How can you tell if it's symmetrical?

How can you tell if something is symmetrical?

Ask your child and they will tell you that something is symmetrical 

if it's the same on both sides!

You can tell just by looking sometimes, but there is a special tool

we used in the classroom, called a mirra that can help you 

be sure about symmetry.  

Investigating using a mirra...

The ruler acts as the line of symmetry and the students built

symmetrical designs around the line of symmetry.

'It's got to be the same on both sides...'

Sorting picture cards into pictures with a line of symmetry and 

pictures with no line of symmetry.

After reading a story called, It Looked Like Spilt Milk, the 

students spilled some 'milk' on a blue paper and created 

amazing symmetrical designs (click on the link

below to read the story).  Check back in a few days to see

what we do with these amazing pictures!!

Click here to read the story

Stay tuned for the results of our 'Spilt Milk' symmetry...

Animal Adaptation Scoot

As we wrap up our science unit on Animals, the students participated in an activity called 

'The Adaptation Scoot'.  There were 14 stations, each station focused on a different animal adaptation.  The students read about the adaptation or looked at a picture that illustrated an adaptation and they had to use the word bank to name the animal adaptation.

Some of the adaptations from the activity were night vision, camouflage, 

poison bite, large ears, etc. 

What if you lived in an Easter Egg?

Paragraph Writing

The students have been working hard learning how to write a good paragraph!

First, each student designed an Easter egg, using the polygons we are learning about in math.

Next, they brainstormed ideas of what life would be like if they lived in an Easter egg.

Then, each student began writing their paragraph.  They followed the same format that you have seen on your child's Read for Fun, Write for Fun book.  

Finally, their paragraphs were printed out and hung up in the classroom with their beautifully designed Easter egg!

I have been soooooo impressed with your child's progress in writing!  These paragraphs are AMAZING!

Math Centers - 2-Dimensional Shapes

Learning Goal: To learn the geometric properties of polygons

Ask your child what a polygon is and they should be able to tell you that a 

polygon is a closed figure made out of straight lines.  They have been learning 

specifically about the square, triangle, rectangle, rhombus, trapezoid, 

hexagon, and the octagon.  Take a look at what they have been doing each afternoon!

  

The green cards tells them what to build on their geoboard...

This is a card game called 'How is it the same?'

They have to tell how their polygon is the same as the target polygon.

At this center, each student was asked to design a toy for our

Grade 2 Toy Catalog that will be published next week.

Hanging out with Hexagons!

How do the other polygons relate to a hexagon?

Try it to find out.

Math Project

'Math Projects' are problem solving questions that the students participate in during each unit.  I call them 'math projects' because I want the students to think of these questions as something that will take some time to complete.  The questions are meant to be a challenge, to make them think.  These questions usually have more than one answer so different students will arrive at a correct answer in one of many possible ways.  We discuss that the answer might not come to you right away...you might have to try different things, use different supplies or manipulatives to help you.  The students did especially well at this math project and were able to solve it quickly using many different ideas!

I have three polygons in my bag.  Altogether they have 13 sides.  What polygons do I have?
 

Way to go!