What a Week!

We had a very busy and productive week in Grade 2 Dynamite! We started the week with "Barter Bags". The boys put into practice what they have been learning about barter and trade as they negotiated with each other to acquire items from a list of needs and wants. Some boys had lots of needed items, while other boys had lots of wants items, while others had a mix. It was interesting to see how they negotiated and came up with strategies to meet their needs. Conor and Benjamin F. ended up the two "wealthiest" boys at the end of the session, and their strategies of trade served them well. Statistically, there was a representation across the room that echoed what we discussed about distribution of wealth in the world.
On Tuesday, Mr. Don Lowen arrived with 200 eyed Chum salmon eggs. The boys were so excited to meet "their babies". We will be caring for them and tracking their growth over the next 3 months.
On Wednesday, we held Market Day. After reading a story about markets, we brainstormed all of the things that happen at a market and set the parameters for our own market. Boys then worked to create a product, decide on a price and begin producing the items they hoped to sell. We then set up market stalls, got our wallets filled with money, and went about the business of buying and selling. Items for sale ranged from "dead fresh salmon" to "webkinz" to "dragon eggs" to "carrots" and more! The room was bustling and humming as boys bought, sold, wheeled and dealed. Many boys learned that creative advertising and good prices mean good sales. Others were stumped by why there was not much demand for their product.
Today we made a rainbow with soil - who knew soil could be so colorful! Mrs. Besharah came to share some of her expertise with us and helped us to examine the layers of soil. We did a very cool experiment with soil and water and are now observing the results as we wait to see what happens as the soil settles into is layers.
Enjoy the photos - I think the pictures speak louder than my words!

Money! Money! Money!

Happy New Year to all of the families of grade 2 Dynamite (near and far)! We've started 2010 with a bang, exploring concepts related to money. We've begun our new unit of inquiry exploring the difference between needs and wants. The boys have determined that a need is something that is necessary and a want is something that is nice to have. We've sorted, classified and categorized different needs and wants. We've also begun exploring money and systems of trade as well. The boys webbed what they know about money, and we start our inquiry off with a solid base of knowledge that we can share with each other as we construct meaning.
Here's just some of the ideas they have about money:

• not all money is the same
• money can be saved in the bank
• coins are made of metal, silver, gold, or bronze and some money is made of paper (bills)
• money is used for buying "stuff" (including needs and wants)
• money can be shared
• some people only care about money
• there are different types of money all over the world
• some people think money is power
• we get money by working and doing chores
• special money can be collected
• lots of money has people on it from history

As you can see, we have a very broad knowledge base about money and how it works. This past week we spent lots of time exploring Canadian money. We learned the value of the different coins and examined each coin for its special features. Then we rubbed the coins. The boys were fascinated that you could rub money, so we are creating art with money rubbings now. We also read about the history of money, and learned that the concept of money came from barter and trade and that money has developed to what it is today over a long time.

As always with our inquiries, the boys are encouraged to ask questions. One of the big questions that has come is "if there were people who don't have money, how would they get what they need?" This is a BIG question, and with recent events in Haiti, one that we will discuss and explore together. Please take some time to talk with your son, particularly if you are involved in helping others meet their needs through financial donations. Lots of boys are also wondering more about the history of money and money in different places. Their curiosity is definitely peaked, and it would be a wonderful opportunity for you to show your son that learning can continue beyond school by helping him search for some of the answers to his questions using books or the internet. Please do encourage him to bring his findings to school to share.