Kindergarten Information for the Tompkins County Public Library
Kindergarten Information for the Tompkins County Public Library
Kindergarten Information for the Tompkins County Public Library
KDT! Resources for Teachers
Second Grade Information for the Sciencenter
Second grade classes visit the Sciencenter. The KDT! program at the Sciencenter is called Power the Future; a program in which students use the engineering design process to solve problems, large and small. Students learn about engineering practices as well as energy and power through a hands-on windmill building activity, and have free time to explore the museum.
Pre-Trip Activities/Lessons
We recommend watching the SciGirls episode, “Puppet Power”, to introduce your students to the engineering process. In this episode, a group of students must build prototypes, cooperate, and improve their designs to build a large puppet for a parade. This episode is available to stream on the SciGirls Video Page.
During Your Trip
The Sciencenter has developed an optional Scavenger Hunt for chaperones to use while exploring the museum with your students. This optional tool is meant to guide student groups to different parts of the museum, and to build on the ideas presented in the Power the Future program. Scavenger Hunt
Post-Trip Reflection
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After your trip - either on the bus ride back to school or back in the classroom - you may find it helpful to reflect with your students on what they accomplished during the engineering workshop. These questions will help to draw out the lesson's connections to the Next Generation Science Standards. Reflection Questions
Post-Trip Ideas
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Post-Trip Activity 1: We recommend watching the SciGirls episode, “Blowin' in the Wind”, to continue the discussion with your students about wind power and renewable energy. In this episode, a group of students design and build wind turbines after seeing a need for a clean power source. They then measure the energy output of their turbine and use it to power a birdbath. This episode is available to stream on the SciGirls Video Page.
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Post-Trip Activity Handout: Here are two additional activities that we recommend trying in class, or sending home for students to try with their families. We would love some feedback as to which of these you used with your class, how you used it, and how it went!
Puff Mobile – Design a car using simple materials. Move it with only your breath! (NGSS 2-PSI-3, K-2-ETS1-1, K-2-ETS1-2)
Paper Tower – Explore ways to change the properties of newspaper while building the tallest tower you can. (NGSS 2-PSI-2, K-2-ETS1-1, K-2-ETS1-2)
Learning the discourse/language used by a discipline is important for children. Here is a link to a document titled "Talk Like a Scientist/Engineer".
Virtual Field Experience Link
For distance learning classes and those that require a virtual trip, the Sciencenter is offering the Connect to the Ocean program. This virtual experience focuses on the connectedness of waterways and the how our actions at home can impact life in the ocean. Materials for this virtual program will be provided, so if you need to change from an in-person to a virtual trip, please reach out as soon as possible to Peter Leipzig (pleipzig@sciencenter.org) so that we can make the necessary arrangements.
KDT! Book for Second Grade
KDT! provides books to all Pre-K through fifth grade children to encourage literacy and reinforce Kids Discover the Trail! curriculum. To prolong the excitement of the trip, some teachers give the book to the children (when appropriate) on a day other than the day of the field trip.
Some helpful hints...
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Read the book aloud to the children in class before sending the book home.
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Have the children write their names in the book
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Use the lesson plans that are posted below
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Be sure to inform families about the book in your weekly newsletters. Please alert them to the parent flier that gives ideas about how to use the book at home!
This year's 2nd Grade KDT book is "Going Places"
Click Here to find a lesson written by Alison Pritz and Emily Powell for the book
Going Places
Click Here to find a lesson written by Mary Beth McDaniel for the book
Energy Island.
Click here to find lessons written by Caren Arnold for the Scholastic Clean Energy book. This book is no longer available, but since many of you still have copies, I have left the lesson plans here for you.