Yeah!  We really had a green thumb because our garden was beautiful last year.  Hopefully we can has as much success this year but with sprinklers that work.  The first year of our garden the school district decided to put in new sprinkler systems so Ms. McGinley had to walk buckets of water out to the garden twice a day.  Wow, it was a lot of work and she is really happy that the sprinklers are now working.  We harvested all of our crops and made a delicious stew with cornbread to celebrate how wonderful it is to be able to come to school everyday and learn with such wonderful opportunities. 

This is our garden after we spent hours painting our raised garden boxes.  The day we chose to paint them it poured down rain and all the paint began to run together.  The next day we put handprints and wrote our names over the now very colorful garden boxes.  Then Ms. McGinley stayed at school all night long painting sealer on them and putting them together so that we could plant the following day.

We are back!!!!  However, we were gone for some really exciting reasons.  We have been busy building and growing a primary garden with literary elements.  We have also introduced one-to-one ipads into our classroom.  I will be posting various pictures to bring us current and then I will do my very best to keep us current.  Second grade is amazing so prepare yourself for what you are about to see.

We had a great week.  We are finished with our placement testing and onto our normal curriculum.  We are still working on procedures and getting our routines familiar, but it was a great week.  We worked on read to self and read to buddy this week.  Next week we will work on listening center.  We are studying about the branches of government and learning about place value.  Our week will be full of new exciting things.

I am attaching a link to a reading comprehension video that we are learning about.  By using the five areas of comprehension, we are learning to be better, stronger superstar readers.  Please check it out or ask your student about it.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxIZmgrK-xc

:)  Ms. McGinley

Our first week of school was great.  I am a lucky teacher to have such wonderful students.  We had a full week of testing and now it is time to get down to business.  Some of you have had concerns about homework --- it is coming.  I would rather know what your child needs help in then simply hand out busy work that may or may not meet the needs of your child.  The homework will arrive in their green homework folder so be sure to check that daily. 

We are going to continue practicing our reading centers this week, learn about math centers, and do a little social studies. 

If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to call or e-mail me.

Reading center #1

Ms. McGinley

YEAH!  Our first day was totally awesome.  I might be the luckiest teacher in the world to get such wonderful students.  I know we are going to great things this year.  I got our Edmodo accounts up and running so tomorrow we will be learning how to use our ipods to access our morning assignments.  It will be crazy and exciting. :)

I can't wait to see you all again tomorrow.

P.S. --- Don't forget to read tonight.

Wow!  Open house was great.  I got to meet:

• Adrian
• Bryson
• Aden
• Elizabeth
• Thorin
• Briana
• Rikki
• Zoey
• Alejandro
• Madalynn
• Briton
• McKenna
• Jutin
• Justine
• Isaak
• Jordynn
• Kylie
• Alyson

I am very excited that I get to teach all of you for a whole year.  I can't wait to get started.  We are going to have so much fun this year you aren't going to want to leave for summer. :)

Enjoy your weekend and I will see you bright and early on Monday morning.  Don't be afraid to knock when you get here.  I don't mind if you come in early. 

Ms. McGinley