Social Studies

**Incorporating All Content Areas

                This year, our curriculum will be centered around COMMUNITY and this quote: 

                      "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."                                                                                                                                             Margaret Mead

Social Studies is uniquely designed for second-grade students to learn about our local community.  The goal is to make real-world connections, core to learning, structured collaboration, and student-driven.  The overarching goal is that each unit allows students to learn about and share what they have learned through projects, showing their more profound understanding of the content.  With that said, what will this look like in our high-ability classroom?  Steve Jobs stated, "If you are working on something exciting you care about, you don't have to be pushed.  The vision pulls you."  When my crew steps into the Diner daily, I hope to have the energy to learn, as I have never had before. 

We will kick off each unit of study with a community-focused topic. Within each topic, they will answer four to five questions to better understand how they fit into our community.  The first week is the kick-off week, with a basic foundation of background knowledge presented.  Then, for the following weeks, there is a new question to research that helps bring that topic into focus. They will take this new knowledge each week and write a paragraph for each question.  Then, at the end of each unit, they will share this knowledge with a project. 

The final goal is for students to walk away with much more awareness and understanding of the world they are traveling through.  Along the way, there will be research, debate, conversations, collaboration, productive failure, minds changed, and ultimately, a greater understanding that life looks different from various perspectives.

My crew will focus on feathering out the Social Studies questions and have the opportunity to take on a role as a part of the unit we are studying.  The best part?  They truly look at their world with new eyes.  The goal is always to see all angles of a situation and support your thinking and that of others. 

Units of Study

• 1. Our Community 

  2. Citizenship in Our Community 

  3. Change in Our Community 

  4. Our World Community

Science (Class Play)

I am, by nature, extremely curious and wonder a lot.  Science is a big part of my life, and I genuinely want my students to develop that inquisitive view of the world.  Cultivating curiosity is the core of the experiences I create in the Diner.  Science in our classroom is an interactive space with various learning tools: fiction and nonfiction books, demonstrations, labs, sensory tubs, being there experiences, art, and class plays; as with all subjects in our day, literacy is a big part of researching and learning in science.  STEAM projects are also a part of this year.  Science is an authentic space for true collaboration with classmates.

The class plays are designed to enhance what we are learning in science in a fun and engaging way.  They are humorous scripts, lively songs, and incredibly interactive.  The plays are an excellent way to firm up the vocabulary we are learning.  Play Performance Days are simply the best!

Units of Study

• • 1st 9 Weeks:  Nature Finds (Earthworms Make America Great play)

  • 2nd 9 Weeks:  Habitats, Ecosystems, and Biomes (Biomes play)

  • 3rd 9 Weeks:  Earth's Systems (Geology Rocks play)

  • 4th 9 Weeks:  ABCs of Science (Animals, Herbs, and Activities)

C.L.A.S.S.

(Connected Learning Assures Successful Students)

Our Yearlong Theme is:  Community

        Every nine weeks, we will be connecting our learning with four overarching CONCEPTS:

• • 1st 9 Weeks:  Component 1:  Development

  • 2nd 9 Weeks:  Component 2:  Dependence

  • 3rd 9 Weeks:  Component 3:  Change

  • 4th 9 Weeks:  Component 4:  Purpose