Final Week of School!

On our field trip students were able to take a couple of nice hikes.  More photos below and in the photo gallery.

Volunteer Appreciation Celebration!
If you have volunteered in any way to support our Silver Springs community, the Silver Springs Staff would like to say THANK YOU!  Please join us at a Volunteer Appreciation Celebration on Thursday, June 11th, beginning at 8:15 AM in our library.  Also, please plan on joining us for a special Volunteer Appreciation Presentation at our last assembly of the year at 9:15 AM as our school family celebrates another amazing year of volunteers working with staff and students.

Half Day this Thursday, Final Day of School
This Thursday is the final day of school, it is also a half day.  Students will be dismissed at 11:55 AM.

Report Cards
Report cards for all Silver Springs students will go home on Thursday.  I plan to put them in the Monday envelope and tuck them into your students teal folder.

Curriculum Overview
Literacy - In both reading and writing we have been conducting research, taking notes, and writing a non-fiction report about plants.  Students will put the final touches on those reports this week.

Math - To end the year students are conducting their own survey in Room A-2 and creating a graph to show the results.

Science - This week we will check in again on our experiment to see if different groups of plants can survive without water, air, or sunlight.

Leadership - We are adding our final math assessments to our leadership notebook.

On our field trip we came across this turtle.

Class Field Trip is This Wednesday, June 3rd

Students make flowers for the upcoming volunteer appreciation breakfast.

Field Trip to Walled Lake Outdoor Education Center
The field trip to the Walled Lake Outdoor Education Center is this Wednesday, June 3rd.  On that Wednesday don't forget to send you child with a booster seat if they are under 8-years-old, this is Michigan Law.  All students need to bring a sack lunch and drink as well.  A full sheet of filed trip guidelines went home in the Monday envelope today.  If possible students are also being asked to bring an old sock for one of the experiments.  Most important however, is the booster seats and sack lunch.

School Field Day is This Thursday
Field day is coming!  Field day is Thursday, June 4th from 1:00-2:40.  We still need your help to make this a successful day for all of our students.  If you are able to help, please visit the sign up genius to sign up for a station. 
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040E4AAFAC2CA02-field

Here are a few Field Day reminders from Ms. Phillips: Please send your student to school with appropriate clothes and shoes. Apply sunscreen at home.  Make sure to put your student’s name and teacher’s name on their water bottle

Home Reading Books in the Bright Orange Bag
Thanks for getting those bags back to me!

Curriculum Overview
Literacy - In both reading and writing we have been conducting research, taking notes, and writing a non-fiction report about plants.

Math - We took a geometry exam today on 2 dimensional shapes, 3 dimensional shapes, and patterns.  To end the year we will be working on creating graphs with our iPads.

Science - This week some classes will be taking our end of unit exam on plants and life cycles.  We will also check in on our experiment to see if different groups of plants can survive without water, air, or sunlight.

Social Studies with Mrs. Heron - This week students are wrapping up our last Social Studies unit by taking our test on How Communities Change.

Word Study with Mrs. Sepich - This week students will work on entering the final 5 vocabulary words into their journals.  These words came from the book “Crab Moon.”  Students will be given an end of the year assessment (the same that was given at the beginning) on spelling and word patterns.

Leadership - We are practicing songs for an end of school sing-a-long.

Second Grade Field Trip is Next Wednesday, June 3rd

Students have been working in partners to research different animals.

Field Trip to Walled Lake Outdoor Education Center
Thank you so much for getting in all of those permission slips and admittance fees in to me.  The field trip to the Walled Lake Outdoor Education Center is next Wednesday, June 3rd.  On that Wednesday don't forget to send you child with a booster seat if needed.

Multicultural Festival
The Silver Springs Multicultural Festival is this Friday, May 29th from 6 to 8PM.  I plan on attending and hope to see you there!

Home Reading Books in the Bright Orange Bag
Please make sure your student brings back their Take Home Reading Books to me this week.  Unfortunately, I need to collect all those lending books so I can have them ready for next year.

Monday Envelopes
To make things easier today I had students place the contents of their Monday envelopes directly into their teal folders.  I did not include a Bear Paw Reading Log since we are so close to the end of the school year.

Volunteer Appreciation Celebration
If you have volunteered in any way to support our Silver Springs community, the Silver Springs Staff would like to say THANK YOU!  Please join us at a Volunteer Appreciation Celebration on Thursday, June 11th, beginning at 8:15 AM in our library.  Also, please plan on joining us for a special Volunteer Appreciation Presentation at our last assembly of the year at 9:15 AM as our school family celebrates another amazing year of volunteers working with staff and students.

Curriculum Overview
Literacy - In both reading and writing we have been conducting research, taking notes, and writing a non-fiction report about plants.

Math - In math we are studying geometry including 2 dimensional shapes, 3 dimensional shapes, and patterns.  Thank you for helping your students build those 3 dimensional shapes I have been sending home. 

Science - Our end of unit exam on plants and life cycles is coming up, look for a study guide to go home this week.

Social Studies with Mrs. Heron - Last week we learned that people can shape or change history.  We focused on Abraham Lincoln and learned how his character traits and actions helped shape our country’s history.

Word Study with Mrs. Sepich - Word sorts will come home for Sepich and Heron this week.   There will be ONE more word sort before the year ends.  We will then spend the rest of our time together with a final set of vocabulary words from the book “Crab Moon” as well as review words from the entire year.

Leadership - In class we will be working in partners to make flowers for the Volunteer Appreciation Celebration. 

Please send in your child's orange 'Take Home Books' bag.

Second graders pose for the all school photo.

School Photo This Wednesday

I've been impressed with how much Room A-2 students grew as readers this year.

Here is the update for the week:

School Photo
On Wednesday, May 20th, we will be taking an all school photo.  For the picture specific grade levels need to wear certain colors.  Second graders are being asked to wear yellow.

Music Exam
As I mentioned last week all second grade students will have a rhythm post-test in music during the week of May 18-22.  There is a practice video that your child can use on Mrs. Kreiss's website:  mrskreiss.weebly.com/second-grade.  All rhythms on the test are included in the video.  Please make sure your child practices at home.

Important Upcoming Dates
Monday, May 25th - No School - Memorial Day
Friday, May 29th - Silver Springs Multi-cultural Festival, 6-8 PM

Curriculum Overview
Literacy - In both reading and writing we will have been conducting research and taking notes in preparation for writing a non-fiction report about plants.

Math - In math we will begin a new geometry unit.  There will be a test on multiplication and division this Wednesday, a study guide went home on Friday.

Science - This week we will begin an experiment to determine whether or not plants need water, air, and sunlight to survive.

Social Studies with Mrs. Heron - Last week students learned about timelines and created their own.  We also began learning about how communities change over time and read a great book showing this called The House on Maple Street.  We will be wrapping up this unit this week and will have our test probably next week or the week after.  Please look for a study guide and packet to come home soon.

Word Study with Mrs. Sepich - We will continue to work with the word sorts & vocabulary words from Stellaluna.  Ask your child to show you when they find one of our vocabulary words from the year in a book they are reading!

Leadership - In class we are working on Habit 6 - Synergize. 

Lorax Project - Students Should Wear Old Clothes on Monday

On Monday students will work to beautify school grounds.  All students should come dressed with clothes that can get dirty.

Here is the update for the week:

Lorax Project
Next week Silver Springs students will be participating in a 'Lorax Project' to beautify the grounds around our school.  New plants will be planted, mulch will be spread, etc.  Our class is going outside on Monday to help out.  On Monday make sure your student comes to school wearing clothing that can get dirty!

Music Exam
All second grade students will have a rhythm post-test in music during the week of May 18-22.  There is a practice video that your child can use on Mrs. Kreiss's website:  mrskreiss.weebly.com/second-grade.  All rhythms on the test are included in the video.  Please make sure your child practices at home.

Field Trip
On Wednesday, June 3rd, second grade students will be leaving school for a field trip to the Walled Lake Nature Center.  A packet with a permission slip went home a few weeks ago.  If you haven't already, please fill out the permission slip and send it back with your student.

Mother's Day
All students went home on Friday with a Mother's Day letter in their teal folder.  Dads might need to remind them to get the letter out in time for Sunday.

Curriculum Overview
Literacy - In both reading and writing we will begin research in preparation for writing a non-fiction report about plants.

Math - In math we are learning different ways to solve and represent multiplication and division problems.  The problems students struggle with the most involve algebra,  questions like 3 x 9 = 20 + ?

Science - This week we are studying where seeds come from and how a plant's lifecycle is completed.  We will also begin an experiment to prove that plants need water, air, and sunlight to survive.

Social Studies with Mrs. Heron - Last week students began our new unit which began by studying the past.  We learned that historians can study the past by looking at photographs, reading books about the past, looking at artifacts, and by asking people. 

Word Study with Mrs. Sepich - We will continue to work with the word sorts & vocabulary words from Stellaluna.  Ask your child to show you when they find one of our vocabulary words from the year in a book they are reading!

Leadership - In class we are working on Habit 6 - Synergize. 

Don't Miss The Music Assignment from Mrs. Kreiss

Students use iPads to photograph and magnify their germinating seeds.

Here is the update for the week:

Music News and Assignment
Second grade classes are learning about the brass family in music class.  Please go to Mrs. Kreiss's website (mrskreiss.weebly.com/second-grade) to complete an assignment for music class.  On that page, you will see a video about the brass family.  Watch the video and write two things you learned about the brass family in the comment box to the right of the video.  We will  continue the lesson in music class!

NWEA Testing for Spring
The students worked really hard last week during the NWEA literacy exam.  This Thursday, May 7th we will be taking the math portion of the exam.  Please make sure that your students get a good night’s rest and a healthy breakfast before the exam.

Poetry Cafe
Thank you for all of those who attended and helped out with the Poetry Cafe.  The students were really excited to be reading their compositions for an audience.  Thanks for the great time.

Teacher Appreciation Day
Thank you so much for all of the notes you sent in with students this morning.  It was a great start to my week.  If you haven't already, please help your child write a letter for our afternoon custodian Charlene.  Many of the students have never met her, but she cleans our room every night, and since she was hired Room A-2 has been a markedly cleaner classroom.

Curriculum Overview
Literacy - In literacy we will be working on summarizing and synthesizing the text we read.  As we read we will look for the most important information and big ideas and we will work to summarize and share what we learn in writing.

Writing - Students will be working on a Mother's Day letter this week.  We will also begin research in preparation for writing a non-fiction report about plants.

Math - In math we are working on multiplication and division and different ways to solve and represent multiplication and division problems.

Science - We are watching the seeds we planted in plastic bags go through the germination process and begin growing.  We have been using iPads to photograph and zoom in on the seeds to examine the transformation they are going through.  This week we will also begin looking at where seeds come from and how the plant lifecycle is completed.

Social Studies with Mrs. Heron - Last week we wrapped up unit 4 by taking our test.  We are beginning our new unit this week called "How do Communities Change?"  which we will exploring our community's past.

Word Study with Mrs. Sepich - This week we will be working with the new word sorts words as well as adding the new vocabulary words to our journals.  When the journals come home over the summer, save them to review the words learned over the course of this year.

Leadership - In class we are working on Habit 6 - Synergize.  Mrs. Hunt is also leading a Sharpen the Saw activity on Friday afternoon.

A Room A-2 student reads a poem at our Poetry Cafe.

Mrs. Hunt ordered Room A-2 a new classroom rug!

Germination! / Poetry Cafe this Friday

In science we are making observations as seeds germinate.

Hello everyone, here is the update for the week.

NWEA Testing for Spring
Spring NWEA testing begins this week.  Our days for testing are as follows:  This Tuesday, April 28th we will be taking the English Language Arts portion of the exam.  Next Thursday, May 7th we will be taking the Math portion of the exam.  Please make sure that your students get a good night’s rest and a healthy breakfast before each exam.

Poetry Cafe Reminder
On Friday, May 1st second grade will be hosting parents for our annual Poetry Cafe.  From 10:35 to 11:15 Room A-2 students will be reading some of their original poems while parents enjoy coffee, snacks, and juice. 

Curriculum Overview
Literacy - In literacy we will be working on summarizing and synthesizing the text we read.  As we read we will look for the most important information and big ideas and we will work to summarize and share what we learn in writing.

Writing - Students will be finishing up their poetry writing in preparation for this Friday's poetry cafe.  Before the big event we will also practice reading and expressing our poems out loud.

Math - This week we will be finishing up a unit on time, analog clocks and elapsed time.  We will also be beginning a unit on multiplication and division.  We will have a math exam on Time this Wednesday, a study guide will go home on Monday.

Science - Last week we learned what a seed needs to germinate and we placed seeds in moist plastic bags so we could watch the germination process.  This week we will learn more about germination as well as plant some seeds in pots.

Social Studies with Mrs. Heron - We finished our review of Unit 4 last week and students will be taking their test this week.  Our next unit will be called "How do communities change?".

Word Study with Mrs. Sepich - Students will be getting their new vocabulary words for this week. They come from the book “Stellaluna.”  They are:  anxious, grasp(ed), clutch(ed), clamber(ed) & peculiar.  In addition we will be completing the word sort for this cycle which will come home in the Monday Envelope today (Sepich) and next week (Heron, Luxon & most Wesley)

Leadership - Learning about the power of our words.  Ask your students about Mr. Peabody's Apples.