Exciting Research, Chinchillas, "Just So" Stories, and Mental Math

Inquiry Research
We have just completed six very exciting days of Inquiry research. Through mini-lessons incorporating the SmartBoard, the children have learned how to write research questions; locate information about their animals or habitats in books, magazines, and encyclopedias, and on the Internet; write that information in their own words; and record their resources on a bibliography or website list. For the 1st Graders this was a new experience, but with the help of our experienced 2nd Graders and many supportive parents, they have become excellent researchers who run to me as I arrive in the morning asking, “Can I do research during Free Choice?” or begging to keep going at the end of a research session. I continue to be amazed by the enthusiasm of children who are given opportunities for independent, meaningful learning.  Mahalo to all the parents who made this learning experience such a success both at school and at home.

MAHALO, Parent Helpers!!
Mrs. Saruwatari
Mr. Meyer
Ms. Pang
Mrs. Scott
Mrs. Inchinose
Mrs. Mukai
Mrs. Montes
Mr. and Mrs. Ohashi
Ms. Ching
Ms. Graves

Inquiry Presentations
Our Inquiry Presentations will be the week of December 3rd. I will let you know the exact day and time next week. Your children will be taking home their parts to study. Please help them practice in a very positive, supportive way.

Chinchilla Visit
The children were delighted when Mr. Mukai brought in Batman and Shakespeare, two adorable chinchillas, for a visit last week. We learned that chinchillas come from the arid mountains of Chile, that they are nocturnal rodents who take a bath by flipping their bodies around in fine dust called pumice, and that they are very endangered because people make coats with their beautiful, soft fur. It was more fun getting to know those cuddly, warm-blooded chinchillas than it was all the invertebrates we’ve had in class, even if the chinchillas did sleep all day!  Thank you, Mukai family, for sharing!!

“Just So” Stories
Mrs. Trowbridge returned to talk with the children about “Just So” stories and to get them started on writing their own. She talked about the elements of a “Just So” story, and the children drew imaginary animals, which they named, and brainstormed stories to explain how the animals got one or more body parts.  Should be interesting!

Mental Math vs. the Calculator
All of the 2nd Grade Mathematicians enjoyed the Geometry unit. We are now back to “Number and Operations” with Unit 3. Yesterday the children played a great game called “Beat the Calculator.” One child added a string of three to eight numbers mentally, while another added on a calculator. The mental math beat out the calculator almost every round. That’s because the children have learned to combine numbers that equal 10, are doubles, or are near doubles to add a string of numbers very quickly. Those who didn’t know their doubles and addition facts to 10 struggled a little. Be sure to remind your child to keep practicing so he or she can play these games and do other math activities quickly and efficiently. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Posted at 11:09 AM| Permalink

Inquiry Research Questions and Debates

Inquiry
We revisited our "What We Think We Know About Animals" mind map and confirmed that we began this Inquiry unit with a lot of correct assumptions and information. The children used evidence from their habitat research and other reading, classification and adaptation of animals sorting games, and learning trips to the aquarium and zoo to prove or disprove "facts" on their mind map.  At the end, there was still a heated debate going on about whether hippos can swim. The children decided more research was necessary! Be proud of your little scientists!

As we prepare to go on with our research, we created our "What We Want to Know About Animals" mind map.  Just thought I would share some of the questions that came from your amazing young scientists:

How much stuff can ants carry?
Why do some spiders eat their young or kill their dads?
How do snakes make venom?
How big is a full-grown sugar glider and how does it glide from tree to tree?
How far can red-eyed tree frogs jump?
How many fish can a bald eagle eat in one day?
How do archer fish shoot water to get their prey?
Why do happy face spiders smile?
How fast does a butterfly fly?
What lives in the deepest ocean trenches?

The children decided to work in their established groups to continue researching their habitats, while integrating these questions into their inquiry. Each group member will also choose a particular animal to investigate. Animal Inquiry Presentations will be in early December.  In the meantime, look for the Inquiry Research Sign-up sheet in the Thursday packet, today. I hope many of you will be able to come in and enjoy learning with the children.

Academy of Arts Visit and Art Activity
Everyone enjoyed our visit to the Academy of Arts to see animals depicted in art from around the world.  The children engaged the docent in a discussion of abstract vs realistic art while sitting in front of a lovely 1500 year old mosaic depicting many kinds of animals, which was found in a hunting lodge in Syria. They were fascinated by the Indonesian animal masks and surprised the docents with their knowledge of Ganesh, the Hindu god with an elephant head that the 2nd Graders learned about last year during our Geography Inquiry. Once again, the docents expressed surprise at the knowledgeable, inquiring minds of your children.

I'm sure you heard all about the oil pastel art experience the children had with the Academy of Arts Ambassador yesterday. Ms. Macia began by having them mix primary colors and taught them about value, tint, and shading.  They then used that experience and knowledge to create pictures of animals in their habitats. Some are abstract, some realistic, all are beautiful and the process left the children feeling like artists. In their comments for Ms. Marcia, they pointed out that this was a special activity because they learned a lot and it was fun to be creative. 

Posted at 11:05 AM| Permalink

We Couldn't Do It Without You!

Mahalos
A special thank you to the Eng, Mukai, Ohashi, Saruwatari, Scott, and Nakashima families for providing pumpkins for our wonderful pumpkin-carving session on Monday afternoon. We estimated the weight, circumference, and number of lines on those pumpkins, graphed some of our results, and had so much fun carving them with Ms. Ching, Ms. Pang, Mrs. Eng, Mr. Ohashi and M. Ohashi, Mrs. Meyer, Ms. Graves, and Ms. Montes. We enjoyed our jack-o'-lanterns until this morning when we studied the mold that was growing in them and quickly got them outside for Mr. Louie to pick up. A well-rounded learning experience, I'd say!  Did anyone take home an extra knife? I'm missing one of mine.

Museum In A Box
We are looking forward to our learning trip to the Academy of Arts to see "Animals In Art" in the galleries. We all learned a lot from the Academy Ambassador last Friday. Please, go to the photo gallery to see pictures of animal art from around the world. On Wednesday, November 7, the Academy Ambassador returns to MPI for art activities in each 1/2 classroom.

Excellent Behavior Report
The Magic Stone Kids are constantly being complimented by me and by their specialist teachers for their respectful, cooperative behavior. Give your child a big hug and tell them you are proud.

Spooktivity
Many of our parents joined in the fun at Spooktivity and had a hand in creating this exciting event.  It was enjoyed by all! Thank you, everyone!

Inquiry
We will begin our research in earnest next week, and I will be sending a sign-up sheet home. I hope many of you can come in and help at least once with this activity. We will also be dissecting owl pellets to discover what they eat.  They are raptors that actually swallow their prey whole, so it is possible to find complete skeletons of animals in their food chain inside a pellet. We will be asking for help with this activity, too. On November 13, Mr. Mukai will bring in the family's chinchillas and tell us all about them.  They will be with us for a whole day.  How exciting! 

Posted at 2:59 PM| Permalink