Mrs. Latham’s Second Grade Class

Jonathan Miller, a Charleston native and author/illustrator, visited Palmetto Prep students today to share two books that he has published, The Adventures of Sammy The Wonder Dachshund: Sammy’s Last Week in Charleston and The Adventures of Sammy the Wonder Dachshund: Sammy on Safari.  In the first book, he included landmarks from his hometown of Charleston. In the second book, Sammy goes on an African safari as a part of a job assignment. Mr. Miller uses a special technique to create his illustrations. Each part of each illustration is created out of construction paper and glued together to form the larger picture. The students enjoyed meeting Mr. Miller,  learning about his artwork, listening to him read both of his books, and learning more about what it is like to be an author/illustrator. Look for details about how to purchase these great books coming soon in your child’s PRIDE Notebook!

The students have been anxiously waiting to show their moms just how special they are! Last Friday, they got their chance at our annual Muffins for Mom celebration. The students had prepared special gifts for their mothers. First, they painted a portrait of their mothers using both crayon and watercolor paint. Then, they wrote  Haiku-style poems to accompany their portraits. They finished the project by framing them and wrapping them. We hope the mothers enjoyed receiving their gifts as much as we enjoyed preparing them!

We recently wrapped up our study of immigration and citizenship. To illustrate that the United States is truly a nation of immigrants, the students were asked to do a little research on the origins of their ancestors. Everyone did a nice job gathering and sharing this information.  The students really enjoyed sharing information about their heritage. Take a look at our class  results below!

Class Results

The students have worked hard with Mrs. Ringer over many months learning about different genres of music/periods in history, learning speaking parts, practicing solos, preparing costumes, and walking in a “performance line.” Their hard work sure paid off! Destination America  was a huge success! Congratulations to all of the students on a wonderful performance! A special thank you goes out to the parents for not only making this performance possible but also memorable!

Our class began a new unit on insects last week. We began by learning about the anatomy of an insect. Students learned that insects have three body parts (head, abdomen, and thorax) and six legs. Students then collected insects for observation. Catching insects was not as easy as they expected!We found many “Rolly-Pollies,” but when students observed them closely, they realized that they did not meat the criteria to be called insects. We also discussed ways in which insects can be both helpful and harmful to humans. Students are compiling information about insects in individual insect journals.  We ended the week by making edible insects. A special thanks goes out to Matthew and Dr. Jacques for providing our class with those yummy treats!

Our class has been studying weather. The students have learned the three main components of weather, the steps of the water cycle, basic types of clouds, and tools used to measure different elements of weather. We have also been conducting a weather observation using simple tools including a thermometer as well as a wind gauge and rain gauge that we created as a class. We have explored severe weather conditions and the appropriate actions to take if such conditions arise. Students recently took their knowledge of weather into the computer lab to create PowerPoint presentations. Students worked in pairs to create presentations outlining the basics of weather. Students learned to create a presentation, change the slide design (background, font style,  font size, etc.), and to add pictures. Students put their presentation skills to the test by showcasing their work in front of their classmates.  The students did a fantastic job working cooperatively and learning the applications of a new Microsoft program! Check out the presentations using the links below!

Weather PowerPoint by Julia and Eli

Weather PowerPoint by Nicholas and Karina

Weather PowerPoint by Shivam and Cole

Weather PowerPoint by Clara and Matthew

Weather PowerPoint by Anna and Kevyn

As we have been studying United States history over the past few weeks, we took some time to discuss the office of the Presidency. Students created booklets entitled “If I Were President.”  In the booklets, students reveal things that they would do if they were the leaders of the United States including what they would eat, where they would travel, who they would help, laws they would pass, etc.  The students really enjoyed this activity and they all did a great job! They will be displayed outside our classroom soon. Come by and check them out!

Throughout the year, our class has been using the steps of the Writing Process which includes prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Students are now learning to revise and edit their writing with a little help from their friends! Students recently completed a creative writing assignment in which they had to write an entertaining story starting with a given prompt. Students  shared their writing with a classmate in order to obtain suggestions for revisions and/or editing.  The students did a great job working cooperatively, providing helpful advice to their peers, and receiving helpful hints from their classmates!

Congratulations to the second graders for earning enough links on their compliment chain to have a “half way treat” last Friday. Each time students are given a compliment on their behavior as a class from an adult in the building, they earn a paper link. So far, the students have earned 17 links (to the half way mark).  The students voted and they decided that they wanted to wear their regular clothes (no uniforms) and have an ice cream snack. Now students are busy planning the treat that they will get when they earn enough links to complete the chain. It won’t be long!

We recently began learning about westward expansion as part of our study of United States history.  We reviewed the thirteen original colonies and discussed how over time, people known as pioneers began to move West to find other opportunities for their families. Students learned about what life was like for pioneers traveling West. We created small versions of covered wagons. We also taped off a section of floor in our classroom that was about the size of a covered wagon. Once students had an idea of what their travels as pioneers would be like, they each wrote a list (a “Pioneer Packing List”) that told what they would bring on such a trip and why.  We also explored jobs that were typically assigned to children these trips. It did not take long for students to discover that their lives are much easiesr than those of pioneer children!