All GATE projects are completed during class except Science Fair Projects (5th grade required / optional for all other grade levels) and Invention Fair Projects (4th grade only / required).
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Second Grade Projects found here.
To view our Second Grade Project List "Click" the link above. To read our monthly blog select the drop down arrow of the month you would to view. To see our photos select from the albums below.
Extra Support
Any help to support our classroom is greatly appreciated, please refer to our Wish List page on the website for our current classroom needs.
Enrichment Activities
Please refer to our Links & Resource page in the drop down menu for enrichment resources.
December
December
Snowflake Engineering
Snowflake Engineering
In our upcoming session, our students will take on an exciting challenge that blends art and rigorous engineering: creating intricate, three-dimensional snowflakes from stacked paper bags. While it may look decorative, this activity is an intensive, hands-on investigation into geometric symmetry and structural stability. Students must first act as designers, carefully planning intricate patterns that rely on radial balance to unfold correctly. Then, they become engineers, testing the principles of adhesion and structural load by precisely gluing multiple layers of paper. The successful execution of this project demands precision, focus, and leadership as students must guide their hands to make complex, symmetrical cuts through up to ten layers of paper simultaneously. The resulting 3D structure is a beautiful testament to their ability to apply mathematical rigor to creative design and achieve a complex, stable form.
November
November
GATE Science Fair
Get ready to be amazed by the next generation of scientific thinkers! Our GATE Students have diligently embraced the challenge of the Science Fair Project, demonstrating curiosity, critical thinking, and research skills—all completed at home. Following the rigorous steps of the Scientific Method, each student has devised a testable scientific question, conducted their investigation to collect and analyze data, and meticulously prepared a detailed Science Board as a powerful visual guide to their journey of discovery. Beyond the physical display, they've honed their communication skills by recording an informative video presentation, already uploaded to Google Classroom. We invite you to witness this impressive showcase of logic and evidence-based learning as our students present their findings in person. Join us at the Jane Phillips Elementary School Gym on November 11th from 5:30 PM to 6:00 PM. This is a fantastic opportunity to support our brilliant young scientists, view their impressive work, and be inspired by the projects that may even go on to the District Science Fair! We can't wait to see you there!
All About Me
This month, our 2nd-grade GATE students are immersing themselves in foundational digital literacy and presentation skills through the "All About Me!" Digital Presentation Project. Using a structured template, students are learning to effectively use Google Slides to organize personal information across slides covering their family, favorite things, and even their favorite pets or stuffed animals. A major component involves using a digital drawing application like Doodle Buddy to create and then insert their own self-portrait, which teaches valuable skills in file management and integrating digital art. Students are also practicing navigating Google Classroom to access and successfully submit their completed work. This project culminates in an in-class presentation, giving every student the opportunity to practice public speaking—articulating their information clearly and confidently—while mastering essential tools for their future academic success.
Balloons Over Broadway
Get ready for an incredibly engaging and dynamic project as our students kick off their "Balloons Over Broadway" challenge! We began by stepping into the world of float design, using the Promethean Board to share the inspiring book Balloons Over Broadway and analyze footage of the spectacular Macy's Day Parade. This foundational research sets a real-world context for their task: teams must combine Art, Engineering, and Coding to build their own parade floats. Using balloons, straws, and tape, students will act as engineers, designing a stable, lightweight rig to attach their creative balloon to their Dash robot. Finally, the team's Lead Coders will program the robot using the Wonder Workshop App to navigate a precise sequence of turns, stops, and speeds required to complete our very own parade around the school square. This exercise is a fantastic test of design-thinking, structural problem-solving, and coding precision—a perfect blend of technical skill and creative execution!
October
October
Chihuly Art & Writing Project
During the month of October we are working on our Chihuly Art & Writing Project, this interdisciplinary unit is inspired by the celebrated American glass artist, Dale Chihuly. The goal is for students to combine artistic expression with descriptive writing. First, students learned about Chihuly’s colorful, organic sculptures and then chose a personal theme (like a favorite season or place). They used permanent markers to decorate plastic plates with vibrant colors representing that theme. The plates were then reshaped by Mr. Rhoades to mimic Chihuly's abstract glass forms and assembled by the students using wire hooks to create a unique 3D hanging sculpted ornament. Finally, the students worked on their descriptive writing skills by drafting, editing, and typing a paragraph explaining how the colors, shapes, and movement in their sculpture successfully represent their chosen theme, which will be mounted and sent home for display. The students also created another hanging sculpted ornament for our classroom tree.
Pumpkin Science
The students participated in a comprehensive, leadership-focused STEAM activity that transformed pumpkins into multi-faceted learning tools. Throughout the session, they acted as scientists by dissecting the pumpkin, investigating its life cycle, and testing its density; as engineers by designing a catapult to launch a candy pumpkin and problem-solving the best methods for opening and scraping the gourds; and as technologists by using tablets, stopwatches, and digital scales for data collection and even digitally carving a pumpkin on a Promethean board. Furthermore, they honed their mathematical skills through measuring circumference, estimating weight and seed count, and discussing fractions, while also applying artistic observation by sketching the pumpkin's structure and exploring its texture and color. This interdisciplinary approach, coupled with strong group collaboration and leadership, ensured smooth transitions and a rich, hands-on learning experience.
Chess at GATE
All GATE students have the exciting opportunity to learn and play chess, which acts as a fantastic training ground for the brain. This activity is far more than just a game; it is a powerful way to develop essential STEAM skills and build the concentration and problem-solving abilities used by scientists and engineers every day.
September
September
This month second grade will be working with critical thinking activities such Gravity Maze, Scramble Squares Puzzles, Get My Car Out, Cube Burst, Q-Bitz, Q-Bitz Extreme, Logic Links, Batik, Perplexors, and Set.
We will be using Venn Diagrams while learning to classify living and non-living objects by specific traits that they possess. Students will gain understanding why classification is important to the scientific community. And how some animal traits can help protect the species by using camouflage to hide.
Students will be introduced to the game of Chess. They will learn the pieces and how each piece can move and develop strategies to help them play.
Students will participate in our digital citizenship unit to learn internet safety. Students will complete the Interland lesson "Be Internet Awesome" to help them learn how to use the internet safely.
Also we will be introducing the GATE Science Fair which is optional for second grade students. We will cover the Scientific Method, rules, partners vs. team members, resources, and video examples of former GATE students projects. The assignment and resources can be accessed through Google Classroom.
Thank you for everything you do to enrich and support the educational journey of your gifted child! Please send us an email if you have questions throughout the year.
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