Read Across America Week

In celebration of Dr. Seuss' birthday, students enjoyed fun-filled events all week long.  One of the highlights included our very special guest readers Mrs. Gigi (Estee's Grandma) and Mrs. Yakshi (Sunakshi's Mom).  Mrs. Gigi read the children a book about the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, and their contributions as American engineers, inventors, and aviation pioneers.  Students learned how to folder paper airplanes, which they later took to flight!  We were then treated to a fun Clifford Puppy Days story about graduation.  Mrs. Yakshi spoke to the children about how graduations are a thing to celebrate, whether you're graduating from college, high school, or even 2nd grade!  Mrs. Yakshi then had the children make their very own puppy bookmark.  

Here is a summary of what happened in our classroom:

​In Langauge Arts... 

• Continuing our essential question from last week How does the earth change?  we read a text called Into the Sea.  Using this text, students learned about cause and effect.  The following standard was addressed:  2.RI.2.3 Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.  Students learned the causes of beach erosion and the effects beach erosion can have on the infrastructure of a community.    

• Using another text called Volcanoes by Sandra Markle, students created their own cause and effect thinking maps to show how one scientific events leads to another.  ​

• In writing, students created bubble maps to show various word options for verbs and adjectives.  Students came up with a list of "better" words to use instead of overused ones.  

In math...

• Module 9 started with adding one-digit numbers to three-digit numbers without regrouping.  Students were reminded to use place value properly.  For example, when we see 343 + 6 students were told to remember that it's 343 + 006.  In this why they would add it in the correct place.  
• Next, students practiced adding two-digit numbers to three-digit numbers without regrouping using place value and number line strategies.  Students were told to apply the same strategy as earlier.  For example 562 + 25 should be thought of as 562 + 025.  Even though we don't write 25 as 025, knowing that there is zero in the hundreds place helps us add properly.  
• Students then added three-digit numbers to three-digit numbers without regrouping using place value and a number line.  Students practiced a lot with jumping on the number line and going from the hundreds place, to the tens place, and then the ones.  ​
  • I posted this video before, but it applies again except students used larger numbers this time.  

• Finally, students learned strategies for jumping to the nearest ten on the number line when adding numbers that involve regrouping.  Students learned to decompose the addend so a new ten can be made.  For example, for the problem 538 + 7 the 7 can be decomposed to 2 and 5 so that you would jump 2 to 540 then jump a five to 545.  

In science...

• Students had so much fun using the app Google Earth to help them discover Planet Earth.  Students filled in a map of the continents and the oceans.  Students learned why our planet is called the "Blue Planet" and where water can be found...in large bodies of water such as oceans, river and lakes, but also much of earth's water is found underground and in the form of ice.  
• Students then watched some videos about weathering and erosion.  They are working on a flow map to show the process of erosion to a cliff over time.