Word Wall

This is our new magnetic word wall. It is on the back of two metal cabinets.

The Emerald Pond

In honor of our Wizard of Oz theme for this year, I have renamed our reading pond "The Emerald Pond".

Yikes!

This is what I saw when I first arrived to my room.  My heart was pounding at the sight of this. Where to even begin. Then I started moving items around the room like a giant puzzle.

New Seating!

I just made six new crate seats for my classroom. My husband cut the wood while I cut the foam and fabric. We stapled the fabric around the wood and foam and voila!

Technology Wow!

I feel so tech savvy. I bought an iPad mini yesterday and I'm learning to navigate it now. I decided that its time to get familiar with this technology since I see it used more frequently in the classroom. Wish me luck and pass on to me your favorite apps!

Unusual Classroom Items

I have some very unique items in my classroom.  My classroom theme is "Eager Beavers."  I have a full sized pinball machine called the "Eager Beaver" of all things!  My students love earning "Beaver Bucks" to play the game at recess.  I also have a candy/gumball machine that has beavers on it.  Students again earn "Beaver Bucks" to spend each week on candy in the machine.  I also have a very large, two-sided partner desk made out of oak.  Students use their "Beaver Bucks" to sit at my desk for a day.  It's also handy when I have a student teacher or aide in my classroom.  I will post pictures of these unique items once I have my room back in order.

Exciting Changes in Store

Hi!  My name is Judy Heuer and I am a second grade teacher in Fenton, Missouri.  I am looking forward to my next school year.  There are so many changes in store.  We have common core, daily 5, CAFE, 7 habits of highly effective kids, a new computer system, and new tile flooring all  coming in this next shool year!  Whew!!!  So many changes...exciting yet scary at the same time.  This will be my 27th year of teaching grade 2 and 28th year of being an educator.  I am energized and ready to face all of these challenges!  This blog stuff is new for me too.  I go on the internet all the time looking for ideas to support my students with their learning, I figure this will give me a format to organize all things grade 2.  Streaming Thru Second is an exciting new adventure for me.  Any advice on how to organize my blog is greatly appreciated.  I'm also looking for classroom organizational tips.  It's my chance to start with a clean slate.  My room had to be totally packed up for the new flooring.