Student Activity

Our class is still going strong as we finish out the school year!  On reflection, I am very proud of our students this year.  There has been an incredible amount of thinking, teamwork, goal setting, risk taking, and other behaviors that have led to a highly successful community of learners in Mrs. Pelkey's Second Grade.  Those who were afraid to make mistakes, now see them as a stepping stone toward learning. Those whose only vision was that of their own, now embrace cooperative learning.  And those who did not know their part in the world have come to understand their unique intelligence.  All this and more are reasons to be proud!

Of course this doesn't happen by accident.  Our students are fortunate to belong to a community that fosters learning.  They belong to families who support their needs, both in education and personal growth.  We are surrounded by our Core Values: respect, responsibility, honesty, and kindness.  When the adults in our lives follow these same values, the children just bloom with character!  It is through modeling great values and promoting great thinking that you (the families) have guided our students to live life with the most positive character and to challenge themselves in their learning.  For that, I thank you all!

Below are some photos that reflect how we finished out the month of May and began the month of June:

Following the process of interview, drafting, editing, typing, and
illustrating; our Biographies came out fabulous!

Our Animal Research Projects are amazing! The photos above show the ones on display.  Others chose to create their project electronically.  It is wonderful to see the many different ways that students chose to demonstrate their learning!  We had  interactive display boards, dioramas, posters, nonfiction books, and electronic presentations.  Student choice on topic and presentation really led to many actively engaged students!

What do you get when you combine a plastic cup, a balloon, and mini marshmallows?  Marshmallow Launchers, of course!  Estimation, hypotheses, and measurement all rounded out the fun of launching marshmallows for height and distance.  

I guess she was all done launching!

Everyone turned on Mr. Dale at the end of the session!

Moose Point State Park brought us opportunities to explore some of Maine's offerings.  The rocky coast brought us small crabs and other sea findings, the wooded hiking trails boasts several types of trees and plants - including a very large spruce tree, and the grassy field lent itself to games of tag and ball.  The park also has a shaded playground, picnic tables, and a gazebo.  If you have not been there with your family, I highly recommend that you add it to your list of things to do this summer!