What’s Up In Hawley’s 2nd Grade?

By Rachel Beuthe

And Kaitlin Eckert

Again, the second graders’ Africa Night was a huge success. Hundreds of family and friends came and visited the four classrooms, which were designed to look like sections of Africa. Mrs Fanelli’s class was the market place, Mrs Tedesco’s class was the savannah, Mrs Giordano’s class was the rain forest, and Mrs Pesce’s class was the desert. On display in the classrooms were the children’s African weavings, their dioramas, the children’s clay masks they made in art with Mrs Sheskin, and Egyptian stamps designed by the students. Books about Africa were displayed so visitors could learn a little about the subject. Inside each classroom several children sat at their desks and taught African games like Mancala and Hyena chase.

In the Multi-Purpose room each class had 10-15 minutes to sing African songs they had learned with Mrs Zieman, the music teacher.

“The songs and dances in the Multi-Purpose room were my favorite part!” says Lindsey Burnes of Mrs Giordano’s class. The children were also allowed to dress in African clothing. The visitors really felt they had walked into Africa!

In class they are reading a book called The Heart of the Woods. In math they are learning how to tell time and are beginning multiplication. Mrs Tedesco has celebrated four birthdays at the beginning of April.

Now that the Africa Unit is over, the second graders have begun a Dinosaur Unit. “I can’t wait to learn more!” says Christiane Buethe, one of Mrs Tedesco’s students. None of the second graders can wait to dig deeper into the Dinosaur Unit!