2nd Grade General Studies

1/3/12 Update

2012-01-03T11:38:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to everyone. I hope you all had a restful break...the children were all full of news and excitement when they came back today. It will take us a few days to get back into our routine, but it's wonderful to see their smiling faces again.

There is not any Spelling homework or test this week, but we will be back on our regular schedule of homework and Spelling tests starting next week, so look for the packet in the Friday folder.

We won't begin cursive instruction until February...please discourage your child from trying out writing in script, as it's really difficult to reteach when they develop the wrong habits for letter formation. Thank you so much for your help with this.

We were happy to welcome Leora to our class today - the children have tried very hard to make her feel like a part of our group and I'm very proud of all of them.

As always, please email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

12/19/11 Update

2011-12-19T04:48:00.000-08:00

In case you were looking for the homework packet, there wasn't one! There won't be homework this week - too many exciting things going on - so enjoy the break from Spelling.

The Chanukah carnival is Tuesday, Dec. 20. 2nd grade attends 9:30-10:00. Please remember to send in money for the tickets and snacks the children can purchase. $5.00 should be more than enough and they could easily enjoy their time with less than that as well. Also, the Chanukah show is Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 9:30. That day is also a 2:00 dismissal.

Have a wonderful and restful winter break and we will see you January 3...this is a change from the original school calendar, so be sure to update your schedule and enjoy January 2 off of school. Classes resume on January 3!

Happy Holidays!

12/13/11 Reminders

2011-12-13T11:55:00.000-08:00

A few miscellaneous reminders...the children have Library this Thursday, so please be sure they bring back their library books on time.

There is a Chanukah Hop here at CTA this Thursday, December 15, from 4:30 - 7:00 p.m. Check out the Dateline for more details. It should be a fun evening!

Be sure to mark your calendars for our Chanukah Show next Wednesday, December 21 at 9:30. That is also a 2:00 dismissal day. While you are here, stop down in our 2nd grade hallway to see our terrific Rainforest bulletin board and then proceed to our classroom to see the Pond habitat on our classroom window - awesome work by the children!

Please email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

12/9/11 Dress Down Day!

2011-12-08T05:55:00.000-08:00

Friday, 12/9/11 is a Dress Down Day! For $.25, your child can wear jeans or other items not usually permitted within the dress code.

Also, we go outside as much as possible, provided the mud isn't too pervasive and the temperatures (including wind chill!) are above 20 degrees. Please, please, please send your children to school dressed appropriately for outside recess. There are no accommodations available to supervise a child inside, plus they need to run and play and clear their little heads, so dress warmly and label everything! Thanks for your cooperation with regards to outdoor recess.

Email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

12/5/11 2nd Grade Newsletter

2011-12-05T05:07:00.000-08:00

I am still grinning when I think of the choir performance at the CTA Scholarship Dinner...anyone who was able to witness this outstanding show must agree that our little 2nd graders stole the show! Wow! I'll have to see if they can post the video somewhere, because I really want to see that again.

We had a great time last week here in our classroom learning about habitats, environments and adaptations. We spent a day investigating the adaptations of birds' beaks, using a variety of small, hard and soft items to mimic seeds, nuts, etc. that birds find in nature. We used tweezers and chopsticks among other things to try to pick up the items and a great discussion was had about the size of bird beaks relative to the kinds of food they find in their environment. The best was trying to catch a moving worm (yarn!) The children loved the hands-on approach. We will continue our study of habitats and focus our learning on rainforests, ponds and deserts over the next week or two. Our Language Arts reading and writing will be centered on this topic as well.

We have started timed tests in Math, focusing on addition facts 1-9 for the time being. The children are only in competition with themselves, as I ask them to increase the number of facts they get correct in 2 minutes each week. For those who have mastered their facts, I'm asking them to decrease the amount of time they complete their fact sheet each time. We will then graph our results individually, allowing the children to practice their graphing skills as well. We will move to subtraction timed tests in January. Keep practicing with those flashcards!

I have asked the children not to "practice" writing in cursive. It is really difficult to reteach correct formation of the letters and when they try cursive out on their own, they can develop bad habits. Thank you in advance for your support of this from home. We will begin cursive instruction in the 3rd quarter.

Please email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions or concerns. Also, please let me know via email ASAP if your child will NOT be in attendance for the Hanukkah show on Dec. 21. When they were surveyed last week, at least half of them said they didn't think they would be here, and we need confirmation of that from home in order to assign singing parts for the show. Thank you so much!

Hanukkah Show 12/21/11

2011-11-29T10:20:00.000-08:00

An urgent request from Morah Cheri...if you know for a fact that your child will not be present on 12/21 for the Hanukkah show, can you please notify us ASAP? Just send me an email at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

They are trying to assign parts for this program and need to know who will be here and who won't - according to reports today, over half the 2nd grade will not be here, or so they think! Thanks for your help with this matter.

11/23/11 Update

2011-11-23T09:53:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who came to the Thanksgiving show this year. The children were so excited to perform, and I think it's such good experience getting up in front of people...I was very proud of them!

There is no homework coming home today due to the holiday. I will send home Spelling on Monday of next week, but the Spelling homework will be the only homework, so hopefully this won't cause too much trouble for anyone's schedule. We will be back on the regular track for our homework procedures the following week.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday break and we will see everyone back here next Monday! As always, email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

11/18/11 2nd Grade Newsletter

2011-11-18T11:24:00.000-08:00

Thank you very much to everyone who came for conferences this past Wednesday. It was very nice to meet with all the wonderful parents of my wonderful 2nd graders and I look forward to continued partnerships throughout the school year. Remember that I am always happy to speak with you about your child anytime - just because conferences are over doesn't mean we can't still meet and discuss any questions or concerns. Email is best and I try to respond as quickly as I can via email - I'm not nearly as efficient with voicemail!

We are busy with our reading groups, our math lessons and our preparations for the Thanksgiving show next week. Please be sure to come by at 9:30 for some great entertainment on Wednesday, November 23 in the shul. Remember this is also a 2:00 dismissal day.

Since next week is a short week, there will not be any Spelling homework or test. There were a few things to do for homework in the Friday folders and those are due on Wednesday. Thanks for keeping up with the weekly homework and it sounds like receiving the materials on Friday for the upcoming week works well for everyone.

If I don't see you before then, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and as always, email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions or concerns.

Yes, it's a Dress Down Day!

2011-11-18T04:36:00.001-08:00

Yes, today, Friday, is a dress down day. For $.25, your child can dress in jeans or sweats or sparkly shirts! Check the blog later for a complete newsletter for the week.

Goony Bird Greene is a Hit!

2011-11-15T07:26:00.000-08:00

If you have the chance, please join us here at CTA tonight for the final performance of Gooney Bird Greene, presented by the Drama Club. The girls from the 6th and 7th grade have worked really hard and it's a darling performance. 7:00 tonight in the shul, $5.00 each - don't miss it, especially since there is no school on Wednesday!

2nd Grade Newsletter 11/14/11

2011-11-14T05:23:00.000-08:00

So sorry for the delay in the newsletter...I wasn't able to get it done on Friday during the school day and I went home and promptly forgot about it!

The focus of the newsletter this week is report cards. First off, the report cards are a new process for us this year. We are using a different format and a different scale and a different way of entering the data. Please bear with us as we work through the changes - it's been a learning curve to make sure we are keeping everything straight! The report cards will come home in your child's backpack Monday. The standards that we are evaluating are aligned with the state standards. They have always been in conjunction with the state standards, but now we are using the same wording for the different categories. If you want more information about the state standards, I will be providing a link during conferences so you can look through those at your convenience.

We've also changed the coding on how we assess. These changes came about half-way through the 1st quarter, so you may have seen S or S+ on some of your child's papers previously, but now we are using different letters. The idea is pretty much the same, but the letters are different. The specifics are outlined on the report card itself, and hopefully it is self-explanatory, but please bring any questions you may have to conferences on Wednesday.

Speaking of conferences, if you feel you have a great deal to talk about, please try to schedule a double appointment. I will keep very carefully to our allotted time, so that everyone else doesn't get behind on their schedules. If you arrive late, I will most likely need to stay within the original time frame, or I get completely backed up very quickly. Thank you for your understanding in this matter and if we run out of time, I am happy to schedule an additional time on a different day to continue our conversations.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone Wednesday - remember there is no school for the children. Also, while you are in the building, please be sure to stop by the library and visit the Book Fair. There are many great titles available and the children brought home their wish lists on Friday for your consideration.

Please call the school office ASAP if you haven't already scheduled a conference for Wednesday and please email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

2nd Grade Newsletter 11/4/11

2011-11-04T05:46:00.000-07:00

We have had a great week here! We spent our time traveling around to centers set up in our classroom. Math center, art and writing center and listening center were popular stops...I love it when they are "playing" and "creating" and learning at the same time. We will alternate between centers and reading groups and whole group instruction throughout the school year. I think they really enjoy the variety of ways they can learn.

I have had positive response to the new homework system, so I will continue it from here on out. Just a reminder that the homework packet will come home on Friday and you can manage the tasks on your own schedule, but the packet needs to be turned in by the following Friday at the latest.

Friday, November 18 will be a dress down day...mark your calendars and for $.25, your child can wear jeans - yahoo! I will remind them closer to the date.

Thanks in advance to everyone who joins us for our Special Persons Day. It's a great way to invite family and friends in to see what's happening here at CTA.

Please feel free to contact me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions or concerns!

11/2/11 Reminders

2011-11-02T16:14:00.000-07:00

A few mid-week reminders for you...don't forget the homework packet that was sent home in last week's Friday folder. The work is due on Friday and we will also have our Spelling test on Friday as well. Even though the children aren't writing homework from General Studies in their planners, I still had them write their Spelling words in there, so if you have already turned in homework, you still have the words to practice for the test.

Friday, November 4 is our Special Person's Day at CTA. Lunch starts around 11:00 and there will be a short presentation around 12:00. If you need more information or an invitation for someone special, please contact the school office.

The 2nd grade has Library tomorrow, so be sure to send in the library books they are finished with so they can check out more books. Also, CTA is running a book fair starting in early November - watch the Dateline for more information. This is a great way to get a little holiday shopping done early!

Parent -Teacher conferences will be held November 16. There are no classes that day. Please call the school office to schedule a conference time, or email me if you need to conference on a different day. I will do my best to accommodate you.

Finally, CTA is collecting various items for needy families during the month of November.
We will be using these items as part of gift basket centerpieces for the Scholarship Dinner, which will then be donated to local charitable organizations.

Now - Friday Nov. 4 - Toiletries
Nov. 7-11 - Small toys, book, games
Nov. 14-23 - Scarves, gloves, hats

All items should be new and unopened. There is a collection box at the school entrance to drop the items. Thanks for any help you can provide to help the needy in our community.

As always, please email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions or concerns.

10/28/11 2nd Grade Newsletter

2011-10-28T05:04:00.000-07:00

It has been a really long week, after all of our short weeks during October, but we got right back to business and accomplished a great deal in the 2nd grade. We are studying citizenship and government in Social Studies...be sure to take a few minutes to review the flashcards that are in their homework folders, so they are familiar with the terms we are using. We are continuing our review of printing for handwriting...this will continue at least through January. Our Spelling program started up again and we are practicing our addition and subtraction facts in Math. Quick and accurate basic facts are really important, as this year we move to borrowing and regrouping and eventually multiplication...if they don't know their facts inside and out, those other processes become a lot more difficult. Our Language Arts had us reading one of my favorite authors, Doreen Cronin, and learning about cause and effect...a great lesson for the children to demonstrate the choices and consequences of their everyday lives!

Starting with today's Friday folder, I am introducing a different policy regarding homework. I will provide the next week's homework on Fridays. I'm hoping this will allow families flexibility when it comes to managing the time after school during the week. You may complete the homework from General Studies however it best works for your family...work ahead over the weekend or continue to do a little each night. I included a page from a planner with the daily homework, if you choose to do it that way. Basically, you find the right balance for you and your child, but no matter how you approach it, the packet is due on Friday. We will see how this works out during the 2nd quarter. The children won't be writing General Studies in their planners while we try this out. I appreciate any feedback you have about this and I'm hoping it works for everyone.

The 1st quarter ends on Friday, November 4 and we are scheduling conferences for Wednesday, November 16. There are no classes for the children that day. Please call the school office to schedule your conference...call soon for the best choices of times! If for some reason the times don't work for you, or you have some other complications, I am happy to find another time that works for both of us to discuss your child's progress.

As always, please email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions or concerns and thank you again for sharing your children with me every day!

10/25/11 Update

2011-10-25T10:38:00.000-07:00

Tonight's homework includes reading over their Social Studies flashcards. They just received these this afternoon. We haven't learned all the words yet, so the cards will be a combination of new and review for them. They need to recognize the words and have a general understanding of the concepts by the end of the next week...no need to memorize, but later this week and next, they should be more responsible for telling you what the words mean. Tonight, please just read the words and definitions together. These cards should remain in the homework folder for the time being.

Also, after an informal assessment, I found many of our 2nd graders lacking in correct spelling of every day words. Therefore, we have started a "Word of the Week" program...each week, I'm choosing a commonly used word and they are to write that word on every paper they do during my class. There is also a designated child who has the job of reminding the class about the word of the week and who wears a card with the word around school (hopefully, some people will ask about it, and that child can share!) Anyway, last week's word was "again" and this week's word is "always." Seeing "Yaakov again" and "Zachary always" made me laugh as I was grading papers last night. The goal is that once they write these words over and over, they will apply the correct spelling in their own writing. We shall see!

As always, please email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademyhacademy.org

No homework

2011-10-10T09:14:00.000-07:00

It's true - believe them when they say there will not be any homework this week or next. I know there are multiple events and gatherings going on during the next two weeks, so enjoy a break from homework and we will start back with Spelling and other homework the week of October 24. Thank you and please email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions or concerns.

10/5/2011 Update

2011-10-05T10:28:00.000-07:00

Oh, what a wonderful thing to have sunshine again! It makes everyone more cheerful and awake, especially compared to the awful dreary weather from last week.

Just a quick reminder that Thursday is Library day for 2nd grade, so anyone who wants to check out a new book needs to return his or her book from last time. I already got a number of books back today, so please remind your child about this for Thursday.

Also, please return the Sukkah Hop permission slips ASAP. Enjoy the sunshine!

Welcome!

2011-09-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

A great big welcome to the newest member of the 2nd grade...Mrs. Kim Hochstetler is joining us Monday through Friday from 9:00-1:00 as our classroom teacher assistant. We are thrilled to have her join us and the children have already gotten to know her today. She will be helping in many ways, ranging from assisting individual children on a specific skill, to helping with group projects. Again, welcome to Mrs. H.!

9/23/11 Newsletter

2011-09-23T04:57:00.000-07:00

We really hit our stride this week. We've been rotating in and out of reading groups, figuring out how to manage our work time, making classroom procedures second nature - it's been terrific to see them settling in...and just in time for all our days off over the holidays! I'm so proud of this class and they are really working hard.

After today's Spelling test, we will take a few weeks off from Spelling...there will still be lessons in class and we will focus on applying the words we learn in our every day Spelling, but we won't have another official Spelling unit and Friday test until the end of October. In Science, we are continuing our discussion of living things and based on student interest in how seeds sprout, we will start our Seed Experiment next week - I love their curiosity and enthusiasm! During the course of the year, we will integrate a lot of Social Studies into our Language Arts curriculum and weave Science throughout. So if your child says he or she hasn't had any Science or Social Studies, be assured we have, it just may not be as obvious to them.

Please be sure your children are reading 15 minutes each night. I know they are tired and schedules are busy, but this is just an important habit to begin, and of course, nightly story time with you counts, so however it works into your family's schedule, please be sure to include this into your routine.

In your Friday folders, you will find information on ordering books from Scholastic. You are under no obligation, however, the prices can't be beat. This year, I've added the option of ordering online, which is so easy for both you and me, but you are still welcome to send in your order with a check made to Scholastic if you prefer. Order deadline is September 28, so don't delay if you would like to participate. Bonus - each online order gives us one free book for our class library.

As always, please email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions or concerns and enjoy what seems to be shaping up as a soggy weekend!

9/16/11 Newsletter

2011-09-16T05:10:00.000-07:00

Thank you so very much to everyone who joined us on Meet the Teacher Night. If you were not able to be with us, all the information is coming home today in the Friday folder. I hope you have a better idea of what your child's day is like while he or she is with us here at school. I would like to reiterate that we are partners in your child's education and I welcome your questions or insights as I get to know your child through the year.

We are spending time in Math this week going over some of the basic concepts - number lines, number grids, skip counting, money and telling time. Our Science lesson has us continuing our discussions of living things, and how there are different ways living things get what is needed for survival. We are wrapping up our Henry and Mudge story this week, where we focused on the skill of sequencing...first, next, then, last, as well as alphabetical order. Finally, we started working in our handwriting book and will reinforce writing with neat letters, staying on the line, etc.

Our Spelling words for the week of Sept. 19 are as follows...
cake, mine, plate, size, ate, grape, prize, wipe, pile, rake, give, have. Notice they follow the vowel-consonant-e pattern, which we will emphasize as we practice those words. This will be our last spelling test for a few weeks - we will rejoin the Spelling routine at the end of October after the test on Sept. 23.

Thank you again for all your support and for sending your children to school ready to learn. Please email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademy.org and have a great weekend!

Technical Update

2011-09-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

For today, at this moment in time, my technical difficulties have been resolved and I am able to access both the blog as well as my school email. Hopefully, I won't have any more trouble and I'm very sorry for any inconvenience.

Tonight's homework is to read 15 minutes and play outside...yes, play outside, as long as the weather holds. I told them not to get too used to that kind of homework, but for tonight, take advantage of the nicer weather.

See you at Meet the Teacher Night, Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 7:00. Remember, if you need personal conference time, I'd be happy to schedule that for another time...we will be providing general information about our class and our program tomorrow evening. Please email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions.

9/12/11 Update

2011-09-12T16:48:00.000-07:00

My sincerest apologies about not having a recent posting...I've been having technical difficulties and was unable to access this blog! I've got the experts on the job and hopefully the situation will be alleviated and I can update the blog regularly.

First off, please join us Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 7:00 for Meet the Teachers Night. There are some exciting things happening that will be shared in the shul, then we will meet in the classrooms for short sessions to meet all the teachers your child interacts with during the day. Don't miss this informative evening for parents and guardians. *****Please remember this is a night for general information...if you have specific concerns or questions regarding your child, I would be happy to schedule a conference at a different time. No individual conference time will be available on Wednesday. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone!

The children have Spelling homework tonight - write their words three times each! I provided the paper for them, but there will be other times when they will need notebook paper at home to complete a homework assignment. Please be sure they are setting their paper up with their name and the date and that the holes are on the left - seems like a little thing, but it's important to establish good work habits early on, and this is one they will use for years! We will have a Spelling test on Unit 2 words this Friday, so spend a few minutes each evening practicing those words, and more importantly, encourage your children to use those words in their everyday writing - that's the whole point of Spelling, right?

Please email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions or concerns and we will see you Wednesday for Meet the Teacher Night at 7:00.

Welcome to 2nd Grade 2011-2012

2011-09-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the 2011-2012 2nd grade blog! On this site, you will find information on upcoming events, homework, tests and other useful bits to get you through 2nd grade. I will also post the weekly newsletter here so you can access it at your convenience and we can conserve paper!

The children began using their planners this week for General Studies. They are expected to write down their homework Monday through Thursday. The planner must come back to school every morning - please help your child develop the habit of packing up their backpack the night before and being sure the planner and other folders are returned.

Mark your calendars for next Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 7:00 for the annual Meet the Teacher Night, where more information will be provided about our class. Please email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions or concerns.

5/20/11 2nd Grade Newsletter

2011-05-20T05:26:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's already the end of May...the next few weeks of school are going to fly by! Here are a few updates to keep you in the loop. First off, we had a great time at the Zoo - weather notwithstanding. A special thanks to our parent helpers, Mrs. Schiff, Mrs. Meyer, Mrs. Berkovich and Mrs. Rosenberg.

We've been learning about fractions in Math class - ask your child about numerators and denominators! It helped to put the idea of fractions into food, so we've been talking a lot about pizza and pie during our lessons, and luckily, it's right before lunch because it leaves us all hungry. We finished our unit on Sound and Light in Science and did a few experiments they really enjoyed to demonstrate how sound and light travel. We've moved back to Social Studies and are learning about economics - many of them think all we need to do to buy something is "use that card in my mom's purse." We will work on that!

We read "How the Chipmunk Got its Stripes" in Language Arts and started writing our own folktales - these should be good, based on their wonderful imaginations. I will be sending home their writing portfolios at the end of the year - it's a fantastic show of growth to see how their writing has developed over the course of the year. Speaking of writing, we still have the Writers Workshop Anthologies for sale - only $10.00 for a great memory of 2nd grade.

Be sure to join us here at CTA on Sunday for the CTA Spring Fling - it sounds like a super day for fun, activities and community spirit, so please plan on coming...weather looks good at this point. Please email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

Rain or Shine!

2011-05-15T17:07:00.000-07:00

Well, more rain than shine is expected...we are heading to the zoo on Monday, May 16, no matter what the weather. We leave at 9:00, so please arrive on time. Please, please, please dress your children for the weather, which doesn't look very pleasant. They need to have jackets for warmth and for running between the raindrops and also have appropriate footwear for wet weather. Please don't send umbrellas - too easily lost. Also, please remember to pack a lunch in a paper sack with only disposable items - they will carry their lunches and we plan on throwing everything away. We will NOT be stopping at gift shops or stands, so send no money. Anyone who still hasn't paid for the trip must send in their admission fee on Monday for your child to be able to join us. Please email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions.

What a few weeks!

2011-05-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

It feels like it's been forever since I've been with my 2nd graders and so much is going on. Between the 5th grade Achievement tests I needed to proctor, and then sadly, two funerals I needed to attend, the schedule has been crazy. However, hopefully, we are back on track. Here are some VERY important details for you to consider and act upon....

The Field Trip to the Columbus Zoo is next Monday, May 16. Information and permission slips went home in the Friday folder last week. If this sounds like news to you, then please send in a note or send an email and I'll be sure another copy gets home. We are in need of a few chaperones, so please consider joining us on this fun outing.
Achievement Fair is this Wednesday, May 11. Please bring your children and join us starting at 6:00 to check out our Engineering project (and a bunch of really cool things the other grades did too!) and then join us in the shul at 7:00, where will start our Writers Workshop assembly. Each child will be reading a few of the poems he or she wrote during the Workshop - this is a not to be missed evening.
Please remind your children that we still have plenty of school left, and even though the schedules have been a little off, I still expect them to maintain their good work ethic and to still be getting homework done. Thanks for your help in this area, as some of the darlings are already on summer break! Yikes!

Please contact me with any questions or comments at mlbuster@torahacademy.org and I'm looking forward to getting back on schedule! And a belated Happy Mother's Day too!

Urgent Reminder!!!!!

2011-04-04T13:50:00.000-07:00

Please, please, please take a few minutes this evening to complete the questionnaire that I've sent home twice about your child for Writer's Workshop. We need these pieces for the final anthology and it is a great deal of work to complete this project and we need everything put together as soon as possible. An additional copy of this came home in the Friday folder and if you have misplaced that, please let me know and I'll send home another one. We need both of the pieces ASAP. Thanks for your efforts to help with this project. You are welcome to email your writing to scahill@torahacademy.org if that makes it easier.

2nd Grade Weekly Newsletter 4/3/11

2011-04-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

Our Writer's Workshop has been going very well. I'm getting reports of wonderful writing and sharing and I'm so proud of them. While half the class has been writing, the other half has immersed themselves in an engineering experiment - I told them steam was coming off their heads, they were thinking so much last week! Our experiment will be recreated at Achievement Fair, so I won't say anymore for now.

Regarding the Writer's Workshop, don't forget there was parent homework as well. I sent another reminder home in the Friday folder, as well as an additional piece that is needed for our anthology of work...please, please, please send those to us ASAP. You can email them to scahill@torahacademy.org if you wish, or hand write it and we will type - whatever is easiest for you, but we do need those right away so we can begin compiling the book.

Please reiterate with your children that we do not share food AT ALL. I've told them this time and time again, and the rule is there for safety as well as kosher. I appreciate you reinforcing this at home.

Please email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

2nd Grade Weekly Newsletter 3/25/11

2011-03-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

A quick update from the 2nd grade...next week we begin our two week Writer's Workshop...a letter from the Artist in Residence is included in your Friday folder, so read all about the details there. We would welcome any parental help, whether you are available in the morning for one day or the whole week, so let me know. We are also in search of some help with typing our final product, if working from home is easier. While half our class is in Writer's Workshop, the other half will be immersed into an Engineering project, then we will switch mid-morning. It should be some really exciting times.

In Math, we are putting our subtraction with regrouping skills to work with story problems. I've been emphasizing strategies on how to solve a story problem - start with what you already know, find out what you are being asked to do, focus on clue words like "how many in all" or finding the difference between two numbers. We will be doing subtraction timed tests, so keep drilling those quick facts. Social Studies has us going back in time - the 2nd grade was so excited to learn their topic of study (Revolutionary War) actually overlapped with what our 5th graders just had a test on! In Language Arts, we continue our cursive lessons and have been really enjoying our reading from the Journeys series. This week we focused on drawing conclusions, which they were most dismayed to learn had nothing to do with artwork! They did, however, do a pretty good job with the skill itself.

Today ends the 3rd quarter and report cards should come home late next week. If you wish to have a conference with me, I would be happy to discuss your child's progress. As always, please email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

2nd Grade Weekly Newsletter 3/18/11

2011-03-18T04:56:00.000-07:00

This week has been a blur as we've been working up to today's excitement - I can't wait to see everyone's costumes! There was still plenty of learning -we have been using our new reading series this week and learned about story elements and practiced cause and effect. We've been expanding our vocabulary with words from the story that second graders should already know and words that might be new that we study a little more in-depth. Reviewing phonics skills is an important part of second grade so they can keep their reading and decoding skills strong; if you are reading with your child and they are struggling with a word, don't just give it to them, help them sound it out, look for parts they might know and see if the word follows any patterns to other words they already know. I've told them that to "own" a word, they need to be able to use in their talking, in their writing and recognize it in reading - we are hoping to own a lot more words by the end of second grade!

We have started studying past, present and future in Social Studies. In our brief discussion about family trees (ancestors, etc.) there was a great deal of discussion about whether pets should be included in family trees because they are part of the family. We concluded that pets' names should be written next to the list of children and enclosed in a heart, because the pets are certainly close to our hearts and considered part of our family, however, they are not blood relatives. I told them that pets also had family trees and that our Golden Retriever's papers went back four generations - they were amazed! The children were also very interested to know that even if someone is no longer living, they are still part of a family tree. Great discussions this week!

The children are doing a pretty good job on subtraction with regrouping/borrowing. We have a poem that we've been using to help us remember when we need to borrow - I will try to run a copy to send home for you to use when you are doing homework with them. We will still keep practicing this, but so far, so good. Keep drilling those subtraction facts and the whole process will go more smoothly.

Our Writer's Workshop program is coming up soon - starting March 28 for two weeks, the children will have one hour a day of intensive writer's workshop activities, under guest artist, Amy Greenberg. More details will follow, but if you have any interest or time and would be willing to help, we have need for many hands, especially hands that might be able to do some typing! Stay tuned for more information next week.

This week, Mrs. Sapp, Morah Minna and I hosted the first of what we hope will be many "Ladies Who Lunch" gathering. The girls all got together for lunch in my classroom and we discussed friendship, kindness, how to prevent or stop bullies, and read a book - it was lovely and the girls really enjoyed the time together. I know it was a good use of time when the final comment from one of the girls was "hey everyone, let's all play together at recess today." The only problem is the boys were a little jealous, so maybe we'll also have to hold a gentleman's lunch event soon. Don't want them to feel left out and the messages certainly apply across the board.

Enjoy Purim and please email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

Purim Festivities

2011-03-17T04:46:00.000-07:00

The Purim celebration is Friday, March 18. The children should wear costumes, but bring no weapons whatsoever - not even light sabers (much to their dismay.) Wands that come to school will be confiscated if used as weapons as well - you can only imagine our conversations about this yesterday! They are too funny. Anyway, carnival tickets are $.25 each and can be purchased at the carnival if the children didn't already bring in their money. $4.00 or $5.00 should be more than enough for them to enjoy all the activities. Please remember this is our last 2:00 dismissal day - this is a change from the original school calendar. Email me with any questions at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

3/11/11 Update

2011-03-10T15:28:00.000-08:00

Friday is a dress down day for CTA Lower School. At this point, I'm not sure what the weather will end up doing, but if the 1st grade Iditarod event takes place outside, we'll be outside cheering them on. Therefore, I've told the children they must dress for the weather - cold, mud, snow, whatever it is, please be sure they are prepared for the potential adventure! I recommended tights/leggings for girls in skirts, gloves, hats, scarves and boots for everyone. We may not end up needing them, but it's better to be prepared.

2nd Grade Weekly Newsletter 3/4/11

2011-03-05T09:43:00.000-08:00

We are continuing with our cursive writing this week. We've learned the lower case letters that utilize the upper curve stroke and will spend this coming week practicing those and working on connecting the letters together. I've been incorporating cursive writing in some of what I write on the board to help them realize they can read cursive writing, but I have asked them to refrain from using cursive writing themselves for the time being until we learn appropriate strokes.

We have been practicing subtraction with borrowing this past week and will make the jump to borrowing starting Monday - this is a big one for many of our students, but knowing basic subtraction facts will help with the transition, so continue to practice those whenever you get the chance.

We have started using our new reading series, Journeys, and have spent time working on cause and effect comprehension strategies as we read Diary of a Spider. We wrote cause and effect paragraphs as well - interesting how so many of them avoid chores and then end up in trouble over it! Their stories were really cute! We will also use this series to help reinforce phonics skills - I'm finding many of the students are forgetting to use their phonics when they encounter a new word, so hopefully some review and practice will help them remember.

Our Science lessons have centered around the Engineering unit, as we realize how engineers help us solve our everyday problems (can openers, pencil sharpeners, bridges and everything between!) I love to see how they make connections between their learning and their everyday lives.

Thanks to everyone who donated canned goods for the food drive - it was great to see the school come together for this project. Finally, Monday is Crazy Hat Day! I completely forgot to tell the children about this on Friday, so please help me pass along the word and make a few phone calls to friends to let them know about this fun day. Thanks and please email me with any questions at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

No Spelling week of 2/22/11

2011-02-21T17:58:00.000-08:00

Since it's a short week, there will not be any spelling homework or test this week.

2nd Grade Newsletter 2/18/11

2011-02-18T04:48:00.000-08:00

Things are moving along in 2nd grade. We've been writing our cursive letters - i, t, u and w! We have studied weather during Science - have they sung the water cycle song for you? They are so cute and excited when they perform. We'll take our knowledge of weather and wind into the Engineering unit we are starting today - we needed some background before we embark on that adventure.

Math brings us to Geometry and subtraction - strange combination, but I want to keep things moving forward so we will work on both concepts for the next few weeks. I will be starting subtraction timed tests, so reviews of those basic facts would be time well spent.

In Language Arts, we've just finished our writing response to our read aloud, Mr. Popper's Penguins, and we will continue working through our reading groups. Fluency is a real challenge for most 2nd graders, so when you are reading with your child, ask them to read a few paragraphs and help them remember to watch the punctuation and to use inflection in his or her voice to make the reading more interesting.

Please email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademy.org and enjoy your long weekend!

2nd Grade Newsletter 2/11/11

2011-02-11T05:59:00.000-08:00

Thank goodness we had a full week - we worked hard! We have started our cursive learning - just specific strokes for now, but the children have had their cursive name tags put on their desks and it was very exciting. Remember, I've asked them to refrain from writing in cursive until we learn the specific letters - tough request, but otherwise we'll learn the wrong motions and that makes cursive more complicated.

We've reinforced adding with regrouping and will spend some time studying geometric concepts. Noticing geometric shapes in their every day lives is an important step, so please be looking for opportunities in and around your houses.

The children were privileged to participate in the Everybody Counts program this week. A big thank you to all our presenters, who helped the children realize that no matter what our abilities or disabilities, we are all important and valued. More information can be found about the 2nd graders in this week's Dateline!

We are learning about weather in Science, leading up to our engineering unit - have to learn about wind so we can apply our knowledge to using wind!

Have a great weekend and let me know if you have any questions at mlbustertorahacademy.org

2/7/11 Reminders

2011-02-07T04:38:00.000-08:00

Please remember the Social Studies quiz will be Tuesday, 2/8/11. An extra study guide was sent home on Friday, just in case you misplaced yours with all the snow days!

In addition, remember Student Council is collecting for a food drive to benefit the Mid Ohio Food Bank. Please be as generous as you can to help those in need.

Thank you!

2nd Grade Newsletter 2/4/11

2011-02-04T04:55:00.000-08:00

Not much to report this week, between the snow days and my being out on Thursday! The sub I had in for me yesterday reports your children behaved beautifully for her - I'm so proud of them. Remember, our Social Studies quiz will be held next Tuesday, February 8, so you might want to spend a few minutes reviewing over the weekend. Due to so many days missed, I will not be sending home the yellow behavior reports today.

Monday, we had a presentation from Tina Sutermeister, who came on behalf of the Ohio Society of Professional Engineers to speak with our class on exactly what an engineer is - not just a train driver, you know! The children did a great job and this will kick off our Engineering Unit for February.

The Student Council is sponsoring a food drive, so please talk with your children about how we can help those who need it and send in some canned goods in the next week or two. The class who brings in the most canned goods can win extra recess or computer time, so there is a little incentive beyond the obvious goal of helping others. Thank you for your support in this effort.

As always, please email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

Brrrrrrr....

2011-02-02T07:47:00.000-08:00

It is brutal outside, so I hope this finds you cozy and warm at home enjoying time with your children. We will have the Spelling test as scheduled on Friday, since the children should have already had their words at home with them anyway, however, the Social Studies quiz originally scheduled for Thursday will be given next Tuesday instead. There was still more to teach and I want to give the children enough time to study. If you did not receive the study guide, please email me (mlbuster@torahacademy.org) and I'll send another copy home.

Stay warm!

2nd Grade Newsletter 1/28/11

2011-01-28T04:54:00.000-08:00

A whole week of school - I guess we were spoiled with our short week last week! Lots of time in class meant we accomplished a lot in school. The children did a fantastic job on the Science tests - you should be proud. We will have another quiz on a topic covered both in Social Studies and Science - natural resources and conservation. A study guide will come home on Monday for the quiz to be given on Thursday. We are working to establish good work and study habits, so be sure to set the tone for a little practice each evening for upcoming tests - don't wait until the night before!

They also have done a great job with regrouping and yesterday, we practicing regrouping into the millions - oh, the looks on their faces! Next we will move to subtraction, which is a little trickier.

We will have a special guest presenter on Monday to kick off our unit on engineering. I'm planning on some great hands-on activities for this unit of study and will keep you up to date on our projects. We also will begin (drum-roll please....) CURSIVE next week. Please, please, please have your child wait to be taught proper formation before they start using what they call cursive. It's really hard to break habits when they don't use the correct method to begin. I've promised that once we cover the lower case, each child will be taught their upper case initials so they can write their full name in cursive, but it will take a little time and I've asked the ones who are experimenting with cursive already to be patient and wait for me to teach them. Oh, the excitement!

Please email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademy.org and have a great weekend!

Dress Down Day!

2011-01-27T04:51:00.000-08:00

Friday, January 28 is the rescheduled Dress Down Day. If your child wishes to participate, please send in $.25 for the privilege to wear what they want for a change! Spelling test on Friday as well - study hard! By the way, the children did great on the Science test - they will be coming home on Friday and report cards should be mailed on Friday as well, as far as I know.

1/24/11 Updates

2011-01-24T14:16:00.000-08:00

Tonight's homework is to start on Spelling, work due and test 1/28/11 and a Math worksheet. The children are doing pretty well with regrouping or carrying (we've used both terms) and this worksheet will help them practice.

The 2nd grade night at the CTA Basketball Games was rescheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, 1/25/11. A flier went home in the homework folder with more information about this exciting event - free food, prizes, what could be better!

We have had a lot of children out with varying illnesses - please remind your children about general hygiene, sneezing into their elbow, using tissues and hand sanitizer, etc. Getting enough sleep and eating well balanced meals will help keep them healthy too - I know I'm trying really hard to stay away from all the "cooties" floating around room 7! I will continue to wipe down doorknobs and common work surfaces regularly and maybe we can break the cycle and have everyone healthy again!

Finally, the Science test that was supposed to be given last Friday (yea snow day!) will be given Tuesday, 1/25/11. They seemed ready during today's review, but one last discussion tonight will be very important.

1/20/11

2011-01-20T15:35:00.000-08:00

Remember the Science test is tomorrow, 1/21/11. Should there be a snow day, we will take the test on Tuesday instead.

Also, Friday is a dress-down day, so anyone who wants to dress down should bring $.25.

Science Test 1/21/11

2011-01-18T04:56:00.000-08:00

A copy of this is coming home today, but I thought I would also post here, just in case! They should also be bringing home Science books to study. FYI, there is NOT a Spelling test this week, to allow more time to prepare for Science.

Mrs. Buster’s 2^nd Grade

Science Test, to be given 1/21/11

Vocabulary:

food web prey

food chain predator

food group herbivore

digest carnivore

· Children should be able to put photos depicting a food chain in order (hint – it will always begin with sunlight and plants!)

· Where does a person get the energy he needs? (from the food you eat)

· How do people use energy?

· When given a food pyramid, explain why it’s smaller at the top and wider at the base (we need more of the good food)

For the E

What can happen to a food web if a new animal is added to the environment?

2nd Grade Newsletter 1/14/11

2011-01-14T04:57:00.000-08:00

What an exciting week! Congratulations again to the children for their wonderful presentation on Tuesday. I loved seeing them in action - they are made to be on stage!

Math was also very exciting as we introduced and reinforced the concept of carrying. We will continue to further develop this skill and having quick recall of basic math facts is very important, so keep drilling whenever you get a chance. Science has brought us to learning about how living things get energy -great discussions this week about food chains and food webs, predator and prey, omnivore, carnivore and herbivore. See if your child remembers what these words mean! We will have a Science quiz next Friday - I will send home a specific study guide on Tuesday to help you prepare.

In Language Arts, we have been reading in small groups, focusing on comprehension, prediction and fluency when we read aloud. We have also been talking about following directions - a skill this group needs to really work on! We talked about how important directions are, why we need to follow directions, how not paying attention to directions can really cause problems and how important correct directions are. We enjoyed reading Amelia Bedelia and seeing how she followed directions a little too carefully! In an effort to pay close attention to directions, I encourage the children to highlight the directions on their classwork - this is a good approach to homework as well.

We will enjoy the Shakespeare presentation this morning by the 7th grade and spent a little time learning about who William Shakespeare was to prepare and we've also discussed Martin Luther King, Jr. Rabbi Kahn will join us next week to share a book he has about Dr. King, so we are looking forward to his visit.

Social challenges are unfortunately a challenge for our children in school these days. We spend a great deal of time talking about bullying, kindness and respect, yet the problems persist. Mrs. Sapp has asked all teachers to revisit the bullying policy from the handbook with our children, to discuss their rights and responsibilities (a copy will be sent home in Friday folders!) and also utilize a "comment box" in each of our classrooms. The children can either write about a concern or a complement they have for a classmate. Please talk with your child about this, review the rights and responsibilities and also, spend a little time discussing when things need to be reported and when things might be solved on their own. We will continue to work on these social skills as much as possible, but reinforcement from home is crucial.
As always, please email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions or concerns.

1/11/11

2011-01-11T14:15:00.001-08:00

I am so very proud of your children - they did a beautiful job today during their ceremony. They worked so hard and were so excited for this afternoon. Congratulations to them all!

Tuesday, 1/11/11

2011-01-10T05:48:00.000-08:00

Remember the Chaga Humash (horrible spelling, I'm sorry!) is Tuesday afternoon, starting at 2:00. Also, Tuesday is "2nd Grade Night" at the basketball games. You should have received a flier in the Friday folder about this fun night - free food, raffle prizes, special recognition! Come for part of the evening or the whole night. Should the festivities need to be rescheduled due to weather, we will post this information on the blog. See you Tuesday!

1/7/11 Weekly Newsletter

2011-01-09T14:26:00.000-08:00

I left school on Friday and completely forgot that I hadn't yet posted this...so sorry! The children had a busy week last week and seem to be back in our routine. In Math, we are moving toward adding with multiple addends...35 + 24 for example...and we will be making the big jump to carrying over the next week or two. They were very impressed when they learned they could add into the millions (without carrying yet!) and thought they were very clever. I hope they came home and told you they were adding with gigantic numbers!

This week, we wrapped up a chapter on geography in Social Studies. There won't be a test on this, but we did complete a review sheet on Friday, so I could determine what knowledge they gained. We are moving into a Science unit on food webs and I'm looking forward to teaching them about how interconnected nature is.

We've been reading in small groups, working on comprehension and fluency, and next will be discussing following directions. Many 2nd graders struggle with following multi-step directions and reading directions carefully, so I'm looking forward to sharing with them how important directions are in every part of their lives. Coordinated with this is our grammar study of verbs and sentence predicates. Language Arts keeps us busy! We have also started our latest read aloud, Mr. Popper's Penguins, and I'll be using this charming story to teach them about cause and effect.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at the Chag Humash (I know I didn't spell that correctly!) on Tuesday - I'm so proud of how hard they have been working on this. As always, please email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions or concerns.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-04T17:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable break. We are doing a great job getting back into our routine. I'm excited to have some solid educational time, with only one day off this month, barring any snow days, that is.

Please continue to practice the basic facts as we will be moving into 2 digit addition, with an eye toward carrying! This is big stuff folks. Even those students who have some experience with carrying can benefit from practice and will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge with story problems.

All 2nd graders are expected to be consistently using capitals and punctuation in their sentences. If you happen to see some writing from your children that lacks these components, please remind them to double check their sentences. I've also been emphasizing fluency in our reading out loud - ask your children if their reading would get a speeding ticket from Mrs. Buster! Reading slowly and watching punctuation is something you can practice when you read together at home.

Email me if you have any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

12-17-10 2nd Grade Weekly Newsletter

2010-12-17T05:04:00.000-08:00

The snow was really exciting this week - please remember to send your children with warm clothes, boots, hats, etc. as we hope to go outside as much as possible. They really need to get out and clear their heads and having proper clothing is important.

We will not have a spelling test next week. In Language Arts, we are wrapping up our study of Frog and Toad are Friends. We've been able to include discussions of friendship, story elements, table of contents and setting. We will choose other stories about Frog and Toad next week and practice our fluency, reading with expression and watching punctuation when reading aloud...ask your children if they receive "traffic tickets" when they read to me! I issue these when they "speed" through a period or exceed the "reading speed limit." These are important habits to establish and we will continue to practice throughout the year. Modeling good read aloud behaviors at home really help in this area.

Our Math studies have us finishing Unit 3 in Everyday Math. Keep those basic addition and subtraction skills sharp, and spend a few minutes over break reviewing...quick recall is an important basis going forward. In Social Studies, we continue to apply the map skills we learned in the fall and we will be discussing landforms, bodies of water and physical maps. Science has us finishing our discussions of environments, which we were able to relate to our Frog and Toad unit as well.

I hope you and your families have a wonderful, relaxing Winter Break and that the children will arrive ready to go in January - we will start right out of the gate. Finally, I will be taking on the responsibility of teaching 5th grade in the afternoons after Winter Break. Ostensibly, you wouldn't notice any difference from the 2nd grade perspective, but I wanted you to be aware. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns via email at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

12/10/10 Weekly Newsletter

2010-12-10T05:53:00.000-08:00

Phew- what a week this has been! Such excitement and activities. Your children did a wonderful job in the Hanukkah Show - I was so very proud of their performance! Here's a quick update on what's been happening in our classroom in between all the festivities.

We are continuing our "Frog and Toad" series - we've been reading stories by Arnold Lobel. It's been fun to learn more about these characters while we study story elements. I've also been weaving a friendship theme, which we can always spend more time talking about. We will continue with this until the end of December. We will also have another spelling unit next week and that will be the last one until Winter Break. Please reinforce using neat handwriting on ALL work, as we will be transitioning to cursive late in January.

In Social Studies, we are using our map skills to learn about landforms and continents and oceans. I hope they remember their basic map skills from the beginning of the year! Science has us learning about a variety of environments and habitats. They really get excited about our content areas and I'm looking forward to doing more experiments and hands on projects after Winter break.

Thanks for all your support and effort to keep your children on track. It's my pleasure to be with them every day. If you have any questions, please email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

Hanukkah Activities

2010-12-07T06:45:00.000-08:00

Wow - what a week! Remember the Hanukkah carnival is Wednesday, December 8. Tickets are $.25 each and there are usually a dozen different games to play. The amount of money you send in is at your discretion. I will provide labeled baggies for the children to put their tickets in while they are at the carnival. Be sure to attend the Hanukkah Hop tonight, Tuesday, December 7 starting at 4:30 at CJDS. Also, the Hanukkah show will be Thursday, December 9 at 9:30 in the shul. Don't miss this exciting performance!

The only homework for the whole week is the spelling and I talked at great lengths with the class about budgeting their time, knowing how many wonderful things are happening. Hopefully they spoke with you and are managing the one homework assignment for the week. Thanks for your help with maintaining our spelling routine.

Again, a very Happy Hanukkah to your family!

Enjoy the holidays!

2010-12-01T18:42:00.000-08:00

A very Happy Hanukkah to you and your families! The children were so excited today - they shared their enthusiasm with me and it was a delight to hear about all the plans with family and friends to share the days ahead. Don't forget the Hanukkah Hop next Tuesday afternoon, the Hanukkah Carnival next Wednesday (pre-sale tickets are available on Tuesday - $.25 each) and the Hanukkah show next Thursday at 9:30.

See you next week and enjoy!

Time flies!

2010-11-30T05:04:00.000-08:00

Where did November go? A great big congratulations to your children for doing such a great job at the Thanksgiving show. They really are a talented group!

We will have our usual spelling routine this week, as well as each of the full weeks of school in December. I know there will be gatherings, etc. for the Hanukkah holidays, but receiving the spelling homework on Monday will hopefully allow you to budget your time based on your family's schedule. Tests will be Friday mornings, so don't wait until the last minute to prepare!

Please continue to review the basic addition and subtraction facts with your children. Many are still not as quick as I would like with these building blocks and we will need a stronger foundation as we move forward in our math learning. Remind them of the turnarounds or as we like to call them, "buy one, get one free or BOGO!" If you know 9+6 then you also know 6+9.

Remember the Hanukkah carnival is next Wednesday and the Hanukkah show is next Thursday - lots of excitement during our days, partnered with lots of learning in between these great opportunities to celebrate the holidays! As always, please email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions or concerns.

11/19/10 Weekly Newsletter

2010-11-19T05:10:00.000-08:00

Another week passing by - where does the time go? Here are the quick points...

There will not be any spelling next week - enjoy the break from the packets!
Remember to come to CTA next Wednesday at 9:30 for the Thanksgiving Show in the shul
The Book Fair ends today (Friday) at 2:00, so if you have any last minute purchases, you can make those today only
Hanukkah gift tags based on artwork from the 2nd grade are on sale in the office - 5 tags for $4.00!
Please help your children remember to bring back their assignment books and homework folders EVERY DAY. We've had a rash of "I forgot it-itis" this past week and it's really important that these organizational habits are established early on in their education - it will help so much when they are older, believe me!

Please remember if you have any questions or concerns, you can reach me most easily at mlbuster@torahacademy.org

2010-11-18T04:59:00.000-08:00

It was very nice to see so many parents yesterday during conferences. Keeping in touch and having regular communication is important to your child's success, so please continue to email or phone me with any questions or concerns at any time. If for some reason you were not able to come in on conference day, but would still like to meet, send me an email and we can schedule a time to talk.

Did you know your children were helping to raise money for CTA? For sale now in the Main Office are Hanukkah gift tags, created from artwork by your children! A package of 5 gift tags can be purchased for $4.00 each. All of my holiday gifts will have these darling gift tags, and I'm not even Jewish!

Don't forget the Thanksgiving show, presented next Wednesday at 9:30 in the shul, for grades K-4. It will be quite a morning!

Also, remember our spelling test this Friday. There will not be any spelling during the week of Thanksgiving, but we still have this week's test to get through. Thanks!

11-12-10 Weekly Newsletter

2010-11-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

Yea - 2:00 Fridays! We had a great day today, with a little extra time together since Morah Minna was out today. She should be back on Monday, but we still fit in our Parsha talk and time with Moret Dror for Judaics.

We have started our mystery unit - the children are very excited and we are using a combination of non-fiction, fiction read-aloud and fiction guided reading. Our goal is to be writing mystery stories of our own, but to write a good mystery, we first need to read some good mysteries. We have moved to parts of speech in Language Arts and will investigate nouns, verbs and noun-verb agreement in sentences for the next few weeks.

Our Science unit on Animals is continuing with Environments and Habitats. We will be weaving Social Studies through our weeks as well. Keep an eye out for new vocabulary to review and I'll give you a week's notice before our next test.

Remember to schedule your conferences by contacting Norma at nwhitmyre@torahacademy.org or phone the school office. Due to conferences, there will be NO SCHOOL next Wednesday. As always, please contact me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions or concerns.

Progress Reports Information

2010-11-10T10:42:00.000-08:00

In an effort to better understand the report cards that will be sent out Friday, I’ve put together some guidelines for you to use as you check your child’s progress through second grade. If your child receives an “S” in any areas, you can be assured they doing exactly what is expected from a second grader. They are making satisfactory progress and are showing they are capable of doing what is required of them. If you see an “S+,” that informs you they are doing better than expected on a consistent basis. Both of these grades should be looked upon favorably. Should your child receive an “S-“ in an area, that shows they are making progress, but it’s either inconsistent or still an area that needs attention. “N” means they are not meeting the standards and expectations in that area, and those are discussion topics for our conferences so we can partner to find ways to assist your child work harder and do better in that part of their learning or development. In order to receive an “E,” I expect the children to consistently achieve at a level higher than most second graders and to go above and beyond when given the opportunity. There will be more activities to “go for the E” as we have started to call it, both on tests and class work. Encourage your child to always go the extra step, as it could boost their assessments and their confidence. The challenge words are an example from the Spelling tests…if the children spell all the words correctly, write the Spelling sentence correctly and spell the challenge words correctly, they achieve an “E” on their Spelling test that week. I will endeavor to point out “E” opportunities when they are made available – some of the children have already started to note these and are really excited about the chance.

I hope this helps clarify for you and please bring up any questions you may have when we meet for conferences next week. If you haven't already phoned the school office to schedule our meeting time for November 17, please do so as soon as possible!

11/5/10 Weekly Newsletter

2010-11-05T10:51:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update - I've got to get to work on the report cards that will be coming home next week! We have finished our author study on Tomie DePaola. The children really got excited about this author/illustrator and our unit culminated with letters to him...we're hoping he writes back! We'll be moving to reading and writing mysteries starting next week.

Science has been a huge hit and they have really enjoyed our experiments. I loved discussing what a scientist does if the hypothesis is proved wrong - see what they have to tell you about this! We'll continue with Science until Thanksgiving, but will be including Social Studies concepts throughout our learning as well.

If you haven't already done so, please contact the main office to schedule a conference on November 17. I'm anxious to tell you all the wonderful things I've come to know about your child as a learner and to talk about ways we can work together to strengthen their education.

Remember to dress your children for the weather and also, next week starts our 2:00 Friday schedule. Yeah! Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments and looking forward to seeing everyone the week after next.

Science Test!

2010-11-02T04:48:00.000-07:00

Yet another reason why I love teaching 2nd grade - they were really excited when I announced the upcoming Science test! Upper grades usually groan and moan with an announcement like that. We'll see if 2nd graders feel the same after the test.

You should have seen the study guide come home in the homework folder Monday night. The test will be very straightforward...matching for the definitions, fill in the blank (with a word bank) for other concepts. They will be asked to label the parts of the plant. The ability to earn an "E" on this test will require students to not only label the parts of the plant, but also identify the purpose of those parts. That paper will be coming home tonight. Good luck with studying!

Spelling adjustment

2010-11-01T15:50:00.000-07:00

If you would prefer, please feel free to substitute the word "spelling" for the word "Halloween" in this week's spelling words. No fuss will be made about the choice in class - I will say "you can either write 'spelling' or 'Halloween'" for one of the numbers. Sorry for any inconvenience and for your understanding with the substitution!

Brrrrr.......

2010-11-01T04:42:00.000-07:00

The days are really getting chilly - please remember that we go outside for recess unless the temperature is well below freezing, so the children need to be dressed appropriately so they are comfortable outdoors. We do not have the supervision available for children to stay indoors if they don't have the proper clothing, so please help us out by checking they are prepared before they leave in the morning. Thanks!

Weekly Newsletter, 10-29-10

2010-10-29T05:18:00.000-07:00

We are barrelling toward the end of the first quarter - impossible to believe we are already that far into the year! We are working hard to finish a few things so I can include the information in progress reports. Please be sure if your child is absent or has work sent home on Friday that he or she needs to finish, that you complete the assignment and send it back to me ASAP. I spend a great deal of time chasing papers, and I need to be sure your child has learned the skills taught to complete progress reports accurately. Thanks for your help with this.

In general, homework for the week will be spelling, which you can do at your own pace and is due on Fridays, math twice a week (due the next morning after assigned) and either a Language or Social Studies or Science paper. Regarding the reading charts...you will have noticed that each night there is reading homework and each night this homework is done, the chart should be signed. Developing the habit of reading, either independently, or with you, is very important. Please try to find the time to get this homework done each evening.

We will have a Science test next week. I will send home a study guide on Monday, but if you have been working on the Vocabulary cards, you are already in good shape. It will be very straight-forward, but the children will need to study. Looking forward to seeing how this will go.

Please forward any concerns or comments to me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org and have a great weekend!

Spelling Review Unit

2010-10-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you had a chance to look at the Spelling packet for the week, you might have been surprised. It's a review unit, and there are 30 words...you should have seen the looks on the children's faces! We discussed how all of these words should already have been studied and how the whole goal of spelling is not just to memorize the words for the test and then forget them, but to "own" them and start using them in everyday spelling. This goal would mean they already learned how to spell the words and shouldn't have any trouble with this week's test. I will only give them 20 words on the actual test, but they should still review all of them. Keep in mind all of these words are ones they should recognize easily and know how to spell as second graders, so the application of their spelling knowledge is really important here.

I provide the children with a Spelling packet on Mondays. The packet is due on Friday, along with the test for that week. It's up to you and your child to decide how to manage this homework assignment. However, waiting until Thursday doesn't really give them enough time to practice the words, so be sure to at least take a look at the words on Monday and start studying a little each day. In general, I will have the spelling packet and one other assignment for homework most nights. All homework is written in the Assignment Book and if for some reason they don't have their assignment book, the children are to write down the homework for that day on a piece of paper and put it into their homework folder. Thank you for helping be sure assignment books and homework folders come back to school each day. And when I say thank you, it's for reminding the children to put their things in their backpack...I can't tell you how many times they have told me "my mother/father didn't put my folder back in my backpack," to which I respond "that's your job, not your mother/father's job!" Oh, the things they tell me!

Thanks for your help with this!

Weekly Newsletter 10-22-10

2010-10-22T04:54:00.000-07:00

I wish this weather could last a month or two. The cool, crisp mornings and the beautiful sunny afternoons are my favorite. The children have really been noticing the differences in the weather and in the fall changes as well. Their observations always make me smile!

We have been continuing our Tomie DePaola author study. After reading quite a few of his books and talking about his style, his topics, etc. we are preparing to write to this popular author. There is also a project in the works where we will put words to a wordless picture book by DePaola and create a PhotoStory project that should be pretty exciting. Stay tuned for more information about that. Please continue to remind your children about proper sentence format - every sentence must begin with a capital letter and end with punctuation (yes, they know that word!) and each sentence should have a naming part and an action part (subject/predicate, but we'll hold off on those terms for now.) Also, we are NOT using cursive writing until after Winter break at the earliest, so please remind your children to hold off. I want to develop proper habits for cursive and those who are experimenting with their cursive styles already aren't necessarily forming the letters correctly.

We are discussing Plants and Animals in Science and initiated our first "experiment" today. It is an experiment of observation, and we will be keeping a record of what we see. I will be sending home another bag of vocabulary in their homework folders and will add to it periodically throughout our Science unit. The purpose here is for the children to "own" the words. You can help with reviews of the words and definitions, use in sentences, etc. so they can easily identify and understand the words.

Math has us continuing our practice and use of basic facts. Interestingly, most of the children have not improved in their time test - many have gone backwards! Be sure to take a few minutes here and there to throw out a few quick facts for practice. Car rides are great times for fact reviews and spelling practice if your family spends as much time driving around as mine. Thanks for helping cement their quick recall of those basic facts, as they are the basis of so much more to come.

Grandparents/Special Persons Day should be fun, crazy, exciting and wonderful. Plan on big crowds, so if you have someone who moves a little more slowly, you might want to get here a little early to avoid the rush. The day runs from 11:00-1:00. Each grade has a short presentation (ours is a song and a poem!) after we enjoy lunch together. Check the Dateline for more information.

Please email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademy.org which I check in the morning and the evening from home. You can also leave me a voicemail, but to be honest, I'm much better about checking email than voicemail. I'm trying to do better! Enjoy this fall weather.

Grandparents/Special Person's Day

2010-10-20T04:58:00.000-07:00

Please remember that our Grandparent's/Special Person's Day will be held on Monday, October 25 here at school. Our guests will enjoy a luncheon with the students, followed by a short presentation in the shul. The 2nd graders are preparing a poem in General Studies and a song in Judaics. We look forward to seeing everyone next Monday.

Newsletter 10/15/10

2010-10-15T05:48:00.000-07:00

The children continue to progress well through their school work. We have been working on blends in our Spelling and sentence structures in Grammar - some of them are doing so well remembering capital letters and punctuation. We will continue discussing types of sentences - can't wait until when we talk about exclamatory sentences, as it could get loud and exciting!

Our math has us continuing with addition facts - our individual goals will be to increase the speed that we remember those basic facts. Try to fit in some quick quizzes here and there - driving back and forth to and from school is a great time to practice. After we have a few timed tests under our belt, I will be in contact with anyone who would benefit from practicing with flash cards.

We are putting our Social Studies learning of communities and government aside and moving to Science. You will find Science vocabulary cards about Life Science in the homework folder next week. Spend a few minutes during the week talking about those words to review/reinforce the vocabulary for our unit during homework time.

Included in your Friday folder is a reading chart for you to complete - when yours is filled in, send it back and I will replace it - it's two weeks worth of reading practice. Those children who send theirs in completed on time will get a sticker on our reading chart and be able to earn some free reading time, so thanks for your support. And speaking of homework, I'm hearing a lot of excuses - "I couldn't get my homework finished because ________" (insert of wide variety of excuses!) Please be sure to find the time for homework, even if it needs to be done in the car on the way to and from your activities. Establishing those good study habits is crucial as your children progress through school and there ALWAYS needs to be time for homework. Thanks for your help in this area.

Please email me at mlbuster@torahacademy with any questions or concerns and enjoy your weekend!

Weekly Newsletter 10-8-10

2010-10-08T05:24:00.000-07:00

A whole week of school - whew, I'm tired! Your children have worked really hard this week and I believe have settled into our routine very nicely. We are still trying to remember the right times to talk and the right times to listen. You will find how your child did with this when you see the weekly reports I'm sending home with each of them. These reports will give you a sense of how they did with their school work and their behavior.

In Language Arts (reading, writing, grammar) we are immersed in our Tomie DePaola unit. We will be reading a variety of books by this author/illustrator and will be involved in a variety of projects based on our reading. Our focus will be sequencing, story elements and characterization. We reviewed sentences and established the expectation of how each and every sentence starts and finishes, as well as the fact that sentences need a "naming" part and an "action" part. Our math time continues to work with place value, a review of basic facts, and number stories (formerly known as word problems!) Our timed tests will be based on your child's individual progress - they will only be working to increase their own accuracy and speed each time they take a test.

Social Studies finds us discussing communities and government - they were supposed to ask you how you felt about paying taxes and then talk about how the taxes provide services (schools, roads, parks, etc.) We are also implementing our Second Step programming regularly - we will alternate these discussions between General Studies and Judaics. Look for information about the specific social skills to come home so you can extend their learning.

As always, please email me with any questions or concerns at mlbuster@torahacademyhacademy

First week of school?

2010-10-07T04:16:00.000-07:00

So in many ways, this feels like our first official week of school! After all the wonderful holidays in September, I am really excited about getting into our routine and moving forward, full steam ahead. Look back at this blog for a more complete newsletter by the end of the week, but I wanted to remind everyone that we will have our spelling test this Friday and that we've begun timed tests for basic math facts. Each child's goal for these timed tests will vary - some need to still work on practicing accuracy; others who have mastered the basics will be working to increase their speed. I am charting the results so I can determine how best to help each child in this area.

Also, be on the lookout for a behavior report to come home with the children at the end of each week. This will update about the choices your child has made through the week with regards to behavior and work habits and if there is work that needs to be finished at home, it will be attached. It is my expectation that these reports be discussed with your child and signed and returned in the Friday folder on Monday morning, along with any work that needed to be completed. Thanks for your help in keeping the children on track.

Accordion folders

2010-09-28T05:03:00.000-07:00

I've been asked to post the categories for labeling the accordion folders. Remember, it's a great idea to spend a few minutes with your child going through the papers that come home, talking about the results and then practicing with them to file the papers in the correct folder. Not only does this give you a great way to save their work from 2nd grade, but it also helps to teach them organizational skills - a vital study habit to start early! Anyway, if you labeled the folders in the following way, you should have a section for everything...math, social studies, science, language arts (this would include reading, grammar, and writing,) spelling, Hebrew and Judaics. If your folder has more slots, I would recommend you split up the reading and grammar from the writing. Please let me know if you have any other questions about this process.

Brrrrr......

2010-09-27T14:52:00.000-07:00

Well, the weather certainly took a turn...please be sure your children are dressed for the weather. It's actually a great discussion time for them to look at the forecast with you and get a sense of what temperatures are comfortable and when it's time to wear warmer clothes and jackets. Today, it was pretty chilly eating in the sukkah (I'm sure I didn't spell that correctly!) so please be sure the children wear a jacket. We do not have the ability to keep anyone in from recess if they aren't dressed properly, so please plan ahead and double check what they have on when they leave the house in the morning. Thank you very much for your help in this area.

Short week

2010-09-19T16:34:00.000-07:00

Of course you all know this is a short week, so there will not be any spelling work or test.

Also, please remember to send in simple, healthy snacks for our snack time - something quick and easy to eat is the best, so we don't use up too much time or waste anything. Thanks!

We're in the news!

2010-09-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

Check out the Metro section of today's Columbus Dispatch - the second grade class is featured in an article about Yom Kippur.

Thanks!

2010-09-16T16:33:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who came by during Meet the Teacher Night this week. If you were unable to join us, you will find a summary of the information I shared in your child's Friday folder. Please let me know if you have any questions about 2nd grade. Remember, with the September schedule being so erratic, we are still not at full strength with our routines, schedules and other resources in school. I appreciate your patience as we work out the details and expect things to fall into place in early October.

Remember our spelling test will be Friday morning...the children should return their spelling homework from the week tomorrow morning and hopefully have been practicing their words throughout the week - don't wait until the last minute! There will not be spelling homework or a test next week.

Meet the Teacher Night

2010-09-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

Please be sure to join us for "Meet the Teacher Night" this Wednesday, September 15. The 2nd grade General Studies session will be from 7:55 - 8:15 in Room 7. Remember, this is an evening to share information about how 2nd grade works overall. If you have questions or concerns about your child, please email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org so we can schedule a conference as soon as possible.

I look forward to meeting all of you and telling you as much as possible about 2nd grade! If you are unable to join us, I will be sending home a packet of information in the Friday folders. Again, if you have specific questions about your child, I invite you to email your concerns and we can talk privately. Thank you very much for your cooperation and understanding.

Assignment Book

2010-09-01T19:27:00.000-07:00

Please be sure your child has an assignment book, which can be purchased from the school office. This is a very good study habit to begin developing, but it is a challenge to guide the children through using this tool when so many still don't have the book! Thanks for your cooperation. By the way, this assignment book is a great place to jot down any transportation changes, or reminders for the children about how they are getting home. This way, instead of worrying, they can just take a look in their assignment book for that day and be reassured of their plans.

Don't forget to study for the spelling test this Friday. The challenge words are optional, but I encourage the children to give those a try. I will see how the test goes this week and then decide if any adjustments to the procedure needs to be made.

Remember Meet the Teacher Night has been rescheduled for September 15 - see everyone then!

Smile!

2010-08-31T17:46:00.000-07:00

Don't forget, picture day is Wednesday, September 1. The forms were sent home last Friday. If you cannot locate your form, there are extras at the front office. All children will be photographed, even if you do not order photos. Also, Meet the Teacher Night has been changed to September 15, same time, same place.

Great news - the children earned enough "warm fuzzies" for an extra recess. We still have a long way to go with remembering some of our classroom rules and hallway manners, but this is progress and I'm proud of them. Ask them about some of our rules and why they are so important. You might also ask them about how they can be a "bucket filler" and not a "bucket dipper." More information on that at our Meet the Teacher Night!

Spelling Homework!

2010-08-30T13:35:00.000-07:00

Today, the children received their spelling homework for the week. Hopefully you can find it in their "homework folder." I will send home the spelling packet on Mondays and it is due on Friday. You may decide how to manage the work through the week - a great lesson in time management! The spelling tests will be on Friday, and will be the usual set-up - I will say the word and use it in a sentence, then the children need to remember how the word is spelled and write it on their test paper. They will also need to write a sentence I will dictate - the emphasis here is on capitalization and punctuation in addition to correct spelling. With the schedule in September, we won't have spelling every week - check the blog to find out!

First Day of School

2010-08-24T18:50:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm exhausted after our first day and I'm guessing your children have long since gone to bed. The class did a great job today and I'm so glad we've finally met. We spent time today going over expectations, school and classroom rules and getting our supplies organized. They were most dismayed not to have morning recess, but while we aren't going outside, we will still have a morning break and snack. Please be sure to send in snack for your children - just something quick, easy and healthy to get them through their morning. We will be working hard on remembering classroom manners and hallway manners, especially not cutting in line and not interrupting others! Thanks in advance for some extra reminders from home. Please let me know if you have any questions about our day or anything else.

I'm on email!

2010-08-20T16:59:00.000-07:00

My email account is up and running. Email is the very best way to get in touch with me, so hopefully many of you use email to communicate. Of course, I will be checking my voice mail, but please feel free to email me at mlbuster@torahacademy.org with any questions or concerns at any point during the year.

Thanks! MLB

Welcome to 2nd Grade!

2010-08-19T16:55:00.000-07:00

Hello CTA families! I'm so excited to meet everyone on our first day of school. Our classroom is ready for you to come and start learning. I have so many things planned for us this year. But first we need to learn about each other.

Enjoy the last few days of summer and I'll see everyone bright and early Tuesday morning. Look for me in front of the school - I'll be holding up a sign that says "2nd Grade!"