Trimester 1: Life Cycles
NEW! (December 6th, 2011)
In the last few weeks before winter break, second graders will be observing the tadpoles as they grow front legs and lose their tails to become frogs! We will learn the terms growth (to get bigger) and development (to get a new body part).
We have also had a blast of a time studying mealworms! The second graders have grown quite fond of these little fellows! We have watched the mealworms turn into pupa. Since there is a pupa stage we have figured out that mealworms go through complete metamorphosis. As we approach winter break we will set up our own fair tests to determine the mealworms' preferences (ex. smooth or rough surface). We will then become architects as we design homes perfectly suited for a mealworm.
Be on the lookout for our Blabberize Butterfly projects that will hopefully appear on our website right around Winter Break time!
NEW! (October 25th, 2011)
Our second graders have had a blast studying the life cycle of butterflies! We learned that a butterfly goes through metamorphosis (a drastic change in shape and appearance of the body).
We have just begun to learn that there are different types of metamorphosis. Complete metamorphosis has 4 stages: 1) Egg 2) Larva 3) Pupa and 4) Adult. A butterfly goes through complete metamorphosis. Incomplete metamorphosis has 3 stages: 1) Egg 2) Nymph (a mini version of the adult minus the wings) and 3) Adult.
We will begin to understand the differences between the two types of metamorphosis as we study the terms growth (to change size) and development (to get new body parts).
Students will also be introduced to mealworms soon! We will determine if the mealworms go through complete or incomplete metamorphosis through careful observation.
NEW! (September 20th, 2011)
Wow! Our second graders have been busy! You can expect the first journal entitled "My Life Cycles Journal" to arrive home soon, if you have not already received it! Please take the time to look through it with your son or daughter, focusing on accomplishments that he/she made during the first few weeks of school.
We just completed our FRAMBI's and are now studying the requirements of a successful habitat. A habitat needs to provide food, space, shelter, and a place for young.
Soon, the tadpoles will arrive in our classroom! The second graders are anxiously awaiting their arrival so that we can begin to study their life cycle. As we make observations of the tadpoles, second grade will focus on PATTERNS OF CHANGE, our theme for science this year. Since our tadpole friends change rather slowly, we will also be joined by butterflies and mealworms. Studying the life cycles of all of these critters will help us to form definitions for complete (4-stage) and incomplete (3-stage) metamorphosis.
NEW! (August 27th, 2011)
Our second grade scientists will begin the year with a unit on life cycles. We will play charades to learn what it means to be an organism (a plant or animal). After doing so, second grade will go on a nature hunt to learn the difference between living, non-living, and dead.
Soon, second grade will read The Mixed Up Chameleon by Eric Carle. This book will help us to understand animal classification. Each second grader will make a FRAMBI (his/her own version of the Mixed Up Chameleon). We will use the various parts of fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, birds, and insects to make our FRAMBI's.
- organism
- living
- dead
- non-living
- habitat
- life cycle
- metamorphosis (complete and incomplete)
- growth
- development
- larva
- pupa
- chrysalis
