We're Habitat Scientist & We Know It!

     Did you know that our 2nd graders are scientists? They are learning about habitats.Through a series of activities, they will be able to explain how living things in a habit depend on each other.

     Their first investigation was the habitat just outside of the school. Our scientists used string to mark their sample site. Students then recorded & labeled their observations on paper. This got them to understand 1) what scientists do and 2) what habitats are.

Drawing of habitat sample site

Interactive Word Wall shows English/Spanish Cognates for Bilingual students

      Next students shared their observations. Because we also focus on improving students’ speaking skills, students shared their observations with a partner.  Sentence stems were provided to ensure that they used the appropriate science vocabulary. Sharing with their partners gave them the opportunity to practice what they wanted to say before recording themselves on a program called  Flipgrid.

     Flipgrid is a media platform that allows me to video record myself asking a question or teaching a lesson. In this instance, I asked our scientists to share their habitat observations with me. They individually recorded their responses and shared with me for review. This allows me to give them specific and timely feedback on their responses. This is a great way for our English Learners to practice their speaking skills.