SECOND GRADE
Scroll down to view the Living Classroom lessons that second grade teachers can schedule for their classes this year.
FALL
FROM SEED TO PRETZEL #1
In this fall lesson, students embark on an amazing garden adventure that will take them from seed to pretzel! Their journey will take most of the school year to complete. Students will explore wheat anatomy and plant wheat.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
State History & Social Studies Standards: 2.4.1; 2.4.2
TWIG Science: A Garden for Life
DATES OFFERED: 9/4/24-11/8/24
LESSON LENGTH: 60-75 Minutes
PARENT VOLUNTEERS: 2
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GARDEN TREASURES
Students learn about coordinate graphing as they locate garden "treasures" on a life-size coordinate grid and create a scaled coordinate map of the school garden.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
NGSS: 2-ESS2-2
Common Core: CCSS.math.content.2.MD.A.3; 2.MD.B.6; 2.MD.D.9; 2.MD.D.10
TWIG Science: My Journey West
DATES OFFERED: 9/4/24-12/20/24
LESSON LENGTH: 60-75 Minutes
PARENT VOLUNTEERS: 3
WINTER
DIRT DETECTIVES
Students investigate the physical properties of soil and discover that the components of soil have different densities and absorption rates. They also learn why certain soils are better for growing food.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
NGSS: 2-PS1-1
TWIG Science: Master of Materials; A Garden for Life
DATES OFFERED: 1/7/25-3/21/25
LESSON LENGTH: 60-75 Minutes
PARENT VOLUNTEERS: 2
SPRING
FLOWER POWER
Students learn about pollinators and their importance in the nature. They dissect flowers, play a pollinator matching game, learn how bees make honey, and do a honey tasting.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
NGSS: 2-LS202
TWIG Science: A Garden for Life
DATES OFFERED: 3/25/25-5/30/25
LESSON LENGTH: 60-75 Minutes
PARENT VOLUNTEERS: 2
FROM SEED TO PRETZEL #2
In this spring lesson, students learn how wheat is harvested, threshed, and ground into flour. They also explore other popular grains from around the world.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
State History & Social Studies Standards: 2.4.1; 2.4.2
TWIG Science: A Garden for Life
DATES OFFERED: 4/22/25-5/29/25
LESSON LENGTH: 60-75 Minutes
PARENT VOLUNTEERS: 2
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FROM SEED TO PRETZEL #3
In this last of three lessons in our From Seed to Pretzel series, students finally get a chance to make, bake, and eat pretzels made from the wheat they ground in From Seed to Pretzel #2. They also learn about other grains grown around the world.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS:
State History & Social Studies Standards: 2.4.1; 2.4.2
TWIG Science: A Garden for Life
DATES OFFERED: 4/23/25-5/30/25
LESSON LENGTH: 75-90 Minutes
PARENT VOLUNTEERS: 3
SECOND GRADE RESOURCES
FROM SEED TO PRETZEL LESSON RESOURCES
PANCAKES, PANCAKES READ ALOUD
Click the book cover above to enjoy a fun read aloud about making pancakes! This story is read during our From Seed to Pretzel #1 lesson.
FROM SEED TO PRETZEL
Learn to be both a producer and a consumer as this video shows the process of turning wheat from seed to pretzel! Click here to view or print the recipe.
WHEAT GROWING IN OUR SCHOOL GARDENS
Click the picture above to watch a video of wheat growing in one of our school gardens.
GARDEN TREASURES LESSON RESOURCES
DIRT DETECTIVES LESSON RESOURCES
MAKE A MUDSHAKE!
Test the density and makeup of different soils around your neighborhood!
SOIL CREATIONS
Feel for sand, silt, clay, and organic matter as you play with soil from your yard or neighborhood and then use the soil to create your own materpiece!
MAKE A BUG HOTEL!
Learn about Nature's FBI: Fungi, Bacteria, and Invertebrates. Invite the FBI to your yard by making a bug hotel!
BUILDING A WORM HABITAT
Learn how worms help create amazing soil while trying your hand at building a worm habitat at home!
HOW TO MAKE COMPOST
Learn how to enhance garden soil by making your own compost!
FLOWER POWER LESSON RESOURCES
PARTS OF A FLOWER
Learn about the parts of a flower by dissecting one and exploring each part. Click here for an illustration of the flower parts.
THE REASON FOR A FLOWER READ ALOUD
Click the book cover above to enjoy a fun read aloud of The Reason for a Flower by Ruth Heller.
FLOWER OR LEAF HUNT
Go on a flower or leaf hunt in your backyard, neighborhood, or park and sketch the different adaptations that you notice.
LEAF TRACING OR RUBBING
Collect different leaves and trace and color them or place them underneath a sheet of paper and use a crayon on its side to make a rubbing of each leaf.
ADDITIONAL NATURE-BASED ACTIVITIES
SAVING SEEDS FROM HEIRLOOM TOMATOES
Learn how to save seeds from heirloom tomatoes and grow your favorite tomatoes year after year!
ZERO WASTE HEROES!
Learn how to create a zero waste lunch and live more sustainably!
LIVING CLASSROOM'S ART IN NATURE SERIES
NATURE CREATURES
Go for a nature walk and collect natural materials to make fun nature creatures. You can even make your own self-portrait! Collect each part of a plant: root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit, and seed.
SPELLING WITH NATURE
Collect natural materials on a nature walk to make words with. You will need to collect each part of a plant: root, stem, leaf, seed, flower, and fruit.
QUIET LEAF TRACING
Find three leaves to creatively trace and color. Use this activity as an opportunity to relax and meditate.
Flying Foxes at the Lubee Bat Conservancy
Jellyfish at the Aquarium of the Pacific
Mississippi River Flyway Cam
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