Learning with Primary Sources

A second grader's day is a busy one.  We have to master verb tenses.  We have to write clearly, yet creatively, when composing our spider reports.  We have to finish up our marble ramps before Mrs. Hall takes back the much-needed classroom space.  We must find time to talk to God and share our opinions about being the best disciples of Jesus that we can possibly be.


(We also have to cram in some of that much anticipated "recess" thing, too.)



In our constant attempts to work smarter and to achieve as much new learning in a day as possible, social studies can get pushed to the wayside.  This shouldn't be:  social studies is a key way for us to learn about the past while collaborating and solving problems that might face us in the future.


Today, we utilized a very impressive, very puzzling primary source.  Students were given 12 small pieces of a map.  Puzzle pieces, if you will.  Their task?  Piece everything back together, while analyzing all of the strange language and symbols prominently featured.

Soon enough, evidence of learning started to be happily chirped around the classroom.  "I can see continents!"  "There are tiny flags!"  "There's a map key!"  "The map is surrounded by a border of numbers!"  "What is that strange language?!"

The map in question was drawn by Martin Waldseemuller in 1507.  It is the first document known to name America.  It is, quite literally, priceless.

It was astounding to watch these learners transform into analysts and keen observers.  Soon enough, maps started getting pieced together.

We figured out that strange language (Latin).  We figured out who those two curious fellows featured at the top might be (they have navigational tools... maybe they created this map?)  We also worked to understand why some parts of the map were much more detailed than others.  (Why would Europe be so much more accurate than America or Asia?!)



My favorite part of the activity occurred when Johnny and Ana-Sofia wandered over to our collection of maps.  Without any prompting, they were excitedly piecing together the similarities and differences between old map and new.

I had never tried this activity with second graders before; shame on me.  Their determination, insights, and enthusiasm blew me away.  I can't wait to bring more primary sources into the hands of these investigators.

Second Grade STEM: DIY Marble Ramps

Our various and sundry building materials have been arriving in a steady flow.  It's so much fun to witness the looks of sheer glee when heavy brown boxes arrive in our classroom each afternoon.  We are stockpiling batteries, circuits, and magnets aplenty.  We will soon learn to program simple bots that consist of a motor, a battery, recyclable materials, and lots of ingenuity.


Today we learned what STEM stands for.  It was definitely a learning moment for me today, when I realized how often I throw around this beloved acronym, all without making sure that students know what it really is.  We slowed down a bit today to discuss how the components of science, technology, engineering, and math really work so well together.


Then it was time for physics.  We got deep - I mean, really deep - as we discussed the concepts of force, matter, and acceleration.  There was heated discussion about how many atoms are in our own bodies.  We even tried to ascertain how the earliest scientists discovered the existence of atoms.


Heavy, I'm telling you.  But I don't think I've ever been in such an excited classroom - it was so quiet and focused that I think I could hear neurons firing.

Then it was time to test these new concepts.  We split up into three groups.  We had the following materials available to us:

dowels

pegboard

cups

pipe insulation

pipe corners

any recyclable material that could be found in the classroom

Our mission, which we gladly chose to accept, was to construct a ramp capable of guiding a marble from top to bottom.

Force, mass, and acceleration.  All wrapped up in a tiny (and exciting) bundle.

Reading to Learn

It doesn't surprise me in the slightest that my second grade students enjoy constant challenge.


Challenge can certainly be tiring.  Challenge makes a student push in order to rise above perceived boundaries and limitations.  Accepting a challenge is definitely akin to choosing Robert Frost's preferred road.  The road not taken is a rather mysterious one.  In choosing to take it, we are welcoming a challenge.


I witness my students take that challenging route every single day.  It's so exciting to watch the problem solving and creative collaboration in a classroom full of thinkers who are reading to learn.


We begin our morning with binder work.  We greatly enjoy curating our work in this "grown up" format.

Sometimes, we become actors and actresses in impromptu Readers Theater performances (quickly assembled props included)

We practice auditory comprehension and inference skills when we are visited by Mystery Readers.

We collaborate with our reading teams.  Assignment deadlines can be rather brutal!  We work feverishly (and happily) in order to comprehend and problem solve.

We are huge fans of the fantastic resources in our school's library.  

During Genius Hour, we collaborate and utilize many different resources to better understand the problems we are trying to resolve.  

In short, it is a fine time to be a second grader.  It is even more exciting to witness firsthand the challenges that these students take on each new day.