Dear Parents,

Perhaps your child has mentioned to you that we will be presenting the Passion Play for the whole school on April 2nd at 1:30 pm, on the school stage. We will start practicing for this next week. We hope you can attend.

The children were absorbed in their learning about China. They paraded through the school halls and classrooms as a Lucky Lion and a Good Luck Dragon! Afterwards, the children practiced writing Chinese characters, and they were amazed that the Chinese do not have an alphabet . We will have a test on China this Friday, and each child has a study sheet to use in preparation for this test.

Starting Monday, we will be traveling to Brazil. We will be studying about the Tropical Rainforest as part of our science curriculum. The children are becoming more aware of different countries on the globe and we will be comparing and contrasting these countries as we travel along.

The roller skating unit has been fun for the children. It is amazing how this helps the children gain better skill in balancing their bodies. As a former ice skate lover, I am so thankful for the skills I gained as a child when it comes to catching my balance on icy sidewalks!

I look forward to seeing you at conferences next week, to share all the wonderful things your child is doing.


Sincerely yours,
Mrs. Barth

Dear Parents,

The children were excited all week in anticipation of their puppet show. They had fun manipulating their puppets and creating a suitable voice to fit their character. The following are a few pictures from the show, A Busy Day on the Farm.

 


We will be visiting China next week. The children have a fact sheet on China. I would like them to memorize the words that are highlighted in preparation for their test.

The children were given a beautiful set of simple machines for Christmas from an anonymous
donor. We study examples of these machines as part of our science program.  It is wonderful to actually have hands-on experience. From this experience, the children each made a toy catapult out of found objects.

 
 The weeks are flying by. The children earned an ice cream sundae party for memorizing their addition math facts from A to Z. Next, we will start on subtraction!!

Sincerely yours,
Mrs. Barth

Dear Parents,

The children have been enjoying their imaginary trip to Russia. They have lots of information to share with you! In art class, the children made Russian Cathedrals that are on display in the cafeteria for Catholic Schools Week.

The puppets are done, and the children narrated to me a wonderful story, entitled, A Busy Day on the Farm. I typed this up and they will perform their Readers Theater production on February 6, 2015 after the 8:30 Mass. For those who cannot attend, your child has a copy of the script, which I'm sure they would love to share with you.

Catholic Schools week has been fun for all. Our focus this year is on the Corporal Works of Mercy.
Cross Catholic Outreach generously shared packets of information with our students. They will be bringing this home in their backpacks.

Below is a picture of the children practicing melodies that they wrote for the xylophone.

I think the children all felt well prepared to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is such a pleasure to be able to have the time in class on a daily basis to prepare the children, so they truly appreciate and understand the sacrament.

The math facts are coming along nicely! The children's scores on tests demonstrate this!

Soon, we will be departing for China. 

Have a great day!
Mrs. Barth

Dear Parents,

I hope you enjoyed the Christmas Program. I know the children had fun entertaining you with their songs! I set out lots of books with a Christmas theme, and the children were busy taking AR tests whenever they had a chance.

Over vacation, please have your child review their math facts and read some books!

A picture says a thousand words. So... I hope you enjoy the following snapshots!

I want to thank you for the gift of your beautiful children! Remember, they grow up fast!

Merry Christmas to you All!
Love,
Mrs. Barth

Dear Parents,

With the Thanksgiving holiday just around the corner, I thought you might enjoy the pictures the children painted.

Enjoy!

Mrs. Barth

Dear Parents,

The month of November is here and the children will be working on different projects that center around autumn and Thanksgiving. They are currently working on memorizing a poem entitled,
Something Told the Wild Geese.

Along with that, the children are making puppets that that will depict a farm scene. They will create a script to go with their characters. The children will send you an invitation when the puppet show is ready to be presented.

Math facts are still a big focus. Please keep practicing with your child on a daily basis.

In religion class, we are learning about the sacrament of Baptism. We acted out the sacrament in class. Role-playing is a strong tool for engaging students.

In social studies, the children were amazed how large the Statue of Liberty actually is! We are comparing and contrasting life in the city to life on farms and in suburbs.

The children will be performing a few songs for the Veteran's Day Program on November, 11.  It is a lovely, patriotic performance.

Yours in Christ,
Mrs. Barth

Dear Parents,

The children are all coming along nicely. I seldom, if ever, have to stop my instruction due to misbehavior. The children are attentive and a joy to teach.

In religion class, the children had an opportunity to learn more about the Holy Trinity.  Also, the life of St. Therese of the Child Jesus was shared in class, and Abby Higgins won the draw to dress up like St. Therese and visit the classrooms. She reminded the students to pray often and make little sacrifices.

 

 I realize that memorizing math facts is not a favorite past-time for second graders, but already the benefits are starting to show. 

In Science, we are studying life cycles of plants and animals. We soaked Lima beans and cut them in half to see the very early stage of a plant. Next,we put some seeds in a plastic bag with a wet paper towel. The children made observations and noted tiny roots and a green stem developing from the seed. The children watched as I dissected the bean. They were amazed to see the two little, green seed leaves hiding in the bean. They each studied the bean with a magnifying glass. Science is fun!!

Have a great day!

Mrs. Barth

The Marathon is coming and we are all excited! I plan on being there at 9am. It should be a fun time for all!