December 14-18

Merry Christmas! I know everybody is ready for a great break to relax and spend time with their families. Thank you for all of your time and support. You have such great kids and I thoroughly enjoy spending time with them and watching them learn and grow. It is the best feeling in the world to watch a child finally understand something they have been working on. I love watching the "light bulb go off" in their minds; you can physically see it!

We have been working on some Christmas projects that will be coming home this week! The students have been working hard on a winter painting and also a surprise for your Christmas tree!

Our Big Kahuna this week is Noah! Happy Birthday :)

Writing: Persuasive letter to Santa

This week's math focus:

• Collect, organize, and represent data in a graph, chart, or on a line plot.
  
• Topic 6 Review and Test.

December 7-11

Last week we finished up our Rock Unit. The students had a lot of fun learning about Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic rocks. Apple Day was a fun and exciting day. Thank you for all bringing an apple and even extras! We described an apple using adjectives, we investigated the outside and inside of an apple, we wrote an expository (how-to) paragraph telling how we made our apple crisp, we also had fun apple story problems, and an appleseed toss game. The students had fun and it was nice to change our routine for a day!

Writing: Our Thanksgiving descriptive paragraph is up in the hall if you want to come take a look. This week we will be doing our final copy of our expository paragraph from apple day.

Art: We are working on a winter scene. This involves drawing, coloring, and painting. We will finish our projects this week!

Language Arts: Abbreviations and Antonyms

Math: We finished up our Math Camp on place value last week. We have been practicing everyday addition and subtraction with double digits. These involve borrowing and carrying. I know the students will be successful but we have to review review review so they leave second grade being able to do these with no problem. Please review this at home.

This week's math focus:

• Read and show on-the-hour and half-hour times on an analog clock.
• Solve problems that involve elapsed time.
• Read and show times past the hour (five-minute intervals) on an analog clock.
• Interpret, analyze, and compare data in a pictograph and tally chart.
  

November 30- December 4

I hope everyone had a fun Thanksgiving and enjoyed being with family! We had a great Thanksgiving party on Wednesday. We made our own pies and also made a fun Tic-Tac-Toe game to take home. A big THANKS to Becky VanLehn, Laurie Caldwell, and Valorie Foster for putting our party together. Here's some pictures of the students doing our Thanksgiving Reader's Theater!

Last week we also made metamorphic rocks out of Starburst. The kids really had fun with this and also understood what makes these rocks metamorphic (heat and pressure)!

We miss you Caleb; have fun in Arizona!

This Wednesday the Second Grade is having Apple Day! Please send your child to school with an apple on Tuesday so I can get them peeled and cut. We will be doing fun apple activities and also using descriptive writing. As a class we will create a yummy apple treat!

Math: We will take our Topic 5 test on Monday.

This week's math focus:

• Use quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies to show amounts to 99 cents using as many quarters as possible.
• Use coins to show amounts equal to one dollar.
• Compare amounts to one dollar.
• Create, model, and solve problems that involve making change.
  

November 23-25

Happy Thanksgiving!! We have a short week this week. Monday and Tuesday we get out at the normal time, 3:30. Wednesday is a minimum day; we get out at 1:40. I hope you enjoy your break, and enjoy spending time with your family!

Writing: Last week we finished our descriptive writing about Thanksgiving. The students used their 5 senses to describe Thanksgiving. We completed the entire writing process: prewrite, 1st draft, revise and edit, and final copy. We also completed a rubric about our writing. I will be hanging these in the hall after school today if you want to take a look! We will be focusing on writing about things we are thankful for this week.

Reading: This week we will be learning and performing a Thanksgiving readers theater.

Math: We are focusing on carrying and borrowing with double-digit addition and subtraction. Please help students and work on this at home!

This week's math focus:

• Create, model, and solve subtraction problems that involve differences.
• Subtracting two-digit problems.
• Choose the appropriate operation (addition or subtraction) and use it to solve a story problem.
  

November 16-20

Here's some pictures of our Halloween party and our field trip to Snow Canyon High School. The kids absolutely loved Willy Wonka! Thank you for all the parent volunteers. I had a lot of parents offer to come to the play but I could only take one; thanks Laura Lewis for coming! Also thank you for the dollar donations to help pay for the bus.

Sorry I didn't update the blog last week. Thanks for coming to your SEP conference; it's so nice to meet with the parents and tell you all the wonderful things your child is doing!

Writing: We are writing a Descriptive paragraph, using our five senses, about Thanksgiving. Last week we focused on Prewrite. This week we will be focusing on our 1st draft, revising, and editing.

Language Arts: Contractions and Abbreviations

Science: Rocks

Math: We will be starting our new Math Camp on Place Value this week.

This week's math focus:

• Write a fact family of related addition and subtraction sentences.
• Use a variety of methods to add.
• Recognize, describe, and extend number patterns.
• Add two-digit multiples of 5.

These are your fun kids on Friday after our Halloween Parade! The students had so much fun dressing up and celebrating Halloween! A big THANKS to Becky and Ben VanLehn, Laurie Caldwell, and Heather Cobos for coming on Thursday and giving us a great Halloween party!

Congratulations Coral for winning 1st place in the Photography section of Reflections!

This week look for SEP notes coming home. I look forward to meeting with all of you next week, and discuss the great things your children are doing!

We will be doing a lot of Report Card Assessments this week for Language Arts, Math, Spelling, and Writing.

Phonics: Consonant clusters and syllables

Math: In math camp we are focusing on geometry, including symmetry and parallel lines.

This week's math focus:
- Read and write three-digit numbers.
- Write three numbers in order from least to greatest.
- Write the number that is 1, 10, or 100 more and less than a given three-digit number.
- Develop the position of whole numbers on a number line.
- Take Topic 4 Test.

Reading with our 5th grade buddies!

October 26-30

Happy Halloween!

I hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween! Students wear your costumes on Friday for our Halloween parade! Parents you are more than welcome to come watch; our parade will be Friday morning.

This week is also Red Ribbon Week. Students will be writing about what they will do instead of doing drugs. They will also be making a pledge to not do drugs.

On Thursday night, October 29th, is our Math Night. Come have dinner and learn fun math games to play with your family.

I attached the Media Release Form to the homework last Friday. I figured that would be a better place for you to see it. Please turn those into me this week.

Science: Rocks

Language Arts: -ed endings

Reading: Students are creating non-fiction posters from books in their reading group.

Math: Our math camp on Geometry starts this week.

This week's math focus:
- Connect words and numerals for multiples of 100.
- Count by hundreds.
- Add multiples of 100.
- Identify a number as hundreds, tens, and ones.

October 19-23

Parents I will be sending home a Media Release Form on Tuesday. This gives me permission from you to include student pictures from activities we have done to put on the class blog. I did this last year and the parents loved it. I even had grandparents checking the class blog each week to see pictures! Sometimes I will include first names but never last names with student photos. Please sign and return this form by Friday. I already have pictures to include for next week's post!

Language Arts: Contractions and Abbreviations

Science: Rocks

Writing: Descriptive Paragraph

Math: We finished our unit on Measurement and Geometry. I was surprised by how well the students understood Geometry! We will be starting Minute Math. This is to help challenge students to get math facts quick.

This week's math focus:
- Develop understanding of the position of whole numbers (ones, tens, hundreds, thousands).
- Represent a number as different combinations of tens and ones.
- Trade 1 ten for 10 ones.
- Trade 10 ones for 1 ten.

October 12-16

Happy Columbus Day! We are going to have a great short week this week. Just a reminder- there is no school on Friday, October 16th and Monday, October 19th, so enjoy your four day weekend for fall break. This week we have two SUU students coming to observe our class, so I will be using them for extra one on one help for the students! On Wednesday, Ballet West is coming to our school and will be performing Sleeping Beauty. We don't get this often so it will be a nice treat for students to watch other forms of art! Gracie is our Big Kahuna this week! Her birthday was October 4th- Happy Birthday Gracie!

Language Arts: We will be reviewing Homophones and learning more about Contractions.

Writing: Descriptive paragraph

Math: Our Math Camp on graphing will be ending this week. The students have done very well in this area.

This week's math focus:
- Recognize and name 3-D shapes.
- Recognize and name 2-D faces of 3-D shapes.
- Recognize and name faces, edges, and vertices of 3-D shapes.
- Review and test.

October 5-9

It's October already! I hope you're enjoying the nice fall weather like I am. This week the Huntsman World Senior Games are starting. Every year they have a big Opening Ceremonies for the athletes at the Hansen Stadium. I am inviting you guys to come to the Opening Ceremonies Tuesday night, October 6th, at 7:00. I teach dance at Diamond Talent and will be performing; a couple of students from Coral Cliffs will also be performing. This is such an amazing experience! This year there will be 49,000 athletes from 60 different countries. Feel free to come, bring blankets or chairs because you get to sit right on the field and watch the show! Their will be a sky diver, singing, dancing, and fireworks!!

Thursday, October 8th- Turn in your Spelling Fundraiser envelope to class so we can take our spelling test on Friday, October 9th which we will take right on the envelope. On Friday I will correct these 10 words and send envelopes home. Then students will collect money for words spelled correctly. Checks can be made to Coral Cliffs Elementary PTA. Students will return envelopes and money by October 16th. Everyone who returns the envelope will win a prize. 100% of all money raised will go directly to Coral Cliffs! The students are really excited about this, so if you have any questions please call Becky VanLehn at #435-862-5931.

Friday, October 9th, will be Picture Retakes.

Writing: We will be learning what a paragraph needs. We will also begin Descriptive writing.

Art: Students will create a fall picture using tear art.

Language Arts: Homophones

Science: Nutrition

September 28- October 2

Last week we had a surprise visit from Frank Cole who is the author of Hashbrown Winters. This was great for the students to talk with him and realize that they too could also be an author.

On Friday, Fundraiser packets were sent home. Please read the attached yellow note on the envelope. There are 10 spelling words that the students will get pledges for. We picked easy words because for every word they spell right our school gets money! The money the students earn pay for playground equipment, field trips, and many other student activities. Turn in the white envelopes to class by Thursday, October 8th so we can take our spelling test on Friday, October 9th which will be right on the envelope. On Friday the 9th, I will correct these 10 words and send envelopes home. Then students will collect money for words spelled correctly. Checks can be made to Coral Cliffs Elementary PTA. Students will return envelopes and money by October 16th. Everyone who returns the envelope will win a prize. 100% of all money raised will go directly to Coral Cliffs! The students are really excited about this, so if you have any questions please call Becky VanLehn at #435-862-5931.

Take Home Library has started! Parents please initial the slip of paper after your student reads their book and return back to school the next day! Be sure to record your reading minutes on your Reading Calendar for September. Students turn your reading calendar in on Thursday with at least 400 minutes and parent signature and you will be given a prize!

Language Arts: Reviewing Compound Words and learning Adjectives.

Phonics: We will be learning consonant blends- br, tr, fr, dr, pr, cr, and gr.

Writing: Students will learn how to include more details in their writing.

Science: Nutrition and Health

Math: In class we are learning Measurement and Geometry. Our math camp focus is patterns, number patterns, and growing patterns.

This week's math focus:
- Make connections among units of length.
- Use tools to measure length.
- Solve problems that involve length.
- Compare lengths.
- Measure with multiple copies of standard units of the same size, placed end to end.

September 21-25

Spelling went very well last week! I know a few of you are still confused with the spelling sorts. Please read the green papers I have sent home; these include step by step directions for each sort. Parents- feel free to keep asking questions; I promise it will get easier!

I hope everybody was able to enjoy the rodeo last weekend! On Thursday we had an exciting assembly with the Rodeo Queens and the clowns! Also, Reflection packets were sent home last week. If any students are interested in participating, turn in your entry form and media release form to either me or the office. The projects are due October 23rd.

I'm hoping Take-Home Library gets started today, Monday! Look for books coming home this week!

Reading: Last week we starting Guided Reading groups. During centers, it is my time to pull back kids in small groups based on their reading level. The students have been doing great and they're motivated to work hard with their reading.

Math: We will be finishing up Topic 2 and taking the test this week. We are starting Math Camp this week on Patterns.

This week's math focus:
- Create number stories with a given answer and complete the related number facts.
- Understand the relationship between addition and subtraction.
- Interpret, analyze, and represent data in a graph.
- Recognize length, capacity, and weight.
- Measure length with nonstandard units.

September 14-18

Last week was a great but crazy week! We had a lot going on and managed to get most of it done! Parents thank you for coming to Literacy Night on Wednesday. We had a great turn-out, and I know it will be beneficial to helping your child with their spelling homework.

Thanks, Becky and Ben VanLehn, for coming on Friday to celebrate Halli's birthday. The kids enjoyed having you here!

Also, a big THANKS to Laurie Caldwell and Becky VanLehn for being our Room Moms this year! I'm excited to get to work with you, and thank you for your time and support.

Language Arts: Compound Words

Science: We will be learning and talking about Germs.

Writing: We will start Writer's Workshop and learn how drawing pictures can be a prewriting activity.

Math: Keep practicing time at home.

This week's math focus:
- Choose the appropriate operation (+ or -) and use it to solve a story problem.
- Understand the relationship between addition and subtraction.
- Create number stories.
- Interpret, analyze, and represent data in a graph.

September 7-11

No School on Monday, September 7th for Labor Day!

Parents thank you so much for coming to your SEP conference! I enjoyed getting to know you and telling you all the wonderful things your kids are doing so far!

Remember- Wednesday, September 9th, is Literacy Night from 5-6 pm. Come learn the homework sorts with your child and get pizza provided by the school. Also, Friday, September 11th, is Picture Day!

This week Halli is our Big Kahuna! Her 8th birthday was Sunday, September 6th! Happy Birthday Halli!

Grandparent's Day is Sunday, September 13th! We will be creating cards for our grandparents!

Language Arts: We will continue learning about Verbs.

Reading Comprehension: We will focus on Connections.

Spelling: This week I will give the students a simple sort that we will practice and learn the different sorting activities together. I will not be testing the students on these words; they will just be used to practice the sorting patterns. On Friday, I will be sending their spelling homework with them that will be used for their first spelling test the following Thursday.

Math: We are still focusing on Time and are starting basic addition and subtraction facts.

This week's math focus:
- Solve subtraction problems that involve finding a missing addend.
- Solve subtraction problems that involve finding a difference.
- Choose the appropriate operation (+ or -) and use it to solve a story problem.
- Understand the relationship between addition and subtraction.

August 31- September 4

SEP WEEK- I look forward to meeting with you!

Last week we had a really fun and great week. On Friday the students met their 5th grade buddies. We will meet with them every Friday for an activity. The students love and look up to their buddies.

Just a Reminder- No School Friday, September 4th and Monday, September 7th for Labor Day! Enjoy your long four day weekend! I will be sending home homework on Thursday.

Save the Date- Wednesday, September 9th is Literacy Night from 5-6 pm. Come and learn the homework spelling sorts and enjoy pizza provided by the school! Also, Friday, September 11th is Picture Day!

Language Arts: We will begin learning about Verbs.

Writing: We are making sure that our sentences start with a capital and end with a period. Please watch for this at home. The students are doing a lot of writing, and it is fantastic! We just need to remember the mechanics.

Math: The 2nd grade is starting their first math camp. This is when all the second graders are given the same assessment on a certain concept; our current focus is time. Next, we split the students into four groups based on their ability and knowledge of time. Then we can focus on exactly what they need to work on. We meet for math camp everyday from 2:30-3:00.

Please practice time at home. Just an idea ... buy your child a watch, that is analog not digital, ask them what time it is through out the day!

Our math focus for this week is:
- Solve problems that involve addition.
- Write addition number sentences.
- Use the count-on strategy to add 1, 2, or 3.
- Use a double to add numbers by 1 or 2.
- Solve subtraction problems.

We will be learning about all kinds of safety.

August 24-28

We had a great first full week! The students earned five class points, so they were able to eat lunch in the classroom on Friday. This was a fun special treat they were working for through out the week. Also, on Friday, Mrs. Mortensen checked each class to see who had turned in the letter that she had assigned for homework. Second grade was the only grade will 100% of letters turned in! Mrs. Mortensen was so excited; she took all the second grade classes out for a game of Dodgeball! Great job second graders! I sent home our first homework packet on Friday. This needs to be completed and turned in this Thursday. If you have any questions, feel free to email me, send a note, or just have your child ask me at school and I will be glad to help! Our class is slowly getting into our routine. We have been working on getting our work done quickly but neatly. Look for SEP times; they will be coming home this week. Your students are doing great! Here's an overview of our week.

Language Arts: We will continue to learn about Nouns and begin learning about Proper Nouns.

Writing: We will learn about the Writing Process: Prewrite, Write, Revise, Edit, and Publish.

Reading: Tuesday and Wednesday I will have a sub in the morning. I will be pulling students to test their reading level. I will discuss this at our SEP conferences.

Math: The students have been doing great understanding tens and ones with place value. Please review Time at home. Make sure students are looking at the short hand first for the hour then the long hand for the minutes.

This week's math focus:
- Count by twos, fives, and tens.
- Identify numbers that are multiples of 2, 5, or 10.
- Classify numbers as even or odd.
- Read and show on-the-hour and half-hour times on an analog and digital clock.
- Solve problems that involve elapsed time.

August 17-21

We had a great first week! I enjoyed getting to know your kids, and I'm excited to see all we can accomplish this year! I was surprised and glad to see how all the kids were interacting with each other on Friday. We had only been together for a day and all the students already felt comfortable with each other! I work hard on creating a great classroom environment, and already this class is getting along great and making sure to include everyone! Parents- if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. My email is kholyoak@cces.washk12.org- I check my email frequently and will respond within a day or two! Here is our overview for next week.

Writing: We will be writing about the first week of school. I will keep these and show you at our SEP conferences on either Aug. 31st or Sept. 2nd, whenever I meet with you. We will also be putting a book together of our school friends by finding out each classmate's likes and dislikes.

Math: Our school district uses the program Growing with Mathematics. We will be starting that on Monday. First we are focusing on reviewing number and time concepts.
This week's math focus:
* Count, read, and write to 100
* Write numerals to 99 and connect them to the quantities they represent
* Represent two-digit numbers as groups of ten and "leftover" ones
* Understand whole numbers
* Compare two numbers (up to 99) and say which is greater

Communication: We will be interviewing each other.

Spelling: This week we are taking the Spelling Inventory to assess their level for spelling sorts. Save the Date- Wednesday, September 9th for Literacy Night. This is when parents will learn how to do the spelling sorts for homework.

Language Arts: We will begin learning about nouns.