Happy 12/12/12!

In second grade, 12/12/12 is not an auspicious calendar date.  It's time for celebration.  We chose to celebrate this quirky date with a dozen academic challenges.

Natalie and Grace got right down to work this morning on 12 pre algebra problems.  This is the first time that I've ever introduced the favorite pastime of Diophantus to 2nd graders.  They have proved to be More than up for the challenge.

Look out, 8th grade math students.  Mia and Trevor are ready to challenge you.

We love Brain Quest quizzes in our classroom.  It is always a fun and fast-paced race to see who will arrive at the tricky solution most quickly.  Here, Ben and Kevin work to complete 12 of the trickiest Brain Quest puzzles that I could dig up.

Map skills in action.

Gabe, James, and Hannah worked on locating 12 states and their corresponding capitals.  This was an easy feat, as we are currently studying many different types of maps in our social studies unit.

Mariana, Natalie, Brooke, Grace and Brooke work on listing 12 Reindeer Names and 12 Reindeer Games. Some of these ideas were super creative.  (Reindeer Lightening Rollercoaster, anyone?)

Gabe works to draw and label 12 geometric shapes.

Awesome work on adverbs and adjectives!

Not pictured:  2nd grade interviewers (hopefully not) running through the school to interview 12 teachers about what they love most about the Woods.



December is figuratively jam packed with deadlines:  report cards, curricular goals, Santa workshops, plays, holiday concerts.  Even though we are working at a feverish pace on a daily basis, it can prove fun and incredibly refreshing to step back from things and target a totally unique goal.  And it is equally refreshing to know that this goal must be achieved in one short school day.


I'm especially proud of the tiny project managers today.  They are creative self starters who never let me down with their tenacity and willingness to collaborate on the fly.

Reading Groups

Have I told you about how much I love reading groups?  No?

I love reading groups.  A crazy amount.

It is all about witnessing the barely concealed glee when the kids learn who will be on their "team".  It is sneakily listening in as they debate a team name.  It is all about watching the true leaders who rally their peers and attempt to organize a group to function seamlessly.  These kids shine.  They are tasked with large challenges.  I deliberately offer limited instruction in the hope that they will be able to resolve issues and work outside of the box to achieve their goal.  And they do.  They achieve the task at hand in the way that only an 8 year old could:  creatively, bravely, uniquely.

The Blue Storm read about George Washington Carver

Mia, Teddy and Ben help to organize their informational poster.

The Superstars organize their poster about Bessie Coleman.

Gabe, Hannah and Sophia work on the final details about Helen Keller.

Amazing teamwork.

It is so cool to witness what kids can produce when they are tasked with a challenge.  It is equally cool to witness the reaction when they are told to complete a team assignment.  They are competitive but also so supportive of one another.  I learned so much about three historic figures, but I also learned new ways to collaborate, question, and discuss.  All thanks to a group of incredible eight year olds.

Dry Ice Day

Dry Ice Day has been inadvertently added to the second grade canon over the years.  It is just too much fun to discontinue.  I seriously feel like the kids treat Dry Ice Day like a holiday.  Except this holiday doesn't call for excessive eating or any sort of long distance travel.  This holiday calls for learning, observing, and occasional excited shouting.  Yes, I said shouting.  Dry Ice Day is not one of the quieter holidays.  

Matt, our resident scientist, was kind enough to visit our classroom right before Thanksgiving.  He brought beakers, dish solution, food coloring, and many little dry ice pellets.  Before his visit we grabbed clipboards and brainstormed some potential questions to ask about this curious substance.

Love the dangling feet!

Our full second grade community enjoyed the festivities.  Matt began the science show by simply plopping some dry ice pellets into a waiting tub of warm water.  We were gleeful as we studied the ice's evaporation process.  We learned that instead of melting, dry ice evaporates into a gas, specifically carbon dioxide.  The octane in the room was raised to aching (but fun) heights as Matt placed a rubber glove over the beaker of dissolving dry ice.  Slowly, the gas that was emerging from the pellets began to fill up the glove!

We desperately wanted that glove to pop.

Great work, Kevin and Lila!

We also enjoyed a bubble making competition.  Representatives from each class tried their hand at constructing a bubble fueled by the evaporating energy of the dry ice.  It was so cool to watch the huge bubbles pop into a cloud!

Natalie explores the vibration of the evaporating dry ice.

Another cool trick called for a coin and single dry ice pellet.  We learned that if we put enough pressure on the dry ice, it would squeal and shake.  The gas was "trapped" between the quarter and the desk.  As the gas was released, it made the funniest screeching sound!  The quarter also got VERY cold.

We all had a chance to try the "coin trick".

My students love to remind me that Dry Ice Day was the most exciting event of second grade.  While I toil endlessly to come up with something to rival it, I have to agree with them.  Thanks, Matt!