OT: 2nd grade project a bit much?

[Marionnette]

Oh Ben Franklin would be wonderful! But, Carrie is who my daughter chose. IDK why, she's not someone we listen to. But she is from our state, that's probably the attraction.

I would hate to discourage a child's natural curiosity but you may want to steer your daughter in another direction. There isn't much in the way of research material that is grade-level appropriate. And an internet search could turn up some websites that would not be appropriate for a child. (Not because Carrie acts inappropriately but because there are a lot of sick-o's on the web.) You can appease her by allowing her to bring home a Carrie Underwood book from the library and helping her research her idol when there is more tiime to enjoy doing it.

 

[TiggerStac]

that would be a normal project for us, but not a normal timeframe. In 2nd grade my son got more time. They did a project/report a month and had about 2 weeks to complete.

 

[momto2inKC]

Sounds right in line with projects my kids have done, even in 2nd grade. I loathe school projects, just hate them, but it's gotta be done.
One thing i'm not understanding, is why you're upset with the teacher and sending her an email about getting a heads up on the assignment or timing?? I've not ever been given a heads up notice that my child is about to get an assignment.

 

[brymolmom]

IMO, when a child is in 2nd grade - the teacher should be assigning things that can "mostly" be completed by the child. In other words, I would bring my child to the library and assist in finding a book, maybe offer suggestions of topics, but the ACTUAL WORK (writing of all the sentences, all the facts, the poster) would all be done by my child.

I can tell you if MY 2nd grader was doing this - it would look, very much, like a 7 year old did it.

I would hope that's what the teacher is expecting.

Oh and my kids do not get anything resembling this in 2nd or 3rd grade and those are their current grades - neither one has had one this extensive. I would be VERY surprised too, OP.

For those who have seen this type of assignment in a younger grade like 2nd - what percentage would you say your child did completely independently? What percentage would you say others in his/her class did independently?

That's the part that truly annoys me - these projects are SUPPOSED to be done by the kids (unless otherwise stated by the teacher as a 'family' project or other) - and what little I've seen I KNOW that a child at that grade level did NOT do it.

 

[MariDisney]

Agree with PP's that this is appropriate for 2nd grade. I clearly remember my DD having a similar assignment at the end of 1st.

You shouldn't have trouble even if the library is closed if you have a bookstore nearby. You can look through the books without buying. I don't personally like to do that, but I know lots of people take a book off the shelf, read it and return it to the shelf.

A quick look at the Barnes and Noble website shows a number of early reader biographies:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Carrie-Underwood/Mary-Kate-Frank/e/9781433923777/?itm=2&USRI=carrie+underwood+biography#TOC
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Ca...205990/?itm=8&USRI=carrie+underwood+biography

Add a current Tiger Beat or some similar magazine to us for the poster and you're good to go.

 

[bellebud]

OP - just so you're not alone here - I agree w/ you. I think "parent projects" are not good for anyone - the student, the parent, or the teacher who has to grade them.

We homeschool now, so it's no longer an issue for us, but it definitely was a big issue for me. Of course it's not the reason why we left traditional school, but it's on the list. I just saw no educational value in them, saw a lot of frustration, then getting into the classroom and having the one who the child truly did by himself sitting next to the one the engineer parent did by themselves was such an esteem buster for the kids. No amount of telling them "listen, there's no way little Johnny did that by himself, and you did yours all by yourself" helped.

So, I'm not here to debate any of this w/ anyone who disagrees with me, but wanted you to know you're not alone at all.

 

[drcbpearce]

OP - just so you're not alone here - I agree w/ you. I think "parent projects" are not good for anyone - the student, the parent, or the teacher who has to grade them.

We homeschool now, so it's no longer an issue for us, but it definitely was a big issue for me. Of course it's not the reason why we left traditional school, but it's on the list. I just saw no educational value in them, saw a lot of frustration, then getting into the classroom and having the one who the child truly did by himself sitting next to the one the engineer parent did by themselves was such an esteem buster for the kids. No amount of telling them "listen, there's no way little Johnny did that by himself, and you did yours all by yourself" helped.

So, I'm not here to debate any of this w/ anyone who disagrees with me, but wanted you to know you're not alone at all.

Thank you for that. I think to learn about someone, study them, would be one thing, but the projects that require so much parental involvement I think kind of defeat the purpose. They show some of the children that they don't have to worry about these things b/c mom or dad will take care of them. Or heaven help the kids whose parents don't give a flip about school and hang them out to dry when it comes tiime to turn in the assignment.

 

[drcbpearce]

IMO, when a child is in 2nd grade - the teacher should be assigning things that can "mostly" be completed by the child. In other words, I would bring my child to the library and assist in finding a book, maybe offer suggestions of topics, but the ACTUAL WORK (writing of all the sentences, all the facts, the poster) would all be done by my child.

I can tell you if MY 2nd grader was doing this - it would look, very much, like a 7 year old did it.

I would hope that's what the teacher is expecting.

Oh and my kids do not get anything resembling this in 2nd or 3rd grade and those are their current grades - neither one has had one this extensive. I would be VERY surprised too, OP.

For those who have seen this type of assignment in a younger grade like 2nd - what percentage would you say your child did completely independently? What percentage would you say others in his/her class did independently?

That's the part that truly annoys me - these projects are SUPPOSED to be done by the kids (unless otherwise stated by the teacher as a 'family' project or other) - and what little I've seen I KNOW that a child at that grade level did NOT do it.

I completely agree. Her project looks like a 7yo did it, b/c she's doing it, mostly. She still needs alot of help. But then there's the internet research that I have to do basically for her b/c she's not a computer/internet kid. agh.

 

[hereyago]

I recall DD having a 2nd grade project like that but it was on Sea horses. It was hilarious to see hand drawn sea horse life-as no pictures from internet were allowed, but the posters would be laminated? and have fancy font styles on pieces of paper about the certain things. Yea, that 2nd grader can't draw but he can laminate and spell perfect with fancy fonts.

Ok, OP you wrote about it was brought home last Wednesday and due this Wednesday, has your DD not started yet?

Weekends: My DD is in 7th grade now, she has math homework every weekend including this 3 day weekend coming up. Every other weekend, Science. Friday she was given a project assignment due on the 19th, so less then a week.

The projects really seemed to pick up in 3rd grade, it was like she would turn in a project, then couple days later be assigned another project for a different subject. It just doesn't stop.

 

[drcbpearce]

Uhhh you won't be getting a "heads up" that is what she did she gave them an assignment. The teacher doesn't send home notice that I'll be giving an assignment!

I guess I"ve been spoiled. My DS's teacher sends us emails of the things to look for and what projects are currently being worked on. Maybe I should kiss her feet. That kind of communication has made life this year really wonderful. No surprises.

 

[drcbpearce]

I would hate to discourage a child's natural curiosity but you may want to steer your daughter in another direction. There isn't much in the way of research material that is grade-level appropriate. And an internet search could turn up some websites that would not be appropriate for a child. (Not because Carrie acts inappropriately but because there are a lot of sick-o's on the web.) You can appease her by allowing her to bring home a Carrie Underwood book from the library and helping her research her idol when there is more tiime to enjoy doing it.

We have been able to find basic facts about her online. But I agree, I wish it were someone else, but I am thankful she didn't choose Lady Gaga! We'll take a visit to the bookstore tomorrow and see what else we can find. Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[hereyago]

The only time I was given a "heads' up about a project is when DD was in 3rd grade. A couple parents were chaperones on a field trip and the teacher told us while we were near the gift shop that there would be a project given in the next few days so if we needed to buy the village models, then to do it now.

I got one of the last ones.

 

[BarbWB]

It's very appropriate for 2d grade and the time frame isn't bad, EXCEPT for the part about having to go to an outside library and get a book over a holiday weekend when the library is closed. My kids can't walk to any library, so I have to take them. That would usually be a weekend, not a weeknight for various reasons. If the library is closed and/or the family had plans over the holiday weekend, that would be a serious problem for us. I think the teacher probably doesn't have multiple kids and doesn't understand the scheduling issues for family. IMO, she should have made sure the kids could get a book at the school library -- not an outside library.

Otherwise, I think the work is fine. I've had 3 second-graders and they have all had "famous Americans" projects that required a Power-point presentation, a demonstrative (my son did Thomas Edison and made a home-made lightbulb), a short paper, and an in-class speech.

 

[mom2val]

1rst grade dd had a research project on Penguins. She got to choose which one, built a habitat , created a scrapbook (10 pages 10 facts) and presented it all to her class.

2nd grade dd did same thing only she got to choose any animal- she picked red ear slider turtles.

3rd grade same project this time rainforest animal- picked some Butterfly. 3rd grade also had a project called the living wax museum where you read anyones biography and did a 2 minute speech dressed up as that person giving facts about their life. DD chose Ruby Bridges.

So far in 4th grade we have had no projects... yet.

 

[palavra]

I don't really understand what you will have to do for your child? Can she read? If so, help her find websites, print out material and let her write the information.

Can she just draw the pictures on the poster? Of course, printing them out from the computer is super fast and easy to glue them on.

Just a heads up-if your daughter is not a computer kid by now, she will need to become one soon. Basic internet research and keyboard skills are taught at my daughter's school starting in k-4.

 

[wlake]

drcbpearce, I'm afraid that's the direction school is going in. My third grader had a similar project -- over Thanksgiving! He also had to give an oral report on his person with no notes, just objects about the person from a bag. My basement got a thorough searching that weekend as he needed a phone and a record for his Thomas Edison box! Luckily, the teacher gave them the books as our town library is open (outside of school hours) only 3 days a week.

His first research project came home when he was in kindergarten.

As a grade 4 teacher, I do try to think about the timing of projects, but the curriculum pacing guide determines when we teach things. Then sometimes the kids are literally asking for it -- I let my class outvote me two weeks before Christmas on a science project (they were SO excited about it), but the parent in me felt guilty assigning it. The teacher in me felt too guilty to say no, you can't learn that!

 

[Alexander]

I never give my students projects that they don't have at least 2 weekends to complete the project. I know how busy families are, I have 2 kids myself.

Does the teacher have children who are in school, playing sports, etc? It makes a world of difference in what you assign and how much time you give when you are walking the walk!

 

[hereyago]

School is so much different from when I went. There was no pre K, Kindergarten I just remember nap time, finger paint, getting in home in time to watch Young and Restless with DM-I know, I know.

DD is taking pre Algebra in 7th grade, I took it in 9th grade.
Beginning in 6th grade, she has Math and English all year. then Science and Social Studies split, so she will start off the school year with Science, and within the next week, or so she will no longer take Science and take Social Studies.

And they have a really fast paced courses, because they have to learn a years worth of science and social studies-the requirements for that grade, in a few months each.

It is mind boggling, but thankfully kids are hopefully flexible for that.

 

[juliebean]

This has made me think of all the projects over the years...

DS painting like Van Gogh and dressing up as him in 4th, we left the ear on...

Making 7 Ancient Greek Artifacts in 5th grade....

An invention in 2nd grade, still use son's back of door organizer, daughter's stuff mover to take things up the stairs without going up...not so much

Last week it was a box report for Guardian of Gahoole book for the 3rd grader. Owls are hard to draw!

After so many years of this, I've come to expect the occasional crisis involving posterboard or a shoebox and ultimately I think they get a lot out of the projects.

4th grade they dissect owl pellets - glad that one is a school only one...

It is a shame you don't have more time, but thanks for the memories - lol

 

[hereyago]

T
DS painting like Van Gogh and dressing up as him in 4th, we left the ear on...



4th grade they dissect owl pellets - glad that one is a school only one...

- lol

about the ear, I almost spit my milk out on that one, i needed a laugh.

Um, dissecting owl pellets, why?