! Our super star second graders won the paw pride banner this week. They've been working very hard at following all the Beye Laws. Great work second graders!

This week ends our first trimester. Look for report cards coming home on December 9th. After Thanksgiving we start a new reading unit called Let's Create. We will also be starting a writing unit focused on fairy tales. These themes will help bring out the creative and imaginative side in the students.

Thanks to everyone who was able to make it to our Art Start showcase. If you couldn't make it, look for some photos to show up on the blog by Monday. Most of the students work on culture and history are coming home today. Next week look for some other work (I forgot to hang at the showcase) and a memento from Mrs. Casanova.

Thanks for your continued support.

Have a great weekend!

Weekly Update

2011-11-13T19:16:00.001-08:00

Hi Families,

Sorry for the delayed update - I had a family emergency that popped up on Thursday.

Coming this week:

*Tuesday we head to the Multicultural Center with Mrs. Casanova.

*We continue some work we started with Mr. Bulger last week as we explore the right side of our brains as creative inventors.

*We will wrap up our second unit in Treasures with a reading and writing assessment.

*We'll look back on the goals kids set after parent-teacher conferences to see what headway has been made.

*At the end of the week we will share the always fun book report projects.

*On Friday we will celebrate the end of our Art Start experience with a showcase from 2-2:55. Please RSVP on the link at the top so we know how many families to expect.

Weekly Update

2011-11-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday Families!

Thanks to everyone who helped out with the Halloween celebration by providing food, craft supplies, games, and of course your time. It was a very fun day for everyone! You can see more pictures of the class in their costumes in the second grade pictures section of the blog.

In writing this week we received letters from our new pen pals at Irving School. Former Beye teacher, Mrs. Parkinson, now teaches second graders at Irving and her students are our brand new pen pals. After learning a little about our pen pals from their first letter, students wrote back and introduced themselves. This real life application of writing has really inspired students to do their best work. We mail these letter off today and hope to hear back soon!

In social studies we discussed how immigration of many different cultures into America has made for a very diverse country. We furthered our look at the idea of cultural traditions by listing Beye School traditions we all enjoy, including the very recent Halloween Day Parade. The idea of traditions was personalized through the homework assignment that encouraged students to talk with their family about their own traditions.

This week Mrs. Casanova, our Art Start artist, took us to Mexico for a look at Mexican artwork, stitching, musical instruments, and of course dance! Next week we head to another country with her. In addition to this, our class will be taking a special field trip to the Multicultural Center at Julian Middle School with Mrs. Casanova on November 15th. Also, please save the date for a special showcase of our work with Art Start on Friday, November 18th from 2-3pm. We'd love to see every family there if you can make it.

Have a good weekend!

Weekly Update

2011-10-27T14:49:00.000-07:00

Dear Families,

We have had a wonderful and busy week. Here are some highlights:

In math we started unit 3 which focuses on place value, money, and time. This year kids learn how to make change when dealing with money. You can help by having your kiddo pay for something at a store and count the change. You should have seen your child's test from unit 2 come home yesterday.

In writing kids wrote IN PARAGRAPHS. This week was very exciting as students explored the idea of paragraphs through writing an expository piece. We researched firefighters by reading a book and taking notes. Students then organized their notes into different sections and wrote a paragraph about each one. We practiced writing a topic sentence for each paragraph and indenting. You'll have to wait for Monday to see them once they are graded but the kids worked very hard.

We continued to explore our social studies unit on culture through a variety of activities this week. Our tasting on Tuesday took us to Australia for a taste of the delicious Granny Smith apple. We came back to our own country for a look at Amish culture in the United States as Mrs. Casanova read us the book, Just Plain Fancy, and showed us some hand-made quilts. We also got a little taste of Texas by listening to some country western music and learning a line dance. Yee-ha! We've also continued our look back in time as we have begun learning about the Mayflower and its passengers.

REMINDERS FOR NEXT WEEK:
*Remember Monday is an extended morning from 8-12. Send a snack so your kiddo can make it through class. Email me if you want to pick up your child for lunch – you can meet them in the office at 12:00. Thanks to everyone who plans on helping out in the afternoon.

Have a spooky weekend :o

Weekly Update

2011-10-20T13:51:00.000-07:00

This has been a terrific week despite the turn in the weather. Thank you for wonderful conferences this week. It is always a pleasure collaborating with you on your child's education.

In social studies this week we had the pleasure of a visit from Mr. Watson, a P.E. teacher at Brooks Middle School. Mr. Watson teaches an adult education course for teachers called "Unlearning Indian Stereotypes." His cultural background is a mixture of American Indian (Lakota), Puerto Rican, and African American.

Mr. Watson showed us video clips of his son and daughter doing traditional dances called the grass dance and jingle dance. He also taught us about how dance regalia are different from costumes because each piece has a special meaning. He showed us several traditional outfits, some cornhusk dolls, some pictures of his children using a cradleboard and some other special items. See more pictures from this terrific visit in the second grade pictures section. Also, if you are interested in learning more about Native American culture, Mr. Watson gave me information on a Powwow at Navy Pier toward the end of November. Information on that is coming home today.

We have also continued to explore cultures around the world through our work with our Art Start artist, Mrs. Casanova. This week we took a look at Africa. Mrs. Casanova had us listen to some African music, taught us a dance, and had us do a painting activity that was inspired by African mud cloth.

Coming home today is a packet the class worked on with Mr. Bulger. The concepts get more difficult toward the end of the packet so not all students finished. Some were very interested in this type of work so feel free to work on the rest at home.

Enjoy the weekend!

Look for more pictures under the second grade pictures page.

Weekly Update

2011-10-13T15:33:00.000-07:00

Hi families! Here are some highlights from this week:

We are finished with our sink and float science unit. Your child's lab book and test are coming home today. This is the first time I've used the lab book and we primarily focused on the activities pages. You'll find several sections in the lab book that we didn't get to and instead completed as a whole group through discussion or a group chart. Take a look at some pictures of our cargo contest on the second grade pictures page of the blog.

In math hopefully you have seen some addition fact sheets coming home. These are timed sheets the students are doing once a week. They get 5 minutes to complete all the problems. If they get them all correct in 5 minutes or less they move on to the next sheet. The sheet labeled A in the corner is first and they proceed in alphabetical order. Keep practicing math facts at home. Take advantage of the fact triangles by using them a couple nights a week as flashcards.

We have been sharing our book report projects and they are very impressive! Thanks to all of you for supporting your child in this endeavor.

We have begun a new social studies unit focused on culture. I'm excited to announce that this week we started working with Vickie Casanova, our art start artist. Vickie will be helping the class explore cultures from around the world. She uses story books, visual arts, and dance to help kids learn about people from different places. This week we explored Trinidad and Tobago. Ask your kiddo about carnival, steel drums, or the limbo!

In class we are exploring the cultures of early tribes in North America. We are learning about 8 different Native American tribes from different geographic regions. Next week we build on this knowledge by exploring Native American culture in today's world.

REMINDERS:
PICTURE DAY – Tuesday
HALF DAY - Thursday and Friday
CONFERENCES – all week
BOOK FAIR – Wed-Fri.

Weekly Update

2011-10-06T05:18:00.000-07:00

Hi Families,

What a wonderful week with such beautiful weather!

Highlights:

This week the class has been leading the entire school in saying the pledge of allegiance and reciting the Beye Laws. They took this very seriously and sounded perfect over the loud speaker each morning. Great job second graders!

We wrapped up our science unit on sink and float this week. The kids used what they had learned throughout the unit about buoyancy to make some incredible boats. Their cooperation skills were put to the test as teams of 3 created boats from the donated materials and tested how many grams each would hold before sinking. Look for some pictures of this event next week.

The Fun Run was a great success on Tuesday. Thanks to those families that came out to cheer us on. The last day to submit pledges is this coming Tuesday the 11th. Our class goal is $30 per kid. We can do it! I did not have my camera so if you have any pictures from the fun run please send me a couple to post on the blog.

Hopefully the book report projects have gone well at your house this week. I can't wait to see them! This first time around the goal was completion and creativity. We will continue to do book report projects every 6 weeks. Please let me know if you or your child ran into difficulty so we can tweak things for next time.

Don't forget that Tuesday is the last day to turn in Art to Remember orders.
Also, early next week I will review the conference sign-up times and let you know when our conference will be. Thanks for being prompt and returning them this week.

Have a wonderful 3 day weekend!

Weekly Update

2011-09-29T13:55:00.000-07:00

COMING IN OCTOBER

4th - FUN RUN! (2nd graders wear orange)

5TH - INTERNATIONAL WALK TO SCHOOL DAY

10TH - NO SCHOOL - COLUMBUS DAY

11TH - FUN RUN PLEDGES DUE and ART TO REMEMBER DUE

17TH-21ST - PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES (sign up coming home next week)

18TH - PICTURE DAY

18TH-21ST - BOOK FAIR

31ST - HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION

Math - This week we've been focusing on memorizing addition math facts. We've learned tricks for remember +0, +1, +9, +10, doubles and near doubles facts. Ask your kiddo about our fun game - around the world.

Science - We've continued to explore what factors help things float. This week we used clay to try and shape boats that will float and carry cargo. Next week we will use the items students have brought in. Please continue to send in boat building materials indicated on the letter that was sent home earlier this week.

Hamster News - After conducting some research we've discovered we need to buy several things to be ready for our pet. We've started a "hamster fund" to raise money to pay for our pet. Kids calculated that if each kiddo brings in 1, 2, or 3 dollars we can afford our hamster. More to come next week...

New this Year in the Library - Check out the new Beye Birthday Book program at the library website - click here.

Have a great weekend!

Weekly Update

2011-09-22T18:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Fall!

DON'T FORGET ABOUT...
-Fun Run Fundraiser - student goal is $30 in pledges -
Can you get one person to pledge $10 this week?

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:

In reading we read about special friends and learned about a girl named Rosina who speaks American Sign Language. Very intriguing concept for a lot of kids.

In writing kids practiced writing friendly letters. They wrote to a person of their choice who they did not know personally. They focused on the friendly letter format and on introducing themselves. I don't personally have addresses for Justin Bieber or Barack Obama but if you want to mail them feel free. :)

In science we've been testing what makes things sink and float. So far we've learned that buoyancy is affected by type of material, bubbles in water, and type of liquid. What else makes things float? More to come next week...

SPECIAL THIS WEEK:

*We had our first tasting on Tuesday and we all enjoyed our garden vegetables. I've spotted the picky eaters - is it your kiddo? :) Hopefully future tastings will help expand some horizons and we'll discover some new and wonderful treats.

*This week the class worked with our Gifted and Talented Resource teacher, Mark Bulger, on some brain strengthening exercises. Mr. Bulger is using the Primary Education Thinking Skills (PETS) program with our class and will continue to work with us for the next 2 weeks. PETS is a systematic enrichment thinking skills program. Its purpose is to help primary aged students develop higher level thinking skills. PETS follow the taxonomy of thinking skills outlined by Benjamin Bloom, presenting lessons in analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. This week we learned how to use a 3X3 grid to analyze clues and solve puzzles. More information at http://piecesoflearning.com/.

*On Thursday we had a brief visit from Alicia's new pet snake, Liz. Kids had a fun time learning about this cold blooded friend. Next week we will research the cost of caring for our own long awaited hamster.

HAVE A TERRIFIC WEEKEND!

Weekly Update

2011-09-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

Hi Families,

Here are some highlights from the week.

Reading/Writing: We read 3 nonfiction pieces and focused on identifying main idea and details. In writing, students interviewed a classmate, practiced taking notes, and then wrote a report about their partner.

Math: We started our first math centers of the year which focused on using pattern blocks, writing number scrolls, subtracting, and playing math games with partners. We also reviewed number grid patterns, place value, and memorizing easy addition facts.

Science: We started our first science unit - sink and float. We spent this week reviewing matter and its three states. More hands-on exploration will begin next week.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

*School Fundraiser - Fun Run
-All students will participate in the fun run on October 4th. Our
class goal is for each child to raise $30 in donations. Last year our class came close but did not make our goal. I'm sure we can do it this year!
*Tastings - next Thursday -More information should have already come home with your kiddo about our first tasting focused on produce from our garden.
*Trekkers - starts next week -Check out Mr. Rocco's blog here for more information about this great way to promote a positive attitude about exercise and how you can help.

EXCITING NEWS: This year the class will be taking on the responsibility of a pet hamster. We are currently reading up on how to take care of a hamster. Next week we will plan how to get everything we need in preparation for our pet. So far it's been a very exciting topic for the class. Check out our new virtual pet - Harry the Hamster - at the very bottom of the blog. Help him get some exercise on his wheel :)

Have a great weekend!

Weekly Update

2011-09-08T18:53:00.000-07:00

Hi families,

In reading this week:

Students read the story of Mr. Putter and Tabby. Today they were introduced to an essay assessment that will be given each week on the main story. Students were introduced to the format for writing an extended response answer to the essay. We did the essay together so it is not graded. In your child's folder you will find the essay along with a form that will be used in the future for grading.

In social studies this week:

We completed our first social studies unit called People and Places today. An extra credit assignment is in your child's folder. If kids want to work toward a grade of E in this unit of social studies they can complete the extra credit work. It is due next Friday. Here is a link to the assignment if an extra copy is needed.

Birthday News:

This year Mr. Ellwanger will have special monthly birthday lunches with students. He will lunch with July birthday kiddos on September 14th, August birthday kiddos on September 15th, and September birthday kids on September 22nd. Look for more info. on this in your child's folder.

Have a great weekend!

Weekly Update

2011-09-01T05:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Families!

We have certainly had a great start to the year!

This week the class has spent a lot of time getting exposed to the new parts of the Treasures reading curriculum. The main selection this week, David's New Friends, tied in nicely to the first week of school. Kids tried out some new reading centers and wrote a narrative piece on the first day of school. Kids took the end of the week test today. We went over it together so it was not graded. If you look over the test you will see it is not based on the weekly story but a new piece your child read independently.

Also this week all students were assessed on their reading skills with the Dibels assessment tool. The scores on this test will help determine extra support from our reading specialist, Sarah Moore. The students also completed their first MAPS assessment on math on Thursday.

I'd like to thank everyone who came to curriculum night. Getting everyone together helps build relationships between families and provides opportunities for sharing ideas and techniques when working with your second grader. There were some questions about the GTD program and services this year so I am attaching some additional information from the district on the program. Click here to view.

Remember: No School Monday - Labor Day

Have a great 3-day weekend!

Supply Update

2011-08-24T17:05:00.000-07:00

WATER BOTTLES: It's hot, hot, hot in our classroom! Please send your kiddo with a plastic water bottle to keep at his or her seat during class to stay hydrated. Water bottles will go home on Fridays to be cleaned.

GYM SHOES: This year we have gym twice a week. Sandals and flip flops are a safety concern during gym class so appropriate footwear is a must on Wednesday and Friday. If you have an extra pair of gym shoes (and socks) at home, kids can keep them in their locker during the week to change into on gym days.

Welcome Back Second Graders!

2011-08-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

Did you take the summer writing journal challenge and make at least 10 journal entries?

If so, bring in your journal and win a fun prize!

Second Grade Curriculum Night

2011-08-08T13:44:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, August 31st 6-7pm

Beye School Auditorium

2011-2012 Supply Lists

2011-07-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

Click here for supply lists.

Remember...

-No need to label school supplies they will be pooled together
-Please do not purchase specialized items - keep them for home
-We do not need any more hand sanitizer

Thanks!

Summer Fun!

2011-07-18T10:14:00.000-07:00

SUMMER 2011

2011-07-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

What have you been up to this summer? I just got back from by European adventures in Italy and Greece. Send me an email with pictures of some summer fun you've been having and I'll post them here. Check back to see what your friends are up to. See you soon...