Happy Thanksgiving!

We have been getting ready for the holiday in Room 205! First the students celebrated an all-school Mass together this morning. Prior to the beginning of the Mass, the second grade class presented all of the canned goods that were donated for the St. Sylvester food pantry. A large section of the altar was filled with all of the wonderful foods and treats families brought in over the last month. Thank you to all of the families who participated by sending in the much appreciated food donations.

Back at school, the second graders paired up to work on a Thanksgiving poem. Each group made a small poster that went along with their spoken part. Everyone worked together very nicely and at the end of the day we were able to present the poem to our seventh grade buddies!

Everyone should see the turkeys that the second graders worked hard on this afternoon, as they were sent home today. The students used their footprints and handprints to put together a colorful turkey decoration. They also thought hard about all of the things they are thankful for in their lives to write on the feathers. I hope that this decoration helps brighten up your home this season!

Lastly, I would like to wish each and every one of you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

Butterfly Life Cycle

As I am sure you have heard, we have some classroom pets in Room 205! Two weeks ago, we received ten caterpillars in jars. We watched them grow dramatically in size and eventually pupate into chrysalis. These chrysalides were then transferred into a larger netted cylinder where they eventually will emerge as Painted Lady butterflies. Every child will have a chance to sit with the caterpillars, chrysalides and finally butterflies to observe closely these amazing creatures. Every family should receive back their child's caterpillar diary in a couple of weeks. In it the students recorded some of their observations. We will keep the butterflies in our classroom through their life cycles as it is too cold to let them go outside. I really believe this project helped the students understand life cycles better and is ultimately an unforgettable experience. I have posted pictures here of the caterpillars getting ready to go into the pupal stage as well as a couple of students showing off their caterpillar diary work.