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Grade 2 Pieces of Me Showcase

By Maureen Sweeney
“Learning about the past helps us understand who we are today” is the inquiry statement Grade 2 social studies students examined through the lenses of innovation, technology, and their own family history. Other objectives of this social studies unit included understanding the significance of oral history and how to engage in collaborative discussion when interviewing a source. By listening to stories and memories shared by parents, grandparents, and even great grandparents, students discovered that their family’s history provides insight into their values, traditions, and culture. 
Tasked with gathering notes about their families, students began interviewing relatives, learning about ancestors from at least two generations prior, identifying meaningful connections to family artifacts, and recording family recipes. Once the research phase was complete, students engaged in several in-class projects to prepare for the Pieces of Me Showcase, an event that has been a part of the Grade 2 curriculum at JTD for over ten years. 

The first project involved creating a recipe book that featured each child’s unique family recipe. These recipes were celebrated during a food share, where students were encouraged to prepare their dish and present it for the entire class. Next, students created portraits of the family members they interviewed, which were displayed during the showcase in a booklet along with a paragraph about their special family artifact, a venn diagram comparing and contrasting themselves with their family member, and a letter written to an ancestor. 

The Pieces of Me Showcase marked the culmination of this unit, allowing each second grader to present what they learned through their artifact, portrait, and project booklet. This project also provided an invaluable opportunity for our young students to practice public speaking and respond to questions from both adults and other JTD students while they shared their work. Grade 2 students left this project feeling a deeper connection to their families and a sense of pride in their hard work. 

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The John Thomas Dye School


11414 Chalon Road
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Phone: (310) 476-2811
The John Thomas Dye School admits students of any race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs.

Located In Los Angeles, CA, John Thomas Dye is an independent school for grades K-6. Students benefit from a challenging academic program, fine arts, competitive athletics, and a wide selection of extracurricular activities.