Arrive to School Early on Friday

Room 5 and TPES students perform in the Wizard of Oz musical program.  More pictures and a video are in the Photo and Video Gallery linked to the right.

Arrive early on Friday!
Our field trip to the zoo will be this Friday.  We need to leave right away so bring your students early at 8:45 AM--the classroom will be open.  Students should wear cloths and shoes that they can get dirty and move around in.  Layers that keep them warm might also be a good idea.

Bring Sack Lunches on Friday!
Students will eat at the zoo on Friday.  You need to send them to school with a sack lunch that they will take with them to the zoo.  If this is not possible please let me know, we have ordered a few lunches from the cafeteria.

Zoo Chaperones
I will contact you this week with information about what I need from you regarding the field trip.  Foremost, I am hoping you will have some sort of bag or backpack that can carry about 4 lunches.

Head Lice
It sounds like this has been an issue for a few of you. The only way we can control it is if we all are vigilant. Check your students tonight. Check them regularly. There are no longer any pillows in Room 5.

TPES Online Auction
The TPES online auction is happening now.  This auction raises money for the school and is a good place to start your holiday shopping.  This year's auction includes a book which I authored a few years ago.  Visit the online auction by going here.

Literacy
When we read together as a class we have been studying and writing about the stereotypes and generalizations author's make when they create boy and girl characters.  This week we will begin looking at books with boy and girl characters that break those stereotypes.  We started last Friday with the book When Mindy Saved Hanukkah.  The main character Mindy, scaled walls and fought off a menacing cat to secure Hanukkah candles for her family.

Photos and Videos
I put a few new photo sets and one video in the Photo and Video gallery.

Velcro Book Pouches
Hopefully your students brought those today, if not bring them tomorrow.  They have a clear window in the front and can be blue, red, green, or yellow in color.  Thank you for doing this.

Maps
We have been studying maps at school as well as the major geographical features of California and the U.S.  If you are going on a trip next week, and you use a map, show it to your student.

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Studying characters that break the stereotypes for boys and girls.

Math - Estimation with addition and subtraction.

Writing - Editing and improving our writing to produce a final draft.

Language Conventions and Word Study - compound words, suffixes (-ing, -ful -ly, -ed, -ish)

Social Studies - Understanding maps.  Map legends, scales, topography, as well as the major geographical features of California, and the U.S.

Room 5 students (as well as students from other classes) perform in The Wizard of Oz.

Last week students worked on their own and with partners to edit their own writing.

Bring Velcro Reading Pouches on Monday

I would like every student to bring his or her velcro reading pouch with them to school on Monday, December 12th.  The girl above has a green pouch but they also come in yellow, blue. and red.  If by some chance you don't get this message in time, bring the pouch on Tuesday.

Thank you,
Mr. Luxon

Using and Reading Maps

Last week students learned how to use a map scale to estimate distances.

Zoo Trip Extended by 30 minutes
I tried to contact any volunteers who had already signed up about this.  After meeting with the other second graders we decided that the zoo field trip would be from 8:45 AM to 2:30 PM (leaving the zoo at 2:00 PM).  Subsequently if you are interested in volunteering I would need you for that entire window.  Also, it is crucial that you are on the school volunteer list, which means you have filled out the office paperwork, and shown the office a clear TB test.

Sign Up For Driver/Chaperone Spots Here 

Wizard of Oz Performance
I know a few of you have students participating in the Wizard of Oz musical performance (you know if your child is involved).  The performance is scheduled for this Thursday at 5:00 PM.

Winter Holiday
Our Winter Break is a little bit odd this year.  The last of day of school before winter break is Friday, December 16th.  Students return on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012.


Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Studying how authors typically portray girls in their books.

Math - Estimation

Writing - Editing and improving our writing to produce a final draft.

Language Conventions and Word Study - compound words, suffixes

Social Studies - understanding maps

Happy Thanksgiving

Today's lunch.

Welcome back, I hope you had good Thanksgivings--from what I hear you did.

Zoo Field Trip
The entire second grade is taking a trip to the San Diego Zoo on Friday, December 16th.  I need parent volunteers to drive and help chaperone the trip.  I have created a sign up form where you can sign up and tell me how many seat belts your vehicle has in total.  If you would like to volunteer I will need you from 8:50 AM to 1:30 PM on that day.  A also need to know if any chaperones have a zoo pass.  The students get in for free but be we are only allotted so many chaperone spots.

Sign Up For Driver/Chaperone Spots Here

20 sided-dice
I often use 20 sided dice to plays games for math lessons.  I am missing 5 of the dice.  When something goes missing it is almost always because of a mistake on my part.  However, I am missing enough of these dice that I figured I would ask you if you had seen any.

Lice
There have been some students in Room 5 affected with head lice.  Please check your child and let me know if you have the issue too.  I will keep it private but I want to gauge how wide-spread the problem is.  After 9 days of vacation Room 5 should be clear.

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Studying how authors typically portray boys in their books.

Math - Adding up to make 100, number patterns, finding missing tens and ones.

Writing - Writing about and describing small moments of our lives.

Language Conventions and Word Study - syllables

Social Studies - understanding maps

Parent Teacher Conferences - All Short Days This Week

Students worked hard to edit, type, and 'publish' a writing piece for the writing wall.

All Short Days This Week
Every day this week is a short day.  All of the school days this week will start at 8:55 AM and end at 12:45 PM.

Parent Teacher Conferences
Thank you for signing up for parent teacher conferences.  If you want to check your time go here to the online sign-up form.  I have not changed anything--whatever time you signed up for you still have.  I look forward to meeting with you.

Photo Gallery
I posted some pictures in the Photo and Video Gallery.  Check it out using the link in the upper right.

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Studying how authors typically portray boy characters in their books.

Math - Mental Math, 2 digit addition and subtraction

Writing - Writing about things we are thankful for.

Language Conventions and Word Study - synonyms and antonyms, syllables

Thank you for signing up for Parent Teacher Conferences

Most of Room 5 on Halloween.

Parent Teacher Conferences
Thanks for taking the time to sign up for parent teacher conferences.  I forgot to mention last week that is is required for me to meet with the parents of all my students.  It is also something I very much value.  If you haven't signed up yet, log on now and see if there is a time that is good for you.  If you haven't signed up by Wednesday I will begin making phone calls so we can be sure to schedule a meeting for next week.

Click on this link to sign up for a conference time.

Veterans Day on Friday
Veterans Day is this Friday, there will be no school this Friday.

Homework Journal Special Assignment
Over one or two days make a list of synonyms and a list of antonyms.  At least 5 pairs of each.  I sent home a sample.

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Studying how authors typically portray boys in their books.

Math - Mental Math, 2 digit addition

Writing - Writing about things we are thankful for.

Language Conventions and Word Study - Synonyms and Antonyms

Science - Geology, materials of the earth: pebbles, rocks and silt

Social Studies - Understanding Maps

Halloween Parade Today at 2:40 PM

A room 5 student enjoys the Halloween carnival with her sister.

Halloween Parade Today at 2:40 PM
The Halloween parade is today at 2:40 PM--Mr. Solo pushed back the time by ten minutes.  If you want to dress your child before the parade you can come at 2:20 PM.

Parent Teacher Conferences
I will be holding parent teacher conferences the week of November 14th.  I have half-hour time slots open every day that week: 2 each morning and 5-8 each afternoon.  To make things easier I have created an online sign-up form where you can see what slots are available, and put your name down for your time.

To create this sign-up list I used a website called MySignUpGenius.  When you log in you will see the MySignUpGenius logo and header, with my available times below.  When you sign up you do not need to enter in any contact information other than your name.  Try to use this format for entering your name: Mr. and Mrs. Smith (Jane).

I allowed for a wide choice of sign up times to better conform to your schedules--the drawback it that there is a lot of times for you to sift through on the site.  If this system doesn't wok for you, email me.  Additionally, the sign up list goes to 5:30 PM, if you or your spouse require a conference time that is particularly late in the evening, email me, and I will accommodate your needs.

Click on this link to sign up for a conference time.

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Reading for important ideas or concepts.  Ask your student about Too Many Pumkins by Linda White.

Math - Geometry: 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional shapes and their properties

Writing - Writing about the important concepts and ideas we find in fiction books.

Language Conventions and Word Study - Synonyms and Antonyms

Science - Geology, materials of the earth: pebbles, rocks and silt

Separating Sand and Silt

Last week we studied silt (rock powder).  Students mixed sand with water to separate the silt, which floats,  from the grains of sand, which sink.

Halloween Carnival
The Halloween Carnival is this Sunday, October 30th at 11:00 AM.  We haven't had one for a couple of years but usually there are fun games and activities.  I will be there.  Most kids wear costumes, as do many adults.

TPES Halloween Parade
On Monday, October 31st, TPES will have a Halloween parade.  The parade starts at 2:30 PM and his held on the back playground blacktop.  Parents are welcome to come if they like, but it is not required.  That day students can wear their Halloween costumes to school as long as the costume doesn't make it impossible to work in the classroom and use the restroom.  Mr. Solo has these three rules regarding costumes: 1) Masks should be easily removable and brought to school in a bag.  2) Halloween hairspray canisters should be left at home. 3) Absolutely no pretend weapons should be brought to school.

Also, remember that students will have a normal day with Science, P.E., lunch, recess, and everything else.  In past years I seen beautiful costumes go home soiled with food stains, grass stains, and mud from the playground.  Magic wands and other props have also been broken or lost. I will remind them throughout the day to be careful, you can remind them in the morning as well.

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Reading for important ideas or concepts.  Ask your student about Peach and Blue by Steve Johnson.

Math - Using greater than and less than symbols.  Ordering numbers from least to greatest and greatest to least.  Understanding and continuing number patterns.  Understanding how our number system is based on organizing quantities into groups of tens.

Writing - Writing about the important concepts and ideas we find in fiction books.  Ask you student what idea they wrote about for Peach and Blue by Steve Johnson or Julius, the Baby of the World, by Kevin Henkes.

Language Conventions and Word Study - Understanding what makes a sentence complete.

Science - Geology, materials of the earth: pebbles, rocks and silt.

Studying River Rock

Students studied river rocks with magnifying glasses.  Then they used differently sized screens to separate the rock out by size.

Science
The students have really enjoyed the science unit we are currently studying.  Last week we saw how rocks can be part of the earth's features, and then break down into smaller and smaller pieces until they become as small as sand and silt.  This led to a good discussion about how much sand there is in the world, how long this process takes, and how relentless our oceans and rivers are at moving, smoothing, and breaking down rocks.

Homework Journals
I was busy today with different meetings.  I was only able to read and return some of the homework journals.  The rest will be ready to go back home tomorrow.

IXL Math Website
I can see that many of you have logged on to the IXL math website.  If you haven't already, give it a try.  I sent you a link and password for it about two weeks ago.

Mr. Luxon Not On Campus This Friday
Mr. Solo has asked me to attend a district meeting this Friday, the second day of the training I attended about a month ago.  I will not be at school, TPES visiting teacher Ms. Cahill will be teaching in my absence.

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Reading for important ideas or concepts.  Ask your student about Swimmy by Leo Lioni.

Math - Understanding how our number system is based on organizing quantities into groups of tens.  10 is ten ones, 100 is ten tens, 1000 is ten hundreds, etc.

Writing - Writing about the important concepts and ideas we find in fiction books.

Language Conventions and Word Study - Understanding what makes a sentence complete.

Science - Geology, materials of the earth: pebbles, rocks and silt.

Students used screens to separate the pebbles, gravel, sand, and silt.

Reading for Important Concepts/Ideas in Fiction Books

We have been working hard to find important concepts in the books we are reading.

Here is the update for this week:

Room 5 Parent Website
Our Room Parent, Ms. Krantz, has created an excellent website. It is linked on the right side of this page as 'Our Room Parent's Page'. The site has additional information about Room 5, Room 5 Families, our school, and the parent foundation. Check it out.

Homework Journals
Thanks for helping your students with those homework journals. Last Monday I put a note, written in green ballpoint pen, in every student's journal. I should be able to do this most every week, but their may be some weeks when I cannot. Overall it looked like the writing students were doing in those journals was great. Thank you so much for your help with that--I could see it in their writing.

I have also been reviewing the math homework, it looks good as well.

Every Monday
This section is just repeated from last week: Monday is a day you need to help your students prepare for. This is what you need to remember:
- Home writing journals are due.
- Wear athletic shoes--we have P.E. on Mondays.
- If you need replacement books for your velcro book pouch, this the best day to exchange them. If your are still working on those books that's fine to.
- If you have a book from the TPES school library this may also be a good day to return those. (Most students do not have one just yet)

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Reading for important ideas or concepts.

Math - Mental computation with addition and subtraction. Understanding how easy math facts can be used to figure out more difficult ones. For example, if you know 14 - 10 = 4 you can also easily see that 14 - 9 will equal 5.

Writing - Writing about the ideas we find in fiction books.

Language Conventions and Word Study - Making sure we understand periods, question marks, and exclamation points.

Science - Materials of the earth: pebbles, rocks and silt.

Room 5 Students Assigned Individual Netbooks

Despite the sharing shown in this photo, Room 5 is lucky to have one netbook for every student.

I know I am repeating myself, but I continue to be truly impressed with the work and attitude of all of the Room 5 students. Please thank your students for their hard work.

Every Monday
Monday is a day you need to help your students prepare for.  This is what you need to remember:
- Home writing journals are due.
- Wear athletic shoes--we have P.E. on Mondays.
- If you need replacement books for your velcro book pouch, this the best day to exchange them.  If your are still working on those books that's fine to.
- If you have a book from the TPES school library this may also be a good day to return those.  (Most students do not have one just yet)

School Starts at 8:55 AM
Many of you may be used to school starting at 9:00 AM.  This year our start time was moved up by 5 minutes.  School starts at 8:55 AM, your student should be here before that.  My goal is to have learning start immediately.

Classroom Netbooks
Last week I set up each Room 5 student with a classroom netbook.  We will use them for various assignments and projects. I spoke with the students about handling them with care and caution.  Thank you for getting your students those earbuds.

Volunteering
I know a lot of you are interested in volunteering in the classroom. Now that I have my schedule set I will begin contacting anyone who asked about volunteering on the Parent Survey. I believe I will set up regular times at 9:00 AM and 12:20 PM each day.

Important Upcoming Dates
October 17 - Monday - School Pictures
October 21 - Friday - Mr. Luxon attends off-campus meeting
October 27 - Thursday - School Picture Make-Up Day
October 30 - Sunday - TPES Halloween Carnival
October 31 - Monday - Halloween Parade, 2:30 PM

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Reading for important ideas or concepts.

Math - Mental computation with addition and subtraction.  Understanding how easy math facts can be used to figure out more difficult ones.  For example, if you know 5 + 5 = 10 you can also easily see that 5 + 6 will equal 11.

Writing - Writing about the ideas we find in fiction books.

Language Conventions and Word Study - Understanding how prefixes affect word meanings, specifically the prefixes pre- and dis- (e.g. pretest, preschool, dislike, disabled)

Science - Materials of the earth: pebbles, rocks and silt.

School starts at 8:55 AM.  These photos were taken at 9:00 AM on Wednesday, September 28th.  Only 14 of 25 students were on-time.

Reading for Important Ideas and Concepts in Books

I have been impressed with the focus on learning shown by Room 5 students.

Thank you so much for coming to open house it was nice to formally meet all of you. If you weren't able to come that night and would like a copy of my presentation just let me know.

Reading for Ideas
This week we have begun reading for ideas or important concepts in our fiction texts. My goal is to have students determine the important themes in the book, and then give them the vocabulary they need to truly express what they are reading.  The first book we are reading is The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister.  In the beginning of the book students found the important idea of envy--many smaller fish are envious of Rainbow Fish's colorful scales.  We also noted that this idea of envy is closely related to jealousy and admiration.

Head Lice
There have been some students in Room 5 affected with head lice.  Please check your child and let me know if you have the issue too.  I will keep it private but I want to gauge how wide-spread the problem is.  In the meantime I will cover any pillows I have.

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Reading for important ideas or concepts.

Math - Addition and subtraction.  Using subtraction to compare to related numbers.  Understanding how addition can be used to solve subtraction problems.

Writing - Writing about the ideas we find in fiction books.

Language Conventions - Understanding how commas are used in the greeting and closure of letters, when writing the date, and when listing a series of items.

Word Study - Understanding how prefixes affect word meanings, specifically the prefix un- and over- (e.g. unlucky, unwise, unlucky, overworked, overcrowded)

Art - A study of Pablo Picasso’s major artistic periods: currently on Surrealism.

Curriculum Night This Wednesday

In addition to reading independently Room 5 students read and discuss books in pairs.

I continue to be truly impressed with all of the students in Room 5.  The effort and attitude of every child has been wonderful.

Open House / Curriculum Night This Wednesday
Curriculum night is the Wednesday, September 21st.  Around 6:35 PM I will give a presentation in Room 5.  Remember, for this first open house, just the parents are invited, unfortunately students need to stay home.

Here is the schedule for the night:

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm - Supper/Bake Sale in the lunch arbor
6:00 pm - 6:30 pm - Principal Jim Solo and Foundation President Erin Brown speak in the auditorium
6:35 pm - 7:10 pm - Grades K-2 teacher presentation in classrooms
7:15 pm - 7:50 pm- Grades 3-5 teacher presentation in classrooms
8:00 pm - school closed

Mr. Luxon Not On Campus This Friday
Mr. Solo has asked me to attend a district meeting this Friday.  I will not be at school, TPES visiting teacher Ms. Christie Edelson will be teaching in my absence.  Ms. Edelson knows both me and Torrey Pines well.  She will be on campus all week assisting other teachers, and in Room 5 on Friday.

Important Upcoming Dates:
September 21 - Wednesday - Curriculum Night
September 23 - Friday - Ms. Edelson teaches in Room 5
October 1-2 - Saturday and Sunday - La Jolla Art Festival, a TPES fundraiser
October 17 - Monday - School Pictures

Earbud Headphones
I have been getting the classroom netbooks ready for each student.  Can you provide your students with simple earbuds to use with their laptops?  I know the 2nd grade supply list was already very extensive but think each student having their own pair of earbuds will be the best solution for the classroom.  Nothing fancy, uses the ones you already have lying around the house.  They should not be large because they will be kept in your student's desk drawer.  I will get some extras for those of you who cannot provide a pair.

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Reviewing the vocabulary needed to discuss fiction books: characters, setting, conflict/problem, resolution, climax

Math - Subtraction, interpreting data in graphs and charts, understanding place value

Writing - Writing about our lives with detail and expression

Language Conventions - Understanding how commas are used in the greeting and closure of letters, when writing the date, and when listing a series of items.

Word Study - Understanding how prefixes affect word meanings, specifically the prefix un- and over- (e.g. unlucky, unwise, unlucky, overworked, overcrowded)

Art - A study of Pablo Picasso’s major artistic periods: The Blue Period, The Rose Period, Cubism, and Surrealism.

A Great First Week In Room 5

On the first day of school students graphed the contents of one bag of M&M's.

Although cut short by the blackout, our first week in Room 5 was a good one.  The behavior and academic effort of every student has been excellent.  Please thank your students for their hard work.

Birthdays
The school nurse has asked that our class not celebrate birthdays with food.  We have numerous students with allergy and diet restrictions and I fully stand behind the nurse’s request.  In the past I have celebrated student birthdays by having the other students in the class make and write cards for the student celebrating a birthday.  This type of recognition is really appreciated by the students, probably more so then food or cupcakes.  I will explain the process further during open house.

Daily Folders
Last week I gave each Room 5 student a daily folder.  These blue and clear plastic folders need to come to school every day with your child.

Parent Survey
Thank you for getting those parent surveys back to me so quickly.  I have a feeling that a few of you never received them, so I will begin sending home additional copies.  If you get a duplicate, do not fill it out, I only need one copy per family.

Contacting Me
As I mentioned in my first letter, always feel free to contact me with any question or concerns you have.  You can approach me in person before or after school or send a note in your student’s folder.  You also can email me, or leave me a voice mail at 858-453-2323 extension 205.

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Reviewing the vocabulary needed to discuss fiction books: characters, setting, conflict/problem, resolution, climax

Math - Understanding place value into the hundreds, addition and subtraction

Writing - Writing about our lives with detail and expression

Language Conventions - Understanding when capital letters are needed in our writing

Art - A study of Pablo Picasso’s major artistic periods: The Blue Period, The Rose Period, Cubism, and Surrealism.

Welcome Letter

Dear Room 5 Families,

Welcome to Room 5 and second grade!  I look forward to getting to know you and your children throughout the year.  Many of you know me as a Torrey Pines kindergarten teacher, this year I am truly excited to have joined the second grade team.

Daily Folders

This week I will give each Room 5 student a daily folder.  These blue and clear plastic folders need to come to school every day with your child.  I want each student to have this folder for the rest of the year, so homework and other information can make it home safely.  There is no homework at this time, but I will have some information to send home this first week.  Your student also needs a backpack big enough to carry this folder.

Parent Survey

I have also sent home a parent information survey.  Please get it back to me this week.  Thank you in advance.

Contacting Me

Always feel free to contact me with any question or concerns you have.  You can approach me in person before or after school or send a note in your student’s folder.  You also can email me, or leave me a voice mail at 858-453-2323 extension 205.  

Letters like this one will go home every Monday, though I may begin sending them online.

Welcome to Room 5,

James Luxon