Making Scarecrows

Today we got to make our scarecrows. First we started with sewing on the face.

Then it was time to stuff the bodies.

This group had a few hats to model before they knew just which one they would select.

These two decided to put on the scarecrow shirt before the scarecrow got it.

Many little hands working hard to make this project come alive.

And then the final touches...loving hugs.

What a GREAT day!

Thank you parent volunteers! We couldn't do this without YOU!

Authors and Illustrators

PHS is joining us to collect gently used coats for the "Coats for Kids" program. It will run now through October 30th.

Don't forget that the Read A Thon in going on. Please encourage your student to ask for pledges. Our goal is $4,000

Today EN finished illustrating the book she wrote.

Here she is sharing it with us.

Today was GU's birthday. Here he is being interviewed so we can make his birthday book.
Earlier in the day, we worked on writing 3 star sentences.
We used the document camera to share our work.

Here is JB sharing his sentence.

LS busy writing a really good sentence.

KC working on her sentence. We were trying to write such a good sentence that our readers would be able to make a picture in their mind to go with our work.

Important Information

Sorry, no pictures today just important information!

I sent home A LOT of papers today. The most exciting.....was our first newspaper of the year! I hope you enjoy it ($15.00 subscription for color if you are interested).

The next important paper is the permission slip to go on our annual pumpkin patch field trip. We will be going to Bellinger Farms, in Hermiston, on October 20th.

And the last paper was for conferences. It is a small white sheet asking you what conference time would work best for you, evening or daytime. If you could fill this out and send it back on Monday that would be great.

On Tuesday we are going to assemble our scarecrows. Each student is a part of a group of 6-7 people. They have made a plan of item(s) everyone is responsible to bring. This project is design to help students work as a team, communicate, to take turns listening and solving problems. I can't wait for Tuesday! I have a few parents coming to assist, but if you are free and want to help facilitate a group, please feel free to come by. We will be in the front yard at 1:30.

Thank you to the Parents Club for funding the purchase of 9 more AlphaSmarts for McKay! We love to write and the AlphaSmarts make that process so much easier.

I hope you all have a great week end.
Enjoy your newspaper and don't forget the pumpkin patch permission slip and $3 (cost of pumpkin).

Monkey Moment Treat

Today we earned our final "monkey moment" (compliment from an adult about our whole class).

Here we are sitting outside eating chocolate cupcakes.

Yummy!

In the afternoon, we went to the computer lab and worked on our math flashcards and spelling. We will take our test tomorrow.

MH is happy about getting her math right.

KF is putting up another monkey after we received another compliment.

The teachers put on a teaching assembly today.

We were characters that have show self discipline in their lives.

I chose to be Abe Lincoln. In November I will choose six students to walk the red carpet during an awards assembly that show self discipline.

A Little Fall

We will go to Library on Thursday this week since there is no school on Friday.

This morning I switched places and let AR be the teacher.

Here she is asking for volunteers to answer the math problems on our morning work.

This afternoon we made some fall pumpkins for our hallway bulletin board.
Even though we don't really like to do "tear art",
I was very impressed with how well everyone did!
Here is KC working on her pumpkin.
BB and CK worked together to make this pumpkin.

KS laying her pieces out before she glues them in place.

JC LOVED this project! He stayed in and made a few extra pumpkins during recess to give to his friends.

FA and KC worked well together on a flower art project that we are also working on.

We have a second grade class tradition here at McKay. I like to teach my students about giving to others and working for things you want. Each year we create art work that I then turn into cards. Through out the year these cards are on sale to the public and all proceeds go to our class and then we decide how to best spend the money. We'll let you know when the cards go on sale. They are going to be beautiful.

Here is an example of what we have so far. More to add later. Look at these faces. They are so proud of our goal to help others through our work. Priceless!

Priceless!

Here is what our hallway looks like now! Job well done second graders.

What We Are Working On

I thought I would write down for you the skills that we are working on in math.

* Simple addition facts to 20

* Counting by 10's and 5's

* Days of the week

*Months of the year

Time to 5 minutes

* Place value to the 10's column

Our first Newspaper is finished! We will be sending it home on Thursday, Oct. 9th.

If you would like a colored copy (full year subscription), please send $15.oo to cover the cost of the colored ink.

This afternoon we got to have choice time if all our work was finished.

The kids had fun making this huge necklace.

Before lunch I took the kids to a website that has books that are set up in form of a song. I thought it was cute the way this group held hands and swayed from side to side as they sang.

Many Visitors

T-Shirt orders due Friday (October 3rd) if you want one this year.

Mrs. Thorne, our Guidance Counselor, came in and shared a story with us about being comfortable with who we are. Then she showed us all the charms we will be working for this year. Our first awards assembly will be in November. We will be looking at the character trait of self discipline.

This afternoon we painted some paper getting ready to create a group art project.

It was a lot of fun.
Our Principal came in this morning and talked to us about the Read A Thon.
Our goal is to earn $4,000 as a school to help buy more technology items for our school.
Students brought home their fund raising forms today and hopefully they will ask you (all our readers too) to help us out with our goal. If we raise $4,000 we get to bring in the "BIG TOYS".
Lots of fun and great photo opportunities :o)