GRA - Sky Color

This week we are reading the Peter Reynolds story "Sky Color". 

Throughout the story, Marisol paints Posters for Change - therefore this week we are making our own Posters for Change. We will be exchanging our posters with another grade 2 class in Montreal, Quebec in order to make a combined class book! 

Yesterday we had an opportunity to skype with our new pals in Montreal at Hebrew Academy. In Sky Color, Marisol is approached with a problem - she ran out of blue paint. Without blue paint she was faced with the challenge of how to make a sky. Both our class and our pals in Montreal discussed many ways we can attempt to solve a problem that may have us stumped. 

Skyping with Hebrew Academy in Montreal, Quebec. 

Chocolate Day

Yesterday the grade two students participated in CHOCOLATE DAY! We are very fortunate to have a wonderful grade 2 teacher who has a wealth of knowledge on chocolate and even demonstrated how to make chocolate from scratch for our students.

We completed many chocolate centers:
- M & M's graphing
- Chocolate Acrostic Poems
- Chocolate problem solving questions
- Making Big Words with our mystery word being Chocolate Bar
- A drawing of a house made completely from chocolate and candy! 

Finally in the afternoon, Miss Lilley explained the history of chocolate then prepared chocolate for students to taste. Each student received a piece of apple to dip into the freshly made, delicious chocolate.

  

GRA - "Ish" by Peter Reynolds

Last week we completed week 3 of the Global Read Aloud. The story was "Ish" by Peter Reynolds. We completed ISH drawings and even turned our drawings into a class book. Finally we created "Lethbridge-ish" postcards to send our new epals in both Quebec and Ontario. 

   

Feed The Bug

For a week the students at Mike Mountain Horse have been collecting food items to "FEED THE BUG". Thank you very much to all of you who donated items.

Our grade two class collected 59 food items! Way to go 2A :) Thank you so much. 

 

Feeding the bug                                              

I'm Here (Global Read Aloud)

Week of October 15-17

This week for the Global Read Aloud, we read the story "I'm Here" by Peter H. Reynolds.

After reading the story, we watched a video on the iPads during LA Centers, then completed a writing piece; "If I could travel anywhere in the world I would..." . The students created exceptional writing pieces! I have combined their writing into our very own classroom book. Be sure to stop by and check it out. 

Finally we participated in the 'Paper Airplane Challenge'. We love being part of such a cool, creative Global Community! 

Please watch the video below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er2PLDp8Kfk

The North Star and The Global Read Aloud

Over the next 5 weeks we will be reading and responding to five books by Peter H. Reynolds (the same author as The Dot).

This week we read the book "The North Star".  http://www.fablevisionlearning.com/northstar/read/
Students created their very own STAR which highlights five of their strengths.

  

 

We also spent a morning connecting with another class. In 5 minutes the students were able to track down their location which turned out to be Grapevine, Texas. After our mystery session, students shared interesting facts, details etc about The North Star. 

 

Students of Grapevine Elementary School in Grapevine, Texas. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After reading and discussing The North Star, the students discovered the theme of the book was to follow your dreams. We talked about how each and every person is different and special and will take their own journey in life. Never be afraid to follow your dreams, wherever they may take you. Below you will find the hopes, dreams and wishes of the students in 2A.

Jack - If Pokemon were real, I'd like to be the Pokemon Master.
Samiya - When I grow up, I want to raise money for my family.
Drake - I want to be a Police Man when I get older.
Saba - My dream is to be a better drawer. I want to be an artist that can make things that look like they are popping out when they draw.
Mya - I dream to be an artist.
Conner - I wish to have a cat.
Sho - I want to be a professional soccer player.
Blake - I would like to be a scorpion.
Rain - I want to be a chef.
Keria - I want to be a doctor when I grow up.
Audrey - I want to see One Direction.
Sandip - I want to go to Disneyland.
Anabelle - I want to be a teacher.
Ava - I wish to be a doctor.
Nimesh -  I want to get an iPad.
Ben - I want to travel the world.
Lucy - I wish that the world was made out of candy.
Maxwell - I want to become a better beyblader.
Sophie -  I hope to fly to the moon.

*******

There are many schools participating in the Global Read Aloud, please check out the link below to see where we are all located:
 https://mapsengine.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=zfq7xf-XR45I.kdGIhwdw9dg0

Star Student

Each child will have an opportunity to be our STAR STUDENT of the week. On Friday (or sometimes a Thursday), they will share his/her favorites and highlight their family and experiences. Students may choose to bring in an item to show off to the class during their presentation. They all are truly a STAR! 

October 10 - Lucy
October 30 - Saba
November 7 - Sho
November 28 - Conner
December 5 - Jewels
December 12 - Drake
January 16- Maxwell
January 23 - Mya
January 30 - Blake
February 13 - Samiya 
February 27 - Jack
March 6 - Audrey 
March 13 - Rain
March 27 - Sophie
April 2 - Nimesh
April 17 - Anabelle
April 23 - Keira
May 1 - Ava
May 15 - Thomas
May 22 - Ben
May 29 - Sandip 

Important Dates for October

Prepare yourself for a busy month of October !!!! 

October 1 - Fort Whoop Up

October 7 - Galt Gardens (9:00am)

October 8 - Making Stone Soup

October 9 - Stone Soup Performance at 2:05

October 10 - Our first STAR STUDENT ~ Lucy

October 10 - Skyping with new e-pals about our first Global Read Aloud book "The North Star" by Peter Reynolds

October 13 - No school: Thanksgiving Holiday ~ HAPPY THANKSGIVING 

October 14 - No School for students - District Learning Day

October 15-22 - Feed the Bug (bring in a food item)

October 21 - Picture Retakes

October 22 - 12:30, Feed the Bug Assembly

October 23 - Early dismissal at noon ~ Staff Learning in the afternoon 

October 24 - No school for students - Staff Learning Day

October 27 - Galt Museum at 9:00am - 11:00am

October 29 - Global Connections ~ Skyping with a class for the Global Read Aloud.

October 29 - Chocolate Day!!!!

October 30 - STAR STUDENT ~ Saba

October 31 - Halloween (There will be a Halloween parade and activities within the classroom)

STONE SOUP!

This week we have been immersed in Stone Soup. We have read and viewed many different varieties of the classic tale. In Music, students have also been practicing for a Stone Soup performance which will be happening tomorrow for our Learning Buddies.

Today, we created our very own Stone Soup! Thank you to parents for sending in the various meats and vegetables needed to make our delicious soup.

Such a fun day in Grade 2!

    

Exploring with Google

This week we completed our first Mystery Hangout of the year. To prepare we had time in the computer lab to explore with Google Maps and all its lovely components. Students traveled to far away places, explored the tundra and even had a chance to view the Great Barrier Reef.

  

Once we were confident in using google maps, an atlas and our wall map we jumped into our first Mystery Hangout. The students had specific jobs and asked excellent questions to their new virtual pals. Not only did we manage to find the state of our new pals but we were able to narrow it down to the city and even the school. Absolutely fantastic for our first go at it! 

Mystery Hangout with Grade 3 students in Oxnard, California, USA.