Only two more weeks left of school! This week we were busy finishing up some of our big end of the year projects.  We also got to have some fun doing some out of the ordinary activities!

For Reading this week, we rehearsed and put on a play about the story of the Three Little Pigs.  We practiced as a class and in our individual groups.  On Wednesday and Thursday we practiced in front of our classmates and got some helpful hints on how to make our scene better.  Today I got to film the students doing their scene.  We are excited to share the full video with you soon!

In Writing this week, we wrote the final copies of our Fractured Fairy Tales and illustrated them.  The students were very excited to make their own little fairy tale book.  For Math we spent some time talking about Division and Multiplication.  We also reviewed how to add and subtract money amounts at a store.  In Bible we continued learning about the Holy Spirit.  We learned that the Holy Spirit gives us power and love and helps us to control ourselves.  We saw how the Holy Spirit was at work in the lives of Stephen and Phillip from the Bible and helped them not be afraid.

Today we also had the privilege of having some of the 4th graders come in and read to us.  Each 4th grader wrote a book this year and came to share them with us.  Here are some pictures from today:

Important Information:

1. Spelling Words: any, very, many, ceiling, pretty, every, valley, foggy, windy, cloudy, money, movie, sleepy, receive, sunny, cookie, together, measure

2. Bible Memory Verse: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23a

3. Terra Nova results were sent home today with the students.  Please check their Friday Folder to see them.  Also, please be sure to empty out your child's Friday Folder every weekend.

4. We are nearing the end of the year! Our last day of school will be THURSDAY, JUNE 11TH. School will be dismissed at 2:00pm that day.

Have a blessed weekend! :)

It was nice to finally have a full week of school and we were able to use the days to get a lot of things done!  In Spelling this week we had a review lesson and the students did very well with remembering what they have learned.  In Reading we finished learning how to Compare and Contrast Stories.  This week we read two versions of Cinderella and two versions of Hansel and Gretel.  The students then had to tell me what was the same and what was different between the two versions.

For Writing, we continued with our Fractured Fairy Tales.  We spent time revising, editing, and reflecting on each other's stories.  Today we started our final copy which we will continue to work on next week.  We are very excited to illustrate and publish our last major writing assignment of 2nd grade! Today we also put together our Poem Books that we worked on last month.  Please take some time to look through your child's book and see their amazing creativity!

In Bible we learned about the coming of the Holy Spirit and how He gave the disciples bravery and power to do amazing things.  We also started learning some of the jobs that the Holy Spirit does.  This week we learned that the Holy Spirit teaches us, reminds us of the things that Jesus taught, and helps us know right from wrong.  Next week we will learn more about the Holy Spirit as we continue our study through the book of Acts in the Bible.  For Math we learned about Place Value and Parentheses.  Today we also took our Unit 10 Test.

Important Information:

1. There will be NO SCHOOL this coming Monday.  Enjoy the long weekend!

2. Spelling Words for next week: unable, unlock, untie, unpack, reread, remind, rewrite, reuse, softly, slowly, quickly, suddenly, joyful, careful, truthful, beautiful, during, better

3. Bible Memory Verse: "And the Spirit doesn't make us weak and fearful. Instead, the Spirit gives us power and love. He helps us control ourselves." 2 Timothy 1:7

4. Next week will be our last Library time so please make sure that your child brings their books with them on Wednesday so we can take our last AR Tests.

5. Book Orders were sent in today and should be coming soon!

Have a restful and fun weekend! :)

We have reached the middle of May and only have a few more weeks left of school! It is hard to believe that this school year is almost over! Here is what has been taking place in our classroom:

For Spelling this week we continued our study of r-controlled vowels.  Next week we will have a review lesson on the past few lessons and concepts including plural nouns and verbs and r-controlled vowels.  In Reading we continued comparing and contrasting stories.  This week we read two different versions of The Little Mermaid and two different versions of Jack and the Beanstalk.  We also used these stories to help us plan our Fractured Fairy Tales for Writing.  We finished our research of the original fairy tales this week and moved into the planning stage for our very own fractured fairy tale.  Towards the end of the week, we started writing our stories.  The students have done a wonderful job so far and I am excited to read their final stories!

In Math class we practiced using calculators to help us solve problems. We also learned how to estimate the cost of an item to see if we have enough money to buy it.  On Friday we also practiced making change when buying items.  For Bible we talked about doubting Thomas and the importance of believing in Jesus even though we can't see Him.  We also learned how Jesus forgave Peter for denying Him and gave Him an important job to do in the Church.  We ended the week by studying the ascension of Jesus back into Heaven.  Next week we will begin studying what the disciples did after Jesus went back to Heaven.

Important Information:

1. This week is a review week for Spelling.  A complete list of Spelling words will go home on Monday with the Homework Checklist.

2. Bible Memory Verse:" The Friend is the Holy Spirit. He will teach you all things. He will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:26

3.  Scholastic Book Orders are due this coming Friday, May 22nd.  If you would like to order, you may do so online or send in the order with your student.

4. Next Monday, May 25th there will be NO SCHOOL.

Thank you for all of the wonderful gifts and love for Teacher Appreciation Week! I feel incredibly blessed to work with each one of the students and parents that make up our 2.1 class.  Thank you for making this whole school year, and especially this week, so great! :)

In Reading this week, we continued comparing and contrasting different versions of fairytales. We read two different versions of Little Red Riding Hood and Snow White and looked at the parts of the stories that were the same and different.  For Writing this week, we wrote question poems.  Each student picked a topic and then made a poem using only questions. On Friday we also started planning for our very own Fractured Fairy Tale.  Each student picked an original fairytale and we spent the day reading and taking notes on the events.  Next week we will start writing our own versions of these fairytales.

In Math this week we took our Unit 9 Test on Measurement and moved into Unit 10.  We practiced adding money amounts that included dollars and cents.  We also learned how to name different dollar amounts.  For Bible we finished up our Unit on Parables.  This week we learned about the Parable of the Lost Son and how God welcomes us back into His family when we repent.  We also learned about the Parable of the Good Samaritan and how we are to help those in need even if they are our enemies.  On Thursday we also heard the Story of the Wise and Foolish Builders.  The class was split in half and each half was given a different part of the story to act out.  They had a lot of fun working together and acting out their different parts!

Important Information:

1. Spelling Words: for, bear, more, four, dear, hear, wore, earn, floor, wear, earth, share, heard, yearly, careless, doorbell, nothing, May

2. Bible Memory Verse: "You can't be saved by believing in anyone else. God has given people no other name under heaven that will save them."  Acts 4:12

3. The last day for Scholastic Book Orders will be Friday, May 22nd.  You may order online or turn in the paper order form and money to me.

4. Monday, May 25th there will be NO SCHOOL.

Terra Nova and Kid City

We have had an extremely busy week here in 2.1.  We spent Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday morning taking the Terra Nova.  We were tested on many different subjects including Math, Reading, Bible, Social Studies, and Science.  The students worked very hard during the tests and I am so proud of them for the all the effort they put in to doing their best!

On Wednesday afternoon we had Kid City in the gym. Each student was given two different jobs to do and also had the chance to go around to the different "businesses".  The students did a great job using their English Oral Language Skills as they worked and shopped.  As second grade students, we were in charge of working the Bank, City Hall, Police Station, Hospital, and Pharmacy.  Even though we had some of the busiest stations, the students were up to challenge and did a great job!

On Thursday and Friday we were back to our regular schedule.  In Reading we started Comparing and Contrasting Stories.  We read two different versions of the Billy Goats Gruff and listed what was the same and different about them.

In Math we started reviewing for our Unit 9 Test next week.  Today we practiced our measuring by measuring different worms to the nearest half-inch.

For Bible we talked about two more parables of Jesus.  They were the Parable of the Marriage Feast and the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.  We learned that the Pharisees were trying to get to Heaven by doing good things and being good people.  However, the parables taught us that we cannot get to Heaven based on what we do or how good we are.  The only way we can get to Heaven is by believing that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again.

Important Information:

1. Spelling Words for next week: word, were, turn, girls, verse, color, first, world, third, serve, purple, doctor, further, herself, birthday, Saturday, walked, April

2. Bible Memory Verse: "See what amazing love the Father has given us! Because of it, we are called children of God. And that's what we really are!" 1 John 3:1

3. We will be taking our Unit 9 Math Test on Wednesday.

4. There will be NO SCHOOL next Tuesday, May 5th for Children's Day.

5. Next Wednesday, May 6th is Parent Observation Time from 2:00-3:00pm.   Please sign in with the office before coming up to the classroom.

6. Scholastic Book Orders were sent home today.  If you would like to order online please do so at this link: http://world-schools.scholastic.co.uk/okinawa-christian-school-intl.  You may also send in your order to me.  The last day to order will be Friday, May 22nd.

Have a blessed weekend!

Field Day!

This week was busy with Field Day and Terra Nova preparations!  We took a few practice tests and talked about what to expect on the test days.  The students are excited and a little nervous to start testing next week!

In Writing this week we learned about suffixes.  We studied four different suffixes and how they are used in writing and speaking.  We also each picked a color and wrote Color Poems.  Each student made a list of things that made them think of the color they picked and then added adjectives to each line.  For Math we learned about perimeter, area, and capacity.  We made some Area Robots and also used an experiment to learn about capacity.

In Bible we continued our study of Parables.  We learned about the Parable of the Workers in the Field and the Parable of the Tenants.  We also learned the importance of not complaining or arguing, but instead doing things with a good attitude.

Today we had a wonderful Field Day outside.  The students were able to participate in 10 different athletic events.  They did a great job today and I was so proud to hear them encouraging their classmates in each event! We then enjoyed a picnic lunch and spent the afternoon at the park. Here are some pictures from today's activities:

Important Information for next week:

1. Terra Nova Testing will take place next week on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The Terra Nova is a standardised test that will provide data on how your student is progressing in comparison to other students in American and International school worldwide. In preparation for these tests please be sure your student:
     - gets 8-10 hours of sleep each night
     - eats a nutritional breakfast before school each morning
     - refrains from extra activities in the evening during testing days
     - brings a light, healthy snack each day such as, one banana, a small baggie of popcorn, dried fruit,
       etc.
     - is on time for school each day

2. Kid City will take place next Wednesday, April 29th from 11:30-3:00pm.  We are in need of some parents to come and help us run the different stations.  If you are able to come, please return the reply slip that was sent home yesterday to me next week.  Each student needs to bring a small bag/wallet/purse on Wednesday to hold their money and other belongings at Kid City.

3. We are also in need of donations for our Kid City Restaurant.  If you would like to donate, please send them in with your student.

4. There will be no new Spelling words or Bible Memory Verse next week due to Terra Nova.

5. There will be NO SCHOOL on TUESDAY, MAY 5.

6. Parent Observation Day will be Wednesday, May 6th from 2:00-3:00pm.

Have a wonderful and blessed weekend! :)

It was wonderful to see everyone after Spring Break! I enjoyed hearing about all of the fun adventures that the students had over the break! On Monday and Tuesday we had a substitute teacher, Mrs. Collins, in our room.  She did a wonderful job with all the students, but I was glad to be back with them on Wednesday!

In Reading this week we focused on retelling a story.  We learned that there are five important things to include when retelling a story.  These are Characters, Setting, Beginning, Middle, and End.  For Writing, we wrote about our Spring Breaks and we also learned about some common prefixes.  We made a list of some words that had these prefixes and then played a matching game in groups.  The students had to match the prefix to the base word and then find the definition.

 

For Math we began our unit on measurement.  We practiced measuring things at school and things at home using feet, inches, centimeters, and decimeters.  In Bible we learned about three more parables. We talked about how God wants us to forgive those who have done things against us because He has forgiven us for all of our sins.  This week we also learned about the Post Office for Kid City and practiced writing a postcard.

Important Information:

1. A flyer was sent home today about Kid City.  We are in need of parent help this next Tuesday (21st) from 3pm-4pm in Miss Turner's room.  We will be doing some prep-work for Kid City.  We are also in need of some food donations for our restaurant.  Please see the flyer for exact details.  You can send those in with your students to me. 

2. Elementary Field Day is next Friday (24th).  The students will be participating in different athletic activities in the morning and, if the weather is nice, we will be going to the park after lunch.  Parents are invited to come and spend the day with their student and enjoy the time of being outside together!

3. Terra Nova testing will be April 27-29th. Students are allowed to bring one healthy snack that day to have during the testing time.  Please do not bring chips or sugary snacks. We will be testing the students in Math, Reading, Spelling, Bible, Science, Social Studies, and Vocabulary.

4. Kid City will be April 29th in the afternoon.  A form will be sent home next week requesting parent help on that day.

5. Spelling Words for next week: chore, farmer, corn, orange, harvest, morning, Lord, arms, horses, hard, before, star, store, north, March, important, June, Wednesday

6. Bible Memory Verse for next week: "Do everything without complaining or arguing. Then you will be pure and and without blame." Philippians 4:14-15a

I hope to see many of you tonight at the Family Reading Night in the Cafeteria at 6:30pm.

Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the beautiful weather!