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Check me out!

A slightly exhausted Mrs. Eshbaugh...

AWWWWW.... :)

A few new pictures

I wanted to share a few more pictures of our excitement. We are doing really well now that we're home. I'm trying to figure out exactly how to take care of two kiddos all day (you might think it would be easy considering I have all 25 of you at school, but it's a bit rough! ). Luckily Gibson sleeps quite a bit! When he is awake, he loves looking at his mobiles and watching his big sister play. He is a champion eater, and has to get his diaper changed ALOT. :) I hope all is well with each of you! I do miss you! The proud big sis (i had to include one of her :) )


Stay tuned for some pictures with eyes open!

Welcome Baby Gibson!

Gibson William Eshbaugh was born Tuesday, April 6 at 11:04 am. I am doing very well, and the nurses wanted me to assure my class that I did indeed smile through the whole delivery. We got to the hospital Monday night around 10:30 after he decided to spill some water. Gibson weighs exactly 10 pounds and measures 22 and a half inches (get your rulers out :). He has dark hair and adorable dimples when he looks a certain way. Kailyn loves introducing "her baby" to everyone. She is a terrific big sister!

Online Classroom

Our class is "abuzz" with the new computer skill we are trying out. We now have an online classroom where the students can answer questions I pose about things they are learning in class. They can also respond to what other students typed. This is giving them practice with early typing skills, and hopefully will provide a platform for them to truly discuss what they are learning.

To enter the online classroom from home:
1. Go to www.highlandschools.org
2. At the top of the page, click on the black tab labeled "Online Academy"
3. In the upper right hand corner, you will see the option to "login" (before clicking, read the paragraph titled "Welcome to Highland Online"- it will explain the login process; your student will be bringing home their login information though should this be confusing)
4. Login
5. Click on "Mrs. Eshbaugh's Class"
6. You will see a list of discussions from our class- your student(s) should be able to navigate from here.

We have discussed in length the need for appropriate commenting, and positive reinforcement. It may take a few weeks for the students to fully utilize this in the way I am hoping. We are learning together!

An update- finally! :)

Eshbaugh Update!!
January 11, 2010

The New Year has arrived so quickly! It will be an exciting year full of new growth for your student(s) and ultimately the transformation into 3rd graders. We are preparing to take on more responsibility with assignments and in the classroom.

A quick update on the status of my departure to have my baby-
I am working with the substitute, Miss Plute on the topics and lessons to be covered while I am away on maternity leave. The students have met her, and she has subbed in our classroom for a few days already. Personalities seem to be clicking and I truly feel the students will be in good hands.
With my due date being April 6, in the middle of spring break, I do plan to continue in the classroom as long as possible. My doctors feel that everything is moving as it should, and as of now there is no reason why I would have to depart early. I am planning in advance, however, should something happen- the transition should still go very smoothly.

Some other updates-
~We will be having a class reward day this Thursday, January 14. The class has been behaving so beautifully that they are overdue on a positive reinforcement for their work and actions. They have decided (by majority vote) to have a pajama day. On Thursday they may wear (or bring and change into) pajamas. They may also bring one stuffed animal with them that we will parade around in the classroom. The day will be filled with other surprises for them to enjoy as a class . Please do not send blankets or pillows.


~Timed tests were given today, and have changed a little bit. Those students who have progressed to the 4th level are now given the full 5 minutes to complete the test. Other students will stop at 2 minutes and then finish the paper in colored pencil while they wait. If you see numbers written in colored pencil, they do not count toward the total correct. It is just additional practice for the students. Certificates will be awarded to students who pass the 4th level as they continue into a short break and then into a challenge facts group.

~The new volunteer calendars will be home by Thursday this week.

~There is no spelling list this week or next. We’ll get back into the routine after our short weeks. Also, there will be no grammar homework assignments this week or next.

Eshbaugh karate

To reinforce the geometry terms we are studying, I have taught the class some "karate-like" moves! Remind them to be very serious before they start to show you the following moves...
endpoint
line segment
line
parallel lines
angle
vertex
Next week we will add intersecting lines as well.

"trash words"

We have created our class list of "trash words"- words we have thrown away and cannot use anymore in 2nd grade! Based on students' ideas we chose
small
pretty
fun
awesome
cool
big
like
We came up with many synonyms for these words, as well as other ways to change the sentence so more dazzling, sparkling words can be used!

Update on Partial Sums Algorithm

Update on Partial Sums Addition

After teaching the partial sums addition algorithm last week, students were told to use it as a requirement of our math curriculum series. They will be seeing it again in 3rd grade when they learn how to do 2 and 3 digit multiplication.
HOWEVER…
Yesterday in class I taught the students the traditional way of doing addition where they carry the tens or hundreds numbers to the top. They are allowed to choose either way do to their assignments, unless it specifically asks for the partial sums algorithm. We discussed this quite a bit yesterday before sending home their homework.
To “show work” the carrying way, they need to keep their marks above columns rather than erasing them. (For some reason, 2nd graders like to erase their work in math  )
I know that this is a frustrating concept for students and parents alike, but please be patient with the process. It does have some merit in helping students pull apart place value.
Thank you!
Mrs. Eshbaugh

I hope that everyone had a relaxing Thanksgiving break! From the stories I'm hearing in class, these kids truly enjoyed their Thanksgiving holiday.
We are moving into colonial days! We will be comparing life in the past to our life to gain a better understanding of how technology, transportation, clothing, and communication have changed over time.
We'll also be reading books in the historical fiction genre to compliment our "days of the past" studies.
Just today we began discussing adjectives and how to use more descriptive words while speaking and writing. You may begin to hear your student (s) talk about "trash words." We will be compiling a list of over used words that they are throwing in the trash- i.e. words they won't be able to use in their writing. I will post that list when they have made the decision later this week.
Mr. Mancuso is spending his first stint of time in our classroom on Wednesdays until Winter Break. Last week he talked about bullies and the appropriate ways to handle bullying situations. I have conflict management slips that can be filled out for the students if they are having trouble with a peer. These are used as a referral for Mr. Mancuso- students involved in the situation will meet with him to resolve it. He spoke quite a bit about the "I statement" as well. Students are encouraged to say... "When you _____________, I feel __________ because _________." Please encourage this at home as well!

A few pictures from the last month

We had a special guest from the Natural History Museum come to speak about Ohio animals' adaptations. She brought furs, skulls, and jawbones with her for the students to see how each animal needs certain parts of their body to survive. Some key adaptations they discovered were the following; working thumbs, undercoat fur, different types of teeth for different types of meals, eyes on the front or side of head, and the size of beaks.

To show the different parts of the writing process, we did a "playdough experiment." The students thought about what to make with their play dough (pre-writing), made it (rough draft), changed, added to it, and removed things from it (revising and editing), and shared it with the class (publishing).Fun with double arrow framesWe planted seeds that unfortunately still have not grown (with the exception of one :) )
Investigating leaves and plant parts that we picked up outside

Report cards

The first round of report cards are on their way home October 30.
The core subjects of math, reading, social studies, science, spelling, and writing will all recieve a letter- S (succeeding), DV (developing), or N (needs improvement). This is considered the overall "grade" for that subject. Underneath each of these subjects will be a short list of key skills from that subject. These are taken straight from the state of Ohio standards for 2nd grade. If your student is struggling with one of these key skills, there will be an asterisk next to it. It is possible to receive an "S" for a subject even if there is an asterisk underneath it.
Art, music, and gym have each been given one of the following letters; O (outstanding), S (satisfactory), or U (unsatisfactory).
I look forward to meeting with each of you at conferences in the next few weeks. Please feel free to bring any questions you may have so taht I can address them.
Happy Halloween!

Catching up!

Your second graders have been hard at work learning and practicing many things!
In reading, we have been focusing on the main idea and details of both fiction and non-fiction stories. We used a chocolate chip cookie as an analogy for this, as well as a chair, and a person wearing clothes. They should be able to explain to you how those three things help them remember what main idea and details are.
For math, we've been taking basic concepts a bit deeper such as; working more in-depth with clocks, working with bills and coins together, and double patterns in the same problems. Timed tests are now a weekly occurrence as you've seen the progress charts coming home on Fridays. Keep practicing those facts!
We did take a break from the normal spelling patterned lists this week. After the end of the first quarter, I checked in on students with an assessment to re-evaluate their spelling development. Some will be changing groups next week based on what their new needs are for spelling.
Ohio habitats and animals have been our obsession during science! We even had a guest speaker come to show us different furs, beaks, and skulls of Ohio animals to help us learn more about their adaptations. See if your student can explain the word "adaptation" and tell you the 4 main habitats in Ohio. They are becoming brilliant!
With Halloween approaching, the class is looking forward to their party on Friday afternoon. We've had a few "spooky" moments in class with students forgetting to raise hands, and even forgetting to pay attention. I'm sure that these "frights" will end as the excitement of the festivities passes. If you would please, give your little "goblins" a short reminder to be the best little "ghoul" they can be! I appreciate all of your involvement!
Be on the lookout for report cards on Friday afternoon! I will post an explanation of the marks closer to the time.
Thanks for your patience as I get caught up! Pictures of daily class activities are coming soon!

Fact POWER

As we keep moving in math, the students are starting to realize the importance of knowing their addition and subtraction facts quickly. Today they reviewed a few subtraction strategies- counting back and counting up. While the end goal is for students to figure know the basic facts without additional help (fingers, counters, number lines, etc.) right now as they learn them these tools can be very helpful.
Next week we will be starting addition and subtraction timed tests. These will be done once a week and are more for practice than actual testing. I encourage you to begin (if you are not already) practicing facts each evening to help prepare them! I will send home a letter explaining the procedures when we begin!

Comprehension work

We are taking a time out from reading books during guided reading group time to give all of the students a lesson about comprehension. They have been (or will by the end of the week) learning about STAR reading. STAR stands for: See it in your mind's eye, Think about what's going to happen next, Ask fat questions, Relate it to your life. These are four key skills that will help the students make more meaning out of reading.
Here is the song we are singing to help them remember these important things to do while reading:
(Sung to "She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain")
Oh, I want to get the meaning out of reading, (snap, snap)
Yes, I want to get the meaning out of reading, (snap, snap)
I will see it in my mind's eye,
Ask fat questions such as "why?"
Make predictions
And connections
All the while (snap, snap)
As you read at home, try to remind students to practice these skills each time they read so that they become natural!

Bubbles everywhere!

This week we have been taking Gates tests, which requires the students to fill in a bubble for the correct answer. Now that we finished them (with smiles still on faces) we needed to blow those bubbles away and celebrate! So we ventured outside at the end of the day with our homemade bubble solution (1 c. water, 1 TBLS Caro Syrup, 2 TBLS dish soap) and pipe cleaner wands and blew bubbles!

In the swing of things...

I think that we have all finally settled into our routines and daily patterns, and without any major shake up (like let's say a mouse running across the room) we are calm and learning many new things! :)
The students have been learning about fairy tales and tall tales in reading. We've enjoyed listening to many stories such as Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett, Hansel and Gretel, The Princess and the Pea, and The Bunyans. Be sure to ask them what characteristics a fairy tale and tall tale should include!
We've also been working hard on independent activities about sequencing and compound words. Each week, they will have the opportunity to go on the computer (at least once) and visit our website of the week and do some activities on a new school-wide program named Lexia. They are learning all of the navigational tools and becoming experts on getting signed onto computers on their own. Memorizing their lunch code would be extremely helpful for this!
We are still working hard on map skills and will be taking our (ta ta ta da) first quiz in 2nd grade next week! It will be about landforms and map skills such as using a compass rose and a map key. More information and a study sheet will come home early next week to help them prepare. (But don't let them get too nervous!)
Tomorrow (Friday) I will be sending home a half sheet of paper informing you of your student(s)' progress in math so far. It will tell you the number of points they have received on independent math work during Unit 1. Most of our work has been review, so I have noted on the sheet if there are some basic skills that need a tune-up at home. I have also put a percentage so that you have an easy way to understand the work they are producing. By no means am I giving grades, but I do want to keep you informed throughout the year in this way. Please cut off the bottom part of the page, sign and return it on Monday.
Enjoy the last part of September! We are off to a great start!

Every sentence...

This week we are beginning our grammar piece of 2nd grade. The students have learned a catchy little song to help them remember our 3 basic rules for a sentence. Here are the words, in case they have forgotten- make them sing it with you!
Every sentence starts with a capital,
Ends with a period,
Has spaces in between.
Every sentence has 3 rules you know...
Make sure you follow them! Yes ma'am!
We are starting our grammar with capitals and all of the appropriate places for them. When papers come home, you will see three little lines underneath a word if it was to be capitalized.
Next week, grammar homework will begin making its way home on Monday and Thursday nights. I cannot promise that we will keep up with 2 every week of the year, but at least count on the Monday night as a staple.

Taking off for travel around the world

Today we boarded the "Eshbaugh Airlines" and found out about our upcoming travels around the world. The students were introduced to the basic components of the globe and were excited to hear we'd be traveling to each continent during the school year to learn all about different cultures and countries.

Spelling has begun!

Today the students' first spelling list was sent home. An explanation of our spelling program was included in the blue packet that you received at Open House or the first day of school. Students will only be bringing home a list of 6 or 8 words. (This week they have 10 as it is the first week). These words fit into some type of common spelling pattern. (This week, we are focusing on short a sounds, and long a sounds using the a Consonant silent e pattern). The words are to be used as a comparison of sounds. On Friday, they will be taking the spelling test. To see if they have applied the pattern, I will be testing on 14 words. The additional words come from the sorts that we will be doing in school all week. Students will have opportunities everyday to work with these words and learn their spelling patterns. Please practice not only the words that are sent home, but also the patterns that they involve. Some ideas are to hunt for the pattern in a magazine or newspaper, or give your child additional words to spell that fit the pattern as practice.
Starting next week, I will divide the students into groups based on their developmental spelling level. We may have up to 5 different spelling lists in the class at one time- it just depends on what each student needs.
Enjoy your first week of spelling!

I PICK

Last week students learned a quick way to help them pick out "good fit" books from the library.
I- I look at the book
P- Purpose: Why do I want to read the book?
I- Interest: Is the book about a topic I am interested in?
C- Comprehend: Do I understand what I am reading?
K- Know words: Can I read most of the words?
Please encourage your students to use this strategy at home and in the community libraries as well!