NOTE: Due to Presidents’ Day on Monday and our 2^nd-grade field trip to CSU Spur on Wednesday, we will have a shorter week of lessons.

Social Studies: On Tuesday, students will take the Social Studies Civics unit post-test for Unit 5, “Conflict and Cooperation in My Community.

Science: This week, we will begin our next science unit, “Biodiversity and Ecosystems.” This unit is a study of the needs of plants, how structures of specific animals aid in seed dispersal, and the diversity of life in different habitats.

On Thursday, we will introduce our new science unit by exploring an amazing phenomenon in Death Valley—one of the hottest and driest places on Earth. Students will wonder how huge fields of flowers can suddenly bloom there after long periods of dryness. They will make observations, ask questions, and create an initial model to explain how this burst of life might happen. Throughout the unit, students will gather new evidence and revise their thinking as they learn more.

Service Learning: This week, we will begin diving into the Taking Action part of the Service-Learning cycle. We will begin learning how to create care packages with homemade items to deliver to local community helpers.

This week, we will continue our science unit, “A Changing Earth,” which focuses on earth science. We will build models to observe how water flows downhill and causes erosion, sometimes slowly and sometimes very quickly.

• On Monday and Tuesday, we will solve the mystery, “Where do Flash Floods Happen?” We will discover why flash floods are more likely in some places and less likely in others. We will learn how steep slopes, soil that doesn’t soak up water, and heavy rainstorms can all contribute to flooding.

Here’s something you can do to encourage your child’s curiosity: next time you’re walking outside, take a look at the ground at your feet. In some places -- like a grassy park or a garden — the ground soaks up water. In other places — like a paved parking lot — water doesn’t soak in. Discuss with your child — where do you think you are most likely to find puddles after it rains? On a rainy day, check to see if you were right!

• On Wednesday and Thursday, we will solve the mystery, “What’s strong enough to make a Canyon?” We will learn about how water shapes the Earth’s surface. Through a hands-on activity, we will observe how water is strong enough to carry rocks, sand, and dirt, and how this movement can create landforms like canyons over time.

Here’s something you can do to encourage your child’s curiosity: Help them look for signs of erosion on a small scale in the neighborhood. Gutters and ditches are great places to find examples of tiny canyons that have been carved out by water. Go for an "erosion" walk after it rains. Any place where there is soil or sand is a good place to look.

• On Friday, we will have Service Learning. 

This week’s Science learning targets are:

• I can explain why some places are more likely to have floods than others by looking at maps of land and water.
• I can explain that water can slowly change the shape of land over a long period of time.

This week, we will continue our science unit, “A Changing Earth,” which focuses on earth science. We spent a little extra time on our first science lesson this week because students were so engaged in the investigation and discussion. As a result, that lesson took two days instead of one. We also had the opportunity to include our planned Service Learning lesson, which we were excited to fit in. Because of this, our upcoming science lessons will shift forward slightly into next week.

• On Monday, we will investigate water around the world. Students will explore the various places where water is found on Earth, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and frozen regions such as the Arctic. They will observe that water can appear in different forms, including liquid water and solid ice. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to describe where water is found and explain that it can change forms depending on temperature.

• On Tuesday and Wednesday, we will begin the investigation, “Where’s the Best Place to Hide a Treasure?” This week, students will go on a virtual treasure hunt to complete a map filled with clues! As they solve riddles, they’ll identify different landforms—like hills, mountains, and islands—and bodies of water—such as rivers, lakes, and oceans. They’ll also use the compass rose to help them follow directions on the map. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to recognize land and water features and use them to locate places on a map—just like real explorers!

• On Thursday, we will begin the investigation, "If You Floated Down a River, Where Would You End Up?" In this lesson, students will explore how water moves across Earth’s surface. They will learn that rivers usually begin in high places like mountains or hills and flow downhill, eventually making their way toward larger bodies of water such as lakes or the ocean. We will do the second half of the investigation next week.

This week’s Science learning targets are:

• I can describe where water is found on Earth and explain that water can be a liquid or a solid.
• I can use a map to find landforms and bodies of water, and use their shapes to understand where things are located.
• I can explain that rivers start in high places and flow down to lower places, like the ocean.

Service Learning:

Last week, we were able to include a service-learning lesson after all. Students brainstormed service project ideas and discussed how some parents will be visiting our class to share how they help our community. Students learned that these visits may inspire our own project!

There will be no service-learning lesson this week due to the half-day; we will continue next week.

On Wednesday, we will be starting our next science unit, “A Changing Earth,” which focuses on earth science. In this unit, students explore how the Earth changes over time by studying landforms, bodies of water, and where water is found on Earth. They will build models to observe how water flows downhill and causes erosion, sometimes slowly and sometimes very quickly. Using what they learn, students will design and test solutions to help slow down erosion and prevent landslides.

This week, we will go on a virtual treasure hunt, solving riddles along the way to complete our mysterious maps! Each riddle will help us identify different landforms, like mountains and islands, and bodies of water, like rivers and lakes. We will use these natural landmarks — along with directions from the map’s compass rose — to find where the “X” marks the final hiding spot. By the end, students will be ready to identify land and water features in places all around the world.

This week’s Science learning targets are:

• I can make careful observations and ask questions about why two rivers look different. I can use a model to show my thinking.
• I can describe where water is found on Earth and explain that water can be a liquid or a solid.
• I can use a map to find landforms and bodies of water and use their shapes to understand where things are located.

Service Learning:

There is no service learning this week, due to the Halloween Party on Friday.

This week, we will conclude our unit on Matter and Material Properties.

Our focuses for this week:

• 🔬 What materials might be invented in the future? Early in the week, we will learn how new materials are constantly being invented, and that this makes it possible to solve new problems. In class, students will learn the story of how “Post-it” notes were invented and learn that often new materials get invented before anyone knows exactly what problem they’ll solve. We considered the question, “What materials might people invent in the future?”, then came up with inventions involving a hypothetical new material, “bouncy glass.”
• 🔥 Heating and Cooling (Review)
  • On Wednesday, we will watch the Generation Genius video Heating and Cooling as a review of what we’ve already learned.
  • Students will revisit the idea that some materials change permanently when heated, while others can reverse changes—like water freezing and melting.

Science at Home
At home, you can extend science learning by:

• Talking about everyday items and asking, “What problem does this material help solve?”
• Sharing stories about inventions you remember (like Velcro, microwave ovens, or Post-it Notes).
• Observing foods or household items that change when heated or cooled and discussing whether those changes can be undone.

Service Learning:

There is no service learning this week, since there is no school on Friday.

Service Learning:  

Our service-learning topic for 2nd grade is community appreciation. We will be learning what communities are and working together to support and appreciate them. 

This week in service learning, students will recognize and discuss simple ethical issues such as fairness, respect, and responsibility when giving appreciation to essential workers and community helpers. 

Learning Target for Service Learning: I will learn to make fair and kind choices when helping others.

This week, we will continue exploring our unit on States of Matter. Students will investigate how water and other materials can change form, and how people use materials in everyday life.

Our focuses for this week:

• 🌊 Bodies of Water and the Arctic
• We will explore how different bodies of water are found around the Earth and can exist as liquids or solids.
• We will study the Arctic and observe how animals interact with water in many ways—such as swimming in it, resting on ice, or building homes in snowbanks.
• 🔥 Heating and Cooling Materials
• We will observe what happens when different materials are heated and cooled.
• Students will discover that some materials change permanently, while others can reverse changes—like water moving from solid to liquid and back again.
• At home, families can extend learning by noticing which foods change permanently when cooked (like eggs) and which can change back and forth (like chocolate).
• 🧸 Why Are So Many Toys Made of Plastic?
• We will learn about the history of toy-making and how the invention of plastic made it possible to mass-produce toys.
• Together, we will solve the mystery question, “Why are so many toys made of plastic?”
• To wrap up, students will test the melting properties of different candies to investigate this concept hands-on.

Learning Targets:

• I can explain that water can be a solid or liquid and describe how animals use water in their environment.
• I can observe what happens when materials are heated or cooled and explain which changes can be reversed.
• I can explain why many toys are made of plastic and describe how useful plastic is in everyday life.

Science at Home:
At home, take time to notice everyday materials and how they change. Talk with your child about:

• Bodies of water you see nearby (puddles, ponds, streams) and how people and animals use them.
• Foods you cook — Which ones change permanently (like eggs) and which can change back and forth (like chocolate)?
• Toys in your home — Which ones are made of plastic? Why might plastic be a good material for that toy?

Service Learning:

There will not be a service learning lesson/activity this week, since Friday is a half-day for students.