Welcome, Richneck Raccoons! Below are some learning games that you can play with friends and family.
To have some fun with 3-D shape riddles, click on "FLASHCARDS" above. Each riddle card is followed by the answer card. Just click on "NEXT" when you are ready to see the answer.
At the bottom of this page, you will find some links that can help you share the world of second grade learning with your family by taking them on Internet fieldtrips. Have fun and remember that learning is even more fun when you can share it!
Some of the links take you to sites we have visited or will visit in school. There may be directions telling you to write down what you learn. You don't need to do this when you visit the sites from home, unless you want to! Some of the sites may teach you about things you have not learned in school yet; these sites will give you a peek at what you will be learning later this year! (The Trackstar site that I used to create Internet fieldtrips for you has been having some difficulty lately. If the Trackstar sites don't open for you, try some other sites today and go back to Trackstar another day.)
Hypothesis Game 1
Listen Like a Bat!
Try this experiment.
You will need a book and one person to work with you.
First hold the book open in front of your partner while his or her eyes are closed. You are going to hold the book in two different positions, one close to your partner and one farther away. Each time the book is in position, say,"Now." Then your partner calls out, "Hello, hello!"
Your partner then hypothesizes. Was the book closer the first time or the second time? Ask how he or she can tell?
Now switch jobs!
Research "echolocation" to find out more about how this experiment relates to bats!
Hypothesis Game 2
The Shape Bag Game
Try the Shape Bag game at home with your family!
Collect things around your home that have the three-dimensional shapes we have been studying. (Make sure they are not sharp or dangerous to touch when you are not looking at them! Get permission from an adult to use the items.) Shapes to look for include spheres, cylinders, cubes, rectangular prisms, cones, and pyramids.
Put the items into a cloth bag or pillow case. Player 1 pulls out an item with his or her eyes closed, feels it, hypothesizes about the name of the shape, and explains the reasons for his or her hypothesis. Then Player 2 gets to try!
Hypothesis Game 3
Pass the Heat
One player closes his or her eyes. The other holds a rock in both hands for a full minute. Then that rock is put in one hand of the child whose eyes are closed, and another rock is put in the child’s other hand. The child hypothesizes, answering the following questions. Which rock do you think was held? Why do you think so? Then players switch jobs.
Below are some ways to have creative fun! Enjoy!
3-D Shape Play!
Room 8 Seals, you have been doing a nice job drawing 3-D shapes. Here is a drawing and writing activity that suits your talents!
Draw 3-D shapes to create your own character. If you don't draw too many separate pieces, you should be able to draw your character again and again. By moving parts a little, you can show your character doing different things. Can you show your character running? Dancing? Sitting? Sleeping?
You can write a story about your character and illustrate your story.
Another interesting thing to do with these characters is to work with a friend. Work together to draw pictures of your characters doing things together.
Another Drawing and Writing Activity for Friends
(This activity is fun for friends ranging in age from 5 to 95!)
Create-A-Character
Work with one or two partners to draw a person. Draw one part. (I suggest starting with an oval that will be the outline of the face.) Then pass the paper to the next person to draw another part. Keep taking turns until you can't think of anything else to add. (Look at each other for ideas. Did you remember to add ears? Eyebrows? Socks? Shoe laces?)
Work together to name your character and to write a paragraph about her or him. Write what your character looks like. Give details! (You could also write a paragraph about where your character lives, what your character likes to eat, what your character likes to do for fun, what kind of books your character likes to read, etc.)
Put your names on the back of your picture and on the back of your writing.
Once several of these have been done, they can become a mystery game. Other students read the writing about a character and use the details to help them guess which picture goes with this description.
If your picture is detailed and your writing is detailed, the people who play the game should be able to make good hypotheses. (Remember that a hypothesis is a guess based on knowledge. You need to give people information or they can't hypothesize--all they can do is guess, and, when people just guess without having any reason for their choice, they are likely to be wrong.)
A Writing and Drawing Activity for Friends
Creature Feature
Work with one or two partners. Pretend that you were out playing when suddenly a strange creature was in front of you.
Write a sentence that describes the creature. Then pass the paper to the next person, who writes another sentence describing the creature. (If you are working with a young friend, your friend may dictate a sentence to you on his or her turn.) Keep on taking turns until the front of the paper is full. After that, any player who wants to may write the closing sentence on his or her turn.
Work together to draw a picture of your creature on a separate piece of paper. Make sure your picture matches the description. Put your names on the back of the description and on the back of the picture.
Once several of these have been done, the pictures and descriptions can become a mystery game. Other students read the description and then think about it and look for details in order to decide which is the matching picture.
Some Favorite Links:
Long Ago and Far Away This Internet fieldtrip takes students to China and Egypt. After you click on the link, you will need to click on VIEW IN FRAMES.
Habitat Field Trip Explore different habitats and discover the plants and animals that live there. (You will need to click on VIEW IN FRAMES.)
First (Native) Americans Explore this site to find information, to use charts and maps, to view some great children's projects, and to test yourself. (You will need to click on VIEW IN FRAMES.)
Math Play This track will take you to sites where you can play with Egyptian numerals, practice telling time by using clocks which are artistic masterpieces created by second graders, and work with a crazy pattern machine to finish pattern after pattern. These are some of my favorite math sites! I think you will have fun with them! (You will need to click on VIEW IN FRAMES.)
Exploring Weather This is a fun, informative, and interactive Internet fieldtrip. You will need to click on VIEW IN FRAMES.
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives This is a wonderful place to play with math toys!!! Click on the chart to pick a level and a topic. Then click on an activity. (To get directions, click on the question mark. You may want an adult to help you try the activities the first time.)
Money Play and Practice This teacher-made track takes you to my favorite money sites. (Click on VIEW IN FRAMES.)
Language Arts Fun and Practice Come here to read fun stories (Between the Lions Stories) and to read and think about real people and things (cloze reading comprehension practice). This teacher-made track also takes you to games that will help you become a grammar and spelling expert! (You will need to click on VIEW IN FRAMES.)
Above and Beyond Grade 2 Come here to experience history. Make choices. Be a problem solver. Learn how other people handled the same problems in the past. (You may want an adult to help with the reading.)
Jan Brett Home Page Parents, click on Activities Page to find a long list of free things to print out such as addition, subtraction, or letter sound (phonogram) flashcards. High frequency word lists are also available, along with craft activities and other fun and useful items, all beautifully illustrated!
Life Cycles This track includes good information, great photographs, and sequencing activities to help children learn how plants and animals grow and change. (You will need to click on VIEW IN FRAMES.)
Habitats and Biomes See the world! Visit different biomes and learn about the animals living in them.
Keeping Our Earth Healthy This track offers fun games and art projects that help children remember to keep our earth clean and to save resources by reusing and recycling. (You will need to click on VIEW IN FRAMES.)
Where in the World? Practice finding continents and oceans on the world map in this geography game.
Fun, Fun Exercise for Brains Puzzles, matching games, math practice, and more! (This is a great place to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division if no one is available to help you with flashcards.)
Sentence Builder Choose from given words to make a sentence; then see it in action!
Education Gateways makes no warranty for SchoolNotes.com.
Information on this site is generated by the users. The views
expressed are not necessarily those of Education Gateways or its members, and
Education Gateways is not responsible for user's conduct on SchoolNotes.com.
