Friday, March 22, 2013

"Wonder"ful activity, 2 Truths and a Lie reveal, and burst pipes!

As part of our class reading of Wonder, we have been really thinking about character traits and how we should think about and treat others.

So to help take advantage of the wonderful community building opportunities presented by this novel, we begin each reading by having one of the kids in the class sit in a chair in front of our marker board. The rest of the kids think about this person's positive character traits and write them around the head of the featured kiddo. You should see the smiles on the students' faces when they get to turn around and read what their classmates think about them. I make sure to e-mail the picture to the kiddo's parents that evening too. I pinned this idea on pinterest a long time ago and have been waiting for a reason to use it. 

Here's an example:


This is just one of the extension ideas I included in the novel unit I wrote for this awesome book. If you're planning to read this book with your kids, I hope you'll check out my 170 page unit on my TpT Store! Just 9 smackeroos for the rest of March!


So, earlier this week I played 2 Truths and a Lie as part of Flying into First Grade's "Let's get Acquainted" Linky party. Lots of people guessed my lie, so maybe I made it too easy!

1) I really did give up a full ride to West Point, as well as a few other colleges in order to become a teacher. 

2) I really am a double gold medalist in the Jr. Olympics. This ties directly into #1! My gold medals are in marksmanship, one team medal and one individual medal. My shooting ability is what almost determined my future. Luckily I received a number of academic scholarships to non-military colleges that allowed me to go that route, which is why I'm a teacher today and not a professional marksman! Whew! I really dodged a bullet there! :groan:  ;)

3) So that makes my lie that I've taught every elementary grade level. I have taught Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 1st/2nd multi-age, and 5th grade. I've never taught 3rd or 4th grade, though I would be interested in doing that one day!


Finally, I figured I'd share a "fun" event from today. We were in the middle of taking our spelling test when suddenly one of my kid's desks is soaking wet. Turns out there was a crack in the water pipes running through the ceiling above his desk. I love how my kids completely ignored the repairmen and just kept taking their test!







8 comments:

  1. You have great ideas and great kids! I have the same sort of ceiling tiles and mine often "rain" on the kids...our roof leaks frequently! I love the character traits idea...I think I might do that for grad this year with my grade sixes and take photos so they have a keepsake! Thanks and have an awesome weekend!
    Sidney
    Teachingisagift

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  2. Nick, I am starting Wonder when we get back from break. I love the white board idea. It's especially awesome that you email the pictures home. Thanks for sharing, Stacy

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  3. Let's hope those pipes don't run from the bathrooms!!!! :-o
    Jivey
    ideas by jivey

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    1. That's funny because just to tease the boy it happened to a bit I told him, "I think that's the toilet water pipe!" but it was labeled with a big sticker that said "domestic cold water" so he knew I was joking!

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  4. The teacher a couple of doors down from me has had the unfortunate experience of the pipes bursting, not once, not twice, but three times. And it wasn't a little burst like you had, it was a wall off water gushing out the door. This last time I witnessed it and it was crazy seeing the water over a foot high carrying papers out the door. She has been increasingly (and understandably) upset each time that she has to replace the damaged things and re-do her room. I'm hoping the district has it properly fixed this time, and I hope your room is all fixed up too!

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    1. Man, how miserable for her! And to think I grumbled about mopping up my little puddle! That definitely puts it into perspective!

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  5. Love how you had students write positive character traits above the students head. Awesome idea!!

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