Space Innovations for STEM Week

 This week was all about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math as we focused on Space Innovations for STEM week. After their initial brainstorming session, the students clearly identified 3 areas to focus on: Space Technology,  Terraforming (changing a planet to make it just like the Earth) and finally Space Tourism. 

Once they decided on their topics they had an opportunity to chose partners from the other members who were interested in the same topic or they could also work alone. They spent Monday researching their topics and then on Tuesday they started to plan out what type of project they would would like to create and present. 

The students were very focused on the task and worked hard towards finishing their posters, models, and slideshows in time for today’s STEM exhibition. Thanks to all who came today! It was great seeing so many parents there! (Even if it was a bit crowded!)

G2 Assembly: March 14

Now that STEM week is over, Grade 2 will start preparing for our next big event - hosting the G2 Assembly on the morning of March 14. We hope to see you there!

Moon Phases and Movement

 This week, we focused on our closest neighbour in the solar system, our moon, as we looked at the different ways the moon changes in the night sky. We looked at how the different phases occur through scientific experiment using flashlights and a ball of play-doh to represent the sun and moon. This was a really fun activity for the students as they worked together with a partner to see if they could recreate the different phases and shapes of the moon. It took some time but eventually the students were able to recreate the different phases. 

We also began planning our ideas for next week’s STEM week. In grade two we are focusing on innovations related to space. Some of the students decided to make space tourism their focus. Another group of students decided they want to look at how we can terraform another planet to help it resemble the Earth. And a third group decided to focus on technological innovations related to space by making changes and improving different types of space equipment such as space drones, spacesuits, jetpacks, etc. 

Over the weekend the students have been asked to do some research on their chosen topics. For example, the students working on space tourism should research one or two planets in the solar system to be able to have some idea about the planet and what conditions would be like if they could go there as well as things they can see or do there. For those who chose terraforming as their topic they should research what ideas scientists currently have for making another planet similar to the Earth.

The third group should look at the current version of the different objects that they’ve chosen and research how they work and find out what limitations or problems that they might have. Some of the topics they have chosen to re-search are: base cars/ space buggy to explore the surface of a planet or moon, a space drone that can fly over the surface of a planet and explore, as well as space suits and how to make them more resistant to the extreme temperatures of things like the sun etc. Please check with your child to find out what they are researching and give them some time to read up on it before Monday so that they have some ideas before doing more research at school.

In math we began working on multiplication and division and during language the students continued working on their creative writing stories. They shared their stories with classmates to get some feedback and made some edits before they began typing them in. Many students made great progress as they kept adding more details to the stories. They also enjoyed quizzing each other before their spelling tests today.

In PE we continued working on rolling sliding and gliding using the roller boards for different types of movement races and also to play a pirate game stealing beanbag treasures from one pirate ship while other students tried to defend it.

We also had a special posture and movement lesson together with Mr. Didier Hartmann on Wednesday and the students demonstrated their ability to swing and do pushups and handstands and had a lot of fun dodging the stick in the stick game!

Space Bound!

 This week we began our 4th unit of the year and it’s all about SPACE!!! This is easily my favourite unit of the year and we began with a big bang by introducing the central idea and lines of inquiry. The students worked together to piece them together, and then they were excited to share their prior knowledge by writing it down on black paper with bright poster colour pens. The amount of knowledge that they already have is out of this world!

They also took some time to come up with some questions to help guide our inquiry and we added those to their unit notebooks and to our Wonder Wall!

Then we focussed on covering the basics by defining and learning some of the key vocabulary terms: solar system, sun, stars, planet, moon, orbit and rotate.

In PE, we continued with our dance unit and also started a new unit with different types of movement - rolling, sliding and gliding. We used the roller boards to scoot around the playground and in the classroom to play a Pirate themed game (maybe next time we can be Space Pirates…).

In language time, we have continued with story writing and some of the students are really starting to show their talents as creative writers. Meanwhile, in math we finished up a unit on patterns and symmetry with the challenge of creating a symmetrical artwork, using grid paper. Some come up with beautiful designs and others have taken their math notebooks home to finish over the weekend.

Finally, have your child keep a look out for the moon tonight and in the upcoming weeks as we will be discussing the night sky and the phases of the moon (Hint- they won’t find it tonight as it is a new moon!)

On that note, today marks the start of the Chinese New Year! Happy Year of the Dragon everyone, but especially to the Chinese families in our class and school community!