Picture Retake Day

Picture Retake Day is Monday, November 3rd!

Trash Can! ....A place value game!

Today we learned how to play "Trash Can!" ...a place value game!

Watch the video and learn how to assist your child with place value and play the game at home!

Inferencing Investigators

This week students have become "Inferencing Investigators"! Today we went on an investigation to solve a Snowy Day Cold Case Mystery (from the Inspired Apple Teaching Blog) to find out what Tim and his Grandma Sue did and where they went. We practiced RL 7: Use pictures and words to demonstrate understanding of characters, setting and plot (....making INFERENCES!)
Students worked in small groups to examine evidence from 5 different Case Files. They examined the evidence and made inferences in small groups!

Then we came together as a group to share the evidence and inferences made in small groups. 

Together, we were able to figure out what Tim and Grandma Sue did and where they went on their Snow Day off based on the evidence and inferences we made!

"Headbandz" to practice context clues!

Last week, students learned how to play "Headbandz".  Ask your child about the game we played to practice context clues! The student in the "Hot Seat" wears a handband with a mystery word. Classmates have to use context clues in the text to giver his/her classmates hints so he/she can guess the word!

 Even Mr. Hodge took a round in the "Hot Seat"! His mystery word was  ocean. What are some clues that you gave him to get him to say his mystery word? Think of synonyms, antonyms, examples and non-examples.

Celebrity of the Week!

He's a star!

Newsletter Week of October 27th

Hollywood News Vol. 9

Dental Clinic Announcement

Dear Irving Families,

The Children’s Clinic of Oak Park will be providing FREE dental care to ALL Irving Students on November 5th, 6th and 7th. Care will be delivered during the school day and will include a dental
cleaning, dental exam and application of sealants if appropriate.

Please look for the consent form that was sent home in your child’s folder earlier this week and return the consent by November 3rd if you would like your child to participate in the program. The classroom with the highest number of returned consent forms will win a prize. This
is a wonderful community health service provided by an organization dedicated to the health and well being of children and families. Feel free to call Nurse Jamie with any questions or concerns about the program at 708-524-3089.

Math Workshop This Week

This week in M.A.T.H. Workshop:

M = Math Fact Practice:
(Flash Cards, Popcorn Math Facts, XtraMath on iPads)

A= At Your Seat:
 (Measurement Review Activity)

T = Teacher's Table:
(Place Value Lesson)

H = Hands On
(Base 10 Blocks, Top It, Race to 100)

Stand Up to Cancer!

The Fun Run is tomorrow!

Don't forget to have your child come to school in gym shoes, comfortable clothes and dressed for the weather! :)

Finding Books by Lexile

Celebrity of the Week

She's a Star!

No snack/Morning Recess on Half Days

Thursday and Friday are half days.

Parent-Teacher Conferences
Reminder – School will dismiss early on October 23 and 24 for parent-teacher conferences. The elementary schools will dismiss at 11 a.m. and the middle schools will dismiss at noon on both days.

 Please do not pack a snack or lunch, as students will not be snacking, having morning recess or lunch at school on those days.
~ Miss Collins :)

Newsletter Week of October 20th

Hollywood News Vol. 8

Reminder: Conference Week and Thursday and Friday Half Days

Just a reminder that this coming week is Conference Week. Click the image below to view conference times!

Also, don't forget that Thursday and Friday are Half-Days!

Looking forward to seeing you this week!  :)

Reading Camp Out!

Reading Camp Out! (Whole Class Behavior Reward!)

We filled up the marble jar!!!

Our students earned a classroom reward for excellent behavior as a class! 

On Friday, October 17^th, in the afternoon we will be having a:

 Reading Camp Out! 

Students may bring the following to school: 

• Books from home (labeled with student's name);
• A flashlight
• Sleeping bag or blanket
• A small pillow!

We will turn down the lights and talk and read by flashlight!

Keep up the great work 2nd Graders!

            ~ Miss Collins

Newsletter Week of October 14th

Hollywood News Vol. 7

Green Team Collection

Green Team is collecting:  old t-shirts! They will cut these donated t-shirts into rags for teachers and students to use at school to clean white boards. If you can, please donate old clean t-shirts of any size!

Walk or Bike to School Day

Walk or Bike to School Day is, Wednesday, October 8th!

Practice Pages, Assessments and Final Grades

Dear Parents,

I get a lot of questions about practice pages, assessments and final grades, so I thought I'd give you some helpful hints on how to sort through some of the student work that comes home.

Student work on Common Core State Standards will always have a "Rubric" at the top.  The rubric is simply the grading criteria that will determine if is a student is EX/EP (Exceeds Proficient), PR (Proficient), AP (Approaching Proficient) or NP (Not Yet Proficient).

Practice Pages are just that...practice! It is work that has been done in class either modeled by the teacher or independently for PRACTICE. Practice Pages are always indicated at the top of the page.
(T1 = Trimester 1). The standard is always indicated at the top as well. This is PRACTICE for RI 1: Asking and Answering Questions.

Assessment Pages are the actual assessment/test for that particular standard/skill. ASSESSMENT pages are always indicated at the top of the page. **ASSESSMENT pages indicate the Final Grade for that skill, unless otherwise noted. Whichever grade is circled on the "Rubric" will indicate the student's final grade for that trimester (EX/EP, PR, AP or NP).

Since the Assessment pages indicate Final Grades (unless other wise noted) you may wish to save your child's Assessment pages.  Assessments are typically given at the end of the week (usually Fridays) and are typically graded and sent home with students the following week (usually Mondays).  You may wish to keep a file of your child's Assessments as these will determine final grades. I recommend keeping a folder for each Trimester. That way you will pretty much be aware of the grades your child will be earning for each standard. You could also use this file for any other assessments that come home in other skill areas, as well.

If you have any questions about this or need to refresh your child's file with Assessments that may have accidentally made it to the recycle bin ;) , please let me know. I keep copies of these assessments for my records as well.

I hope you find this helpful.

Warm regards,
Miss Collins

Newsletter Week of October 6th

Hollywood News Vol. 6