Disappointed

I have had this blog for two school years and I must admit that I was truly disappointed this morning when I saw that someone had left an unkind comment about another classmate. Many times this year we have quoted the phrase, "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all." Just to make it clear, that goes for writing, too. Before you write or say something, think about how you would feel if another person was saying or writing the same thing about you. If you would not like it, then please keep it to yourself. We are a class and our job is to support each other and celebrate our successes. Please do not leave hurtful comments.

So you know how this works, I get an email whenever something is posted. Since this is my blog, I have the authority to delete comments. I will delete unkind remarks. I can also choose to turn off the 'comment' option, but I like the idea of you being able to add your thoughts about activities on here.

Make a Mummy

Today we read about mummification. It was mentioned in our read aloud book Clementine's Letter. We were curious about how mummies were made so we did some research. We made our own mummy! Give it a try on Discovery Kids!

Science Fest

We are presently seeking volunteers to assist second grade with the experiment portion of the Fest. If you can help on June 4, please let us know. Mrs. Kee's class needs help from 9-10:30 am and I need help from 12:45-2:15. The task is easier than it sounds and we will be there to help! THANKS!

Landforms

As the year winds down we are learning about landforms and bodies of water. We are creating expository text by making a booklet that tells about 6 landforms/bodies of water of choice. The booklet must be illustrated and include examples of each. The students are using their textbooks and computerized material to do their research. On the National Geographic for Kids site students can play a game that teaches them about the Grand Canyon. They can also learn about Mount Everest by playing a similar game. To create some interest about other geographic topics, try the GeoQuiz. Try it until you get 100! Take the opportunity to explore the other wonderful articles and videos on the National Geographic site. Visit often as the site changes regularly.

Have some fun researching sites on your own. Post what you find so we can share it with others!!

Venn Diagrams

We have been using Venn diagrams to show how all of the students are a like and different. We have also been using them to compare stories. After reading non-fiction text, we have used Venn diagrams to compare and contrast the topics of the books (eg. spiders vs. insects). We are using Venn diagrams with two and three overlapping circles. Zoo Logic will help students sort animals into the correct pens using the concept of a two-circled Venn diagram. The site does not specifically say that the zoo pens are Venn diagrams, so you will want to ask your child what the pens remind him/her of (guide them to the answer: Venn diagram). I am still searching for other games/activities to practice this skill online. If you find one of your own, please send it to me or post it in the comment section.

Language Arts Sites

We have been working on using periods, capitals, commas, exlamation points, question marks, and apostrophes correctly in our own writing. The students are really improving this skill. For fun practice with editing, we have been using the Power Proofreading site. With its game format, it is a fun way to practice. Have fun!

For children needing extra work with sight words, Professor Garfield is a wonderful place to begin. You can select stories rich with sight words, print them out, and let your child read away. There are Bingo cards, flash cards, etc. If you would like some of the stories, but do not have access to a printer, let me know. I can certainly provide you with what you need.

A fantastic way for "chapter book readers" to make their reading more meaningful and to get them to think about what they are reading is to have them make predictions every so often throughout the book. Scholastic Instructor gives detailed instructions for doing this. Encourage your child to follow these steps. Not only will it improve his/her reading skills, but it will also hone writing skills.

Inauguration Info

With our study of how our country elects a president, we talked about the Inauguration. I was hoping that we'd be able to watch it together on the 20th, but due to the work day, that will not be an option. I hope you will take the opportunity to view this event so you can see what takes place. You can read about Presidential Inaugurations by connecting to this link. Write about it and bring it in on Thursday (or post a comment here) for a prize. :D

Christmas Around the World

Ready for some educational fun? Check out this Scavenger Hunt! Answer the questions and bring in the answers on the first day back for a prize!

SORRY

I know I said I'd post something sooner than now. I've had some trouble accessing the blog, but think I have it solved now. I will definitely add some sites for the vacation. Have a great time! Remember, show proof of reading, writing, doing math on Jan. 5th and you get a prize! :D

Rainy Day Fun

We are studying sound in our classroom. What can you use from around your house to make a musical instrument? Can you make an instrument that makes more than one sound? How do you make the sound (do you tap on it, pluck it, shake it)? Tell us about your instrument in the comment section. Bring it to school to share it with the class. We will take your picture and post it here. :0)

THANK YOU!

I write this hoping that my students from last year still visit occasionally. I just wanted to take a moment to thank the families from last year for their assistance with my quest to become a National Board Certified teacher. By allowing your students to be video taped, you helped me produce a product that the assessors found to be worthy of certification. I found out last Friday that I have achieved my goal and am now a National Board Certified Teacher! I could not have done it without you and your children. THANK YOU!!! :D

Mayflower

Here is a link to a site where you can see a timeline of the Pilgrims' voyage as well as take a tour of the ship. What do you think it would be like to travel aboard the Mayflower?

Write a Math Story

Can you write a story to go along with the following number sentence? 8 + 7 = 15

Here is mine....

8 feathery birds sat on an old wooden fence. 7 more gently landed beside them. Now there are 15 chirping birds on the splintery fence.


Post your own to the blog. Click on comments, write your story, sign it, and post as anonymous. Remember, even though you are writing for math, you must use good writing skills: capitals, punctuation, spelling, adjectives, and grammar. I can't wait to see what you write!

Build Your Own Caterpillar

Put your knowledge of caterpillars and their adaptations to the test. Design your own caterpillar by choosing the best color, spikes, and "extras" that will help it survive the environment described. Let us know how you do with the task.

Congruent Shapes

This week we have begun exploring congruent shapes. Do you know what makes shapes congruent? If you said that shapes that are the same size and same shape, you are correct! I found a site that lets you explore congruent shapes. Pay special attention to the communication aspects in the instructions. Being aware of your thinking helps you remember the concept. After exploring, leave a comment explaining how you knew the shapes were congruent. Can you find any other activities that help you practice with congruent shapes? If so, let us know. :D

Welcome Class of '08-'09

Welcome to the class blog! I will use this site throughout the year to give you information about our class. If you peruse the previous entries, you will see that I provide links to sites that relate to our areas of study as well as feature special events. I also use this to showcase student work. Students and parents have the opportunity to comment on the posts as well. If you do not want to join, you can sign your message within the comment box and publish your comment as "anonymous". I ask you to be respectful of each other's feelings; please only publish positive comments.

The first site I would like to feature is CoolMath4Kids. This is a great site that offers a wide variety of activities and games. If your child is savvy with addition and subtraction facts to 18, there are areas where they can begin to work on multiplication. Subtraction Blast is a fun game that actually prepares students for multiplying. Another great area on this site is the addition area. It accommodates students still needing practice with simple facts, progressing to more advanced addition concepts. There are games to reinforce these skills. There is also a subtraction area that is set up similarly. I hope you have fun visiting this site. Please leave a comment to letting us know what you like.

PS: Last year's second graders are still welcome! There is plenty for you to do, too. :0)

Memories of 2007-2008

This year was fantastic! I hope you like the poem. Keep up with your Summer Packet so you will impress your 3rd grade teachers! Be sure to check the blog occasionally because I will post throughout the summer. Savannah has already been on today!! Thanks so much for such a great year!

Miss Kristin’s Second Grade 2007-2008

180 days have gone by too fast

I can’t believe that it’s really the last

I knew from the very start

You’d etch a special place in my heart.

Now that the year’s over and you have nothing due

Here’s a little poem about how I’ll remember you:

Reminding Jacob to “pinch and rest”

James proud of taking another AR test

Kayleeann wanting the markers for the board

Ethan counting numbers with a high-noted chord

Soaking Caroline G. being lots of fun

Reminding Tyler to walk and not to run

Maddie offering to tuck tissues in Edward Tulane

Writing on the carpet will NOT leave a stain

Reading funny stories that Savannah wrote

“Don’t chew on that…you are not a goat!”

Caroline P. and her love of Junie B.

Icy proudly showing fancy artwork to me

Hannah explaining her answer with the stick

Shae writing about a skateboard trick

Kendal reading another Magic Tree House

Chris listening, quiet as a mouse

Krystle prepping for the morning graph

Cam always able to make me laugh

Carley smiling radiantly, reading to me

Nathaniel looking for Miss Ruth and PE

Jasmine blogging on the Miss Kristin site

Grinning about the cinquains Kameron would write

Damon’s knowledge of critters being cool

Who could forget My Weird School?

Robots, elections, landforms, and skits

Presentations, weather, sound, and math kits

Now it’s official, but don’t think you’re off the hook

School is over, but enjoy your Summer book!

Love, Miss Kristin

To Infinity and Beyond!

Check out the NASA Kid's Club daily to find out about Buzz Lightyear's mission to the International Space Station! There are other nifty things to check out while you visit. You can even sign up to have your name sent to the moon.

Early Dismissal

It's a good thing we got out when we did! Here's what it looks like on my street!

Science Festival 2008

The annual Cape Hatteras Elementary School Science Festival took place May 17th and 18th. The students excitedly engaged in a number of hands-on learning experiences based on the North Carolina Science Curriculum. Our newest students (More-at-Four) loved the squishy slime they made while 5th graders manipulated items like chop sticks to get a feel for animal adaptations. Several staff members served as speakers throughout the event demonstrating their versatility and interest in the field of science. Students learned about electricity from Anne Swain and Kerry Hooper from the Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative. Brian VanDruten from U.S. Fish and Wildlife had the students "gobbling" up all sorts of information about wild turkeys. J.B. Rattles amazed the students with his wide variety of reptiles. Learning about red wolves with Diane Hendry, also from U.S Fish and Wildlife, was awesome. The event could not take place without the CHES parents who always dedicate their time and talents to the fest. They run the experiments as well as donate the delicious buffet items on which our volunteers feast. The support of the PTA is truly appreciated as they generously donate funds to purchase consumables. The Science Committee thanks all who participated and supported this event and looks forward to another fantastic event next year.

RAIN Acrostic Poems

Rainbow after the rain
A bigger puddle
I do not like the rain
Not so excited
~ Caroline P.

Round and fat
Annoying
I don't care about rain
Not good at aiming into a water bottle
~ Krystle

Radiant
Always boring
In the way of the day
Not bad for plants
~ Maddie

Rain is very cool to study
And rain tastes very good
It helps the flowers grow
Never get to go outside when it rains
~ Caroline G.

Really rainy
As awesome as a shark
Incredible
Not much fun
~ Cam

Rapid water
A very strong thing
It falls from the sky
Not big
~ Jacob

Really boring
And wet
It helps plants grow
Nothing can defeat rain
~ Kameron

Rushes to the ground
All of the raindrops go the same way
It is made by water vapor
Never hits very hard
~ Chris

Really wet
Awesome after rain
It ruins my day
Never go outside in a rain storm
~ Shae

Ruins the day
As bad as a shock of lightning
It does help plants though
Never colorful
~ Jasmine

Runs down a hill when it hits the ground
As smooth as a bed
It is cold
Not pretty
~ Nathaniel

Rough when falls
Always wet
It makes mud
Never dry when it falls from the sky
~ Icy

Rivers roar
All living things need it
It rains for flowers
New plants drink it
~ Ethan

Real wet
And cold
It is a good thing
No animal will live without water because it helps the animal
~ James

Racket in the house
All the time bugs are on your skin
It's always gloomy
Not cool because it's wet and you can't play
~ Kayleeann

Really cool
Awesome
I like to play in it
Not so cool
~ Carley

Rainbows come
April showers bring May flowers
I like to hear the sounds
Nice and refreshing
~ Tyler

Really wet and cold
A bad time to play outside
It makes puddles
Not a nice day
~ Hannah

Rain and sun make a rainbow
Always comes from clouds
It can sometimes be very loud
Not very fun because you can't go outside to play
~ Savannah

Ruins my day
A bad time of the week
It makes me real sad
No fun outside
~ Kendall

Rain is cold
Always makes rainbows
It will make ice
Needs water in the desert
~ Damon

I Know....

I know what 2 little girls are up to this afternoon! My mailbox is full of comments. Thanks for using the blog and posting messages to your classmates. I will post more this weekend. What do you think I should add? Our visit from Bailey? The new spinner address? RAIN poems? Earth Day? The landform diorama project? Science Fest? Let me know what you think should be next!

PS...If you write the article at home or during FREE WRITE, I just may let you post it yourself! :0)

Probability

We are working on probability experiments. Today we had a super time experimenting with a spinner online. Change the spinner and see what happens. Report your results in a comment. Tell what you expected and what surprised you and WHY. :0)

I'm Still Here in the Bathtub

On Thursday Caroline and Carley shared I'm Still Here in the Bathtub from the book I'm Still Here in the Bathtub: Brand New Silly Dilly Songs by Alan Katz. It is a sequel to Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs. They did a fantastic job of turning a one person poem into a two person poem! Way to go! This week we will be writing acrostic poems. I know you will love it! What is your favorite poem from this book? Let us know by adding a comment. :0)

Baby Owl

Miss Susan and Caroline found an article about a baby owl on the Island Free Press (where Hannah's mom works!). Hope you all enjoy it!

National Poetry Month

To celebrate National Poetry Month we are adding a daily poem share to our calendar time. This morning Cam and Jacob shared Water Striders by Paul Fleischman from his book Joyful Noise Poems for Two Voices. Yesterday Kayleeann shared Oh Have You Heard (click on the poem for the link & then scroll down) by Shel Silverstein in honor of April Fool's Day.

Througout the month we will be reading and composing our own poems! Keep checking for poetry updates. :0)

Map Sites

I found this map game at FunBrain. I hope you like it!

This site will tell you how you and a family member can make a map puzzle using clay!

iKnowthat.com offers puzzle games for many areas of the world. You do not have to register. You can select the 'maybe later' option and still play the games.

After you play the games, add a comment to let your classmates (and me) know what you think. If you click on comments, you can add one anonymously (just sign your first name at the end of your comment - you can check out the one about the field trip to see how Caroline G. & her mom signed theirs).

Miss Kristin

The Leprechaun Story by Kameron

“Ahhhh!!!” I screamed as I saw a leprechaun in Target in Virginia. I told him to hide behind the bookshelf but he didn’t do it. So I told my mom, “There’s a small person near the bookshelf!”

My mom said, “He’s probably just a midget.”

“He’s smaller than a midget. He’s a leprechaun.”

My mom said, “I don’t believe you.” We left Target and guess who was in the car. The leprechaun! We had to deal with him the whole way home. When I got home I kicked him out the window of my mom’s car. We never saw him again.

The Tricky Leprehaun by Savannah

“Wow!” I yelled, “That’s a small house.” Then ……..a Leprechaun came out! “Give me your gold or I’ll step on you and your house!” I said. The Leprechaun gave me gold all right. Chocolate, that was wrapped in gold paper. The very next day I went back to that Leprechaun’s house and he was not there. I saw that his beautiful flowers had died. The air smelled terrible. Also, everything in the garden had rotted. Then I noticed a small sign on the door and it said, “Went to Hawaii for summer so I can go surfing on my small surf board, dudes”. So I had to wait until winter. That Winter I got my gold.

The Greedy Old Leprechaun by Jasmine

“WOW!’’ I screamed, as I walked to a huge oak tree in the middle of the woods. I heard giggling sounds by the tree but there was nothing there so I looked in the big hole in the middle of the tree. There was a leprechaun about an inch tall! He had my ten dollar bill! I grabbed the dollar and he tried pulling it harder. It felt as if I was playing tug-of-war. So I ran and got my dad because he is very strong. He got my money and he told the leprechaun, “Get lost!” Then the greedy old leprechaun stomped his feet as he went back to the oak tree. I heard him whispering, “I was going to use that money for a new home because my house stinks.” I just ignored him and went inside to read a story about a monkey that found a pot of gold.

March Terrific Kids!

Congratulations to our awesome Terrific Kids for the month of March: Hannah, Caroline P., and Kameron! All three are very deserving of this honor! Hannah has worked hard to become the best student she can be. She is very attentive to the needs of others. :0) Caroline does nothing less than her absolute best at all times! She is a super student and is always eager to learn new things. :0) Kameron is always ready for our next project. I can always count on him to set a good example for other students. :0) KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!

Telling Time

OK, kids, here are some of the telling time sites we've used in class. Check them out and let me know what you think. If you find any others, let me know.

Time Clock: We haven't played this, yet, but we will. You can practice moving the hands for different times at 5 minute intervals.

Teaching Time: This is the one with the big clock. :-)

Willy the Watchdog: Have fun!

Digital Clock: This is the one we played with the lever and the apple clock. You can practice hour and half hour.

Dr. Seuss

Sorry I was not there for your celebration. Mrs. Kee told me that you all had a fantastic day! Write a post telling me what you thought was awesome! I also can't wait to hear about Maddie's WCHE appearance on Thursday or the Book Talks on Friday. What books are you sharing?

Have you been to Seussville? Play games and write your own story!!!!

I miss all of you a lot!!

Primary Games

Here's another new site I found! You can engage in all sorts of fun activities: telling time, spelling, puzzles, etc. Tell me what you like best about the Primary Games site!

Friday Fun

Watching the otters playfully swimming in their habitat.....excitedly gazing into the 17 feet deep tank as Olivia and Winn floated among the sharks, barracuda, and other local fish......leaning over the ledge of the touch tank to pet a stingray.......gently stroking a blue-tongued skink (congrats to Damon & Jacob for impressing all the second grades in the county by identifying this critter!!).....WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF OUR LEAP DAY TRIP TO THE AQUARIUM? Leave your comment!

In the spirit of Leap Day, did you read about Beelzebufo? Find out all about this large frog fossil and find links to other frog-related sites! Post a comment about what you've read to earn Caught Being Good coupons.

BubbleShare: Share photos - Powered by BubbleShare

Leap Day

Get ready for a day of field trip fun! We are heading to the NC Aquarium to take part in Leap Day: a celebration of leap day and life cycles! Students will board the bus at 8:15. We are not "forbidding" iPods, video games, etc., but we will not be responsible for them. When we arrive at the aquarium we will have a small snack before venturing into the aquarium at 10. After we finish at the aquarium, it's on to McDonald's for lunch! We will arrive back at school in time for dismissal. Be sure you get your permission slip and lunch order to school by Wednesday. Parents are welcome to drive separately and meet us at the aquarium. Students may ride home with their parents, but me must present a note to us upon leaving.

Congratulations!

Today at the Terrific Kids Assembly we honored our student of the month: Carley! She eagerly enters the classroom each day ready to work hard and learn as much as she can! She is friendly and always tries her best!

We also honored our February Terrific Kids: Jasmine & Shae! They are both fantastic members of our class! Jasmine is always ready to help anyone: adults and students alike. She constantly tries her best! Shae is a super friend and works hard all the time! He is well-behaved and sets a good example for others! WAY TO GO, TERRIFIC KIDS!

National Geographic Kids

Do you want to try some fascinating experiments at home? Do you want to read some awesome expository writing about topics like penguins? How about trying some cool, educational games? If you answered YES to any of these questions, then National Geographic Kids is the site for you! Bright, vivid pictures greet you when you visit this site. Test your geography skills by playing one of the Geospy games! Make a kaleidoscope with common items! There are all sorts of boredom-busters on this site! Check it out and let me know what you think!

Cool Website

To encourage reading at home visit Book Adventure sponsored by Sylvan Learning Center. There are plenty of book titles to interest a wide range of readers. It is similar to Accelerated Reader in that students select a book, read it, and then take a test to earn points. There is a parent section where you can go to set the awards for your child; each book is worth 100 points. When your child/children sign up, you can link them to your account so you can monitor their progress. I have set this up for my children: a kindergartener and a 6th grader. You can search by titles, authors, interests, and grade levels. If it's too much to juggle now, keep it in mind for the summer! Check it out and let me know what you think!

Revolutionary War on Wednesday

Chapter Two test

Chalotte's Web

We are reading Charlotte's Web during our read aloud time this month. We are also going to do several activities based on this exemplary piece of literature. There may even be a special surprise, too! Check out these games!

Character Hangman play Hangman to name characters from the story
Say What? who said that quote?

Have fun!

Skimboarding by Nicholas

Yesterday I went to the beach with my cousin. When I was there I found a bone. It was stinky. It was a walrus tooth.

Then I went skim boarding. When I was skim boarding my
uncle went surfing on some really big waves. Then I almost got
caught in the current. Then I landed a trick. I twisted my legs a little bit. Then my skim board swayed back and forth. Then
I learned that skim boards do not work in deep water. When I
did it once again it turned on me. Then I fell off. Then when I
tried again I made it and I told my cousin.

My Birthday by Cassidy

On September 17 it was my birthday. I had a great time. It was fun. After my birthday when I had two people at my party there was a
waterslide. I had lots of friends after my party with my mom and K.T. and Grandma and Grandpa and my sister and I had one friend. Her name was Kylee. She was in my little pool. We climbed up my
waterslide. We had a great time.

The Beach by Jahfar

I went to the beach with my dad. The waves were huge. I got barreled. I had fun. Little John got there. Levi was excited.

Levi had to go to the store. He got sad. We stayed. A lot of other people left too. We had fun. After the beach Ayden came over. We rode scooters and caught air.

We had a slumber party. We woke up again. Then we went back to the beach. We surfed again. Levi kept on falling. We had fun. He didn’t go all the way out.

We got back from the beach. We went skateboarding.

My Pool by Ethan

I got a new pool. I like to dive off the diving board. Sometimes I do flips off the diving board. I really like to hold on to the diving board and hang so half of my body is in the water.

My mom ordered it. I like it a lot. It is ten feet deep. It is the most fun ten foot pool ever. One time I did five summersaults in a row.

It was really awesome. Anthony and Hannah had a
competition. It was so cool. Anthony started to win but then Hannah won and Anthony said, “I want a rematch.” Hannah said, “OK.” I was going say the same thing. I had a plan! I'm going to put so much soap inside the pool and then I'm going to mix it up with the wheel pumper. It was a really good idea.
Anthony won! At last it’s a tie I said.

My Birthday by Jasmine

This is my birthday party. They are my friends. All the people are my
best friends. I have many more friends though. My birthday was the 23 of August. The party was at my home. My party was in butterflies. My mom’s friend let us use one of their tents. We had one, too. Ours is blue. Theirs was green and white.

When I got there I played with one toy I got for my birthday. It was two of my Barbies. There was a little one and a big one. It was a school set. I like it. It is fun.

I like all my other presents. I had a lot of presents. I like my outfit that I wore yesterday. My Uncle Dale and his girlfriend got me that. The top was blue the bottom was brown. I had a bet it was brown. It had flowers. The flowers were all different colors like purple and pink. It was very beautiful. There were squiggles. The squiggles were a light brown.

There were a lot of people. Some were in my family. Four of them came except the two that live with me and my sisters, Julie and Jackie. My cake was chocolate. The icing was vanilla. The cake was good. I had ice cream. The ice cream was chocolate and vanilla and strawberry. The ice cream was good. Very good. I think everyone liked it. All the chocolate ice cream was all gone. The strawberry was almost gone. The vanilla was not gone but it was almost gone. I liked all the ice cream, but I just had chocolate.


I had three kinds of drink. One was green and one was orange and one was red. The drink was very good. I only had the green one. My mom and I went to Dollar Tree and when you walked in the drink was right there. The cake was from Food Lion up in Avon. I like the drink. I think that everyone liked the drink. All of the green was gone.

My cousin came. She did not play with us that much because none of my friends would pass my big beach ball.

Bad Dog by Olivia

My dog dropped the lamp then he got in his bed. When he got out of his bed he got water and he got food too. Then we took him outside to play ball. Then we took him inside.

Then I took him outside and we jumped on my trampoline together. Then we took turns. Then we went to get a drink. Then I went back outside to play in the water hose.

My Cousins by Jordan

My cousins are coming on October 11. My cousins are staying for one week. We are going to have fun. We are skateboarding and my cousins are going to skateboard too. One is 11. One is eight. One is seven.

Last time they were here we went to skateboard. When we went I went first down the half pipe. Then all of them went down the half pipe. It was the first time they had ever done it before. We went down the half pipe.

Then we went back home and we played my new game on my Game Cube. It is called Need For Speed Underground 2. It was a fun game. My cousins and I played my Game Cube. I let my cousins play it.

Then we went to ride my bike. I did a wheelie. It was cool. Then they all did it.

Going Batty!

This week we will concentrate on bats. We are going to complete a bat webquest to help Stellaluna! I know it will be fun!

Fishing by Caitlyn

Yesterday I went on the Miss Hatteras. I caught a big yellow fin tuna. The rest of the people caught Spanish mackerel and bluefish. Everybody was jealous because I caught the biggest fish and they didn’t. I reeled it in all by myself. My mom caught the biggest Spanish mackerel. I fished with Tommy and my friend. She caught the biggest bluefish. It flopped in her hands. Then I picked it up and it flopped in my hands too. But I didn’t drop it like she did. Jasmine was jealous because I didn’t drop it like she did. Jasmine is fourteen and that wasn’t her first time catching a fish. She touches fish all the time. She drops them and they land on her feet. Then I dropped it on my feet. Good thing I was wearing tennis shoes. But, she was wearing flip flops. Her feet were all slimy. She thought that was hideous. I thought that was cool. She got mad at me. She chased me around the boat. After she chased me I got a sip of root beer. Jasmine had Sprite and my mom had water. Tommy had Diet Coke.

Possum Possum Go Away by Sierra

Almost every night a possum comes to my house and my grand mom's house. The dogs start to bark. It gets annoying and I can’t go to sleep.

Over at my grand mom’s house. The possum eats Intruder’s food
and drinks his water. One time I heard something shaking. It was the possum eating Intruder’s food.

Horses by Savannah

My uncle is going to buy horses. Mine is going to be
Lightning. His is going to be Shiloh. We will give them hay. I will give them apples and carrots. I might have a pink saddle. I will go horseback riding on Lightning with my uncle. I will give them a blanket so that they will sleep good.

My Birthday by Rhiannon

I was having my birthday at Toppers on September 21. I had a flower cake and me and my brothers stuck their fingers in it. I had some friends over. My friend Hannah came over and she played with me. Then we went home and I got new clothes and my friend Hannah slept over. It was the best birthday ever. I will remember it.

Turtle Madness by Jack

I caught a snapping turtle yesterday. And I used a piece of hotdog. But he got away. This time I will use a hook. And this time I will use a piece of beef jerky. But this time I caught a tadpole. Just a big tadpole! Then I caught a Russian rat. Then I went home. Then I went back and I caught another snapping turtle and the line did not break. And I saw a snake and a lizard. The snake ate the lizard. I wonder why. Maybe it was hungry.

My Dad Goes to Work by Hunter

My dad goes to New York City. He goes to Alabama, South Carolina, and Long Island, New York. He did one house in Ocracoke and a lot in Hatteras and two in Frisco. He goes to do trim on houses so people have homes to live in.

Family by Carmen

I’m going to be picked up after lunch today because my
family is here. I want to be with them so I get to be with them. I only get to see them once a month.

That is a long time and I only get to see them for three days usually. But this time I get to see them until Monday. I get to see them from Friday to Saturday.

But this time it is longer. It is going to be fun because I will get to see my family. I can’t wait.

Snake Sighting by Brandon

I saw a snake. I stopped. I did not move. Then I went home. Then I came back. It was gone. Then I went back home. I did not want to get bit. I told my grandpa and then I watched TV.

Slumber Party by Belen

Saturday I am having a slumber party at 7:00. I am going to invite all my friends and my cousins too. Jeimy is going to help me make the cupcakes and some snacks and we are going to play games and have pillow fights and watch TV all night. We will watch a movie and we will eat popcorn too. My mom is going to put a movie on at 8:00 at night. We will watch the movie all night long. My mom will put another one on. In the morning we won’t be able to get up.

Fishing by Alastar

Yesterday at the harbor there was a fishing tournament. I
decided that I would fish in it. And I won with a perch with blue stripes. And I won my dad a new t-shirt. And it fit him perfect.

Then we fished at Jon’s. It was exciting when we got there. Straight when I got there I fished. First we fished in day. My brother caught two drums and one speckled trout. Then we fished at night. Jon hooked a big ray that weighed 100 pounds. We had to cut the line because we did not want it to sting us with his big stinger on his tail. And then we had to go to do homework to go to school in the morning.

Camping by Aaron

I went camping. I brought marshmallows. Then I ate one. So did my dad.
Then I played with my toy that I brought. Then I went home. I wanted to camp out one more night.

Publishing!!

We are presently wrapping up our first session in Writer's Workshop. We have been busily writing personal narratives based on our life experiences. The students have produced many wonderful pieces and I have learned quite a bit about everyone's interests. From the many pieces each has developed, only one can be published since authors do not publish every piece they create. After carefully rereading every piece s/he created, each student selected one to "fancy" up and publish. Not only did the selected piece have to be what the student thought was his/her best, it also had to be one the audience would (in this case fellow classmates) like. For this publication, the children are "typing" their texts into the Microsoft Publisher program. The text will be printed out and illustrated by hand. The students must decide how many pages to use to tell the story with both illustrations and words. As the students finish, I will publish the text of each on the blog. I will only use each child's first name and will let the child's family know when it has been published. Please help by leaving positive comments about the piece. Everyone has worked incredibly hard and a tremendous amount of writing has taken place. I am extremely proud of all the children! Way to go!

Weekly Update 9/11/06-9/15/06

Each week I will try to update the blog with news and sites that pertain to what we are learning in class. I will try to provide links to games and nifty information to accompany the topics we are focusing on during the day. :0)

Monday night is the first PTA program of the year. According to the flier, it begins at 6pm. The fifth grade is performing. As the parent of a fifth grader, I'll believe they will be performing patriotic tunes as a tribute to the catastrophe of 9/11. Hope to see you there.

I am also sending home a Scholastic Book Order on Monday. It will be due on Tuesday, Sept. 19th. Please make your checks payable to Scholastic.

Tuesday evening at 6pm is Second Grade Parent Night. Please come to our classroom to see what we do each day. I will be explaining many of the daily procedures and highlighting tips for helping your child succeed in second grade.

Wednesday is an early dismissal day for Staff Development. Students will be released at 12:45. The teachers will remain at school for educational training.

In math we will continue to work on patterns. I have been checking out the web to find some simple activities to provide some additional practice with this skill. The first one is a game called Pattern Mania. It is a simple game that requires students to select which shape should come next in a pattern. The second site provides a video lesson of patterns. The practice sections are decent, but the vocabulary is different than what we use. For instance, the video refers to the pattern unit (as we call it) as the "core of the pattern". Overall, however, it is a good resource. If you stumble across any others, let me know. We will also begin ordering numbers. Basically, we will explore two digit numbers (for now) and put them in order from least to greatest. A good way to practice this skill can be found at AAAmath.com. In the section entitled Ordering Numbers, students can play a game where they must decide whether one number comes before, between, or after two other numbers. Next week we will begin testing how well the students know their addition facts with sums up to 10. AAAmath.com provides practice for this skill as well. You may want to begin refreshing your children's memories by having them visit this site.

In Science we will continue to observe life cycles of living creatures. We presently have tobacco hornworms, ladybugs, and painted lady butterflies in our classroom. We are on the lookout for tadpoles. If you can help us out by bringing some in, let me know. :0) The ants will arrive within the next few weeks.

In Social Studies we are going to begin learning how our families are alike and different. More to come on this later.

In language arts we are learning how to expand our writing using the program established by Lucy Calkins. This year the entire school has a Writers Block where everyone writes. The students love this time of day. We refer to every student as an author and show them what authors do and then provide them with opportunities to put the skills shown during the minilesson to work. This is my first year implementing this program and I am very pleased with the excitement and skill demonstrated by the students so far. Additionally, we are reading a variety of stories and discussing story elements: characters (the who), the setting (where/when), the problem, and the solution. During our read aloud time we have already completed Horrible Harry and the Ant Invasion. The students loved hearing about Harry's escapades so much that they selected another book from the series for me to read during our read aloud.

Thanks for all you are doing to help your child adjust to second grade. Remember to check the homework folder daily. Once a book has been assigned as homework, it will come home every night to be read (except for the weekends). Have a super week!

Welcome!

Welcome to second grade! I am so glad to start the new year with such a wonderful group of students! We are going to have a fabulous year full of fun and learning. I hope you visit the blog often to find out neat sites to visit and information about our class. Please feel free to leave comments. Miss Kristin

** To leave a comment without joining E-Blogger, just use the "anonymous" option and sign your name at the bottom. :0)

Hurricanes 2006

Where do hurricanes get their names? Check out this information! I didn't know that the same list was used every six years. It just goes to show that there is something new to learn every day! Be the first to answer this question and you will get a trip to the "trash can" when we get back to school in August!

We already had a storm named Alberto. What will the next storm be named? Reply by leaving a comment or sending me an email.

If you liked that, check out this quiz. You can guess to see what names have been used to name hurricanes. This one is just for fun. I only got 19 out of 27. :0(
However, I did find out that certain letters of the alphabet are not used for naming hurricanes. Second question...same rules apply: What letters of the alphabet are not used to name hurricanes?

Hope you are having fun and enjoying the sun! Wear your sun lotion! :0)

Find the Sums

Solve the number sentences. Either post your answers in the comments or email them to me at graykr@dare.k12.nc.us.

561 + 249 =

754 + 47 =

456 + 108 =

328 + 99 =

567 + 122 =

Library Program

The Dare County Library kicked off its summer reading program this morning with a visit from the Balloon Lady. She made some nifty balloons! Dylan won a balloon that is called The Rocket. He can blow it up and let it go. While it is flying about, it makes a shrill noise. Of course he loves it! Bailey won a race car. There are plenty of other activities going on throughout the summer. Each Tuesday from 1-2 there is a program at the Hatteras Community Building next to the library. There are weekly challenges to complete. As each sheet is completed, you get a chance to be drawn for the big prize on August 4. The more sheets you complete, the better your chances. I hope all of you will take advantage of this program. It would also give you an opportunity to fill in your summer reading logs that you made with Mrs. Brown. Continue to enjoy your summer, but make time to read! :0)

Get Ready to Write

Hi, guys! Today is the last day that Miss Ainslie and I have to work so tomorrow is finally our first official day of Summer Vacation. The room is so bare and quiet without all of you to cheer it up. It looks like we are in for some nasty weather the next few days as Tropical Storm Alberto approaches. Put some of those writing skills to work and write about what you do to entertain yourself during the storm. Post your writing on the blog so we can all read it. Stay dry!

Last Day

Today was our last day of school. We had a nice, relaxing day. It was a bit sad since we knew that two of our classmates were not going to be at our school next year. Miss Kristin wrote a poem to remind everyone of our time together. Each student received a copy. Here is what it said...

It’s hard to believe that second grade is going to end

It’s exciting to think that third grade is around the bend.

Before you leave there’s one thing left to do

We must think about our memories of grade two.

Chandler bringing fresh flowers from her yard,

Matthew acing Fast Facts from studying so hard.

Fuller’s ideas show a creative mind,

Indica always thoughtful, quiet, and kind.

Cheering for Paloma when she nailed the test,

Ian never giving less than his best.

Mary, Paul, and Dakota didn’t stay very long,

Ryan tapping out the beat to a song.

Miranda volunteering to ALMOST shut the door,

Who IS that wiggling on the floor?

Josh liking stories with romance and comedy,

Bryan getting money daily from me.

Bennett making sure to spell everything right,

Kyle writing about a wild banana fight.

Emma’s face shining when telling a tale,

How much stuff is left in STUFF FOR SALE?

Summer is now here, glad you’re out of school?

Make sure you read some books since that’s what’s really cool.

Keep checking the blog for our final stories to be published and daily challenges. Have you read anything yet? If so, leave a comment. Tell us what story you are reading and what it's about.

More About Earthquakes

Help others know what to do in case there is an earthquake. Read the information on this link and then make a poster using Publisher.

Earthquake in the Early Morning

One of our reading groups has just begun another Magic Tree House book. It is the fourth in a set of missions for Jack and Annie. In this book they are looking for a special type of writing that demonstrates something to lend. This will end this series of missions that will help Camelot. The setting for this book is San Francisco in 1906. Can you guess what event they will encounter? The kids are really excited about this book! Today we looked at the Internet to see recent earthquake activity around San Francisco. This information is updated often and lets one know where earthquake activity is taking place and the strength of each earthquake. Another neat site shows where earthquakes are occuring around the world. Check it out!

Terrific!

It is April and that means another month for Terrific Kid! This month's awardees are Ryan and Bryan! Both were named because they are good friends and because they do their work. Way to go!

Welcome!

We are thrilled to have a new student in our class! His name is Dakota and we know he will make a fantastic addition to our group.

Twister on Tuesday

One of the second grade reading groups has been reading the story by Mary Pope Osborne entitled Twister on Tuesday. In this story Jack and Annie travel back in time to pioneer days. During their visit, they experience school in a one-room schoolhouse called a dugout and experience a "twister"! Check out this wonderful work of literature if you get the chance!

Celebrate!

Hurray! The class selected two new Terrific Kids for March! Paloma's classmates said that she was nice and a good friend. Matthew's fans said that he was a hard-worker and always tried to stay out of trouble. Congratulations! The assembly will be next Tuesday at 8:30 am. :0)

New Sites!

I know it has been a bit since I posted a weekly update. I am really sorry. Between my trip out of town and the ear infection, it has been difficult just keeping up! I do have new stories to post that were authored by Indica, Bennett, and Emma. I promise I will get them up by next Friday (which, by the way, is a teacher work day....no school for the students). Anyway, I will give you a quick update as to what we are doing and where on the web you can find fun and educational activities for your child.

We have begun working on time. In second grade the students are required to learn how to tell time at 5 minute intervals. Visit Clock Wise for practice with this skill.

As you know we have been using a new phonics program this year called Fundations. Some of the rules we have learned can be found on the Starfall website. We really like the video that talks about the double vowel rule! There are a variety of activities that will accommodate a variety of learners. Have fun checking it all out!

I am extremely proud of all the hard work that has gone on to learn the math facts! This is a skill that must be practiced often to keep the skills sharp. Visit Math Mastery to race against the clock while practicing these facts.

Enjoy!

The Chocolate Touch

Other students in our class are reading The Chocolate Touch.

Stone Fox

Some of our students are reading Stone Fox. Check out these vocabulary activities.

Bremen Town Musicians

Check out the matching game to practice vocabulary from The Bremen Town Musicians.

Magic Tree House author

The children are really interested in the Magic Tree House series written by Mary Pope Osborne. I refer to her often when discussing good writing. When we read her stories we always pick out wonderful words she has used to describe everything. The students are a bit reluctant at times to rewrite their "sloppy copy" editions. I try to make them see that authors write and rewrite MANY times before publishing a fabulous piece of work. During Author's Chair today I used Ms. Osborne again, citing her advice to rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. The students were interested in reading about her so if you click on her name above, you can visit her in cyberspace. :0)

February Terrific Kid

Congratulations to our February Terrific Kid: Fuller! He is well-deserving of this title. He is very considerate of his classmates and tries his best. Hurray for Fuller!

Star Snackers!!!

Today in second grade we celebrated those students who passed the Fast Facts test! From Miss Kristin's class, the following students were able to proudly snack:

Chandler, Josh, Matthew, Emma, Bennett, Fuller, Miranda, and Ryan!!!!!!!!!!!!

WAY TO GO!!! I am extremely proud of your progress!!!!

Ian's Squiggle Story

Ahh! I was in a crack! I did not know what to do! I was tightly in the crack! First I put my right hand then right foot. After that, the other hand and foot. Eventually I got out of the dark, scary crack. Then I tumbled down the mountain. After that I started to think. I kept thinking and thinking of what to do. Then I got an idea of what to do. I would roll down the small mountain. But how would I get up the mountain? The back? The front? The side? Yes! All I wanted to do was have fun. So, I climbed up the side of the mountain and rolled right down and layed on the grass and did nothing. I did nothing for hours and hours. Then I rolled over and did that for an hour. The last minute I was there I layed on the nice, wet grass and did nothing. Nothing.

Josh's Squiggle Story

First my mom was lying down on a towel getting tan. Meanwhile, I was running to go in the water. Then I paused. Next I saw this huge shark jump! I ran to my mom and told her all the details. She didn't believe me so I took my board. I ran to the shark and the shark ate half of it. The 15-foot black tip shark's tooth was wedged in my half-eaten boared. I showed my mom. Now she believed me. I showed my brother Thomas. Thomas was shocked by my dreadful story. I took the tooth out of the board and made it into a necklace. One time before I went to bed I noticed something. I felt part of my board in the tooth. I took the part of the board out and fell gently to sleep in my bed. I tried to shake off that horror of a day and I did.

Squiggle Stories

Our newest writing endeavor has been using Squiggle Stories to create stories that can be edited, revised, and published as final copies. A Squiggle Story is a super way to get your child to write. Simply draw a "squiggle" on a sheet of paper and have the child create a complete, colorful picture inspired by the squiggle. After that have the child use the picture s/he has created to write a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end. Encourage him/her to use descriptive words and phrases. Once the story is done, have the child use the following steps to help edit the work:

1. Point and read each word ALOUD. Can you change any words to make the story better? Does it make sense?

2. Check for capitals and end marks.

3. Use the tapping that we have learned from Fundations to tap the words.

4. Think about the Fundations trick words. Correct as many as you can.

In class we used this method to create Squiggle Stories. We also used Author's Chair to help expand each story. To do this, an author sat in the rocking chair and read his/her story. First we gave each author a bunch of compliments. After that, the author read the story again. At that point, we provided the author with suggestions using kind words. Finally, the author had time to revise the work and then share it again in the Author's Chair. The writing progress the students are making is incredible!!! Please enjoy reading and commenting on our stories. :-)

Fuller's: The Crazy World of Snowmen

On a cold winter night not a critter was stirring except a jolly snowman named Ricky. Ricky was on e of the oddest snowmen you had ever seen. His ears were made of two cucumbers. His eyes were two pennies and his mouth was made of Laffy Taffy. His nose was an ordinary carrot. But the next morning he was not the same. His ears were not two cucumbers. His ears were two carrots and his mouth changed too.
Where was I? Last night when I was in bed I heard a song being played outside. By the sound of it I already knew the name. It was a song called “Can’t Touch This”. I couldn’t believe it. It was my favorite song! One snowman was doing my dance. First he waved his right arm and then he scooted to the left. Then he waved his left arm and scooted to the right. Then he did the moonwalk.
I crept downstairs and I knew it. They were having a dance-off. I was steaming mad! In fact, I was so mad steam came out of my ears. So far I had only shown that dance to my parents.
All of a sudden it all turned into a kung fu fight. This was the time to get my revenge. I kicked him. He fell down. I said, “Wow! That guy was a real push over.” Almost every snowman was mad except Ricky. He was jumping up and down hollering, “Hurray!” I did the same thing too. One of them besides Ricky was not dead. He just fell down and said, “You swing those legs like a mad man.” I broke his arm off. Quickly I ran inside. There was still one more snowman. Since I was so tired, slowly I got my Frisbee. Then I opened my window and I threw it at the back of his head and yelled, “It’s time to go to bed!”

Miranda's: Snowgirl at the Mall

One winter night in Norfolk my snowgirl named Cristle was very beautiful in the moonlight. She had fake silver eyelashes that shimmered in the moonlight and a beautiful blond wig. I gave her my mom’s purse, too. I also gave her my aunt’s cowgirl hat from when she was a little girl. I gave her my blue scarf my grandfather gave me. And, added a carrot nose.
My snowgirl wanted to go to Lynnhaven Mall. She slipped off my lawn, onto my sleigh, and sped down the street. She stopped close to the main entrance of the mall. She shopped at Hechts, Dillards, and Claire’s.
Then she saw it. She saw Mani’s Manicures. She got fake nails. She picked a nice color. She picked silver palm trees. The people there were nice.
After that she got hungry so she went to Pizza Pete’s. She loves cheese pizza so that’s what she got.
After that she wanted to go ice skating. She bought pink skates. It was good to be cold again. Then she heard something. It was the zamboni! She slid as fast as she could. But got away just in time. She got really tired and wanted to go home. She rested on my lawn for the rest of the night. So that’s what my snowgirl does at night.

"Snow" School = Saturday School

We will have school on Saturday from 8-11. This will avoid using a day at Spring Break. Keep your fingers crossed for no more inclimate weather.

Italy WebQuest

To answer the questions about Italy, watch the slide show. Be sure to read carefully. Have fun.

"Snow" School

Monday, February 20th:

There is no school today. The Dare County Schools page says it's because it's snowing. I will let you know about the make-up day as soon as I hear.

2006 Olympics & Other Neat Stuff

The Olympics are well underway, and actually halfway complete. We have been discussing the world-wide event in class and keeping a daily medals chart to see which countries have been winning medals. Each day two children use the table on the Internet to update the chart we keep in class. We are always excited to see the numbers increase. We have used the globe to locate Italy on the map and know that the country is shaped like a boot. One morning we looked at pictures that showed the many events that take place during the Winter Olympics. Although there was quite a bit of interest in curling, snowboarding was by far the most popular.

This week we also began to subtract with regrouping. This is a very difficult concept for the students to master. We have used base ten blocks and work mats to actually manipulate the numbers and are slowly building up to solving the number sentences without the manipulatives. A cute rhyme that helps the children remember what to do when subtracting numbers that have more than 1-digit follows:

(Don't say this part as part of the rhyme: Look at the ones place for the top and bottom number)
"More on top, no need to stop." (This tells the students that they can subtract safely without any other steps.)
"More on the floor, go next door and borrow ten more." (This tells the students that in order to subtract properly, they need to borrow a group of tens from the tens place and add the tens to the ones.)
"Numbers are the same, zero is the game." (This reminds students that if the numbers in the ones are the same the difference must be zero.)

You can create practice worksheets if you would like to assist your child. Please use the rhyme to have your child examine the ones column and the tens column before subtracting. The more they use it, the easier the subtracting will become.

Presidents Day is Monday. We have spent some time this past week learning about George Washington and even worked on a WebQuest about him. You can find out other info there as well.

Have fun! Kristin

Gold Medal Math!!

Hurray for our gold medal recipients! In true Olympic fashion, the following students were honored with "the gold" today for earning 100's on the Fast Facts portion of the Weekly Math Review: Miranda, Emma, Bennett, Ian, Indica, and Chandler! I am thrilled with the improvement! I can tell you have worked hard and done all your homework! Being recognized with the silver (for passing the test) were Josh and Matthew! Excellent! Keep practicing. You can even practice online!

Congratulations, Bennett!

Bennett entered a picture in the PTA Reflections contest. The theme this year was I wonder why.... Bennett created a picture entitled I Wonder Why Monkeys Don't Wear Clothes. His picture placed first in the school and was honored last night at our monthly PTA meeting. Hurray for Bennett!

Paloma's: Snowman at Night

One cold day Bailey and I had three balls of snow. I made a snowman. My snowman was done. She had leaf hair, a gumdrop mouth, and icing eyes. Bailey said she would sleep over. She had packed her clothes.
That night my snowman went to a party. The party looked cool. It had punch. Then my snowman went in the pond. It looked like it would freeze my snowman to death, but it didn’t because she was made of snow. I woke up Bailey to show her my snowman. She was shocked. Bailey tumbled. I had to get her a bag of ice. I felt something with leafy hair, icing eyes, and a gumdrop mouth. It was my snowman! She said, “Can I go upstairs with you?”
“Okay. I will be there in a minute. Go upstairs. My room is the first one. Be quiet. My mom and dad are sleeping.”
I skipped to my room as fast as I could go.
Then that next day it was so hot. I was soaked with water. My snowman was gone. It melted. She was not the same at all. All that was left was her nose and her hat.

Hurray for the 100th Day!

It's finally here! The 100th DAY OF SCHOOL! To begin the day, the students had to write journal entries pretending that they were 100 years old and describing a day in their lives. Completing that task earned 10 points. After earning the 10 journal points, the students had the opportunity to earn 90 more points by finishing a variety of centers. The students could complete 100 piece puzzles, make a graph of the gumballs we had collected from the first day of school, search for 100 items buried in a box filled with pattern blocks, and many more! Many students chose to wear 100 items. On display here is Kyle's illustration of what he thinks he will look like when he is 100. The 100th day was wonderful!

SPIRIT FINGERS!

SPIRIT FINGERS for the students who passed the Fast Facts test today: Indica, Josh, and Ian!
I am seeing GREAT improvement....keep practicing.

Chandler's: What Snowmen Do at Night

Once I built a snowman. He had a blue scarf, blue mittens, coal eyes, and a carrot nose. In the morning I saw my snowman was not the same. I saw slide-like tracks in the snow. I began to wonder, “What do snowmen do at night?”
They partied hard and they had races like roll, snowboard, ski and they will see who can slide down the hugest hill in the state. My snowman won! I couldn’t believe my eyes. I didn’t know my snowman was alive in the first place. Then I walked up to him. He said, “Come on with us and join the party. So I did. We had the best time.
We had the biggest, best snowball fight ever! It was fun. Then we built more members. They looked just like my snowman except for this one little twig on my snowman’s right stick.
Then we went home. My mom made cold chocolate for us. She made hot chocolate for me. It was the best hot chocolate I ever tasted. I asked my mom if I could sleep outside. She said no. Then the snowmen went outside. I went to bed. It was the greatest night I ever had!

Bryan's: Snowman Gone Wild

One wintry night at 9:50 when I go to bed, I looked out the window and saw a snowman sliding to the beach. He had a striped scarf and a cowboy hat. He was on a snow horse. I was so surprised! I had never seen a real live snowman ever!
I sprang out of my bed. I had to tiptoe down the steps because I didn’t want to wake Mom and Dad. When I got outside I said to the snowman, “Do you love to ski?”
“Yeah. Do you?” he said.
“Yeah.” But I had never skied before.
The snowman grabbed my hand and he said, “You will see,” and off we went. We jumped over frozen waves.
When we were done we decided to go to the circus. There was a clown on a unicycle. There was a giant snow elephant. Everybody was made out of snow. There were snowmen trapped in a cage and on dirt bikes. They went up and down and upside down.
Afterwards we went to the zoo. The lion ate the snowman’s hat. “That’s weird. I thought lions ate other animals.” My snowman heard footsteps coming. Oh, no! It was the snowman catcher. He was right in front of my snowman. He almost got him, but he got his nose and ate it.
Afterwards, we went home. The snowman went back to the neighbors with no nose. I went home and went to bed.

Matthew's: Snowman at Night

One night I made a snowman. It was a big snowman. I couldn’t wait to build him. I made him on the side of my house. He was made of snow. I made him with raisins for his eyes and raisins for his mouth. Then I put a carrot for his nose. Next I put three black buttons and a red and blue striped scarf. Next I put mittens on him. Then I named him Zack. We had snowball fights and races. Then we went home.

100!

Tuesday, February 7, is the 100th day of school! We will be celebrating by having a Second Grade Centers day that focuses on the number 100! The entire second grade will have the opportunity to select centers located in all three classrooms and move freely between each one. Students are invited to wear 100 things that day. If you would like to join in the celebration, feel free. As always, check in at the office first.

Josh's: What Snowmen Do At Night

One shivery day in Canada I was in my bed barely asleep. I looked out my window and my red-scarfed snowman with with black buttons and a black hat was getting off the front lawn and sliding to the park.
First my snowman was at the park to race. The race was awesome! It had 20 snowmen. They lined up and they had the race. There was a snowman that had a watermelon for a head. My snowman won!
Then they went to ice skate. They sang some beautiful carols. Then they did some radical tricks. They did back flips and front flips.
Later they snowboarded. There were 30 snowmen lined up and ready to race in the snowboard competitions. First Zack won. Bennett made him. Then another snowman won. His name was Billy. Kyle made him. Then my snowman won first place.
They finished snowboarding and they started to sleigh in one big race. It was the last race. It was the championships. They lined up and my snowman won! The other guy tripped and that’s how mine won.
After that we went back home and it was six o’clock in the morning! So, I went to sleep and so did the snowman.