We ended the month of September with a visit from Cooper Kimmel and his Bearded Dragon lizard, Beardie. Cooper told the students all about what Beardie likes to eat and what his environment is like. Thank you Cooper for visiting second grade!

October started with a special trip next door to 3rd grade to watch students as they performed their Poetry Cafe’. Our class learned that snapping is the polite way to applaud in a Poetry Cafe’. Students heard shape poems, cinquains, acrostics, limericks and alliterations from the third grade students. Awesome job 3rd grade and Mrs. Burks!

The weather has been very tolerable this week and we have made the most of being outdoors!

Did you know the human skeleton has 206 bones? Second grade learned all about the skeleton this week and we even had time to make our very own X-ray image of our hands. Ask your child about how many bones are in their individual fingers and in their wrist!

Second grade has enjoyed the cooler weather this week! We even practiced our spelling words with chalk on the brick path. We always look for opportunities to enjoy the outdoors!

In art, the class has been learning different ways to draw dinosaurs with Mrs. McCarley. There are some excellent artists in our class.

Recently, the students counted to 1,000 to begin a new mathematics unit covering place value. The students were challenged to figure out efficient and effective strategies to count 1,000 straws. They discovered bundling straws into units of 10, then 100 was a great way to keep track. This was a very fun introduction to place value!

We are wrapping up our first reading unit. We have discussed what it means to be a good teammate and we are learning a lot about working together by using our unique skills and abilities. Second grade is a blast!

Second graders have been busy at work learning all about centimeter rulers and proper methods of measurement in math. In the subjects of language arts we’ve learned about closed syllable words, action verbs, and linking or helping verbs. Reading is focused on teamwork and we recently read an informational text about how ants and aphids have a symbiotic relationship. Yes! Our second graders learned that symbiosis is the relationship between two living things in the same environment.

Last week the students were introduced to the states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. We made quick observations of how popsicles are solids until we eat them. Then popsicles quickly turn into liquids.
Second grade student use chrome books to reinforce skills taught in the classroom. They practice “click and drag” skills, typing and complete assignments using their personal chrome books.

“Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Welcome new 2nd grade parents to our blog! Here you’ll find precious photos of your child in their school element and read up on what happens here at St. James Day School!

We are closing in on our second week of school with learning in full force. Last week we spent quite a bit of time learning classroom and school rules as well as what it means to be a class family. We talked many times about the word: cooperation. Students defined cooperation as listening to others, taking turns, and not giving up when frustrated. We put this concept into action when students were challenged to make the tallest tower that would support a marshmallow. They had dry spaghetti, tape, string, and a marshmallow. 

We also had the opportunity to visit the middle school science lab. We dug for and help worms, checked out the aquarium and different types of fish, and learned about how the 8th graders are growing corn on Mars soil. How impressive!

This week we started our first math module and have learned all about making the next 10 to create easier addition problems. Students learned how to take Sprints. A math sprint it designed to increase fluency and confidence solving math equations. They also teach the students how to identify patterns in the equations for easier solutions.

School has only just begun but we are well on our way to an outstanding year here in the 2nd grade and St. James. Go Spartans!

Wow! Has an entire school year really almost passed? The days were sometimes long, but the year has been short. Words and pictures do not do justice for the fun and learning that has taken place this year at St. James Day School. We are within single digits of the number of days we have left in the classroom, so we are learning as much as we possibly can and having fun all the while.

Last week we completed the Stanford 10 test and the students performed their very best! Thank you to all the parents that sent encouraging notes to the kids and thank you to everyone for the wonderful snacks during testing week. We are still enjoying the leftovers! On Friday, we were a part of an experiment on TragEGGtory. Our class split into 2 teams and created structures that would hopefully protect an egg as it was thrown over a net. The UNCRACKED egg that was thrown the farthest using the least amount of materials won the challenge. I am pleased to report that team NEON PUGGLES from our very own classroom won 1st place in Lower School.

This week the middle school students completed a scavenger hunt game with the second grade students. There were many tasks to complete including a human pyramid, break dancing and a bronze tower made of pennies. We love any opportunity to collaborate with the big kids.

2nd grade was also invited to attend the Roman Carnival hosted by the Middle School students. The carnival was wonderful fun and very creative! Way to go SJ Middle Schoolers!

There is much anticipation for Field Day on May 21st and the Lower School Send Off on May 27th.

It’s been an amazing year. The students were nothing short of incredible I will miss them dearly. We are ready for summer!