Second Grade Teaching ideas?

It would be a lot easier if you could contact the teacher and find out what the class is studying now (or at the time when you go to teach the lesson. If you present a lesson that is tied into what they are learning, it might be easier to engage them and really have a lesson that works, rather than just an exercise for you. Ask the teacher if there would be some specific curriculum objectives that you could work with, perhaps in math, science, or social studies. Remember that you want the lesson to feel real to the students, so focus on an objective that they are really using. That will help with class control. The fun will come from the success of the lesson. Having fun is not the primary objective. When they see it as only fun, discipline goes out the window and you lose them.

It is an election year, so a current event topic would be the upcoming presidential election. Your lesson could address how nominations are made and how elections are held, for example.

If you want an activity and you need supplies, you need to ask the teacher if the supplies are available. For example, I would never expect a guest "teacher" to bring paper, scissors, or clay. We would use what we have on hand.

I have taught yr 2 and and I remember having fun with equations; yes it is possible. Draw shapes - squares, triangles etc on the board and give then low number values and draw sums on the board eg a square plus a square minus a rectangle.

You could also write a long and complicated descriptive sentence on the board and ask the kids to draw the sentence. Such as the thin girl with the red dress is standing next to the small boy in the green shirt. They are stood on top of a mountain in the dark and the full moon is shining down on them with the wizard with a long white beard. The boy is laughing and the girl looks sad,etc. They need to take in and understand the whole thing. The winner is the one that draws with most accuracy and understanding.

If you do something about the election, do it on their level. 35 minutes is not enough time to have them simulate an election.

Is there something that you know or that you know how to do that you could demonstrate and have them do? Could you teach them something in another language? Play a game or sing a song- Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes in another language is always good.

I agree that it would be good if it tied into their curriculum, if you can touch base with the teacher first.