2nd Grade Gets Moving

District Goal #2: Create Satisfying and Productive Classroom Learning Environment

Submitted by: Kelsie Zarko

It is a well-known fact that physical movement and exercise are good for our bodies.  However, did you know that physical activity provides many benefits within the classroom setting as well?  According to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development,  physical movement can be an effective cognitive strategy to strengthen learning, improve memory and retrieval, and enhance learner motivation and morale.  Other studies also agree that physical movement affects the hippocampus part of the brain, which is an important area for memory.  Additionally, doctors and researchers have found proof that physical activity strengthens the white matter in your brain. The healthier your white matter, the more efficiently your brain functions! Physical movement also decreases behavior problems, improves attitudes, and can help reduce child obesity and diseases like diabetes.

In our classroom, we take many “brain breaks” throughout the day to get our body moving and refocus.  However, we also use various tools, like yoga balls and chair pedals, that allow our body to move AS we learn.  Below are a few examples:

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2nd Grade Science

Goal #1: Continuously Improve Student Growth and Achievement

2nd graders had fun learning about the phases of the moon today! Students watched a video song that helped them remember the names of the phases. Then they demonstrated what the phases look like using Oreos! They showed their learning afterwards by labeling phases on the pictures from the Oreo activity. Everyone in the class showed perfect understanding! Thanks, Oeros! Who knew learning could be so delicious!

 

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Genius Hour in 2Z

Genius Hour in 2Z

Submitted by: Mrs. Zarko

Genius Hour is the latest and greatest addition to our learning time each week.  Based on Google’s 20% time (read more about that here), students use Friday afternoon to learn about whatever THEY want.  With the addition of common core standards, 21st century demands, and critical thinking needs, I am constantly searching for ways to engage my students in these habits while leading them to a LOVE of learning.  Genius Hour is one way I’ve chosen to do exactly that.

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What is Genius Hour?

I’m glad you asked! Click this link to view my Haiku Deck presentation all about it!

Students choose a topic, generate a PHAT question (ask your child what THAT means!), and plan a project that will help them learn about this topic.  Examples:

  • How were Jupiter’s red spots created?
  • How are music videos made?
  • How can I begin an animal shelter project?
  • How does a violin work?

After generating these topics, students spend more Genius Hour time researching and learning.  Not only are they using a high-level skill as they research, but they are also utilizing technology, collaborating with their partner, analyzing material, and using multiple reading comprehension strategies along the way.

The final touch to Genius Hour is a presentation students give to their peers about their project and learning.  This may range from a demonstration, PowerPoint, Educreation video, and more!  The world is really their oyster on this one! The creativity flourishes!

Currently, I have students working on a blog advertising their animal shelter, producing a music video, studying cat habits regarding fur balls (really!), building a violin, researching the birth of technology, and even creating a robot who can come to school for them (hmmm..) Can you just FEEL the creativity oozing from this group?  My favorite part…they can’t wait to continue next Friday.

Over the next few months, you’ll undoubtedly hear more about Genius Hour and your child’s project.  If you have materials at home or supplies you can provide, please feel free!  I also welcome any special skills you may have that could contribute to Genius Hour. Come join us! (For example, I’m no professional when it comes to robot building…)  If you have any questions or further discussion, please feel free to contact me.

Everyone wants (and needs!) to feel good at something. I’m taking it a step further…I want them to feel like a genius.  Maybe their passion isn’t math, but it might be music videos!  Maybe it isn’t reading…but they’ll read for days when it’s to fuel their project! Whatever it is, Genius Hour is here to make it comes alive. Check out this video by Kid President.  Genius Hour…where you get to create something that will make the world AWESOME!

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Spreading Cheer in 2nd Grade

Recently, 2nd grade students combined their writing ideas and Second Step skills to spread some holiday cheer!  2Z read an article about a young man named Lucas who was unable to move his body, but loved to receive letters!  (You can view the article here)

2Z had been learning about letters and practicing writing them, so they decided to send letters to Lucas this week.  The Theme 7 genre was letters, so we are becoming experts!  The class also showed how they are effective communicators and technologically capable creators as they  typed letters in the DGS computer lab.  (Check out www.readwritethink.org for a neat letter generator!) ~Submitted by Kelsie Zarko

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Our class loved the opportunity to use our skills to help someone else!

Wonder Wednesday Launch in 2nd Grade

Wonder Wednesday kicked off in second grade.  Mrs. Zarko and Mrs. Pitzer were inspired by author Jonathan Mooney (The Short Bus) who came and spoke to all Dunlap employees at the beginning of the school year.  His motto is every kid needs to get good at something.  With the spirit of that in mind, every Wednesday, your child will have the opportunity to choose something they want to get better at or something they want to learn.  They can choose from the following activities:

Custodian Creations: Our very own Mr. Horrie is helping the students learn how to build, follow plans and use tools of the trade to create something.  He even had caution tape to block off their work environment as well as send the students back to class wrapped up in caution tape.

Marvelous Math Exploration: Mrs. Zarko has a knack for making math fun.  They got to write on tables to solve problems and play a game to practice important skills.

KidBlog: Mrs. Pitzer is teaching students all about the wonderful world of blogging.  Today they explored what blogs look like and brainstormed a list of topic ideas. Next week they will begin learning how to blog by participating in some paper blogging, learning how to comment and what it means to tag posts. Finally they will take their skills and actually begin blogging.

Science Experiments: Mrs. Graber is leading kids through all different kinds of experiments. Today they went into the teacher lounge to explore an experiment with apples. They tested to see how long it would take for the fruit to turn brown and if anything added to the apple would help it process slow down. They even got to fill out their observations in a science journal.

Snuggle up with a good book: Sometimes all you really want to do is cuddle up with a book but you just don’t have the time to do that.  Now you have the time.

Next week we will be adding the following to the list of choices:
iPad Menu: Students will have a menu of apps to choose from including: AR, Tanagrams, Flash to Pass, Spelling City, PBS kids and Wonderopolis

We were impressed with how well the students were at being flexible if they weren’t able to attend their first choice. We now think Wednesday is the best day of the week. Here’s to getting good at something!

Cross Curriculuar Collaboration

A staff norm at Dunlap Grade School is to participate in cross-curricular collaboration and communication. This was demonstrated earlier this week when 2nd grade staff partnered with music teacher, Mr. Anderson, to make some wonderful music.

In Mrs. Pitzer’s class, Mr. Anderson taught the students that a measure has 4 beats using 4/4 time.  Each student was then responsible for using musical notation to fill each measure with four counts.  Who knew there was math in music?!  After choosing a line or space, they got to compose and listen to their music creation. You can hear what they composed by clicking on the links below:

Group One’s Music

Group Two’s Music

Group Three’s Music

Group Four’s Music 

Group Five’s Music

In addition, 2Z students practiced math in a musical way!  Mr. Anderson has been helping students learn that a measure has 4 beats using 4/4 time.  Each student was responsible for using musical notation to fill each measure with four counts.  What a great connection to math skills! After choosing a line or space, the group played their creation for the rest of the class to listen and enjoy!  You can listen to their compositions by clicking on the links below:

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

We are so excited that Mr. Anderson found such a neat website for us to practice our learning!  We can be 21st century learners wherever we go!

Candy Science in 2nd Grade

District Goal #1

Continuously Improve Student Growth and Achievement

Submitted by: Mrs. Zarko’s Class

What do M&M’s, Skittles, and Smarties have to do with SCIENCE? Let us tell you!

Our first unit of science is all about the Scientific Method. Today, we watched a catchy song about it! Check it out here: http://m.youtube.com/watch/?v=wlb7tLJy5AI&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%2F%3Fv%3Dwlb7tLJy5AI

Watching the Scientific Method Rap!

 

Then, we used all the skills scientists use when they have a question! We wondered, “Does candy float?”

Scientist Skills!

 

When Mrs. Zarko told us she had candy that we could experiment with, we were so excited! We used our base 10 blocks to weigh candy. It helped us practice counting base 10 blocks even while we were doing science! We even learned to use a balance scale! Once we weighed the candy, we hypothesized if it would float or sink. Then, we tested it and recorded the results! Some of our results were very surprising!

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Be sure to ask your child about the results of their experiment! We had a lot of fun today as we followed the scientific method. Plus…we got to eat the candy during our independent math time. ;)

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Yum yum! :)

Way to go, Second Street Scientists!

Look How Big their Brave is!

District Strategic Goal #2: Create a Satisfying and Productive Classroom Learning Environment

Yesterday second graders learned a very important lesson: how to “let go” of our fears! They started by watching a 4 minute clip from the movie UP!  They watched when Carl meets Ellie for the first time in her clubhouse.  She invites him in, encourages him to take a risk and go get his balloon back.  Carl goes for it but ends up falling.  Even though he fell, the two of them become the best of friends and start to plan future adventures together.  2nd Graders learned that sometimes they are going to take a risks this year and we might fall.  However, we are all in this together and we can pick ourselves back up for more adventures.  Mrs. Ellis (principal), Mrs. Graber (2Z’s aide), and Mrs. Bailey (school counselor) then helped Mrs. Zarko and Mrs. Pitzer distribute balloons and cards to each student.

Balloons

On the front of the card, was a note explaining who we were and if they find our balloon to please write us back.  On the back of their card, the students wrote what they were nervous about and or scared about this year.  Those cards were tied onto our balloons so we could have a balloon release.   We headed outside where we counted to 3 and yelled: LOOK HOW BIG OUR BRAVE IS!  Then off our balloons went into the sky.  It was fun to watch them take off and we can’t wait to see how far they traveled.  Hopefully we will hear words of encouragement throughout the year.  Here’s to showing how big our brave is all year long!IMG_6903

Balloon Release 2

Submitted by: Mrs. Pitzer and Mrs. Zarko

A Glimpse into Second Grade

Mrs. Pitzer and Mrs. Zarko have a sneak peek message for their 2nd graders.

A Glimpse into Second Grade

Second grade will be “brimming” with all the “thinks you can think!”

Feel to let your creative juices flow!

Embrace your inner Seuss!

Sit back, relax, and get lost in your favorite book while snuggled up on classroom couches!

Be a part of the enchanting transformation of a butterfly!

Multiply and divide your way to mathematician status!

You’re famous! Learn to sign your autograph in perfect cursive!

Take the plunge into 21st century learning!

Arrrrgh, we travel as a crew! Let the experience begin!

Thanks a “latte!”

Team Second,

Seussey Stefanie Pitzer & Barista Kelsie Zarko

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