Cardboard Challenge 2015!

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) was in the house, haunted house I should say, today at Seaman!  As part of the Global Cardboard Challenge, Robert Seaman Elementary School participated in a day dedicated to using one's imagination in order to create.  Each grade level was assigned a specific theme.  Then it was left to the students' imaginations to engineer and build a design/structure centered around that theme.  The Second Grade designed haunted houses, and it was quite the spook-fest!  

Class 2-H kicked the day off by reading the beloved Not A Box by Antoinette Portis.  This read aloud encouraged the kids to use their imaginations as they followed the main character, Rabbit, while he used his own imagination to turn an ordinary brown cardboard box into an amazing adventure...a must read for all ages!





After Not A Box piqued our curiosity, Room 27 dove right into engineering our haunted house structures that we started in the Science Lab yesterday afternoon.  The students worked diligently to include moving parts using their knowledge of simple machines from the first grade science curriculum.  Next, once the structure was fully constructed, it was time to decorate our haunted houses.  The special effects included are sure to creep out even the bravest of souls!  Some of these effects include moving doors/windows, swinging eyeballs/skeletons/spiders, smoking cauldrons, jumping rats, moving staircases, and flying bats!  AHHH...BEWARE!!!

A "scary" good time was had by all as we let our imaginations soar higher than a witch's broom!  What an enriching learning experience, which was even more special due to the involvement and participation of ALL grade levels.  We can't wait to take a gallery walk around the building to admire the masterful work and creativity of our friends at all the various grade levels.

We'd like to give a special thanks to Ms. O'Neill, our fantastic science teacher!  Today would not have been possible without her amazing weekly science lab lessons.  Ms. O'Neill coordinated, organized, and instructed each grade prior to embarking on our school-wide challenge.  Additionally, she provided all of the outstanding decorations for our haunted houses.  Her dedication to teaching and learning has enriched us all!  Thank you Ms. O'Neill!!!!

Even though families could not join us for our STEAM Cardboard Challenge, please check out the virtual footage below.  Watch our houses transform from ordinary cardboard boxes into ghostly masterpieces!  Happy haunting!!!

WOW!  So proud of Class 2-H!!

MU Connection- Graduation Edition

Class-2H cannot believe how quickly this year has flown by!!  We've accomplished so much in 10 short months!  The last few weeks have been busy as usual here in room 27!  In reading,we've been immersed in our Cinderella Around the World unit...check out our awesome passports to see all of the unique countries we've traveled to.  During Writer's Workshop, we've been putting the finishing touches on our Biography Trading Cards, Biographies, and Animal PowerPoint presentations.  Please be sure to read all of the amazing non-fiction writing published by our very own authors.  During science, we've been getting our hands dirty, literally, with dinosaur excavations and footprint analysis. Finally, we've been discussing the concept of democracy, as well as needs and wants as part of the second grade social studies curriculum.  Your second grader may be interested in finding out what happens in the sequel to The Kid Who Ran For President, entitled The Kid Who Became President.

It's been a "scary" good year here at Monsters University.  Yesterday was our official graduation day. Our children even received their diplomas!!  Each student earned a B.A. in scaring!!  Hats off to our graduating youth!!

Here's an example of our School of Scaring diplomas!!!

And for the final time, Miss Hofmann presents the Monsters University graduating class of 2015!! Congratulations, and have a happy and safe summer!  We'll see you in September!!

MU Campus Connection Vol. 7- Counting Carnival!

STEP RIGHT UP to Miss Hofmann's Counting Carnival!!!  Come one, come all, family and students alike, to play games in our Counting Carnival!  No tickets required...just bring your math problem solving skills as you enjoy carnival classics such as Leap Frog, Bean Bag Toss, and Go Fish!  Win or lose, family fun will make the experience unforgettable! Refreshments will be served.  POP on by!
When: Thursday, May 7th        Where: Room 27               Admission Cost: FREE

Yesterday, the second grade hosted our annual Open House.  As family members gathered to review math concepts learned throughout the year, our students performed mathematical feats to show off their strength with numbers.  However, this was no "circus sideshow," our students were certainly the main event!  There was also no "clowning around," as our children and their guests rotated to three engaging game stations.  Who knew so much math was required to play games?!  Well, Class-2H did!

Thank you to so many of our readers who were able to come experience the Counting Carnival first-hand.  We wanted to share some of the photographic highlights with you.  And for those of you who were unable to attend, please enjoy our carnival, virtually, below.  In Room 27, math promises to be all fun and games :)!!!  Just ask our kids!!

LEAP FROG
Each player gets a total of 12 frogs per round.  Each frog is worth a certain amount of points and the value changes every round.  Multiply the number of frogs you landed in the pools by the number of points the frogs are worth for that round.  The product is the total number of points earned that round.  Hop to it!

Who had the most frogs "jump" into the pools??

Nice concentration Ethan!  Ribbit!

Great teamwork girls!  Come on Madeline, make that frog LEAP!

Way to cheer on your partner Kevin and Mom!!

Go Sophia!  You have four frogs in the ponds already.  Keep hopping!!

In case you're wondering, Mia nailed this shot!!!  Way to go!

Ryan made 11 out of 12 jumps.  That's a fraction, or 92%!  MORE MATH!!!

Two generations of women taking part in the Counting Carnival:)!

Jessy's turn!  Hop to it!

Mrs. R becomes the referee...does one limb in the pond count??

BEAN BAG TOSS
In this version of the popular game, you get 3 bean bags.  Toss each bag onto one of the numbers on the board.  Then use those digits to create any 3-digit number.  After, you will write the number in standard, expanded, and word form.  Don't forget to write down the value of the digit in the hundreds place either. Oh, and try the challenges...word problems!!

Arion and Logan are hard at work doing expanded and standard form!

Souma and Mika...smile for the camera!  #siblinglove

Watch out for the blank space on the bean bag board!

Come on Coop!! Love the windmill arm action!  You're ready for softball!

OOOHHHH...working together to solve the challenge.  Love it!

An incoming kindergartener gets in on the action too.  Good job Lucas!

Digesting the activity sheet together after completing the Bean Bag Toss.

Even Mrs. F. joins in the festivities.  Math is FUN!

Super handwriting Cole!  Is it worth extra tickets?!

GO FISH
Once you "dock" at the fishing station, select a rod.  The object is to reel in your fish and record the 3-digit number written on the bottom of it.  You will subtract this number from the number pre-recorded on the activity sheet.  Be careful...you must regroup!  If you're up for the challenge, try rounding your number, subtracting from 1,000 or adding three 3-digit addends!

Whose fish was bigger??  We need a scale! #moremath

Ryan, you're all smiles but where's your fish???  Did he pull the hook like Wicked Tuna??

Josh reels in a big one!  Watch out!

Keep reeling Jessy.  You'll hook one soon.

Mrs. G. hooks a GINORMOUS one...Ryan!!  Hope we can untangle those lines!

This partnership is getting down to business by showing the young ones how it's done!

Cole and Max take turns reeling 'em in!  Max is hard at work on a challenge question.

Kevin hooked twins as Mrs. G. looks on.  She knows a thing or two about THAT!

Ethan is a fantastic role model!

Who will get the first bite...Sophia or Ellen?

Arion is practicing for his "reel" fishing trip this weekend!  Give him tips Logan :)

FAMILY FUN

Thank you so much for participating in our Counting Carnival.  We love sharing our learning with our families and hope you enjoyed the experience as much as we did!  Now, it's time for some refreshments after all of those FUN GAMES...eeerrrrrr...I mean MATH ;)!