M & M World

A classroom visit from a pediatrician

2012-02-03T07:08:00.007-05:00

As we continue to talk about community helpers in social studies, some of our parents have stopped by our classroom to tell us about their jobs. This mom brought x-rays to show us, a splint, some medical equipment, and we all got to wear masks to keep the germs away! She really made learning fun!!

Severe Weather Lessons Blowing in from the South

2012-01-18T12:17:00.003-05:00

Today we got to visit with a local meteorologist! Mr. Tim Deegan from Channel 12 News came to our class to tell us about clouds, high and low pressure, weather instruments, and what to do in the event of dangerous weather. We learned that lightening only happens when ice crystals are present. We discussed what to do if a tornado warning is issued. We talked about tsunamis and hurricanes. We even learned a little bit about television production and what a green screen is!

Carmen Agra Deedy Visits Chets Creek!

2012-01-06T16:23:00.002-05:00

We had an entertaining visit with the awesome author Carmen Agra Deedy this morning! She is a master storyteller and kept the kids hanging on her every word as she told them a tale about a character with more heart than brains.

Holiday Play

2011-12-12T14:30:00.005-05:00

Last week we performed Once on a Housetop for our parents and the children in our school. We've been singing and dancing to prepare for this special show. The boys and girls learned their lines and acted out the scenes. It was fun and entertaining!
Holiday Play on PhotoPeach

Holiday Play on PhotoPeach

Just Say No To Drugs!

2011-10-27T11:43:00.003-04:00

Today we wore red to show that

we will always say NO to drugs!!

A Bad Case of Stripes on a Pumpkin!

2011-10-14T14:33:00.011-04:00

Today we painted our pumpkins that will be on display next week for the Literary Pumpkin Festival. We based them on the main character, Camila Cream, who was afraid to be herself and eat lima beans. She thought her friends would make fun of her. Soon she broke out in stripes and other distracting designs. We learned that our true friends will appreciate us for who we are and we shouldn't worry about what others will think. If you haven't read A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon we think you should!

Comparing and Contrasting

2011-10-03T13:27:00.003-04:00

We've recently read two books by David Wiesner, Tuesday and Sector 7. As we were reading we noticed some things that were similar and decided to create a Venn-Diagram to identify them. We also created contrast by writing down some of the differences in the two books.

Next we chose a book from our independent reading bag and met with a partner to compare and contrast our books. We made a Venn-Diagram in our reading journals and discussed similarities and differences in our picture books.

How do worms help the soil?

2011-09-26T15:11:00.003-04:00

The BEST way to learn about worms is to observe them, of course! Our second grade scientists completed lab booklets, learning that worms prefer damp to dry places, measured the length of an earthworm, looked for a worm's eyes, nose, and teeth, and noticed that they do make tunnels. Some students touched the worms and recorded their observations about what the earthworm does when touched gently. At the end of the unit we observed the difference in the soil with and without the worms.

Science - The Study of Soil

2011-09-08T14:15:00.004-04:00

To kick off our soil unit in science Chef Morris prepared a DIRT CAKE for the class. After learning what soil can be made of and what lives in soil, the students completed a lab sheet. As scientists, we developed a hypothesis, researched, and then drew a conclusion. At the end of the lesson we all enjoyed the cake - complete with gummy worms!

The Adventures of Chet the Bear

2011-08-24T13:36:00.003-04:00

Our class bear is named Chet and he visits one student from our class each week. Chet has a bag of clothes (Jaguar uniform, Spiderman outfit, Tuxedo, Farm Clothes, etc.) that he packs to take with him. We have a journal for our student of the week to write in and on Fridays we read all about Chet's adventures!

Looking forward to a SUPER school year!

2011-08-17T08:36:00.002-04:00

Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Metzger are busy preparing their classroom and writing lessons for the new second grade Super Heroes that will be coming to Chets Creek next week! We started our week of pre-planning with an outstanding children's author, Lester Laminak! He spent the day telling the teachers stories, giving them teaching tips, and sharing advice. It's going to be a SUPER year!

Our Holiday Play

2010-12-14T12:43:00.005-05:00

We performed our second grade holiday play for the school and our parents. Once on a Rooftop proved to be educational and fun at the same time. Two of our favorite songs were Lotsa Latkes and Break the Pinata. After weeks of practicing our lines, learning the songs, and developing our acting skills the night went on perfectly! It will be a memory we treasure forever!

Our Principal has been SLIMED!

2010-11-16T12:59:00.007-05:00

In honor of all of our Readers To Leaders Mrs. Phillips has been slimed! She congratulated all of the children that met their reading goal and then turned over her microphone as the teachers dribbled buckets of slime over her head. She challenged the children to continue to read. Some of the other "rewards" good readers have to look forward to include Bingo, watching Mrs. Phillips KISS a PIG, and listening to her read a book while duct taped to the dining room wall! Wow! Does she know how to motivate her students or what???? Where's my book - I'm ready to read right now!

Veteran's Day 2010

2010-11-08T12:47:00.006-05:00

Today after our awards ceremony we presented the book America's White Table written by Margot Theis Raven and illustrated by Mike Benny. This book tells the story of how our patriotic and military families remember our American Heros by setting a small white table on Veteran's Day. As we read and re-read this book in class our students came to understand the sacrifice that our service men and women (and their families) made for our freedom. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Through The Corn Maze We Go!

2010-11-02T14:50:00.005-04:00

Yesterday we enjoyed a field trip to Sykes and Cooper farm. It was a beautiful day to travel throught a corn maze, visit the animals, take a hay ride, and have some fun! It's a day we'll remember for a L O N G time!

Fall Fun

2010-10-29T15:55:00.003-04:00

Today we had the opportunity to relax and have some fun! We snacked on orange food and made a candy corn craft. We also played Bingo and did the freeze dance! We finished our class chapter book read aloud, Charlotte's Web and then watched the movie. Tonight is our school's fall festival where we wear our literary costumes, trick or treat through the halls, and then enjoy ourselves outside playing carnival games and eating delicious food!

Mrs. Metzger's Very Favorite Book for Students

2010-10-22T21:08:00.006-04:00

This previous book of the month is really three stories in one. The main character named Sage is home from school because she is sick. Her story is told using clever vocabulary puns and humor. This book may be a bit of a stretch for my second graders but the pictures alone are worth a look because the illustrator seems to have drawn them on notebook paper.

Mrs. Metzger's Very Favorite Book for Women

2010-10-22T20:45:00.004-04:00

Years ago my friend Oprah had the author of this book on her show. They talked about how it can change your life. I remember hearing Dr. Stahlman, my principal at the time, telling the faculty how much she enjoyed it too, so I went out and bought it. I've always liked reading "self-help" type books that give me pointers on how to be a better person but this one tops them all. It's a daily journey that requires self reflection and goal setting. I've read this book three times (not in a row). The last time I used a highlighter to help me focus on what's important. I've also purchased and given away many, many copies of this book. One thing I get out of it is perspective on what's really important in my life and how many blessings I have. If you're looking for a way to appreciate your life more fully in 2011, take my suggestion and grab a copy this holiday season. You won't be sorry!

Our Lives as Mathematicians

2010-10-22T20:34:00.003-04:00

In math workshop we're striving to teach our students "number sense." Why? So they can use math in their everyday lives with confidence. When they're not in school how do our kids use their math skills? If they're saving money for a new video game, book, or toy it is important to know how to add and subtract money. Telling time and understanding a calendar are life skills too. Knowing about odd and even can be helpful when dividing up candy treats or choosing teams. These are just a few of the skills we practice everyday in math. How do you use your math skills in your daily life?

Week 2 of the Blogging Challenge...

2010-10-14T13:42:00.002-04:00

This week we asked our class to vote on three seperate things. We tallied our responses and here's what we like:

Ice Cream Flavors

14 students voted for Chocolate, 9 students like Vanilla best, and 5 think that Strawberry rocks!

Dogs vs. Cats

24 like dogs and 4 like cats

Text Talk Book Favorites

Wolf! received 2 votes, Stripes received 4 votes, and Porkenstein was the overwhelming winner with 22 votes

Now it's your turn. We've added some polls to our blog. Take a minute to vote so our class can discuss the results in school next week.

Lima Beans!

2010-10-06T13:39:00.005-04:00

In Science Workshop we are learning about seeds and plants. We germinated lima bean seeds and planted them in clear cups so the roots and stems would show. The stem of the plant is like a person's backbone and holds it up. We like how the plants lean toward the window and curve to the sunlight!

Life as a Reader

2010-10-04T12:48:00.010-04:00

Recently the teachers at Chets Creek were challenged to create a weekly blog post about a common subject. The first post is to describe our lives as readers. As you know, Mrs. Morris and I are sisters and we grew up together. You may find it interesting that she ALWAYS had a book in her hand and I rarely read for pleasure. She can give you the summary for every Paula Danzinger, Beverly Cleary, and Judy Blume book ever written. She read on long car trips while I listened to my Walkman. Ironically, I turned into a reading teacher and she developed a love for math and science. While in college I discovered the amazing world of children's picture books. As a new teacher I attended the International Reading Association Conference in Orlando and had the opportunity to meet many authors and illustrators. Since then I've read countless picture and chapter books and spent a small fortune stocking the shelves of our classroom library.

As adults, Mrs. Morris and I share fiction books. A common favorite author of ours is Jodi Picoult. Mrs. Morris enjoys books by Nora Roberts and Danielle Steele. I've read everything Mary Higgins Clark has ever written. We also read a lot of non-fiction books - particularly for school and we both still have subscriptions to the Florida Times Union.

Earlier this year we asked our students if they had parents that were readers. It's so important to model this behavior for your children. We asked if they had any magazine subscriptions delivered to their homes and if their parents read on-line. We'd love to hear from you. Please comment if you have a favorite author or genre. Everyone should live their life as a reader!

We're going on a safari...

2010-10-01T13:44:00.007-04:00

We went on a long walk to see some very cool animals. The animals were not alive. They were actual animals that had died and were preserved. The animals were grouped together with special teachers that talked about when the animals were alive. There was a room just for African animals, one for Florida animals, a bird room, a cat room, and others. The best part of the whole day was touching the animals!

Written by the students in our classroom.

Wonderful, wiggly, wriggly worms!

2010-10-01T13:37:00.005-04:00

We learned that worms help the earth by loosening the soil. They also leave castings behind so plants can grow better. We touched the worms and they felt squishy and slimy. Mrs. Morris wasn't crazy about touching them so the boys and girls helped out.

Written by Kellan, Emma, Taylor, Seth, and Jonathan.

Socks and Slipper Club

2010-08-27T14:10:00.005-04:00

As a special reward, students can wear their socks and slippers in our classroom on Fridays - if they turn in all of their homework assignments on time. Today we had loads of cute, fuzzy, comfortable slippers walking around our room! Even the teachers had their shoes off!

First Day Farm Fun

2010-08-24T16:00:00.005-04:00

On our very first day of second grade we moved through centers to learn about life on the farm. We listened to a bee keeper tell us about pollination and tasted fresh honey. We got to plant a green vegetable, see tractors, eat watermellon, and enjoy the petting zoo. Back in the classroom we read books about the first day of school and watched a video about one of our favorite books, Click, Clack, Moo - Cows That Type!

Harvesting a new crop...

2010-08-19T11:05:00.003-04:00

Well Howdy Folks! We're your new second grade teachers, Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Metzger! We're so excited to start another school year and cultivate some new relationships. We hope to meet our new students and their parents at orientation tomorrow morning bright and early!

End of the year

2010-06-14T10:20:00.003-04:00

This is the final blog post for this school year. It's been a GREAT year with some of the best kids ever! We've had a lot of fun and we've also learned so much. Your teachers will miss you. Have a safe and enjoyable summer and keep reading those chapter books! We love you all!

Field Day

2010-06-14T10:08:00.007-04:00

We had our field day activities on Tuesday, June 8th. It was a blast! We had a relay race, jumped the hurdles, threw nerf javelins, played tug of war, and much more. The coaches passed out orange CCE field day bracelets and we got to dance! Not your normal day in second grade at all.

The Butterfly Release

2010-06-03T15:33:00.004-04:00

Over the long Memorial Day weekend all of our caterpillars turned into beautiful butterflies! After observing them for a few days we let them go in our butterfly garden. The circle of life continues...

The Life Cycle of a Butterfly

2010-05-19T14:38:00.005-04:00

We're observing our caterpillars and labelling their body parts on a diagram. We've seen a play about the lifecycle of a monarch butterfly. We're creating caterpillar and butterfly crafts daily. We have lots and lots of books about caterpillars and butterflies. I guess you could say we're becoming experts!

I'm so hungry I could eat some dirt!

2010-04-23T16:44:00.004-04:00

To introduce our next unit in science we brought in the most delicious kind of soil - dirt cake! Of course we completed a lab sheet on our observations using our senses and -last but not least - tasting! I wonder what we'll do with rocks...

Arts Extravaganza Week

2010-04-23T16:38:00.007-04:00

Wow! What a week! We had an assembly EVERY DAY and saw fantastic, talented artists from all over! On Monday we saw Sugar and Spice Puppetry, Tuesday brought us two percussionists from the Jacksonville Symphony, Wednesday we heard, recited, and acted out poetry with Glenice Redmond, Thursday the African Musicians from EPCOT treated us to music and dance, and today we heard a banjo and listened to bluegrass music! I LOVE Chets Creek!! Tonight is the culminating activity - it's our Arts Extravaganza! Plenty of free art activities in the dining room, guest artists all around the building, and student art work covering the walls.

Our field trip to the zoo

2010-03-31T16:01:00.007-04:00

Today we went to Jacksonville Zoo. What a perfect field trip to take the day before spring break starts! We were able to see lots of the habitats we've been studying in science. The education program let us touch a snake, baby alligator, rabbit, and box turtle. The kimodo dragon and penguin exhibits were very popular! It was a beautiful day and our wonderful parent chaperones helped to make it even more special for the kids!

Author Visit from Pamela Duncan Edwards and Henry Cole

2010-03-29T14:07:00.010-04:00

Today we were visited by two of our favorite people, writer Pamela Duncan Edwards and illustrator Henry Cole. They talked about the process they go through to publish a book. Pamela told us how many times she writes and rewrites her stories and Henry showed us about six different covers he drew for his very first book. They were very entertaining! Our March book of the month is by this dynamic team and if you click on the first link you will see Mrs. Phillips, our principal, reading it.

http://ccebom.wikispaces.com/2010+March

Here is a link to some wonderful pictures of them as well!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/holtsman/sets/72157623606899807/

A Glimpse Into Math Workshop

2010-03-26T14:46:00.003-04:00

Here is a video of our Math Workshop lesson about measuring length using "crooked paths." Students measured these paths using yarn and then compared them to see which path was longer. Listen for the great conversations the students have and watch the way they collaborate to draw their conclusions.

Untitled from Melanie Holtsman on Vimeo.

Spectacular Spuds

2010-03-16T13:17:00.007-04:00

Just for fun we gave our class an assignment to turn a potato into something special. What we got was AMAZING! We have patriotic potatoes, surfing potatoes, rasta, hula, and spring potatoes, princess potatoes, leprechaun potatoes, even an Indiana Jones potato! This has proven to be an entertaining family project!

Lucky Leprechauns

2010-03-16T13:13:00.002-04:00

Earlier this month we drew a leprechaun face on a styrofoam cup. Then we added potting soil and rye grass seed. While sitting in the sun and soaking up a drink of water, our leprechauns began to grow green hair! We'll take them home on St. Patrick's Day but may need to give them a haircut first!

Using Our Solar Ovens to Cook 'Smores

2010-03-16T13:04:00.004-04:00

On a bright, sunny day in March the class lined shoeboxes to make a solar oven. Inside we stacked a graham cracker, chocolate bar, marshmallow, and another graham cracker. We covered the top with plastic wrap and let it bake in the sun for 20 minutes. Delicious!

Gotta Keep Reading

2010-02-23T15:20:00.002-05:00

Don't miss this video that we all enjoy watching and singing along with!

http://joebustillos.com/2010/02/02/gotta-keep-reading-ocoee-middle-school-video/

A Sweet Valentine's Day

2010-02-23T14:43:00.006-05:00

This year on Valentine's Day we celebrated with sweet cards and delicious ice-cream sundaes. We also played February Bingo and made a beaded heart craft. Holidays are so much fun!

100th Day of School

2010-02-23T14:20:00.004-05:00

Friday, February 5th was our 100th day of school! We celebrated by wearing t-shirts with 100 of something on them, and by wearing glasses cut into the shape of 100. We also... played Hershey Kiss hunt, listed 100 of our favorite foods, and wrote about what the world will be like in 100 years.

MOSH Field Trip

2010-02-23T14:01:00.004-05:00

We had a GREAT time on our field trip to MOSH (the Museum Of Science and History)! First we learned about the stars and the drinking gourd in the planetarium and then we had an hour of free time to explore the museum. Our favorites included the human body exhibits and the amaze-ing sea exhibit. Before we left we went to the Science 101 show and learned about the states of matter: gas, liquid, solid, and plasma!

The Human Body

2010-01-27T15:13:00.004-05:00

To culminate our unit on the human body, the kids worked in groups of three to create a lifesize diagram and then cut and pasted a brain, lungs, heart, and stomach inside. Next they created a concept map around each organ and system (eg. skeletal system). Finally they added any other important information they could remember.

Today We Made Blood

2010-01-11T15:30:00.007-05:00

To show our class the consistency and make up of blood we mixed the following candy together:

red blood cells = red hots = 44% of our blood

white blood cells = white jelly beans = 1/2 of a % of our blood

platelets = sprinkles = 1/2 of a % of our blood

plasma = Karo syrup = 55% of our blood

The kids enjoyed visualizing each part of their blood and understanding the proportions and purposes of each.

The Digestive System

2010-01-08T15:15:00.004-05:00

Today in science we used a papertowel roll to represent our esophagus. We wrote the word mouth up at the top opening and then taped a plastic baggie to the bottom. We wrote the word stomach on the baggie. When we tried to put a cracker in the top hole it didn't fit so we used our hands to represent chewing and let pieces of the cracker fall through the esophagus and into the stomach. There was a little stomach juice (water) already in the baggie to help the food digest. We used our fingers to move it gently around as the stomach muscles churn. This could not have looked more realistic! One student didn't break up her cracker enough and it got stuck in her esophagus. Talk about a teachable moment... that's why you have to chew your food before you swallow it! She was able to cough it back up and chew it more before she swallowed it.

The shin bone's connected to the ...

2010-01-08T13:03:00.004-05:00

To start our unit on human body parts and their functions, we created skeletons using beans and pasta. The kids did a super job listening and thinking about what each item represented!

Have you completed all of your homework?

2010-01-08T12:06:00.005-05:00

Today is Friday. If you've completed all of your homework and turned it in on time, you are welcome to wear your favorite socks and/or slippers in class. We've seen some interesting slipper animals, cars, holiday themes, and lots of great colors! Here are just a few of our awesome students that completed their reading and math homework this week!!!!!!!

Lotsa Latkes

2009-12-17T06:20:00.005-05:00

One of the songs from our second grade play is titled "Lotsa Latkes." What better way to bring meaning to the children that by frying lots of latkes in our classroom? Fortunately, Mrs. Morris has a blender recipe and our wonderful parent helpers stopped by to cook. While enjoying the traditional potato pancakes with sour cream and applesauce, the children also learned about a menorah, and played dreidle with Hershey Kisses gelt!

Once On A Housetop

2009-12-17T06:15:00.002-05:00

What a wonderful experience we've had getting ready for and performing our second grade play! Once On A Housetop taught us all something new about the many holidays celebrated in December. And we learned a little something about chimney sweeps as well! Over the weeks we sang songs, danced, and improved our fluency by reading and delivering our lines. When the time came to perform - the kids were outstanding!

December Book of the Month

2009-12-08T12:33:00.003-05:00

Click on the link to see Mrs. Phillips read this hilarious book of the month!

http://ccebom.wikispaces.com/2009+December

When your teacher has a birthday...

2009-11-24T15:05:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday Mrs. Morris! Just yesterday we were learning about figures of speech and here we are today learning what 'Over The Hill' means. Just kidding! You are special and deserve a special day!

November Book of the Month

2009-11-19T13:16:00.002-05:00

To access the BOM read aloud by Mrs. Phillips click on the link and enjoy! http://ccebom.wikispaces.com/2009+November

The New and Improved Calendar Math!

2009-11-18T11:03:00.004-05:00

Yesterday we used our white board tiles and dry erase markers for calendar math. WOW! Each child got an opportunity to write their own answer. Today we identified the calendar pattern, counted our groups of 5 and 10, showed how to make $.60 using pennies, nickels, and quarters, and other skills. Calendar math will never be the same!

October Fun!

2009-11-17T11:45:00.003-05:00

We had a day of orange fun in October. The children helped the teachers clean out pumpkins. We wore orange clothes and ate orange foods (Cheetos, cantalope, carrots, cheese, and Cheese-Its). We decorated small foam pumpkins and played Autumn Bingo.

Stellaluna, read by Mrs. Phillips

2009-10-20T13:26:00.003-04:00

http://ccebom.wikispaces.com/October+2009

Here is a link to Principal Phillips reading our October Book of the Month, Stellaluna by Janelle Cannon. Our book is dedicated to all of our new friends at Chets Creek this year!

A Bad Case of Stripes

2009-10-19T10:33:00.005-04:00

We read a book called A Bad Case of Stipes by David Shannon. Then we all brought in a small pumpkin. Last Wednesday we painted our pumpkins in stripes to match Camilla, the main character in the book. In the afternoon we glued hair, a bow, and eyes on our pumpkins and then drew a nose and mouth 0n with a Sharpie marker. Just for fun we germinated lima bean seeds and put them in soil. Our plants are starting to grow! This is important because Camilla became striped in the story when she pretended that she didn't like to eat lima beans when, of course, she loved them! Because she wasn't being true to herself, she broke out in all sorts of crazy things - the stripes were just the beginning.

Rekenrek Math Workshop

2009-10-08T14:10:00.002-04:00

Today we used a rekenreck in math workshop. It helps us recognize groups of ten and five. We will use it to add and subtract, and to give kids a concrete image of addition and subtraction strategies. First we played a little game to see how quickly students could recognize numbers such as 22 or 36. This awesome tool helps students "see" number groups!

From Liquid to Solid

2009-10-08T14:03:00.005-04:00

Who knew that going from a liquid to a solid could be so delicious? Yesterday in science we took milk, sugar, and vanilla, surrounded them with ice and rock salt, shook, shook, shook, and made our own yummy ice cream! Of course as scientists we predicted what might happen and reported our findings on a lab sheet. Stop by the bulletin board in our hallway to see more pictures and read our work.

Independent Reading Bags

2009-10-02T10:45:00.002-04:00

Everyone has an independent reading bag which contains ten books. Every Friday we switch out our books. We all choose 3 easy cheesy books to help our fluency. We also choose 4 just right books, and 3 challenge books. Noah has chosen an Amelia Bedelia book, some Magic Tree House books, an action chapter book, and a favorite picture book to read next week. He is using his bag as a pillow to get comfortable as he reads!

By Noah and Mrs. Metzger

Calendar Math

2009-10-01T14:42:00.005-04:00

Every day we do Calendar Math. First we look for patterns on the calendar. We notice what was yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Then we count how many days we've been in school and talk about how many tens there are. We have a clock (that's new). We are working on telling time. Today we counted by fives on the clock. We also have a wallet. Every day we add a penny. When we have 5 pennies we trade them in for a nickel. If we have two nickels you could make it a dime. Finally we have our birthday graph. We have most of our birthdays in July and none in March!

By Brandon P. and Mrs. Metzger

The BEST Second Grade Class Ever!!!

2009-09-05T07:12:00.008-04:00

We have 32 of the sweetest, brightest, hardworking children anywhere! In just two weeks of school we've read fabulous books such as Mr. Peabody's Apples, Dear Mrs. LaRue, and A Bad Case of Stripes. We've studied plot, characters, and problem/solution. In science class we used all five senses to observe and write about popcorn. In social studies we're talking about the importance of our community and neighborhood. Math has been all about making ten with groups of numbers such as 5+5, 2+4+4, 3+2+4+1, etc. Best of all, we've been adding pictures and ideas to our seed journals for writing. In addition to our academics, our class has been to PE, Music, Art, Character Education, and will visit the Media Center on Monday! WOW!

The First Day of School

2009-08-26T06:31:00.002-04:00

Wow! What an exciting first day of school we've had! The kids all came in with huge smiles ready to start second grade! Mrs. Phillips wowed us by finding a band that played great songs from all of our genres. Lots of kids sang along to favorites like Mama Mia and Car Wash. We played on the big playground and listened to a one-man steel drum band in the afternoon. We received planners and cool black t-shirts to take home.

By Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Metzger

Second Grade Here We Come!!!!!

2009-08-12T07:57:00.004-04:00

We can hardly wait for the new school year to begin! The classroom is ready and so are we. We're very excited to meet our new students!
By Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Metzger

Our Field Trip to the Zoo

2009-04-14T14:51:00.005-04:00

We spent a beautiful day at the Jacksonville Zoo last week. We searched for answers to our scavenger hunt worksheet and got to see the brand new Komodo Dragon exhibit. In the Wild Florida area we learned about snakes we might find in our own backyard!

Mexico - Ole!

2009-03-27T09:34:00.008-04:00

We have completed our study of the ancient Mexican civilization. The boys and girls made presentations to the class which included dress, music, art, history, and food. We also had fun breaking three pinatas!

Now, it's on to Spring Break for some rest and relaxation!

By Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Metzger

A Delicious Surprise

2009-03-12T15:03:00.004-04:00

Today was the last day of the FCAT and as a special surprise Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Metzger invited Miss Merriam, the Publix Apron's Chef, in to our classroom to show us how to decorate cupcakes! She started by telling us how important it is to wash our hands. In fact, we should scrub with soap up to our elbows while we sing "Happy Birthday" in our heads. Next, she showed us how to hold a plastic bag filled with icing and pipe a flower design or just a swirl. Each child had their turn and choice of pink, blue, green, or yellow frosting. The sprinkles were also a big hit! Before leaving, Miss Merriam taught us all a song in French. What a wonderful way to spend the afternoon!

By Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Metzger

"The Test" is here

2009-03-05T13:39:00.005-05:00

The FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test) is upon us. Next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we will be taking our standardized reading and math tests in third grade. One way that we are motivating our students to do their best is by putting a little candy treat on their desk each day. The first day we enjoyed Nestle Crunch Bars with the saying "The Crunch is On!" Yesterday the teachers gave the students (Hershey) "hugs and kisses" for working so hard. Today we had "smarties" because we are so smart!

Our students have some advice about taking standarized test for you:

When answering detail or sequence questions, go back to the text to find the answer.

If you have a context clue question, try "plugging in" all of the answer choices to find the best one.

For author's purpose questions, look back at the title and directions for the story. Sometimes it will help you tell if it was written to entertain, inform, or persuade the reader.

Take your time.

If you finish early, check your work.

If you run out of time - guess - don't leave any blanks!

Get a good night sleep before the test and eat a nutritional breakfast that morning.

Written by the boys and girls in Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Metzger's class

Answering The Call To Duty

2009-01-22T10:38:00.004-05:00

Our new President has challenged Americans to volunteer in their communities. We discussed what this means with our class. Some students already help others: Tyler mows the lawn for his neighbor and Sande reshelves books as a Pablo Creek Library helper. One way we can all pitch in is by working at the Chets Creek Saturday Mornings Campus Clean Up. This can be a family activity. Dates for 2009 include January 31, February 28, March 21, April 25, and May 30. Read The Connection for times and additonal information.

By Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Metzger

Just in time for the Chinese New Year...

2009-01-09T16:04:00.006-05:00

As our unit on China draws to a close, the children have the opportunity to earn some Social Studies extra credit. Our students were encouraged to make a 4 minute presentation to their classmates about the Chinese culture. Many kids wore traditional Chinese dress, others brought delicious food to share, we had a PowerPoint presentation, a timeline of the many dynasties and their contributions, a diorama, and much more. It was a learning experience for all of us!
By Mrs. Metzger

Who Knew Sedimentary Rocks Were So Delicious?

2009-01-09T15:14:00.011-05:00

As teachers we know that letting children experience or create something is the best way to make their learning meaningful. While teaching about sedimentary rocks, we found this recipe for a cookie bar that clearly shows the different layers through the glass baking dish. Once again our readers followed directions and worked together as a group. Each step of the process was recorded in their science journal, then diagams and observations were written.
By Mrs. Morrs

Taking a break for fun

2008-12-21T07:58:00.003-05:00

As we prepare for winter break, it's nice to take a day to have some fun and enjoy being with our friends. On Thursday we spent the day creating ornaments: a candy cane reindeer, a mitten - wreath - or tree, a paper clip angel, we made cards and snowflakes, then we read a book called Stranger in the Woods and created a snowman out of a sock! We revealed our Secret Santa identity to everyone's surprise, and we danced to a DJ as we dipped treats into the chocolate fountain. Everyone in our class was happy and everyone behaved. We work so hard that it's important for us to take some time and enjoy ourselves and our friends. My only regret is that we forgot a camera!
Happy Holidays to all from the M&M's!

December Holidays

2008-12-16T13:58:00.007-05:00

What a perfect time of the year to learn about the many cultures represented in our classroom. Yesterday we enjoyed latkes, jelly doughnuts, candy dreidles, and lighting a menorah. We read books about Hannukkah and listened as Rachel, Sarah, Sande, and Tyler shared some family traditions. In keeping with our functional writing and reading focus, please take a look at this Morris family latke recipe.

Potato Pancakes

2 eggs 2Tbsp. flour

1/2 small onion 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt 3 Cups raw cubed potatoes

Put eggs, onion, salt, flour, baking powder, and 1/2 cup of potato cubes into blender container.Cover and process at grate until potatoes have gone throught the blades. Stop blender and add remaining potatoes; cover and process at chop until all potato cubes have passed through processing blades. Use rubbern spatula to help guide potatoes to blades. Do not overblend! Spray griddle or pan with cooking spray. Pour potato batter as you would pancake batter and flip when the edges turn brown. Serve warm with applesauce or sour cream.

By Mrs. Morris

Oreo Cookie Turkeys

2008-11-26T06:39:00.007-05:00

Supplies: Oreo Cookies, White Icing, Malted Milk Balls, Candy Corn, Cinnamon Red Hot Candies
Directions: Open the Oreo cookie and apply a generous amount of icing to both sides. Stand one half of the cookie up in the icing of the other half. Place the malted milk ball in the middle and fan out the candy corn across the vertical cookie half to resemble feathers. Dab a little bit of icing on the red hot and apply it to the malted milk ball to make a turkey's waddle.
Enjoy your delicious creation!

Reader's Theater: Soccer Field

2008-11-19T14:54:00.006-05:00

On Election Day our class read a play about a group of kids that recently learned that their soccer field was going to be turned into a movie theater. They banned together to petition the city leaders to build the theater someplace else and spare their field.

We used this play to improve our fluency. First, we read through the play and decided who would read each part. Then we read it again paying close attention to the ending marks and trying to put emotion into our voices. This video will show you the final reading of our story. The students' fluency really improved and they read it over a minute faster!

Re-reading is a wonderful strategy!

By Mrs. Metzger

Awards Ceremony

2008-11-18T11:20:00.003-05:00

These students earned an A in Citizenship!

Congratulations for always following the rules!

A Plump and Perky Turkey

2008-11-12T14:13:00.005-05:00

The November book of the month is called A Plump and Perky Turkey by Teresa Bateman and Jeff Shelly. This book is funny! The people in Squawk Valley were trying to find a turkey for Thanksgiving. They put up signs looking for a turkey to model for pictures and sculptures. Their plan was to eat the turkey on Thanksgiving but Pete (the model) was too smart for them. He camouflaged himself in the art work and escaped! He left a note saying Goodbye and he took the bird made of oatmeal as his modeling fee. The people of Squawk Valley were left to eat shredded wheat on Thanksgiving!
I made a connection to this book because I eat shredded wheat too, but for breakfast. On Thanksgiving my favorite foods are turkey and key lime pie!
By Sande

Election Day

2008-11-12T14:02:00.005-05:00

On November 4th we voted in our classroom for the President of the United States. In our class, John McCain got the most votes. Before the election we read some books to get us ready. We read Grace for President, So You Want to be President, and Duck for President. We also made a K-W-L chart. I wanted to know if there is an arcade in the White House. It turns out that there isn't but there is a bowling alley, ballroom, and movie theater! We are also working on a Presidential PowerPoint. I've researched John Tyler who was born in 1790. Although Senator McCain didn't win the election, we are happy that Senator Obama will be our new president and we can't wait for Inauguration Day in January!
By Tyler

Pumpkin Math

2008-11-12T13:56:00.008-05:00

On October 31st we had a day filled with Pumpkin Math! Ten wonderful parents sent in pumpkins of various sizes. The children split into small groups and estimated how heavy their pumpkins were, what the diameter and circumference would be, and how many seeds they would find inside. Our awesome parent volunteers helped the kids actually weigh and measure the pumpkins and then cut off the top so the children could count the seeds. When all data was collected and recorded the kids drew jack-o-lantern faces and the adults cut them out. At the end of the day the pumpkins were raffled off and sent home!

By Mrs. Morris

Painting our Literary Pumpkins

2008-10-16T14:15:00.006-04:00

We read the book More M&M Math today in school. We painted our pumpkins like M&M's using blue, yellow, orange, green, red, and brown. We each got our own pack of M&M's and as we read the book we sorted them in colors and put them in lines (like a graph), and then we divided them into groups before we ate them. On Monday we will be taking the pumpkins downstairs to set up a display. Be sure to stop by the school to see them.

By Jared

Our Rome Day

2008-10-13T13:58:00.005-04:00

Today we presented our Rome Reports. I dressed in my toga (actually a sheet tied with a rope belt) and made a wreath for my head. My report was on chariot races. I learned that the drivers carried a knife to cut them out of the chariot if there was a crash. Josh, Tyler, and Kaci brought in food for us to try. There was cheese, bread, grapes, and raisins and we had apple juice to drink. I also brought in some music that sounds like the horses hoofs hitting the ground during the chariot race.
By Nick

A visit from Delaney's Dad and his skinny friend

2008-10-13T13:50:00.003-04:00

Delaney's dad came in to talk to us about vertebrates and non-vertebrates. He brought a skeleton with him so we could see what a backbone really looks like. We also saw x-rays and some pictures from his medical books. We passed around a 'real' shoulder bone and foot. His sense of humor kept us all laughing.
By Zaria and Mrs. Metzger

Operator Error

2008-10-13T06:08:00.002-04:00

Sometimes my computer is so helpful. It saves me frum luking foollish when it spell checks my writing for me. But sometimes it frustrates me. Last week we had 6 new comments on posts that I needed to approve. I read the sweet one from Preston, Delaney's brother, and another one from AJ, one from Anna, and some anonymous ones too. Instead of hitting the button to approve all of our posts, I hit the reject button by mistake. I soon found out that there was no way of going back and retrieving the posts. Once they've been rejected they are gone forever. I apologize to our friends that read and comment on last week's posts. I meant to accept and publish them all. Let's just chalk this one up to lessons learned.
By Mrs. Metzger

King Tut Field Trip

2008-10-06T13:14:00.004-04:00

This morning we went on a field trip to The Florida Theater to see a musical called King Tut. We learned that King Tut was only 9 years old. His uncle and another adviser wanted him to go to war with the communities surrounding Egypt and collect lots of taxes from the Egyptians. When King Tut didn't want to do these things they killed him!
After the field trip it was raining too hard to go to Metro Park, so we went back to school and ate lunch outside in the pavillion.
Next we're going to finish our learning pockets on Egypt.
By Naja and Mrs. Metzger

Open House

2008-09-26T18:33:00.003-04:00

We had our Open House on Monday, September 22nd. After the parents arrived the children showed them our Book of the Month, DOL, DOG, the memoir people projects, work folders, calendar math, book log, and our blog. Everyone got a pack of M&M's. We all got a success ticket for coming. The parents liked seeing our classroom, especially the plants we are growing from seeds.
By Kaci and Mrs. Metzger

September Book of the Month

2008-09-18T08:51:00.004-04:00

The book of the month is called the Amazing Pop-up Picture Atlas. When you open the book the first thing you see is the Earth and it spins around (because it's a pop-out). The book is organized by continents, beginning with North America. North America teaches you about the Native Americans, The Statue of Liberty, and when you flip open the page, you learn about languages (mostly Spanish and English), and it shows you the flags. The next page is about South America where people usually play soccer. There are also pages for Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Antarctica. The pictures help you understand what each continent is like. We recommend this book for kids in school and adults.
By Zack and Mrs. Metzger

Memoir Projects

2008-09-16T08:40:00.005-04:00

We have been writing memoirs in

school and we are creating ourselves out of posterboard at home. This week we'll put the two together for a splendid display in the hallway for Open House. Mine is about me being a piano player. I decorated my "person" using lots of colors. I can't wait to see lots of others!
By Anna

New Friends

2008-09-16T08:36:00.002-04:00

The very best thing that has happened so far this school year is that I made a lot of new friends. Austin is a good friend because he's been really nice to me. Sometimes we play football together at recess. Brice is also nice because we had a reading conference together. I sit near Jared and can always count on him for help if I need it.
By Robby

Smokey and Pumpkin

2008-09-09T08:54:00.003-04:00

This past week was really crazy. Our resources began and we met Mr. Jones, the new PE intern. I was student of the week and I brought in my two snails, Smokey and Pumpkin. Smokey wasn't out but Pumpkin was. Everybody loved the snails. By Delaney

The 'Fay'cation's over

2008-08-30T08:41:00.003-04:00

Well, we've finished our first full week of school. What a wonderful class of third graders we have! They are polite, creative, and inquisitive. Mrs. Morris is teaching the class about the globe and contintents as we begin our adventure. Mrs. Metzger is kicking things off with a read aloud by Beverly Cleary, Ramona Quimby Age 8.

Beginning the School Year

2008-08-13T19:58:00.002-04:00

We are anxiously awaiting our new students. We've been working on our classroom and feel ready. Tomorrow there will be subject area meetings. The next day we get to meet the new families that we will be working with this year!

Very First Post

2008-08-13T11:11:00.002-04:00

Wow! We've joined the world of Blogging! Thanks to Melanie and Eric for their help.