My Cup Runneth Over...

I cannot thank each and every one of my amazing parents and grandparents for all of your help, volunteering in the classroom, chaperoning on our zoo field trip, generous party food donations, and wonderful holiday gifts. We had so much food left over from our holiday party, that we were able to give it all to the custodial staff to show our thanks and appreciation for all they do.

The students had such a blast watching The Polar Express, jingling their sleigh bell necklaces, playing with their stuffed animals, and eating, eating, eating all the pizza and sweeties their tummies could hold! The laughter and fun in the classroom was definitely the best part of the day.

I also want to thank all my amazing students and parents for an AWESOME 2014. I wish all the best to you and yours as you celebrate this holiday season and ring in the new year with family and friends.

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

KEARSON'S CROCODILES ARE MAKING HEADLINES!

The most amazing second grade class *ever* is making headlines in the Mandarin Newsline December 2014 issue!! Crown Point Elementary did an article on Red Ribbon Week and . . . 

< pause for dramatic effect >

. . . congratulated our class on winning the Red Ribbon Week Door Decoration Contest! WAY TO GO MS. KEARSON'S CLASS!!

If you do not receive the Mandarin Newline paper at your home, don't worry... you can download a digital copy of the article from the Mandarin Newsline website (I provided a link under the article picture).

Congratulations again to my rocking awesome second graders for showing their Panther Pride and support for Red Ribbon Week and a drug free school!!

The article in the Mandarin Newsline...

Click here to download a digital copy of the article in the Mandarin Newsline

Mad Scientist Day

We had so much fun during Mad Scientist Day at Crown Point Elementary. Each of the second grade classrooms planned a science experiment to share with the other classes on our grade level as we did our Mad Scientist Day rotations.

In Kearson's Classroom, we chose to do erupting apples (thank you, Pinterest). First, we looked at each of the items needed for the experiment... baking soda with pumpkin spice, vinegar with green food coloring, and an apple. After making our predictions about what might happen if we combined these things together, we began the experiment.

I used a melon baller to scoop out the center part of the apple. Next, we poured our baking soda and pumpkin spice mixture into the apple... it smelled soooo good. Finally, we poured the green vinegar over the baking powder and pumpkin spice mixture in the apple and watched it erupt! The children were completely amazed and had a total blast making the apples erupt over and over and over again!! SO MUCH FUN!!

"It looks like acid!" ~ The video of our Erupting Apples Mad Scientist Experiment

Our 500 Box Tops Cupcake Party

Our 500 Box Tops Cupcake Party was a smashing success. The students enjoyed Creeper cupcakes, Frozen cheese balls, juice boxes, and bubbles while they watched The Gruffalo. We read The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson the week prior, and the students were super excited to get to watch the movie based on the book.

Thank you again to all my wonderful parents and grandparents that collected box tops and sent them in. We are looking forward to collecting 500 more box tops in the second quarter and having another cupcake party... WOO-HOO!! :)

WOW! 500 Box Tops!

CONGRATULATIONS

to Kearson's Classroom on collecting 500 box tops in the first quarter!! We set the bar high and did an AHHH-MAZING job reaching our goal. 

I cannot wait to see what the second quarter holds. Another 500? Absolutely!!

Red Ribbon Week 2014

It is Red Ribbon Week at Crown Point Elementary! The Red Ribbon Celebration brings awareness and support to being DRUG FREE. This year's campaign theme is, "Love yourself. Be drug free.". 

All this week, each of the classroom doors at Crown Point will be decorated to promote the Red Ribbon's drug free campaign to CLOSE THE DOOR ON DRUGS! In addition, the staff and students will be wearing red on Monday to kick off Red Ribbon Week.

This week's fun activities for the staff and students during the Red Ribbon Celebration at Crown Point will be...

For more information on Red Ribbon Week, their campaign, and this year's theme, please visit their website. Parents and students can take the pledge to be drug free and read about other ways they can support their school and community to be DRUG FREE.

 Click here to visit RedRibbon.org

Box Tops for Education

Box Tops for Education is an amazing program for schools. Our school receives $0.10 for every box top that is turned in... that's one dime for every box top! Crown Point Elementary can use this money to purchase whatever the school needs... playground equipment, computers, library books, art supplies, science lab equipment, music instruments, even Smartboards... the possibilities are endless.

The Box Top loyalty program is very simple... just purchase products with box top labels, cut the box tops from the package, and turn them into your school. It's so easy... and really adds up!!

I have challenged the students to collect 500 box tops per quarter. We will have a cupcake party to celebrate each time the classroom collects 500 box tops. There is one more week left in the first quarter, and we have already collected 383 box tops!!

If you have any box tops at home, please send them in. I will be sending home this Batty for Box Tops collection sheet this week for each of the students to try to collect ten box tops before the end of October. Ask grandparents, neighbors, and coworkers that may not know about this program because they do not have school-aged children. Encourage them to clip their box tops and donate the box tops to Kearson's Classroom.

Thank you to everyone for the 383 box tops we have already collected... you are AHHH-MAZING!!

Beginning, Middle & End

We have been working hard on retelling the beginning, middle and end of a story. Last week we read, "Stellaluna" by Janell Cannon, and created a story map to outline the beginning, middle and end of the story. The students did an amazing job retelling the story. :)

Here is the mini-anchor chart and writing activity we used in the classroom for our beginning, middle and end retelling story map...

Click here to see this activity in my TpT store