On this page you can review the letters that explain the rubrics and grading criteria for current classroom projects and general information.

SACRAMENT PREPARATION FOR SECOND GRADERS

September, 2008

Parents,

These are the upcoming dates for this year’s sacrament preparation activities for the second grade students for the two parishes of St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Augustine.

Date Time Activity Location

October 8, 2008...     6:00- 7:00 p.m. Parent Meeting in Mary Center, St. Mary's Cathedral

November 8, 2008... 9:00- 11:30 a.m. Reconciliation Activity Morning in St. Augustine School Cafeteria

December 3, 2008...   3:00- 7:00 p.m. Reconciliation Learning Stations St. Mary's Second Flooor

January 17, 2009... 10:00 a.m. First Reconciliation Celebration both parishes at St. Mary's Cathedral in the Lower Church (the Crypt). Refreshments will follow.

February 7 , 2009...   9:00-11:30 a.m. Eucharist Activity Morning St. Augustine School Cafeteria

March 18, 2009...      3:00- 7:00 p.m. Eucharist Learning Stations St. Mary's Second Floor

April 22, 2009... 6:00- 7:00 p.m. Eucharist Rehearsal for Both Parishes at each Church
* St. Mary's Parishioners meet in the Lower Church (the Crypt) at St. Mary's with Mr. John Wocken
* St. Augustine's Parishioners meet in their parish church with Ms. Lisa Neu

For St. Mary’s Cathedral Parishioners Only

FIRST COMMUNION SUNDAY
May 3, 2009... 9:45 a.m. Liturgy
(meet in the Lower Church at 9:15 a.m.)
Photographs taken after Mass

For St. Augustine’s Parishioners Only

FIRST COMMUNION SUNDAY
May 10, 2009... 10:00 a.m. Liturgy
(meet in the Church at 9:00 a.m. for group and individual photographs)

Thank You!
Mr. John R. Wocken

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

SCIENCE PROJECT: LEAVES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Dear Parents and Second Grade Students,
This week, I would like you to go out into your neighborhood and search for different types of leaves that are on or near the trees in your outside environment.

You will mount or glue them on a 12 inch by12 inch corrugated paper square, and I would like you to name the leaves appropriately. Look at books to get the correct names and spellings if you need to. Include your name on the front side of your project.

Your circle of leaves will be due next
Monday, September 22, 2008.

I will be looking for the following...

1. Your name on the front side of the corrugated square. (3 points)
2. Correct spelling and name of the leaf, written near the leaf, as a label. (3 points)
3. A variety of different leaves. Five or more. (3 points)
4. Correct spelling of leaf names. (3 points)

12 Points Possible

BONUS POINT For careful and neat work.

Thank You!

Mr. John R. Wocken

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

October 14, 2008

Dear Parents,

During the past two weeks, our class read the story of Flat Stanley, a book written by Jeff Brown that tells the story of a little boy who is flattened by a large bulletin board when it falls upon him one evening. One of the advantages of being flat is that Stanley was able to travel in an envelope and visit his relatives and friends at the reasonable cost of postage.

Well...

Your second grader’s “Flat Self” is ready to travel around the United States... or the world, just like Stanley in our book. Please examine the packet I have put together and understand its contents. The family or person you choose to send this envelope to should be notified as to what to expect in the mail, as they are the first stop on this incredible journey. Encourage them to write in the provided journal and to take pictures of their flat visitor in the places that they find interesting in their community. Please emphasize to them the importance of sending this packet onto someone else they know that would be willing to participate in our Social Studies project. We are anxious to see how many different communities or states our “Flat Selves” can visit throughout the United States.

We are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the first postcard and hope that everyone’s packet has a safe journey. This project will go through March of 2009. If you have questions regarding this project, please call me at 529-3202 or stop in.

Sincerely,

Mr. John Wocken
and the Flat Second Graders

__________________________________________________________________

Hello!

My name is ____________, and I need your help. Today, my teacher, Mr. Wocken shared a story with my class at school about a boy named Stanley who accidentally got flattened by an enormous chalkboard. At first my class thought, "How awful!”, but as we heard more of the story, we realized that Stanley could do some really neat things by being flat.

One of the coolest things Stanley could do was travel. His parents didn’t have the time or the money to take him to see relatives and friends who lived in different parts of the country. But once he was flat, they could simply fold him up, slip him inside an envelope, and drop him in the mail.

So, guess what I did? I rigged up a chalkboard at school so it would fall on me, and as you can see, it worked! Here I am, as flat as a pancake and having the time of my life! But I need your help...

I would appreciate it if you would do the following for me...

1. Unfold me and sign your name, or put an address label on my backside. (Careful, I’m ticklish!)
2. Write a few sentences in my journal about yourself, your hometown, and the adventures I have with you while
I am visiting, and date your entry in the provided journal.
3. Place a star and number it on my U.S.A. map showing the location of your city and state.
Connect the star with the previous destination to show the travel route I have taken from place to place.
4. Fill out the postcard and mail it back to me at my school so I too can keep track of my travels via the
returned postcards. You can also e-mail my teacher to let him know where I am, if you prefer.
jwocken@ourcatholicschool.org

5. Stuff me and my journal back into a large envelop, affix postage, and another address,
and send me off to a different destination (to a family member or a friend of yours who
would be willing to help me along my journey), and drop me in the nearest mailbox.

My goal is to travel to as many different states as possible and to meet as many people as I can between now and the end of March 2009. If you receive me after March 31st, 2009, please write in my journal and send me back to my school ASAP. I need to get back for the last few weeks of school- after all, a kid has to go to school sometime!
My school address is: St. Augustine St. Mary’s Cathedral Elementary School
c/o Mr. John Wocken- Gr. 2
428- 2nd St. SE
St. Cloud, MN 56304

Thank you in advance for letting me come to visit you. I appreciate your part in making my trip an exciting adventure. I can’t wait to share all of my travel notes with my friends and family here in Minnesota.

Sincerely,

__________________________

Return to Mr. Wocken’s Home Page