Hello, Second and Third Grade Families,

Thank you for celebrating Chinese New Year with us! The children worked hard to memorize their song and dance, and they were proud to share it with their families. Each Grades class brought something artistic and creative to the Lunar New Year performance; it was wonderful to see each class’s progression in Mandarin. Thank you also for attending our Parent Conferences last week. It was a joy to share all of the progress the children have made this year. 

Last week, we began our seventh block, which covers Measurement, Time, and Money. We started our block by looking at non-standard units of measurement, which is a measurement that is not commonly accepted or standardized. The children used their hands, fingers, and feet to measure objects in the room. They used their bodies to measure the length of the hallway. The children began to notice that while they were measuring the same objects and distances, their results were different. This led to a conversation on standard units of measurement, such as centimeters, inches, feet, yards, and miles.

On Wednesday, the children learned more about the mile and were challenged to imagine what a mile looks like. The children guessed how many miles they lived from the school, and they talked about how long they might need to walk to reach a mile. After our discussion, the children learned that there are 5,280 feet in a mile. They practiced walking back and forth ten feet in the classroom several times. The class then went outside for a mile-long walk. The children were then instructed to make a tally mark every time they thought they had walked 10 feet. When they made 528 marks, they checked how close they were to a mile. Most students stopped close to .7 miles. The children discussed how they had likely taken steps that were too small. The children were so excited by this activity that they asked if they could try it again and see if they could get closer next time. 

Next week, the class will continue our study of measurement by exploring the concepts of volume, weight, and temperature. On Friday, we will put our measurement skills to practical use as we bake a sweet Valentine's treat to share as a class. Enjoy your Mid-Winter break! 

Announcements and reminders for Second and Third Grade:

Valentine’s Day: As has been our tradition at The Garden School, please save any student card/gift exchanges for play dates off campus. 

• 2/17 - 2/21:  Mid-Winter Break

• 2/24: Teacher In-service: No School

• 3/8: Community Work Day

• 4/4: Half Day - Grandfriend’s Tea 11:00 a.m.

• 4/7 - 4/11: Spring Break (No School)

Warm regards,

Ki Meredith