Bats

As an introduction to a Science Topic that we will cover later in the year, the Grade Twos have been spending the week before Halloween learning about bats.  Growth and Change of Animals is a topic that everyone enjoys researching and finding out about reptiles, insects, birds, amphibians, fish and mammals.  Here is a link to a blog post from last year when Oak Hammock Marsh helped that class learn about bats.

Sometimes I wonder how I was ever able to teach without the internet.  YouTube videos about bats were a big hit that could prove very educational for my readers and non-readers alike.  They could hear the sounds made by bats and watch their movement, something books could never give us.  Getting the students interested in the topic will give them a purpose for reading to find out more and expand their vocabulary with words like mammal, hibernation and echolocation.  

Jamie's family was so generous to share the pumpkins from their garden and we decided they should make wonderful bat decorations with a few embellishments.

We know that learning about bats will make us less afraid of them!  Happy Halloween!

Is It a Solid or a Liquid?

As part of our study of Matter in Science, we have been talking about the way to decide if an object is a solid or a liquid and on Friday we had a real challenge!

Each student has a big spoonful of cornstarch in a container and then added water, a bit at a time.  They stirred the mixture with a Popsicle stick until it was just the right mix between a liquid and a solid.  They were able to gather it up in their hands like a blob of play-dough like a solid but when they held it flat in their palm, it ran between their fingers like a liquid.

Steve Spangler has some amazing Science trick for kids and this one is covered too here.  We even found a video online where the mixture was made so you could walk across it or sink in it if you stayed still.  You can link to that one here.

What a fun way to think about Matter!

Students were cautioned - if they try it at home to dispose of it in the garbage and don't pour it down the sink!  Having a table or counter covered in newspapers helps contain the mess too!

Words Their Way

Our class has been working on the Words Their Way program to study phonics to help with both sounding out when reading and spelling when writing.

Spelling has always been a difficult thing to teach and I like this program because it can differentiate depending on the needs of the student.  Right now, we are all working on the same group of words but as the year progresses. students will be put into different groups depending on which type of words give them trouble.

Here is a video that shows the Word Their Way process in another classroom.

O Canada

As part of our study of Canada, the Grade Twos have been busy learning the words to O Canada.  As a song they have heard countless times and sung along with every morning at school, some were amazed to discover the real words to the anthem !

We are also learning about the symbols of Canada like the beaver and our national flag. Our agendas have a map of Canada on the back of them and we use them to get familiar with the names of the provinces and territories and where they are.

Mastery or memorization of the 10 provinces and 3 territories is not expected at this grade level but the students seem to enjoy the challenge of trying to remember where each is and what they have heard about them.

Students came back on Monday morning to find new table spots and Canadian flags taped to their pencils.  It is exciting as a teacher to watch their knowledge grow and we use the topic  to work on our Reading and Writing skills.  Their pride in our country is wonderful to see!