Week 5 news

Dear Parents,

The music teacher (Mrs. Fay) has asked me to ask you to take a look at her blog and help your child play the music ticket game. The students have already played this game in music class, but Mrs. Fay says that this will help students comprehend note values.
(blog address is: http://his-musicclass.blogspot.com/)


The presentation this week has been moved to Friday so the students can be more prepared. The assignment is to read out loud their latest journal entry. They have been learning the steps of writing this week which includes prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading, and publishing. I've asked Mrs. Lines to join us during this presentation.
The grading is based on the following criteria:

Followed directions for the assignment

Spoke for required time

Answered questions

Spoke audibly

Correct use of language

Volume

Made eye contact with the audience

Listens without making distractions

Asks question(s) to other student about their presentation

Prepared required material

Looking forward to the presentation. Have a good day!

James Anderson

Week 4 News

Extra Extra!!!

Roles for this years big production play are out.  Please let me know as soon as possible if your child is not going to be here on the 9th and 10th of December because the school will be buying costumes very soon.

name role

Chantal Poh Bat, Spoon,Kid

Jonah Stacey Wolf, Fork, Kid

Mackin Rim Wolf, Knife,Kid

Ashley Han Bat,Spoon,Kid

Tommy Kim Wolf, Fork, Kid

Michelle Lin Bat, Fork,Kid

Emily Su Bat, Spoon,Kid

Annie Chen Bat, Fork,Kid

Jacob Juras Wolf, Knife,Kid

Angus Nobbs Wolf, Fork, Kid

Kevin Park Wolf, Fork, Kid

Kevin Yang Wolf, Knife,Kid

Week 4 Tests

Spelling test on Monday

(tell, their, these, those, upon, us, use, very, wash, which)

Math test on Friday Chapter 4

I've been very happy with the students level of responsibility in the class thus far. Looking forward to seeing them on Monday. Have a nice weekend.

James Anderson

Social Studies Publishing Book

Hello Parents,

This year as part of our social studies class the students will be putting together a book of their published projects. Some examples of work will include neighborhood map, family history, Hsinchu facts, Taiwan history, Taiwan facts, students home country facts, etc...
The school has ordered the books already at a cost of 80ntd. Please have you child bring in 80ntd to pay for the their book. Many interesting things will go into this book and I envision the students saving these books and looking back on them long after they have left the 2nd grade.

Thank you for your support,

James Anderson

Mapping Homework

Dear Parents,

We are starting a new social studies unit (Depending on Others) this week and as part of the homework students are to make a rough draft map of their neighborhood, approximately mapping a 2-3 block radius around your house. Students are to note on a paper any government buildings, stores (what kind), apartments, parks and any other landmarks that they could put on a map. It would be best if your child could walk around their neighborhood to note these things. For safety reasons it would be best if they could be accompanied by you or an adult guardian. Also if you were to help students find the direction of north so they can use it when we make the final draft in class. Students are only to make a rough draft as homework as we will be making the final draft in class.

Thank you for your support.

James Anderson

Tests for week 3

Science test on Monday. Students can study from their science workbook.
Spelling test on Monday.
Math test on Thursday, Chapter 4

Holidays

Dear Parents,

Thank you for sending back the paper of the holidays that you are interested in helping out with. I have written the name of your child next to 2 of the holidays that your help will be appreciated. I will post more information on this blog closer to the date of the holiday to let you know how you could help out and what the class will be doing to celebrate.

Best regards,

James Anderson

Our Holiday Parties are:

____Halloween/Fancy Dress Day (Wednesday, 27 October) Jacob, Kevin Y, Mackin, Ashley

____Thanksgiving (Thursday, 25 November) Your entire family is welcome to join us for lunch. We will all share a dish and have a wonderful Fall Harvest Festival/ American Thanksgiving together.  (The team that gets this holiday will help to organize the food items and help set it up on the day.) :-) Michelle, Ashley

____Christmas (Thursday, 16 December) Gift sharing time Tommy, Michelle, Annie

____Chinese New Year (Thursday, 27 January) Annie, Angus, Jonah

____Valentine's Day (Monday, 14 February) Kevin P, Jacob, Emily

____St. Patrick's Day (Thursday, 17 March) All things GREEN- Kevin P, Jonah

____Easter (Friday, April 22) Easter Egg Hunt- Emily, Kevin Y,

Mother's Day Celebration Tea (Friday, May 6th) We're celebrating YOU, our mothers! We've got this covered so just come and relax! :-)  Please just mark the date!

____End of the Year Party (Wednesday, June 22nd) Celebration party! We are moving on to 3nd grade! Tommy, Mackin, Angus

Small Change

The class presentation will be Thursday September 16th and NOT Wednesday September 15th - (Thank you Joy for pointing that out)
For the presentation, students are to pick a book that they enjoy reading. For 30 seconds they are to summarize the book, (characters, setting, conflict (if there is one) beginning, middle and end) and talk about why it's their favorite book. We have been learning how to summarize a book in class so students are familiar with this process.

The Grading scale for class presentations will be based on the following aspects:
Prepared required materail
Followed directions for the assignment
Spoke for required time
Answered questions
Spoke audibly
Correct use of language
Volume
Made eye contact with the audience
Listens without making distractions
Asks question(s) to other student about their presentation


Just a reminder that the homework book should be signed everyday. Also please sign the finished tests that I've marked and have your child bring them back to school the next day. Thanks.

James Anderson

Week 3 News

Dear Parents,

It was very nice to meet some of you last night at the PTA. For those parents who weren't able to come your child will bring home an outline of the curriculum for the 2010-2011 school year. Please have a look at it and if you have any questions please ask. jamesanderson.his@gmail.com

Here are some quick notes for week 3.

Wednesday September 15th - Reading Quiz, Theme 1
Wednesday September 15th - Presentation, student is to bring in their favorite book. For 30 seconds they are to tell the class what the books is about and why it's their favorite book.
Thursday September 16th - Math Quiz, Chapter 2

Have a great weekend,

James Anderson

Week 2 Information

Hello Parents,


Just a few quick reminders for the school year.

First, during the day on Wednesdays we have P.E. and some students also have a club at 3:00 so the children should wear their HIS sports clothes (shirt and shorts) and shoes that cover their toes Wednesdays.

Second, every Monday students will have a spelling test so you can count on that as a regular part of weekend studying. Students will be given their words for the following Monday on the same day they take the test.

All tests will be written in the students homework books at least 2 days in advance and I'll post them on my blog as soon as I know the day of the test.

Also, part of every day's homework is that the student should read 30 minutes from a story book. They can check out books from my classroom, read books from home and very soon will be able to check out books from the library. After they finish reading they need to remember to log the name of the book, page numbers and time it took to read in the back of their homework book.

This Thursday is a time where you can come into the school and get to know me, the class structure, and the books we use. We will be meeting in the library at 7:00pm and then heading down to my classroom after wards. Snacks will be provided during the evening. I look forward to getting to know you better.

Finally thank you for all your support you have given your child. I'm happy to see that almost all homework books are being signed everyday. It's great to see the kids having such a good time in class while learning.



Best regards,



James Anderson

News, Notes, and our first Test

Dear Parents,


The school year is off to a fast start and the students are getting settled in with class structure and procedure. I am finding the students highly motivated and have a hunger for learning. Today we had our first journal writing, where students were to brainstorm "small moments" from this summer and then write in detail about one of these small moments. The journals are meant for the students to write in without fear of spelling or grammar mistakes, they are more for creative ideas and flow of the students writing style. We will have spelling tests, English and writing work that will concentrate on spelling and grammar. So that being said, I will not correct the spelling and grammar in the journal books.

The First Spelling Test will be this Monday. The spelling words will be based on the Dolch second grade sight vocabulary words which are words that second graders should be able to read in a book without stopping to sound out the word. This weeks words are: always, around, because, been, before, best, both, buy, call, cold.

NT$25 cost for folder and spelling book. Could you have your child bring in NT$25 to me as soon as possible. NT$10 is for the spelling book and NT$15 is for the homework folder. Exact change is appreciated.

Thank you for getting all your child's school supplies for class. And don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.


James Anderson