New iPads! :o)

Mr. Smith shared some VERY EXCITING news with us this morning!

Our school received new iPad Airs for our students!

We were so excited to try them out.  After we discussed some safety rules, we explored a couple of geometry apps.  They connected beautifully with our math study.  We can't wait to use them in our classrooms too!

Darius is SO excited about our new technology!

Line of Symmetry

As a part of our geometry unit, we learned about the 

line of symmetry.

To show our learning, we worked with a friend to create a symmetrical design.

Gear Study

We learned about gears this week!  We worked with a friend to discover that a wheel with teeth is called a gear.  We also discovered that they work together in a gear train.

3D Shapes

We began to investigate the parts of different three dimensional shapes today.

We explored them to start and then learned their names.

Following our exploration, we learned the parts of a 3D shape.  

Most of them have faces, edges, and vertices.

Next we explored our environment to find 3D shapes!

Darius found a thin rectangular prism.

 Helanna found a rectangular prism, too!

Aiden found a third rectangular prism.

 Ian found a fourth!

 Kianni found a sphere!

We all found spheres!

Deven discovered a cylinder on this machine.

Carly was happy when she saw this rectangular prism.  :o)

Audrey spotted a cylinder.

Ian found two 3D shapes on one object!  

There is a cone at the tip of the pencil and the rest of it is a cylinder.

We all took a rest on these three rectangular prisms in the well!  

PHEW!  That was a lot of shape searching!

Wheel and Axles

As a part of our force and motion unit, 

Grade Two is learning how simple machines can help make work easier.

We have begun our study with a close look at the wheel and axle. 

First, we created a wheel and axle with a partner.

Our goal was to create a wheel and axle that traveled the farthest, smoothest and straightest.

Next, we tested them on an inclined plane or ramp (which we will learn more about next week.)

Here are some examples of our creative, collaborative thinking!

As good scientists do, we talked about our findings, analyzed our results and released them on our ramps again and again.

Last, we shared our findings with our friends through the use of our new Simple Machine books!

Zoomers

The Awesome Learners in second grade have begun to learn about force and motion.  We learned about the two important forces of push and pull.  This afternoon we created "zoomers", a classic toy played with a gentle pull of a string!

First we strung our strings through the center of a disk. 

 Then we tied the ends of our strings together.

           

 Next, we practiced winding up the string and pulling at either end to hear a humming from the disk in the middle.  It took practice but most of us were able to get it.  The force of pull can be fun!