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!
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. 
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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...
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!
