Art: Opportunity to Help Name the New Penguin Chicks

New penguins have hatched at the Maryland Zoo! The girls know all about the new exhibit and now they can follow the stories of its newest inhabitants.  Vote for the pair of names you like the best using this website: http://www.marylandzoo.org/2014/12/penguin-naming/ You can vote once a day!

You will also find other great information on the website about the new exhibit and the design process. Ask your daughters about their designs for their own exhibits.  They are building their unique exhibits out of 3D materials after designing them in Sketch-Up.

From the Library

Thirteen Ways to Raise a Nonreader

by Dean Schneider and Robin Smith
originally printed in the March/April 2001 issue of The Horn Book Magazine

1. NEVER READ where your children can see you.

2. PUT A TV or COMPUTER in every room. Don't neglect the bedrooms and kitchen.

3. CORRECT YOUR CHILD every time she mispronounces a word.

4. SCHEDULE ACTIVITIES every day after school so your child will never be bored.

5. Once your child can read independently, THROW OUT the PICTURE BOOKS. They're for babies.

6. DON'T PLAY board games together. Too Dull.

7. Give little REWARDS for reading. STICKERS and plastic toys are nice. MONEY is even better.

8. Don't expect your children to enjoy reading. Kids' books are for TEACHING vocabulary, proper study habits, and good morals.

9. Buy only 40-watt bulbs for your lamps.

10. Under NO circumstances read your child the same book OVER and OVER. She heard it once, she should remember it.

11. Never allow your child to listen to BOOKS ON TAPE; that's cheating.

12. Make sure your kids only read books that are "challenging". EASY books are a complete WASTE OF TIME. That goes double for comic books and Mad magazine.

13. Absolutely, positively NO READING IN BED.

Hour of Code

Last week, we participated in The Hour of Code "a global movement reaching tens of millions of students in 180+ countries."  The girls used Tynker to continue learning the basic of programming.  We compared this app to Scratch Jr. and discussed the similarities and differences across apps.  Upon completion, each student was award a certificate of completion.    

We have also been busy working on our Brush Bots.  Brush Bots are made by attaching a battery and vibrating motor to a toothbrush head.  All Bots will be competing in the Brush Bots Winter Olympics this week!

French: Je bois un orangina!

Wednesday and Friday marked our big Orangina celebrations in French class. The girls did a marvelous job performing their skits. I was very impressed by how well they memorized their lines. Afterwards, they politely "ordered" real Orangina from me. Not surprisingly, the Orangina received rave reviews!

Voilà some pictures of the skit performances.

Santé!!

Art: Building Exhibits

The girls are building their zoo exhibits. They are using their SketchUp designs as a plan for their 3D model.  They are running into lots of design problems to solve.  Here are some of their creative solutions.

This girl wanted a flat roof but found that the cardboard pieces kept sinking in.  So, she modified her design to make a triangular roof.  

Another wanted a circular roof but the bulge wouldn't stay in place, so she made a flat roof instead and reinforced it with second piece of cardboard. 

Finally, this girl wanted an opening to come out of a wall, so she thought she would build a wall and cut through. However, she realized she could build two short walls then add two doors that opened up to connect to another building. 

Science: Structures

The girls began learning about structures by putting together various shapes using straws and paperclips. They tested a triangle, a square, and a pentagon, and discovered that only a triangle is rigid.

They built up and out to make a rigid structure.

They learned how to make sheets of newsprint sturdy and used them to make paper tables.

They tested the tables to see whether they could support weight.

Busy in Tech

We have been busy during Technology in second grade.  During October and November, the girls participated in a project that required them to use skills learned in both art and technology.  First, they learned how to use SketchUp, a 3D drawing tool on the laptops.  Next, the Zoo mobile visited and we began our work on creating a 3D drawing of an animal exhibit taking into consideration the needs of animals, zoo keepers, and visitors.  Then, we were able to visit the zoo and observe a variety of exhibits.  The girls were able to take iPads and document the experience. After visiting the zoo, the girls refined their creations in SketchUp by adding any details they had observed at the zoo.  During art, the girls will create an actual model of the habitat.  


The girls are now working in an app, Scratch Jr., which allows younger students to code.  They will continue coding by participating in the Hour of Code in December.  

Happenings in Second Grade

  The girls have been busy once again! We have recently come together as a whole class to celebrate the end of our Native American unit. Like the Native Americans, we had a party or a POTLATCH to celebrate and exchange gifts.  Each homeroom made something special to pass onto a girl in a different homeroom.  Ms. Emala's class made kachina dolls, Ms. Orlando's class made totem poles, and Mrs. Roesselor's class knit beautiful headpieces. The Potlatch was a success and the girls enjoyed surprising one another with their different crafts. Here are some pictures of the celebration.

 We also came together as a class to make Pilgrim dolls, like the ones we read about in Molly's Pilgrim. The whole second grade read the story about Molly and the wonderful Pilgrim doll she made at school.  The girls loved this activity and added amazing detail to their creations.

   The second grade girls also put on a fabulous parachute assembly last week.  They worked very hard to learn their respective routines and did a fantastic job in front of parents, teachers, and the rest of the Lower School. Well done, girls!

 And last but certainly not least the girls enjoyed a great day with their grandparents and special friends. We hope that everyone had a wonderful break and a Happy Thanksgiving!