Spirit Day Is Tomorrow, So Wear Your Teal, Black, and White!

Families,

 

Tomorrow, Friday, November 13 is a Spirit Wear Day sponsored by the Chief Jo PTO. All students are encouraged to wear their CJE spirit wear. If you don’t have an official CJE shirt or hoodie, not to worry! Students can wear anything that’s teal, black, and/or white. The class with the highest percentage of students participating in Spirit Day will receive the traveling trophy.

 

If you’d like to purchase spirit wear, the Chief Joseph PTO Facebook page offers items for sale that can be purchased with a debit or credit card. 

 

Hoping to see everyone in teal, black, or white tomorrow!!!

 

Mrs. Hoschouer

Book Orders

Shop Online: scholastic.com/readingclub
One-Time Class Activation Code: H7HPW

Dear Families,

The Scholastic book order came home with your child earlier this week. Children read more when they choose their own books, so I encourage you to look at the flyers together. Each flyer is filled with grade-specific, affordable titles.

Place your order online at scholastic.com/readingclub or send the order form and payment to me. Ordering online is the easiest way to ensure I get your order on time. Also, there are more books to choose from as well as teacher recommendations.

Remember, for every book you order, our class earns FREE Books and supplies...and we have our eye on some new additions.

Thank you for your support!
Mrs. Hoschouer

PS: Books make wonderful gifts! Please let me know if your order includes a gift, and I will contact you when it arrives.


Ordering online is fast and easy:

•  VISIT scholastic.com/readingclub
•  ENTER the one-time Class Activation Code (top of this letter)
•  SHOP from a carefully curated selection of the best books and value packs
•  SUBMIT your order and earn FREE Books for our classroom
•  All book orders will be shipped to our classroom so we can celebrate the joy of reading together!

Turkey in Disguise

Your child will bring home a blank turkey template today. Please help this turkey make it safely past Thanksgiving by disguising him through the holiday he fears the most! Turkeys that have made it through in the past have been dressed like ballerinas, football players, farmers, hula dancers, Elvis, snowmen, Spiderman, a princess, Santa, and even yours truly, Mrs. Hoschouer.

Your main focus is to dress your turkey in attire that will help him blend in with your family so he will go unnoticed at the Thanksgiving table! Please have fun and be creative. You may use anything you can think of to decorate. Turkeys are due by Thursday, November 12.

Googling "turkey in disguise" or searching on Pinterest will provide many examples, but here are a few:

Please have fun with this project and let me know if you are in need of any supplies I might be able to provide (construction paper, glue, etc.)

Mrs. Hoschouer

Pumpkin Lab

Families,

Here's a look at our Pumpkin Lab this morning. It was a fun and messy activity filled with math (and pumpkin goo).

Each group chose a pumpkin

 Then they estimated the weight, number of seeds, circumferences, and other characteristics of their pumpkin.

Working together, students discussed each of their estimates.

 Then it was time to open the pumpkin and count the seeds.

Students scooped, separated seeds from goo, and counted seeds into groups.

Harvest Party Sign Up

Families,

This Friday, October 30, our class is having 2 exciting events. First, we'll be exploring pumpkins during our Pumpkin Lab. Students will estimate the height, weight, circumference, and number of seeds inside of their group's pumpkin. Then, we'll begin our measuring, including counting all the seeds inside! We'll need 5-6 regular pumpkins for this activity.

Then, our Harvest Party will be from 3:00-3:45 pm. We'll be eating snacks and watching "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown". Parents are welcome to attend and help pass out treats. 

If you'd like to help volunteer for one of these events or donate and item, I would greatly appreciate it. Here's a link to a sign-up: 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1WLtOa7mBmAsURLnrzphQcQSk0SHkC_4qRECL4mxd64I/viewform

If you signed up for an item to donate at conferences, I'll send home a reminder tomorrow with your child. Thank you all for your help!

Mrs. Hoschouer

Music Program and Math Night All-in-One

Families,


Mark your calendar for Thursday, November 5, 2015. The first event of the evening is the Second Grade Music Program. Student will perform in the CJE gym from 5:00-5:30 pm. Then we'll be serving pizza and drinks to all in attendance, including parents, students, and siblings from 5:30-6:00 pm. We'll finish off the evening with Math Night (6:00-7:00 pm)--math game rotations and a short, but informative overview of the second grade Common Core Math Standards along with the problem-solving strategies being taught. Parents can look forward to some simple and effective ways to help kids with math at home. At the end of the evening all students in attendance will receive a bag filled with the math games and pieces to take home. I hope you're all able to attend! It should be a fun-filled evening!

Thank You,
Mrs. Hoschouer

Cloud in a Jar

Today we created a cloud in a jar (twice)! It was quite a sight. We talked about the water cycle, how clouds form, and the "ingredients" to make a cloud. Here's a look at our experiment:

First, we made some predictions and wrote the steps to creating a cloud in a jar.

Next, we gathered the ingredients--hot water, ice in a bowl, an empty jar, and air freshener.

Then, we put the hot water into the jar and placed the ice-filled bowl on top. Within a few seconds, we could see condensation on the side of the jar. I quickly lifted the bowl and sprayed a bit of air freshener inside. This acted as the dust particles in the sky for the water vapor (as it's condensing) to stick to. This created our cloud.

After allowing the cloud to form for about 30 seconds, I lifted the bowl and the cloud floated up and out of the jar!! The students were so excited that we decided to give it a second try. Sure enough, it worked.

Dreambox

Families,

Chief Jo is so fortunate to have a new laptop cart filled with ThinkPads. We're using these small laptops to access Dreambox--a new adaptive math program purchased with Title I funds. This incredible game-based math program assesses students' math knowledge and then offers games that help improve their areas of weakness. Because it adapts to each child's math ability, some students may be working on 1st or 2nd grade skills while others are working at a 3rd or 4th grade level. All the games look very similar, so students can't tell who's working at a "high" or "low" level. All they know is they're having fun!! I'll give each parent the information to access Dreambox at our P/T conference next week.

PTO-Sponsored Get Glowing Dance Party

"Get Glowing" this Friday, October 16 at CJE from 6:30-8:30 pm. The entrance is free, although there will be tickets to purchase (presale and at the front door) that can be used to buy food, drinks, snacks, and more. Students are encouraged to wear glow sticks, bracelets, etc. during this fun-filled dance in our CJE gym. Look for pre-order forms for tickets to come home tomorrow Wednesday, October 14. Hope to see you there!

A Visit from Nurse Kim

Today Nurse Kim came to speak to our class about ways to stay healthy. She shared tips for coughing and sneezing into an elbow (instead of a hand), the importance of hand washing frequently, and information about lice prevention/treament. Ask your child about the health tips Nurse Kim shared today.

Hooray!

Dear Families,


I have outstanding news! After more than a month of waiting with my fingers crossed, I found out last night that our class was awarded a grant from DonorsChoose. This grant will provide a year's subscription of Science Spin for the entire second grade. It also provides non-fiction science books that are aligned to our second grade science standards and correspond to the science activity tubs I received last year from DonorsChoose.




This entire project was funded by Chevron. In the month of October, your fuel purchases at Chevron across Ada County help fund science and math grants posted by local teachers on DonorsChoose. Gas light on? Consider helping support DonorsChoose by filling up at Chevron.




Here's a link to the grant I wrote so you can see exactly what we've received.


http://www.donorschoose.org/project/inquiring-minds-want-to-read-about-scien/1666322/?utm_source=dc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=proposal_message_via_donation&rf=email-system-2015-10-feedback_donationmessage_teacher&utm_swu=9681




Mrs. Hoschouer

Visiting Guest Artists: The Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company from Salt Lake City, Utah

IDEO President, Rachel Swenson wrote a grant to the Idaho Commission on the Arts on behalf of West Ada School District to bring the professional dance company, the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company from Salt Lake City, Utah to teach dance literacy to the five art schools of choice in the Boise area.  The RW Dance Company will be giving free community dance classes, working with 5 schools (including Chief Jo!), and a professional dance concert Oct. 12-16, 2015.  The dance concert is not only a special treat for the Boise area to build dance literacy in the community, but is also a fundraiser to help pay for the RW artists in residency.  Buy tickets for the RW dance concert online and support dance education in Idaho. http://www.rwdanceconcert.bpt.me

The RW Dance Company pursues this overall vision through:

Performing innovative original works and commissioning choreographers of exceptional talent

Providing dance education for all levels and outcomes

Touring regionally, nationally, and internationally

Training artists as performers, educators, and choreographers

Developing dance audiencesrie-Woodbury Dance Company is committed to furthering contemporary dance as an accessible and valued art form through performance and dance education that raise the standards, deepen the understanding and promote personal connections with dance.

For more information about the RW Dance Company http://www.ririewoodbury.com/

Red Ribbon Week

This year Chief Jo is celebrating Red Ribbon Week October 26-30. Each day will have a theme related to choosing a drug-free life style. Here are the themes for each day:



Monday:  “I’m too bright to try drugs!”  (Wear a bright color.)

Tuesday:  “I have better things to do than drugs”  (College day, wear college t-shirts.)

Wednesday:  Life is a work of art”  (Wear as much colorful clothing as you can.)

Thursday: “Your choices are the key to your dreams”  (Dress for success!  Dress up today.)

Friday:  “My future is bright!”  (It's Career Day! Dress as the career you hope to have.)


In addition to celebrating Red Ribbon Week, our class will spend some time learning about alcohol,  drugs, and tobacco as a part of our health curriculum. This is a great time to have discussions at home about the importance of saying "no" to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco as well as choosing to live a healthy, active life.

No Word Study Next Week

Families,

       

        We will NOT have word study next week due to the 3-day school week. Students have October 1^st and 2^nd off from school because of statewide teacher in-service. Students will get a shortened homework packet on Monday (9/28) that will be due on Wednesday (9/30). Spelling will resume the week of October 5-9. Words for that week will come home on Wednesday, September 30. Questions? Please email me at hoschouer.ana@westada.org.

 

Thank you,

Mrs. Hoschouer

Parent Teacher Conference Scheduling

Families,


Last week information about how to schedule a conference during Parent Teacher Conferences came home. Some of you have tried to schedule and encountered difficulty. The schedule will go live on Thursday, September 24. This is when you can begin to schedule your conference(s). If you have difficulty with the online scheduling process, please send me an email. I look forward to meeting with you all!


Thanks,
Mrs. Hoschouer

News, Notes, and Updates

Families,


Thank you so much to those of you who came to Parent Night last night. It was great to see many of you again and meet a few of you for the first time. For those of your who were unable to make it, I'll be sending home a folder of handouts on Monday--I ran out of time today!


Kids brought home their first word study homework today in the BIRD folder. As I spoke about last night, students have been divided into groups based on spelling ability. We currently have two lists in our classroom, though I may add an additional list if needed. The homework menu also looks a little different. There are four "required" activities and a number of optional ones. Please encourage your child to do their word study homework while keeping in mind my message below.


I want to reiterate what I shared last night about my homework philosophy. Homework is intended to support and practice some of the skills and concepts we are learning in class. Homework helps build routines and should be encouraged. With that in mind, please do not let homework become a stressful, overwhelming experience at your house. If you or your child become frustrated, take a break. Homework is not worth fighting about and should never cause unhappiness for anyone. Homework should not take more than 20 minutes each night--word study and homework packet combined. If your child doesn't finish their homework by Friday and needs the weekend to complete it, that's ok. Just send me a note or email so I know. If you're not sure how to do a part of the homework (this happens sometimes with math), I'm more than happy to help your child. Out of all the homework (word study, weekly packet, and reading), reading is the most important. The fluency practice and 20 minutes of reading are vital to help develop a child's reading skills and should be the #1 homework priority.


Parent-Teacher Conferences will be on October 21 & 22. A salmon-colored note came home yesterday, Thursday, September 10. This note explained the online sign up process for P/T Conferences. In short, you'll need to be a registered member of the West Ada Website and this will allow you to sign up for a time of your choice on either day conferences are being held. If you do not have a computer with internet access, you're encouraged to use a computer at CJE.


The fall testing season has arrived. Students will be taking the IRI reading fluency test on Tuesday, September 15. We are also scheduled to take the MAP reading and math tests later this month. Results of fall tests will be shared at P/T Conferences.


Head lice continue to be a nuisance in our classroom. Please check your child each day. It is the West Ada School District's policy to keep students in class even if they have a confirmed case of head lice. So, head lice will likely continue to be present in our classroom until the problem is resolved at home. If you have more questions, please contact our nurse, Kim Monson, at monson.kimberly@westada.org.


Enjoy your weekend!


Mrs. Hoschouer

Volunteer Sign Up

Families,




I've decided to try VolunteerSpot to organize our classroom volunteers. If you're interested in helping out in our classroom, please see the information below. I'll explain more about this at Parent Night tomorrow, Thursday, September 10.


 Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:
1. Click this link to go to our invitation page on VolunteerSpot: http://vols.pt/WivRK3
2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on VolunteerSpot)
3. Sign up! Choose your spots - VolunteerSpot will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy!

Note: VolunteerSpot does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually.


Sing ups are open through Thanksgiving break. Since I have never used this before, I thought we'd try it until then and see if it's user friendly and manageable. If so, I'll open more spaces after Thanksgiving. If not, we'll find another way to schedule volunteers.






Thank you,
Mrs. Hoschouer

A few reminders

Families,


We had our lockdown drill this morning. Everything went smoothly and students did a marvelous job waiting patiently.


Library books are due every Wednesday. Students have library on Thursday, but books are due the day before. Please help your child remember to bring their library books to school each Wednesday.


Homework packets will come home today. There have been changes made to the fluency portion of the homework for some students based on reading ability. If your child's fluency homework looks different and you have questions, please let me know! Homework is always due on Friday (or the last day of the week).


Parent Night is this Thursday, September 10 from 6-7:30 pm. I hope you're able to attend. I'll be discussing many important things related to this school year, as will other "specials" teachers throughout the building. The evening will begin in the CJE gym at 6:00 pm. There will be two teacher sessions--one beginning at 6:30 pm and the other beginning at 7:00 pm. I look forward to seeing you all there.


Snacks should be brought daily. Students will have a snack time each day in the morning. Snacks cannot be shared and I am unable to provide snacks on a daily basis to those who forget. Please be mindful of the numerous students who have peanut allergies--all snacks should be free of nuts and peanut butter. Thank you!


A reminder that book order are due by Friday, September 11. Orders can be done online or sent to school. See my earlier post for more information.


As always, thank you for your support!


Mrs. Hoschouer

Book Order

Families,

I sent home a book order today for Scholastic Reading Club. You can order online at scholastic.com/readingclub and use the activation code H7HPW. You can also use the order form included in the flyer and return it to school with a check. Please don't send cash. Book orders are due by Friday, September 11. I'll give a reminder at Parent Night on Thursday, September 10.

I included both 2nd and 3rd grade book orders. For each book, you'll notice a Lexile score. This is a reading scale used to find appropriate books for your child to read independently. While I don't have your child's individual Lexile reading range yet, I will after our fall MAP test. In the mean time, here's are the grade level Lexile ranges for an average student (between the 25%ile and 75%ile):

1st grade: 230L to 420L
2nd grade: 450L to 570L
3rd grade: 600L to 730L

Of course, choosing a book that's appropriate is easier when you can open the book and preview it. When you're choosing books at the store or library, here are some tips for selecting a "Just Right Book":

Choose a book that is a good fit for you!

Read two or three pages and ask yourself these questions:

Will it be an easy, fun book to read?

• Do I understand what I am reading?
• Do I know almost every word?
• When I read it aloud, can I read it smoothly?
• Do I think the topic will interest me?

If most of your answers were "yes", this will be an easy book to read independently by yourself.

Will this book be too hard for me?

• Are there five or more words on a page that I don't know, or am unsure of?
• Is this book confusing and hard to understand by myself?
• When I read it aloud, does it sound choppy and slow?

If most of your answers were "yes," this book is too hard. You should wait awhile before you read this book. Give the book another try later, or ask an adult to read the book to you.

(Information for choosing a good fit book found at:  http://www.readingrockets.org/article/selecting-books-your-child-finding-just-right-books)

First Homework Packet

Families,

          Today you will find your child’s first homework packet in their purple BIRD folder. Each Monday a packet of work will come home with your child to be completed during the week. Please make sure you read the information about fluency practice. For the first few weeks, all students will receive the same homework. Once beginning of the year assessments have been completed, students will receive homework that can be done at their independent working level. Homework is due every Friday. This includes the spelling homework I send home the previous Friday.

          There is a September reading calendar in the BIRD folder as well. Please keep this calendar at home during the month and make sure your child colors in each day that they read at least 20 minutes. Reading does not have to take place in one 20 minute block—it can be broken into two 10 minute chunks if that works better for your child. Reading can be done independently (silently), to an adult, or with an adult (taking turns reading). Books, magazines, and comics are all acceptable reading materials. Students can also read books on myOn during this time (see intro letter in BIRD folder for details). Students who return their reading calendar at the end of the month with at least 20 days shaded and a parent’s signature will be invited to the 20/20 Lunch Bunch. This celebration happens in my classroom during lunch. Student will get to eat their lunch in the classroom, watch a cartoon, and receive a prize for their reading efforts.

          My goal in assigning homework is not to make your evenings stressful or take away your valuable family time. I want to instill a sense of responsibility and help students develop a routine of reading at home. If your child is overwhelmed by the amount of homework, it's too difficult, too easy, or you have other concerns, I'm more than willing to discuss this with you and your child. Homework (packet and spelling) should not take more than 15 minutes per night (Monday-Thursday), plus the 20 minutes of reading 20 days per month. I’ll talk more about homework expectations at Parent Night on September 10. If you have questions before then, please email me.

Thank you for your support!

New, Notes, and Updates

Families,

Please check your child's purple BIRD folder for spelling homework. Our first list of words came home today (-id and -ide), along with the homework choices. Students should complete at least 3 homework assignments and return them next Friday, September 4.

Students also brought home a login for a math website called TenMarks. Students practiced logging into the website today. There are some assignments I've given students to practice that focus on place value to 100. There is also a Jam Session where students can choose the math skills they want to practice. If you have a computer or tablet with internet access, I would highly encourage your child to use this resource at home. If not, our class will be going to the computer lab weekly for a 30 minutes session on TenMarks. I especially like this program because it is Common Core aligned, promotes higher level thinking, and offers hints and videos to help if a child needs to review a skill.

Picture Day is Tuesday, September 1. Please return the picture order form by then if you want to order portraits. All students will have their photo taken.

Finally, Parent Night is Thursday, September 10 from 6:00-7:30 pm. Please plan on attending to learn more about our classroom routines, learning goals in second grade, and ways you can help your child succeed. Thank you in advance for your attendance--I know how busy evenings with kiddos can be and appreciate you coming. While this evening is for parents, please come even if that means bringing your child(ren) with you!

We have had such a busy week and I've truly enjoyed getting to know each of your children. Our class is hard-working, kind, and eager to learn. I can't wait to see all the milestones they reach this year.

Enjoy your weekend!

Recipe for Success

Here's our recipe for a successful school year:


1 cup of creativity
1 pinch of fun
1 dash of cooperation
1 spoonful of respect
and a heap of hard work


Directions: Mix them all together for a great school year!!!

Student Portraits

Families,

An order form for student portraits came home today. If you would like to order photos of your child, please return the order form by Tuesday, September 1 (picture day). All students will be photographed whether or not families order photos.

Say "Cheese!"

Real Reading

Families,


We've been talking A LOT about the choices good readers make. We've also been working on building our reading stamina. It's difficult to begin reading in our classroom without having discussions about my reading expectations. Check out the great ideas students came up with to compare real and fake reading...

Also, here's our Read-to-Self poem...

Thank you for supporting these same reading practices at home. On Monday, August 31 I'll send home a reading calendar for the month of September. This will include information about my reading expectations at home and the reward for students who read at least 20 minutes 20 days during each month.

Welcome!

Hello Families,

Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year at Chief Jo! I am so excited to begin a new school year. As you can imagine, we have so many fun and exciting activities planned for the first week of school. Students will be learning our classroom expectations, reviewing some math and reading skills from first grade, and making new friends.

If you weren't able to attend our Meet and Greet, please make sure to check your child's backpack after the first day of school for a blue folder containing information about Chief Jo and our class. There are some forms that need to be completed, signed, and returned to me as soon as possible. Thank you for taking the time to look through all this information.

Please plan on attending our Parent Night on Thursday, September 10 beginning at 6:00 pm. I'll be speaking about our classroom routines, the second grade curriculum, and answering any questions you may have about our upcoming year in second grade.

If you have any questions or concerns prior to Parent Night, please don't hesitate to contact me. The best method of contacting me is via email. My email address is hoschouer.ana@westada.org. You can also call 350-4200, though you'll likely get my voicemail between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm.

I look forward to a fantastic year in second grade. Thank you for the opportunity to teach your child--I consider it a great honor and privilege!

Take Care,

Penguin Paragraphs

Here are our penguin paragraphs. Students worked diligently through the writing process to complete these adorable penguin paragraphs. 

 

 

 

Roaring Reader

Hi Families,

Today I sent home a 2015 Roaring Reader Student Chart. Students who read at least 600 minutes between now and March 20 can receive one free admission ticket to Roaring Springs. To receive the ticket, student must keep track of their reading on the Student Chart. There are three pages because it often takes more than one page for students to accumulate the 10 hours of reading. Reading that is done at home for the 20 minutes of nightly reading on our monthly calendars does count towards the 600 minutes. Any reading passages/fluency passages in the homework packets do not count. Once finished, the Student Chart must be signed by an adult and returned to me. Student Charts are due no later than March 20--LATE FORMS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

After doing a little math, a student could meet the 600 minute goal in the following ways:

• 15 minutes everyday from February 9-March 19
• 20 minutes 5 days per week from February 9-March 19
• 25 minutes 4 days per week from February 9-March 19
• 35 minutes 3 days per week from February 9-March 19

Mrs. Hoschouer recommends 20 minutes of reading 5 days per week!!!

Upcoming Events

·    2/10/15 PTO Eat-n-Earn at Blaze Pizza (5-7 pm )

·    2/11/15 Class Photos--All students will be photographed for our class photo. To purchase, send $8.50. Optional: Return the Individual Portrait permission slip that came home on Thursday, February 5

·    2/13/15 Friendship Party (valentines and nachos)

·    2/16/15 No School--Presidents' Day

·    2/26/15 PTO Dart Zone fundraiser 6-9 pm

·    2/27/15 No School--Teacher In-Service

·    3/10/15 West Ada School District Bond Levy Election

·    3/23-3/27/15 Spring Break

Math Fact Practice on XtraMath

Families,

 

There is an excellent math fact fluency website for students to practice called XtraMath. I’ve set up an account and entered all students into my class roster. Each student has his/her own pin. Please look for the parent letter being sent home today. Please use this website at home to help improve your child’s addition and subtraction fact fluency. Parents who have tablets at home should still access XtraMath through the website (http://xtramath.org)- don't buy the app! We will also begin to use this resource in class.