Concept- Water cycle

This week our focus will be on the water cycle. According to the TEKS Student are expected to be able to describe and draw the water cycle. Here are some web sites to help them to practice the water cycle.

The first resource is a video from Sweetwater. The video is short, only about 1 minute. There is also a quiz on this site. The next site is Thirstin's Water Cycle and it is an animated water cycle. Students control which part of the cycle is animated and they can go through each step however they choose.

Next, I have a water vocabulary matching game. It emphasizes important words that students need to know.

The last site is a game at NASA. Students answer a question and then have a chance to move a water drop through a maze without touching (or being touched) by any animal.

Thanks for all you do,

Mrs. Meraz

This week- Living and nonliving

This is an easy concept for second grade because they have had it before in first grade. We will continue to build on the knowledge and begin to include characteristics of living things. Here are a few sites the kids can use for review.

The first site (First School Years) is a good simple review. Student need to pick up the picture and drag it to the correct column living or nonliving. If the student misses an answer when they press check the computer will move it back to the top for them to try again. The next site, BBC Bitesize Revision, has more review. Students "take picture" of living organisms. When all the organisms are found, the student has to place the organism where they found it.

The last site is a "quiz"over living and nonliving things. Students will see several pictures on the page and they will chose if it is living or not. If they get an answer wrong the "quiz game" will explain the answer for them.

More next week,

Mrs. Meraz

Focus-Classifying organisms and objects

This week we are focusing on a new science TEK - classifying organisms and objects. Classifying things is an important skill in both math and science. One of the most important parts of classifying is explaining. Students should be able to explain why they put things together.

At Scholastic, your child can practice classifying animals that belong in a zoo. For a more challenging site go to PBS kids. Here under the Cyber Chase games there is a game called "logic Zoo" here students need to separate animals into the proper group. This is more challenging because some of the groups over lap. Kids really have t e paying attention to fix the mess Hacker made at the zoo.

At the last site, the BBC Schools, this week students will need to classify objects by what they are made of. Objects will come quickly down a conveyor belt and the student need to pick them up with the mouse and place them in the right groups.

Enjoy,

Mrs. Meraz

Focus Weather

For the next several weeks in science we are talking about and recording changes in the weather. Observing and recording changes in the weather is part of our science TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills).

I have found a few sites that will help your child better understand the weather changes around them.

At Web Weather for Kids you and your child can learn the different cloud types. This is a concentration type game with very good pictures of different clouds.

After learning the different types of clouds take the sever weather challenge at The Weather channel for Kids. At this site students get to give advice to others about their weather problems.

Your student is now ready to make their own forecast. Children can make up the forecast or can predict what they think the weather will be like for the next 5 days at The Weather Channel for Kids.

At the last site, Scholastic, students can learn how to make various equipment to measure the weather from common household items.

More later,

Mrs. Meraz

Welcome

Welcome to Mrs. Meraz's edublog. I am so excited about our next units in Science. We are going to talk about living and non living things, classifying objects, describe the water cycle, and changes in the weather.
There are so many neat things on the internet like games and videos, to help students learn. I will include a few for you and your child to play together. If you find some good sites let me know so I can share them with others.

Thanks,

Mrs. Meraz

2nd Grade