Last week, students began to research their topic, take notes, and write their informational paragraphs. Your student should be finished with research and note-taking. If they are not finished yet, please help them with this at home so that they will be on target to finish their passion project on time. 

This week, students will:

• Finish writing their paragraphs: Students are moving beyond the 5-sentence "hamburger" paragraphs to write longer, 8+ sentence paragraphs for their Passion Projects. Using the TIDE structure — Topic sentence, Information and Detailed explanation (repeated three times), and an Ending sentence — they will practice developing and supporting their ideas more fully.
• Type their paragraphs on the computer.

Parent Volunteers Needed:

I’m looking for parent volunteers to come in during the afternoon from 12:30 to 1:15 this week.

Your help might include:

• Helping them navigate websites.
• Reading information together with students.
• Guiding them to understand what they’ve read.
• Supporting them in taking clear and accurate notes.
• Helping students transfer their notes to their paragraph graphic organizers.
• Helping the students navigate Microsoft Word in creating a new document.
• Helping students save their documents.
• Helping students to share their typed-up paragraphs with me.

No special experience is needed, just a willingness to help and encourage! If you’re available on any of these days, please reply and let me know which date(s) would work best for you. Even just one day of your time would make a big difference!

Science:

Earlier in the week, we will investigate how much water plants need to grow and stay healthy. Students will explore how different plants grow best under different conditions. For example, desert plants need only a small amount of water and lots of sunlight, while tropical plants often grow best with more water and less direct sunlight. Through this lesson, students will learn that plants have different needs depending on where they grow.

Later in the week, students will observe six different habitats around the world. We will count the number of different plants and animals in each habitat and compare the types and numbers of living things found in each one. Students will learn that different habitats support different living things and that some habitats are more diverse than others.

Our learning targets for this week:

• Different plants need different amounts of water and sunlight to grow.
• I can compare different habitats and describe the kinds of living things that live there.

Ways to Support Science at Home:

Observe Plants Around You: Take a walk and notice which plants are in full sun and which are in the shade. Talk about how sunlight and water might affect how well they grow.

Look for Different Habitats: While outside, look for different habitats (grass, trees, garden beds, ponds, etc.). Talk about what plants and animals live in each area and what they need to survive.

Visit a Nursery or Garden: If possible, visit a local nursery or botanical garden and look at plants from different environments. Ask your child what each plant might need to grow well.

Service Learning:

Before Spring Break, we worked as a class to complete the Student Grant application through the Illumination Fund with Otter Cares. We answered questions about our service-learning project, including summarizing the project, explaining why it is important to us, and explaining who the service project will benefit.

We are excited to share that our class was awarded the grant! This funding will allow us to purchase supplies to create meaningful care packages for essential workers and the communities they serve. Students will soon begin planning and organizing the materials so we can put our care packages together and continue working on our service-learning project.

Science:

We will continue our science unit, “Biodiversity and Ecosystems.” This week, students will plan and investigate to determine what plants need in order to grow. We will begin by analyzing an investigation that tests whether plants need water to grow, and then students will help plan another investigation to test whether plants need sunlight. As a class, we will choose one of the investigations to carry out and decide how we will gather evidence to answer our question.

Our learning targets for this week:

• Plan an investigation to find out if plants need water to grow.
• Plan an investigation to find out if plants need light to grow.
• Carry out an investigation to find out what plants need to grow.

Ways to Support Science at Home:

Try a simple plant experiment at home! Plant a few seeds (beans work well) and place one in sunlight and one in a darker place, or give them different amounts of water. Have your child observe what happens over several days and talk about what plants need to grow. 🌱

Service Learning:

Last week in Service Learning, we worked as a class to complete the Student Grant application through the Illumination Fund with Otter Cares. We answered questions about our service-learning project, including such questions as summarizing the project, explaining why it is important to us,  and explaining who the service project will benefit.

If awarded, the funding will allow us to purchase supplies to create meaningful care packages for essential workers and the communities they serve. We are excited about the opportunity to turn our ideas into action and show appreciation for the people who help our community every day.

Science: We will continue our science unit, “Biodiversity and Ecosystems.” This week, we will explore why seeds have so many different shapes. Students will investigate how different seed structures help them move in different ways—including traveling on or inside animals. We will build a model of a furry animal called a “fluffadoo” and test how far different seed models can travel on its fur. Through this activity, students will discover that seeds with spiky or fuzzy structures are especially good at sticking to fur!

Our learning targets for this week:

• Describe how seeds travel by sticking to, being eaten by, or being buried by animals.
• Create and use a model to show how animals move seeds.
• Summarize the ways that animals move seeds.
• I can use what I’ve learned about seed dispersal to explain where the flowers in a superbloom come from.

Ways to Support Science at Home:

To extend your child’s learning, go on a “Seed Safari” together to look for seeds around your home or neighborhood. Can you find seeds that move with the wind, float on water, or hitch a ride on animals? Examine each seed’s structure and talk about how its shape might help it travel.

Service Learning:

Last week in Service Learning, students worked together in small groups to brainstorm and plan thoughtful care package items for different essential workers. They discussed what each community helper might need and how small acts of kindness can make a big difference.

Mrs. Reeder and Mrs. Kahn have applied for a grant to help fund materials for these care packages. If awarded, the funding will allow us to purchase supplies to create meaningful care packages for essential workers and the communities they serve. We are excited about the opportunity to turn our ideas into action and show appreciation for the people who help our community every day.

This week, we will continue our 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.

This week, we will investigate the mystery of the koa tree, a type of tree that grows in only two places on islands halfway across the world from one another. Students will build and test model seed structures to help figure out how a koa seed could have traveled thousands of miles from one island to another. Through this investigation, they will explore how seeds spread and how plants can grow in new places.

Our learning targets for this week:

• Explain how models represent real things.
• Use models to make predictions and share my thinking.
• Create models of a variety of seeds to demonstrate how they disperse in different ways.
• Describe how seeds move by wind, water, or animals.

To extend your child’s learning, look closely at a seed together—such as a seed inside a piece of fruit or one that has fallen from a tree. Ask your child what might help that seed travel from one place to another.

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.