Are You a Shark? Turtle? or Owl?

As we round out our inquiry into how we can communicate our ideas, feelings, and needs, we've spent some time looking at how our communication skills can affect our daily lives and relationships. This week, we met "Sumbissive Turtle", "Aggressive Shark" and "Assertive Owl". These three animals are symbolic of the types of communicators we can choose to be. "Submissive Turtles" are usually shy and quiet, and as a result don't always get their needs met. Over time, they can become quite sad because they don't have the voice they wish they had to be able to speak up. "Aggressive Sharks" are more dominating and pushy. They tend to act without thinking first, and often put themselves before others. "Assertive Owls" listen and observe. They speak with confidence, state their needs clearly, and do their best to think before they act. In the ideal world, we would all be "Assertive Owls" with wise communication skills. The boys really responded to looking at interpersonal communication skills through these three characters. They immediately recognized that they are symbols used to help us understand the ways we can communicate. Through role play, we explored pretending to be these three characters in different scenarios that happen to us daily at school. It was very interesting to watch the boys explore and realize that they have choices when they communicate, and that sometimes we have to be risk-takers to have our needs met. Most conflict comes from not having needs met. We will be practicing "I need..." statements in our class as we try to become more and more like "Assertive Owl" in our every day interactions with each other.
Today we mixed borax and hot water and will see what happens over the weekend to the pipe cleaner snowflakes we've got suspended in our solutions. If all the scientific variables are correct, the boys should arrive on Monday morning to find that the pipe cleaners are covered in beautiful crystals. They sure are loving putting their inquiring scientist hats on. Next week, we'll spend some time changing the variables to figure out why borax and water make crystals (and will have some gorgeous ornaments for your Christmas trees to boot!).

As a Matter of Fact...

Over the last couple of weeks we've been conducting matter experiments in order to understand the properties of solids, liquids and gases. We started out by pretending we were the molecules inside solids, then liquids, then gases. This helped us to understand what the matter is like and how the distance between molecules helps to determine the state of matter. We've also been pouring liquids and solids and observing the differences in the properties as they "pour". Yes, you can pour blocks, but they don't change like water does to fit the shape of the container. This past week, we've been exploring mass through matter. We've discussed the properties of solids and put them on the scale to see which one is heaver (marbles vs. rocks). We also compared our heavy rock with water, and in the end, water won the day, proving that both liquids and solids have mass. The boys were amazed that a container of water could have more mass than a rock that beat out a bag of marbles. Today, we tried to determine whether air has mass. The definitive answer was yes, but when we put a packing pouch without air on one side of the balance scale, and a packing pouch sealed with air on the other side, our predictions did not all come true. This was the perfect opportunity to illustrate that a good scientist isn't always right when they make their best guess. It's all about what we can learn when we check our guesses. We also blew up a balloon with hot air (which by the way, I am full of), and found that it had more mass than the balloon with the cooler air in it. Hmmm, we wondered. How can this be so? So we googled, and yes indeed, cold air should tip the scales more than hot air, but in our case it did not. "Maybe the internet is wrong, Mrs. de Hoog," one of the boys remarked. Well, this led us to a discussion about reliable sources of information, and we decided that the U.S. Department of Energy should be a reliable source. So, we began switching the variables up a bit, and will continue to do so to help us understand the mass of air. We decided that for now, our results are inconclusive, which in the world of science, means we have more guessing and checking to do. Ah, the beauty of science...

The Fine Art of Communicating

We are delving into our communication inquiry, and comic fever has caught on! Although I hadn't planned to examine comic strips as a way of communicating, that's exactly what we are doing. This is the beauty of inquiry based teaching and learning. Honoring student interests and harnessing the opportunity to take advantage of the "teachable moment" validates the boys' desire to want to know more about something that has caught their attention. We've spent time comparing comic books with picture books and thinking about how to tell a story with a logical beginning, middle and end through pictures, speech and thought bubbles, and exclamations. We even talked about "onomatopeoia"! The boys are very proud of their work and are learning important lessons about communicating clearly for an audience. On top of all this writing, we are also exploring communication devices, and learning about Helen Keller. Over the next two weeks we will explore braille, sign language, non-verbal communication, and world alphabets.
Thank you for coming to your son's learning conference. I was so proud of how well the boys shared their work with you. They were confident communicators who expressed their learning clearly. Student learning conferences are very important in helping the boys develop confidence and pride as they reflect on their learning and productivity. We will be looking at your "stars and wishes" and will work hard to make your "wish" come true before our next learning conferences in February.

More Than Words Can Say

(Photos: top left - the completed city of "Glenboxen"; top center - disability dodge ball; top right: playing "Sleeping Queens" with disabilities; bottom center - eating lunch with disabilities; bottom right - communication "Heads to the Ground")

On Thursday, we began our inquiry into the different ways people communicate their needs, ideas and feelings. We started by engaging in an activity called, "Heads to the Ground." In groups of 3 or 4, each boy was given a corner of chart paper where he could sketch, list, web, etc. as many different ways of communication he could think of. The boys in each group then shared their thinking and wrote common methods of communication they all identified, or listed the ones they felt were most important. They came up with so many ways we communicate, from language, gestures, hugs, kisses, writing, maps, drawing, technology and more! We even noted that this very blog is a way that we communicate what goes on in our classroom. Those boys who have had the opportunity to look at the blog with their parents noted that we are now communicating with friends and family all over the world through our blog. "Have you noticed the map on the blog and how the little red dots on the visitor map are growing and showing up to represent visitors from other provinces, countries and continents?" I asked. Some nodded yes, some were amazed to discover that people in other parts of the world are reading about what is happening in our classroom each week. Isn't communication (and technology) amazing? So, this week the boys would like to say "hello" to all those family and friends from faraway places who are keeping up with the weekly events in 2 Dynamite through our class blog. We are so thrilled that you can take part in our learning this way! Feel free to send us a comment - I will be sure to share them with the boys!

The Beginning of the End!?

Last week marked the wind-down of our very first unit of inquiry. Much of our learning in the classroom is built around the concepts we focus on through our units of inquiry. Our unit on diversity helped the boys to use their thinking skills (planning, preparing, discussing, constructing, sorting, comparing, analysing, justifying, observing, recording and reflecting), research skills (locating facts, taking notes and making sentences), communication skills (collaborating, sharing orally, writing, presenting and discussing) and self-management (using time wisely, planning, self-control and cooperating) - just to name a few! We've come a long way since we started this unit in September! The end of such a major conceptual study also marks the beginning of a new unit of inquiry, which will also come to it's own end; hence, the "beginning of the end" cycle that we will repeat many times this year!
Our next unit of inquiry will focus on the concept of communication. We will explore different ways we communicate, how people in the world with challenges communicate, how we communicate using signs and symbols, how authors and illustrators communicate through books, and much more! The concept of diversity will still live on this unit, as communication also relates to diversity! Aspects of what the boys learned will be applied in a new context that will continue to expand their understanding of this very diverse world in which we live.
In math, we are also coming to the end of a focus on skip counting patterns, even and odd numbers, and ordinal numbers, and will be moving on to adding and subtracting, fact families, and memorizing as many of our basic facts as we can.
We've also just begun our study of the three states of matter, which will bring us the opportunity to put our "lab coats" on and engage in lots of experiments with solids, liquids and gases.
We are always busy in grade 2Dynamite - there is so much to learn!
Stay tuned for photos from the Diversity inquiry on our Grade 2 bulletin board in the hallway!

The Growth of A City

This week was a big week - we had lots going on! We started the week with disability day. The boys had the opportunity to experience 5 different disabilities including: moving using a wheelchair, vision impairment, hearing impairment, using only one arm and loss of the ability to feel with their hands. They were good sports, even when they felt extremely frustrated by one of the disabilities. Although the wheelchairs were popular, they soon realized just how hard it is to move in a world designed for upright people. Many of the boys made the connection that someone who is confined to a wheelchair would need really strong arms and shoulders.
On Thursday we visited Oak Bay Recreation Centre. We were taken on a tour to look for ways the Rec. Centre accommodates diversity. The boys pencils were bursting with writing as they attempted to track accommodations ranging from ramps, wispa lifts, railings, parking, classes for all ages, age and gender specific change rooms, and more. Collectively we came up with a list of 17 different ways the Rec. Centre meets the needs of its clients. While we were there, we saw just how diverse the clients are. We observed a blind man, an elderly woman in a walker, young families, a senior aqua fit class, and young men playing hockey. A highlight of the trip was when John got to demonstrate the wispa lift. We all oooh'd and ahhh'd as John was lifted up over the water. John laughed and said he felt like he was being raised up to heaven. For someone in a wheelchair, I'm sure that wispa lift must feel the same as it enables them to go into the water and have a nice dip!
The city of "Glenboxen" is now complete. On Friday, the boys added their final buildings and also had the idea that it needed a power grid and rapid transit. Please do come in to see it this week, as it will be taken down on Friday after school. The boys used tape to create both the electrical lines and the rapid transit. Strips of tape representing electricity have small balls of black play dough along them. The rapid transit lines have small rail cars on them. Lots of really amazing thinking, planning, team work and implementing have gone into building "Glenboxen" and the boys are SO proud of it!
This week we will begin to wrap up our inquiry into diversity. The boys have learned quite a lot and I am so pleased with the growth that all of them have shown in just 5 weeks!
I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am so very grateful to have the wonderful job of being a teacher. It is a real privilege to spend my days with your amazing boys!

"Glenboxen" is Born!

The boys had a great week, mostly with Mrs. Mac who filled in during my absence. The class moved full steam ahead in our diversity inquiry, learning about disabilities and how they affect a person's life. On Monday, we will participate in "Disability Day" where the boys will have the opportunity to "try on" 5 different disabilities over the course of the day. This will help them to see the world through a different perspective and respect that disabilities are a part of a diverse community.
Today, our diverCity "Glenboxen" was born. The boys are working in community planning teams to construct an open-minded and diverse community out of little boxes, paper and clay. We will continue to analyse and add to "Glenboxen" to ensure that it is as diverse and open-minded as it can be. All of the boys are contributing their ideas and insights, and it was amazing to watch them in action this afternoon as buildings were erected, roads constructed, parks grown, etc. Stop in to see "Glenboxen" as it grows and develops over the next week and a half. It is a wonderful reflection of their new understandings of the concepts diversity and community.
Our Friday Morning Live presentation is now rescheduled for Friday, October 9. We look forward to sharing with you how diversity "takes shape"!

When Learning Explodes...

Wow! What a week in grade 2 Dynamite! We really had a learning explosion! This week we began researching the countries the boys selected as part of our cultural diversity inquiry. They really put their thinking caps on, and I honestly have been listening to the sound of their "wheels" turning since Wednesday. We started taking notes using Culturegrams, which are information files and images about a country. Our goal is to get 2 facts under each heading. Once we have all the research done, we will make mini-books about each country so we can all learn more about the cultural diversity in our very own class. The research process is a challenging one for grade 2 students, but the growth in their skills over this last week was nothing short of remarkable! Many of the boys are already becoming confident with finding facts and recording them. We also spent some time in the computer lab selecting some of the images we will include in our mini-books. The boys dragged images from google into a word document and shifted them around on a page so they will be able to cut them and add them into their mini-books.
In art, Mrs. Buchanan read the boys a wonderful non-fiction book about what it means to be an artist in different parts of the world. The boys had lots of connections and were so thrilled to see so many of their "origin countries" in the book. This led into their next art project, which is making papier mache calabashes. We were very sticky and gooey!
In math, we put our data collecting hats on and compiled all the countries that we all come from. We then sorted them by continent and made bar graphs to represent the results. We learned that collectively, we come from 5 different continents, and that we are a very diverse group.
Finally, we began rehearsing a short play about diversity that we will present next Friday morning (Oct. 2) for Friday Morning Live. It is "taking shape" quite nicely. You'll know what I mean by "taking shape" when you see us next Friday!

We are officially through our first full week of school, and the boys (and I) had a great week!
This week we continued to build our understanding of the concept of diversity. They boys are becoming quite skilled at identifying different aspects of diversity and have a greater appreciation for their own individuality. One of our highlights this week was an activity that involved the boys drawing a picture of a garden. On one side of the page, they were instructed to draw a garden/nature scene with only 1 black crayon. Although some of the drawings were quite lovely, something just didn't seem right. "Why are we only using black?" Conor asked. "Just trust me, we're going somewhere with this...you'll see," I replied. Once we finished our "black" drawings, I then asked the boys to draw that same scene on the other half of the page, but this time with all the colours in their crayon box. Soon, the pictures turned into colourful, vibrant scenes. Marcus noted, "In my grey picture there is just a tree house. In my colour picture the tree is an apple tree with leaves and apples." "Hmmm, funny how the colour seems to help us imagine more," I responded. Once we finished the drawings and debriefed the boys completed their own reflections, including "diversity is like a box of crayons because..." Here are some of their responses:
The world would look black and it would be plain and uninteresting (Ben F.)
The world is filled with colours (Sahaj)
It's coloured. It's beautiful (Sebastian)
Everyone is different (Michael)
Each color is like what makes us who we are (Olivier)

Today we moved on to begin making the connection between diversity and communities. The boys generated a great list of places, services and people that are part of our community. Some of the boys even wanted to keep the list running right into centers time! Their little minds were just whirling with connections that they wanted to share. They even noted that a community has to respect diversity because lots of different people live in a community.

In art, we had fun making aliens out of our names with Mrs. Buchanan. We were very creative thinkers adding symmetrical shapes and colour layers to our aliens.

In math we learned the difference between even and odd numbers, worked on our skip counting, and started our math journals. Our math journals will be used to record responses to mental math as well as to track growth in understanding of math concepts.

We also spent some time talking about what it means to be at thinker. The boys surprised me with the creativity of their responses - they recognized that they are even thinkers when they are playing tag and have to come up with a strategy on the spot to avoid the tagger. I thought that was quite a connection, and shows that they see that thinking is not just a skill for school, but for life in general!

Learning is such an adventure, and as our week draws to a close I am pleased to say that we had a week full of great adventures in 2 Dynamite!

A Dynamite First Week!

We're off to a great start in grade 2D! The boys are settling into their new routines and expectations. Even in these first few days of school, we've accomplished quite a lot! In math, we explored number combinations to 10. We brainstormed all the ways we could make or show 10. When we shared our ideas, we had a total of 33 different ways to show/make ten that included: adding, subtracting, multiplying, patterns, symbols, counting, tallies, groups...and more! We were amazed that there could be so many ways to show just one number! As we were brainstorming John said, "This is easy and it's hard." The rest of the boys agreed, and they were challenged to come up with "out of the box" ideas to show ten.
We began our first unit of inquiry today. We will spend the next 5 or so weeks exploring diversity within communities. Our central idea is, "Respecting the differences between people helps to build an open-minded community." Today, after reading a story (No Two Snow Flakes are Alike, by Sheree Fitch) and then comparing ourselves, we learned that diversity means differences, and that differences are good. When I asked the boys if they would like it if I snapped and they all became exactly the same, Sebastian remarked that he would run away. When asked why, he explained that it would not be fun to be the same, "being different makes us who we are." A pretty significant "A ha!" about diversity!
This morning we started learning our class chant. I think some of the boys might be singing it in their sleep tonight. It will take a while for them to remember it, but they seemed to have fun learning "our song".
We've also established our agreements for a dynamite year. The boys worked in collaborative groups to complete a large t-chart showing what the best class would be like, and what the worst class would be like. Each group presented their drawings and ideas to the rest of the class. We all agreed that we would not like to be in the worst class. So, we came up with the following agreements to help us try to be the best class:
1. Do the appropriate action at the appropriate time.
2. Listen to the speaker.
3. Raise your hand and wait.
4. Do your best work.
5. Solve problems in positive ways.
6. Learn.
7. Have fun and be balanced!

Thank you to all the moms, dads and grandparents for your efforts to make this such a positive start to grade 2! I hope to see many of you at our curriculum night, on Tuesday, September 15 at 7p.m.

Less Than One Week!

Our classroom has undergone a major transformation this summer in order to become Grade 2 DYNAMITE...where learning EXPLODES! When you arrive next week you will see lots of explosions, especially on the walls! I am looking forward to seeing all of the familiar faces again, and meeting the new members of our class, Ben and John.
I hope you enjoyed a wonderful summer. Wasn't all the sunshine fabulous? I spent lots of time at the beach and the park with my kids, Elija, Rowan, and Jonas. My family went camping at Miracle Beach, near Comox, B.C. for five days. It was a beautiful spot! There were lots of tide pools to explore in the morning, and I saw colonies of living sand dollars beneath the water. I have never seen a live sand dollar before. They look much different - they are black and have hundreds of tiny "hairs" called villi on their underside. It was hard to walk in the water without stepping on them, so we had to be very careful.
I am very excited to be your teacher this year, and I can't wait for our learning adventure in Grade Two to begin. I am wondering what you did this summer, and look forward to hearing all about it next Wednesday!
We're in for a DYNAMITE year in Grade 2D! Are you ready for your learning to explode???