Armed with clipboards, iPads, and data collection sheets, each second grade class took a field trip within the town of Montclair this week. Students were on a mission to find examples of the four major elements of a town: places to live, places to work, transportation, and open spaces. Each class visited a different section of Montclair for their exploration and data collection. 2M visited the Montclair Center/Church Street area, 2N visited the Valley Road area of Upper Montclair, and 2B visited Watchung Plaza. Students were excited to notice various buildings, ways to get around, open spaces, people, animals, and “street furniture” (like parking meters and recycling bins). Students also made a science connection by noticing when robotic elements (such as ATMs or automatic doors) can help a town to function more smoothly and be accessible to all. Second graders returned to school ready to share the data they gathered with classmates. The information they gathered will be shared in a variety of formats next week. It will be a useful reference in the coming weeks when second graders engage in a hands-on project to construct their own towns using a choice of materials. Thanks to Ms. Jones for accompanying us on our data-gathering field trips!
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