June 12, 2023-June 20, 2023
Today we will finalize a Slide Show called The Most Awesome Things About Second Grade.  I want each of you to have at least four slides:
Slide 1- The Best Things About 2nd Grade by ___________
Slide 2- My favorite thing this year was __________________
Slide 3- The one thing I will always remember was ___________________________
Slide 4- Something I learned this year was ______________
Slide 5- I Hope You Enjoy 2nd Grade as Much As I Did!
Make sure to include ONE picture in each slide, but you MUST do the writing before inserting your images.  Next year's 2nd graders will be seeing these presentations, so make sure you are doing your best work!

Once I approve your presentation, share it with your teacher.  Then you may have CHOICE!  I hope you enjoy and have a wonderful and safe Summer Vacation!

May 30, 2023-June 16, 2023
Today we will finalize a Slide Show called The Most Awesome Things About Second Grade.  I want each of you to have at least four slides:
Slide 1- The Best Things About 2nd Grade by ___________
Slide 2- My favorite thing this year was __________________
Slide 3- The one thing I will always remember was ___________________________
Slide 4- Something I learned this year was ______________
Slide 5- I Hope You Enjoy 2nd Grade as Much As I Did!
Make sure to include ONE picture in each slide, but you MUST do the writing before inserting your images.  Next years 2nd graders will be seeing these presentations, so make sure you are doing your best work!

Once I approve your presentation, share it with your teacher.  Then you may have choice!

May 15-May 26, 2023

Welcome back to the STEAM Lab!
Today, you will spend the first 15 minutes of the period with keyboarding, using either Typing Pal or Dance Mat Typing or Typing Test. Then you can review a variety of skills including coding and math concepts found at...
Scratch (You can ONLY CREATE, not play a game that has  already been designed)
Fun4the Brain
Typing Games
Math Playground
You may only use the websites listed above- there are many different choices of games found here!

May 8-May 12, 2023

 Today, we are going to learn about a new website called Word Clouds .  Here's how to create a word cloud:

1. Select an image from the choices given. 

2. Think of as many words as you can for that image (at least 15 words).  You will need to delete any extra words that were automatically included.
3. Use Thesaurus.com if you have trouble thinking of words.

3. Choose your colors, fonts, word repeat, etc. 

4. When you are done, you may print your word cloud.

After, you may go to the website Safe Kid Games and play to the end of the period.  Have fun!

April 24-May 5, 2023

Welcome back to the STEAM Lab!
Today, you will spend the first 15 minutes of the period with keyboarding, using either Typing Pal or Dance Mat Typing. Then you can review a variety of skills including coding and math concepts found at...
Scratch (You can ONLY CREATE, not play a game that has  already been designed)
Fun4the Brain
Typing Games
Math Playground
You may only use the websites listed above- there are many different choices of games found here!

April 17-April 21, 2023

Welcome Back from Spring Break!  Every year on April 22nd we celebrate Earth Day.  This is a day for us all to remember that it is our responsibility to do the little things that will help our environment-like turning off the lights or planting trees.  We need to do our best to recycle, reduce and reuse. 

Today, as a group, we will first watch a Brain Pop Jr. video about Earth Day and then we will take a look at how the things that we use can be recycled and reused.  After our discussion, you will be creating a Pixton Comic Strip that has to do with ways that you can take care of the Earth. Use some facts from the following websites...
How to Recycle and
Eco-Kids Corner
Then students will be introduced to Pixton to create a comic strip from the information learned. Go to Pixton at...
2A, 2G and 2M.  This project will take at least two (2) weeks to complete.

April 3-April 7, 2023

This week we will finish our Character Traits projects and print them out once they are shared with me.  You should have your name, picture of yourself taken with PhotoBooth or 4-5 character traits.  Make sure that you do not have any red lines under your words to indicate a spelling mistake. Once done, make sure to SHARE your work with me.  

When done, you can go to any of the educational websites listed below:

Scratch (You can ONLY CREATE, not play a game that has  already been designed)
Fun4the Brain
Typing Games
Math Playground
Digipuzzle- Spring

Week of March 27- March 31, 2023

This week will take a break from our Character Trait project using PhotoBooth and Google Drawing.  Today, you can choose from any of the educational games listed below:

Scratch (You can ONLY CREATE, not play a game that has  already been designed)
Fun4the Brain
Typing Games
Math Playground
Digipuzzle- Spring

Week of March 6- March 24, 2023

This week we are going to start our unit on Photo Booth and Google Drawing, integrating your classroom unit on Character Traits.  
1.  First you will open up Photo Booth and take a picture of yourself.  Make sure to save that picture to the DESKTOP.

2. Next, open up a new Document in Google Docs.

3. Insert your picture into the Doc and click on Wrap Text.

4.  After, you will go to INSERT a Drawing and select a text box.

5. Type a Character Trait that describes you and then change the typeface, color and size (I suggest 30 for the size).

6. Before we print your work, use Spell Check to make sure everything is spelled correctly.

If you finish early, you may go to Scratch, Fun4the Brain, Typing Games, or Math Playground.

Week of February 27- March 3, 2023

I hope everyone had a wonderful Winter Break and is back at school and ready to learn! 

Today, we are celebrating Read Across America Week.  As a class we will watch, If I Ran The Zoo by Dr. Seuss.   Then, you will be able to do one of two things- both very exciting! 

Here they are...
1.Go to the MakerSpace Table or take a box of crayons or markers to your computer and "imagine" your own animal that you can create- if you ran the Zoo!

2. Take a virtual tour of the San Diego Zoo to look for animals that are out in "real time".  Make note of some facts that you learned about these animals that you are lucky enough to explore from the other side of the country!

Have fun today during Read Across America Week!

Week of February 20- February 24, 2023

Have fun and enjoy the February Break!  See you next week!

Week of February 13- February 17, 2023

Today will be a review week after working so hard on both of the All About Me and Inventor slideshows.  Students may choose from the following websites: Kodable, Digipuzzle Winter, Scratch, Fun4the Brain, Typing Games, Math Playground.  Students can locate all of the links on this website.  Have fun and enjoy the February Break!

Week of January 16- February 10, 2023

Throughout the month of January in the STEAM Lab we will be learning all about a Google feature called Slides. 

For the next couple of weeks, every 2nd grader will be creating their own Slide presentation called All About Me or working on their Inventor project that they have been researching in their classrooms.   You will learn all about how to open a Slide Show, add slides, choose a Theme, decide on what your slide will look like, add an image and learn all about the Toolbar.   That is a lot of information, but we will take it slow!

By now, you have learned how to start a new slide show, choose a theme, title your presentation, set up 5 slides and started putting the headlines in your slide show.

Every slide should include:

• A headline- Make words 36-58

• A text box- Make words 24 (Minimum 2-3 sentences per slide))

• An image (Choose images AFTER all of your writing is completed!)

Pay attention and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.  I'm sure that you will be very proud of your Slide Shows when they are complete.  Have fun!

When you are done with your slides try out some of these games about money:

Counting Money
Dolphin Feed
Collect the Coins
Hidden Picture

Week of January 9-13, 2023

Throughout the month of January in the STEAM Lab we will be learning all about a Google feature called Slides. 

For the next couple of weeks, every 2nd grader will be creating their own Slide presentation called All About Me.   You will learn all about how to open a Slide Show, add slides, choose a Theme, decide on what your slide will look like, add an image and learn all about the Toolbar.   That is a lot of information, but we will take it slow!

First, I will show you an example that I created All About Ms. Levine.  Then you will...

1.  Go into Slides (the orange icon is in your Shelf)

2.  Click on the + sign to open a blank Slide Show.

3. Title Your Presentation.

4. On the right, choose a theme (this is what your Slide Presentation will look like).

5. Every slide should include:

• A headline- Make words 36-58

• A text box- Make words 24 (Minimum 3 sentences per slide))

• An image (Choose images AFTER all of your writing is completed!)

We will then go over the Toolbar before you begin.  Pay attention and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.  I'm sure that you will be very proud of your Slide Show when it is complete.  Have fun!

Week of January 2-6, 2023

 Happy New Year to Everyone!  I hope you had a safe and wonderful Holiday Break.

Throughout the month of January in the STEAM Lab we will be learning all about a Google feature called Slides. 

For the next couple of weeks, every 2nd grader will be creating their own Slide presentation called All About Me.   You will learn all about how to open a Slide Show, add slides, choose a Theme, decide on what your slide will look like, add an image and learn all about the Toolbar.   That is a lot of information, but we will take it slow!

First, I will show you an example that I created All About Ms. Levine.  Then you will...

1.  Go into Slides (the orange icon is in your Shelf)

2.  Click on the + sign to open a blank Slide Show.

3. Title Your Presentation.

4. On the right, choose a theme (this is what your Slide Presentation will look like).

5. Every slide should include:

• A headline- Make words 36-58

• A text box- Make words 24

• An image (Choose images AFTER all of your writing is completed!)

We will then go over the Toolbar before you begin.  Pay attention and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.  I'm sure that you will be very proud of your Slide Show when it is complete.  Have fun!

Week of December 19-23, 2022

This week as my Holiday Gift to you, students will have choice of the following websites:  You can go to your Scratch accounts and continue with any of the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade projects that were explained over the past couple of weeks- Pop a __________, Using a Pen or Creating a Pong Game. or you can go to Pixton (see email for link), Santa Tracker, Math Playground, Brain Games, Fun4theBrain, etc. 

Wishing you and your families a safe and happy holiday season!!  I'll see you in the New Year!

Week of December 12-16, 2022

Last week we celebrated the Hour of Code and students had a choice of a variety of coding activities. 

Today, students will sign into their new Scratch accounts.  I will continue to show students how to choose a Sprite and background and make their sprites move, spin, speak, etc. using the appropriate color blocks.  Then, they will get to play with the program and create a Sprite that does at least 2 actions and says 1 thing.  I will also hand out the instruction sheets for the 3rd grade project, if there are any students who want to try something more advanced.  After, students completed their Scratch assignment, for this week only, they can also choose to play Code Boogie found in Santa Tracker.   

Next week will be a CHOICE week, including playing Santa Tracker.

Week of December 5-9, 2022

Welcome to the 2022 Hour of Code!   The Hour of Code started as a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to take the mystery out of "code" and to show that anybody can learn the basics of computer science.  Today we celebrate this special week!

Students will have the choice of going to their Kodable accounts and playing any of the planets including Build a Fuzz and the Puppies once they have reached that level.  They can also choose to play Sequencing with Scrat before moving on to Programming with Angry Birds.  Also, in Code.org they will find Minecraft-Voyage Aquatic (which we haven't gone over yet).   Students were also assigned accounts in Scratch and they can use this day as an opportunity to explore this "Blockly" coding language.

 
I hope you enjoy these Computer Programming activities, as we celebrate the International Hour of Code!

Week of November 28-December 2, 2022

This week we will continue our Unit on Coding that will continue through the week of an Hour of Code, December 5-9, 2022.   

Today, students will be introduced to a new Coding website called Code.org.   Here they will learn how to use a coding language called Blockly.  The following coding puzzles will be introduced before the students go to their computers and work independently.

Sequencing With Scrat
Programming With Angry Birds

While students are trying to solve each level, I will be working with each person individually to help them create a new Scratch account which they will be introduced to shortly.

Have fun!

Week of November 21-25, 2022

This week we will continue our Unit on Coding that will continue through the week of an Hour of Code, December 5-9, 2022.  We will review the following vocabulary words:

Algorithm- In coding, an algorithm is a sequence of instructions telling the computer what to do.
Computer Programmer- a person who gives instructions to a computer.
Bug- A mistake found in a computer program.
Debug- To fix a mistake found in a computer program.
Sequence- A specific order of instructions for a computer to follow.

After, students will sign on to their Kodable accounts Once the locks have been opened, students will be able to go into Build a Fuzz, Make a Maze or the coding with the Puppies.

2A
2G
2M

After a half hour, students can go on to DigiPuzzle Thanksgiving Games.

Week of November 7-18, 2022

This week we will begin a Unit on Coding that will continue through the week of an Hour of Code, December 5-9, 2022.  First we will watch a Brain Pop Jr. video on Computer Programming.  Then we will do the easy quiz and Pop-A-Joke. 

We will discuss the following vocabulary words:

Algorithm- In coding, an algorithm is a sequence of instructions telling the computer what to do.
Computer Programmer- a person who gives instructions to a computer.
Bug- A mistake found in a computer program.
Debug- To fix a mistake found in a computer program.
Sequence- A specific order of instructions for a computer to follow.

After, students will sign on to their Kodable accounts which they had experience with last year.

2A
2G
2M

If time allows students can go on to DigiPuzzle Thanksgiving Games.

Week of October 24-November 4,  2022

This week we will continue with our keyboarding program called Typing Pal.  The students' Username and Passwords are the same as their Google Sign-Ins (with the exception of @wyckoffps.org).  Once again, we will continue doing the exercises for 15 minutes.

After, students will be introduced to some games in Math Playground which includes:
Jet Ski Addition
Monster Stroll
Kitten Match
If you want, you can choose any game to play in Math Playground or in celebration of Halloween you can play the games found at Digipuzzle.  Have fun!

Week of October 17-21,  2022

 This week we are going to either complete your Acrostic Poem (see Week of October 10-14, 2022) or we will be introduced to a new typing program called Typing Pal.  The students Username and Passwords are the same as their Google Sign-Ins (with the exception of @wyckoffps.org).  Once, we are in the program we will watch the short video on how the program works and students will be assigned the first lesson to complete.  After 15 minutes, if time allows, students can go to Fun4theBrain or SafeKidGames.

Week of October 10-14, 2022

We should always celebrate the "Week of Respect" and in the STEAM Lab this week we are going to continue doing just that.  Today we will complete an Acrostic Poem in honor of the Week of Respect.

1.  Last week we learned how to open a Google Doc either from the Dock or from your Drive. 
2.  Opened a blank document using the plus sign (+). 
3.  Thought of a word that has to do with "respect".  Some ideas/words that you can use are KIND, FRIEND, CARE, BUDDY, etc. 
4.  You learned how to use the Enter or Return key, what it means to "highlight" a word before you make changes and how to change the size of the letters using the Tool Bar. 
5.  Then you began to type your poem using one word to describe each letter.

Today, we will continue working on this project.
6.  We will learn how to highlight the letter or words we want, and change the color, change the size of the first letter to 48 and the other letters to 24 and if you want you can change the font.
7.  Then, we will insert an image.
8. Finally, you will share your work with me and your homeroom teacher.
I look forward to receiving your poems!

Once you are done with your poem, click on DanceMat Typing.

Week of October 3-7, 2022

This week we are celebrating the "Week of Respect" at Coolidge School.  Today we will begin working on an Acrostic Poem in honor of this week.

1.  You will learn how to open a Google Doc either from the Dock or from your Drive. 
2.  You will open a blank document using the plus sign (+). 
3.  Think of a word that has to do with "respect".  Some ideas/words that you can use are KIND, FRIEND, CARE, BUDDY, etc. 
4.  You will learn about the Enter or Return key, what it means to "highlight" a word before you make changes and how to change the size of the letters using the Tool Bar. 
5.  Then you will type your poem using one word to describe each letter.
Next week, we will continue working on this project.  Have fun!

Week of September 26-30, 2022

Welcome back to the STEAM Lab!  This week in the STEAM Lab we will do a number of things:
Today, we will continue to learn how to Bookmark websites on the ChromeBook.
1. To bookmark a website, go to the website by typing in the URL. 
2. In that box, look for the STAR and click on it. 
3. Make sure it says Bookmark Bar.  You will then see a bookmark on the bookmark bar that is a shortcut to get to that website!

Today we will make sure we have the following websites bookmarked:
Welcome to the 2nd Grade STEAM Lab
HMH Ed (Your math textbook)
IXL

Epic
Quavers 
4.  If time allows, go to Fun4theBrain.

Week of September 19-23, 2022

Welcome back to the STEAM Lab!  This week in the STEAM Lab we will do a number of things:
Important to Remember:
Use hand sanitizer before going to your Computer, sit in your assigned spots, plug in headphones and always look at the teacher when she is giving directions.
Today, we will learn how to Bookmark websites on the ChromeBook.
1. To bookmark a website, go to the website by typing in the URL. 
2. In that box, look for the STAR and click on it. 
3. Make sure it says Bookmark Bar.  You will then see a bookmark on the bookmark bar that is a shortcut to get to that website!

Today we will bookmark the following websites:
Welcome to the 2nd Grade STEAM Lab
HMH Ed (Your math textbook)
IXL

Epic
Quavers 
4.  If time allows, go to Fun4theBrain.

Week of September 12-16, 2022

Welcome to the STEAM Lab!  Today we will take a look at what we will be doing today by going to our 2nd Grade website found at https://sites.google.com/wyckoffschools.org/2ndgradesteamlab/home 

1. Bring ChromeBook to STEAM Lab

2. Go to assigned Computer Seats

3. Sign into AimsWeb (via Test Nav) on ChromeBooks

4. Manage Bookmarks (Add and Delete needed or unnecessary Bookmarks). Organize bookmarks on Bookmark Bar.
5. If time allows, go to DanceMat Typing.   

Week of September 5-9, 2022

Welcome to your first week in the STEAM Lab! Today, we will do a number of things:

1. Get acquainted and go over expectations in the STEAM Lab.

2. Be assigned computer seats.

3. Review how to log in to your Username and Password and log out.
4. Bookmark this website on your ChromeBook
5. If time allows, play a game found at Safe Kid Games