Geometry

 Second grade students have recently been exploring geometry using special shapes called Pentominoes.  Pentominoes are five equally shaped squares put together in different configuration to create 12 types of shapes. We’ve used pentominoes to explore translations, transformations and rotations.  We’ve also used them to figure out line and rotational symmetry.  Currently we are working on perimeter and area.

Syracuse Local History

Time Travel at The New School

To introduce our Local History unit all the children at The New School were sent home a different historical postcard of a Syracuse scene. The postcards were dated from the 1920's to 1930's. Using Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), students were asked to look at the postcard and list as many different things going on in the postcard. Next they were asked to consider what made them say that?

Parents were asked to take their child(ren) to the site depicted in the postcard  and take a modern day photograph of the site from the same exact perspective. While at the site the children made notes about what is the same and what is different about the area. What changed over time?

At school, one by one, each child presented what they learned to the whole school community. As the location of the postcard was identified on a large map of Syracuse the students soon noticed that nearly all the postcards were of places located in the heart of the city. They were all "public places, like train stations, post offices, and shops."

Valentine's Day

Nothing like Valentines to challenge us to transform a shopping bag into a favorite animal.

13 Colonies

     After studying the early explorers to the New World we turned our attention to the people who decided to settle in the New World - the early colonists.

     Each student was assigned one of the 13 colonies to research the answers to a number of questions.  First they had to learn where the early settlers came from and when.  Where did they first settle? What native people did they find living there? What were the interactions between the early settlers and native tribes? Who were the leaders?  How were they appointed? What was the land like, and what became the main economy of the colony.     

     Using words and pictures students created a poster to advertise and encourage people to come to their colony. Their poster had grab our attention, be persuasive, celebrate the good things about the colony and make us want to live there. Finally their posters had to present accurate information.