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!!