Heidi

This week Grade 2 has continued to combine our POI work with literature and language goals.  As a class we read an abridged version of Heidi by Johanna Spyri, one of the most internationally recognized stories from Switzerland.  Now that we know the different parts of the narrative, Grade 2 has begun to focus on describing the setting or location where all the action takes place.  Heidi provided the class with an excellent example of contrasting settings in a story - the Swiss Alps and Frankfurt in the 19^th century from which they wrote separate descriptions.  To help get a better idea of the two settings, we also looked at some original photographs and compared them to the book’s illustrations.  The time period in which Heidi was written also inspired a discussion of the differences between life today and over a century ago.  For example, there were no televisions or computers to entertain young children like Heidi, instead families read stories by the fireplace.  The descriptions we have written today will become the basis for an Art activity we will complete after the break. 

Have a safe and happy holiday.

Kind regards,

Ms. Christine Aberley

Where is Andorra?

This week Grade 2 took some time to review the different parts of a narrative (beginning, middle, climax and conclusion) by reading a traditional tale from Italy - Pinocchio.  Together we used our imaginations to picture the colorful and whimsical world of the wooden puppet turned real boy.  Afterwards, we used cards to write a summary of the story and drew corresponding scenes on the back to create a “story necklace”.  Yes, language work can be fashionable!  Tomorrow we will take our necklaces with us to share with Ms. Wolke in the library.    

We’ve also started working with volunteer tutors from the MYP program on Tuesdays and Thursdays before lunch.  Again, they will help Grade 2 with different read aloud activities and comprehension questions.  The program was so successful last semester that there are even more tutors, which means that some boys and girls will work individually with them. 

Grade 2 has been using our weekly sessions in the media center to reinforce what we have been learning in our POI about European geography.  Using an online program the class has been challenged to identify the continent’s 42 countries on a map, including Switzerland.  Albania? Sweden? Monaco?  No problem.  Grade 2 now has a very good sense of Europe.

If you would like to take the challenge or play at home, the link is as follows:

 http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Europe/Eur_G0_1024_768.html

Enjoy the snow and kind regards,

Ms. Christine Aberley