Going on a Camping Trip!

Our camping theme is based off of our reading this week, "Henry and Mudge and the Starry Night" by Cynthia Rylant.  It is about a boy, Henry, and his dog, Mudge, who go on a camping trip with Henry's parents.  Each week, our story has new vocabulary words, which our series calls "Amazing Words."  Below is a list of these words, so you can help your child study for the test on Friday.  Students will be bringing a set of flash cards home in their folders on Monday with a list of a few review games to help study.

Directions and Maps

As part of the second grade standards and curriculum, students will learn and practice map skills this week in Social Studies, specifically using a compass and moving within a grid.  For our first lesson, I will make a huge grid and compass rose on the floor using masking tape. 

We will talk about directions and related directions and maps to hiking on a trail.  Once we have talked about directions, students will learn how to move within the grid.  For example, a student may be asked to move 3 units south, and 2 units east.  The class will learn what this looks like by being actively involved in a hands-on approach to learning.  Later in the week, we will put these skills to use by going outside and completing a scavenger hunt (weather permitting).

Is it an Insect?

Your child will be learning about what makes an insect an insect this week in science.  Students will participate in sorting activity where they will classify plastic bugs into the categories "Insect" or "Not and Insect."  As one of our learning stations this week, students will also get a chance to make their own, labeling the parts that make it an insect.