The Cooper School Daily

Science Fair Discoveries

Vocabulary

Each week in vocabulary the students investigate six new words so they can develop a deeper understanding of each word. The words are introduced in the context of a story and continue to be discussed throughout the week. Students study these words by illustrating pictures, looking-up synonyms, and even acting them out. One way, Second Graders review each vocabulary word is through a game called “Padoodle.” This is a game where students make up a sentence using the vocabulary word but replace the word with “Padoodle.” The rest of the class then guesses which vocabulary word fits best in that sentence. Besides the silliness of the name, “Padoodle” gives students the opportunity to creatively explore how the word is used in various contexts.

Science Fair

Second Grade students were thrilled to take a look at the Upper Elementary Science Fair projects! They enjoyed exploring the different experiments and hearing more about the projects from Fifth Grade “experts”. Students learned that light can be powered by the acidity in fruit, non-alcoholic hand sanitizers are more effective than others, and salt crystals grow more rapidly than sugar crystals. We even learned which fire logs are eco-friendly and burn the longest! The Second Graders were interested in it all!

Empathy

Second Graders continued examining empathy this week. They discussed what empathy would look like during recess, lunch, and movement. They concluded there were several ways to show their classmates empathy during these times. One example discussed was waiting for a buddy while they finished eating so they didn’t feel lonely. Other lessons, such as being happy for the other team when they win “Capture the Flag,” was harder for them to do at first. However through practice and role-playing, this collaborative group of Second Graders was able to show their empathy to others, even if it seemed like a challenge at first.

Important Dates

Monday, March 7th                         Early Dismissal at 11:30 – Student-Led Conferences

Tuesday, March 8th                        Early Dismissal at 11:30 – Student-Led Conferences

Thursday, March 17th                    Study Trip JICP – Climbing Wall