Park Day Fun 2015! #resvt

The second grade team would like to thank all the volunteers that donated their time and energy to help set up, run stations, and clean up for our park day! We would also like to thank the families that generously donated supplies! This was a memorable and fun day for the second graders!

Move Up Day! #resvt

We had a wonderful move up day on Friday, June 5th! It was exciting to send my current second graders onto their new third grade classrooms, as well as greet my new incoming second graders! I am looking forward to learning with my new class in the fall, and seeing my old friends when they come to visit!

Extending our Artist in Residency Learning with Curriculum Connections!

This is borrowed from Mrs. Rankin's Enrichment blog: Think, Create, Collaborate 



At the end of April our whole school had the great opportunity to dance with Jeh Kulu as part of our Artist in Residency.  We also took a whole school field trip to the Flynn theater to see the African Children's Choir.  At the same time the second graders were kicking off a social studies unit which focused on comparing cultures.  During this comparative culture unit, students were thinking about many big questions--


--What is culture?
--How is culture the different and same around the world?
--How does your life/culture compare and contrast with other cultures?
--What are the major land and water features on the globe? 

The Jeh Kulu visit was a great opportunity for us to make a connection to these essential questions by looking at what we had learned about West Africa.  I was excited when the second grade team asked if I would collaborate with students to create a digital book that shared student knowledge as they thought about culture and these topics.

Each class created a book using the iPad Application Book Creator.  I met with small groups and individuals as they created pages that represented the topics that they were interested in.  Students did a great job connecting to learning in their classroom about geography, sharing some of their knowledge and learning a new technology tool.  I had a great time meeting with students in small groups and getting to experience excellent conversations with them about culture.

Below is a book created by each class. You will notice that some format items are the same (the structure of the book) but that each book shares the unique perspective of the class and students. You will also find a lot of information that shows excellent critical thinking about the essential questions of the unit.  Students not only understood what the different aspects of culture were, but they were able to apply this understanding to compare and contrast this to their lives.  It was also great to hear students make connections to learning that they experienced in art, music and library classes!

Please take time to view these books (made into videos for your online viewing pleasure)

Thank you Senator Leahy! #resvt @SenatorLeahy

On Tuesday, second graders received a letter from Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy in response to their video to change the face on the twenty dollar bill! Students were very excited to receive such an official letter and that their voices were heard on a government level! We were even more excited to hear that Senator Leahy agrees with our opinion to change the face on the twenty dollar bill to Harriet Tubman! Thank you Senator Leahy!

Animal Haikus #resvt

Second graders have been writing many different types of poetry over the last few weeks. This week students focused on writing a Japanese form of poetry called haikus. Haikus have a specific format of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables. Students wrote haikus about animals, then as a class we played a guessing game. The following are the haikus that were created!

Jumping perfectly          
These swimming creatures so cool
Dolphins are awesome. -HW

I like to have milk
I'm cute and I like to snuggle
I have small paws. -MS

They are very cute
From France I cam cute faces
My face is big cute. -TS

I have smooshy face
I can be black brown white grey
I look cute fuzzy. -NF

Use to be wingless
They are very colorful
They collect nectar. -AL

Don't be scared of me
I'm not fluffy that's for sure
I'm not cuddly. -JQ

You won't see me here
I'm not normal that's for sure
I am cute of course. -HJ

A green shell I have
I swim happily in lakes
I walk very slow.-LB

Swinging from the vines
Being happy in the trees
Eating bananas. -CW

Silly and loving
A man's best friend easily
Perfect for a pet. -IB

I don't have any thumbs
I scratch you when I get mad
I can hear very well.-BG

Roaring loud on rocks
I have a lot of warm fur
I have cute babies.-FM

I am like a shark
I lived millions of years ago
I love fish I'm big.-FH

The tops don't sting you
When you touch my bottom-ow!
I am almost slow.-LC

I make lots of webs
I can climb walls and webs fast
Bugs and flies I eat.-LR

Scratching on a post
Staying in the house happy
Rolling in the dirt.-AD

I do not like cats
I do dig holes and bark loud
I can run so fast.-RC

Golfing field trip June 2nd #resvt

Second grade families,


The second graders will be going on a P.E. related field trip to Cedar Knoll Golf Course on Tuesday, June 2nd. In order for the day to run smoothly, we need about ten volunteers to help run stations. No golfing experience needed! Second grade will be at the golf course from 8:30-11:30; you can just support second grade or stay and support third grade as well.

If you would like to volunteer your time please e-mail: Kristin.Darling@cesuvt.org or Brian.Godfrey@cesuvt.org

http://www.planmygolfevent.com/_Modules/EventMGR/event_data/27565-logo.jpg

Ole! #resvt

On Friday, second grade students had a Mexican fiesta to culminate our social studies unit: It's a Small World/Comparing Cultures. Each student was able to make and eat a taco! We wore our sombreros and enjoyed a pleasant Mexican lunch together! Thank you to all the families that donated the supplies to make our tacos!