Digging Deeper Into Endangered Animals (and Applying Our Research Skills Too!)

This morning, we discussed our 2nd grade, basic academic vocabulary:

• knowledge
• comprehension
• research
• independent
• plagiarism 

We went to the D Day SAGE blog to watch a video of a lesson I taught last year to a group of kindergarten and first grade students on plagiarism.  I loved the response of the students that day.  It is very clear they want credit for their own work and they do not want someone else taking credit for their work.  What better way to help students understand plagiarism.  Our second graders understand now too!

Next, we discussed what it means when we refer to digital or print sources.  We also discussed how students in college sometimes use highlighters to mark important information in a textbook they purchased.  I showed them some of my own textbooks with colored highlighting and notes in the margins.  

I matched the students up with a partner and gave them a printed copy of an online encyclopedia article.  They worked together to highlight the article from World Book Encyclopedia Online, "Endangered Species."  It contains important information they need to be able to answer the questions in our research packet:  

• What is the difference between an extinct and an endangered animal?
• Why are some animals endangered?
• How are we helping to save endangered animals?
• Why should we work to save endangered animals?

photo credit: tropicaLiving - Jessy Eykendorp via photopin cc

I want them to be able to prove their answers by by showing me where they located their information.  While  schema or background knowledge is very important, in this case, they can only record what they can prove out in their resources.  I want the students to understand this kind of research is about using quality, current informational sources, accuracy in their note taking, avoiding plagiarism and documenting their sources with a bibliography.

After completing their highlighting, we worked together to locate the answers in their article.  The highlighting helped them to locate the information we needed.  (It also holds them accountable for actually reading the article carefully :-)

I was really pleased with their focus, effort and ability to work cooperatively.  
Bravo B Day 2nd Graders!


Next, the students worked at their own pace on TOPS Math.  We ended our day working in our Exploratory centers.... and yes, I got busy and forgot to take their pictures today!  Ugh!

I hope the students and your family have a wonderful and relaxing holiday season!  I will look forward to seeing the students when we return from winter break!

Expanding Our Research Skills

The second grade students have been learning important research skills the past few weeks.  We have learned to locate information in print sources such as encyclopedias, atlases and informational (non-fiction) texts.  They have learned to use an index, table of contents and glossary to locate information.

This month, we began a group study on endangered animals.  The boys and girls took a KWL pretest to show what they know about endangered animals and to make a list of questions they would like to learn.

Last week, we continued to practice how to take research notes.  The students learned to use bullets for their notes and to capture important phrases that will remind them of the information they were hearing. The students have taken notes during the oral reading of a book and then while watching a video on endangered animals.  We combined the notes the students made and I typed them up for the class.  This week, they will work with a partner to record notes from an online encyclopedia article.  They will be using a highlighter to focus in on key facts.

In the computer lab, we have continued learning more about Power Point.  Once everyone had a slide presentation open, we reviewed/learned how to insert a text box, move it on the slide and how to save our work.  The students also reviewed how to format a text box for font style, size, color, bold, underline and italics.  Next, they learned to insert shapes and format them for fill color, size and position on the page. 

Understanding the basic tools and functions of this program will transfer in the application of other Microsoft products and web based slide show applications.  Power Point is a good slide show program, but it is also great for digital story telling, book reports, posters, and even holiday cards.  Primary students soak up the functions with minimal instruction.  When my own children lost their "computer gaming privileges" for one offense or another, they would always say, "But can we still do Power Point?"

If you have Power Point available on a home computer, consider allowing your child to practice.

In Spanish, Señora Gates is working with the students on greetings and numbers through twenty.  This week they played a game on the Smart Board and had to translate words form Soanish to English and from English to Spanish.

We ended our day working at our Exploratory areas.  Several students have finished their first center and have chosen a second.  Ask your child about his/her current Exploratory task.

Have a great week!

Important Life Lessons

Monday, the students had a chance to try last week's hands-on problem a second time.   We usually do not have time to do this, but I wanted the students to recognize that they learn from their experiences and have the ability to improve with practice.  You would think they would know this and, in most situations, they do but most gifted children are not used to struggling or failing at a task.  When they face a new and very challenging problem they can't master on the first or second try, they want to quit.  They appear to only want to do tasks or activities where they are successful.  In reality, they are doubting their ability to overcome the obstacles.  They are afraid they can't or won't be successful.  They just haven't had enough experience with struggling, feeling frustrated and failing. This is where I see our children as "developmentally delayed." They are learning (hopefully) a crucial lesson other children learn between the ages of 3-5 years old.

For bright children, learning to be a "risk taker" and learning perseverance takes more than just practice.  They also need encouragement and support as they build their confidence and recognize they can find success on a task at which they once failed.  For most students, they need an opportunity to build success with increasingly more complicated challenges.  In the child's eyes, the more important the task- the more difficult it will be for him or her to accept the learning curve necessary for mastery.

In the computer lab, the boys and girls reviewed how to locate a document in their SAGE shared drive file.  They also reviewed how to format text for size, style, color, bold, Italics, underlining and to justify their text left, right and center within a  Microsoft Word document.  

This week, they learned to open Microsoft Power Point Presentation, save it in their SAGE- shared drive file, and to insert and move a text box. We also discussed the differences and similarities in the two programs.

After recess and lunch, the students had their second Spanish Lesson with Señora Gates.  They practiced greetings, introductions and discussed how the Spanish language uses masculine and feminine form nouns.

In the afternoon, the students worked at their individual Exploratory centers.  Ask your child about his/her progress.

Last week, as a part of our Affective Studies unit, we read The Popcorn Dragon, by Jane Thayer.  
Dexter was ordinarily a well-behaved young dragon.  You could hardly blame him for showing off when he suddenly found that he could make clouds of smoke. The temptation is irresistible, but Dexter's bragging quickly becomes a problem.  First he watches his own reflection in the river in order to admire the smoke. Then he puffs it in the faces of his friends: the zebra, the giraffe, and the elephant. He even blows smoke rings around his own tail to prove how clever he is.

Soon Dexter has no friends left. He is a very lonely dragon indeed, until quite by accident he discovers a way his talent can be used to win back his playmates.

We had a great class discussion about bragging and how it is perceived by others.  Then a few students acted out a situation where they were bragging in front of their peers.  We discussed why we might want to share our accomplishments and the difference between bragging and showing our pride.  The students wrote about their feels and observations as the group witnessing our actors bragging.

This week, we discussed:

Pride” comes with an extra responsibility-

You need to think about the feelings of others.

When you accomplish something and you want to tell others about it, consider “why” you want to share it, -especially with people beyond your immediate family.

•Is it to get others to pay more attention to you?

•Or do you honestly just want to share the news?

•Is the person you are telling someone you are sure will share your pride?

The students then made a list of the people that care about them and would be interested in celebrating their accomplishments with them.  This is another important lesson that can be difficult for young children to learn, but with support and practice, they will get there.

Have a great weekend!

Strengthening Our Research Skills and Challenging Our Creativity

The past two weeks we have really focused on our research skills.  The students worked on their ABC order skills to better prepare them for locating information in the index of reference books.  Once they showed me they could alphabetize to the fourth letter, I knew they were ready.

We looked at the organization and arrangement of traditional encyclopedias.  We discussed how to use guide words, the table of contents and the index.  We also discussed how captions, headings, subheadings, key words, charts and images can help us locate specific information in an article.  The students then practiced locating different topics in the World Book Encyclopedia.

I also introduced the students to using a traditional US and world atlas.  After learning the parts of a grid and how to locate a point by its coordinates, the students practiced their skills.  They located a given city in the index, recorded the page number and coordinates and then found the city on the map.  Understanding how to use a traditional map helps students understand how a GPS system also finds a specific location.

In the computer lab, the students are learning to open a new Microsoft Word document.  They have learned to save their document in their SAGE shared drive file.  This week the students learned to format their font for bold, Italics, underline, size, color and style.  In the weeks ahead, they will learn more about Microsoft Word and Power Point.

After lunch, the students had their first Spanish lesson with Senora Gates.  Each child had an opportunity to select a Spanish name.  Today they practiced greetings and how to introduce themselves.  We will have a 30 minute Spanish lesson each week.

We have also been exploring our creativity, flexibility of thought and ability to handle stress and frustration.  To do this, we completed our first "hands-on" problem solving challenge. Using only one pair scissors, two paper clips, a 9 x 12 inch sheet of paper, two drinking straws, and three folder labels the students had to create the tallest, free standing structure possible.  

They began with five minutes to brainstorm designs for their tower on their planning form.  They were then given twenty minutes to actually construct their tower.  It is fun to see the room go completely silent as each student's brain is fully engaged in the task. The students used a variety of designs for their towers.  Some were successful, while others struggled to overcome design obstacles.  They ended the task by evaluating their designs, construction and finished structure on their hands-on planning form.

To be successful, students must be fluent, flexible thinkers.  They need a steady stream of ideas and they must be able to adapt and change direction or strategy as new problems arise.  These tasks develop the skills needed to solve real world problems and provide wonderful opportunities for affective conversations.  We discussed how individuals handle frustration and challenge, why some students quit and others persevere and how their classmates that struggle academically might feel each day.  For some it is the "Ah Ha!" moment that enables them to empathize with their peers and avoid hurtful bragging.  Having said that, it takes a great deal of maturity and wisdom for an individual to celebrate their academic success in a way that does not make someone else feel less and so, the conversation continues...

Next "B" day, the students will try this same exercise again.  This will give them an opportunity to piggy-back on ideas they saw as they redesign and improve on their original structures.  Ask your child to share their "hands-on" design form with you and tell you about their structure and their challenges.

Getting to Know Rosie

Last week, our math problem solving strategy was “Use Logical Reasoning.”  I have introduced this strategy before, but this time the format was different and very challenging for most of us!  

Here is a challenge problem for your child to try at home with you.  Your child can earn an extra star by bringing in the correct answer next week. 

The SAGE students love to show what they have learned.  One day, 12 students altogether were working on the computer during exploratory.   6 students all together were creating posters during exploratory.  Four students were doing both by creating posters ON the computer.  How many students were in this day's SAGE class?   

This week, we started our day by meeting, Rosie.  Rosie is a Chilean Rose or Rose-hair tarantula, Grammostola rose, donated to our class by the family of a former student, Samantha.  Samantha knew that in the past, I had two tarantulas as class pets.  When her great Uncle decided to reduce his collection, she suggested we might make good caretakers for one of his tarantulas.   I'm glad she thought of us!  Rosie is definitely an exciting addition to our classes.  Ask your child to tell you a little about what he/she learned about tarantulas today.  If you or your child would like to learn more about Rosie, check out this link on tarantulas.

Next, the students worked in the individual Exploratory areas.  One of our basic academic vocabulary terms for second grade is independent.  We have discussed what it means to be an independent worker and learner.  Each week I encourage the students to push themselves to be as independent in their work as possible.  Learning to edit, self-evaluate, self-pace and thoughtfully complete project work are goals of our Exploratory Center time.  It is exciting to watch the students as they are engaged in their own center tasks.  

We ended our day working on our second Creative Problem Solving lesson.  This week, the students were given 20 minutes to complete the "squiggle" below.

In this task, students are asked to create a single, cohesive picture that includes all of the given squiggle figures and lines.  This exercise focuses on the students' flexibility and elaboration.

Flexibility is the ability to change your way of thinking about a problem or situation.  It is the ability to think of alternative ideas and to adapt to different situations  

• You are flexible in your thinking when you approach a complicated math problem you missed in a different way.
• You are flexible in your thinking when you can think of indoor games to play when your birthday swim party is rained out.

Elaboration is the process of expanding an idea by adding detail.  To elaborate, you must understand the original idea and see a way to clarify or improve it by adding specific details.  

• You are elaborating when you add to, enlarge, enrich, or expand descriptions, designs, drawings, explanations, instructions, reports or  stories. 
• You are using elaboration when you edit your stories and add more descriptive vocabulary and more details.

You can see your child's finished squiggle on display during our conferences.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Pushing Our Frustration Levels & Stretching Our Creativity

Let me start by thanking you for attending our Fall Open House Tuesday night.  We had a great turn out and everyone seemed to enjoy and celebrate the students' efforts and work.

This week we discussed my expectations. I shared with the students that SAGE is somewhat like brain aerobics class (minus the sweat- LOL.) The work they do here should challenge them and hopefully, frustrate them from time to time. It is not supposed to be painful, but it is intended to stretch their abilities, take them out of their comfort zone and test the way they handle frustration. The safety net is close, although sometimes camouflaged. I need to know what they can handle and so do they.

Each week, the work they do in our room should be hard enough that they are missing at least one or two problems/questions. If they are getting everything correct, I will bump up the level of difficulty until they are missing some. I want to get them to their individual, instructional levels. All of our work (particularly in math and critical thinking) is done over until it is correct. I give small hints if they ask. If I feel like they are becoming too frustrated, I will set down with them and work through the problem.   I've told them our classroom is a safe place to try something new and a safe place to fail. I try very hard to watch that a student is not getting too stressed, but I sometimes miss the signs. If your child expresses that SAGE is too hard, please contact me so we can talk about it with him or her. 

We were busy all day and somewhere along the line, I forgot to take out our camera and document our day.  So this will have to be my short and sweet, text-only blog post.  The exciting digital media will have to wait for another week.  

We spent part of our morning working on our latest Problem Solver strategy; Use or Make a Table.  We completed one together as a class and then they had an opportunity to try the strategy on a problem, on their own.  Next, they continued their individual work in the TOPS Math program.


The students also worked on their individual Exploratory tasks.  Most of the students have begun the comprehension level task and a few are now working on the level of their choosing.  Ask your child about the project in which they are working.

In the afternoon, the students were introduced to the Components of Creativity:

• Fluency- to brainstorm many ideas
• Flexibility- to redirect and approach a problem from a new angle
• Originality- to generate unique ideas
• Elaboration- expand on ideas by adding details

We divided our class into 2 teams.  Each team brainstormed for seven minutes  to see how many ideas they could come up with for objects that could fit in a 1 inch by 1inch square. 

Maddison recorded ideas for one team and Jasmine recorded ideas for the other.  To make a comparison quantifiable, I told the students I would give the teams one point for each idea on their list.  This would be their fluency score.  I would also give three bonus point for every original idea; an idea for which the other team failed to think.  This is their originality score.

For this casual competition,  
 
Maddison's team brainstormed twenty ideas for a fluency score of 20 points. 
Jasmine's team brainstormed twenty-seven ideas for a fluency score of 27 points.

Maddison's team earned an originality score of 21 points (7 original ideas.)
Jasmine's team earned an originality score of 42 points (14 original ideas.)

This week's winner is Jasmine's team!

Some of the more unique ideas included, a tear drop, ear wax, crumbs, a flower petal, gas, and a Lima bean.  The more we practice this skill, the better they will get!

Have a great weekend!

Using Clues & Strengthening our Logical Thinking Skills

The Rotation B Day students were busy today. We worked in the Problem Solver program and today's strategy focused on making an organized list to solve mathematical problems. Next, the students worked in the Logic Links program. This is an individualized program that allows students to progress at their own pace as they strengthen and exercise their logical thinking skills. You will have a chance to see how they solve these logic problems at our Fall Open House next Tuesday evening. 

 
After lunch and recess, we discussed our SAGE Class Rules. 

1. There is no such thing as a dumb question or answer.
2. This is a safe place to try new things.
3. It’s okay to say, “I don’t know.”
4. If you don’t understand, ask.
5. If you still don’t understand, ask again.
6. Be respectful of other peoples’ feelings and ideas.
7. It’s okay to disagree– try explaining your ideas.
8. It’s okay to be yourself, originality is in!
9. None of us are perfect.
10. This is a safe place to make mistakes- jump in a give it a try!

I am confident the boys and girls will find success with these rules.

In the computer lab, the students had a chance to read and respond to the comments written by our Canadian Quadblogging partner. We have also gotten many comments posted from the partner schools/students from England and New Zealand.  

Next we learned the importance of having strong research skills.  We discussed and defined our 2nd grade Academic Vocabulary words: knowledge, comprehension, research and independent.  We are encouraging the boys and girls to be as independent as possible in their work.

We ended our day working at our individual Exploratory Centers.  Ask your child what he or she learned today.

Your children are looking forward to showing you around our SAGE classroom and telling you about their SAGE work this Tuesday evening.  I hope to see you all here.

Briarcliff Primary SAGE 

Fall Open House

in our SAGE Classroom 

from 6:00-7:00 PM 

Our First Week of Exploratory...

At the start of our SAGE day, the boys and girls wrote the rough draft for their "Take a Closer Look at Me" poem.  We took a very fun photo of each student to display with with their poems. Next, they took turns typing them on their own.  Their projects are great!  They will be display at our Oct. 2nd Fall Open House.

During our morning, we discussed Bloom's Levels of Thinking and what each level might look like.  I introduced our Exploratory centers and the procedures we follow to select and complete a center.  The students had an opportunity to look through the choices and list their top three picks.  The boys and girls met with me individually to be sure their first choice center is a good fit for them.  We have students studying Color, Capsela robotics, Volcanoes, Puppets, Birding, Insects, Titanic and more!  Ask your child which center he/she chose and what drew him/her to that center. 

Discovering Our Exploratory Topics on PhotoPeach

The first step in beginning any center is to fill out their Exploratory Contract.  This helps me keep track of their individualized work and it empowers the children to become more independent in their learning.  After filling out their contracts, they had about 45 minutes to begin the Knowledge Level reading at their chosen center.  A couple of students even had time to finish their Comprehension Level task!

Next week, they will have time to continue their center work.  (The Knowledge Level and Comprehension Level tasks  usually takes 2-3 SAGE days to complete.)

In the afternoon, we worked together in the Problem Solver series.  This week's focus was on the strategy, “Use Logical Reasoning.”  Our problems were not very hard, but we will be ready to apply this to more difficult problems soon!

To reinforce this strategy, I introduced the students to the Logic Links program.  This is a challenging, self-paced logical thinking program.  Ask your child to tell you a little about more about the problems he/she solved.

Have a great weekend!

Our iLearn Podcasts

Last week, the boys and girls each made a podcast of their iLearn paragraph.  This is a paragraph the second graders wrote on their first day of SAGE to tell about a topic in which they love to learn.

They did a great job on their very first podcast!  Besides the fun of sharing their writing in a personal recording, this experience will also help them learn to speak with inflection, at an appropriate pace and volume, when they are orally presenting their learning, online or in person.

I used Audioboo.fm to embed their podcasts here.  I hope you enjoy hearing them as much as the students enjoyed recording them.

listen to ‘ iLearn, Rotation B-1’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘ iLearn, Rotation B-2’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘iLearn, Rotation B-3’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘iLearn, Rotation B-4’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘iLearn, Rotation B-5’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘iLearn, Rotation B-6’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘iLearn, Rotation B-7’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘iLearn, Rotation B-8’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘iLearn, Rotation B-9’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘iLearn, Rotation B-10’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘iLearn, Rotation B-11’ on Audioboo

When you have a chance to learn something new, what topics interest you?

Dots Around the World Project- A Celebration of the book, The Dot

Week two, and the returning students are getting back in the routine.  Week two, and the new students are looking less anxious and fearful.  I am pleased to see that!

In the morning, the boys and girls completed writing the final draft of their paragraph on something about which they love to learn.  They did a nice job on it. 


Today, my surprise was revealed to the students.  We have a new podcasting booth in our room.

 
 

The students also made an audio podcast of their "iLearn" paragraph, but that project will have to come in a later post when I have more time to upload them...

Next, the students learned about International Dot Day and we read the book, The Dot. International Dot Day is a time to celebrate creativity in our children.  More than a half a millions teachers and students are participating in the global project.  Each child is asked to create their own dot image.  The students came up with a diverse gallery of dots.  Check out their creativity below!

 For anyone who has been afraid to express themselves - from a child in art class to an adult whose fear has shut down a dream, Peter H. Reynolds' book The Dot (Candlewick Press) is there to remind us all to "Make your mark, and see where it takes you."

In the afternoon, I gave a more detailed tour of our blog with the help of our Smart Board.  We discussed our Blogging Guidelines and the importance of staying safe in our Internet interactions.  
I focused mainly on:

• Always having parent permission when exploring the Internet at home
• Never sharing personal information about yourself or others when on a blog or website
• Always sign blog posts or comments with only a first name
• Rules, responsibility and expectations come with the privilege of participating in our class blog
• This is an academic blog rather than a purely social blog and our interactions, posts and comments should reflect our learning.  (The learning being shared does not have to be exclusively "school learning."  It can be something learned in an activity with friends or family, a trip or even a new skill learned outside of school.)

We also reviewed how to post a quality comment:

Mrs. Yollis' video,  How to Compose a Quality Comment

Have a wonderful week!