Blog #19- November 15th, 2019 ➗✖

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Grade 2- Blog #19- November 5-15th

LOOKING BACK
In  UOI last week, we looked through our flip-books at the many examples of conflicts, and we came up with some big categories of conflict (discrimination, not enough resources, being greedy, fighting for power, misunderstandings, and disagreeing about values). Students created skits to act out, and their classmates had to guess which type of conflict they were seeing. We also talked about equal rights, and how many conflicts occur when all people do not have equal rights!
Planning a story about ignoring conflicts.
Writing conflict stories.

Discussing ideas for their conflict story.
Students decide where to stand based on how much they agree or disagree with statements.
Aika decides she is neutral about this idea/ value.
This week, we finally started talking about how we can RESPOND to conflict, which is our central idea. Again, we came up with several main types of responses, including Fight, Ignore, Give Up, Negotiate, Cooperate, and Protest/ Resist. Students thought carefully about the ignoring response, and wrote stories where the characters ignored the conflict they were having. In some cases this helped them, but in many cases this made the problem bigger! Students also had a chance to visit the Grade 5 classroom and observe a Mock UN (United Nations) session. Grade 2 students even had a chance to share their own questions, concerns and ideas about conflicts facing the world today.
United Nations Session in Grade 5!
The "Mock UN" members discuss conflicts.
In math last week, students began to practice skip-counting. We played a game of Walk the Plank, where students had to skip count by bigger and bigger numbers in order to not get eaten by the sharks! We also began solving word problems that required us to draw equal groups to solve. We learned that this is what we call multiplication!

Aika creates her "Array City"
Building arrays





This week, we learned all about arrays. We learned the difference between rows and columns, and practiced using materials, and then whiteboards, to show arrays of different sizes. Students made sure to write down different number sentences to match their arrays. They wrote down repeated addition sentences, multiplication sentences, and even tried writing division sentences! During Parents' Morning, students practiced splitting up people/ objects into smaller groups... and we learned this was called division!
In English, students have been working so hard to build up their persuasive writing skills! They have practiced planning their opinions with a box plan, clearly stating their opinion in a topic sentences, using transition words to move between each part, and including a conclusion to finish their letter on a strong note. This week they have been learning about specific ways to make their argument stronger, such as quoting someone else, sharing a personal experience, or using a counter-argument.

The class plays a plural noun matching game.
                                                                VIP OF THE WEEK
Last week, Kaname shared pictures of her family, herself as a baby, and pictures of her old school before she came to Abroad! She also shared her favorite Sesame Street book, and some special items from home, like a collection of food crafts, and a light-up fidget spinner!
This week Kirato was VIP, and he brought a poster with many awesome drawings of his family, his hobbies, and his likes/ dislikes. He also shared an amazing dinosaur book, and some of the pixel art drawings he has been creating in his free time!


 LOOKING AHEAD
In UOI, we will continue to examine the different ways that people and groups choose to respond to conflicts. We will pay special attention to peaceful protest as we learn how to encourage peace around the world. We will also begin preparing for both our summative assessments, and the science fair occurring the following week.

In math, we will start our next mini-unit around fractions! We will learn what a fraction is, and how to represent various fractions using numbers and using visual strategies in different ways!

In English, we will continue to hone our persuasive writing skills. Students will learn to use more persuasive language, cater to their audience, and build their own author's voice when they write persuasively.

LOOK OUT
(Announcements and Important Dates)
*Grade 2 Term 2 Field Trip: First Week of December (more details soon!)
*Friday, December 20th: (Talent Show-- Students Only) AND Last Day of Term 2!
*Monday, December 23- Friday, January 3rd: Winter Break, No School

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