T. Nancy’s Blog

Hello there!  In Social Studies, we’ve been learning about “People At Work.”  As part of that topic, we also learned about factories, money, and volunteering.  Below are some websites I showed the kids in class (or, WILL show on Friday).  Just click on the links to explore them with your children and find out how much they know about “People at Work!”

(You’ll also find a link to a website with multiplication games at the end.)

A VISIT TO A CRAYON FACTORY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMU-wXsgyR8

 A VISIT TO A COIN FACTORY:

http://www.usmint.gov/kids/cartoons/

MAKE YOUR OWN BOOKMARK FACTORY

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/bookmarkfactory/

VOLUNTEERS IN BANGKOK

http://www.scadbangkok.org/

http://www.goodwillbangkok.org/

MULTIPLICATION GAMES

http://www.aplusmath.com/Games/index.html

Try “Hidden Picture,” “Concentration,” and “Matho”

If you know how to do division, you can try “Planet Blaster” too.

OK, Kids, here you go.  Two more websites for you to have fun with as we wrap up our Social Studies unit on Past and Present.

As you know, Helen Keller learned to read Braille.  I don’t have any Braille for you to feel here at school, (other than that worksheet I gave you for fun.)  But online, of course, there’s lots to explore about Braille!  Here’s a fun site you can use to create your own Braille message with Arthur and D.W.!

http://pbskids.org/arthur/print/braille/

And next up is another kind of writing — this time from the Ancient Egyptians.  As you learned, Ancient Egyptians wrote using symbols called hieroglyphics.  Amazingly, historians discovered a way to read hieroglyphics a couple of hundred years ago.  At the website below, you can have fun writing your own messages in hieroglyphics.  It’s more fun than the sheet I gave you because it’s in COLOR!  Have fun, or in hieroglyphics:

http://www.snaithprimary.eril.net/hierintr.htm

Hi again!  This week in Social Studies, grade 2 students are learning about heroes of hisrory.  One of my favorite heroes of history is Helen Keller.  I like to teach about her because she shows us that you don’t have to be big and strong to be a hero!  Helen was only a child when she became a hero, and she continued to be one for the rest of her life!   What’s more is that she was both blind and deaf!  If Helen can be a hero, then we all can!!!Please read all about Helen Keller and even see some videos on the websites below.  Enjoy!

http://www.afb.org/braillebug/hkgallery.asp?tpid=3

http://www.afb.org/braillebug/hkgallery.asp?tpid=3

http://www.afb.org/braillebug/hkmuseum.asp

http://www.myhero.com/myhero/hero.asp?hero=Helen_A_KELLER

Hi There!  As you know, we’ve been learning about Past and Present in Social Studies, and recently, we’ve learned about “Our Country’s History.”  Since “Our Country” is Thailand and not America, I’ve been teaching the kids a bit about Old Siam.  We enjoyed visiting these websites this week, and I told the kids I’d post them on the blog in case they wanted to have a look at home.  Check them out, and see if your kids can teach you a thing or two about Thailand’s History!

Evolution of Thailand Maps

http://www.zum.de/whkmla/histatlas/seasia/haxthailand.html

http://www.thai-blogs.com/index.php?p=727&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

http://www.tour-bangkok-legacies.com/democracy-monument.html

King Chulalongkorn

http://www.thailandlife.com/king_chulalongkorn.htm

King Ramkamhang

http://www.simply-thai.com/Thailand_History_King_Ramkamhaeng_the_Great.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramkhamhaeng

On Friday, 15 February, Grade 2 went on a field trip to the National Science Museum near DreamWorld.  The kids and teachers had a great time, although the museum was just too big to see everything there!!  For me (as the social studies teacher), the highlight was the 6th floor exhibit showing traditional Thai society and technology — fun!  Other highlights included the large playroom with lots of hands-on experiments, and the museum shop.  The kids had a great time showing me the fun things they bought on the way home.  I have to say, I was especially proud of the way the kids behaved throughout the field trip.  Both in the vans to and from the museum, and in the museum itself, class 2A behaved beautifully and very respectfully.   When I asked them about it later, they rated their behaviour as a ”4 out of 5.”  As a show of my appreciation for behaving sooooo nicely, I rewarded the whole class with one merit for each student. Way to go grade 2A!!

Hi Everyone!

Here are the links to the websites I promised you in class!   Sorry, I thought I had posted them on the front of the blog page two weeks ago, but I realized I had typed this in the wrong area!!!  Anyway, here it is.  The websites are also posted on the social studies and math pages, but this will be easier for you. Have fun!

TO VISIT THE ANCIENT TIME-PIECES WEBSITE, CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW :
www.nawcc.org/museum/nwcm/MusMap.htm

TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN SUNDIAL (EASY!) CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:
http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/nof/sun/something_to_do.html

TO PLAY THE MATH GAMES, CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:
http://www.primarygames.com/math

(then click on MathMan or Two Minute Warning)

Hi Grade 2A, and welcome back to Wells!

 I’m so excited to see you again!  It feels like a long time since I’ve seen you and I’ve MISSED you a lot!  I had a wonderful and relaxing holiday.  I didn’t do much travelling this year, but I slept a lot and had fun enjoying the cool weather and catching up with my friends (who didn’t have a nice long holiday like me).  Now I feel ready to begin a new semester with my wonderful students…. are YOU ready???

This term, we will start the semester learning all about Verbs in language arts, Past and Present in social studies, and Two-Digit Addition in math.  With Ms. Jessica, you’ll begin learning more about Animal Habitats in science.  Of course, you’ve also got art, music, p.e., drama, computer, library, and many more things to look forward to!  So put on your thinking caps and get ready for lots of learning!

Dear Parents,

As the end of the year approaches, it’s time to celebrate Christmas!!!  This year, I thought Class 2A students would like to have a Christmas Party.  This party will be held on Thursday, December 20^th in the 2A classroom at lunchtime.  Now I’m going to ask for your help to make our party a success.  Please send some kind of delicious food to school with your child that day!  Usually when I ask students to bring food for a party, we end up with 25 different kinds of chips.  While chips taste great, I’m hoping for something a little more healthful this year.  So, if you’ve got the time and the energy, sending a little something special cooked at home would be amazing way for your kids to celebrate Christmas!  Sweet or savoury — it’s up to you!  Of course, if you’re just too busy this holiday season, I understand, but please do contribute something if you can.

As part of the celebration, I thought we could also do a Secret Santa gift-exchange.  It works like this:  each child draws a label from a bag that says either “BOY” or “GIRL.”  On the day of the party, the student should bring a gift appropriate for whichever gender, boy or girl, they drew from the bag.  So, what I’m asking from you is to buy just ONE gift for your student to bring to school.  Let’s set a price limit of 200 baht or less on the gifts.  No need to get extravagant!!  I hope this plan is okay with you, and that I’ve given you enough time to prepare.

In sum, I’d like you to have two things ready for Thursday, 20^th December:

o       a yummy dish for your child to bring to the party

o       one gift for your child to bring to the party

Thanks in advance for your help and cooperation.  I hope you’re all feeling the Christmas Spirit!

Best Always,

Ms. Nancy

Hi Parents!

Yesterday in social studies class, we visited some websites that show how we get electricity from natural resources like air, water, and coal.  We learned that all three methods involve a spinning turbine, a generator, and power cables that carry electricity to our homes!  The kids really enjoyed the websites, so I thought I’d send the sites home so they can show you what they learned.       Enjoy!!

Coal Mine:

http://www.msichicago.org/exhibit/coal_mine/index.html

Electricity from Coal:

http://www.worldcoal.org/pages/content/index.asp?PageID=108

Electricity from Air:

http://www.windpower.org/en/kids/intro/

Electricity from Water:

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/hyhowworks.html

http://www.wvic.com/hydro-works.htm

http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter12.html

Hi there, Everyone.  Well, it’s been a while since I’ve posted on the Blog, but as the end of the semester gets closer and closer, I just wanted to check in and say ‘hi!’

Things are very busy in class 2A, as usual.  Learning Time is a struggle, as I knew it would be but the kids are doing well!  I can see that many of you have indeed been helping them as I asked you to do in the letter I sent home.  Thanks so much!!  We’ll continue to take it slowly.

In social studies, we’re learning all about the Earth, and we’ve learned so much about the geography of Thailand!  Show your kids a map of Thailand and you may be impressed by how much they know!  Coming up next is Natural Resources from the Earth, followed by (of course!!) recycling.  Get ready to Get Green with your kids!

In Language Arts we’ve just published our first set of Personal Stories.  The results were good for their first try, but I know they can do better!  That’s why we’ll give it a second try!!  Practice makes perfect, right??  We’ll see what we can do to make their next stories a bit more interesting.

In Science, I’ve recently seen some body parts in my classroom.  The kids tell me they are LUNGS!  And they explained to me how they work.  Impressive!

 In other news, we are learning a fun new song and dance for the Christmas Show, called “We Need a Little Christmas Now!”  We haven’t learned all the words yet, but we listen to it every day as we’re packing our bags, and of course we practice in Music and Drama class.  Ask your kids to sing you a few lines!

Hope all is well at home.  Take care!

Ms. Nancy