Second grade received some amazing classroom items from last year’s Scholastic Book Fair and we are so thankful! Some of the items included a Bluetooth speaker, five tablets, magnetic letters and some math center games. We have used these items to listen to our weekly story, practice spelling words, and building upon math skills.

Second grade counted to 1,000! Every year the class works together to count a giant pile of straws. They work together and share strategies on how to efficiently make count the straws. This activity gives hands on experience in learning place value and units like ones, tens, and hundreds. Once the straws are “bundled” into units of 10, they bundle units of 100 and then count by 100s all the way to 1,000. Each time students make a new unit they reinforce and build upon their place value knowledge.

Students also got to use Chromebooks for the first time this year. This moment is always very anticipated. Recently, the class wrote their first opinion essay on the best food in the world. Once final drafts were complete students used their Chromebooks to draw the food they wrote about.

Second grade is also very smart! Our first reading unit covers teamwork. Students are learning that everyone can have different strengths and weaknesses. Each teammate, student, or family member has something to offer. In a classroom setting we love to share our ideas, strategies, and work product to help others learn.

Second graders have learned all about measurement lately. They used standard units like centimeters and non-standard units like paperclips to measure and compare length units.

Music class was very fun this week! Students were able to use hand drums to play a hide and seek game with each other. The closer a student got to finding the hidden object the louder and faster the class drummed.

Students also investigated changes in matter when heat is added or removed. They learned that heat is energy and can come from different sources. They also learned that changes from heat can be reversible like freezing and melting water or irreversible like microwaving a Peep or cooking an egg. Being the incredible scientists they are, they also sampled the matter after thorough investigation.

We’re off to a great start in second grade! Our first day of school was full of fun and learning!

Last week we got to know more about each other and completed a collaboration project. Students were challenged to “Save Fred”. They worked together to get Fred the worm back in his life jacket and back into his canoe that tipped over. They had 2 paper clips as tools and 1 rule: don’t touch or injure Fred. This was a fun and relaxed opportunity to work with peers and collaborate to solve a problem.

Students began to participate in workshop this week as well. Workshop is an opportunity to work independently on previously learned skills. The students get to listen to our weekly story, work with math manipulatives, read independently in our classroom library and work with me on specific skills .

We like to call Fridays “STEM Friday” here in second grade. We took a virtual field trip to the ocean, but on our trip we shipwrecked! Thankfully we swam to a nearby island. The island was very hot and sunny, so we used what washed ashore from our lunches to design and create hats. We knew our hats needed to provide shade and protection from the sun and also be comfortable enough to wear. Students performed softness, absorbency, and stiffness tests on the materials to see how they could best be used.

I’ll love you forever. I’ll like you for always. As long as I’m living, my student you’ll be.

Second grade has come to an end but we aren’t sad here at SJDS. We are looking forward to the bright future and a sweet summer break! This year’s group of students have been amazing and worked hard all year to achieve their goals. As always, it is my joy to teach them, become their friend, and watch them grow and learn. Good luck to the future third graders and always remember, I am cheering for YOU!

Second grade was able to visit the For the Sake of One’s building and put in some manual labor. Students pulled weeds, trimmed trees and shrubs, planted lots of flowers, and spread mulch to give the flowers beds a spruce up for the summer. All plants and mulch were purchased using money the students raised by selling lemonade and popsicles. This day is always sweaty but the kids have the opportunity to see their hard work make a difference in our community.

The Lower School celebrated the 4th grade class by “sending them off” to summer break with color changing sunglasses and leis. We told them they were “Too Cool for Lower School” and good luck when they move to middle school.