#2ndchat Archive
#2ndchat is a Twitter hashtag that can be used to chat, collaborate, and grow with other second grade educators from around the world. Every other week we will discuss a different topic. It's a great way to help grow your PLN (Professional/Personal Learning Network) and share ideas with others.
Wednesday September 14, 2016
Welcome to ! Go ahead and introduce yourself and tell us what you teach and your location.
My name is Carol. I teach 2nd grade in Birmingham, AL.
My name is Catherine and I teach 2nd in Birmingham, AL.
Hi Catherine! I am so glad you are here!
Hi, Mary from VA. I teach 2nd. I am hosting a slow math chat for 2nd grade. Please join us at
I'm Toni and I teach in Colchester, IL
Here is our amazing host tonight! Welcome, Chris! Thanks for hosting!
hi...i'm Chris Woods, i teach HS Math & i do lots of STEM presenting & podcasting (& tonight chatting!)
I'm Katie. I teach 2nd in Rose Hill, Kansas.
Thanks for hanging out with the 2nd graders tonight. :)
Hey Sam from Chicago checking in. One eye on the chat, an eye on Masterchef finale & one on my 4 kids! https://t.co/rDjHY37osU
2nd graders are so much fun! much different than freshmen...
Welcome, Sam! Glad you are keeping one of your 3 :) eyes on us. That is quite a talent.
Hi!!! I'm Abbi! I teach second grade in Davenport, Ia... Super excited for my first
Hi Abbi! Welcome! We are happy you joined us!
Needing a good recommendation for a great speech to text app.
Hi, . I'm a parent of a new 2nd grader & 7th grader who enjoyed & last year. Might lurk & contribute now & then. 🙂
Hi, Beth! You made it! :)
Happy Wednesday Everyone! I'm Jenna, a previous 5th grade science teacher now at Science4Us - a K-2 science program 😎
Welcome! That is a fun job! :)
A1 it was building a tower that could hold weight with postcards. Would love more ideas though that goes with NGSS.
A1: on monday i had students calculate how many pennies it would take to tile an 8x10ft floor
https://t.co/f5eQffbMe7
A1: Building the tallest tower with toothpicks and playdoh
A1: I do this Big, Bad Wolf/3 Pig building pbl/STEM project in the spring. We all love it!
A1: Our enrichment group is working in coding bee bots and spheroballs right now... So fun for them!
We built wind propelled race cars. Loved seeing their engagement and excitement.
Jenna has a great prize to give out tonight! Stay tuned to win!
A1: looking to add STEM activities this year. I feel like it's my area of weakness.
So happy we are doing this chat. It is going to help us all to incorporate it more.
Is there a link you could post?
no one is Jedi Master at all things STEM...one just needs to try...even though yoda disagrees
just got Ollie by sphero. Looking forward to testing it out
Its possible that I do a few STEM activities here and there and don't realize that they would qualify as STEM
Lisa from Evansville, In coming on late
What topics are you working on now ?
Hi, Lisa! Glad you are here!
For me not doing more STEM activities.
with any STEM actitivity its all about just trying something with the kids...even if it fails, it might spark a different activity
A2: There's a learning experience in everything. My biggest failure was when I didn't teach STEM at all!
"the only bad STEM activity is the one you dont try"
https://t.co/WglMR4rcQ7
For me not doing more STEM activities.
A2: I tried this marshmallow/toothpick bridge but I think we set the tables too far apart and I didn't allow enough time.
starting push&pull. We made paper plans and measured their flight distance for math. Getting close?
How can you teach STEM along with NGSS?
better late to the STEM party than sitting at home and washing your hair.
https://t.co/mGAPLEtfWS
A2: There's a learning experience in everything. My biggest failure was when I didn't teach STEM at all!
Isn't there a BIG engineering component of NGSS?
Students that get mad and quit. We've been talking more about this year. Things don't always work the first time.
and they all ate the marshmallows too?
yes but I want to add me than that.
Q2: My students getting frustrated with spaghetti towers and giving up.
We ate marshmallows but I had those in a separate bag. :) I rushed it. That never works out!
i think most would agree their first tries didnt work very well either.
https://t.co/o1n8GUIjzh
Students that get mad and quit. We've been talking more about this year. Things don't always work the first time.
Our spaghetti towers were awesome this year. Not sure what happened! :)
you didnt cook the spaghetti first, right?
https://t.co/ELr1l0vUTO
Q2: My students getting frustrated with spaghetti towers and giving up.
2A Not letting the students make enough mistakes
we want to be the experts and step in...
failure is important.
https://t.co/60pWctYiWk
2A Not letting the students make enough mistakes
They have to make mistakes! They need to experience this at young ages so they learn to persevere!
I look on PInterest. I made a STEM board.
A2 Sure we've had failures but that's just part of the fun and learning as long as everything is safe
i like https://t.co/h0mreKvmK8 for great kids projects ideas...cheap, mostly stuff you can find in junk drawer or garage
A3 Being on the resources please
wish there was more time for science labs & engineering builds in school so kids could experiment (& fail)
A3: So far I've just searched pinterest for quick ideas. Would love some good websites
A3. Eagerly anticipating answers for Q3 ;)
A3. Can't wait to hear some of these!
Sorry I'm late, Kelly from FL
A3: I don't know too many websites... I use a lot for coding but other than that- Pinterest!!
Hi, Kelly! Glad you are here!
Here's a treat! If you're working with animals: you can look at animal design and collect data about what they look like and move
A3: also when you read your favorite news website, look at the "science" or "technology" tab and talk about those in classroom
A3. I helped start a Pondering Place "wonder room" @ my school but ran out of ideas for use. Would be great place for STEM lessons
A3 We use what's happening around us or Ss interests. Had a hockey tournament in town last yr so we made a mini rink with ice, etc
we've started doing a lot with scratch Jr
I've used some great lessons from mystery science.
Q4: I do not know any for STEM so looking forward to learning from others!
I LOVE Mystery Science! I loved making a hat that would shield you from the sun from all types of materials.
A4: ...also Backyard Scientist https://t.co/x1fX3jrkZq has fun science that he does under "controlled" environment that inspire
A4: I haven't used YouTube for STEM so I'm excited to see some responses!
by the way, if you have a gmail or google account (like many schools), you can use youtube to make your own channel...
so glad I joined today so many great ideas
...you can save videos to a "Playlist", so when you find a great video for chapter 7, just add it to your playlist & itll be there
Not sure about YouTube but Sci Girls and Design Squad on have some great video clips
Last year my Ss loved the candy melt experiment under material magic!
thats why i'm here...hoping to share great ideas so your kids will think you're awesome STEM geeks!
https://t.co/oMZkgsQC9o
so glad I joined today so many great ideas
So glad you came! Twitter chats are the best!
A4: i also search for Mythbusters or How its Made clips to get kids excited & inspired...
Just made my own YouTube channel. Excited to share it with my Ss
okay, we can always keep sharing websites and youtube channels (or check my twitter, i share a lot of them when i find them)
Twitter -> YouTube Channel -> World Domination!
https://t.co/P86VItmmAF
Just made my own YouTube channel. Excited to share it with my Ss
YES! When I upload classroom videos, I always use viewpure before sharing with parents or on Twitter.
Its easy if your district uses gmail.
A5: I would love robots and then building materials that can be reused for different challenges.
A5: I'd get each kid a kit.
Q5: building materials like variety of blocks, lots of crafty things like pipe cleaners and aluminum foil.
Q5 perfect timing! Wanting to write a PEF grant for materials for a makers' space
A5: I'd love to have random materials for Ss to build and explore!
A5: robotics, real world prob solving building kits
yes! kids love to build, explore, invent...too bad they lose so much of it by time they get to me in HS.
A5 unlimited budget= using robotics in class
What do you think happens? They tend to loose thinking about math in creative ways too1
hope we are going got discuss time management. W/language arts taking majority of day I have barely 30 min for science.
A6: paper plates, cups, tape, straws
We had to rearrange our schedule because our new science kits require 40-45 minutes.
This is certainly a conversation for all grades-- including MS when it stops being "cool" :(
A6: ANYTHING! That's the awesome thing about STEM, the point of it is to make projects out of whatever you're given
kids get too much "instruction" and not enough "inspiration"...blame lies on all of us teachers.
Don't forget that you can slide the math component into math time!
Make
STEM
Cool
Again!
https://t.co/EM9pg4BiJn
This is certainly a conversation for all grades-- including MS when it stops being "cool" :(
Have you read it? The tchr gives each stdnt a kit. All but 1 kid follow the directions to make a car. She makes a plane.
sometimes I've done STEM projects tied into ELA, reading comprehension
A6: Saw some 1st grdrs in Japan on twitter taking apart 1 of those dancing Santa figures. Cool 2 see what it looked like underneath
Paper and tape! Always cutting and taping to make all sorts of things. Can't get them to stop sometimes! I guess that's good!
That's a great idea. My personal parents always bring 1 to my students when they come. We need to do that!
do you have books in your "book nook" that have science or math or technology in them?
My 3 Pig Projects jumps off from reading the book.
Make your STEM into STREAM!!! Add in the Reading compent!
A6... basically, if you find old broken stuff at a garage sale, kids can find a way to reinvent it or take it apart (& learn!)
Books should give you sooooo many ideas-- I love this! And if you can't figure it, ask!
I agree. They learn to "follow a formula" and lose the experiment spirit.
okay, prize giveaway...2 to first person that can post a pic of a STEM project they did in their classroom
A6: A friend (and def follow her!) has great ideas--- including just asking Pp for broken technology!
everyone must be searching through their smartphone photos... https://t.co/kzgkTTeHSS
okay, prize giveaway...2 to first person that can post a pic of a STEM project they did in their classroom
Great chat thanks, my Lil guys r having bath-bed time now, catch u later
do you save your great STEM projects & ideas into a folder in your phone's photos? or when you see some STEM do you snap a pic?
Had to switch devices to find pics
A7: do you notice how we have lots of "READ to your Kids" but not much "Do STEM with your Kids"
A7: The first step is for the Ps to learn about STEM! Then encourage their kids to explore!
We do this cup stacking challenge with a rubber band and yarn. Last year after tweeting a pic, a family did their own!
Absolutely! Most are based around animals
, Do you send home newsletters? Always make sure to add in discussion questions and science fun! A7
I think would be a good place for me to start
good! how about some about planets...or...robots...or...have kids write creative stories w/STEM theme
I send out pics on my classroom twitter page and sometimes add questions help with the discussion. :)
i guess we're combining my question 8 (How can we get parents to do STEM with their kids) with 7...
sad part is too many parents would rather just play with their smartphones than play with their kids.
This is AWESOME! Def need to share it again later! Thanks!
I probably have the literacy component covered. I need to increase the hands on component.
A8: I think we need to share what we do in the room.Parents like to know what we're learning but they hear more about reading/math.
A8: invite parents into STEM nights...send home lists of ideas...just tell parents to play LEGOs with their kids...
maybe need to answer first, How can we get parents to do any type of teaching/learning with their kids?
Just had a WOW moment!! We made ice cream to kick off our on solids&liquids. Mayb doing more than I think
How awesome was this chat????? I want to thank for hosting tonight & sharing so many great resources. FOLLOW HIM!
we have this old microscope on the counter in kitchen at my house...my kids love to find stuff to look at... https://t.co/o0BPiRiD9v
A8: I think it would be awesome to start with a STEM night to introduce the parents. Then show them how simple it is to do at home
If any of you find cool STEM resources, don't forget to share them and add to the tweet!
one last prize giveaway... has a great classroom pack...who can tell me how 7 + 7 = triangle
Definitely ! That's the idea-- expose those kiddos to all things science :)
I had kids make pig houses on
Down here in SoFL, many schools host a STEM night and share projects
