Guest Speakers Galore!

We have been lucky enough this week to have two guest speakers. Mike Buresh a local meteorologist on the news came to speak to second grade as we culminated our weather unit. Below are some more pictures of another guest speaker who came this week. A puppy trainer for people with disabilities shared his dog and her skills with us.

Here he is showing us a digital anemometer. He gave us a website for kids to make their own "anemometer." It isnt a true anemometer because it isn't giving you a specific read out of the speed. It is actually called a "wind speed indicator." Find the directions at: http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/projects/anemometer.html

Here Mr. Buresh used Thai to demonstrate how Doppler Radar works. He pretended he was a rain storm!

This is like a Where's Waldo! Can you find the famous man in the middle?

We also had a man who trains puppies to be service dogs come speak to us this week. Gracie knows 30 commands!

Here Gracie is getting a soda can to give to her owner.

Here is the whole second grade with Gracie in the middle. Such a good doggie!

The Black Dot

For this creative project I gave each child a black dot and told them to draw a picture using the dot. There was such a fabulous range of how the children used the dot. It really was amazing!

Nathan used his dot to create a rabbit that is grey named Nate.
Mikayla used her dot to create a Dalmation dog named Spotty.

Josie used her dot to create Butterscotch who is now in the big squeaky wheel in the sky.

Sammie used her dot create "Rudolph the Black Nose Reindeer." He lives in the meadow.

Sinkin' Lincoln

In honor of Presidents' Day we did a quick activity to see how many drops of water it will take to "sink Lincoln." After everyone went we discussed our results. Some people took as little as 7 drops and some as many as 36. We talked about how the variable in that was the size of the droplets. The kids had a good time with it!

Constructing an Ant Playground

We read a nonfiction story this week called "Ant." We learned a lot of great new facts about ant life and different kinds of ants. I thought it might be neat for the kids to build an ant playground/amusement park. They decided their groups, came up with construction company names, named their playgrounds, and came up with the rules that would be followed by the ants. Adorable! The kids had a ball with it and their creativity, as always, shined through!

They named their construction company: The Kids Co.

They named their playground: Ant Land

Here are their rules:

1. No bullying.

2. No going down the slide head first.

3. No climbing up the slide.

4. No standing on the bar.

5. Most important rule: Have Fun!

They named their construction company: C.M.S. Ant Corp

They named their playground: Ant Mania

Here are their rules:
1. Do not push or shove.
2. Girls only in secrate tunnel.
3. Only 5 ants in the steamer.
4. Only 3 ants on the parrelel bars at a time.
5. Have Fun!

They named their construction company: J.J.E.M
They named their playground: Playground of Ants/ P.O.A.

Here are their rules:
1. No climbing up a slide.

2. Always wear fake wings on the death slide.

3. Always be fair on the racing slide.

4. Always use provided wall climbers to enter play structure.

5. Only use exercise area if you are over 12.

They named their construction company: ITT and L

They named their playground: Ant World

Here are their rules:
1. Only ride on ramp.

2. Only run during amergens and chase

3. 1 lap before playing.

4. Go slow on the ramp!

5. Have Fun!

They named their construction company: Rainbow Ants Company

They named their playground: Anthill Play Park

Here are their rules:
1. No walking.

2. Always have fun.

3. Always climb up slides.
4. Only 3 ants at a time.
5. No food or drinks on the eqipment.

Think Tank- Penguins and Polar Bears

We have finished yet another Think Tank! This one was dedicated to Penguins and Polar Bears. We also had some additional tasks that were not photographed including a crossword puzzle, word search, penguin anagrams, and a jigsaw puzzle on the computer. Their work never ceases to amaze me. It is phenomenal, such creativity!

All of the students featured below made an invention to try to keep the penguin's egg warm.

Here is what they named their inventions:

Jack L.- Penguin Mobile

Hailey- Penguin Baby Keeper

Jack B. - Egg Heater

Cameron- Automatic Egg Warmer

Alex- Egg Heater for Penguins

Mikayla- Cookinator

Nathan- Egg Pals

Kinsey- Security System

Ryan- Heat-a-ron

Thai- Egg Heater

Ian- Warminator

Josie- New Invention

Casey- Hot-O-Matic

Eli- The Wade-i-ator

These three students researched about penguins.

Samantha researched about the chin strap penguin, emperor penguins, macaroni penguins, and gentoo penguins.

Ryan researched about emperor penguins.

Aubrey researched general info about penguins; for example where they live, what they eat, and about their eggs.

I decided to add a section to this think tank that I had never tried before. This activity revolved around writing a song about the topic. I was very proud of these two boys for attempting this!

Ryan's song was called Penguins in the Jungle and was sung to an original tune.

Nathan sung his song to the tune of Feliz Navidad.

Making a comic strip was a very popular activity. It had the most participants. All of the children shared the gist of their comics and I am going to put them together in a book for the class to enjoy.

This was another new activity I wanted to try with this Think Tank. I would have to say it was a complete hit! The kids loved thinking of a new habitat for the penguin and using watercolors to recreate it.We got to hear stories about penguins that were at the mall, in the mountains, at school, and at the North Pole.

I didn't take a picture of this activity card- but they were to create jokes or riddles about penguins and polar bears. I told the kids to pick their favorite ones and share them. They are typed below the picture.

Ryan- Why did the penguin cross the road? To get to the other egg!

Sammie- What did the emperor penguin say to the macaroni penguin? Can I eat your hair?!

Mikayla- What do you call a penguin that is small? A penguin eraser!

Nathan- What do you call a penguin stuck to a polar bear? A polar pal!

Hailey- What is black and white and says cock-a-doodle-doo? A penguin rooster!

Alex-What did the mother penguin say to the baby penguin? Hush up you squeaker!

Eli- What is yellow and brown cheese and swims? A macaroni and cheese penguin!

Field Trip to Sally Corp.

We went to Sally Corp. today. It is a company that makes robots and amusement park rides. We learned a lot of really cool stuff! There are so many different kinds of jobs at this place. We actually got to see some people doing their jobs (pictured below). We also were able to see the finished products of their labor and were told how long the whole processes take. It was amazing! Please scroll through all of the pictures of the neat things we saw. At the bottom are the kids' comments of their favorite part of the field trip.

I loved everything! I never saw anything like it before. - Casey

My favorite part was all the robots because I thought they were really cool.

-Jack B.

I liked it all because it was all fun and because they let us play some of the games that they made. - Sammie

I liked T. Rex becasue I didnt like the little robots with subtle movements, I like large robots with large movements. -Eli

My favorite part of Sally Corp was all of it! I like all of it because the games were fun, the robots were cool, and the molding room was awesome! -Josie

I liked everything. I didnt have a favorite part because it was all fun and cool. -Aubrey

I liked the shooting game because I got alot of points. -Jake

I liked it all at Sally because I learned more about robots and how they are made. - Trey

I liked playing the game the most because it was fun and interesting to me. - Nathan

My favorite part was everything because it is fun, exciting, interesting, and more. - Mikayla

My favorite part was the robots because I thought they were interesting.

-Thai

My favorite part was when we played the game and when we saw the T. Rex. - Ian

My favorite part was the glow in the dark room becasue I got to see our highlighters light up. -Jack L.

I liked the whole entire thing because it was so cool. - Hailey

My favorite was the T. Rex because it was so big and awesome. - Alex

I liked the T. Rex because he had cool moves. - Ryan

I liked the first blaster, because that was fun! - Michael

My favorite part of the Sally Corp, was playing the games because they were fun and competitive. - Cameron

I liked Sally Corp activitiesbecause I think it was all a learning and have fun thing! - Kinsey

The Digestive System

For the last month in science we have been learning all about the human body. We ended our unit with some culminating centers. These centers included a joint hunt, testing their respiratory rate, researching an organ, and writing a RAFT about the process of digestion. The RAFTS turned out so great I couldn't resist putting them on the blog.
Role- piece of food
Audience- another piece of food
Format- Letter
Topic- telling them about their journey through the digestion system
The kids started typing them in the computer lab today and then finished in our classroom. They are all child typed with their spellings.
Please enjoy!


Dear Chicken,
It’s me Cow. I was dinner today. I started out on a plate. Then this kid ate me. He was chewing me and swallowed me and I went down the Esophagus. Then I went in the Small Intestine. Then the Large Intestine. Then I was dead and got pooped out.
From Cow
(Aubrey Armes-Johns)

Dear Popcorn
I was eaten yesterday. It was like this. In the mouth there were teeth that hurt. Then you go down… and down. When you enter the stomach it breaks you down. Then small intestines suck you up. Then you go into the big intestines. Last you tern into poop P U.
Sincerely your friend,
Hamburger with cheese or cheesburger
(Alex Blaudow)

Dear spinach,
Hello,Im already flushed down the toilet.
First,I went inside the mouth.
Next,I went down to the stomach,I saw the liver!
Then, I went into the small intestant,I saw some mushed coming my way!
Then, I went into the large intestant, I saw the same food coming my way!
Last, I fell into water, I smelled the brown thing next me.
It smelled desqusting.
I heared a flush and I was GOOOOOOONEE
From pizza
p.s. his teeth were yellow.
(Jack Boran)

Dear brownie,
I’m being grinded with icicles’!
I’m going down a rollercoaster!!
(Esophagus) SCREECH! CRASH!! I’m at a dead-end!
FWOOSH! I flew in an oafish shape thing
(stomach) hey!-CLUNK! My audience something fell
On me. Decription :white crysteish tastey fluffy.
I belive it was marshmallow
If you ask me. Cu-CLUNK! Hey hi ma OOFFFFF! I’m……being………squased.. AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH oooooooo aahhhhhhh I’m in a hose! ( s intastin)…...
AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH oooooooo aahhhhhhhh I’m in a bigger hose! (l intestine)
………….. PLIP! Hey! I’m in a tub of lemonade and other brownies! WHIRL POOL!..
Sewage..gross!
Now icky,
Fudge
(Josie Caporini)

Dear Carrot,
I got eaten today.
I had to travel through the Esophagus to the stomach.
I was churned around in very small pieces.
Walls of the small intestine absorb vitamins into the bloodstream.
Food that cannot be digested is pushed into the large intestine and pooped out.
From,
Apple
(Jake Faiella)

Dear Strawberry
I, grape, was eaten on Saturday. I went down a tube no I am
pretty sure it was the esophagus. Then I landed and it hurt a lot
because it felt hard. Then I fell in a bag, it was the stomach.
It felt cool when I landed because I jumped back up and then back
down and didn’t jump back up. But then, I turned brown and fell
again and it was like a slide. I passed the small and large intestine
and fell very fast and went down, down, down, down.
Then I fell in to the toilet because I was poop. Hi mom, no don’t
Flush! Mommy oh no it’s me that’s me falling too. Help
I want my dad oh hi dad!
Chew,
Grape
(Kinsey Ganson)

Dear Pretzel,
I was digested today. I went through the mouth. Down the esophagus. Then down to the stomach. Then to the small intestine. Then the large intestine. Then I was pooped out
Sincerely
Hamberger
(Ryan Haley)

Dear Cake,
One day I was sleeping then I get hurt badly. That woke me up. I was in someone’s mouth! Then I fell down! Then I felt another grape on me! I went in the stomach! Oh! How unpleasant! I was getting grinded up. How could that happen? I went through the small intestine, it was like a roller coaster. I felt like I would never stop!!! Then I went into the large intestine. It was less like a roller coaster. Then the bathroom. OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I went in the toilet. Down I go!!! The other group was there too! Bye Bye!
From,
Grape
(Jack Landmark)

Dear Chicken,
Somebody ate me! Well, I went through this tube, and it was not
Comfortable, at all! Then, somehow I got broken up into tiny little pieces.
Then, I went through something that was like a slippin slide, `I did it twice.
I turned brown, and now I’m sitting in something white, and now I’m
Sitting here with my family waiting to see what will happen next!
Love,
Brown Pizza
(Sammie Losee)



Dear Popcorn,

I, the chocolate cake, was swallowed today. First, I went into the mouth. Next, I went down the esophagus how scary . Then, I went into the stomach that little bag tried to crunch me up . Then I went into the small intestine when I was in there I couldn’t even
See my own chocolate body . Then I went into the large intestine. Last, ewww ewww ewww then I became poop.
Your friend,
The chocolate cake
(Hailey McJunkin)

Waffle
You won’t want to go do OWIE! In there. Whoa! I’m going down the esophagus. Where am I? I’m in the stttoooooomach! This hurts, OWIE! It’s the asied. STOP! It! I’m I’m in the small intestOWIW!ine. Now! I’m in the large OWIE! Intestine. Man I don’t like toilet water! Then you go out! Mom, where are you?!
(Luke Moorer)

Dear Banana,
I just went down the digestive system. First I got bitten into little pieces then I went down the esophagus and into the stomach. Half of my body into the small intestine and the other half into the large intestine. I am now all alone in this world pool.
From,
Apple
(Trey Oliver)

Hi Hot Fudge,
Guess what I just went on the greatest adventure of my life! I first got hit by these white things[Teeth]. Then I went down a slide [Esophagus]. WHOOSH! Then inside this big circle[Stomach]. Then little elves started poking me[chemicals].Then I was small enough to enter a blood stream. WHEE! Then all my energy got sucked out with the small intestine. Then the parts of me that couldn’t stay got sucked in the large intestine. Then I got out of the body and went down in whirlpool!

Your friend,
Brownie
(Casey Peterson)

Hello Food,
I am just being softened up.
Now I am going down the Esophagus .
Now I`m in the stomach. I`m into the small intestine. Boy, that
was fun. Now it` s into the large intestine. No ! I`m turning brown! Plop!
Half mercy! No! Don` t flush!
From,
Pizza
(Cameron Puopolo)

Dear Apple Slice,
Im going down the digestive system-oh there is the lungs and ribs!
Im all broken up!
Now Im in the stomach!
Ahhhhhh ouch oooo eee!
Im eee being oooo broken ouch up!
Now I am in the small intesnes.
Feeww Im poop and in the toilet.
Good bye.
Your best friend,
Apple Seed
(Thai Richter)


Dear grape,
I got eaten by somebody named Michael, first spit came out and I was grossed out by it. Then I went in the esophagus and I started to think I would not have enough room left. Then I fell in the stomach and it started to brake me up! Then I fell into the small intestine and I got broken up! Then I fell in the large intestine I was about to die, but luckily , I was to small to be smashed again and then I got out in the toilet and I went to the sewer and I floated all the way to a ocean .There I lived happily.
From,
Goldfish
From: U.S.A
To: China
(Michael Shi)

Dear Mrs. Potato
WOW! BAM! CRASH! I just fell in a persons mouth ! WEEE! I’m going down a
Waterslide. OUCH! SON! You hit me. Great now I’m crumbled up. OH! NO! NOW
I’M IN THE DIGESTIN SECTION! I can’t swim I can’t swim! Now I’m in the large
Intestine! IGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! now I’m the small intestine . oops I fell BAM!!
OH MAN! I’m poop.
From your pal Mr. Tomato.
(Nathan Suki)

Dear food,
I got eaten. Today it felt good you should do it some day. First I went down
the tube second I went to the stomach third I went to the small. Intestine
sistom and last I went to the big intestine sistom. And the best part I got
pooped out. I sol lots of food and water. I ternd in to small peces by the
diejestive sistom. Because it broke me in TONS of pecese.
Your friend,
pie
(Ian Underhill)

Dear Popcorn,
I the Chocolate cake have been eaten!
I have been chewed up and now I’m in the esophagus. Next is the STOMACH AHHH! Cool the small intestine. The large intestine is scary!!! I’m melting I’m melting! Soon I will be pooped out. So long for now
Your Friend,
Chocolate cake
P.S. Bye forever!
(Mikayla VanJaarsveld)

Dear spinach,
Ow! Ow! Someone is chewing me up! GUG! Hey,they swallowed me! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAH!!!!!! What sort of slide is this? The esophagus I suppose? OH NO!!I will go into the stOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWmach!! The ow! Walls ow! Of the stomach are crunching me up! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! A nice long swimming pool. I never knew the small intestine could be so comfortable! EEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWW!!!!!! I’m turning into this icky brown stuff in the large intestine! I suppose I’m going to join you in the toilet.
-Rice pudding
(Eli Wolf)

Happy 100th day of school!

Today was the 100th day of school! Hooray! We have been keeping track of the days of school with our calendar math. I found a whole list of challenges for the students to do with the number 100. Here is a copy of the sheet the kids worked on today. A favorite activity was taking 100 steps and seeing where they ended up!
This is Sammie's interpretation of what she will look like at 100 years old.

This is Aubrey's interpretation of what she will look like at 100 years old.

Another activity a lot of the kids enjoyed was timing how long it took them to write out a googol, which is a 1 with 100 zeros after it.

Another activity alot of the kids participated in was flipping a coin 100 times and seeing how many times it landed on heads and tails.

The two following pictures were of students who chose to answer some of the writing prompts about 100.