Introduction

I have wanted to start a classroom blog for a long time, but never took the time to sit down and actually do it! While working on my Master's degree last year, I created a blog as an assignment.  It was my intention to start my posts earlier, but life happened.  

 As a parent, I've always wished I could see into my kids' classrooms, and see how they are learning.  What better way to experience the positive things that are going on in the classroom?  In addition, I love taking pictures, and documenting moments.  I take lots of pictures in my classroom, and we use them to make memory books and slideshows at the end of the year.   So, if I'm taking photos and video, why not post them on this blog for parents and kids to view?  It is my ultimate goal for my students to be involved in creating short movies about what they are learning as well. This is a tall order for second graders, but I think they can do it!  

Another benefit of blogging will be to post documents that you can access from here, such as our reading log and spelling homework sheets.  Most of you know I am a scatterbrain  multitasker, and have a lot going on, so it would be so helpful to have a document you can download and print whenever you need it.  

I would also love to share some of the darling things students write and say.  They always keep me laughing and pulling my hair out at times!  

So there you have it.  I hope you enjoy this little window into your child's world.  If so, please comment and share some love.  Your kids and I will be reading!  

In the pictures below, we were working on place value by playing the number line game.  We love playing math games!

Below, students are playing Showdown, a Kagan Cooperative Learning Structure, with events from one of our reading stories.  They had to decide if the event happened in the beginning, middle or end of the story.  In turn, students read the event and had to write their answer on their whiteboards.  After all had answered, the showdown captain calls "Showdown!" and the kids show their answers.  If their answers don't match, they "coach" each other, and if they are all correct, they celebrate.  Below, they are celebrating with one of our classroom cheers.