Classroom "Branches"

Lately we've been exploring US Government and the Constitution.  Today I decided to try a classbuilding activity mixed in with some content about the separation of powers and our three branches of government.  I think the kids totally enjoyed this activity--especially being up and moving!--and I think it definitely gave them a visual element to the branches of government.

Here's what we did:

1. Laid out the rules: no "peeking" at your "branch" element and no talking.
2. Gave each student a "branch" element on a string, put it around their neck so that their element was on their back so that their classmates could see it but they couldn't
3. Instructed the students that they needed to form the branches of government without talking or looking at their own element as well as figuring out which element in the branches they were
4. Let the students GO!  They are to use their own intuition and ideas (with NO talking!) to form the branches and figure out what each person "is"
5. When completed, debrief activity and the branches activity: What was the point?  What did you learn?  How was everyone held accountable?  What did this teach you about the make-up of our government?  ...and so on!

Rubric Makers

A great idea for any classroom is to put the evaluation and assessment task of a project in the students' hands.

Students thrive when they take ownership, especially with how they will be assessed and graded.

For a project we are doing with the Constitution, students got to create their own rubric/scoring guide for how they will be evaluated. They each had 4 squares they cut out and wrote one element they thought was important to include in their project (& be graded upon). Then collectively as a class they came together to "attach" (staple) similar ideas and areas. After a discussion, they came to a consensus on several areas that they felt were essential to include in the project and the assessment. All of a sudden, without anything but guidance from the teacher, the rubric/scoring guide was made...& it was 100% student generated.












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Cooperative Learning in Action

Lately in social studies--and throughout the entire middle school--we've been doing a lot of cooperative learning activities.  Today we did one that the students really enjoyed and did really well: instead of having everyone do this by themselves, they instead did it at as a group where the others who weren't writing acted as checkers and coaches for the one who was writing.

Everyone got their own colored pencil so you'd know who was writing what.  Students, when it was their turn, were then given a minute to write on their team's sheet how the document from their document packet both could be an argument for quitting Washington's army (at Valley Forge) and staying.  The others in the team who were not writing acted as coaches and checkers; making sure what their teammate was writing was correct and what the group wanted to put down.

Instead of taking 10+ minutes for everyone to do this individually, the students were able to get this entire sheet done PLUS a class discussion in less than that time, and still covered all of the details that needed to be covered.  Students got to do part of it individually (write the answer), part of it collaboratively with their group (checking answers, discussing), and then go over the entire sheet as a "recheck" with the entire class.

Cooperative learning and collaboration really is enhancing the learning environment that's happening here at MRH.  To all my teacher friends: give it a try!  It's amazing how much more learning, interaction, and engagement takes place in the classroom!

A Cooperative Classroom

Lately in social studies--and throughout all of MRH--students have been engaging in a lot of cooperative learning activities.  Most of the teachers in the MRH school district have been trained in Kagan Cooperative Learning structures, and this year we've been using them in full-force within our classrooms.

However, students probably don't see all of the "structures" behind what they're doing in class; they see it as just another day with another "group" or "partner" activity that they're participating in.

For all of my teacher friends out there, these are amazing cooperative learning structures that promote very high levels of engagement.  For my parent followers, these structures really get your student thinking, collaborating, and cooperating to a very high degree with their classmates.  Plus it gets the students up and moving (getting that blood flow pumping to their brains!) which also leads to higher engagement because students are not simply just "sitting" in class but they're actually up and moving about while they are learning!

Below are some recent pictures of cooperative learning activities going on in our social studies classroom.  Students are reviewing for a quiz using stand up-hand up-pair up to find a partner and then engaging in quiz-quiz-trade (quizzing each other and then swapping cards before finding a new partner to "high five" and quiz again!).  Feel free to shoot me an email if you'd like to know more about what's going on with all of our cooperative learning activities! :)

We LOVE Teambuilding!

The first couple of days are always great, because as we're slowly getting into the routine of school and content, we get to play some fun team and class building games to get to know each other even better.   This year we started the year off with introducing one of my favorite team building games: TAPEBALL.  I "borrowed" this amazing game from my own 10th grade English teacher, and now I'm passing it along to my students.

 Here's how you play:

• Get several pieces of paper (the thicker the better) and wad it up.  Then take masking (or my favorite blue painters' tape) and "tape" the ball until all of the paper is covered.  Your tapeball should be about the size of a softball or bigger.

• Have the kids sit in a circle in their chairs...there shouldn't be any "holes" in the chair circle.
• Explain the rules:
• You have to remain in your chair...seated...at all times.
• You can only hit the ball once, then someone else has to hit it (no juggling)
• You can't "rally" the tapeball between 2 people; diversify the tapeball movement throughout the circle (try and get everyone involved!)
• The tapeball should be hit in a "lifting" manner (meaning no volleyball spikes or swats!)
• No catching.  No throwing.  All hitting (use either one hand or both hands held together).
• The goal of this game is to get as deep into the alphabet (or highest number, whatever you prefer) as possible.  Each hit equals a letter.  If you get to Z you just start back over at A (and make note that group got through the alphabet and back around a second/third/fourth/etc... time).

We really enjoyed starting the year off playing this game.  We even have a scoreboard in our room so we can keep track throughout the year the scores from the various classes when we have time to play this game.  And that's the great part about this game--it can be a quick game or a lengthy one!  You can even use it as a review, so instead of letters or numbers use vocabulary words or concepts from the unit you're doing.