It is hard to believe the first nine weeks of school have already come and gone. The monarch butterflies we raised have been making their way to Mexico and we will continue to study the life cycles of other animals. The students are also working on the skills needed for science inquiry- asking good questions, designing their own experiments and improving their observation skills. In math, we are currently learning about geometry, which has involved a lot of fun hands-on activities. As the weather changes, we will begin to talk about how scientists track changes in the weather from day to day.

We are happy to be back at school after Winter Break. Last week, we shared the ebooks we made about animals native to Western North Carolina. This is a project we started when we went to the Nature Center in the fall. Through this project, we learned about note taking, categorizing information and using nonfiction text features. We enjoyed sharing these with our family and friends. We are excited to launch another writing project soon. In the coming month, we will begin a science unit on sound and learn about the Iditarod race. We keep weaving the theme of snow into our classroom, in the hope that we will actually get some snow before Spring comes!

We have just completed a two-month unit called Dr. Bob's Sound School. Asheville City Schools partnered with the Moog Foundation to create ten science lessons that develop students' understanding of sound, which is part of essential science standards. The unit culminated with a performance at the Orange Peel. All the students in second grade at Dickson performed an original song they created with our artist in residence, Jonathan Santos. The opportunity was provided by the Asheville City Schools Foundation, through a TAPAS grant. We worked with Burton Street Recording who engineered the track for our music. This opportunity was provided by LEAF in Schools. It was an awesome experience to share what we have learned and to perform for parents and others in the community.

We have been using the My Create app to make stop animation movies. We are currently making movies to compare and contrast hinge joints and ball and socket joints. This assignment it part of our study of the human body. Making these movies requires lots of planning, cooperation and patience. We hope to be sharing some of our work soon!

All month, students have been involved in pumpkin investigations. Currently, students are conducting experiments to determine which conditions will cause a piece of pumpkin to decompose faster. They have been using their understanding of plants and soil to develop creative and thoughtful hypotheses. They are also using Venn diagrams to compare and contrast pumpkins and other edible gourds and squashes.

In a multiage classroom, it's all about identifying the big ideas. We are currently focusing on life cycles; animal and plant life cycles. We have already launched this unit by observing the milkweed patch on our school campus. We harvested monarch eggs and are observing their life cycle. Students are learning about the important role of the milkweed plant and how it is adapted to meet its own needs. We will participate in Monarch Watch through Kansas University because our monarchs will be tagged when released for their migration to Mexico. Through this work, students are also learning how to observe closely, draw like a scientist, record data, and ask questions. These are necessary skills in the field of science, but can also be transferred to other content areas.

Through music and technology, students developed an in-depth understanding of the science of sound. Students learned that vibrating objects produce sound and that sound can be described in terms of pitch, which may be higher or lower. Students also learned how the human body produces and hears sound. Through a TAPAS grant from the Asheville City Schools Foundation, students had the opportunity to synthesize new learning and relate what they learned about sound to their everyday experiences in the natural world. The second graders worked with local puppeteer, Lisa Sturz, to create a shadow puppet show about soundscapes. In order to better understand the creative process, students developed a script, designed and created a puppet, recorded a soundtrack, and learned the basics of puppet manipulation. They worked with our Music Specialist, Jennifer Fowler, to create the soundtrack that accompanied their narration. Finally, students were able to perform their puppet show for the school community during Experience Dickson night and the Asheville Ciry Schools community during the Sound School Showcase at The Orange Peel. This work promoted collaboration and highlighted an integrated approach to learning, which is central to our magnet theme of experiential education.