IN 2nd GRADE at FOLGER, FURTHER INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS FOR GREEN LESSONS TO TAKE ON A WHOLE NEW LEVEL. ADDITIONALLY, THEIR ANNUAL SPRING TRIP, TRANSFORMS THEM INTO ACTIVE ENVIRONMENTALISTS. IT'S CLEAR THAT THESE STUDENTS CONTINUE TO ADVANCE TO NEW HEIGHTS AND MAKE CONNECTIONS TO THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND THEM IN DIVERSE AND MEANINGFUL WAYS, INSPIRING THEM TO TAKE ACTION INDEPENDENTLY TOO.
the perfect tree
2nd graders were called upon to use their imagination and pretend to be a member of the tree community. The class then went outside to investigate further what life as a member of the tree community entails. Specifically, students wrote down questions they would have depending upon what they were pretending to be. The samples provided illustrate that students envisioned themselves as a bird and a squirrel. Later students conducted research about what life is truly like and the end result was a writing piece comparing and contrasting life, real and imagined.
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recycle app
Using technology not only brings our students into the twenty first century but also saves paper in the classroom! The second grade students participated in a lesson in which they had to consider "green" problems such as littering, cutting down trees, and recycling in our community. Together, they discussed possible solutions to the conflicts and what we, as members of a global community, can do to help. The students then worked to design an app that would help decrease the effect of the problem by promoting awareness in our school.
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Habitats
Studying animal habitats gest quite interesting when 2nd graders are tasked with building a habitat out of recyclables based upon the research they conducted and non-fictions works they read. This kind of hands-on activity brings concepts to life as they discuss animals and what they need to survive and thrive. The added layer of using items that would have otherwise been put in the trash or recyclable bins brings a renewed appreciation of caring for our own habitat as environmental stewards.
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Smithsonian environmental
research center
2nd graders make a trek to the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center every year and while fewer than 20 miles from the school, it's like stepping into a whole new world. Here students engage in a bounty of hands-on lessons that connect them to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed in which they all live. Specific lessons include:
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2+2=Green!
Every 2nd grader needs to learn about measurement and units of measure. At Folger, that's a perfect time to get outside! In fact, the school grounds were integral to the learning process for this lesson when students were asked to determine where they should build their “snowball” fort. The students had to measure the distance using meters and centimeters from 3 different locations: flat ground, up a hill, and down the hill. They re-used paper to create their “snowballs” and had a ball getting outside to experience this lesson in action!
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