Our first day of having a flexible learning space went so well!!! The second graders impressed me with their flexibility, curiosity, and thoughtfulness. They considered the best learning spaces for themselves. The second graders were able to try several different spots today. We took lots of time to reflect, problem solve, and experience the new space. Second graders found they were surprised by some of their favorite spots, and were also surprised about some spots they didn't enjoy as much. Check out the photos below to see what our day looked like! Hete are some photos of our classroom as we make the switch to flexible seating and flexible learning!
The Science Museum of Minnesota came today. The students learned about fossils and dinosaurs. They practiced making observations and looking at the properties of various bones. It was a wonderful, engaging, and educational presentation. It made us all excited for our field trip in February!
In the beginning of the school year we began our year long journey to be "bucket fillers". Mr. Latch came to our class and read a story. We created a class book about being a bucket filler. We did role playing activities. Since then we have revisited the idea and have done our best to put the practice into action. After break we took bucket filling to the next level. We all created our own buckets. Students and teachers can now place slips of paper in the buckets and recognize the members of our classroom when they are bucket fillers. This has put smiles on the faces of all of us. We have learned it is just as fun to put a slip in a bucket as it is to receive one. What is a "bucket filler"? How can you fill a bucket? Ask your second grader! :) They will also be able to explain what it means to be a "bucket dipper". This has been a simple and effective way to help everyone understand how their actions can make others feel.
Second graders have been working hard to become familiar with the Seesaw App. It is an online portfolio, where students will be able to showcase what they have learned. As the second graders become more familiar with the app, I will open it up to parents. That way you will be able to see what your child is learning and what he/she is excited about in school. As we learn how to use the app, we have been discussing how everyone in the classroom is a teacher and a learner. The second graders helped created a wonderful poster in our classroom to remind us of this each day. Stay tuned for more information about Seesaw!
We kicked off our science unit on matter today! We started by discussing what we already knew about matter. Then the second graders watched a short, five-minute video on BrainPop Jr. about matter. We also watched a Flocabulary music video on matter. The put what we learned to practice we began with studying solids. Second graders were give five different types of crackers. They were to 1. Observe the crackers carefully 2. Record their data 3. Sort the crackers according to their different properties. We had some, learned a lot, and had great discussions about what matters about matter! :)
Coming back to school after a long break can be tricky for all of us. To make sure we were able to get up a move a lot while learning, we celebrated Estimation Day at school on Monday. We did a quick lesson on estimation and then the second graders put their skills into practice. The second graders were in six different groups and rotated to 6 different stations, with a total of 8 different estimation activities. Each student had an Estimation Day Passport, and had to get a sticker from each station he/she visited. Check out the activities and photos below!
Count Those Counters: Students took a handful of counters and had to estimate the number grabbed. Squeeze Them In: Students drew closed shapes and had to estimate how many pennies would fit inside the shape. How Much Money: Students had to estimate the number of pennies in a piggy bank. Cubes and More Cubes: Students estimated the number of cubes in an estimation jar. How Much Will it Hold:Students had to guess how many small cups of water would fill a large vase. Step by Step: Students estimated the number of steps it would take to walk on a line of blue tape. Write Your Name:Students guessed how many times they could write their name in 15 seconds. Big Clip, Small Clip: Students estimated the number of large and small paper clips to stretch across a desk. To celebrate the Holiday Season we had a couple days of Grinchy fun! We read The Grinch by Dr. Seuss. We also did a reader's theater of the book, with everyone having a part. Second graders painted a giant Grinch, filled out a Grinch packet, and drew their own Grinch pictures. The final day was our party. We wore green, made slime, had treats, and watched the movie. Check out the gallery below for a sample of our fun!
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