Grade 2 News - April 11, 2022
Students in Ms. Leigh’s and Mrs. Guilfoyle’s classes have been learning about The Wabanaki Confederacy, which consists of 5 tribes, 4 native to Maine. Students are learning about Wabanaki history, and how they continue to thrive here in Maine, both on reservations and tribal land and within our communities. A few highlights of this unit have been studying and creating flags, basket weaving, and creating talking sticks.
The students of Ms. McGuiggin’s class have been studying Thailand. We are lucky to have Taweesak Sungvean’s family share delicious Thai food from their local restaurant Mee-D . In addition Mrs. Bissell has graciously shared her knowledge of Thailand; its culture and language. Mrs. Bissell lived in Thailand for 15 years and she speaks fluent Thai! We’ve learned how to write words in Thai and each child knows how to write their name as well as speak various greetings. Our study has additionally focused on geography, climate, food and traditions. Later this week, the second grade children will be sharing their projects and knowledge with the SPE community.
In reading, we are learning about how to read longer books with more complicated plots and multiple characters. We are studying character traits and how these traits influence problems and solutions in our stories. All along the way, we continue to focus on strategies for decoding trickier words and defining new vocabulary. In writer’s workshop, second graders are writing lots of poetry and learning about various types of poetry such as Free Verse, Ing and “I” Poems as well as Cinquain and Shape Poems. Students are publishing a collection of their best poems to share.
This spring, second grade mathematicians are learning strategies to add and subtract 2-digit numbers in the context of word problems. We are also learning about measurement, time and money.
Mystery Science has provided us with lots of fun experiments relating to Materials and their properties. We will be beginning a new unit on Plants after April vacation.
Special Event! - Spark’s Ark’s - We will have a fun educational event happening at SPE for our Second Graders on May 18th. Spark’s Ark’s is a live animal show filled with lots of information in regard to animal behavior and adaptations. Information was sent home to all families at the beginning of the month.