dressel

Report Cards

Almost forgot!!!  Report cards come home on Thursday.  End of the grading period is March 14th!!!!!  No behavior reports on Monday, as I will be finishing report cards. 

March 13, 2008

First of all, what a great time we had in school today!!!  Every student was so well represented with all of the parents and friends in attendance at the plays.  Thank you so much for the support.  I was so impressed with how well the Dragons knew their parts.  Their acting abilities have grown as the year has progressed.  I am so thrilled that they are no longer afraid to speak in front of a audience!!!!!  What a great performance.

Next week we will be studying lifecyles in science.  We will rotate around second grade classes to learn about the lifecycle of different animals.  After that we will discuss the lifecyle of plants. 

In math we will finish measurement and then move into the chapter on multiplication.  This will match well with our timed tests on the X3's.  These are harder than the 2's and have no easy pattern.  Please help your Dragon memorize these facts.  A X3 game came home today, so hopefully this will help.

It is time to start reviewing for the CRCT.  We will be doing this in class, and you have the paper with instructions on how to do this on the computer at home.  These were given out at conferences in January. 

An assignment came home today for a special type of book report.  Please read it carefully, as they will be presented next Thursday.  Email me with any questions you may have. 

The flu and colds have hit our class, and we are in need of Kleenex.  Please send in a box on Monday.

                           It is time for our Fun Run on Saturday.  Hope to see you all there.  The baskets in the media center will be auctioned that day.  They are the best I have seen.  Thank you so much for the effort you made to help with ours.  The bid is already over $300!!!

Have a great weekend!!!!             Linda Dressel

Fun Run and Basket Auction

Wow!!!!!!  Have you seen our class basket?  Mrs. Mittleider has outdone herself!!!!  It looks so professional, and we already have a $200.00 bid!!!! Stop by and see the baskets while you are in the building for our plays on Thursday. 

P.S.  You can even bid on one then!!!

Anyway, don't forget to sign up for the Fun Run on March 15th.  See you there.

March 4, 2008

Next week looks like a very busy week!!!!  First of all, our Performing Arts event will be on Monday.  You probably don't remember, but at the beginning of the year, you signed and paid for a Performing Arts event.  Ours will be a ballet.  We will eat early and then leave for the BALLET. 

The second special event next week is our plays on Thursday at 8:30am.  I have to tell you that I am a little nervous.  The children are always excited when I pass our play parts, but after our practice on Monday, I am concerned about the performance.  Some of the children knew their parts sooooooo well, but most did not know the parts at all.  Please help with these parts.  We want to have a spectacular last performance.  We will practice on the 4th, 11th, and 12th. 

We have begun linear measurement in math.  This is a longer chapter, so it will continue through next week.  We will also finish our unit on Japan and in reading, read Grandfather's Dream. 

Thank you Mrs. Seagraves for doing another Scholastic Book order.  All participants should have their order in by Friday the 14th.

Have a relaxing weekend.                        Linda

February 29, 2008

I'm excited to announce that our play practices will start on Monday.  Each child needs to know their parts for this first practice.  I hope that you have had fun helping your dragon with their parts, as the class is excited to present these plays for you.

I have to begin by thanking all of you for the wonderful Teacher's Appreciation Week.  The presents, meals, drinks, and magazines have been wonderful!!!!  I have never been pampered so much!!!  Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and kindness.  You are the reason your children are so kind.

As you know, we are studying Japan in social studies, and our learning was extended by Japan Day on Thursday.  The children learned about customs, food, clothing, writing and sites of Japan.  We are grateful to all of the moms for such a wonderful experience.

We learned about literature circles (book talks) this week in reading.  In a few weeks we will invited you to try one with us. 

Our last Early Release day is Tuesday, yes, Tuesday.  It was confusing to me too.  Anyway, part of that day will be Career Day.  During this time we will learn about careers of some of our Sope Creek families. 

The Fun Run will be in two weeks, so hope that your registration is in.  Our basket is almost done....Thank you, Mrs. Mittleider!!!!! 

See you soon at our play.....March 13th at 8:30am                    Linda

February 22, 2008

This last week in February is going to be extremely busy!!!!  The good news is I am done with jury week!

Two reading logs are due next week.  If you are participating in the Six Flags Reading, the last day to bring your form is Tuesday.  Please make sure that all signatures are complete.  Our class reading log is due on Friday.  Many students are up to 800 minutes!!!  I am so proud of them.  You can surely tell a difference when they read aloud in class.  Their fluency and expression are so much better. 

We will begin our social studies unit on Japan next week.  Japan Day is Thursday!!!  We will rotate through classrooms and learn many things about the culture of Japan. 

Picture day is Wednesday.  These will be individual and class pictures.  Dragons, please wear or bring your class t-shirt for our class pictures and then wear it again on Japan Day. 

In reading next week, Mrs. Grindstaff, our lead teacher, will use poetry to teach the children about literature circles.  In a few weeks, we will use what we learn while reading Freckle Juice.  Please bring your copy in when possible.

We are done with our timed tests in subtraction.  Next week we will have 100 problem subtraction tests.  The children must finish in 7 minutes.  Please review math facts. 

Our unit 18 math test will be Tuesday or Wednesday.  Our spelling test will resume on Tuesday. 

Have a great weekend.           Linda

February 14, 2008

First of all, thank you so much for making Valentine's Day a special treat for the Dragons.  What a fun time they had opening their cards and eating all of the special treats you send in.  Also, thank you for the gifts that you sent in to me on this exciting day.  You are great parents!!

Next week is a very short week, so we will not have timed tests nor spelling tests. 

In math , we will continue with our place value unit.  Tomie dePaola books will fill our reading time.  In health we will do a small unit on germs. 

I don't know what next week will bring with jury duty, but I will be stopping by the school each am and pm to drop off and pick up.  Maybe if I am lucky, they will not need me every day. 

Our star lab visit is on Thursday, so our lunch schedule that day will be completely different.  The children are so excited to view this after our study of space!!!

Have a great 4 day weekend.              Linda

February 7, 2008

Dear Parents,

Our Smartboard is in, thank you to the Foundation, and it is running, thank you to Mr. Shockley!!!  He has even solved my issue of location of my laptop by giving me his cordless mouse!!!  The children love it, and I am learning to incorporate it into our lessons.

We will be exchanging valentines on Thursday, so make sure that your Dragon brings their cards that day.  On Wednesday, we will decorate our holders.  Thank you Mrs. Jones for organizing our valentine celebration.

Hope that your Dragon's play part has been home.  Our plays are on March 13th at 8:30, and we will begin reviewing the parts on March 3rd.  Please help your child know all of their parts by then.   Hope to see you then.

Next week 2 field trip requests will be coming home.  One is for our Star Lab visit, which will enhance our Astronomy science unit.  The other is for our visit to the Nature Center.  The Star Lab comes to our school on the 21st, and we will go to the Nature Center on March 25th.  I will need one parent volunteer for the Nature Center. 

Please don't forget studying for our important timed tests.  Scores were not as good this week,and this skill is so important. 

Next week we will continue our Astronomy unit.  Astronomy research is due on Thursday.  We will test out of our fraction unit on Monday and begin unit 18 on place value on Tuesday.  We'll read about Shooting Stars and learn to use quotation marks. 

Hope that you have a beautiful weekend.   Linda                           

P.S.  I have jury duty the week of February 18th............yikes. 

Fun Run Basket

Our Fun Run basket has started!!!!!  So far we have a Ritter's gift card, hair cuts from the children's hair cuttery next to Brewsters, and tickets to Six Flags.  If you have your donation ready, please send it in for our basket.  Mrs. Mittleider has talked to a Florist, and they are going to arrange the basket and wrap it for us.  Should look great!!!!!!!   

January 31, 2008

Hi Parents,

Hope that you are aware of our Art Day tomorrow.  Remember that the children need to wear white tops.  Mrs. Fishman has worked very hard to provide the children with an educational day of the arts. The day will be concluded with an Art Night.  From 6:00 to 8:30PM all children will have art framed and displayed.  The art can be viewed or purchased.  Check your postcard sent home this week for a picture of your child's work. 

The children enjoyed reading Midnight on the Moon this week.  It gave us so much information about the moon.  Hope that you are enjoying moon gazing with your dragon?  I am grateful for the website, since we have had so many cloudy night.  Our astronomy unit will continue next week.

In math we have moved on to fractions.  Our timed tests will continue with the -11's.  Did you hear that we had a huge number of -0's this week?

January reading logs were fabulous!!!!  The prizes were won by Matthew, Jonathan, and Ian.  We had a huge number of minutes read!!!  I know that it will help our reading levels to soar.  Thank you Mrs. Newhouse for our reading prizes.  Next month Mrs. Higgins will provide prizes.  Each dragon needs to read at least 400 minutes.  Remember to record on both logs.  Six Flags logs are due on Feb. 26th.  If you are already done with that log, send it in now.  Lauren has!!!!

Next week Wednesday is an Early Release day and also the day that our book reports are due. 

Have a good weekend.                          Linda Dressel