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Welcome to 2nd Grade with Mrs. Applegate!
 
 
My name is Samantha Applegate and I am so excited to be joining the SJCS family! I grew up in central Indiana and graduated with my degree in Elementary Education from Ball State University in 2017. My husband and I relocated to the Chicagoland area in 2019 where I spent the first three years teaching Kindergarten. This will be my fifth year teaching and my second year teaching at St. Joseph. 
 
When I'm not teaching, you can find me spending time at the lake and watching college football. I also enjoy concerts, reading, and spending time with my friends and family. Some of my favorites include Diet Coke, Starbucks, and trips to Target. I look forward to an amazing 2022-2023 school year!
 

Posts

9/10/20 Homework

Here is the Homework for 9/10/20

Read 20 minutes - complete the 9/10 row on the Reading Log. (Students can keep this in their homework folders so I can check and see their progress each day.)

GoMath 1.2 homework page 53-54

Reminders:

  • Spelling Test = Friday 

  • Your child is welcome to bring books from home to school since library services are limited. 

  • Students should bring the Reading Log back daily for me to quickly check.

  • Please send a picture of your child reading at home to participate in the "Caught Reading" Bulletin Board 

9/9/20 Homework

Here is the Homework for 9/9/20

Read 20 minutes - complete the 9/9 row on the Reading Log. (Students can keep this in their homework folders so I can check and see their progress each day.)

GoMath 1.2 homework page 48-49

Reminders:

  • Spelling Test = Friday 

  • Your child is welcome to bring books from home to school since library services are limited. 

  • Students should bring the Reading Log back daily for me to quickly check. 

  • Please send a photo of your child reading at home to be included in the "Caught Reading" Bulletin Board by Friday 9/18/20

9/8/20 Homework

Here is the Homework for 9/8/20

Read 20 minutes - complete the 9/2 row on the Reading Log. (Students can keep this in their homework folders so I can check and see their progress each day.)

GoMath 1.2 homework page 41-42

Reminders:

  • Spelling Test = Friday (list was sent home today)

  • Your child is welcome to bring books from home to school since library services are limited. 

  • Students should bring the Reading Log back daily for me to quickly check. I love to see what the students are reading and to make sure that they are completing this part of their homework. Thank you!

Week At A Glance

Week at a Glance for September 7-11, 2020

Math: This week we will continue our work in Chapter 1 of our GoMath! textbook. We will write numbers up to 1,000 using base-ten numerals, number names, and expanded form. We will use virtual manipulatives in class, and your child can use these at home too, if needed. Here is the link to access them. On Friday we will spend some time reviewing using the iPads and some IXL practice problems.

Science: We will begin our Mystery Science curriculum this week. Each session focuses on a question. This week’s lessons include identifying animals using different characteristics and identifying frog sounds in different environments.

Language Arts: This week during Writing Workshop, we will continue to focus on the genre of Narrative Writing. We will especially focus on describing specific characteristics, actions, and thoughts of characters. We will continue to build on our grammar skill from last week of identifying and writing complete sentences. We will focus more on what subjects and predicates are and identifying complete sentences that have them.

Reading: This week, we will focus on describing details about the setting and characters with several different class read aloud texts. We will continue to learn additional Amazing Words related to the words from this past week, and practice fluency with our High Frequency Sight Words. The spelling list will either review or extend the CVC pattern (based on how your child did on his/her test on Friday) with the goal of applying our spelling patterns from class to more words that we read and write. We will also continue our discussions of a Picture of the Day to work on making observations and inferences. 

Social Studies: This week in Social Studies, we will start Chapter 1 in our My World textbooks. We will explore and discuss changes in history from the past to the present, and the essential question of How does life change throughout history? 

Religion: This week we will describe Jesus as God’s gift to us. We will discuss giving and receiving gifts. The vocabulary words for this session are: Blessed Sacrament, consecration, tabernacle, and genuflect. We will also learn about how Jesus’ birth was a gift for all God’s people.

 

Tests and Quizzes:

  • Spelling Test Friday 
  • Reading Test Friday
    • This test will focus on the high frequency words, the spelling short vowel pattern, and reading comprehension questions based on a short passage.

 

Additional Reminders:

  • Monday, September 7th = No school 
  • Your child is bringing home his/her towel today to allow you extra time to clean it. Please send the towel back on Monday for next week's Gym classes.
  • Please send your child with a paper bag with their name on it to school at the start of each new week. (St. Joe's provided bags this past week, but they cannot provide them every week.) This bag will be used for your child to store his/her mask during Gym and lunch. S/he can use the bag for the whole week.
  • Several Mass Options are available through St. Joseph’s (either in-person or virtually). 
  • Tuesday, September 8th, 8:30 am → All-School Live Stream Mass. We will gather virtually as a school community to worship together. Please join us from home if you are able to.
  • Snack Time will start on Wednesday. Please send a small, healthy, easy to open/easy to eat snack with your child (e.g., pretzels, Goldfish, grapes, granola bar, etc.).

9/3/20 Homework

Here is Thursday's Homework:

1. Read for at least 20 minutes  - complete the 9/3 row on the Reading Log
*Students should bring their Reading Logs back each day for me to check their progress.*
 
2. GoMath 1.4 homework pages --> pp. 35-36
*Please have your child complete this in pencil.*
 
3. Spelling Test tomorrow (Friday) --> Study words on their lists
 
Reminders:
  • Spelling Test = Tomorrow
  • Your child is welcome to bring books to school to read since library services are limited. 

Homework for 9/2/20

Here is the Homework for tonight:

 Read 20 minutes - complete the 9/2 row on the Reading Log. (Students can keep this in their homework folders so I can check and see their progress each day.)

GoMath 1.2 homework pages 29-30 *Please help make sure your child completes this in pencil.*

Continue practicing Spelling words for Friday's Spelling test.

Reminders:

  • Spelling Test = Friday

  • Your child is welcome to bring books from home to school since library services are limited. 

  • Students should bring the Reading Log back daily for me to quickly check. I love to see what the students are reading and to make sure that they are completing this part of their homework. Thank you!

9/1/20 Homework

 Here is the Homework for 9/21/20

 Read 20 minutes - complete the 9/1 row on the Reading Log. (Students can keep this in their homework folders so I can check and see their progress each day.)

GoMath 1.2 homework pages 23-24 *Please help make sure your child completes this in pencil.*

Continue practicing Spelling words for Friday's Spelling test.

Reminders:

  • Spelling Test = Friday
  • Your child is welcome to bring books from home to school since library services are limited. 
  • Students should bring the Reading Log back daily for me to quickly check. I love to see what the students are reading and to make sure that they are completing this part of their homework. Thank you!

8/31/20 Homework

Welcome back!

Here is the homework for tonight. (Students can expect similar homework each night.)

  1. Read 20 minutes and fill in the 8/31 section on the Reading Log.\
  1. GoMath 1.1 homework pages --> pp. 17-18

*Please help make sure your child completes this in pencil.*

  1. Start practicing Spelling words for Friday's Spelling test.

(The list is below, and your child is bringing home a hard copy today). 

Spelling List CVC (short vowel words):

  1. rock
  2. list
  3. desk
  4. job
  5. sad
  6. chop
  7. sack
  8. tag
  9. rib
  10. mess
  11. dust
  12. drum
  13. with
  14. have
  15. them 
  16. some

 

Reminders:

  • Spelling Test on Friday

Week at a Glance 8/31-9/4/20

Week at a Glance

Week of August 31-September 4, 2020

 

Math: We will start Chapter 1 in our Go Math! textbook. This week will include topics related to number sense with lessons on even and odd numbers, place value for two-digit numbers, and writing numbers in expanded form.

Religion: We will start using our Religion textbook with lessons on God’s creation. We will explore different ways to care for God’s creation, and observe a weekly art print. 

Reading: This week we will dive into our Reading Street textbooks with a story called The Twin Club. We will be focusing on the comprehension strategy of identifying important story elements such as characters, plot, and setting to support understanding of the story. The spelling list is closed syllable (short vowel) words. We will be completing a “Picture of the Day” activity, everyday to focus on the skill of noticing details and making inferences. 

Language Arts: We will begin the Trimester long unit of Narrative writing this week while we practice building details involving characters. We will also work on identifying complete sentences. We will begin work in the Sunform Handwriting book as well. 

Science/Social Studies: will begin after Labor Day

Reminders:

  • Please remember to check the webpage daily for posts, checklists, and assignments.
  • Students will be taking home their towels on Monday so they can be washed.
  • Spelling test on Friday (more information will be sent on Mon.)
  • There is no school Monday, Sept. 7th for Labor Day. 
  • St. Joseph offers a variety of Mass options for weekly mass, including in person, live streamed services, and drive up Masses.
**Keep an eye out for our first set of Scholastic Book Orders to go next week. There will be a letter with our class code and when the orders are due. (Note: this is totally optional!)**

Friday 8/28/20

Dear Parents and Families, 
 
You can use this checklist to keep track of you students' schedule for the day. There is no homework for the weekend. This week we have done a great job adjusting to school. This class has a great sense of humor and very kind hearts. I am enjoying getting to know them very much. We spent some time practicing social distancing in the hallway. We have read multiple books and completed activities that are focused on the nervousness that often comes along with coming back to school (First Day Jitters), kindness (Chrysanthemum and Have you Filled A Bucket Today?), personal space (Personal Space Camp) , following the rules (What If Everybody Did That?), empathy (The Invisible Boy), and a few others. 
 
Starting next week, we will move into more of a "regular schedule". Please see the attached document. Note that nothing is set in stone (*for instance, we are starting Science and Social Studies after Labor Day*), but please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Seeing this schedule might help generate some conversations at home.
 
Schedule note: ELA = English Language Arts --> Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar

Thursday 8/27/20 Notes

Happy Thursday!! 
 
Today Mrs. McMahon and Mrs. Hoglund from the Media Center joined us to help us practice logging in to the Clever App. From the Clever portal, we were able to log in to Seesaw, IXL, ThinkCentral, and Google Classroom. The students all received ID badges that we will keep at school. Mrs. McMahon told them their "homework" was to locate their Clever badges at home so that they know where to find them if they need to complete online activities at home. Please help your child store this home Clever ID in a safe place. (It went home on Tuesday in an envelope with a letter explaining how to use it.) 
 
The students were asked to read for 10 minutes for homework tonight which they wrote in their planners. I also told them they are welcome to bring any three books from home to school since the library is not up and running yet. 
 
Thank you!

Week at a Glance 8/24/20 - 8/28/20

Week of August 24-28, 2019

 

Welcome back to a new school year! The teachers have all been working hard to prepare our rooms to welcome our new groups of students. During the first week of school we will mostly be focusing on activities that build community, establishing rules, and practicing procedures. Starting next week (once we have gotten into more of a routine), I will begin to post more of our content objectives for the different subjects. I am looking forward to the start of a new school year and meeting your child!

 

Reminders:

Tuesday, August 25th (9-11am): Orientation for in-person learners 

  • I will be meeting your child at our classroom door (after his/her health screening) on this day. In order to assist with a smooth entry, please have your child bring the following items from the supply list in a separate paper or plastic grocery bag so I can take the items as s/he enters the room:
    • Tissue boxes
    • Paper towels
    • Clorox wipes
    • Hand sanitizer (A-L) - or - baby wipes (M-Z)
    • Ziploc bags
    • Your child can bring the rest of the supply items in his/her backpack (including headphones).
    • We will not be sharing supplies this year (aside from the cleaning items listed above), so please help your child organize the following items in his/her pencil case before Tuesday:
    • Crayons and markers
    • Pencils and erasers
    • Scissors and glue
  • For now, please keep the Art smock at home. I will let you know when your child needs this item.
  • Please be sure to watch Mrs. Phoenix's video before our school year begins. (This was sent out last Thursday.)