April 28, 2014
Dear Parents,
I hope this note finds you well. Last week was a tad chaotic with the change in schedule and MAP testing, but the students handled it beautifully. We will continue this week with the schedule change while the third grade students continue to "ROAR" on the MAP test. Third grade will take the math portion of the MAP on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. When this is complete they will be finished with the MAP test for 2014! WOO-HOO! I am proud of their hard work, and the second graders being cooperative with the schedule change, it truly is a team effort in our class!
If you haven't heard Tommy welcomed a baby brother, Dominic, into his family on Thursday. His mother and little brother are doing well. It was an exciting event at home, but also at school!
If you have any questions do not hesitate to let me know.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Carrie Hepburn
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Sunday, April 20, 2014
April 20, 2014
Dear Parents,
This week the student's schedules will be much different than normal due to MAP testing. I will do my best to keep things as status quo as possible, and make sure there are opportunities for breaks during the next couple of weeks. The third graders will be testing Tuesday-Thursday in the morning. During the first hour of the testing the second graders will be in Mrs. Parker's classroom working on their reading and spelling assignments. The second hour of testing they will be in their specials (10:15-11:15). When they return we will pick up where they left off. The second graders will have recess and lunch at 12:35-1:25, so they will probably choose to have their snack earlier in the morning.
The third grade students will be taking the Communication Arts portion of the MAP test this week. Only one of the days is strictly timed, the other days the students can take as much time as they need to complete the test. As long as students are making adequate progress on the days that are not strictly timed they have the opportunity to continue working until they are finished. The following week they will have the Math portion of the test. On Monday afternoon they will have the MAP kickoff assembly, where they will hear the theme for the year "ROAR on the MAP!" It's a fun opportunity for the kids to get excited about showcasing their knowledge and make it fun! At the end of each day the students test they have an extra 20-minute recess. I have goals set as far as academics, but depending on how the kids are feeling after the testing will determine how many of those goals we achieve, they are flexible over the next two weeks.
I am looking forward to a great week, if you have any questions let me know.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Carrie Hepburn
Dear Parents,
This week the student's schedules will be much different than normal due to MAP testing. I will do my best to keep things as status quo as possible, and make sure there are opportunities for breaks during the next couple of weeks. The third graders will be testing Tuesday-Thursday in the morning. During the first hour of the testing the second graders will be in Mrs. Parker's classroom working on their reading and spelling assignments. The second hour of testing they will be in their specials (10:15-11:15). When they return we will pick up where they left off. The second graders will have recess and lunch at 12:35-1:25, so they will probably choose to have their snack earlier in the morning.
The third grade students will be taking the Communication Arts portion of the MAP test this week. Only one of the days is strictly timed, the other days the students can take as much time as they need to complete the test. As long as students are making adequate progress on the days that are not strictly timed they have the opportunity to continue working until they are finished. The following week they will have the Math portion of the test. On Monday afternoon they will have the MAP kickoff assembly, where they will hear the theme for the year "ROAR on the MAP!" It's a fun opportunity for the kids to get excited about showcasing their knowledge and make it fun! At the end of each day the students test they have an extra 20-minute recess. I have goals set as far as academics, but depending on how the kids are feeling after the testing will determine how many of those goals we achieve, they are flexible over the next two weeks.
I am looking forward to a great week, if you have any questions let me know.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Carrie Hepburn
Sunday, April 13, 2014
April
14, 2014
Dear Parents,
Castlio’s
Student Council has extended the spirit days to include this week. We have almost reached the goal and they hope
by extending the spirit days it will allow us to fulfill more wishes. On Monday it will be Crazy Sock day, Tuesday
is Neon Day, Wednesday is Wacky Wednesday and Thursday is Hat Day. Keep supporting this wonderful event by
either making a one time donation or send in the money each day.
The second
graders have been working very hard on their songs and parts for the musical
that takes place this week. On Tuesday
during their specials time they will perform the musical and during this time
anyone can attend. It’s also a great
time to video the performance, because most of the people are sitting on the
floor verses in chairs and moving around.
Then Tuesday evening they will perform for their families. To attend the evening performance a ticket is
required. The tickets went home last
week.
The only
change to this week’s schedule is Friday. We will not have school on Good Friday. Then next week the new MAP schedule begins
where second and fifth grade begin switching for specials/lunch. The third graders will take the MAP test each
morning and the second graders will hang in Mrs. Parker’s class the first hour
of the day. The next few weeks are
challenging as the second graders schedule is different and the third graders
are mentally tired due to testing, so we will take some time each day to take a
break, either outside or inside to encourage all of them through the next few
weeks.
If you have
any questions let me know.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Carrie Hepburn
Sunday, April 6, 2014
April 6, 2014
Dear Parents,
The students have been learning about the 7 Habits of Happy Kids. I am hopeful you have heard about the first two habits: Be Proactive and Keep the End in Mind. It has been exciting to witness their transformation in class to put the two habits in effect. This week they will learn about Habit #3, which is put first things first, work then play. One of the lessons will include The Little Red Hen, a great story about doing the work, then reaping the rewards of a job well done.
Our week has a couple of important announcements, the second graders will have Spectra on Tuesday, then third will have Spectra on Thursday. The third grade students will visit the City Museum on Thursday for a Spectra field trip. We will have counseling this week on Friday with Mrs. Orzel. Also, the Student Council students are sponsoring a spirit week, each day a $1 donation for participation in the spirit week will be donated to the Children's Make a Wish Foundation. The spirit days are as follows: Monday-Cardinal's Day, Tuesday-Hawaiian Day, Wednesday-Twin Day, Thursday-Decade Day, and Friday-Disney Day.
I am looking forward to a wonderful week of science with the students! In second grade they are studying life cycles and observing the life cycle of a butterfly. In third grade the students are studying weather and climates around the world. They are documenting the weather in St. Charles and will begin documenting the weather of another part of the world. This information will be used to create graphs and charts for them to analyze various climates during the month of April.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Hepburn
Dear Parents,
The students have been learning about the 7 Habits of Happy Kids. I am hopeful you have heard about the first two habits: Be Proactive and Keep the End in Mind. It has been exciting to witness their transformation in class to put the two habits in effect. This week they will learn about Habit #3, which is put first things first, work then play. One of the lessons will include The Little Red Hen, a great story about doing the work, then reaping the rewards of a job well done.
Our week has a couple of important announcements, the second graders will have Spectra on Tuesday, then third will have Spectra on Thursday. The third grade students will visit the City Museum on Thursday for a Spectra field trip. We will have counseling this week on Friday with Mrs. Orzel. Also, the Student Council students are sponsoring a spirit week, each day a $1 donation for participation in the spirit week will be donated to the Children's Make a Wish Foundation. The spirit days are as follows: Monday-Cardinal's Day, Tuesday-Hawaiian Day, Wednesday-Twin Day, Thursday-Decade Day, and Friday-Disney Day.
I am looking forward to a wonderful week of science with the students! In second grade they are studying life cycles and observing the life cycle of a butterfly. In third grade the students are studying weather and climates around the world. They are documenting the weather in St. Charles and will begin documenting the weather of another part of the world. This information will be used to create graphs and charts for them to analyze various climates during the month of April.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Hepburn
Sunday, March 30, 2014
March
31, 2014
Dear Parents,
The students are beginning new units this week, finishing
the year off with a strong science focus in both grades. The second grade students will learn to
identify and sequence life cycles of animals and record observations of life
cycles. The butterfly larvae for this
adventure have arrived and will be in the room as soon as the students arrive
on Monday. They will compare and
contrast fiction and nonfiction text, along with using nonfiction text features
to analyze information.
The third grade students will complete their body system
writing while beginning to learn about the geography in the Midwest and
climates around the world. They will use
mathematics and computational thinking to observe and record local weather data
over time and analyze the data to identify day-to-day variations, as well as
long-term patterns.
In math the second grade students are focusing on the
algorithm. They are regrouping in
addition and subtraction using 2 and 3-digit numbers. The third grade students are moving back into
multiplication and division strategies to help solidify their understanding of
inverse relationships.
I hope the students came home talking about developing
the Seven Habits. If not, to give you
some background knowledge I have been in a Leader in Me book study at
Castlio. The book is written by Sean
Covey, Stephen Covey’s son. The premise
of the book is developing leaders in our kids, by teaching the 7 Habits. Over spring break I had the opportunity with
a handful of teachers to visit a school that was a Leader in Me school, it was
absolutely amazing to talk to kindergarten students sharing how they were
proactive, creating win-win situations, etc.
After the visit, I knew this was something the kids deserved to learn about;
it fits perfectly with character education and helping kids become independent
learners, thinkers and leaders. Hopefully
last week you heard about Habit #1-Be Proactive. This week the students will learn about Habit
#2-Begin with the end in mind.
Finally, due to time and the MAP test coming up I have
ended our WIN time with the guest third grade students. The focus during this time will be work
completion, extra practice on any areas that need strengthening and Leader in
Me lessons.
I am looking forward to another fantastic week!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Carrie Hepburn
Sunday, March 23, 2014
March 23, 2014
Dear Parents,
Welcome back from spring break to our final quarter of the school year. It's hard to believe we are finishing up the year, when it seems as though we just began. I look forward to the learning that will take place over the next ten weeks or so. The second graders will finish their historical fiction unit this week and have the opportunity to publish their writing. We will not have an opportunity to complete this writing project digitally, but I plan on them creating an "old-fashioned" book. On Monday they will start a science unit on life cycles. This weekend I ordered painted lady larvae, so the students could observe the life-cycle of a butterfly. This unit will be about a month long, studying living things and their characteristics.
The third grade students are working on their health unit. They have currently studied the circulatory system, respiratory system and the digestive system. They have researched and written a couple of paragraphs about each system, along with created a hands on example demonstrating how the systems operate. This week the goal is to complete the muscular system and skeletal system, but we may have difficulty due to Spectra and Wednesday's field trip. Then next week they will finish up with the nervous system. Once they complete this unit they will move into science, force and motion, and magnets.
This quarter bring the MAP test. I will send home the official dates but I believe it begins April 22nd and ends on May 9th. During this time the second grade students switch schedules with the fifth grade students. Their special time during these three weeks will be at 10:15-11:15 and lunch will be at 12:35-1:25. The third grade schedule will not switch. The third graders will take the MAP test in our classroom, beginning first thing in the morning. On the days I give the MAP the second grade students will go to Mrs. Parker's room. I will make sure they have something to work on that goes along with what we are doing in class. They will return to our room at 11:15 when their specials are over. It worked out well last year, it was just a bit hectic, but the kids understood it was due to the MAP test.
This week the third grade students will go on their field trip to Bush Wildlife on Wednesday. The schedule for the rest of the week will stay the same. A final announcement for the second grade parents a note is coming home about tickets for the second grade musical. Make sure you fill that out and return it as quickly as you can, tickets go quickly and are a hot commodity.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Carrie Hepburn
Welcome back from spring break to our final quarter of the school year. It's hard to believe we are finishing up the year, when it seems as though we just began. I look forward to the learning that will take place over the next ten weeks or so. The second graders will finish their historical fiction unit this week and have the opportunity to publish their writing. We will not have an opportunity to complete this writing project digitally, but I plan on them creating an "old-fashioned" book. On Monday they will start a science unit on life cycles. This weekend I ordered painted lady larvae, so the students could observe the life-cycle of a butterfly. This unit will be about a month long, studying living things and their characteristics.
The third grade students are working on their health unit. They have currently studied the circulatory system, respiratory system and the digestive system. They have researched and written a couple of paragraphs about each system, along with created a hands on example demonstrating how the systems operate. This week the goal is to complete the muscular system and skeletal system, but we may have difficulty due to Spectra and Wednesday's field trip. Then next week they will finish up with the nervous system. Once they complete this unit they will move into science, force and motion, and magnets.
This quarter bring the MAP test. I will send home the official dates but I believe it begins April 22nd and ends on May 9th. During this time the second grade students switch schedules with the fifth grade students. Their special time during these three weeks will be at 10:15-11:15 and lunch will be at 12:35-1:25. The third grade schedule will not switch. The third graders will take the MAP test in our classroom, beginning first thing in the morning. On the days I give the MAP the second grade students will go to Mrs. Parker's room. I will make sure they have something to work on that goes along with what we are doing in class. They will return to our room at 11:15 when their specials are over. It worked out well last year, it was just a bit hectic, but the kids understood it was due to the MAP test.
This week the third grade students will go on their field trip to Bush Wildlife on Wednesday. The schedule for the rest of the week will stay the same. A final announcement for the second grade parents a note is coming home about tickets for the second grade musical. Make sure you fill that out and return it as quickly as you can, tickets go quickly and are a hot commodity.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Carrie Hepburn
Friday, March 7, 2014
March 7, 2014
Dear Parents,
It is hard to believe we begin spring break on Thursday! Since our return in January we have seen a multitude of snow days and holidays causing us to have a broken schedule, but we have persevered through. I have been pleased with the progress we have made in spite of the missed days and look forward to seeing the progress the kids make when we return on March 24th.
This week the kids will focus on completing their units or getting very close. The second grade students will begin their historical fiction texts and the third graders will complete their body system research. Some of the third graders will have a cave exhibit available on Tuesday for visitors to check out. Our class will visit from 10:30-11:00. If anyone is interested in visiting feel free to check it out with us.
It was nice seeing everyone this week during parent teacher conferences. If you have any questions let me know.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Carrie Hepburn
Dear Parents,
It is hard to believe we begin spring break on Thursday! Since our return in January we have seen a multitude of snow days and holidays causing us to have a broken schedule, but we have persevered through. I have been pleased with the progress we have made in spite of the missed days and look forward to seeing the progress the kids make when we return on March 24th.
This week the kids will focus on completing their units or getting very close. The second grade students will begin their historical fiction texts and the third graders will complete their body system research. Some of the third graders will have a cave exhibit available on Tuesday for visitors to check out. Our class will visit from 10:30-11:00. If anyone is interested in visiting feel free to check it out with us.
It was nice seeing everyone this week during parent teacher conferences. If you have any questions let me know.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Carrie Hepburn
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)