The Toucan Squawk, Apr. 7 - 11

Hello families...I hope everyone has had a wonderful week!  We finished testing today...YAY!!!  We'll celebrate tomorrow with a snack...shhhh!  :-)  We'll be continuing our new writing project, a problem and solution story.  We started on the organizer today, and will continue through next week.  We will also begin a Problem Based Learning project about creating a zoo.  Mrs. Sullins found the idea on Beyond Textbooks- where we gather some of our curriculum materials for lessons- and she created a schedule to introduce the projects.  We'll be integrating math, science, and writing within several of the various projects.  It's sure to be a fun set of projects that will take the kiddos through May to complete.  For math, we'll begin working on arrays.  This is a useful strategy for comprehending multiplication.         


News

Apr. 25             Progress Reports


Birthdays

Apr. 6               Azia
Apr. 13             Emilia




Thank you for all you do!



Elizabeth Townsend
PDS
Second Grade
Elizabeth.townsend@svps.k12.az.us
515-2970

Testing Week!

Hello families! The students are taking their Stanford 10 test this week, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday! The students have prepared for this test the whole school year, and I know they are ready for it. To prepare for the next three days, please remember the following:

1. Schedule all doctor's appointments after testing has been completed. Once a test has been started, the students cannot go back to that test they missed. This is a state mandate, not by the school or the district.
2. If you think your student is sick, keep them home. This is obviously not something we teachers like to mention, but again- if a student starts on a test, and then ends up leaving during the day- they cannot continue that test.
3. Make sure your student gets plenty of sleep the night before each testing day. A tired mind cannot function while trying to pay attention to something as important as this test.
4. The same goes for a full tummy. Please make sure your student has a healthy and full breakfast the morning of the test. I'll have the chance to give the students a snack prior to starting, but the morning should get off to a good start by having a great breakfast.

I'll be giving homework this week, just not the full amount.  Students will receive a reading log and lined paper to practice their spelling words for Friday's test.



Thank you for all you do!


Elizabeth Townsend
PDS
Second Grade
515-2970
elizabeth.townsend@svps.k12.az.us

Opps!

In the rush of the afternoon, the report cards were not sent home.  My apologies about that.  They are ready to go home on Monday.



Have a great weekend and thank you for all you do!



Elizabeth Townsend
PDS
Second Grade
elizabeth.townsend@svps.k12.az.us
520-515-2970

The Toucan Squawk, Mar. 24 - 28

Hello families...I hope everyone had a wonderful Spring Break with their kiddos!

We have started reviewing concepts from the school year for the upcoming Stanford 10 test.  This week, the students have taken practice tests.  We'll be discussing the questions and answers as a class.  We don't have a writing project this week, but we will start on our next project next week- an Easter Bunny-themed writing!

Tomorrow is picture day!  The class will be taking individual pictures tomorrow morning.

Grade reports will go home on Friday.  They will also include everyone's latest STAR reports. 


News
March 28          Grade reports go home.

Birthdays
Peyton              March 29



Thank you for all you do!


Elizabeth Townsend
PDS
Second Grade
515-2970
Elizabeth.townsend@svps.k12.az.us

The Toucan Squawk, Mar. 3 - 7

Hello families...I hope everyone has had a wonderful week!  A HUGE thanks to everyone for coming to our Wax Museum yesterday.  Your help with their costumes and with their practice at home made a huge difference in everyone's confidence...everyone looked great in their costumes as they presented.

We started with area of a rectangle on Monday and will continue through the rest of the week.  This will be reinforced with centers after the math lesson, as well as during rotations.  And speaking of rotations, the kiddos started taking their STAR reading test for the end of the 3rd quarter.  This reading level will become their new reading level for the coming 4th quarter (I still can't believe it's March, let alone almost the end of the 3rd quarter- oh my goodness how time flies!).  I'll send home the results next Friday once everyone has taken their test.

The kids are almost finished with writing their March craft project, how to catch a leprechaun.  I introduced this lesson with how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  They also started and are almost finished with the 3rd quarter writing portfolio piece.  This will be completed and put in each students' binder by Friday.

For Friday, students are invited to wear their pajamas for all their hard work on their wax Museum and in celebration of Dr. Seuss' birthday March 3rd.  Everyone can bring their favorite book so we can share through the day.


News
March 14                  teacher in-service, 1/2 day early release
March 17 - 21           Spring Break, no school
March 28                  Report cards sent home

Birthdays




Thank you for all you do!

Elizabeth Townsend
PDS
Second Grade
515-2970
Elizabeth.townsend@svps.k12.az.us
 

The Toucan Squawk, Feb. 24 - Feb. 28

Hello families...I hope everyone has had a wonderful week!  The class has been working so hard on their Wax Museum presentations these past few days- I'm so extremely impressed in their hard work and effort!  I sent home their cards on Monday, so this will be a piece of their homework.  We'll be presenting on Tuesday the 4th.  I'll send home a reminder as the day comes closer.  A portion of their grade will be coming from their costume.  However, please don't stress about it- it doesn't need to be incredibly elaborate.  Something as simple as an old jacket and paper hat can be relatable to their person.  I hope this helps ease any worries.  I will discuss this further with the kiddos tomorrow as I'm sure they're wondering as well.

In math we have covered time and will be beginning to cover area of a rectangle this week.  We will also be covering measurement.  These, along with the other concepts we have covered in math and reading, will be on the Galileo test this coming week.  The class took their reading test on Tuesday, so we are half way completed for this quarter.       


News
March 14                  teacher in-service, 1/2 day early release
March 17 - 21           Spring Break, no school
March 28                  Report cards sent home


Birthdays



Thank you for all you do!

Elizabeth Townsend
PDS
Second Grade
515-2970
Elizabeth.townsend@svps.k12.az.us
 

The Toucan Squawk, Feb. 10 - 14

Hello families...I hope everyone is having a wonderful week!  We will have our Glitteracy event on Thursday.  Students don't need to bring anything but their Valentine's for our card exchange.  We will rotate to the other 2nd grade classes, where everyone will make a craft in each room.  We'll break for recess, and then we'll complete one last craft in our room.  After lunch and recess, we'll exchange cards, have a snack, and watch a movie.  It should be a super duper fun, yet crazy day!  I included the list of names in the students' mail today.  It's attached to the invite for volunteers for our Glitteracy event.  You are more than welcome to come help!

We started telling time to the hour and half hour yesterday and continued it today with telling time to the 15 minutes.  We'll continue this unit on into next week.  We have worked with individual student clocks and a work paper, and afterwards students have completed work papers by themselves.

The class has started on their new writing craft for this week- describing a piece of gum.  They were all very confused and very excited they got to have a piece of gum in class!  The writing is coming along pretty great, and the crafts are going to look pretty cute once they're up.  They chose their person to do the research on for their biography- everyone went home with a sheet introducing the project to you.  The person your child chose is listed on the bottom.  Everyone has plenty of time, but I've already started on encouraging the kiddos to be thinking of the costume they want to wear for when they present.  This will happen sometime prior to Spring Break.


News
Feb. 12             1/2 day early release at 11:30, teacher in-service
Feb. 13             Glitteracy event and Valentine's Day card exchange
Feb. 14             Winter Holiday, no school
Feb. 17             President's Day, no school

Birthdays
Feb. 1              Erilyn



Thank you for all you do!


Elizabeth Townsend
PDS
Second Grade
elizabeth.townsend@svps.k12.az.us