What a day!! Day 176 out of 180 days for this group of 2W friends to be together, and today we celebrated!!!
Now let me back this up... what are buttons... a button jar?
On day one, we had a button jar where random, unexpected buttons would be awarded based on acts of kindness, caring acts of friendship, friends taking responsibility, or even when a student takes a risk... increases their learning by making a mistake, but persevering until a problem is solved!!
Now, that's really learning!! To start this special day of celebrating, students chose activities that they would like to do together... and voted!
Winning votes included sponge tag, extra recess, and ice cream sundaes!!! Well done! But, Ms. W had a few surprises, and the first one that started our day was a button treasure hunt!
Working in teams... reading clues.... hunting for buttons throughout our school, and collecting keepsakes... button style! What an adventure!!
And what a way to reflect on some of the great times in our second grade year together! Next up, on this beautiful Monday morning... sponge tag!
Running in the grass while tagging friends with soggy sponges on a warm sunny day! What fun!
After sponge tag, we tried a little "duck, duck sponge"... a lot like duck duck goose... but with a soggy wet, sponge filled with water!! Let the games begin!! Soon after our beautiful morning together hunting for buttons and cooling off with some sponge tag it was time for an afternoon with sundaes!!
That's right!! Ice cream sundaes and some favorite toppings provided by all our button party participants!
What could be better while noshing on ice cream sundaes than watching Mary Poppins! A movie made from a book we just read together at read aloud!
Awesome day, spectacular weather, caring sweet second grade friends, and one great celebration!
Well done second grade!!! Outstanding!
So, another last day... for the books! 2014 was truly a special year with so many wonderful students! We learned so much this year...
In reading we compared fiction and nonfiction, historical fiction and realistic fiction! We learned to write like experts, to teach, lab reports, personal narratives with a great hook and compelling, emotional endings! In math... where do I begin?
Place value, expanding numbers, fractions, problem solving, time and money problems, measurement... and especially thinking!!! Holding on to numbers in our heads... and working to solve problems using number patterns!
We also learned how to persevere through a problem or situation... how to have the stamina required to solve a problem... how to EARN and feel the satisfaction that comes along with thinking and problem solving!! WOW!
Goodbyes didn't come easy today... as we reflected together, many students were happy, though some were feeling ambivalent. Not quite ready to say good bye, and let it all come to an end.
Each and every one of these students have worked hard and are prepared for their next chapter... third grade! But have a happy summer first!
Make sure to include lots of play, and fun, and even some reading and thinking... puzzles and games... into each day! Well done second graders!! So very proud of you all!!
