About Me

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Carrollton, Texas, United States
Welcome to my blog! My name is Beth Carpenter! I am a 2nd grade teacher at Coyote Ridge Elementary. I majored in Early Childhood Education and have taught for 22 years. I have taught grades K- 3 which gives me a unique ability to know where my second graders fit within those grades. Teaching is more than a profession to me, it is a calling. I love to help light the fire of curiosity to help all my students become lifelong learners!

Schedule

Math 8:00-9:30 Brain Break 9:30-9:40 Enrichment 9:40-10:30 Guided Reading 10:30-11:30 Lunch 11:30-12:00 Writer's Workshop 12:00- 1:00 Recess 1:00-1:30 Reading/Social Studies 1:30-2:00 Science 2:00-2:50 Pack/Stack/Dismiss 2:50-3:00

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

The Winter Party was a success!









Week 16

Dear Parents,
           This week in math we continued working on subtracting three digit numbers with regrouping. We also are working on solving two step problems. An example will go home in your child’s coyote folder on Thursday. A homework page with two step problems went home on Monday. We will review after break for a couple days, then take our assessment over these types of problems.
          In writing we created a paper snow man, then wrote a past tense paper about how we made that snowman. We wrote in the present tense in our journal as well in the future tense as we guessed what we all will be doing over winter break. We learned that in our writing we should pick a verb tense and be consistent throughout the writing by sticking with whatever tense we start with.
         In reading we read holiday books, worked on comprehension activities, wrote off the books, and created art work to go along with each of them. We had pajama day on Tuesday , had hot chocolate, a gingerbread man and watched the Polar Express. If you got to come to our holiday party, the halls were decked with your children’s hard work. Our room mothers Tennille Massingale and Anam Rajappa did a wonderful job buying all the supplies, decorating our room, providing engaging activities that were so much fun and made your child’s winter party something to be remembered. All their hard work is greatly appreciated. Check out our blog to see some pictures of the fun!
          In Science we observed, sorted and learned about all types of rocks. We recorded our observations about our pet rock. Thank you for sending in a rock or two for your child’s science activity. Partnering with me in your child’s education makes all the difference!  
         In social studies we reflected on our leadership notebook and finished up some unfinished habit practice sheets. We have  our annual sing a long on Thursday. Don't
I forget Thursday is also an early release day!  Students are released at 11:45. We recommend packing on this day as it will be difficult to get the whole school through the lunch line in such a short time span. 


        I hope you all have much fun, love, and perhaps a little rest over the Winter Break with your friends, family and loved ones! I truly appreciate all the wonderful cards with your kind messages, as well as your thoughtful gifts. It is my pleasure to guide your sweet children each day. That is the greatest gift of all.

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Week 15

Dear Parents,
           We began three digit subtraction with regrouping. The class did well overall switching back to subtraction after doing two weeks of addition. It has helped that they are learning their subtraction facts and recording it in their math logs. Thank you for all your help at home. I am seeing a big difference in the time it takes for them to figure out the problems.
           In language we wrote a winter acrostic and used the computer to type it out, using various fonts of different sizes and inserting, as well as sizing, the picture to wrap around the text. We also wrote a poem about saying goodbye to Fall and hello to Winter. We learned that creativity is a leadership skill! We also had fun turning a scribbled line into a picture, then writing about it.
           In reading we compared two Gingerbread Man Stories. We looked at their story structures to see how they were alike and different. We began reading holiday books as a book a day for five days. This will finish up next week.
          In Science we had several discovery lessons where children could observe objects to see if they spin, roll, or slide. We sorted objects according to their movement. We finished up the unit with an assessment on Thursday. Next up: Rocks! We began the unit by sorting the rocks we brought in on Friday.
           In Social studies we continued with our Leader in me activities by using our creativity to make a picture out of a squiggle line. We also gave affirmations to our classmates. We all feel good when we celebrate the gifts those around us have! We are thinking Win-Win! Our new Leader of the Week is Julian!

Friday, December 8, 2017

Last Weeks Leader of the Week: Chace


STEM night was a success! Look at all the amazing builders!








Today was twin Day! I can't tell them apart!


Week 14

Dear Parents,
               In math we worked all week on three digit addition with regrouping. We took our test on Friday. Next week we will be moving into three digit subtraction with regrouping. I will be sending homework pages home to practice this new skill.
               In writing we continued filling in our multi-flow map for our “Why” expository writing. We edited and revised our writing and took it to final copy! It is wonderful to read why your children like their favorite holiday. Many of the reasons are because it is a memorable time with family!
               In reading we read the story “Teacher’s Pets.” We have a classroom pet which is a stuffed coyote. The children are looking for leadership qualities in each other and passing it on to spend a day on the desk of an exemplary leader. We have a traveling pet, yet to be named which is a stuffed dog. He is traveling home with students to stay over night for three nights (may be more if over a weekend). If your child brings home our traveling pet, he/she is to write about his/her time with our class pet. Feel free to take pictures of your child and our pet to be printed off and glued in the journal which travels with it.If you cannot print it at home feel free to text me the pictures at 972-896-3123 and I will print them for you. Please help out by making sure our pet, his bed, blanket, food dish and water bowl get returned to school for the next child to take home. I hope you enjoy this project as the children are very excited. I’d love for them to get excited about writing! It will also be fun for them to read the adventures our puppy has at other homes.
              In science we continued to learn about force and motion, As we watched content videos, read and wrote about this topic. We even tried to make our own roller coaster as we talked about the speed on different parts of the track was directly related to the height of the hills.
                In social Studies we talked about apologizing, doing our best work as well as creativity. I love hearing the children discuss these important topics! They are growing as leaders!
                
 * Please send in your donation of $3.00 to cover the cost of  supplies for the snack, a craft, and game child at the holiday party! (We need three more) 


* Please send in a full, white roll of toilet paper so your child can make a snowman pencil holder which will be left on his/her desk in December and January. (We need three more)

Friday, December 1, 2017

Week 13

Dear Parents,
        The week started off a bit slow as your little ones came back a bit sleepy on Monday, but soon they got back into the school routine. We finished our Math unit on ordering numbers on an open number line and using our greater than, less than, or equal to signs to compare two numbers. On Thursday we began three digit addition with regrouping. It is much harder than our two digit addition problems that we did earlier in the year, so I will be sending some homework home for extra practice.
        In writing we started an expository writing on “why” we like a holiday chosen from our circle map of all our brainstormed holidays. We used thinking maps, a multi-flow map to organize our thoughts. Next week we will take our piece through the writing process.
        In reading we read a narrative nonfiction story called goat in the rug. We learned how details are woven together to help us make a conclusion as we wove our own mats. We learned about Window Rock, Arizona and learned which states border it. We took our comprehension check and answered questions by using text evidence.
        In science we finished up our unit on magnets and started talking about force as  motion. We made a marble painting by  using many different kinds of motions that were pushes and pulls which caused a paint covered marble to paint its path on our paper. We had motion stations where we observed and recorded our observations of objects, spinning, sliding and rolling.
       In Social Studies we continued on with our last of the seven habits. We learned to sharpen our brains and our hearts! We learned that taking care of ourselves is called Sharpening the Saw. When we are happy and healthy, we can be our best.
        Congratulations to our new Leader of the Week, Chace Hunsperger!