April 2021 - Miss Clark's Spoonful

Make Graphing FUN with This Activity!


You know those units that just scream "end of year?"


Even though we practice graphing in some shape and form throughout the school year, our full unit study of graphing & data always accompanies the warmer weather of spring, without fail.


In second grade, we focus on line plots, bar graphs, picture graphs... and more!


I'd love to share with you a lesson that makes graphing relatable, engaging, and FUN.


line plots, bar graphs, and picture graphs activity

Giving students the power of choice can make all the difference in how deeply they develop an understanding of a concept. Math is one of those areas that's super fun to bring an element of choice to!

We've been through our math program's units about collecting data in different ways. For a culminating activity (also a sneakily great formative assessment for you!), the kids REALLY enjoyed collecting data and representing it in different ways.

Why?

They got to choose their own topic and survey their classmates!

Here's how it went down:

First, each child (and me!) came up with their own topic to survey their friends about.

bar graphs, picture graphs, and tally chart activity

We collected this information on a table, then transferred it to a tally chart.

data and graphing second grade activity

data and graphing second grade activity

data and graphing second grade activity

data and graphing second grade activity

After collecting initial data in their table, the students then took this information and displayed it on different types of graphs that we learned about throughout this unit: a line plot, a bar graph, and a picture graph.

The second graders chosen topics were so much fun!

data and graphing activity

data and graphing activity

picture graph activity

After collecting the data and representing it on different types of graphs, the students analyzed their data by writing and solving different questions.

"How many more friends said their favorite character was Hermione than Harry?"

"How many people liked Gymnastics and Basketball?"

"How many fewer people liked Spring than Winter?"

The creativity in questioning went on and on!

Choice can make all the difference in bringing any learning concept home.

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If this lesson is something you'd like to use with your great graphers in your classroom, I'd be so thrilled.


Download your complete activity pages HERE for FREE!

second grade graphing activity

Happy graphing!

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Favorite April Read Alouds for the Primary Classroom

Favorite April Read Alouds

Rain or shine, April is such a fun month to read about all things springy!

Here are some of my favorite read alouds to enjoy all month long, and some ways I incorporate them into different lessons.


This story captures the joy of spring weather through the eyes of one little boy and his kite.

When the wind picks up, the boy and his grandma chase the runaway kite into town. With descriptive language like "swirling leaves," "bobbing boats," and "flapping scarves," this book is perfect for taking notice of how quickly the weather can change during Spring.

This story is perfect for making mental images. In my classroom, I also like to attach it to the writing prompt, "If I were a kite, I'd fly to...".



If you've ever read Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type (and other books in this series!), you're familiar with the engaging, funny "daily diary entry" format!

In this story, we read the worm's diary entries and follow along on his adventures.

This is a fun story to compare and contrast fiction and non-fiction. It's also perfect for taking things in a more informational route, and studying characteristics of worms in real life.


The Berenstain Bears and the Real Easter Eggs

The Berenstain Bears are a classic! In this story, Brother and Sister Bear enjoy the fun traditions of an Easter Egg Hunt. Things get a little bit competitive when the cubs are trying to collect the most eggs. Suddenly, they discover a mama bird's nest about to hatch, and they discover the true meaning of the season.

This story is perfect for focusing on the beauty of nature, and the wonders of Spring!



Doreen Cronin for the win! This is another one of her fabulous stories with the "daily diary entry" format. What can I say, they're super fun to read!

In this story, Farmer Brown's not bothered by the usual farm animals... but he is by a super cute baby duck who won't go to sleep.

This is the perfectly springy version of Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type. Delightful for an author study!




This lovely story examines the concept of why rules are important. Throwing one soda can out the window? No big deal, right? Calling out during school? I had something important to say! ....But, what if everybody did that? As they read, students begin to realize the importance of following the rules in order to make our world a better place. The story perfectly illustrates what responsibility looks like and sounds like. 

I love to tie this story into our Social Studies unit on Citizenship. The bit about the importance of taking care of our earth by not littering is very timely for Earth Day, too!



Kevin Henkes is perhaps my very favorite children's author!

While Lily and her Purple Plastic Purse, Owen and his fuzzy blanket, or Chrysanthemum with her sweet doll Petal do not make appearances, the season of Spring sure does!

This is a truly beautiful book. Henkes uses poetic techniques like repetition and alliteration to draw readers into the true beauty of the season. I also love to point out his use of ellipses (...) to my students. This story is a gem for integrating descriptive language and the five senses when it comes to recognizing Spring!

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You can encourage your readers to enjoy books all month long with this FREE April Reading Log.



Did I miss any of your April favorites? I'd love to hear about the books you enjoy reading in your classroom this month.

Happy reading!

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