High Hopes for Second Grade

Welcome to our classroom blog - a way to give second-grade families a glimpse of what's happening in Room 222. In place of a weekly newsletter, I will post news and photos on the blog. I will send an email to the address you provided on Fridays with a link to the latest post. 

The title for the blog comes with an explanation: Before long, the children will be writing non-fiction pieces about topics they know well. We sometimes refer to this kind of informational writing as "all about" books, so it seemed appropriate to use this same language for the information from the classroom that I share with you. I plan to recap the highlights of our week and give you some context for the work your child talks about and brings home. Plus, I hope to capture in pictures some of the joy and energy that are part of our school days. You just can't beat those smiles!

As many of you know, I am new to second grade this year. I moved right along with your children from Stormonth's first grade to the second floor - and a whole new level of learning. It's hard for me to resist comparing the beginning of first grade to the beginning of second. What a difference a year makes! These boys and girls are capable, confident, and ready to hit the ground running. We have spent the first days of school getting to know each other and establishing routines to make our classroom run smoothly. We've waded into our math, reading, and writing curriculums, too.

We've also discussed our "high hopes" for second grade - what we hope to learn and do

this year. Below are the high hopes that the boys and girls named in one of our earliest discussions. It's a worthy list, but we didn't stop there. We took the conversation deeper to realize that hoping alone won't make things happen. We have begun to set goals and make plans for how to achieve what is most important to us. We know that this means committing to hard work, to taking risks, and to helping each other along the way.

I hope to read about characters and to write biographies. (Lucy)
I hope to get lots and lots of BUGS. (Harper)
I hope I can do as much math as I can. (Abby)
I hope to play outside with friends. (Annabelle)
I hope to continue writing my series books. (Rex)

I hope to get 100% on my math tests. (Jack)
I hope to become a better writer. (Kayla)
I hope to get good grades and make lots of friends. (Harrison)
I hope to get better at reading, writing, and especially, math. (Kaila)
I hope to make good friends. (Stacia)
I hope to do lots of homework and reading. (Kalin)
I hope to get good grades, do better in math, and make friends. (Damien)
I hope to get better at PE. (Jae)
I hope to write a great animal report. (Tierney)
I hope to make a lot of friends. (Cameron)
I hope to become a better ice skater. (Karenna)
I hope to get better at art and music. (Ella)

And my high hope? I hope that in our classroom this year we will all be learners, we will all be teachers, and we will all be friends.

Mark Your Calendars:

Tues., Sept. 13 - Parent Night. I look forward to seeing you. Second grade parents meet first in the gym at 7 PM for an overview of curriculum and then head to the classroom for more specific information about what to expect this year.

Wed., Sept. 14 - Early release day for students

Thurs., Sept. 15 - MAP Reading Test, 9 AM

Tues., Sept. 20 - Stormonth Lockdown and Reunification Drills

Wed., Sept. 21 - MAP Math Test, 1:30 PM 

Wed., Sept. 28 - Early release day for students
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