Second Grade- Sister Gabriela

 

About Your Teacher

My name is Sister Gabriela and I  am a member of the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady, Mother of the Church.   I was born in Mexico and later moved to the United States with my family.  I have been an educator for thirteen years, teaching both elementary and middle school students.  This will be my ninth year teaching second grade at St. John School and I love being part of such a wonderful and caring community.

 

My goal as a second grade teacher is to provide a safe, nurturing environment for children to grow academically and spirtually. As an educator I put a lot of emphasis on  individualized instruction,  hands-on activities, and opportunities for prayer which allow my students to develop their God-given gifts and share the love of Jesus with others. 

 

When I am not in the classroom, you will find me praying, directing our school’s yearly musicals, teaching Confirmation classes or spending time with Mother Elaine and the rest of our Sisters!

grade2@saintjohnschoolos.org

 

Teacher:  Sister Gabriela, SCMC

 

Religion:

All good things come from God, and with the many gifts He has given us, we work towards using these gifts for the good of all. Our day starts with Religion, and this is some of what we learn:

God gives us life and love
Jesus calls us to give ourselves in love
Jesus gives us the gift of His Peace The Holy Spirit helps us
We meet Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Jesus gives us the gift of Himself in the Eucharist                    
We learn about Holy Mass

There are many other parts of our religion we learn such as: The Stations of the Cross, how Jesus is present at the Mass, how to respond at Mass, Prayers, the Sacraments and in particular Baptism, First Penance and First Holy Communion.  This is the year when we prepare for and receive TWO Sacraments.  An exciting year for us!  The students also have the opportunity of visiting Jesus on Thursdays for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction.  This is another way for each child to pray to God and build a greater relationship with our Lord.

Science

We learn about energy and motion, living things, solids, liquids and gases.  We do science experiments in the school lab and begin to keep a science notebook with the different topics that we cover.

Math

We learn about:

  •         Addition and Subtraction
  •         Place Value to 100
  •          Place value to 1,000
  •         2 and 3 digit addition and subtraction
  •     Geometry
  •     Money
  •     Measurement
  •     Time, Graphs and Data

Social Studies

  •  In Social  Studies we learn about the continents, oceans, natural resources of our country and the states.  This also includes landform maps and mapkeys, how to read a map, and using a compass rose. The students have the opportunity of utiizing these map skills through technology based projects such as "Skype in the Classroom", which enables them to work with other second graders in other parts of the country. Students are introduced to other cultures through pen pals from other English speaking countries.

Reading

Reading is a very important part of our day.  We learn new vocabulary, Grammar, Spelling and writing. We also learn comprehension, and begin to learn how to use a dictionary or encyclopedia. We work with compound words, graphs, putting things in order, prefixes and suffixes, context clues and many other important skills.  Students are also encouraged to read….. read……. read! Students work diligently on their handwriting skills. Each child makes a book, through "Student Treasures" book publishing. The children also compete in the annual Zaner-Blozer Handwriting Contest. They begin writing in cursive before the school year is over. 

Homework

Students have homework Monday through Thursday. Generally, homework is not given on the weekends to the Second Graders.