Where everybody knows your name...

Today was our first day with everyone!!!!  We had a great time!!!  We are all learning each other's names, which most of us know, but more importantly our personalities, strengths, and weaknesses.

This has been very helpful as we have been implementing math workshop.  We are learning new math games to have as a choice, we got on sumdog today, ipads, and then time with me. Some math games that we have done include power tower, addition jenga, and addition top it. All of these games are focused on learning math facts. This will not always be the same but we will introduce new games gradually. Power tower is with flash cards and dixie cups.  Every fact that you get correct you get to put a cup in place to start your own tower.  Addition jenga is jenga with math facts on the blocks.  If you are able to successfully able to pull one of the block out of the tower and answer the problem correctly then you can add that block to your own tower.  Addition top-it is like war but instead pulling two cards and adding them together the highest gets the cards.  We are using number grids to check each others facts. 

I do want to comment to say that I did not make these games up.  They were all seen on other blogs; guided math, chasing cheerios, and then everyday math introduced me to addition top-it.

Try some at home.  I will try to post some pictures next week during math workshop of the children enjoying these games!

Happy first day!

We had a great day today and I'm sure tomorrow will be just as much fun for all of us! 

This is the start of something new...

Last night I uploaded all of you to this blog so if you were able to log on please post a comment to confirm. Thank you, thank you!

This morning I uploaded my power point that I had playing during open house to google docs.  I had not used this before but had watched a webinar and thought that it looked pretty cool.  Let's see if I can actually work it correctly.  I am trying many of new things this and if they don't work then work with me until I get it right!  Also, I am not too proud with ever getting any helpful suggestions to get things working!!!

Enjoy your Sunday and I look forward to talking to you soon! :)

Hello parents!

It was great to meet so many of you at open house and I look forward to a year of lifelong memories!  if you were unable to attend, I understand, and I'm sure we will meet sometime soon. 

I know all of you are just all joining me, but I have many posts as I have been eagerly awaiting my new class this year.  Please go through and read to see what has been going on with me at school the last few weeks.  There are links and resources available to you as well.

As you read through the blog, please, please ask any questions that you may have.  You can post questions or email me privately whichever you prefer. 

STEM Workshop Day #2

This was mostly an outside learning experience which was amazing!  Our friends MAD Scientists who specialize in Ecological and Wetland Consulting came to share with us.  We got out our boots and mucked around in the wetlands. While mucking around I learned some new things.  Take a look at some of our journey...

Wetlands Fall 2011

This was shared with us. Take a look at how well our wetlands have done!

Wetlands August 2012

Marsh August 2012

Wetland with a funnel trap in the middle

We use this to temporary and safely trap in organisms to see what species are inhabiting our wetlands.



Stream that is located West of that yurt actually flows into Blacklick Creek at some point

Some plant life

These are called Corn Flowers.

BEWARE:

Plant life to avoid!!!!

Poison Ivy, our three leaf friends...

While we are talking about plant life...

There is a great amount of ragweed so if allergic please take precautions before we visit.

Velvet leaf

Can you guess why it is called a velvet leaf?!

As you can see, so many things to learn and experience!!!  An exciting year awaits us!!!

STEM workshop Day #1

I spent the day with Robert Claymier, our presentor, as well as teachers within our school district and others from around the state who wanted to learn more about STEM education.  It was awesome!!!!  I learned so many new ideas of how to teach STEM lessons, create new lessons, and the importance of STEM learning.  Today was STEM in the classroom and tomorrow will be STEM outside of the classroom. 

Go to this link for some information about STEM; http://stemiselementary.com/What%20is%20STEM%20(ABOUT).html.  If you are unable to get through to this link then just go to the stemiselementary.com.  This is Robert Claymier's site and it is great! 

Looking forward to what learning lies aheads tomorrow....

Classroom progress continues

As promised here are some more pictures of my classroom in progress...

math manipulative's

Book baskets

Reading table




Get involved this year!

I encourage everyone to get involved as much as you can in your child's education.  Please refer to our PTO link;
http://www.reyn.org/PTO1.aspx.

There is also an awesome program that we have here at Summit Elementary to get our dad's involved too!  Come on out dads and check out the Watch Dog Program.
http://www.reyn.org/WatchDOGS1.aspx
For further information about exactly what the program each see this link;
http://www.reyn.org/Downloads/ALL%20ABOUT%20Watch%20DOGS%2020112.pdf.

Here are more ways to get involved and help Summit Elementary;
http://www.reyn.org/boxtops1651.aspx
http://www.reyn.org/LabelsforEducation1.aspx
http://www.reyn.org/marketday2835.aspx.

Gearing up for the school year

Here is our school web page on the Reynoldsburg City Schools website...
http://www.reyn.org/summitroadelementary_home.aspx.  These links are all of there but I thought these ones were some of the important ones thus far.

This is the supply list for second grade this year.  
http://www.reyn.org/Downloads/2nd%20%20grade%20supply%20list%202012-13.pdf

Here is a copy of the second grade summer challenge for students. I hope many of you have been participating! Every little bit helps. I know summer gets busy and even if you have not been able to keep up completely start now...
http://www.reyn.org/Downloads/2nd%20Grade%20Summer3.pdf

Here is the school calendar for this year also.  I like to put in on our calendar now to keep us all on the same page.  Once school starts everyone is so busy and it gets a little crazy sometimes.
http://www.reyn.org/Downloads/school%20calendar.pdf

Here is the link for the school lunch menu as well as the lunch prices.  IMPORTANT CHANGE; The price for lunches has changed fromo $1.65 to $1.85. 
http://www.reyn.org/Downloads/menuk62012.pdf


Always trying to give you as much information as possible!

Standards based grading, interims, and report cards

I thought, as I promised, that I would keep everyone as informed as possible.  So here's a start.... 

Reynoldsburg City Schools have implemented a standards based grading system.  I started reporting out grades in this manner my first year at Slate Ridge Elementary in 2005.  Yes, it was a transition; however, I really began to enjoy it and see the value of the information that was given to parents.  This is different and can be scary because it is not how we were graded and what we are familiar with.  Here is the four point system that I have attached for you from a link on the Reynoldsburg City Schools web page.  http://www.reyn.org/ReportCardK-6.aspx.  I look at every skill that is being assessed and make how each child is doing throughout the nine weeks.  I take notes within group work as well as on individual assignments when there is a fraction put on the top of the paper.  On assessments there will be an E, M, P, or L on each indicator.  This gives me more information then a single grade and when explained to parents it should do the same as well.  Here is a full explanation and packet from the Reynoldsburg City Schools web page with more information on our grading system; http://www.reyn.org/Downloads/Report%20Card%20Parent%20Guide2.pdf.

Furthermore, I intend to send home what indicators and skills as being assessed each quarter as well as what those indicators look like.  When looking at indicators they can be a bit wordy and an explanation of what it means or look like is very helpful.  One very important thing to remember is that when your child is being assessed on an indicator there does not necessarily have to be mastery of that skill until the end of the year.  Many times the indicators have two and three parts to them and because of that we break them up into smaller pieces over several quarters.  On the interim we only mark a minus if at that point your child is showing progress in this skill or has limited knowledge of this skill at the present time.  If we have not assessed the skill by midterm and/or your child has met the skill it will not be marked at all.  I know this is confusing and I am going to do my best to give you more information so that it is clear for you in where your child is. 

You will be hearing more about this throughout the year.  If confused or concerned with the system at any time please let me know.  The one important thing to remember is that if I am worried about your child's progress then I will have contacted or will be contacting you.  It is okay if they are making progress and don't have something mastered the first time it is being reported out. 

Most of you should have some experience with this from other children or previous years in school.  I just like to try to help out because it can be difficult to understand when unfamiliar.  Hope this makes some sense...

Can I skip reading tonight?

As I was browsing blogs and websites today I found a website that I thought was awesome!  Please check out Ms. Kroll's page at http://www.elkriver.k12.mn.us/webpages/mkroll/.  There are a ton of ideas for how parents can help at home with reading and math.  My favorite part was under the reading tab; "Can I skip reading tonight?"  This just shows a simple mathmatical explanation of what makes a better reader.  Very simple, but very true! 

Now I know that this all sounds great when you look at it online and I'm not trying to make you feel guilty because believe me I understand!  Let's look at a typical evening after school.  You are tired after a busy day and round two is just beginning; pick up the kids, possibly take them to a sporting event or practice of some sort, go to the grocery, try to make dinner, lunches for the next day, etc.  It becomes very overwhelming, I know!  One idea that I have is in the backseat of my car right between the two car seats.  My kids actually really like this when they're not fighting!  Their friends have enjoyed it as well!!!!

Here's my proof, don't judge the mess!


Reading corner, room in progress

Step one was to unpack, done

Step two is to organize, work in progress

I went in today and organized a little further and I will post more pictures tomorrow! 

Fail on the signature...

Okay so that was a fail!  There will be a round two, no worries!

New signature?

Test run on the new signature... did it work?! 

Back to School

Today I went into school for the first time this summer!  I was able to unpack most of my things and arrange some of my furniture.  Step two, begins tomorrow, will be to organize what I have unpacked, lol!  I am hoping to get the emails for the parents in my class soon so that they may begin to follow my new blog!  Parents, I can't wait for you to follow our classroom.  I should have done a before and after picture of the classroom.  Oh well, maybe I will just post the after product when it is finished.  Let's see how much I get done tomorrow!

Websites for student learning

I found these sites from the math investigations page, but there are a ton of games websites, enjoy!!!
http://www.mathinvestigations.com/StudentMathLinks.html

I also found this gamequarium site and loved it!  You can explore the different options it offers; however, I have included the ones that I liked.  I think that the ebooks and fluency section is awesome because it has books that are read aloud to the students as well as books that they have to read on their own.  It is important to include both for your children.  Fluency is an important piece to reading because when a child is fluent then they may begin to comprehend and develop a love for reading. 
http://www.gamequarium.com/; http://www.gamequarium.org/dir/Gamequarium_Junior/; http://www.gamequarium.org/dir/Readquarium/; http://www.gamequarium.org/dir/Readquarium/Fluency_and_eBooks/

If anyone has found some that they like as well please share!  The more the merrier!!!

Math Investigations

I am just starting with the Math Investigations program this year.  Btw, I may commonly refer to this program as "Investigations."  Since I am new to teaching this program I wanted to find out more information and in doing so I was able to find a site that might be helpful to parents as well.  Here you go: http://investigations.terc.edu/families/.  There are four different subtitles that might be helpful for you.  As we get into lessons, I will give more specific information on lessons, vocabulary used or learning as well as activities or games that we used to help us learn these concepts. 

I have heard great things about this program and if your child attended Summit last year then you should have some experience with it as they did it in first grade.  I look forward to "Investigations," and what we will learn together this year with you and your child.

Importance of parent communication

I want to provide as many resources to the parents in my classroom as possible. My children have had wonderful teachers in school thus far. However, I have seen the other side of being the parent and not just the teacher. I have learned from some of my kids teachers different ideas to continue to keep parents informed. I would rather have more information than be unsure. As a parent, I always want to know everything that I can possibly do to help my child. I know that I can teach and work with other people's children so much better than my own! So even I, as an educator, need to know what's going on in the classroom for my kids at home so that they actually believe that I know what I'm talking about. Common vocabulary or ways of doing things I have found is a big deal. How often had I heard from parents, "that's not how my teacher does it," or "that's not what my teacher says." This can be so frustrating as a parent when in fact we may be saying the same exact thing but with different wording or we learned it another way but do really know what we are talking about.  So I will do my best to provide as much information as possible.  Parents if you need more information, are unsure about what I am talking about because I didn't proofread before I posted, lol, or just have questions don't hesitate to let me know!

New blogger

This is my first day on my blog! I'm just learning and hope to continue to learn more because right now I'm just exploring all of the how to's. I am going to start posting things for the parents in my classroom this year, but if they don't always work or look the way they should please be patient and feel free to let me know as well!