Scroll down for Grade 2 work, or scroll further to see the Grade 3 work.
Grade 2 Social Studies - Communities Around the World - Zimbabwe
Grade 2 - Our plasticine pictures of Zimbabwe are finished!
Click on the slide show (below) to take a closer look at the Grade 2's hard work! (June 7, 2013)
One example of the Gr. 2 end of unit task
One student's work, including the sketch of the plasticine picture, the jot notes on the graphic organizer that contains the criteria, and the final task of the plasticine picture plus the written paragraphs - showing what he knows about Zimbabwe with pictures and comparing Zimbabwe and his own community (i.e., Toronto) in words. (June 4, 2013)
Grade 2's Zimbabwe end of unit task
After the students have made their plasticine picture showing a scene of Zimbabwe, the students wrote about what they knew about Zimbabwe after reading and discussing about this community for the past several weeks. The students have also been asked to explain the differences and similarities with Zimbabwe and their own community (i.e., Toronto). First the students wrote jot notes on a graphic organizer (lower pictures top row, light yellow paper). To help them include as much as possible, the students used the criteria listed on the graphic organizer paper. Once their jot notes were written the students wrote their final thinking (white lined paper (pictured below, bottom row). (June 4, 2013)
Grade 2's Zimbabwe end of unit task
The Grade 2's are working on an activity (creating a picture and writing a report) to show the similarities and differences between Zimbabwe and their own community (i.e., Toronto). Before starting this activity, the Grade 2's had watched a video by Barbara Reid, who specializes in illustrating books with plasticene.
They have drawn a rough plan of what their plasticene picture will look like (picture below on the left, paper on left side is one student's planning sheet). The next step is to create a background to their plasticene Zimbabwe picture by cover one half of a file folder with plasticent (pictured below). (May 27, 2013)
They have drawn a rough plan of what their plasticene picture will look like (picture below on the left, paper on left side is one student's planning sheet). The next step is to create a background to their plasticene Zimbabwe picture by cover one half of a file folder with plasticent (pictured below). (May 27, 2013)
Next step of the Zimbabwe picture
After the plasticene background is created, the students added details to their pictures by adding plasticene pieces on top of the background (picture below on the left), and sometimes spreading the plasticene over a larger surface (picture below on the right). (May 28, 2013)
Adding more detail to a plasticene picture
In the pictures below, the students continue to add more details to their Zimbabwe picture, using information they've learned from the past few weeks about a community that is different from their own. (May 29, 2013)
Using picture books to learn about another community
The Grade 2's have read two other stories to learn more about Zimbabwe/Africa. Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain (above book on left) is about a cattle herdsman wishing for rain in the African plain. Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters (above book on right) is about 2 sisters who might become the King's wife. We read this book to better understand some of the chores of children in a community different from our own in present day Toronto. (May 19, 2013)
Date Posted: April 15, 2013
The Grade 2's are working on another community around the world. We are now learning about Zimbabwe, Africa.
Here are some suggested websites about ancient Africa:
http://www.our-africa.org/zimbabwe
http://www.listofcountriesoftheworld.com/zi-animals.html
http://www.africanfauna.com/
http://animal.discovery.com/animal-facts/african-animal-pictures.htm
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/africa/
Grade 3 Social Studies - Early Settlers in Upper Canada (around 1800)
Grade 3 work - Early settlers farmland
Here is a sample of some the Grade 3's finished work of their farmland in Upper Canada. They used a criteria (i.e., out house, barn, fence and garden, animals, other buildings, neatly coloured, captions, labels) of what they should include in their illustrations. (June 6, 2013)
Using a variety of resources to better understand about early settlers
The Grade 3's looked a several pictures showing examples of some early settlers' homes, buildings, and tools. (June 4, 2013)
Grade 3 work - Early settlers farmland
Some samples of students' work-in-progress. The Grade 3's drew and labelled their illustrations to explain an everyday life for an early settler in Upper Canada. (June 4, 2013)
Grade 3 - early settlers' land
The Grade 3's drew a picture of what the land looked like for early settlers around 1800, which was mostly small farmland. The students are using information they have learned from a variety of media sources (e.g., texts, videos). (May 28, 2013)
Writing jot notes while watching a video, Little House on the Prairie
The Grade 3's watched an episode of Little House on the Prairie while writing jot notes that compared homes, chores, and children in the past and present. (May 19, 2013)
More jot notes from Little House on the Prairie
The Grade 3's also wrote jot notes comparing school, transportation, and food in the past and the present. (May 19, 2013)
Using an illustration to get information about early settlers in Upper Canada
The Grade 3's used this illustration to better understand what it was like to settle as a farmer in a new country.
Date Posted: April 25, 2013
The Grade 3's are working on Early Settlers in Upper Canada.
Here are some suggested websites about Early Settlers in Upper Canada:
http://www.projects.yrdsb.edu.on.ca/pioneer/
http://www.uppercanadavillage.com/index.cfm/en/about-the-village/tour-the-village/
http://www.city.markham.on.ca/mpl/heritage/history/pioneerkids.asp
http://kidsspace.torontopubliclibrary.ca/genCategory15925.html
Grade 2 Social Studies - Arctic Community
The Grade 2's made trioramas to compare the Arctic region in the past and the Arctic region today (April 5, 2013).
The Grade 2's drew pictures of the Arctic in the past on one portion of the triorama and the Arctic today on the second portion of the triorama. Their pictures included information about clothing, food, transportation, environment, family responsibility, homes and animals.
On the third and bottom portion of the triorama the Grade 2's wrote their opinion of whether they would prefer to live in the Arctic in the past or in the Arctic today, and explained the reasons for their choice.
Grade 3 Social Studies - First Nation Peoples in Upper Canada
The Grade 3's are working in groups to present information about the Anishinabe people. We are sharing what we learned about the environment, transportation, homes, and jobs of family members (April 2013).
A closer look at some of the group work used to present our Anishinabe work (April 10, 2013)
An Anishinabe menu.
Transportation for the Anishinabe.
An Anishinabe home.
Anishinabe environment.
Grade 2
Heritage and Citizenship - Traditions and Celebrations
Overview
Students examine the wide variety of cultures and traditions that coexist in Canada. Students investigate family histories and traditions and report on how these histories and traditions contribute to and enrich Canadian society. Students relate their investigations to examples from their own local community.
Overall Expectations
By the end of Grade 2, students will:
• demonstrate an understanding that Canada is a country of many cultures;
• use a variety of resources and tools to gather, process, and communicate information about similarities and differences among family traditions and celebrations;
• explain how the various cultures of individuals and groups contribute to the local community.
Grade 3
Heritage and Citizenship - Early Settlements in Upper Canada
Overview
Students investigate and describe the communities of early settlers and First Nation peoples in Upper Canada around 1800. They research interactions between new settlers and existing communities of First Nation peoples and French settlers and identify factors that helped to shape the development of the various communities. Students also compare communities of the past with those of the present.
Overall Expectations
By the end of Grade 3, students will:
• describe the communities of early settlers and First Nation peoples in Upper Canada around 1800;
• use a variety of resources and tools to gather, process, and communicate information about interactions between new settlers and existing communities, including First Nation peoples, and the impact of factors such as heritage, natural resources, and climate on the development of early settler communities;
• compare aspects of life in early settler communities and present-day communities.
Grade 2
Canada and World Connections - Features of Communities Around the World
Overview
Students develop their awareness of physical and human geography by examining contemporary global communities. They use map, globe, and research skills to compare the cultural and physical features of a variety of communities. Students explore how the environment influences people’s lives, and begin to recognize that the lifestyles of people in other countries may be both similar to and different from their own.
Overall Expectations
By the end of Grade 2, students will:
• demonstrate an understanding that the world is made up of countries, continents, and regions and that people’s lifestyles may differ from country to country;
• use a variety of resources and tools to gather, process, and communicate geographic information about the countries studied;
• explain how the environment affects people’s lives and the ways in which their needs are met.
Grade 3
Canada and World Connections - Urban and Rural Communities
Overview
Students describe similarities and differences between urban and rural communities. They investigate geographic and environmental factors that influence the development of different communities. They also examine how communities interact with each other and the environment to meet human needs.
Overall Expectations
By the end of Grade 3, students will:
• identify and compare distinguishing features of urban and rural communities;
• use a variety of resources and tools to gather, process, and communicate geographic information about urban and rural communities;
• explain how communities interact with each other and the environment to meet human needs.
Social Studies Websites
- www.linktolearning.com - Grade 2 Social Studies (Links to sites that support the Ontario education curriculum from Kindergarten to Grade 8.)
- www.linktolearning.com - Grade 3 Social Studies (Links to sites that support the Ontario education curriculum from Kindergarten to Grade 8.)
- www.neok12.com - Watch videos about different countries.
- www.scholastic.com - Learn about Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
- www.toolsforadventure - Visit Adventure Island and follow the directions!