Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The two weeks before Spring Break we researched ocean animals.  We made a video to share with you.  It's not a perfect performance but the students worked hard.  I suggested that we practice the ending then re-do that part but when I heard the collective groans, I decided against it.  This week we are studying about characters and their feelings and actions in reading so it's time to move on.

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CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY!!!

I guess I can be as crazy as the kids!

Every week is a little crazy but last week was especially wild!  Not only did we miss two days of school (which puts us way behind before we ever get started) but the snow on Friday was icing on the cake.  We made a snowman glyph and wrote about it just for fun.  They will be hanging on our wall at least through this week because they are just too cute to not display.

The Living Museum was in the library right across the hall so all day long we had people coming and going (past our room and some sneaking a little peek in our window.)   Our Living Museum has become such a big production at our school that first graders no longer get to participate.  They have one more thing to look forward to in the second grade though.

A few of the students have earned enough fuzzies to buy "lunch somewhere else in the school."  One student and three friends of his choice lucked out with the snow.  We ate lunch on the ramp in front of the big window watching the snow fall and people trying to de-ice their windshields.

Four lucky students got to eat lunch in front of the big window during the snow!

 

Today was Read Across America day in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday!  Our wonderful librarian organized an hour of people outside of our school but from the community to come and read to students in their classrooms.  We had Ms. Court (from the district) and Ms. Thompson (from the Mesquite Public Library) read to us!  We loved it!

Ms. Court

Ms. Thompson

One more thing…remember that next week is Spring Break.  We will return to school on March 16!  Hopefully we will have Spring weather!

Mrs. Cooper

February 9, 2015

This week we are still studying maps.  We are looking up addresses on google earth and that's been a lot of fun. We will also learn about important African Americans in history.  We are finishing up our study of fiction genre in reading.  Today was the 100th day of school.  We spent most of the day doing Math activities to practice numbers to 100.  The rest of the week we will be practicing numbers to 120.

Last week some students dressed up as their future career.  They are adorable if I do say so!

On Friday many of us wore red for Heart health awareness.  I think we looked pretty sharp!

It's fun to have special days at school!

February 4, 2015

This week is college week and a few of us have the college spirit!  Tomorrow is Dress Up for your Career. I'm excited to see what shows up in my classroom tomorrow!

This week we are working on numbers to 120 and expanded form.  We are reading Valentine books and poetry.  We have looked at different maps and drawn maps and even looked at our school on Google Earth.

Field Trip and t-shirt money is due on Friday.  I've never been to Texas Discovery Gardens and am looking forward to going.  We'll also have a picnic lunch.

Thursdays are "Fuzzy Days."  Some of the students are saving their fuzzies for lunch in the classroom with three friends.  It's taking months to save up 500 points.  It'll also be fun to eat lunch outside on the playground.  Other things that they can buy with points are shoes off (25), dog day (25), ice cream (50),  and occasionally prize box (amount varies.)  The students love earning the fuzzies for good behavior, returning things to school such as forms signed and participating in Math.  I think they like filling up their fuzzy cup more than spending them though.

If you have questions about your child/progress, you may reach me at dcooper@mesquiteisd.org.

Deedee Cooper

First Grade

Here we are in the library being silly the last week of school in December!

First Grade is going great!  We have finally completed all of the middle of the year testing!  I can't believe that it's almost February.  Progress reports will go home on February 6.  Please sign and return so I will know that you have seen it.

We have been learning about Rocks in Science.  We had a blast on a rock hunt this past Wednesday. I hope you saw the bag of rocks that your child brought home.  We kept some at school that we will be studying. If your child has any pretty rocks from home that he or she would like to show our class, please send them!  Rocks are so much fun!

We have been learning about tens and ones up to 120 in Math.  We took the Topic 8 test on Wednesday and it was sent home yesterday. I was disappointed that several students did not do well.  Tens and ones can be very difficult because of all the new vocabulary such as value, standard form and expanded form.  Although I read the questions to the students they did the work independently.  Sometimes they did not listen to the question and chose the answer that looked like it would be right.  

I have begun sending guided reading books home.  Have your child read the book 2 - 3 times (unless your child is reading the longer books) and return to school every day!  The students who progress the most are those who read their books and return them.

Field Trip! We are going to the Texas Discovery Gardens on April 17.  The cost is $8 and I must have the money by next Friday or your child will not go.  I've been told there are no exceptions.  T-shirt money is due on Wednesday ($5.)  I have received most everyone's money but if you have not sent yours in, please do so ASAP!

If you would like to go on the field trip, you need to fill out a Criminal Background Form that is online.  Call the school @ 972-882-5101 if you don't know how to do that (because I don't either!)  I will let you know about payment for your admission into the Texas Discovery Gardens at a later date.

Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Cooper

Welcome to First Grade!

Tonight is School Supply Drop-off and Meet the Teacher here at Galloway Elementary. I am so excited to meet my new students.  It's been six years since I have taught the First Grade.  I have also taught Kindergarten and most recently, Second Grade.

As I wait in my classroom for my new students and their families to arrive, I'd like to introduce myself.  I am originally from Sunnyvale, Texas.  I graduated from North Mesquite High School.  I went to Brigham Young University and graduated with a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education.  I earned my Masters degree from Texas A and M Commerce in Education.

I have three daughters who all attended Mesquite schools.  My oldest is a hair stylist.  My second daughter is a senior at Baylor in Waco, and my youngest daughter is a sophomore at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.  My husband is an engineer and works in DeSoto, Texas.  We are learning to live as empty-nesters this year.

I am looking forward to a wonderful year teaching your children.  I will update on Monday after our first day of school!  Enjoy your weekend!

The Twelve Days of Christmas and party Dec. 20, 2013

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Christmas Bingo

We had a blast in the library on Thursday.  Our wonderful and creative librarian let us come in and play Christmas bingo.  It was a fun break from all our classroom work.

I'm not sure what the grumpy faces are all about!  They really were having fun!  We'll get to do something fun in the library every day (the rest of the month.)  Monday will be hot cocoa!

Be watching for Rodney the Reindeer to come to your home.  A book and a spiral notebook journal will come with him.  This is for fun and also for a language arts grade.  We will do this instead of regular comprehension homework.  Please be sure your child brings him back to school the very next day so every student will have a turn.  

Happy Birthday, Birthday Girl!

Love,
Mrs. Cooper

Galloway Family Night

Family Night will be next Wednesday November 20th from 4:30 - 6:00.  This night will only be for K- 2nd grade. 

You are invited to come to our classroom to play (classroom) games, see the kinds of activities that we do, visit and enjoy refreshments.  It will be a great time to see what we are working on and how we practice what we are learning.




Parents must be with their child for Family Night.  If a child does not have a parent present, they must go home.  This event is for that student only...no siblings. Upper grades will have their Family Night scheduled for a different date later on in the year.

Come enjoy the fun!

NO TUTORING ON TUESDAY (11-12-13)

I would love to come see my students play their sports and do their out of school activities.  If you would like for me to come, please send a copy of the schedule.  I can't promise that I will be there on a particular day but I will do my very best to come at some time.

Here are a few more pumpkin pictures.  

Hedgie in Hedgie Blasts Off

Mouse from Halloween Mice

Mouse, in If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

we save  up our recess for the week and take it all at one time,  We go out in the morning when there isn't anyone else out on the playground.  Sometmes we have free time in the classroom if the weather is too cold.  Fortunately we had at least one last beautiful day to go outside and play!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Love, 
Deedee Cooper

Class Memories so far

Happy Halloween!  I hope you enjoy the slideshow!  The boys and girls took such nice pictures with their character pumpkins that I was inspired to put this together for them. The projects were wonderful!  Everyone got to present theirs to the class.  I am expecting a few more tomorrow so we have more fun to look forward to.  Thank you for supporting your child with decorating the pumpkin and writing the report.  I do know that can be a lot of work. We are studying characters and their motivations and feelings at school so this project fits right in with our curriculum.   Have fun tonight! Deedee Cooper

Week 8 and 9

Galloway's Second Grade Teachers

Here we are waiting for the Hispanic Heritage Parade!

Galloway's dress in traditional hispanic clothes was a huge success...our classroom, well not as much but it was fun watching the parade.   The dresses were beautiful.  Here are a few pictures of some of our boys that I took.

This coming week is Red Ribbon Week (say no to drugs.)  There is a theme to what we can wear every day.

Monday: Wear as much red as possible.
Tuesday:  Hawaiian clothes
Wednesday: Neon or bling
Thursday: Mismatched or crazy socks
Friday:  "Say no to drugs" type shirts or a team shirt

Conferences are next week. I am looking forward to meeting with you to discuss your child's progress, needs and goals.  If you haven't signed up for a conference be watching for a note in your child's folder.

Our students who need reading acceleration do a computer program called i-station every day at school.  They take an assessment every month that I can use to plan other intervention as necessary.  Although only acceleration students do i-station at school, Mrs. Mingle has made it available to every second grader for home use!  You will get instructions on how to access the program online at our conference. Your child works at his own level and it's lots of fun!

Homework:  

Spelling:  Same as always.  Your child does get a grade for this and doing it also brings your child's test grade up to passing if he does not pass. DUE ON FRIDAYS!

Book: Most days, your child should bring a book home to either practice (read three times) or to read for twenty minutes.  The book should be returned to school in your child's folder every day!  We can not practice reading if the book is left at home.

Comprehension:  Your child will be taking home grade level reading on Mondays.  Your child should read the passage every night and do the comprehension activity assigned for that night.  Your child may need help reading and completing the homework but it is very important for reading and comprehension progress.  This homework is also DUE ON FRIDAYS.  The weekly assessment will be questions over that weekly reading.

Have a great weekend!  See you at conferences next week!

October 9

My husband and I at the fair

I can't believe I didn't see any of you at the fair!  I haven't been for several years until this year.  It was a beautiful day.

Early release is next Thursday, Oct.17.  Your child should be picked up at 11:55.

We are learning the difference of main idea and topic in Reading.  We are still working on non-fiction text features.  We are learning how to write a report in English.  In Math we are working on how to tell when to add or subtract in problem solving.  We are learning about air and weather in Science.

Tomorrow I am sending home a schedule for parent/teacher conferences that will be held the week of Oct. 21.  There is also field trip and other important information note and Red Ribbon week info.  Be looking for that in your child's green folder. Oh and by the way, please have your child bring the folder every day! :)

Thank you to the parents who are more with it than I am and sent in their child's field trip money ahead of time!   If you have not sent  in the money, please send it in by next Thursday, Oct. 17.  We don't go until March but we have to pay way before then.

Report cards go home tomorrow.  Sign and return them on Friday and your child gets TWO FUZZIES!

See you at conferences,

Deedee Cooper

Comprehension: questioning the text before, during and after
Writing:  Writing about what you're passionate about
Math:  Subtraction 
Science:  Weather
Social Studies:  Maps

Important Information for you to know:

*Six week "check points" (reading and math tests) are Tuesday and Wednesday.

*Parent Conferences:  October 21, 22 and 23

*Popsicle Party!  The second grade won the contest by bringing in the most volunteers!  They will celebrate with a popsicle on Thursday.

*Parent Connect:  This is a great way to keep track of your child's grades.  Email me with questions!

I took this video today in Music.  I love to see them playing instruments!

Week 5 1/2

Field Trip:  We are planning a field trip in March to the Children's Theater but the deposit to hold our seats is due on September 26.  The cost is $9.

Teacher Conferences:  October 21, 22 and 23.  I will hold conferences on these days between 3:15 and 6:00. There is no schedule yet but if there is a certain time that you need let me know now.  

Book it!  This is a reading incentive program sponsored by Pizza Hut.  If your child meets the monthly reading goal he/she will be rewarded with a coupon for a FREE one topping personal pan pizza!  The goal for October is to read 320 minutes.  That's only 20 minutes four times a week for four weeks! I will be making a big deal out of this at school!

SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUBS: I will be sending home book order forms once a month.  You are in no way obligated to order books but this is an inexpensive way to add to your child's book collection.  We also get points to spend for new books for our classroom when you do order.

Learning in the classroom (or on the playground!)

Here are a few pictures and a video of the students launching their parachutes.  Learning about air and how air is everywhere has been fun!