This Week: Important Information

Monday, June 12:  8th grade graduation at 6:30

Tuesday, June 13:  All-School Picnic

• 8:30-11:00
• Spirit wear!
• Meet on the field outside
• Bring your own lunch (or go out to a special lunch after)
• Bring water, sunscreen, snacks (can bring chairs or blankets to sit on)

Friday, June 14:  Last Day of School, Closing Chapel

• Done around 10:00
• Meet in the classrooms
• Standard of Dress Day
• Don't need to bring anything

No Homework TOMORROW!

Our fun countdown activity for tomorrow is NO HOMEWORK!  The 2nd graders won't have homework to bring home, and flash cards and reading are extra credit!

Fall Fest Fun Day

What:  Fall Fest Fun Day (with the Pacific Science Center)
When:  Tuesday, May 23
Why:  Fall Fest Fundraising Incentive
What you need to know:

• It's a Spirit Wear day!
• Pacific Science Center assembly at 8:45 AM (whole school)
• Fun activities throughout the day
• Between the Buns and WEIce will be here for lunch
• Students pay $1--receive a hot dog, a bag of chips, and a water
• Students may bring extra money to get extra hot dogs (only one bag of chips and one water per student)
• Students will get a ticket for a free WEIce.  Parents/siblings may purchase WEIce separately.
• No homework that night!
• It will be hot!  Please put sunscreen on your child and make sure they bring a water bottle.

Weather Reminder, MAP Testing

Weather Reminder:
Spring weather is unpredictable.  Today's weather was a perfect example of that!  During lunch recess, the weather started out cloudy and slightly breezy and ended with very cold rain and a strong wind--all in a matter of 15 minutes!  Please remind your 2nd grader to grab a jacket on their way out the door in the morning!  This time of year is crazy and busy, so any help you can give your 2nd grader to dress appropriately for unpredictable weather will be great!  Thanks!

MAP Testing
The 2nd graders will be taking the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) test this Thursday and Friday.  They took this adaptive test in the fall and are taking it again as a way to measure their progress throughout the year.  We will be taking the reading test on Thursday and the math test on Friday.  We will start these tests right after school starts.  Some tips for students to be prepared for these tests: get a good night's sleep, eat a nutritious breakfast, and get to school on time so you're not rushing.

Special Invitation--Beyond Biographies

The 3rd-5th graders have been working on a project called Beyond Biographies.  This is a big research project that takes many weeks to complete, and the end product is so neat!

They wanted to extend a special invitation to the 2nd graders to come to their showing next Thursday to see what it's all about.  Since the 2nd graders will be participating when they are in 3rd grade, it's a great opportunity to give them (and their families) an idea about what to expect.  You will also enjoy perusing the wax museum and learning about important historical figures (the 5th graders will even come to life if you ask them a question from their list)!  Let me know if you have any questions!  We hope you can come!

Different Type of Week

Chapel and Hot Lunch on TUESDAY This Week!
Hot lunch and chapel will be TOMORROW, TUESDAY, May 9.  The older half of the school will be at the All Christian Schools Track Meet on Wednesday, so we are adjusting our normal all-school Wednesday things to TUESDAY this week!

Book Orders:
Book orders are due this Thursday, May 11!  This is the last book order of the year, so it's a great time to load up on books for your student to read over the summer!  The link to order is on the left of the blog posts.

Movie Reward Day!

This week we will be having our movie reward day!  The students earned, and chose, this reward by earning all of their marbles.  They receive marbles when the whole class is showing exemplary behavior.  Our movie day is on Thursday, and the students have chosen to watch The LEGO Movie.  They have also earned popcorn.  They also reached their goal of earning all of the marbles by May 1, so they earned a bonus reward of being able to bring a stuffed animal, blanket, and pillow.  NOTE:  These items must all be small enough to fit into their backpack.  We will have a normal morning, so it is important that we have a place to store them easily.

Movie Party!

If you haven't heard already, the class has earned all of their marbles again!  I am incredibly impressed with their stellar behavior!  They have chosen to watch a movie and have popcorn as their reward.  They also got a bonus--they set a goal to earn all of the marbles by May 1, and if they did, they would get to add bringing a stuffed animal, blanket, and pillow on that day for the movie.  Since they earned it before May 1, they get that fun bonus prize!

The kids also voted on the movie.  We will be watching The LEGO Movie on Thursday, May 4.  They may bring a stuffed animal, blanket, and pillow on that day.  (NOTE:  Since this is just an afternoon of fun, not a whole day, please make sure the items can all fit in their backpacks--small and compact.)  The movie will be in the afternoon (after lunch), so the morning will be a regular day.

If you would not like your child to watch the movie, please let me know and I will have an alternate activity ready for your child, or you are welcome to pick them up for the afternoon.  A Christian review of the movie can be found here.

Exciting Week!

2nd Grade Leading Chapel:
2nd grade is excited to be leading chapel this week!  Please join us if you are able on Wednesday, April 26 at 8:40 AM!

STEM Night:
We also have a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) night on Wednesday, April 26 from 6:00-7:30.  Come learn about using science, technology, engineering, and math together to create a flying object!  This event is for all families, of all ages!

Chapel Skit

Our time to lead chapel is approaching quickly, and we have been working hard on our skit!  We need a few items (I'll keep the list updated as things come in).

Items we still need:

• colorful robe--preferably a striped robe with lots of colors
• white robe (for an angel)
• wings (for an angel)

Items we already have:

• money bag
• crown

Resurrection Rolls

I was telling the kids about resurrection rolls today, and they asked me to post a recipe.  I don't have my recipe written down, so I Googled and found one that was similar.  Enjoy!

http://www.yummyhealthyeasy.com/2015/04/easter-resurrection-rolls.html

Refreshed and renewed!

The 2nd graders had a great day after being refreshed and renewed on spring break!  Here are some things coming up this week:

Pizza:
In honor of Riley's birthday, her parents will be providing pizza for the class on Thursday, April 13.  The students will need to bring the rest of their lunches, but pizza will be available that day!

Early Dismissal:
We have an early dismissal on Friday in honor of Good Friday.  Please plan accordingly.

Church Services:
Below is a schedule of the church services at Bethlehem for the Easter season.  You are invited!
~Maundy Thursday:  April 13 at 6:30 PM
~Good Friday:  April 14 at 6:30 PM
~Easter services:
      -7:00 AM Sunrise Service
      -9:00 AM
      -11:00 AM

Read In

We have an exciting day coming up!  On Friday, March 31 we will be having a read in.  That day will consist mainly of reading activities.  The kids can bring a blanket, pillow, and stuffed animal that day if they would like to.  In 2nd grade, we will be playing a literature Jeopardy game, building forts to read in, and having a picnic lunch on our blankets. We will also be listening to Mr. Haan read a book about feelings.  We will also be reading a picture book of Inside Out this week, and we will be watching the movie Friday afternoon.  If you would like to read a Christian review of the movie, click here.

We are looking forward to ending this week on a high note, getting us ready for spring break!

Books Galore

Becoming Published Writers:
The kids have been working hard and we are ready to send our book in for publishing!  Our actual publishing date is March 31, so we won't be receiving the book until sometime after spring break, but it feels good to have it done!  The kids did a wonderful job, and we were even able to include a page from Mr. Haan.

Read-In:
We will be having a read-in on Friday, March 31.  This day will be filled with fun reading-themed activities, culminating in watching a movie at the end of the day.  Look for more information to come soon!

Sip, Savor, and Support:
Going along with the book theme for today, I wanted to put one final plug out for our Sip, Savor, and Support event this Saturday, March 25.  More information can be found here.  We hope you're able to make it!

Book Order Reminders

Scholastic Book Orders:Orders are due today!  I will be placing the order first thing in the morning tomorrow, so you have until then to submit your orders online.  :)

2nd Grade Book:
If you haven't sent the order form back with your student for the book we are publishing, please do that by this Thursday (March 16).  If we get all of the forms returned (even if you aren't purchasing a book), we will get a free copy for our classroom!  If you need a new form, please let me know!

Sip, Savor, and Support

Tickets are now available for BLSEF’s annual fundraiser - Sip, Savor, and Support! You can purchase your tickets at the BLS office or at the S3 table between Sunday services at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Ticket prices are $55 each. ($60 at the door.) This year’s event will be held on Saturday, March 25, at 6pm at the Columbia Center Red Lion. Join us for Dinner, Wine Tasting, Silent & Live Auc$on, Dancing, and fun in support of financial aid for BLS families in need.

Our Facebook Event page is now live! Search for Sip, Savor, and Support on Facebook to let us know if you are interested in coming or that you have your $ckets in hand! We will be posting fun things on the event page such as Auction Items, S3 news, and student written testimonials.  Buy tickets here!

Thank you!

This is our first normal, full week back since before Christmas break, and I am excited for the routine and predictability to begin again!  Even though we're settling back into a normal schedule, we have some exciting things coming up this spring!

Publishing a Book!
The 2nd grade class will be publishing a book this spring!  We will have an opportunity to publish a book through Studentreasures, which is a company that helps inspire students to write by making publishing a reality.  Each student will write one page of the book and will illustrate their page.  The class decided on "If We Were Famous" as our book's title.  We will be working on rough drafts and final copies soon.  Students will also be bringing home a note with information on how to order.  IMPORTANT: In order for the class to receive a free copy of the book, all students need to have an adult sign and return their note, whether they are going to order or not!  More information to come soon!

Water on Wheels:
We have another session of Water on Wheels this Thursday afternoon!  This week the topic is Water Everywhere.  It will be an exciting time for the students to learn about where water is throughout the earth, as well as ways they can conserve water.

Thank you!
I just wanted to say thank you for all of the donations that were provided for the BLSEF Sip, Savor, and Support auction item.  It turned out fantastic and will be a great addition to the auction!
If you are interested in attending the event, check out the information in the Newslice!

Book Orders, Sip, Savor, and Support

Books for the Auction:
Thank you for the wonderful response to the need for books for our Sip, Savor, and Support auction item!  If you are still wanting to contribute books, we will be putting the bag together this Friday, so you have the rest of the week to do that!  We are including any children's book, so whatever you can donate would be appreciated. :)

Book Orders:
March book orders went home with your child yesterday.  I will be submitting the order on March 14 right after school.  Happy spring book shopping!

Sip, Savor, and Support:
We would love to have you join us at our Bethlehem Lutheran Scholarship Endowment Fund (BLSEF) Sip, Savor, and Support event!  You can purchase your tickets at the BLS office or at the S3 table between Sunday services at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Ticket prices are $55 each. ($60 at the door.) This year’s event will be held on Saturday, March 25, at 6pm at the Columbia Center Red Lion. Join us for Dinner, Wine Tasting, Silent & Live Auction, Dancing, and Fun in support of financial aid for BLS families in need.

Telling Time Activity

We are working on telling time, and it can be a bit tricky!  The second graders are doing well, but telling time takes repetition and practice.  So, for the rest of the week, if the students want to use the Telling Time activity on the Math Connects link, that can count as their flash cards. 
How to get there:
~Click the "Math Connects 2nd Grade" link to the left of the blog
~Choose chapter 8, lesson 6
~Scroll down to "Activities" and click on "Telling Time"

Grand-Friends Day

Friday, March 3 is Grand-Friends Day at Bethlehem!  We are inviting all grandparents and special friends to come and spend the morning with your student(s), starting at 8:30 AM.  Students are dismissed at 11:15 AM so they can enjoy more time with their grand-friends (and maybe even go out to a fun lunch)!
All students will need to be accompanied by an adult that day.  If you know of someone who would be interested in serving as a surrogate grand-friend, let Mrs. Jameson know.  The school number is 582-5624.

Water on Wheels

We have an exciting thing starting this week!  The Benton Franklin Conservation District provides a program to schools called Water on Wheels.  In this program, a traveling teacher comes to the classroom and provides a science lesson.  We get the opportunity for three of these lessons, and the first one is this week!  This Thursday we will be learning about Soil Magic.  I'm excited to see the students experience this lesson!

Valentine's Day Party

Valentine's Day Party:
Our Valentine's Day party is coming up next Tuesday (February 14)!  Students are welcome to bring valentines (as long as they bring one for each student).  A note went home last week with more information, as well as a class list.  Look for a class list in your e-mail, as well!

LEST Preview Assembly:
LEST (Lutheran Elementary Schools Tournament) is coming up!  It takes place in Portland, OR and consists of students from 5-8 grades from all over the northwest!  The tournament includes many different things, including: vocal and instrumental music, basketball, math, science, spelling, art, writing, and more!  Our 5-8 graders have been working very hard over the last few months in order to compete.  We will be having a preview assembly on Tuesday, February 14 to highlight some of the things they have been doing.  There will also be some performances during our chapel time on Wednesday, February 15. A schedule went out in the Newslice last week, so check it out!  We hope you can come see our talented students!

Theodore Roosevelt

In reading, 2nd grade has been reading a book about President Teddy Roosevelt.  Today we read about some of the great things that President Roosevelt did as president.  We learned about his passion for nature and conservation, as well as his efforts in building the Panama Canal.  We looked at some maps to help the students understand why it is so important, and we watched a couple of videos to help the students see how it works.  Here are the videos we watched:
Panama Canal: How It Works
Panama Canal: Timelapse Video of a Trip Across It

One of the pictures in the book also showed President Roosevelt next to a giant Sequoia tree in California.  The kids couldn't wrap their brains around how big the tree was (can any of us, really?), so I looked up an image to help them understand it better.  They were amazed at how tiny humans look compared to the tree!

Movie and Popcorn Party!

Good afternoon!

I'm sure many of you heard last week--we earned our last marble!  The class has been earning marbles all year with stellar behavior and respect, and they were able to fill up a glass bowl, to the top!  They have chosen a movie and popcorn party as their prize.  Last week we voted on the movie that they would like to see.Our party will be on Thursday, February 2 after lunch.  We will be watching Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 and eating popcorn that afternoon.  For a Christian review of this movie, click here.

If you would not like your child to view this movie during class time, please let me know as soon as possible.  You are welcome to pick them up early, or they will be given an alternative activity to do during the time. 

The kids are excited to enjoy the fruits of their hard work!

Coins for Math

We will be beginning a new math chapter next week (if we have no more snow days, Lord willing!), which is focusing on counting coins and adding and subtracting money.  In order to help connect this learning to the students' lives, I would love for them to use real money to help them count, rather than just the pictures in the math book.  If your child would like to bring in a baggie of coins (including a variety of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and even half dollars), they can bring in a Ziploc baggie labeled with their name.  They will keep the bag in their desk and will be able to use the coins during our math lessons.  When the chapter is over, they can bring their money home OR they can put it in the chapel offering.  This is not required, but is a great way for the students to use hands-on strategies to apply their learning to their lives.

Dress Up Days and Servant Events

Good morning!  Below is the schedule for this week's dress up days and servant events.  They are fun ways to celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week--what better way to celebrate being part of a Lutheran school than serving others and being goofy?!

Monday:  Ice day (dress in pajamas all day?  :P)
Tuesday:  Dress Like a Camper Day, Support our Community (make cards for Tri-City Pregnancy Network)
Wednesday:  Dress Up Day (dress fancy; free dress guidelines apply--see page 27 in the Parent/Teacher Handbook for more information)
Thursday: Spirit Wear (BL tops, jeans, sweats, sports shorts, or joggers on bottom), Support our National or Global Community (write thank you notes to our veterans)
Friday:  Indoor Olympics (dress crazy in your Indoor Olympic team colors)

Open House:
We have an open house on Thursday night!  We hope you are able to join us from 6:00-7:30 on Thursday night.  The book fair will be open at that time, as well!

National Lutheran Schools Week

National Lutheran Schools Week (NLSW) is January 22-28.  It is a week that is celebrated by Lutheran schools across the country, and is dedicated to celebrating what it means to be part of a Lutheran school.   This year we are trying something different for National Lutheran Schools Week than we have in the past.  We will only have three dress up days (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday).  On Tuesday and Thursday, we will be focusing on service projects.  The information is below.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  :)

Monday (1.23.17) Dress Like a Camper Day:  on behalf on the Scholastic Book Fair theme: Happy Camper-Smore Fun with Books

Tuesday (1.24.17) Support Our Community (service projects in individual classes)

Wednesday  (1.25.17)  Dressed Up Day (dress fancy--free dress standards apply--see the handbook for more information)

Thursday (1.26.17)  Support Our National or Global Community (service projects in individual classes)

Friday (1.27.17)  Indoor Olympics; dress according to your team colors and name

Book Fair Volunteers Needed!

Volunteers needed!  Book Fair is coming up!  Jan 22-27!  

The Book Fair will be open before, during, and after school all week.  Anytime you could volunteer there will be help needed!  

 Specific needs:

 ~Set up: Friday Jan 20^th immediately after school (3:10)

 ~Class Previews: Mon, Jan 23: Extra help all day, but LOTS of help for Pre-K preview 10:25-10:45am.  All you do is help a couple little buddies write down the books they would like their parents to consider buying for them.

~Open House Thurs, Jan 26^th 5:45-7:30pm

~Wrapping up the fair and taking it down: Fri Jan 27 starting about noon.  We will need to complete teacher book lists, pull books to be purchased for the library, and pack up the fair.

~During the week busy times (extra help appreciated!) Tues-Thurs will be 10:10-10:30 (first recess) and 11:15-12:45 (both wings lunches and recess)

Please contact Jeanette Allwardt to sign up or with any questions

 509-374-1207 (text ok)

jallwardt@gmail.com

Spelling and Memory Work

Due to our unexpected short week, I will be giving the students the long weekend to study their spelling and memory work.  We will have the test on Tuesday, January 17.  Their reading log and flash cards are not required, but if students choose to read and do flash cards over the weekend, or if they read and/or did flash cards on the snow days, they can get the log signed and bring it in for extra credit points.  If they choose to do the extra credit, it is due Tuesday, January 17.  :)

Help Needed! Auction Item

We have the opportunity to provide an auction item for our Sip, Savor, and Support event.  This event is happening on March 25 and is the biggest fundraising event for the Bethlehem Lutheran Scholarship Endowment Fund (BLSEF), which provides scholarships for students at our school. 

For our item, I would like to do a reading totebag.  I have ordered the bag and we will decorate it in class.  What I need from the 2nd grade families are donations of books and/or gift cards for books (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.) to include in the bag!  The more enticing things we have in the bag, the more it will auction off for, which means more money to help more students attend our wonderful school!

I would like to have the bag to have a kids theme, so children's books would be great.  Also, any gift cards that are collected will go in the bag so the person who wins the item will be able to purchase their own book choices.

I will be getting a book order out sometime in January or February, so that would be a great way to contribute, as well.

I'm including a picture of the general idea of the bag to help give you an idea of what I'm hoping to accomplish.  :)

Glad to be back!

I am excited to see the kids in a little bit to start off 2017!  I hope you all had wonderful Christmas breaks!

A few notes:
~Our memory work test will still be on Friday. However, I will give the students extra time to study in class.
~Our spelling test will also be on Friday.  I will be grading the test out of 10, helping the students to focus on a shorter list, since we had an unplanned shorter week.  This also gives students a chance to earn some extra credit in spelling. :)
~We will be having indoor recess if it feels like 10 degrees or less outside.  That being said, please always send your student in warm enough clothing to go outside, in case it warms up a bit before recesses.

A Special Thank You:
Thank you to the three moms who coordinated our Christmas party--Carly's mom, Katie's mom, and Alyssa's mom.  Also, thank you to the people who came to the party to lend a few extra hands--Isabella's mom, Gracey's mom, Olivia's mom, Cash's grandma, and Quentin's mom.  Thanks for making our Christmas party possible!