In math, recently, we have been working on number patterns. We are working on generating number patterns and extending number patterns. This is an extension of our work with growing patterns using math tools we were doing last week. In order to help your child, you can choose a starting number and ask them to generate a number pattern by a predetermined amount (i.e. start at 17 and add 5 each time). Ask your child what they notice in the pattern and ask them to determine the nth term in the pattern such as the 12th term in the pattern, etc. We have been using hundreds boards to visually see patterns created as well as whiteboards, spinners and paper and pencil. Number patterns are an extension to skip counting from previous years. It is important that your child be able to easily skip count from various starting points by 2s, 5s, 10s, 25s and 100s. If that is easy for your child, expand into other numbers such as by 3s, 7s, 12s etc.
This week, we used cuisenaire rods to begin to look at fractions. We used words like halves, thirds, quarters, fifths. We chose a block, called it a whole, and found other blocks that would represent it's half, it's third, etc. We continued to do this to explore the idea of whole and parts of wholes. Our spelling group points this week have fraction points so we need to know how to add them up to find our weekly group totals! Big thinking and big skills for this point in the year in both grade 2 and 3 but with math tools, a real purpose and an understanding of what half or quarter actually means, we can do BIG things! This is laying the groundwork for significant work and understanding of fractions that we will develop over the course of the year!
We have read many types of text this week around the theme of Remembrance Day. Grade 2's created a poppy artifact that has been added to their celebrations around the world portfolio for use later in the year when they create a timeline of importance celebrations and festivals celebrated around the world. See Seesaw for a photo of their creation. We read newspaper articles written for children this week about animals in war. Our purpose was to read and highlight important information in the text. We then practiced answering questions using evidence and examples from the text. We also read a graphic text about Remembrance Day, which was sent home with your child this week along with the newspaper. This text provided us with information about the 4 wars that Canada has been a part of, giving us an opportunity to use number lines and figure out how long ago each war was and how many years each war lasted. Great math opportunity! We continue to work on reading non fiction text, highlighting main ideas and supporting details. This is an important skill that will continue throughout the year.
In science, we finished up researching the plants and animals in our chosen biomes as well the adaptations that they make in order to survive and thrive in their environment. We read many books on adaptation and generated ideas about some ways plants and animals adapt to extreme climates like the desert or the arctic. Students are creating Google slide presentations to present their findings to the class. These are almost finished and we look forward to the presentations next week. We will post these presentations in Seesaw for you to see at home. Students in both grades 2 and 3 are becoming very adept at putting together digital slide presentations! A useful way to present information.
Grade 2 students also looked at animal defenses this week and chose 2 animals to write about how what special features each uses as a defense against predators. We read the book, What Do You Do When Something Wants To Eat You.
Next week, we will work together to look at the environmental impact that is made by humans and the effects on plants and animals. During our nutrition breaks, mostly on rainy days, we have watched the movies THE BEE MOVIE and THE LORAX. In the classroom, we have read The Great Kapok Tree and we will read Dr. Seuss' The Lorax as well as some non fiction text on deforestation. Students will compare these various texts and use these texts to gather evidence. Students will begin a persuasive writing piece arguing either the positive or negative effects of cutting down trees, using pesticides and other human actions and their consequences.
We have continued our coding activities in the Innovation Studio. Coding has huge implications and effects on many other aspects of our math program as well as our logical thinking and spatial reasoning skills. Many students have worked at home to complete many other Hour of Code themes and have earned themselves many certificates. Once students completed their Hour of Code levels, they have moved onto coding our robots named DASH and EV3. This will continue and we will complete coding challenges that will integrate with our understanding of polygons, angles and other math skills we will be introducing soon.
Our portable construction crew was at it again this week! A few weeks ago, they built us a shoe rack to hold the indoor shoes neatly and safely out of doorway, creating a safer space for getting our coats on and off without the hazard of tripping on shoes in our small space. However, we noticed that the shoes kept falling through the racks and were still a MESS! This week, our crew used rubber, non skid rubber to measure, cut and duct tape rubber, non skid shelves between the bars to, hopefully, hold the shoes on the rack. This group had to measure the shelf lengths, measure the rubber fabric and cut the appropriate lengths. Lots of math opportunities, again, in the REAL world! Let's see what happens!
Another couple of great learning weeks in our classroom. We are gaining amazing skills, becoming leaders in our school and great citizens and friends to each other! It's a great place to be each day. We look forward to you joining us on this journey next week at student led conferences.
As always, please let me know if you have concerns or questions about anything that is student, school or learning related!
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