Merry Christmas and Happy New Years

Highlights from our Christmas Party
I'm so proud of my class for performing the 12 Dogs of Christmas at our song along assembly today!!

More Christmas Pictures

The stocking were hung in the classroom with care.....

Christmas Celebrations

Polar Express Day!

Polar Express Day is a day to experience a special Christmas story in written and visual form.  Mrs. Hedberg, Mrs. Kinely and part of Mr.Meyers Class will be celebrating Polar Express Day on Friday, December 21st starting at 8:30AM. 

Where:  The combined classes will gather in Mrs. Kinley’s room!

What To Bring:  Students may  bring a blanket and pillow to curl up with and your favorite  breakfast treat to share with all during the movie version of our story.  Mrs. Hedberg and Mrs. Kinley will provide hot chocolate and marshmallows/whipping cream!!! 

What Will We Be Doing?:  We will read the award-winning book The Polar Express written by Chris Van Allsburg.  After reading the book, we will curl up with our blankets, enjoy our breakfast treats, and watch the movie version of the book!  Later in the day we will have a discussion on any differences noticed between the book and the movie!

                A GIFT EXCHANGE GAME: Our afternoon party will be from 1:10-2:40 following our performance of the 12 Dogs of Christmas song our class will lead at the assembly!! Please come watch from 12:30-1:10!!!!!!

 I plan to make Friday, December 21, a fun-filled, memory-making day!  We will have the Polar Express party in the morning, followed by our classroom Holiday party after lunch   We will do  a gift exchange  and a candy bar game as we read the Right Family Christmas story (there will be 5 golden ticket winners) I still need two more golden ticket winner  gifts if you can afford to send in an extra party prize!!)during the party.   Your child needs to bring a dollar store gift that for our gift exchanged .   Please make sure to send a wrapped gift by December 20th.  If your child is a girl please purchase a girl gift if your child is a boy please purchase a boy gift. Make sure to wrap and tag the gift boy or girl. If you are not able to send in a gift please let me know so that I can purchase gifts needed. I would like to make sure that there is a gift for each student.  If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call or send an email.  Thanks so much for your support of this fun activity. 

Holiday Happening for December!

HO HO HO   

Holiday Happenings for December!

                                

December 1, 2012

Dear Parents,

This month will go by quickly and Christmas break will be here before we know it.   I have lots of holiday activities that I need help with I am just one elf and will need extra hands in order to pull of the Christmas around the world activities and arts and crafts I have planned.If you are interested in helping please e-mail me or send in a note by Monday Dec 3rd (I will be out of town the week of Dec 10-14th so need to get all organized before I leave on a trip)  I looking for one or two parents to help me with our class party for the last hour and a half of Friday December 21^st  from 1:00-2:30. I have planned one story/game for the children after lunch.  I am asking that each child bring one giant sized wrapped chocolate bar  and we will be reading the Right Family Christmas Story. Each child will get to unwrap and keep the chocolate bar they have at the end of the story. This is always a holiday favorite game and the students get a chance to give and receive.  Please send in a GIANT size Candy bar this week!!  I need time to wrap them all and hide a golden ticket inside one of them (just like Charlie and the CHocolate factory)  The Polar Express Party will be first thing in the morning we will be invited to Mrs. Kinely's room where we will watch the Polar Express and enjoy morning treats.  Please send in a breakfast item if you can that day to share.  The teachers are porviding hot chocolate with all the trimings.

I need parents to sign up or e-mail me if you can help on the following days:

Monday 12/17 I need one moreArt Parents from 1:00-2:40 we will be making Christmas ornaments. Mrs. Walker has already volunteered anyone else?

Thursday 12/20 8:00-lunch I need one parent to help us Christmas Carol the building we will be singing our own 12 -----of Christmas song that the students will write and illustrate. We will go to as many classrooms as sign up to have us visit and spread our Christmas Cheer!

Friday 12/21 from  1:00-2:30 as mentioned above I need a couple parents that
would like to help run our musical chair gift exchange party. Milk and cookies?? Anyone want to send in something that afternoon.....Please let me know Plan a game??

 Please help and send in what you can from this list on Monday Dec 3rd so that I know what I need to purchase and shop for if needed.....
1. Christmas wrapping paper 2 rolls
2. 4 extra prizes for the Christmas games we will play (golden ticket winner and top three prizesfor musical chair x mas game)
3. Extra Giant size candy bars (I always have a few students that can't bring any)
4. 3 extra dollar store gifts for those that can afford so no one is left out)
5. Make a golden ticket award and send it in to Mrs, Hedberg (will hide in one of the candy bars)
6. Small package of silver or gold bells for Polar Express morning  I need 25 strung on red or green ribbon to give students after they watch the Polar Express movie.

Reading: We will be finishing up our Unit on Kindness before the Christmas break.  Our new sixweek unit will begin when we return from the holidays. The new  theme will be about animals and camouflage.  Like zoologists, students will be studying animals in their natural habitats.  We will “travel” to different parts of the world to observe animals living in various environments and to observe the specialized adaptations they have developed to survive where they live. Students will learn more about animals they already know and become acquainted with many new ones, as they peek into jungles, swamps, deserts, forest, ponds, mountains, and grasslands. By reading the selections in this new unit, students will discover various forms of camouflage, and learn why it is so critical to may wildlife creatures. I want my students to learn that not all animals camouflage themselves in the same way, and not all of the same reasons. There will be much to be discovered on this journey. I am excited about this theme because it is always engaging no matter what the gender of your child. Boys and girls alike are unusually drawn into the theme and there is nothing better than watching their excitement and enthusiasm about reading.  We continue to work on reading comprehension strategies during literature circle time.

 

Math:  We are working on 2.oa.1,2oa.2,2NBT.5,2.NBT.9 Developing fluency and learning to solve word problems using addition and subtration within 100 using multiple MTI strategies. Thank you for continuing to support your child at home through the math Passport program and new passport will go home in January. I have encouraged all my students to take advantage of the two math programs that are available on line to them at home through the Mill Creek website as well as my blog Mathletics and IXL math. I have sent home information for student logins on both of these programs. The new IXL was just introduced this week and is based on teh common core standards, you are also able to access other grade levels in this program.  Rather than paper homework this is a great alternative and students are much more engaged they love it! 

Character:  I have to begin by telling you that my own class has taught me the value of teaching character building education.  My students show me their true gifts of character each and everyday and I am amazed by the integrity I get to witness. This month our new virtue is Compassion and kindness.  We will begin the sale of our Friendship for Families bracelets Wednesday December 5^h. The entire second grade has been busy making bracelets for sale and the proceeds will go to supports a family at Christmas.  I have been amazed at how many bracelets have come in and many students involved their entire family in the project.  Thank you for your support at home for this project.

Report cards will come home the last day of school before the break. I will not be sending home Friday folders that day so you will need to check your child’s backpack  Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions or concerns about progress.  LHedberg@msd134.org You can also check report cards on family access.

P.S. I would love to hear from parents if you would like me to continue once a month newsletters. I blog and send hardcopies it is time consuming and I think it is valuable for most?? Let me know if you enjoy it and find it informative?

 

I hope you have a very joyous holiday with your children and families see you next year!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Hedberg

Social Studies

Character lesson of the month included Patriotism and Citizenship

New Math Website!

Please check your child's Friday Folder this week and you will find his/her log in information into our newest math learning website called MATHLECTICS. I have added this link to my blog, but it may also be accessed through the Mill Creek website.  The students love it! Be sure to place the user name and password information in a safe place at home and log in this weekend to check it out. This quarter we are spending a lot of time on learning our new math strategies you will notice that I have copied a help sheet like this one on the back side of student practice sheets.  It will hopefully help parents become familier with the new methods of solving addition and subtraction problems. I will give the students one or two practice problems during the week to bring home and demonstrate what they are learning.

Knitting Indian Headbands

We are busy knitting our Indian headbands a fun holiday craft. A special thank you to McKinnon and Melissa's mothers for helping me get all 22 students started. This activity helps build small motor skills. It's fun to watch my class build friendships and share stories during knitting circle time.

Golden Horseshoe Award!

Our class was one of only two in the entire school to receive the Golden Horseshoe Friday fitness laps. Friday fitness promotes healthy habits and is a voluntary program. My class has had a 100% participation and have worked together as a team to reach our weekly goal.

Dear Parents,

Let me start by saying thank you for taking timeout of your busy schedules to attend parent/teacher conferences. I always look forward to sharing “gifts and goals” and seeing parents in person.  We will not have conferences  in the spring so please check Skyward regularly to view your child’s progress. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to call or e-mail me  LHedberg@msd134.org . 

Reading:  This week we began a new unit on “Kindness”. Over the next 6 weeks students will be reading fiction and non-fiction stories that demonstrate the spirit of kindness in some way. Your child will encounter age-old classics in this unit, such as “Elves and the Shoemaker” and “Cinderella”.  Our first story was about forest animals that make room for one more friend to get out of the rain, under an expanding mushroom.  In another story we will watch a young girl practically bring a stuffed bear to life.  Students will read a real-life account of people helping whales in trouble and research facts about different whales as a writing connection.  It is my hope that this unit will bring some inspiration, as well as adventure, our way!  I have challenged my students to show an act of random kindness each day.

  “Life’s most urgent question is, what are you doing for others?” Love and kindness are never wasted”. As a reminder every student is asked to turn in his/her Book-It -Reading calendar at the end of every month.  I was sad to see that only 4 out of 22 were turned in on time for the month of October.  I feel so strongly that students should develop good reading habits at home that I am adding an additional incentive.  Students that show responsibility and turn in their reading calendars on time will not only get a pizza coupon but will also be invited to "Lunch Bunch" on the first Wednesday of each month! Students will get to come back to the classroom and have lunch with the teacher and watch a fun video for part of their recess.

Math: 2.0A.2 Develop fluency to add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies.  By the end of second grade know from memory all sums of two one-digit numbers.  Students should be able to use the friendly number 10 to compensate and hold numbers mentally. Please use decks of playing cards at home and or dice to add and subtract like in the traditional game of War. Play subtraction and addition War as a family. Even though daily math sheets don't come home your child should be demonstrating thier math knowledge by participating in the Passport Math program and games. 2.0A.1 Using addition and subtraction within 100 to solve one-step word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together,taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, using new mathematical strategies, refer to some examples on your child's November Math Passport. (these were handed out as conference in your child's conference folders.  In addition we will be reviewing +/- 0,1,2 make ten and doubles.  Can your child tell you all the doubles facts?  Please be watching for practice sheets to come home once or twice a week for additional practice! 

Character: Patriotism/Citizenship
With the presidential elections and Veterans Day this month we will learn a lot about what it means to show patriotism and be good citizens  in our communities and our classroom. If anyone is a Veteran or knows a Veteran that would like to talk or visit our class please call.  If anyone has a name of a family member or friend that is serving or has served at any time in our nation's armed forces please e-mail me with information and I would like my students to write a friendly letter of thanks for his/her service to our country.

Holiday Projects:  We will be knitting Indian head bands and making friendship bracelets in November please watch for flyers on these projects and start shopping for yarn!      

 Sincerely,
Mrs. Hedberg

Happy Halloween

Thank you to all those that sent in goodies and helped make our Halloween party lots of fun!

Peter Pan Field Trip

 

We have been given an amazing opportunity to go to the Nampa Civic Center and watch Peter Pan the Musical by Music Theater of Idaho. We will be going on Wednesday, October 24 from 8:30-12. We will eat lunch upon return to Mill Creek. Space is limited for this feild trip,  but there will be another feild trip in the Spring open to as many parents as would like to come. Please ask your child about the show when they get home Wednesday evening. It should be a wonderful experience an a great wrap up to our first theme in reading of Sharing Stories!