What a Busy Bee week...

First of all, I apologize for not getting this posted sooner.  The weekend managed to slip away from me. Our last week in class was certainly busy, but there was a lot of learning going on.

In Math: We focused on using the strategy of counting on a timeline and counting back on a timeline can be useful strategies in solving addition and subtraction problems.  We used a variety of materials, including beans, bumblebees, honeypots, and beehives.

 

Counting on beans ---- 5 in the bag + 5 on the table is 10 beans total

We also figured out the simplicity of subtracting zero and subtracting all of a given group.  The class used paper tubes to create equations and then check themselves on whether they should subtract all of that number or zero in order to get the given difference.

In Writing:  This last week we focused on writing descriptive pieces.  The students were each given a partner and a Lego piece.  The partners had to write about their Lego pieces in a descriptive way, as if the others in the room had never seen their Lego piece.  We had some very unique pieces, not just your average Lego brick.

And how could I possibly get out the Legos and not let the kids play at least for a few minutes?!?!  After the kids finished their partner descriptive writing, they were allowed to play with the Legos.  We have quite a set of builders and innovators in this group.

 

In Science: We have been focusing on different properties of different objects.  This last week, we took that one step further and used our knowledge of different properties to determine how different tools might be used.  With the tools being from multiple rooms from my own house, including the kitchen, the garage, and the sewing area, the students saw a variety of tools and how they could be put to use.  The students recorded their observations in their science journals and even drew pictures of the different tools that we were researching.

Our tools ---- do you know the use for all of these tools?

(Shown from left to right: vice grip, seam ripper, magnetic pole, avocado slicer, needle threader, apple corer, pastry blender, and bottle/can opener)

In Technology:  We began our Friday technology session with an "unplugged activity."  I pretended I was a robot that needed directions to avoid other obstacles.  The students had to "code" me and give me directions that a computer or robot would understand.  After our unplugged activity, the students had a chance to try a little bit of code and programming on their Chromebooks.  We used kodable.com and we were introduced to the Fuzzies as each of the various codes were written.  These second graders did great with programming the Fuzzies to do what they wanted them to do.

It was such a great week!  Hopefully this week, I can get the blog post up sooner.  Enjoy your week!

*Reminder: This week is Parent-Teacher Conferences.  Students are dismissed at 12:20 pm Tuesday, October 4th - Friday, October 7th.  I look forward to meeting with everyone throughout this week.*