A Friday filled with Fun...

A present waited for the students today in morning meeting.  We opened it together.  I bought 3-D Eye Spy for them.  This afternoon, while students made ornaments, we rotated some stations.

While some students played games (yes, educational, even if they didn't know it), others made ornaments and then we flip-flopped.  I had the boys in groups and the girls in another group.  I snapped some photos while the girls were making the ornaments.  (I am playing around with the miniature effect on my camera, so some faces are blurred.)

The class worked well together and didn't argue, fight, or tattle about game play.  Students helped clean up.  It was a great afternoon!!!

Playing Apples to Apples

Playing 3-D Eye Spy

Trying to get Zeke in the photo...He's definitely camera shy!

Creating some ornaments

Playing Eye Spy Word Wall Words

Playing on the iPads

Hanging our ornaments

Connecting Home and School

I was blessed to receive this photo of one our students reading his how to book to his brother.  There's nothing better than seeing their work being proudly displayed and shared at home.  Look at how his brother is enthralled with it!

Knowing that he has an audience to share his writing made a difference.  Knowing our audience has become a very important lesson in our writing unit right now. 

Listening to the writers talk about who their book is for, I can see they have truly thought about what their receiver would want to read about! 

Quality in our Gifts

In our writing workshop, we are looking at the process of our writing.  Today, we looked at the quality.  I presented some "gifts" to my students to share what I might give to our parent volunteers. 

A cookie taken from the trash (seriously)!

A broken up cookie that was made.

Whoppers tied up with ribbon.

The students quickly decided the last gift was the best and we connected it to our writing.  We don't want to give writing that was taken out of the trash.  We don't want to give writing that isn't quality.  We want to give our best!

Here's hoping our study will be great!

Food!

I am always game to have my students try new foods.  Here are some shots of us trying some great food (at least in my mind).

Pistachio muffins and pistachio pudding

Trying sushi for the first time...

Fan of sushi!

Fan of sushi!

Definitely not a fan!

Fan?

Maybe?  Maybe not...

Not sure...

Not a fan!

Fan of nori!

American Education Week

Last week to celebrate American Education Week, our second grade team invited parents in to have lunch with their child and to spend the recess exploring five of the top things in second grade.  It was great to have parents come in and to just watch everyone in action.  Here are a few snapshots of the great time that was had on Friday.  (Sorry for the black and whites, but I was playing around with my green filter earlier.)

Meet the Author Day

We had twenty-two authors today in our classroom...ourselves!!!

Maps of What Matters

One map that is placed in our writer's notebooks is a map showing what matters to us.  I give the kids options of a heart map or a bone map.  They did a great job of really thinking about what matters to them.  Here are just a few...

Bone map by Ashton

Heart map by Josephine

Heart map by Brittany

Heart map by Leah

Heart map by Hannah

Heart map by Grant

Sticky Notes

While I am conferring with students, questions are bound to rise.  What do we do?  Well, as you can see, Wyatt was able to write his question and let me read it when I have time.  No interruptions, students get real writing practice, AND I am able to assess their writing as well.  Way to go, writers!

What in the world???

This was found in my front yard and I have no idea what it is, but I brought them in for my students to observe them.  Quite interesting!  And yes, parents, they did wash their hands with soap and water afterwards!  

Working in groups

The other day I had students join together to share their stories.  I was quite impressed.  They stayed in their area, spoke with voice levels and stayed on task.  Here are a few shots of them sharing.