April Scoop
News from Room 5
News
On the day of the walk-a-thon, Mrs. Cartwright and Mrs. Wolkon guided students through the Beach Ball Art Project. Students were involved in unwrapping paper from crayons and melting them onto the wood surface to create an ocean scene with a sunset backdrop. It really was becoming a true masterpiece! Thank you to the moms who were involved in organizing this project and assisting with the students! You can view the finished project on-line at http://www.solanabeachball.org/childrens-art/solana-vista-2nd-grade/
Our Solana Beach Foundation is still accepting funds for supporting our special programs. Any amount you donate counts! If you have donated, let me know and I will add you to our list.
These families have donated to our foundation:
MRS. SCHROEDER - 2nd Grade
Hatem Family
Granholm Family
Crocker Family
Gines Family
Parker & Megan Lyons
Jeff & Kim Phillips
Sean & Norma Shannon
Doug & Melissa Wolkon
Please make check payable to:
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Solana Beach Foundation for Learning
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309 Rios Avenue, Solana Beach, CA 92075
You may also donate online at www.sbfl.org.
Focus Areas for this Month
STAR test preparation will begin after Spring Break. This is the first year your child will begin the California Standardized Testing. At the end of this newsletter you will find links for at home practice with sample questions similar to those on the STAR. The format of this test will be very different in year 2014 when common core standards will be tested. This year and next year are years of transition as teachers incorporate common core teaching practices.
•Language Arts: We are now into Unit 5 with the theme, "Growing & Changing". This theme incorporates the idea of change over time with plants and animals. Comprehension skills will include drawing conclusions, summarizing, sequencing and making inferences. Grammar skills involve synonyms, homophones, word parts (prefixes, suffixes, and inflected verbs. We have been practicing these skills in centers and through interactive games.
•Math: This month we are working on division, time and measurement (This will be covered after Spring Break). Areas in each skill area are outlined below.
Division: equal groups, division sentences that have no remainder and a remainder
Time: time to the hour, 1/2 hour, 1/4 hour ; half past, quarter to, quarter past intervals, elapsed time (i.e. it's 10:30 am, lunch will be served in 2 hours, what time is lunch?)
First in Math has a game game and there is another called "Measurement World".
•Writing Development: April is national poetry month. We will begin focusing on a variety of poems to create a poetry book.
•Science: Rocks & Minerals
•Cooking/Gardening: This month students will be growing flowers and applying their measurement skills out in the garden. In cooking, students will begin baking up carrot muffins after the break.
April Showers
Speeches, Up-coming Dates, Wish List
Week of April 1st: No speeches
Start working on your Earth Week Project. Be creative. Ideas can be a diorama, poster,
hand-made book, art made with recycled products, write a poem,...
Week of April 15th: Our school is celebrating Earth Week. Present your Earth Week project to the class.
Week of April 22nd: Team Spirit: we just kicked off this block in the Pyramid of Success. What is team spirit? How do you show spirit? Give us examples of ways to show team spirit in and outside of the classroom.
Week of April 29th: Garden. Every other week you have the opportunity to work in the garden. Please share with us three to five things you have learned about the garden and how to care for it.
*Speeches should have 3 to 5 message points and run about two minutes long. Please come prepared!
Pyramid of Success Character Trait for April: Fitness
Last month, Jillian Gines was honored with the Pyramid of Success award for "Determination" and Kyle Shannon was recognized for "Fitness".
Special Dates
April 4: Open House @ 5:30 p.m.
April 8-12: Spring Recess
April 15-19: Earth Week
April 25: Field Trip to Ruben H. Fleet Space Theater (Leave SV @ 8:45 a.m.)
Special Thank You's
•A big thank you to the Hatem Family for purchasing the Classroom Friendly Pencil sharpener. It works great! It really is a quality sharpener.
•The Phillips Family purchased all of the books on our class wish list! Our class loves new collections of books. We will surely read them!
•Thank you to the Wolkon Family for your special gifts; they really make my day :)
•I also want my volunteers to know how much I appreciate all your help in making
a difference in our classroom; I am so fortunate to have you in the Room 5 Family!
Wish List for the Classroom
1. Little prizes for our Treasure Chest
2. Board Games: Yatzee, Headbandz. Battleship, Scrabble, Monopoly
Mrs. Schroeder's Contact Information
Email: stephanieschroeder@sbsd.net
Website: http://sbsd.schoolwires.net
Location: 780 Santa Victoria, Solana Beach, CA
Phone: 858-794-3705