Mrs. Melson and I focused on the Scientific Method this week as students completed a science experiment called “Frankenworm. Students discussed what they already knew about vinegar, baking soda, and gummy worms. Then they made a prediction about what they thought would happen if we put the gummy worm, which had been soaked in water and baking soda, into a cup of vinegar. “It will explode” was a very popular prediction! Instead, they discovered that there was a chemical reaction which produced gas bubbles that caused the worm to move around.
Second graders used balance scales again this week, but this time we used gram weights to estimate then weigh a variety of objects. We were very impressed by how well students have learned to level their balance scales first and weigh objects accurately! Later in the week, students used what they know about how magnets attract and repel to try to move a magnet along a path without touching it. They also discovered that a strong enough magnet will work through the top of a desk. Students were encouraged to test other substances at home, like glass or water, to see if magnet will work through those as well. Finally, for math this week, student used a variety of dried pasta shapes to create “Symmetrical Skeletons.”
Due to the holiday on Monday and the Reading Olympics Kick-off on Wednesday, I did not see Mrs. Melson’s class during their Tutorial block this week. However, I worked with a small group during math time on Friday. We completed several Venn diagrams comparing and contrasting plane figures and solid shapes. Students used terms such as edge, face, vertices, sides, and parallel to describe the figures.
Second graders continued using the Scientific Method this week as they experimented to see how many paper clips various magnets would attract. They also began learning how to use a balance scale. The skill of adjusting and leveling the balance BEFORE using it is still a challenge for many students. During math, students reviewed plane shapes and discussed what prefixes such as tri-, penta-, and quad- really mean. They created Polygon Creatures according to specific criteria and wrote about their creations. |
Mrs. GregoryMrs. Gregory has been a teacher for 25 years. She lives in Montpelier with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs. Archives
January 2017
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