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Important Information for
2011-2012 School year
MAY
Topics of Study
In addition to language arts and math our students will study:
Literature: Charlotte's Web by EB White
Science: Insects and Magnets
Abstract Art: Marc Chagall, I and the Village (1911)
Come join us for the 1st and 2nd grade production of Winnie the Pooh on May 18 at 9:15
Scientist and Historical Figure Biographies are in the making. Projects are due Wed., May 23 with presentations given on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th. Please come and join us! The students love to have an audience! We will let you know when each student will present.
Field trips
Cast Party and end of the school year Celebration- May 18 at The McCallie School Lake
(rain date is May 24)
Trail wise- May 22
2nd grade enjoyed spending a day at the Hunter Museum of American Art. We participated in a studio tour which focused on landscapes. Following the tour students created their own "landscape art."
Maisy and her mother shared their British culture with us. Students learned about Robin Hood and the Sherwood Forest, Paddington Bear, and places Maisy enjoys visiting like Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. Enjoy the pictures below!
    
Thomas- May 21
Mary Catherine- May 27
Colin- May 29
Adventures in Trailwise
2nd grade is enjoying learning in our outdoor classroom! Once a month our class experiences lessons in nature through the leadership of our teacher, Mark Warren. Mark guides our students toward a unique relationship with the environment. Students gain an appreciation and love for the world around them. Here are some pictures of our experiences:
     These pictures show our students learning about squirrels. After attempting to balance and walk on logs we learned how to build a squirrel's nest. Students used resources around them, just as squirrels must do, to build a home that would keep squirrels warm and dry in the winter months.
           Another activity involved students working together to build a solid structure which would keep them warm and dry in harsh weather. Students learned that Cherokee and other Native American tribes closely watched animals around them. They used many of the animals' techniques for building nests to help build warm, dry homes for their own families.
"IT'S ALL GREEK TO ME!"
In October Second Graders studied Ancient Greece. They explored Greek history, art, and mythology. The study concluded with a Festival lead by Caroline's mom and grandmom. Students, dressed in tunics and laurel wreath crowns, danced to Greek music, enjoyed traditional Greek foods, and learned of Greek customs.
Thank you, Mrs. Renegar, for sharing your rich culture with us!
Sights from the Greek Festival  
 
Greek architecture and sculpture were studied. Here are a few works by second graders. Enjoy The Thinker and Winged Victory!
 
Students created models of Greeks gods, goddesses, and mythical creatures.
Welcome to Second Grade
2nd grade has enjoyed sharing the past few weeks with intern, Julia Engel. Julia, a high school student from Mainz, Germany, is interested in pursuing a career in education. We wish her all the best!
 Julia lead lessons in creative writing, social studies, and greek mythology.
READING BUDDIES
2nd grade looks forward to reading to their preschool buddies on Monday mornings.
   
 
First Week of School Fun
Second graders learned the importance of being good listeners from reading the book
How Jack Rabbit Got His Very Long Ears.
Students celebrated summer reading with a bubblegum icecream party and a time for sharing. Each student chose a book that was read over the summer and created a puppet of a favorite character. There are many talented artists and readers in the group!
  
Curious about the world around you? Learn more about science HERE.
Accelerated Reader
2nd graders are encouraged to read 8 or more AR books per quarter. Students earn a sticker to place on a personal chart for each book they read and score a comprehension grade of 80% or higher.
It's always fun to listen to a good book!! See what's new!
Do you ever wonder, "Why is handwriting important?"
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The Wall Street Journal highlighted the latest research demonstrating the importance of handwriting in our increasingly electronic era.
A multisensory approach to teaching handwriting helps children build critical cognitive and motor skills and sets them up for academic success in other subjects.
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Did you know:
- Writing by hand, instead of typing, engages the brain more actively in learning
- Writing enables children to produce more words, faster, and express more ideas than typing
- Good handwriting can take a generic classroom test score from the 50th percentile to the 84th percentile, while bad penmanship could land a student in the 16th percentile
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Parents,
We are always looking for exciting activities to enhance our studies in the Core Knowledge Curriculum. If you have an interest and would like to share, please let us know.
Thank you for the opportunity to teach your children. It's going to be a wonderful school year!
Mrs. Ruffner and Mrs. Stinnett
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St Peter's Episcopal School