Week of Janurary 29th

National Lutheran Schools' Week was a blast!

Here's a look back on some of the fun...

PJ Day 

 Decade Day

 100th Day - estimation jars

 Neon/Crazy Hair or Hat

Having Steven Swinburne visit was also a BIG treat! 

 And what good news reporters your second graders were about his wolf book... 

 

CHRISTIAN CHARACTER FORMATION PROJECT 

This week we will read from Mark 6:14-29 and discuss the death of John the Baptist. The virtue we will focus on will be JUSTICE, which is God’s power for you to do what is right according to His Word. We’ll remember to thank our just God even when life doesn’t seen fair. The big question is, “How can you trust God’s justice when someone treats you unfairly?”

PHONICS and SPELLING

We'll be reading, sorting and spelling words with the "au" and "aw" spelling patterns.

READING SKILLS and STRATEGIES 

Pairing fiction with nonfiction is a fantastic way to engage different kinds of learners with common themes. This week we’ll be reading a biography about the author, Beatrix Potter, and one of her famous stories, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Studying these books will help students understand the attributes of both types of reading material and deepen the dialogue and questions raised during discussions. 

GRAMMAR and WRITING 
Our focus on grammar will be past tense irregular verbs, but your students are always working on editing and revising what they write. We even learned that Steven Swinburne's book Once a Wolf took 37 trips to the editor before they accepted it for publishing, WOW! 

***Soon we'll be working on a special biography writing unit. Part of this project will involve you and your child reading a book, and taking notes on a famous American at home. The other part will involve them writing a biography report in class. Students will present their knowledge about their famous American on February 23rd. More information about this will be coming home today! Be sure to check your child's daily folder.***

NEWS and NOTES 

• BOX TOP collection this week! Bring in your Box Tops!
• January 30th - CCLS University Night 6:30 (topic on Social Media)
• January 31st - Reading Log Due 
• February 4th - CCLS Sunday at Glendale 
• February 6th - morning field trip to Concordia Publishing House (CPH)
• February 12-13 NO SCHOOL for teacher professional development 
• Parent/Teacher Conferences optional 
• February 19th - NO SCHOOL for President's Day 
• March 2nd - TRIVIA NIGHT! 
• Get a table ready, sign up, and our class can win a free dress day!

BLESSINGS ON YOUR WEEK!

Week of January 22nd

Get ready for some fun...

This week is National Lutheran Schools' Week!!
We're so excited to celebrate the gift of serving your children with academic excellence, but we are most grateful for the opportunity to share Jesus’ amazing love with them too! National Lutheran Schools Week gives us an opportunity to proclaim these wonderful blessings! 

Join us this week as we celebrate with a different theme each day.

Monday- PJ or Comfy Clothes Day

Tuesday - Favorite Sports Team Day 

Wednesday - 100th Day of School - Decade Day

Thursday - Crazy Hair or Hat and Neon Day

Friday - School Spirit Day

On Friday the author, Steven Swinburne, is coming to CCLS! 
Our class has prepared for his visit by reading one of his books titled, Once a Wolf.  
We learned SO much about wolves and their history in America.

We will not focus on a specific virtue this week, but instead, we will celebrate our blessings with National Lutheran Schools' Week daily devotions. 
This year's theme is:

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8

PHONICS and SPELLING 

We will resume regular spelling routines this week. The words we'll be reading, sorting and spelling will have the "long oo" sound, spelled with oo, ue, ew, ui, and oe spelling patterns.

READING SKILLS and STRATEGIES 

Your second graders are still working on thinking, wondering, and asking questions, as they read. This week, we will discuss thin versus thick questions, and challenge each other to dig deeper into the text. 

GRAMMAR and WRITING 

Your second graders are leaning a lot about what it takes to be a realistic fiction author. This week, they'll work on polishing some of the pieces they've created so far, but they'll also hit the pause button and create a 100th Day of School piece that should generate a good laugh! Also, thanks again for keeping up with those Friday Journals. The kiddos LOVE writing you! 

NEWS and NOTES

• January 22nd - 26th National Lutheran Schools' Week
• January 26th - Author visit - Steven Swinburne 
• January 30th - CCLS University Night for parents
• February 4th - CCLS Sunday at Glendale 9:15am service 
• February 6th - Morning field trip to Concordia Publishing House 
• February 12-13 NO SCHOOL for teacher professional development 
• parent/teacher conferences optional

BLESSINGS ON YOUR WEEK!

Week of January 16th

I hope you all stayed warm and safe over the long weekend!
Here's what's in store for the week... 

CHRISTIAN CHARACTER FORMATION PROJECT 
This week we will read from Mark chapter 4 and explore the story of how Jesus calms the storm. The virtue we will focus on is COURAGE, which we define as God's power for you to overcome fear. We will ask ourselves this "big question" - How can you courageously face the storms in your life? 

PHONICS and SPELLING 
We'll be reading, sorting and spelling words with the "short oo" vowel sounds this week... For example, words like foot, book, shook, and took. 

A note about homework... 

Please remember to look over your child's homework. I actually PREFER that you help your child fix his/her sentences before they are turned in. The kiddos sometimes still need reminders to use capital letters (and lowercase) where they belong, and the necessary punctuation. The more practice with this, the better they will get! Also, if your child tends to rush through homework, I'm asking you to remind him/her to write neatly and clearly. Some homework has been turned in very messy lately. Thank you! 

READING SKILLS and STRATEGIES 

Certain genres prompt more questions than others. Mysteries make us wonder about outcomes. Nonfiction stories fill us with questions about the real world and its broad range of unusual things to learn. As developing readers realize their inner conversation, reading takes on new importance. This week students will continue to WONDER as they read... They will practice jotting down their inner thinking to help them comprehend at a much deeper level. 

A note about reading at home... 

January reading logs are due on January 31st. Today, the Six Flags Read to Succeed reading log is coming home. Since your child is already doing so much reading at home, meeting the (6 hour) goal to earn a Six Flags day pass should be pretty easy! Please continue to use the school reading log for my records, but remember to include your child's reading minutes on the "Read to Succeed" log as well. The Six Flags logs will be due on February 23rd. 

GRAMMAR and WRITING 

In grammar, students will learn about helping verbs and practice fixing sentences with the wrong helping verb. 

Our realistic fiction writing series is off to a great start! Ask your child about some of his/her topics... They have been very creative! 

Also, thanks for remembering to write in your child's Friday Journal! This is such a valuable tool for so many reasons! 

NEWS and NOTES 

• Wednesday, January 17th - Items for Operation Food Search DUE! 
• January 19th - Bingo Night at the Concordia Campus 
• January 21st - CCLS Sunday at Prince of Peace 9:00am service 
• January 22nd - 26th National Lutheran Schools' Week
• January 26th - Author visit - Steven Swinburne 
• January 30th - CCLS University Night for parents
• February 4th - CCLS Sunday at Glendale 9:15am service 
• February 6th - Morning field trip to Concordia Publishing House 
• February 12-13 NO SCHOOL for teacher professional development 
• parent/teacher conferences optional 

BLESSINGS ON YOUR WEEK!

Week of Janurary 8th

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a restful weekend. I know it's going to feel good to have a full week of school with normal routines. Did you get a chance to read your child's Friday Journal? They were SO excited to write to you! I know they would appreciate a note or letter in return, but if you don't have time, a simple signature that you read the letter would be fine. Well, here's what's in store for the week... 

CHRISTIAN CHARACTER FORMATION PROJECT 
We are happy to resume our regular Christian Character Formation Project studies… and this week we will focus on the virtue DILIGENCE. Diligence is God’s power for you to focus on your work. We will read from Mark 20 and explore how Jesus taught with parables, specifically the parable of the farmer and the seed. The “Big Question” to ask ourselves is… How can you determine to grow a faith that is fruitful? 

PHONICS and SPELLING
We'll be reading, sorting and spelling words with r-controlled vowel sounds this week... For example, words with er, ir, ur spelling patterns. 

READING SKILLS and STRATEGIES 
To aid their comprehension, skillful readers ask themselves questions before, during, and after they read. For the next few weeks we are going to focus on remembering to ask questions and WONDER things about what we read.

GRAMMAR and WRITING

The kiddos have been enjoying working on editing and reviewing various grammar skills. They love catching mistakes! The Friday Journals are always a GREAT way to practice everything they know! In writing, we'll be starting a new unit on writing fiction stories. They're going to love tapping into their instinct to pretend! 

NEWS and NOTES 

• January 15th - NO SCHOOL for Martin Luther King Jr. Day 
• January 19th - Bingo Night at the Concordia Campus 
• January 21st - CCLS Sunday at Prince of Peace 9:00am service 
• January 22nd - 26th National Lutheran Schools' Week (more info to come!)
• January 26th - Author visit - Steven Swinburne 
• January 30th - CCLS University Night for parents
• February 4th - CCLS Sunday at Glendale 9:15am service 
• February 6th - Morning field trip to Concordia Publishing House 
• February 19th & 20th - NO SCHOOL for teacher professional development 
• parent/teacher conferences optional 

BLESSINGS ON YOUR WEEK!

First Week back in January

Welcome back to school!! 

I hope you all had a wonderful time celebrating the birthday of our King... and ringing in the New Year with family and friends. I'm so excited to start 2018 with your sweet children! 

My family and I sure had a fabulous time together. We enjoyed so many special moments, all of which will be treasured. 

I want to thank all of you for all the love and generosity shared during this Christmas season! I am so blessed to be a part of this CCLS family with you all!

Here's a look back on all the happenings before break. It was a great time!
 Just click the link...
2017 2nd Grade Christmas

Coming back on a Wednesday allows us a little time to get acclimated with school routines again. However, we will not have spelling this week! In reading we will review reading comprehension skills as we learn about the famous author that is coming to visit on January 26th. His name is Stephen Swinburne, and he is most known for his nonfiction. Our class will be studying a book called Once a Wolf - How Wildlife Biologists Fought to Bring Back the Gray Wolf. 

In writing this week, we will review writing Friendly Letters... However, this comes with a twist...our class will be initiating something called "Friday Journals."  My hope is that every Friday students will write letters to YOU in these journals.  We will start by brainstorming what we learned and any other exciting events that happened in our classroom during that week. After that, the students will write their letter, detailing a few of the ideas that we brainstormed. Then, on Friday afternoon, they will bring their notebooks home to share with you.  Of course, then it becomes your turn... I'm asking that YOU RESPOND TO YOUR CHILD'S LETTER and return the notebook on Monday.

Not only do I love seeing this interaction between you and your child, but this is great

practice in writing letters and academically speaking, I can see at a glance how your child is mastering and applying a variety of skills such as writing conventions, grammar, capitalization, correct use of punctuation, complete sentences, use of transition words, and vocabulary knowledge. I hope you all will enjoy Friday Journals!!

NEWS and NOTES

• Report Cards come home this week!
• January 15th - NO SCHOOL for Martin Luther King Jr. Day 
• January 19th - Bingo Night 
• January 21st - CCLS Sunday at Prince of Peace 
• January 22nd-26th - National Lutheran Schools' week 
• January 26th - Author Visit!