Dear Second Grade Families,

As we enter the sixth week of school, we are continuing to work on first-time listening, class room manners, and respect for others. Your child should be marking the end of the day card color in his/her planner.  I try to check each day, but it is the student’s responsibility. Please remember to sign both planner and homework.

As we get ready to enter the month of October, it is a good time to start thinking about the Saint’s Parade (Friday, November 5). Not only will your child need a costume, but also he/she will need to know some important facts about the chosen saint. This year your child will be assigned a saint. This will give us a little variety and more ‘saintly’ knowledge. The saint assignment will be given out next Monday, October 4.

We will start testing this week. (The ITBS, or Iowa Test of Basic Skills). Since this is the first testing period for your student, we will approach it slowly. We will have about 9 days to complete the whole thing. Our testing period for each day will be from 8:30-10:00. You can help your child by making sure he/she has a good night’s sleep and has a healthy breakfast before leaving home in the morning. We will begin with a practice test today.

The September Homework Activities are due Friday, October 1.The October Homework Activities will go home on Friday as well. Please help your child to be proud of his/her work by encouraging neatness. All activities need to be recorded. I have numbered the activities for easier responses. Students need to write their own name and turn in all written activities on regular –size filler (binder-type) paper. (If using binder paper, the touch-bump system needs to be used). Please keep the paper full size. (The paper is part of required homework supplies. Please do not just rip out of a spiral). Don’t forget about the Response Sheet on the back of the calendar. Please staple all papers together in a neat manner. If you don’t have a stapler at your house please get one. They are not expensive and can be purchased at many different kinds of stores.

Information about the “Book-It” Reading Program will be coming soon and we will begin. Reading is very important for your child’s success. This is also part of the homework grade. Use it to increase your child’s reading interests. Help your child to make good choices when selecting books to read. They should be books with many words on a page…not “Hop on Pop, etc. If reading a chapter book, (ex: Junie B. Jones or Magic Tree House), please list the chapters by name and the number of pages. Books are not to be repeated month after month. All book titles are to be written by the students. They are capable. I will not accept work where a parent has done the writing…this includes the student’s name.

STUDENT OF THE WEEK will begin this week. Each child will be highlighted for a week. The directions are explained in the paper that goes home. If a special item is to be shared, please ask me first!!

STUDENT OF THE WEEK…Nicholas Wilke

Flat People are in progress and will be on their way soon. We will be working on letters and addressing BIG envelopes

IN THE CLASSROOM (in addition to testing)

RELIGION: We are called to be friends of Jesus. We are reminded to make a prayerful “Sign of the Cross”. Please take your child with you up to Communion for a BLESSING. We will begin discussing Baptism.

LANGUAGE ARTS: Reading for comprehension and fluency; short and long vowels; creative writing; sentence punctuation and writing.

MATH: Adding and subtracting facts to 20; practice, practice, practice!!! More subtraction practice in class using related addition facts and story problem strategies.

SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES: Johnny Appleseed story and activity; in and around a city; goods and services; map skills.

Have a good week,

Mrs. Danforth