Snow day

Friday Feb 1st is our SWPBIS SNOW DAY REWARD!

 
My lesson plans include snow related activities.  I would like to make this day truly a reward for my students as they have been working so hard to demonstrate positive behavior and deserve to be recognized as our school has made our monthly goal! I need a few items donated from this list in order to make our day a success~  Please send in any of the following items...

Large size marshmellows
mini size marshmellows
toothpicks
white pipe cleaners
q-tips
straight pretzels
can of vanilla frosting

Also we are in desperate need of more Clorox wipes due to the Flu season, we used up more wipes than usual, please in the beginning of the year we asked for wipes and I know with all the other supplies that many were not able to give in the beginning of the year, but we still have a half year to go and our class is out! 

Don't forget that Friday is a WHite OUT day wear your white!

Thank you parents,

Sincerely, Mrs. Hedberg

Winter Fun!

Animal Camouflage Dioramas

REMINDER........


We HAVE stared a new reading unit that is all about animals and camouflage!  Most of the stories will be expository text. Expository text gives information or explains something. It uses facts about real events or people. It presents information in a clear way, and gives events in the order in which they happen. We have started a writing and research project this week. Each student  chose an animal to learn about, research, and write about. We are working on the written protion in the classroom. At home Iwould like each student to make their own diorama about their animal and its habitat. Please help your child prepare a simple diorama.
 Use a box (shoebox works well) to create a diorama demonstrating animal camouflage. It should represent the animal and its surroundings, including how it uses camouflage. The following link is an excellent source for instructions: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Diorama

The dioramas are due back at school on February 1st. We will attach the written project done here at school to the at home diorama project and put them on display.  Please let me know if there is anything I can send home (paper, shoe box, modeling clay) to help with the project. Have fun and use your emagination. Students will only be graded on the at school writting portion of this project based on a rubric and not on the at home diorama.
 Thank you!

Sample projects from last year....

Jumping January Newsletter

Jumping January News for Mrs. Hedberg’s Class

Reading:

This week we will start our new reading unit. The genre is expository text. Expository text gives information. It tells people something. It uses facts about real events or people. It presents information in a clear way, and gives events in the order in which they happen. Our new reading theme is “Look Again”. The students will be learning a lot of information about animal camouflage. If you have any books at home about our new theme please bring them in to share with the class. Students are invited to visit the Animal camouflage link found on on the Mill Creek Website under student. Have fun exploring this site at home too! This reading unit also fits with one of the second grade science standards ( 2.S.3.2.1 Identify four basic needs of all living things (food, shelter, water, space). Students will be given the assignment of making an animal diorama at home. Watch for information to come home in this week's Friday folder. We will have a special guest come and visit our classroom from Deer Flat Wildlife refuge during this unit.
Math:
We have just begun Subtracting Two-Digit Numbers. Students will be learning various models to subtract two-and one-digit number, some traditional and some not. Students will draw on prior knowledge of number sense and place value. There is more than one way to subtract two-digit numbers. For example they have been breaking apart numbers using place value: Find 52-14: (50+2)
-(10+4)
______
Since they can not subtract 4 from 2 in the set of whole numbers, they need to regroup. The traditional algorithm for subtraction is difficult for most children to master. Please when working with your child at home ask them to explain how they need to regroup 1 ten as 10 ones, if necessary. Be sure they indicate this regrouping in the algorithm. During this unit students will learn how to use addition to check subtraction. This reinforces the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction.

Character: This month our virtues are Friendliness and Cooperation. Students will be making a friendship quilt and will have many opportunities to work in cooperative learning groups throughout the rest of the year.

I would like to say thank you for all the cards, small gifts, and goodies that came in over the holidays. I usually write personal thank you notes unfortunately, I misplaced my thank you list so please forgive me for the generic thank you!!

Sincerely, Mrs. Hedberg

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