Metamorphosis

The children are waiting anxiously for our classroom butterflies to go through their life stages, from egg. to caterpillar or larva, then forming a chrysalis during the pupa stage and finally to the last stage where the chrysalis opens revealing a beautiful adult butterfly.  We are excited to see our caterpillars go through such an amazing transformation, click on the link below to see a video demonstrating a Monarch butterfly going through complete metamorphosis.

We wonder how long it will take for our caterpillars to go through complete metamorphosis?

The caterpillars have begun to change ...forming the letter "J" and a few have begun to form a chrysalis.

Insects are My Life

The children had a wonderful time today searching through the woods and fields of the Audubon for insects.  Our future entomologists identified several species of insects hiding under decaying logs and trees and had several opportunities to "catch" insects that creep, hop and fly. Although we conducted a "tick check" after our field trip, please be sure to look one more time!

Thank you so much to the parents who were able to help supervise and learn alongside with our class today.

We found pill bugs, beetles, ants, spiders and even a salamander!

A true BUG has an orange color and an X on its back.

The children reviewed the characteristics of an insect... compound eyes, head, thorax, abdomen, 6 legs and an exoskeleton!

A brown field spider indulges in a cricket for lunch!

Colin adds the exoskeleton to our insect drawing!

Catching insects in the air and on land was so much fun!

Working on Our Basic Daily Skills

Using a dictionary is an important life skill for children and adults, the students did a fabulous job using the guide words to help locate challenging words and learning their definitions. 

Learning buddies working hard to find the definition of blustery, distorted and malfunctioned!

  Coin Collector Game

The children love playing this interactive money game which requires them to collect and exchange pennies for nickels, nickels for dimes and dimes and nickels for quarters.  Several children challenged themselves to collect enough coins until they "earned" one dollar.

Connor and Alex working hard to becoming entrepreneurs!

Students have been working hard to create words that have short vowels using blends and consonant digraphs. Here are just a few they've come up with: strong, brush, truck, which, stitch, crunch, swish.  How many words can you think of ???

Trey and Colin working hard to put the fun in FUNdations!

Reading Elbow to Elbow...Knee to Knee "EEKK"

The children have been working hard in reading to learn about butterflies as they go through metamorphosis. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our caterpillars so we can watch this amazing transformation with our very own eyes!

Natalie and Bea in the Reading Bathtub learning about the four stages of a butterfly's life.

Gavin and Alex share their thinking with one another.

Our newest friends, Isabelle and Margo learning together.

Kole and Lincoln were amazed to learn that caterpillars molt, or shed their skin 4 to 6 times before they become a butterfly.

Best Buddies, Colin and Trey reading, sharing and learning together!

"First Day Jitters"

In honor of our first day of school we read a book called First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg.  It's an engaging story about a "girl" who is reluctant to go to her new school because she doesn't know anyone. Throughout the story the children made predictions and connections from their own background knowledge.  Most students assumed the main character, Sarah Jane Hartwell was a second grader like themselves, but were surprised to learn she was actually the new teacher!  We discussed how everyone feels excited and may get the jitters, even Mrs. Madden! 

We also shared an important poem that each child read to a friend, and discussed the importance of our second grade promise.  I included a copy in their goody bags and it might be helpful to place it in a visible place as a reminder when doing their homework.  It will soon become our class motto, the message is that each of us will always try our very best!

Please be sure to help your child select 4-6 items that will fit into their brown paper bag that "tells" a bit about themselves.  It's amazing what we can learn about one another from objects that "talk" about our interests and family connections.  I shared my portfolio bag with the children today, please be sure to ask your child what they learned about Mrs. Madden.

Please return all necessary forms as soon as possible, and be sure to follow all classroom updates by signing up on the right...just click on "follow by email" and enter your email address.