NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 25

Hi! What a fun-filled day we had celebrating Johnny Appleseed! Thanks so much to everyone for sending in items, and thanks to those of you who were able to come and help today! The children had SO MUCH FUN, and we couldn't have done it without you!



In addition to learning all about Johnny Appleseed throughout the week, we did many, many other things! Here are just a few:

• Reading - We read a fun story called "Tomas and the Library Lady" and another one called "Dear Polar Bear," and we practiced reading strategies.


• We colored in Johnny Appleseed's journey on a map and reviewed north, south, east, and west with a song.


• Language Arts - we reviewed common and proper nouns, possessive nouns, and action verbs, and then we took a quiz!


• Math - We reviewed "key words" that tell us to add and subtract, and we practiced adding doubles and doubles plus one.


• Writing - We continued to learn the parts of a letter as well as how to address an envelope, and we made our own Jolly Postman books!


• Science - We continued learning about habitats and we discussed the traits of reptiles. We also learned about the parts of an apple blossom!

Second Grade at NCS is such a busy place! Here are a few reminders of upcoming events:

• October 8th - Diamonds and Denim Auction - Please come for a fun-filled evening!


• November 5th - Field trip to Mahaffey Theater! Mrs. Corsino's chaperones will be MR. MULLHOLAND and MRS. BACON. Please be sure to pack a lunch that day! The cost for entry and for transportation will be $6.00 and you may start sending that in any time!
• To celebrate Veteran's Day in November, we will be learning about the American Flag. As a part of this unit, we will be asking the children to do a project at home. They will need to create an American Flag. Anything goes! They may do it on a poster board, decorate a cake to look like a flag, paint a T-shirt, etc. Be creative! A note will come home reminding you about this in October, but we just wanted to give you a heads-up so you can start thinking about ideas! It will be due on November 11th. :)

This week during my devotion time at home, I have been reading in the Book of Romans. I was thinking about chapter 15 verse 2 which says, "Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up." We talk a lot in second grade about the importance of building one another up, not tearing one another down. When we say and do things for one another, it makes Jesus smile! Thanks for all the wonderful things you do for us here at NCS every day! We love you!

Have a FABULOUS WEEKEND!

In His Name,

Mrs. Corsino and Mrs. Lupia

PS Mrs. Corsino's Star Student next week will be TAYLOR.

Mrs. Lupia's Star Student will be GAVIN.

NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 18TH

Hi, everyone! It's been another WONDERFUL WEEK in second grade here at NCS! Today was Hispanic Heritage Day, and the children had lots of fun celebrating! We heard from some wonderful speakers with Hispanic backgrounds, and we did tons of fun activities, too! Have your child tell you all about it!

We did lots and lots of learning this week, too! We continued learning about Johnny Appleseed! We discussed his journey across several states, and we learned lots of things about the life he lived! We learned some things about apples and apple trees, too, as well as about animals and their habitats. Ask your child to tell you what we've learned about mammals and about rain forests!

Here are some other things we studied this week:

• Math - subtraction stories; double-digit addition and subtraction with and without regrouping.
  
• Science - We concluded our plant experiment and began learning about animals!!!
• Writing - We read a cute story called Jolly Postman and leaned the proper way to write a letter; We finished our autobiographies! YAY! The sloppy copies will come home soon (you may see your child's in the Friday folder either this week or next week) and the published copies will go into your child's memory book until the end of the year when you will take them home!


• Language Arts - Possessive nouns and pronouns


• Reading - We reviewed the long e spellings, made connections, made predictions, made inferences, and discussed characterization.


• Bible - We continued learning about Moses' life and about the plagues God sent because Pharaoh refused to free the Israelites.

Don't forget!!! Next Friday we will be celebrating all that we've learned about Johnny Appleseed! The fun will start at 1 and go until about 2:30. Remember to send in your assigned item and let me know if you'll be able to come and help with the fun! It should be a blast!!! Your child may come to school dressed like Johnny Appleseed or like someone from the pioneer period that day!

We will also have a chance to shop at the "Christmas in September" sale in the high school library next week! Both classes will get to preview the books next Tuesday, September 22nd, and we will make our purchases on Thursday, September 24th. Be sure to send your child to school with money that day if he/she would like to buy a book! Reading is so much fun!!!

Also, we will be taking a field trip to the Mahaffey Theater on THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH to see the production "Newton's Revenge," which is a live stage show to teach about the role of physics in our everyday lives. The cost will be $6.00 for students and chaperones. If you'd like to come, we can only take 2 chaperones per class, so the first 2 notes we see in the planners will be "the lucky winners!" You may start sending the $6.00 in whenever you can! The bus will be leaving school around 9:45 that day and returning around noon, so everyone will need to pack a lunch that day as we won't be back to school in time for lunch in the Surfside Cafe. Thanks!

This week, Mrs. Neri came to our classroom to talk about a reading incentive that our school will be doing. We are encouraging the children to READ, READ, READ, because research shows that "good readers" also perform well across other subject areas. So...we will be setting a school wide goal of how many hours we want the student body to read this year. If they meet the goal, they will get to choose something ZANY for Mrs. Neri...and maybe for us teachers...to do! Today the children came up with ideas like having us dress up like a chicken, kiss a pig, get a pie in our faces, etc. So please encourage your child to read, and be sure to keep track of minutes read on the bookmark each day!

This week I've been thinking a lot about the everyday stresses we all feel in our lives. It's soooo important to put things into perspective...I know that I get so caught up in being perfect (which I WILL NEVER be able to do no matter how hard I try) that I sometimes forget about all the wonderful things the Lord is doing in my life. He has given me so many gifts...my husband and my wonderful children...this AMAZING job with your sweet children...a home...food...family...friends...the list of blessings just goes on and on. I need to remember to thank God and praise Him for taking care of me. "I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart..."(Psalm 9:1).

Enjoy your blessings this weekend!

In His Name,

:) Jennifer Corsino and Rachel Lupia

*Mrs. Corsino's Star Student next week will be MACAULEY!

*Mrs. Lupia's Star Student next week will be GAVIN!

SECRET WORD: applesauce

NEWSLETTER - SEPTEMBER 11

Hi! Happy Friday! I'd like to start by thanking our wonderful room moms...Mrs. Sellers, Mrs. Clees, and Mrs. Harper in Mrs. Corsino's room...and Mrs. Shannon in Mrs. Lupia's room...for all that they have done! We couldn't pull off things like the auction, Johnny Appleseed Day, and all of our other fun days without your planning and help! Thanks so much to the rest of you, too, for giving your time and for sending things in for us! You are such a blessing!

It's been a short week here in second grade, but we've still accomplished lots and lots! We had a wonderful chapel today to honor those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. We sang several American songs and listened to the testimony of a veteran. During reading time, we read a story called "The Library," and we made connections by sharing our own library experiences. Some other things we learned included:

• Math - addition stories and turnaround facts


• Language Arts - action verbs, contractions, and compound words; We learned the Verb Hoe-Down and practiced the Pronoun Rap, too!
  
• Bible - the story of Moses - The children used baby dolls and acted out the story!


• Reading - Making inferences, making connections, and predicting
  
• Writing - We continued working on our autobiographies. The children are learning how to write a 5 paragraph essay! I am so proud of how hard they are working on this! We wrote a story from the perspective of a seed, too!
• Science - plants - We are continuing to observe what's happening with our plants...we are comparing the one with tin foil on its leaves to the one without the tin foil on Monday! We planted some lima beans, too, and we're watching them grow!
• Social Studies - Johnny Appleseed, continents, and the 4 directions

Thanks so much to those of you who have sent in items for our class basket! So far, Mrs. Corsino's basket only has 3 items in it...so if you're out and about shopping and are able to pick something up, that would be great! Remember, our theme is "Under the Sea!" Mrs. Lupia's basket is filling up...her theme is "Froggies, Froggies Everywhere!" Our Auction, "Denim and Diamonds," will be on Thursday, October 8th. We are looking forward to a fun-filled evening!

Here are a few more announcements/reminders:

• Next Friday, 9/18th, we will be celebrating Spanish Heritage Day! You don't have to do anything to prepare for this day...but we just wanted to let you know that it's coming up! We will celebrate all the Spanish that we've learned that day!
• Johnny Appleseed Day is coming up on Friday, 9/25th from 1-2:30. We need some parent volunteers from each class to make this day a success, so please write a note in your child's planner to let us know if you'll be able to come and help! There is a note in your child's Friday Folder to let you know what item we need you to send in! Thanks!
• Encourage your child to read Magic Treehouse books! This week we made our passport booklets! If your child takes and passes a test on http://www.magictreehouse.com/ at home, you can print out their passport seal and send it to school. They will get a reward, and they will get to glue their seal in their booklet! FUN!
• Some other fun websites to visit at home include spellingcity.com, aplusmath.com, and starfall.com!
• Remember to send in a small flashlight with your child! We are looking forward to using these soon!

During my own personal devotion time this week, I have been focusing on the issue of trusting God. It's not always easy because sometimes bad things happen in our lives, but Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Even though I don't always understand why things happen, I know that, in the end, God will make everything right. I can't trust my own perspective; I need to trust the Lord!

Have a FANTASTIC weekend!

In Christ's Name,
Mrs. Corsino and Mrs. Lupia

PS Mrs. Corsino's Star Student next week will be EMILY!
Mrs. Lupia's Star Student will be ANDREW.

SECRET WORD: APPLES!!!

NEWSLETTER - SEPTEMBER 4

Hi, everyone!!! HAPPY FRIDAY! We had another SENSATIONAL SECOND GRADE WEEK! We began the week on Monday by reviewing the scientific method and beginning a science experiment about plants. We have two almost identical plants, and we covered the leaves of one of them to see what would happen. Next week we will compare the 2 plants! Ask your child to tell you his/her prediction about what is going to happen!

We spent the week learning about plants. We observed the inside of lima beans and peanuts and talked about what we observed. We read about the parts of plants and discussed what they need to live and grow.

For reading, we enjoyed a funny selection called "Come Back, Jack." We practiced using the reading strategies making predictions, making connections, and comparing & contrasting. We read some great selections in reading group, too!

Other things we learned included:
Math: pictographs and bar graphs; We began our math speed drills, too!
Writing: Reviewed the 5 steps of the writing process; worked on autobiographies.
Language Arts: subject and object pronouns
Bible: We painted rainbows to remind us of how God keeps his promises, and we talked about what slavery was like in Egypt when Moses was born

Here are a few important announcements/reminders:

• Please send in a baby picture and a family picture with your child next week! We will use these for a project, so you won't get them back until the end of the year in the Memory Books!


• We are asking each child to bring in a flashlight to keep at school for some fun activities.


• If your child has a doll and a basket to bring in next week, he/she may. We will be acting out the story of Moses.


• JOHNNY APPLESEED DAY IS COMING UP! It is tentatively scheduled for FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH in the afternoon...pending approval from our calendar committee. We will need some parent volunteers to make this day a success, so please let me know if you'll be able to come and help! We will also be asking you to send in items...watch for your item in next week's Friday folder.


• NO SCHOOL NEXT MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH - LABOR DAY!!!


• Denim and diamonds auction - October 8th - Please send in items for our classroom baskets!!! Mrs. Corsino's basket is "Under the Sea" and Mrs. Lupia's is "Froggies, Froggies Everywhere!"


• Next week's STAR STUDENT in Mrs. Corsino's class will be JOHN!!!


• Next week's STAR STUDENT in Mrs. Lupia's class will be RHYS!


• Mrs. Corsino's library day is Tuesday and Mrs. Lupia's is Friday. Remember to have your child return his/her library books!


• Be sure to record your child's reading on his/her bookmark each day!


• Remember to send in Box Tops for Education!


• An entertainment book came home with your child last week. You may either purchase it, sell it, or return it to school!


• Be sure to see the flyer in the Friday Folder about "Christmas in September!"


• The soccer coach is looking for parent volunteers. Call the elementary office if you're interested!

Last week during class, a "teachable moment" happened, and the children and I stopped and read Matthew 25:31-46. Read it in your Bible if you have a chance! It's a great reminder that, whatever we do for people here on Earth, we are really doing for Jesus! :) Mrs. Corsino

In Christ's Name,

Mrs. Corsino and Mrs. Lupia

SECRET WORD: growing

*Both Mrs. Lupia's and Mrs. Corsino's classes are in need of plastic page protectors and solid colored 8 1/2 by 11" scrapbook paper for our Memory Books!