Featured Article: A Peek Into 2nd Grade
12-5-2008
By Brenda Green, 2nd Grade Teacher
After
reading about three year old Alyssa Tudor and her cancer
disease, Neuroblastoma, in the Red Rock News, second grade
students at Desert Star decided to do something. Believing
that a little "change" can make a big difference,
they spent a month accepting donations on Alyssa's behalf
to help defray her medical costs. The final result? 112
dollar bills. 193 quarters, 353 dimes, 174 nickels, 1285
new pennies and 306 old pennies, otherwise known as $220.16.
Good Luck Alyssa.
Future teacher? Second grader Isabelle Altman was second
grade teacher at Desert Star for the morning of October
14th, 2008. Isabelle's parents outbid other second grade
parents for the coveted position during the school's annual
fundraiser held October 5th at Tlaquepaque. The school
raised $13,000 during it's fundraising event. Isabelle's
duties included greeting the second graders, taking attendance,
facilitating a morning hike, leading the students in morning
verse, preparing a poem which the students will study
throughout the week, telling them a story she created
about a little bird who falls from a tree and learned
to fly from a dog, assisting students in their acting
out of the story, and helping them create an illustration
of the story in their lesson books.
When asked what she liked best about being the teacher,
Isabelle responded, " The morning work and telling
the story."
What did she find most difficult? " Making the frame."
( She had to stand on a chair to create an illustration
for the other students to follow.)
When Isabelle's peers were asked what they liked best
about having her for their teacher some of the comments
were: " the hike, how she was always smiling, when
she was doing the morning verse, having snack, she's really
nice, doing the story." One child commented, "
I'm confused because I almost called her Miss Green...
and doing the weather and her story."
I would like to state for the record how very proud I
am of the camaraderie of the second graders this year!
The class is one whole cohesive unit: constantly working
together, helping each other often, and being patient
as needed. I smiled during my conversation with Eugene
Schwartz when he remarked he could not tell which
of the students in my class were new this year. Way to
go second grade!
