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Miss Iowa

Miss Iowa, Anne Langguth, visited with all of Stewart Elementary students on Monday.  She talked about making good choices and being kids of character.  She played some really cools songs on her violin for us.  

Fun Website

We read the book, A Bad Case Of Stripes by David Shannon today. It is a fun story about a girl who loves to eat lima beans but is afraid she will be laughed at if she does.

I found a VERY COOL website that reads aloud lots of stories.

Click here to go to the website now.  I will also make a link in the Internet Resources page.

We listened and watched the story, A Bad Case Of Stripes, today.  This is a perfect website for your 2nd grader to use!  There are many stories to listen and "watch" and a great way to hear a fluent reader.

Remember, no school tomorrow!!

Until next time...

Applying Spelling

Beginning this third trimester, the 2nd grade teachers are adding four spelling words each week.  These are not words to practice, rather they are words to apply.  We want to see how well your 2nd grader is able to use the spelling pattern introduced for the week.  We know that spelling requires some memorization.  We want to make sure the spelling words don't just become something to learn for the week and then not use again.

Your 2nd grader is bringing home a sheet with four words from last week on it tonight.  You will be able to see how well your 2nd grader did.  Each week from now to the end of the year there will be four additional spelling words that your 2nd grader will not be able to study given each Thursday or Friday.  This can only help your child's spelling grade, it will not count against him or her.

Until next time.....

Mrs. Hippen

Classroom Update

We have moved back to our classroom upstairs!  The windows are really great!  Most of the time we don't even need to have the lights on in our room.  This spring it could get warm with only one window and the geo thermal not working yet.  I will add some pictures to the next blog post.

March is a busy month!  Thanks to all who have been keeping track of minutes read each week at home.  We are adding to our hungry caterpillar outside the office door.  Each week there is a challenge to see which classroom can read the most minutes.  We figured out yesterday that if everyone in our room read for 20 minutes each night our class would read 2,660 minutes for just that week!  Just think how much that would help every reader in our room!

Thursday, March 10, is wear ORANGE day!  All students are encouraged to wear the color of the day.  The whole school will be reading, The Carrot Seed book that day!  Last week was BLUE day and we read the book, Blueberries For Sal.

Don't forget all parents/grandparents/aunts/uncles/and anyone else I forgot are invited to come and have lunch anytime this month (just let me know so I can let the kitchen know) and we would love to have guest readers this month as well.  Just let me know when it works for you!  If it won't work for you to come in person we could always try and SKYPE!!

I have added a few new things to the blog....
•there is a page called spelling words that you can click on and see the weekly spelling words
•if you scroll all the way to the bottom of the blog, you will see an Eagle Cam ....this is live from an eagle's nest in Decorah, Iowa.
•Internet Resources....links to fun places to check out on the web

Until next time....

Mrs. Hippen

Moving Out

Here are some pictures of our room on Tuesday after the kids left.  I either moved stuff to the back counter and covered it up or I moved it to our "new" temporary classroom.  Don't forget, conferences will be held in our new room which is in the north hallway by the media center.  Our room is the room just north of the bathrooms on the right.  

They will be installing new windows, replacing the ceiling and lights, and getting our room geo-thermal ready!

Lots of Information

I first need to apologize for not blogging at least twice last week or this week like I had hoped to do!

We have had a busy two weeks!  We did some mid year testing that I will share with you at conferences.  I was really happy with all of the improvements from the beginning of the year.  Great job!

Next Tuesday is the 100th Day of School!  Can you believe it!?!?  We will do some fun activities all week long.  Please help your 2nd grader find 100 of "something".  Some ideas are:  toothpicks, marshmallows, cereal, noodles.  Be creative!

February 3 and February 7 are conference days.  You should have received a yellow conference time sheet come home on Wednesday.  If you did not, let me know and I will let you know the time I scheduled for you.

February 11 is our Immigration Simulation Day.  It is a really fun day where the students pretend they are at Ellis Island.  We need lots of parent/grandparent/friend volunteers.  Let me know if you can help.  It will be from about 1:00-2:30.

We are moving!!  Our classroom is getting new windows so we will move downstairs next Wednesday.  We are in the room to the north of the gym.  That is where I will be for conferences as well!  We will move back upstairs as soon as they are finished!

Whew....a long post!  Thanks for reading to the end!  Have a great weekend!
Click here for the electronic version of the newsletter for this week.

Until next time....

Homework and Late Start Reminder

Everyone was given a homework sheet tonight.  It is the math minute sheet he/she is currently working on in the classroom.  While it is timed in the classroom, the homework IS NOT timed.  In fact, it is quite the opposite.  I want the 2nd graders to learn the facts and commit the facts to memory!  As we are working two digit addition and subtraction problems in class I am finding the facts to be challenging to some and not automatic like I hope.

Like always, homework is due in one week.  Please help your 2nd grader complete the sheet if necessary and then return it to school by next Tuesday, January 18.

On another note, because today was the first late start we have had this year, remember, breakfast IS NOT
served on these mornings.  We had lots of kids in line for breakfast this morning.  Thanks for your help with this!

Until next time...

Mrs. Hippen

Family Tile

In your 2nd grader's yellow folder you will find a "Family Tile" homework sheet.  Please help your 2nd grader fill this out and return it to school next Monday, January 17.  Click here to get a new copy of the sheet.

The family tile is an important part of our immigration unit.  We do lots of activities with the information and your child will feel much more a part of the unit if he/she has this information.  It is fun to learn about classmates heritage.  Students are welcome to bring in pictures, documents or any other information.  All will be returned.

On Friday, February 11, 2011 all of the 2nd graders at Stewart will participate in a mock immigration day through "Ellis Island, New York".  This is a VERY exciting day!  We need lots of parent/grandparent volunteers that day.  If you would like to help, please let Mrs. Hippen know.

Thanks so much for all of your help!

Until next time....

Friday Newsletter

Hello....

Here is our classroom newsletter for the week.  It includes spelling words, important dates, and a little bit about our week!  Click here to see it!


Ask your 2nd grader about the movie, "An American Tale".  We finished it today as our introduction to our unit on immigration.  This unit is my absolute favorite to teach!  We will read lots of books and find out all about why people immigrated to the United States, how they came, and all about Ellis Island in New York City.

Until next time...

Happy New Year!

The year 2011 is upon us and it is time to make New Year's Resolutions!  Mine is simple:  be a better blogger!!

Check back often to see what is happening in our classroom!

Until next time...
Mrs. Hippen