Second Grade 
Bennett Bits and Bytes

 

Second Grade Learning Links
Bennett second graders have their own website with links that they can explore both at school and at home!!!

Some classrooms even have their own websites!

Mrs. B. Gallagher         

Mrs. H. Smith 

 

Computer Rules and Parts
We met in the library where we heard the story The Rules by Marty Kelly

* We discussed the rules for using the computer. 
* We reviewed the rules by each student choosing a rule and then  writing and illustrating it. 
* Each student  practiced using a keyboard

Basic Operations and Concepts
C/T K-2.1        The student will demonstrate knowledge of the nature and   
                   operation of technology systems
                         Identify the computer as a machine that helps people at school, 
                   work, and play. 
Social and Ethical Issues
C/T K-2.3        The student will practice responsible use of technology systems, 
                        information, and software.
                        Know the school’s rules for using computers.

 

Famous American Mini Books
Students used a PowerPoint template to create a mini book on Famous Americans.  They had to type in the important facts about each American, as well as navigate through the template.  On the last page, they inserted a picture of themselves and they wrote about how they were famous!  After viewing their slide show, they printed the PowerPoint as Handouts with 6 slides to a page and cut them apart to make the book. 

They also played the
 Famous Americans Challenge
as well as other review games.

H/SS 2.11 ~ Identify George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Helen Keller, Jackie Robinson, and Martin Luther King, Jr. as Americans whose contributions improved the lives of other Americans.

Famous Americans and their Contributions

Template

 

 

 

Family Trees
As part of geography and social studies lessons on diversity, the second graders investigated their family trees to find out where their ancestors came from.  Once they had the information, they completed the Family Tree using Kidspiration2.  Students then wrote about their ancestors and they made a class book.  They also used post-it notes to mark areas that each child had ancestors from on a world map.

H/SS 2.12 ~ Understand that the United States is a land of people who have diverse ethnic origins, customs, and traditions, who make contributions to their communities, and who are united as Americans by common principles.

 

 

First American Blocks
Creating our First American blocks was one of our favorite activities!  

We explored a First Americans website to gather information and review before we created our blocks using Kidspiration2.  We printed our blocks on card stock and assembled them so that we could use them to review and to compare and contrast. 

The inspiration for this lesson came from Tech4Learning.

 First Americans Reference Chart

First Americans Blank Chart
H/SS 2.2 ~ Compare the lives and contributions of American Indians (First Americans), with emphasis on the Powhatan of the Eastern Woodlands, the Sioux of the Plains, and the Pueblo people of the Southwest.


H/SS 2.4 ~ Locate the regions of the Powhatan, Sioux, and Pueblo Indians on United States maps.

      

 

Jan Brett ~ Gingerbread Glyphs

Students created a Gingerbread glyph using Pixie that accurately represented his or her answers to a series of questions.  We purposefully left the names off of the Glyphs so we could play a game of "Who am I?".

If tie allowed, we visited Jan Brett's website and viewed a video clip where Jan Brett talked about her book, The Gingerbread Baby  and read it to the students.  She told us how she decides what to draw.  It takes her one hour to draw ONE INCH!  She also talked about why she draws on the borders of her pages.  

English
Oral Language
2.2        The student will continue to expand listening and speaking vocabularies.
     c)      Follow oral directions with three or four steps.
Writing
2.11      The student will write stories, letters, and simple explanations.
      d)      Use available technology.

Gingerbread Glyph Directions    

       

 

  Clouds
The students worked on a Cloud WebQuest to learn more about clouds.  We viewed pictures of different clouds using the appropriate links to get an idea of what the different types looked like.  Using Kidspiration2, sorted different pictures of clouds.  Students were then able to check their knowledge of the different cloud formations by doing the evaluation activity on the WebQuest.

Science 2.6 ~ Investigate and understand basic types and patterns of weather

   

 

Shapes, Halves, and Symmetry
Using a software from Math Investigations, SH_Shapes, the students explored with shapes, created their own design, and solved puzzles by filling in a pattern with shapes.

SOL Math
Geometry
2.20        The student will identify, describe, and sort three-dimensional (solid) concrete figures, including a cube, rectangular solid (prism), square pyramid, sphere, cylinder, and cone, according to the number and shape of the solid’s faces, edges, and corners.
2.21        The student will identify and create figures, symmetric along a line, using various concrete materials.

     

Matter Matters
Using a circle map, the students told everything they knew about matter.  After that, we visited an interactive website to "Wise Up!" on matter.  Once finished, we completed a Kidspiration2 activity that we received from a school in Virginia Beach.  There are review activities also available on the 2nd Grade Learning Links page.

Science 2.3 ~ Investigate and understand basic properties of solids, liquids, and gases.

    

 

Chinese Characters and Egyptian Hieroglyphics
Students were very interested in how the Ancient Chinese and Ancient Egyptians wrote.  We visited two different websites to see our name using characters and hieroglyphics.  Students practiced with copying and pasting, as they copied and pasted their Hieroglyphic name to a Word document so that it would print out on one sheet of paper.

Social Studies:
History 

2.1 Students will explain how the contributions of ancient China and Egypt have influenced the present world in terms of architecture, inventions, the calendar, and written language.

ELA:

Writing 2.11d Students will use available technology

Reading 2.9b Students will demonstrate comprehension of information by using pictures and charts

Get Your Own Chinese Name

Write Your Name in Hieroglyphics

Ancient China vs. Ancient Egypt
Students explored an Ancient China and Ancient Egypt website  to gather information and review before they completed a graphic organizer using Kidspiration2.  Students had to choose symbols to represent the important features of each ancient culture. 

Social Studies:
History 

2.1 Students will explain how the contributions of ancient China and Egypt have influenced the present world in terms of architecture, inventions, the calendar, and written language.

Geography
2.4 ~ Locate China and Egypt on a map.

Ancient Cultures Reference Sheet     

Ancient Cultures Blank Chart

   

 

Life Cycles
Students  reviewed the life cycles of butterflies, frogs, grasshoppers, and plants.  Students then used Kidspiration 2 to create the life cycles of each using pictures from the Kidspiration library.

Science:
 Life Processes
2.4     The student will investigate and understand that plants and animals undergo a series of orderly changes in their life cycles. Key concepts include
a)      some animals (frogs and butterflies) undergo distinct stages during their lives, while others generally resemble their parents; and

b) flowering plants undergo many changes, from the formation of the flower to the development of the fruit

 

Natural, Human, and Capital Resources
Students  reviewed the three types of resources using a SMARTBoard activity.  Students then used Kidspiration 2 to continue their review by choosing pictures from the Kidspiration library and putting them into the correct category.  Further review was done using a Jeopardy PowerPoint.

Social Studies:
 Economics
2.7       The student will describe the differences between natural resources (water, soil, wood, and coal), human resources (people at work), and capital resources (machines, tools, and buildings).