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Mrs. Marisa Macdonald » Home

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SJCS Pledge
 

Welcome to 2nd Grade with Mrs. Macdonald!

 

I am a Florida native and received my BA in Psychology with a minor in Spanish from the University of South Florida. After graduation, I pursued my Masters of Education through the University of Notre Dame’s ACE Service through Teaching Program and have been an educator for the last fourteen years. Additionally, I earned my English as a New Language endorsement through the University of Notre Dame in 2012. I taught at a Catholic school in Kansas City, Kansas, and I then moved to Chicago in 2010 where I spent eight years teaching second grade at a Catholic school in Pilsen. I am excited to be back for my fifth year of teaching in this beautiful school community.

In my free time, I enjoy running, reading, singing, traveling, and spending quality time with my family and friends. I could not imagine teaching anywhere else but a Catholic school, where I can share my faith with my students and watch them grow in their own relationships with God. I am especially looking forward to preparing my students for the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Communion.

 

Posts

Week at a Glance for October 15, 2018

Week at a Glance

Week of October 15, 2018

(Thursday = Parent-Teacher Conferences + Early Dismissal; Friday = No School)

Math: We have started Chapter 3 in our Math books - multiplication strategies and counting equal groups. Important vocabulary terms include: factors, product, equal groups, and repeated addition. Don’t forget to check out the “Math on the Spot” videos on the Think Central website if your child needs a refresher at home. They are listed by chapter and lesson.


Science: Please visit Ms. Papagianis’s page for Science information

Language Arts: We will continue our work with nouns as we practice writing and identifying singular (one) and plural (more than one) nouns. Our spelling words this week are multisyllabic and end with -le. During Writing, we will continue working on developing good middles in our personal narratives.

Reading: Our story this week is a realistic fiction story entitled I Wanna Iguana. In the story, the child writes letters back and forth with his mother to try to convince her to get a pet iguana for him. We will review new vocabulary terms, as well as the skill of comparing and contrasting information.

Social Studies: We will continue learning about the 5 regions in the United States and how they compare to each other. We will also discuss how climate affects land, plants, and animals in different regions.

Religion: We will discuss how Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be with us so we would never be alone. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, and we state our beliefs about the Holy Spirit in the Creed, along with our beliefs about God and Jesus. We will also learn the “fruits of the Holy Spirit”.



Tests and Quizzes:

Your child can expect a Simple Solutions Math quiz and Grammar quiz at some point this week (most likely Monday and Tuesday). There will be a Spelling test Thursday (due to the short week), but there will not be a Reading test this week.


Additional Reminders:

*Please send in the field trip form for the Grove as soon as possible.


*Please arrive on time to your conference on Thursday. I look forward to speaking with all of you about your children.


*Book orders due online https://clubs.scholastic.com/ by the end of the school day on Wednesday, October 17th. Use code: H2PZN to order with our class.


*Your child will start timed multiplication “quizzes” next week. We will start with x2 facts and work our way up. (The best score of the week will be entered as a homework grade in Math.) Each Friday s/he will bring home a sheet to practice for the upcoming facts.

October 11, 2018 Homework

Please remember to return field trip forms for the Grove Field trip as soon as possible.
 
Here is the homework for Thursday:
 
1. Read 20+ minutes and complete Reading Log entry (this should be completed daily)
 
2. Math Simple Solutions #27
 
3. IXL due Friday - E.1 and E.2
 
4. Math homework pages from lesson 3.1 (new chapter on multiplication)
 
5. Study for Friday's spelling test
 
*Book reports due Friday, November 2nd --> Nonfiction "Bag of Chips" report

October 10, 2018

Wednesday's homework is as follows:
 
1. Read 20+ minutes and complete Reading Log entry
 
2. Simple Solutions Lesson #26
 
3. IXL (due Friday) - E.1 and E.2
 
4. Study for Friday's Spelling Test
 
 
*Book reports are due Friday, November 2nd.*

October 9, 2018 Homework + Math Information

Here is the homework for Tuesday:
 
1. Read 20 + minutes and complete Reading Log entry
 
2. Math Test tomorrow (10/10). Please visit the following link for information about optional online practice materials: 
This is very helpful practice to reinforce important concepts at home.
 
3. Simple Solutions #25
 
4. IXL due Friday - E.1 and E.2 --> Multiplication strategies
 
 
***Book reports (nonfiction books) are due Friday, November 2nd.***

October 5, 2018 Homework

Happy Friday! Here is the homework:
 
1. Read 20 minutes every day and fill out October Reading Log daily.
 
2. Math Test next Wednesday (10/10). Please visit the following link for information about optional online practice materials: 
 
Remember to please take your child to Mass.  Enjoy the long weekend.
 
We are going on a field trip to The Grove on Monday, October 29th. Look out next week for a field trip form. Thank you very much!

Week at a Glance for October 8, 2018

Week at a Glance

Week of October 8, 2018

No School Monday

 

Math: We are finishing up Chapter 2 in Math. We will have a test on Wednesday of next week. Then we will move forward into strategies for multiplication. Important words to know: product, equal groups, factors.


Science: Please visit Ms. Papagianis’s page for Science information

Language Arts: We will work on identifying common and proper nouns. We will also continue our narrative writing as we discuss and practice ways to develop strong body paragraphs. (This past week we worked on introduction/beginning paragraphs). We will work on our Simple Solutions Grammar lessons daily as well, which is a spiral review of a variety of grammar skills.

Reading: This week’s story is a nonfiction passage called Penguin Chick. We will determine the main idea and details from various nonfiction passages in whole group and small group settings. Please see the “Spelling” tab for next week’s spelling words - multisyllabic words with v/cv and vc/v.

Social Studies: We will be identifying the 7 continents on a map. We will also discuss the 5 different regions of the United States (Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, Southwest, and West), exploring similarities and differences between them.

Religion: We will discuss the Paschal Mystery as we learn about Jesus’ passage from death to life. This great mystery is very important to our faith and in our catholic church.


Tests and Quizzes:

  • Math test Wednesday
  • Spelling and Reading tests Friday

October 4, 2018 Homework

1. Read 20 minutes and keep filling out October Reading Log. Please note your child should complete one line of the Reading Log each night after s/he reads.
 
2. Finish Graphing Packet (if not finished during class)
 
3. Simple Solutions Lesson #24 (Quiz Friday)
 
4. IXL due Friday = U.5 and U.6 (bar graphs)
--> Please note students should be aiming to get to 80 or above as their scores for IXL.
 
5. Study for the Unit Review spelling test Friday
 
Please note that this upcoming month's book report (October) will be on a nonfiction chapter book. Mrs. Hoglund is helping us select books during Library time on Thursday. I have posted information about this report in the Book Reports tab. I will go over this information with the students on Friday in class.

October 3, 2018 Homework

1. Read 20 minutes and keep filling out October Reading Log. Please note your child should complete one line of the Reading Log each night after s/he reads.
 
2. Math Lesson 2.7 Homework pages (Test next week - Chapter 2)
 
3. Simple Solutions Lesson #23
 
4. IXL due Friday = U.5 and U.6 (bar graphs)
 
5. Study for the Unit Review spelling test Friday
 
Please note that this upcoming month's book report (October) will be on a nonfiction chapter book. Mrs. Hoglund is helping us select books during Library time on Thursday. I will post online and send home information about the project by the end of this week.

October 2, 2018 Homework

Tuesday's homework:
 
1. Read 20 minutes and start filling out October Reading Log. (Please note I collected the September Reading Log for a grade. If your child has not yet returned it, please help him/her do so as soon as possible.)
 
2. Math Lesson 2.6 Homework pages (Test next week - Chapter 2)
 
3. Simple Solutions Lesson #22
 
4. IXL due Friday = U.5 and U.6 (bar graphs)
 
5. Study for Social Studies Test tomorrow! Students may bring home notebooks and books (in addition to their packet of vocabulary terms and activities from class) as long as they bring them back.

October 1, 2018 Homework

Happy first day of October! Here is the homework for the day:
 
1. Read 20 minutes and start filling out October Reading Log. (Please note I collected the September Reading Log for a grade. If your child has not yet returned it, please help him/her do so as soon as possible.)
 
2. Math Lesson 2.5 Homework pages
 
3. Simple Solutions Lesson #21
 
4. IXL due Friday = U.5 and U.6 (bar graphs)
 
5. Study for Social Studies Test - later this week (Wednesday or Friday)

We had a nice visit from the Fire Department today!
 
Please review with your students where your safe meeting place is at home, and be sure to check the batteries on your smoke detectors.
Please remember to send in items for the St. Joseph Food Pantry this Thursday. Thank you very much in advance for your generosity!

Week at a Glance for October 1st

Week at a Glance

Week of October 1- October 5, 2018

 

Math: We are finishing up Chapter 2 on a variety of graphs, which include bar graphs, frequency tables (tally charts), and pictographs. We will start reviewing the chapter by the end of the week. Look for a test towards the beginning of next week (week of 10/8).

 

Science: Please visit Ms. Papagianis’s page for Science information

Language Arts: In Writing we are working on forming strong beginnings to our personal narratives. A good beginning starts with a hook, such as “I will never forget the time I…” It also includes the characters, setting, and feeling words. We will observe and also practice writing good beginnings.

Reading: We are reviewing our first unit from our Basal Readers and taking our unit test this week. This unit test includes reading passages with questions, as well as short sections on grammar and phonics skills that we have practiced. Students do not need to do extra studying for this test. (Please note that the spelling list is entitled “Unit 1 Review” for this week.) In addition to the test, we will be sharing some high-quality picture book read alouds to reinforce the comprehension strategies we have learned so far this year.

Social Studies: We have come to the end of Chapter 1 in our Social Studies books. We will take the chapter test by the middle of the week. We will complete a review sheet in class together to help your child know what information to focus on for the test. Your child can also bring home their textbook, vocabulary notebook, and a skills packet from their folders to study/review additional information.

Religion: We will discuss how Jesus called his disciples. He called many of them while they were at work or with their families. His followers had to have faith in Jesus to drop everything they had and follow Him. Jesus told them that he would make them “Fishers of Men.”



Quizzes and Tests:

  • Spelling Test = Friday (Unit 1 Review)
  • Reading Test = spread out over multiple days, starting Tuesday or Wednesday
  • Social Studies Test = Wednesday (or Friday - depending on how the schedule plays out
Please note I will grade the book reports as quickly as I can and get the grades up. It might take me a few days, but I will do my best. Thank you for understanding.

September 28, 2018 Homework

Happy Friday! Enjoy the weekend.
 
Your child's only homework is as follows:
 
1. Read 20 minutes (each day) and complete the Reading Log
--> I will collect these on Monday (new log for October starts Monday)
 
2. IXL - U.4 and U.11 (3rd grade tab) due tonight
 
Please remember to take your children to Mass.

September 27, 2018 Homework

Here is the homework for today:
 
1. Reading Log + Read 20(+) minutes
 
2. Math Homework pages for Lesson 2.4 (Mid-Chapter Checkpoint "Quiz" tomorrow)
 
3. NO Simple Solutions Homework
 
4. IXL - due FRIDAY - 3rd Grade U.4 and U.11
 
5. Book Reports due FRIDAY
 
6. Spelling Test Friday
 
 
*If your child wants to participate in Book Club, please send in the form and the fee as soon as possible. If your child cannot participate for this session, there will be another Book Club group that meets in January with Mrs. Binkley and Ms. Papagianis. Thank you!*