1/27/23

Writing: Writer’s Workshop: The past two weeks have been busy! We launched a new unit in Writer’s Workshop on Informational writing and creating expert books. The students started by listing topics they know a lot about such as gymnastics, cats, baseball, soccer, pets etc. Then the students chose one topic from their list and wrote an introduction to hook and interest their audience. Our next steps include adding chapters with details where they can teach and share their expertise with an audience. Stay tuned…

During word work, the students learned  how to use a dictionary. They practiced looking for words using the letters on the side and the guide words on the top of each page. d They have also been practicing alphabetizing words as well. Be sure to ask your child if they can play a word hunt game at home where they race you to find a word in the dictionary!! 

Math: In math, we have been studying units of measurement and solving length word problems with bar models. The Bar Model method refers to a particular mathematical problem-solving approach using rectangular bars as pictorial representation of the quantities, and the relationships between quantities, in problem situations. Different model methods can be used to solve different types of mathematics problems. Second graders have been applying this method to single word problems as well as double questioned word problems. They have all been tackling these challenging math problems with enthusiasm and have persevered to solve for the answers. Our next unit will be on length and weight! We can not wait until we start this fun unit about weight next. 

Reading: Our second grade readers have been reading a lot! They are building their stamina and fluency. They have also been word detectives searching for words that end in -tion! Our twice weekly reading groups are reading Amelia Bedelia and My Father’s Dragon.

Music: Yotam brought in his cello and played a piece by Handel! The kids really enjoyed this special treat! He told everyone how much he practices and that he started when he was almost 4 years old! Yotam taught the kids how to tune a cello, what the bow is made from (horse hair and wood) and how to take care of it by putting it away properly. 

Science: Science this week was exciting as the students began planning for their final project: baking soda volcanoes! We reviewed relevant content about matter changes via a fun game, and then planned out how we would construct and erupt the volcanoes. We also wrote journal entries about our salt crystals as they began to fully form, and performed an experiment that consisted of rusting a steel wool “baby” that the children gave vinegar baths to and watched a chemical reaction take place.

STEAM: Over the last two weeks, the 2nd graders have been investigating air. Students first made hypotheses about whether or not air took up space. Using what they have learned about gasses and matter, students made a lot of compelling arguments for their case! We knew it was all around us, but how could we prove it? To prove that air takes up space we first filled a balloon with air. There it was! Air taking up space! We also discussed how our bodies displace air when we walk into a room and we realized that nothing is really ever empty because it has air in it. To continue this discussion at home, ask your student to show you the cup and post-it note trick. Students then made hypotheses about whether or not air had weight. This one was a lot harder to think about. To discover the answer, we used our knowledge of seesaws. We filled two balloons with air, one a lot larger than the other. When placed on a balance scale or “seesaw” we saw that the larger balloon went down. Whatever goes down on a seesaw is heavier, so air must have weight!