Tales of a Second Grade Classroom

We are in the season for giving. We have been writing letters to the residents of Ashton Place. We will make poinsettia pens and postcards as Christmas presents for the residents. We also plan to perform a play and read a poem on video. We will send our virtual Holiday greeting to the residents on DVD. If you would like to help us with any projects we have planned, you are welcome anytime.

We have received mail from the following cities.
Amherst, MA
Atlanta, GA
Charlotte, NC
Charlotte, NC
Chesterfield, MO
Chicago, IL
Durham, NC
Ft. Wayne, IN
Fulton, KY
Henerson, NV
Jonesboro, GA
Los Angeles, CA
Little Rock, AR
Memphis, TN
Nashville, TN
New Haven, CT
Milwaukee, WI
Monroe, LA
Mt. Vernon, NY
New Haven, CT
Southaven, MS
Tuscaloosa, AL
Union City, TN
We are excited because we are still receiving mail. This week we will plot the location of each state we have received mail. Our class has had a lot of fun writing letters. We will continue to write letters to friends all over the USA.

We have received mail from Alabama, Missouri, Indiana, Nevada, California, Arkansas, and Nashville, Tennessee.

October is National Stamp Collecting Month. Do you have family and friends that live outside the state of Tennessee or out of the country? We would like to celebrate by collecting stamps from all over the world. We will write letters to our family and friends. We are asking that they write letters back to us at:

Downtown Elementary School

Ms. Neal’s Class

10 N. Fourth St.

Memphis, TN 38103

Where are some of the places your family and friends live? Post your answer here under comments.

October 6 – Open House 6 – 7 pm
October 9 – Fall Break
October 12 – Holiday for students
4 – 7 Parent-Teacher Conferences
October 16 – Yearbook Pictures
October 21 – Report Cards Issued
October 29 – Family Math, Science, and Technology Night
October 30 – Field Trip to Elmwood Cemetery

Your reading report and diorama is due of Friday, October 2. This book project will focus on character and setting. The morning (traditional) class will do an oral report that will tell the setting, important characters, and their favorite part of the story. The afternoon (optional) class will do a written report that will include three paragraphs. The first paragraph will include information about the setting, the second paragraph will include information about the important characters, and the third paragraph will tell about their favorite part of the story they have read. All students will use a shoebox to design a scene that shows one setting from their story. Be sure to add the main character(s) to your finished project.

Do you know why we celebrate Labor Day? Labor Day is more than just a day off from school and work. It’s a great time to talk to about the history of the national holiday and its importance in American history. Labor Day is always celebrated on the first Monday in September in the United States. Labor Day was originally established as a day to honor those who toiled twelve hours a day, seven days a week to keep American running in the late 1800′s. Can you find the answers to these questions?

Question 1:  Who started Labor Day?

Question 2:  When was the first Labor Day in the U.S.?

Question 3:  Do seasons actually change on Labor Day?
Question 4:  What other countries celebrate Labor Day, and when?
Question 5:  How many hours does the average person work?

Spelling City is a great website to use each week to practice your spelling words. This site allows you to input your spelling list to use for free spelling help. Students can learn spelling words by entering their words and playing games that are fun. They can also take a spelling test using this web page. The words are called out and used in a sentences the same way our test are given each Friday.

Spelling City actually makes practicing for a spelling test fun.

Our amazing words for this week are investigate, rural, and urban. When you have a conversation with your family members use these amazing words.

I’m so excitied about teaching second grade this year and can’t wait to meet you! We will have so much fun learning new and exciting things this year. Please read our blog and make comments frequently. The students in 202 will want to share the exciting details of their learning experiences. We will keep you posted.