1st Quarter Review…

The 1st quarter has been an adventure. The students in Room 109 have made new friends, gotten comfortable with the routine of 2nd grade, and have made awesome strides academically.

In Math, the 2nd graders have mastered strategies to solve addition and subtraction facts in math. Each student has been challenged to become a great thinker and problem solver. They are all becoming stronger in their knowledge of math facts with their use of Fastt Math.

In Reading, the class read many Silly Stories from our reading series, learned about poetry, and wrote stories themselves. As a class we have been reading a page a week in Big Words for Little People by Jamie Lee Curtis and been learning about that BIG word as a class. The students are also become independent readers and are able to test their reading abilities through the Accelerated Reader program.

In Social Studies we learned all about communities and collaboratively made a map of the Pleasant Ridge community. In Science we had various hands-on experiences with magnets and learned about magnets around us.

In Religion we have learned about how much God loves us. We have also discussed how important it is to love God and our neighbors. Through our weekly attendance to church as a class we are beginning to notice all the things involved in the Mass in our preparation to receive our First Holy Communion.

In Chinese we have learned about many things about the Chinese culture, for example, how to count to ten, and how to sing the song “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes!”

Also this quarter we took a field trip to Archbishop Leobold Nursing Home and sang Halloween carols to the residents. We were dressed in costume and before singing we visited with each of the residents and read a Halloween book that we wrote as a class.

2nd Quarter Preview!

This quarter we will learn about data, graphing, and probability in math and then begin to learn double digit addition. We will read more about Nature Walks through our reading series, and grow as independent readers. Our writing will continue to improve through daily journal writing and writing stories independently.

We will prepare for and learn about the Thanksgiving and Advent seasons. With the global perspective in mind, we will learn about the celebrations of other cultures in celebration of the Advent and the holiday season.

During this quarter we will be taking a field trip to see the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and also a field trip to wrap up the Nature Walks theme in reading.

Welcome to 2nd Grade!
I am Miss Gasiewicz and I would like to welcome all of you to 2nd grade. This is my first year at Nativity and my first year teaching. I earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts and played basketball for Allegheny College, and immediately continued my education at Xavier University. I recently completed the Early Childhood Licensure program and am currently finishing my Master’s degree.

I grew up in western Pennsylvania about an hour north of Pittsburgh. I love to spend time with family and friends, travel, watch sports, and play basketball (and I am lucky to be helping out with 4th grade girls’ basketball at Nativity!)

This is going to be an exciting year for 2nd graders. They will read a ton, add and subtract double-digit numbers, learn about very cool things like insects, magnets, and other countries, and of course, receive the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Below are some of the policies and procedures for this year. I cannot wait to meet all of you and your families!

Homework
Students will be responsible for a “homework folder” and a “homework notebook,” both of which will be labeled as such. Homework will come home in the folder and the assignment will be written in the notebook. Parents should initial in the homework notebook to show that they read the assignment, which will help ensure that the child returns the completed homework to school (Another purpose for initialing will be explained in the behavior policy). They will receive homework Monday through Thursday every week, and will be expected to turn assignments in on time.

If a student is absent, they will have the same number of days they were absent to turn in the missed work. For example, if the child is absent for 2 days, they will have 2 days once they return to complete the missed assignments. Extenuating circumstances can be discussed as needed.

Grades
A student’s evaluation will be based on written work and other activities in the classroom. There will be three ways you will see the child’s work graded:
   1.  A √t will be at the top of the paper symbolizing that the work was checked together.
   2.  A fraction will be at the top of the paper with the top number representing the number of points earned, and the bottom number is         the number of possible points.
   3.  A letter will appear the top of the paper (S+, S, N, or U). S+ will be 10 points, S will be 8, N will be 5, and U will be 0. A U will also be written in the grade book for homework that was never received.

Tests and quizzes will be given in Math, English, Spelling, Science, and Social Studies. Tests will be announced in advance to students, and the material to be tested will be reviewed in class and/or a review homework assignment will be sent home. These grades will be recorded and averaged with all homework assignments for a grade on the Report Card.

Behavior Plan
The appropriate behavior for the classroom will be developed through a collaborative effort. As a class, we will create the rules that should be followed. I will guide the children to make sure all areas are covered, but this will be done to help the children take responsibility for the rules and follow them. My hope for this year is that we will build a community and a place where the students care for themselves, each other, and their school.

If rules are continually broken, I will contact the parents. Each day after the children have written their assignments in their homework notebook, they will “check out” with me. Underneath their assignments, I will draw a smiley face and initial if they had a great day with their classmates and in our classroom. If there is something I am concerned about I will write a brief note. As you initial their homework, you will also be able to see how well they are doing behaviorally in the classroom. I hope to become a pro at drawing smiley faces! J


Contact Information
If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me any of the following ways:
  • Email to: MissG2ndgrade@gmail.com (I will try to check it in the morning, at lunch, and in the evening.)
  • Call the school during school hours.
  • Send a note with your child.
  • Meet with me before or after school.