Weekly Update!

Another week jam-packed with amazing learning. Here's what we've been up to:

*We spent much of our writing time this week practicing "how to" writing. We learned to be very specific so that our readers would be able to follow our directions easily.
*We wrote the steps to building a snowman, how to make a gas and how to make oobleck.
* We enjoyed watching the Live Performance of 'The Lorax' at DCVI. We wrote a review of this performance to give specific reasons why we thought it was successful (costumes, voice, sounds etc.).
*We observed solids that dissolved in liquids.
*We observed water in all three states of matter- solid, liquid and gas.
*We made a gas.
*We made oobleck by mixing a liquid and a solid.
*We found patterns on the hundred chart and practiced counting by 5's and 10's.
*We practiced our basic adding and subtracting facts using efficient strategies.
*We enjoyed an outdoor learning opportunity with Maranda from Wildwood. We showed her around our playground using our owl eyes to keenly observe.  We reviewed how animals adapt to winter (stay and adapt, migrate, hibernate) and played predator vs prey.

New Year - New Learning!

Even though it was only our second week back after holidays, we were very busy in Grade 2!
We have set goals as a class and are working hard to achieve them.
**We help each other keep the room tidy.
**We encourage each other to listen attentively during group discussions to save time.
**We support each other  in small groups and partner situations in all subject areas.

This past week, we accomplished a lot.  Some of the activities we have been working on are listed below:
* We designed snowmen and practiced using adjectives to describe our snowman so that others would be able to pick our snowman from a lineup!
*We continued exploring symmetry by learning how to find the line of symmetry using a mira or paperfolding.  We also practiced drawing on the line of symmetry and tried making designs that had more than one line of symmetry.
*In Science, we learned more about the properties of liquids and solids.  We looked closely at liquids to determine if they were thick (slow moving) or thin (quick moving).  We mixed liquids with other liquids and learned that not all liquids will mix together.  Some will separate after a few minutes.
*We watched short video of "The Lorax" in preparation for going to DCVI on Jan. 23rd.  We created our own Truffula trees in Art using a variety of textures.  Ask your child to tell you the rules for shopping at our "Texture Store".
*We talked about what we would do to save the trees and recorded our ideas on the page that the students from DCVI gave us.
*We continued our 'Maps and Globes' unit which had been started before the holidays.  We reviewed the continents and oceans.  We remembered that the continent we live on is called North American.  We started to have a closer look at Canada.  We learned that Canada is made up of Provinces and Territories and we used a printed map to label each part of Canada on a blank map.  This was tricky, but we all did it by helping each other!

Hold onto your hats....we have lots more learning  to do before the month is over!

Happy New Year! Welcome Back!

We have had a great start to 2018 in our classroom.  We have been very busy in room 115!  Here are some of the things we have been up to this week:
*We enjoyed talking and writing about our holidays and we also wrote about our goals and resolutions for 2018.
*We played language and math games in small groups and with partners to practice various skills and also remind ourselves how to collaborate effectively with others.
*We talked about symmetry and made symmetrical designs using pattern blocks, geoboards and grid paper.
*We went skating!
*We started a new science unit about 'Matter'.

We are happy to be back at school, learning and playing together.  2018 is going to be a fantastic year!