Our Field Trip to the Creative Discovery Museum.

Some of the girls!!!

At the dinosaur dig!

At the water table

Discovering water

the artist in the art room

Thanks for the pictures Miss Tonia!!!!

It's a loom.

Waiting for instructions before excavating!

On the roof top with simple
machines.

Making music with simple machines!

Only some of the 63 second graders!

Adding and Touch Math

New fangled math? No, just another way of showing students how to add.  Our new math series "Envision" takes kids to a new level of thinking.
I am also "giving" them a new tool, called Touch Math, which is another way to count using numbers written on a page instead of the fingers. Touch Math has been around for a long time; I learned how to do it before it was called Touch Math. You may see numbers come home looking like this (see below).  Students just learn to touch the points to add, subtract, multiply, and divide.  This is a supplement to the current math program that I am trying with my class. You can google "Touch Math" to find more info.

Money! Money! Money!

We are working on counting money for the next two weeks in Math. Please give your child every opportunity to count money for you. Have them count the change in your coin purse or your pocket.  Have them count their own money out to the cashier when they want to buy something!  It is a great practice for second graders!

New Home for Pikachu and Arnold

Our wonderful little white mice found a new this weekend with the Sneed family~When I left them at their new home, they were busy running on their green wheel! I hope they will keep us updated about our favorite mouse brothers!

Success on the High Seas with the Pirates of Mouse Creek

Photos of our adventure!

HABITATS

Second graders are learning about habitats this week and will be designing a habitat of their choosing. Students will be doing the work at home with materials provided by the school. All parents have to provide is the guidance! Looking forward to seeing the displays!!! Pictures to come!  These will be due back at the school on Tuesday, September 27, 2011.

Upcoming Pirate Week September 19-23

Party to culminate the week will be Friday, September 23rd. Students will be able to wear their pirate clothes and have snacks! the party will begin at 2:00!!

I Think Mice are Rather NIce!

     Unfortunately, our little mice friends, Arnold and Pikachu, were told they could not live at the school. I do not know or understand the reasoning for this. Just know that I am working to get them amnesty so they can grace our classroom to entertain us again.  We are in the process of writing our first stories about our pets, and I will get these published for all to enjoy. I am extremely disappointed, as I know your children are, too. We had a great one week!!!  Keep your fingers crossed for a change of heart with the principal on the matter of class pets.

Speller's Choice modified for short School week!!!

This Week's Speller's Choice Requires only 2 choices!!!!

Speller’s Choice

You must do one speller’s choice activity each night in order to prepare for your spelling test on Friday.  Turn your homework sheet over.  Draw a line down the middle of your sheet hot dog style.  Now do the same thing hamburger style.  Now you have four boxes.  You can use these boxes for your Speller’s Choice activities.  Please write the name of the activity at the top of the box and then complete the activity.

You may choose any two of the following activities. 

**Please choose a different activity each night!**

1.     ABC order- Write your words in alphabetical order.

2.     Reversed words- Write your words in ABC order… backwards!

3.     Rainbow words- Use three different colors to write your words.

4.     Cheer your words- Pretend you are a cheerleader and cheer out your words (and spell them too!) to an adult.  Write this in the box as your choice and have someone sign their name to say they listened to you cheer your words!

5.     Backwards words- Write your words forwards, then backwards!

6.     Silly sentences- Use all of your words in 10 sentences.

7.     Pyramid words- Write your words adding one letter at a time.  The result will be a pyramid shape of words!

Example:  star

s

st

sta

star

8.      Disappearing words- Write each word, then write it again but leave one letter out… then write it again and leave TWO letters out… then three… until your word has disappeared!

Example:  cowboy

cowboy _owboy  __wboy  ___boy  ____oy  _____y  _____

9.     Computer fun- Use your computer to type your words.  Use different fonts and make it look really fun!  Be sure you print it out and bring it in your RED FOLDER!  Or you can type your words in an e-mail to me too, if you want- ppedrick@clevelandschools.org

10.   Friendly Words- Write two words that share a letter so they are touching!

11.   Air Words- Use your finger to write each word in the air.  Have a parent do the same.  See if you can figure out their word!  Write this in the box as your choice and have someone sign it to say you spelled your words in the air.

12.    Other Handed- If you are right handed, write your words with your left hand!  If you are left handed, write your words with your right hand!

Phases of the Moon/The Milky Way

We will be studying about the phases of the moons in more detail than New Moon, 1st Quarter Moon, Full moon, and Last Quarter Moon!!! Be on the lookout for a moon project!

The Milky Way and Constellations will be on our agenda this week!

Shadows on Earth = A Clock

Did you know that you can make your own clock with just a pencil, a piece of paper, and the Sun?

The Sunniest Spot at Arnold

As we are studying the Solar System in 2nd grade, the sun, we learned was very important to Earth. Some students wrote these things about the sun:
Daniel-"It's a big ball of fire."
Isaac-"It's bigger than the planets."
Bella-"The sun is bright."
Jessica-"It is hot in the sun."
Julio-"The sun is yellow and hard to see."
Caleb-"The sun does not have a nose, a mouth, or eyes."
Eris-"The sun is big and hot."
Jose-"The sun helps plants live and grow."
Kyah-"The sun is far from the Earth."
Ethan- "It's hot gas."
Anurag-"The sun is a star."
Aleigha-"The Earth rotates around the sun."
Gabe-"The sun is hot, so hot."
Michael-"The sun is the hottest."
Cole-"The sun is hot."
Anna-"Every planet orbits the sun."

A big thanks to helpful parents-Tonia Sherrill and Jennifer Sacca. Also to my lovely assistant, Andrea Riley. Appreciated all the help!!!!

My Schedule

8:00-8:15 Morning Work
8:20-9:27 Language Arts Block 9:00-9:05 Restroom Break
9:30-10:30 Small Group Reading/Literacy Centers
10:30-10:35 Snacks
10:35-11:35 Math
11:35-11:40 Restroom Break
11:40-12:10 LUNCH
12:15-12:45 Math Groups/Centers   ART every other week 12:15-1:00
12:45-1:00 Read Aloud/Restroom Break
1:00-2:00 Specials (M,W, TH--Library/Music  T--PE    F--Music/PE)
2:00-2:30 Science/Social Studies Centers/Activities
2:30-2:50 Recess
2:50-2:55 Restroom Break
2:55-3:10 Prepare to go home
3:10 Announcements, then dismissal

New News from Ms. Pedrick

I thought long and hard about changing grade levels and decided 2nd grade was where I needed to be---so HERE I AM!!!!!!!