News from Mrs. Drudy's Class
We exist so children can excel.
The Week at a Glance
It's sooooo good to be back! I missed your kiddos while we were on the holiday break!
Weekly Concept: Earth Changes
Essential Question: How does the earth change?
Next week our class will be focusing on how the Earth changes. We’ll explore what causes the different ways the Earth looks on its surface.
Spelling/Phonics: r-controlled vowels er, ir, ur, or
(We affectionately call these "Bossy R" words.)
1. clerk
2. herd
3. first
4. skirt
5. stir
6. churn
7. hurt
8. burst
9. work
10. worse
11. know
12. wrist
13. found
14. from
15. today
Challenge Words:
16. nervous
17. certain
18. birthday
19. thirsty
20. purpose
Some students are struggling as these lists become increasingly more difficult. For practice in Spelling City click here. Choose Grade 2 Unit 4 Week 2.
Report Cards
In today's Friday folder you will find your child's report card. Please sign the front of the manila envelope and return it in the folder on Monday. We do not need the report card itself back. As always, please don't hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns. I have made it a point to remind students that "as good as we are, we can always get better," and that I don't give grades; they earn them. I am proud of my hard-working students who give me everything they've got every single day.
NWEA/MAP® Growth™
Also enclosed in today's Friday folder, you will find your child’s MoY (middle of the year) MAP® Growth™ test results. These tests not only determine your child’s instructional level, but also measure their academic growth throughout the school year (and from year to year) in Math and in Reading.
As you probably remember, MAP Growth tests from NWEA® are unique in that they are adaptive tests taken on a computer or tablet. This means the test became more difficult when your child answered a question correctly, and when your child answered a question incorrectly, the test became easier. Ultimately, your child took a test specifically targeting their learning level. In addition, since the information presented on the test is aligned with the State of Indiana’s curriculum, it is the same information that your child should have already been exposed to in school.
Your child’s MAP Growth results are represented as RIT scores. Like inches on a ruler, the RIT scale measures in equal intervals, regardless of a student’s grade—and it remains stable over time. As a result, we can accurately measure students’ growth in between tests and understand if they are performing on, above, or below grade level. RIT scores enable teachers to recognize where to focus attention to optimize your child’s learning and to monitor their progress.
Your child's Student Growth Report references MAP Growth Normative Data. Normative data is calculated using anonymous test results from more than 10 million students around the country. Knowing the top, middle, and bottom scores of all these students combined allows teachers to compare where your child is to other students to help them grow.
I hope you find these reports informative. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.
For more information about MAP Growth, visit: NWEA.org/Parent-Toolkit.
Iditarod!
As you likely already know, the students are super-excited to be learning about the Iditarod, the 1,049-mile sled dog race across the vast wilderness of Alaska. The race always begins on the first Saturday in March. We, however, have already begun our preparations for the race. First, students chose a musher, or sled dog "driver, to follow. This was done following the same procedure that they use to determine the mushers' bib numbers for the real race: they draw out of a mukluk (the Alaskan word for boot). You'll want to check out the photos below. From there, students have conducted research on this man or woman and have written a biography. While it sounds like we're studying this exciting race prematurely, we have only 34 teaching days before the start...and that doesn't include any snow days we might have. If you are interested, ask your child to show you his or her selected musher by going to the official Iditarod website. Have you seen the movie Togo, on Disney+? I am following the musher who played Leonhard Seppala's stand in, Martin Buser. I was fortunate to mush a team of dogs at his Happy Trails Kennel before last year's Iditarod.
This assignment helps us to address the following academic standard:
"With support, conduct short research on a topic.
- Find information on a topic of interest (e.g., cardinals).
- Identify various visual and text reference sources
- Organize, summarize, and present the information, choosing from a variety of formats"
Sled Dogs and Snowshoes
Speaking of sled dogs...Organizations from all throughout Oxford, Ohio have partnered together in an attempt to cure cabin fever. They have sponsored different days and activities to make up this nearly week-long event appropriately named Conquer Cabin Fever, which runs from January 17-20.
On Saturday, January 18, Belva Dreer and her team of beautiful Alaskan Malamute sled dogs will be traveling all the way from Fort Wayne, Indiana is ! They are strong, impressive, and adorable. What more could you ask for? Come meet the team and see a live demonstration as they run around. In keeping with our winter theme, they'll also have snowshoes for you to try on and walk in. It may be harder than it looks, but at the very least it will be a fun photo op.
This event is free and will be at the TRI Community Center 6025 Fairfield Rd. in Oxford, OH and runs from 10 AM - 1 PM. For more detailed information click here.
Cursive Writing
This year our class will be using the Zaner-Bloser Handwriting program to teach cursive writing. Even though learning to write in cursive is not mandatory in the state of Indiana, recent research shows that this deliberate handwriting instruction helps improve children's reading and writing skills. Therefore, I personally have deemed it important enough to carve out a few minutes each week to expose students to this new style. This year, I will cover all lowercase letters, and will focus on legibility, paying special attention to the shape and size of each letter, as well as spacing between them. As children's handwriting improves, so will their confidence. Keep in mind that I will never record a handwriting grade for cursive writing.
In today's Friday folder, I have included a copy of the Zaner-Bloser cursive alphabet for you to have at home to ensure proper formation of the letters when your child is writing. Remember to encourage their best effort; children should not be expected write perfectly all the time. As we hone our cursive writing skills we are working toward mastery of the following Indiana academic standard:
- "Write legibly in print or cursive, leaving space between letters in a word, words, in a sentence, and words and the edges of the paper."
Next Week's Share Topic
Descriptive Hints: Put an item in a box or bag. Give five descriptive sentences that will appeal to your listeners' senses. Let's see if anyone can guess what it is based upon your carefully thought-out sensory details, which are, as you know, adjectives!
Related Arts Schedule
Monday: P.E.
Tuesday: Music
Wednesday: Art & Library
Thursday: P.E. & Computer Lab
Friday: Music
*Repeated failure to wear gym shoes on these days will result in a detention (as per the LES Student Handbook).
Coming Up:
Monday, January 20: Snow Make Up Day (school IN session)
Hope Gets Holmes
Madelyn Chooses Marrs
Ellie-Aliy-Oh!
Way to Go, Waylon!
Laugh with Lane
Captivating Kinley
Perfect Attendance!
SEMESTER Perfect Attendance
Bravest Dog Ever
Novel Studies
Balto!
Sled Dogs and Snowshoes
Saturday, January 18th
TRI Community Center
6025 Fairfield Rd.
Oxford, OH
FREE!
10 AM - 1 PM
About Us
Email: tammy.drudy@uc.k12.in.us
Website: http://www.uc.k12.in.us/liberty-elementary/liberty-elementary/
Location: 501 Eaton St, Liberty, IN, United States
Phone: 765-458-5521