We have had a very busy couple of weeks what with field trips, winter concerts, a musical and sports day! We are all ready for our winter break to reinvigorate our bodies and minds. I hope you are all looking forward to either an adventure or a relaxing time with your family.

This week we have finished up our length measurement by participating in some investigations: finding and estimating objects which are about 10cm long in the classroom, then checking our accuracy and another one where we had to use two different types of measurement: length and time. We had to figure out which path was fastest for a snail to get to its food – it was a challenging task which involved multi-step problem solving concepts; the students worked together to find the solution.

At the beginning of the week, we took our books outside to read in the farm and enjoy the sounds of nature around us while we read. It was an enjoyable experience which we hope to repeat in the new year while the weather permits.

Our writing journals have filled up and it’s has been exciting to see the growth in writing which has occurred. Some students are consistently writing their own ideas and I hope that more students will join in using their life experiences as a basis for personal writing. Perhaps your child would like to continue this trend over the holiday and keep a journal of their experiences to which they could add photographs or drawings?

Our UOI: Sharing the planet, also concluded this week with the students’ presentations of their habitats. All of grade 2 presented to each other so we were able to hear about a variety of animals and their habitats. Once the presentations were completed, each student then used their rubric to assess themselves on their diorama. This is an important part of an IB education, in which all of us reflect on our learning and consider what changes we might make to improve upon our learning.

The students performed beautifully at the winter concert and were very proud of themselves, their representation of grade 2 and their performance.

I wish you all a safe and happy holiday!

Please see this week’s photos here.