May.2: Teaching Block Day 17

Ms.Carson wasn't here today, but we had a nice supply teacher. The students were great today, and they like the supply teacher.

The students wrote about what they learned in April. Ms.Carson brainstormed with them yesterday. When Ms.Carson asked them what did they do in April, they said "Eggshell People!", "The puddles!", "Spring letter", "Buying things", and all sorts of other things that I did with them. I'm surprised by how much I've taught them, and that they actually learned and remember.

I gave them a working period this morning. I told them that I'll hand out the unfinished work, and if they have nothing on the desk, then they can do something new. I showed the whole class how to write an acrostic poem -- not exactly an acrostic poem (it doesn't have to flow), but using the letters of their name to make words or sentences. The students understood what they were supposed to do, and they got a lot of work done. The students who did everything didn't need to find things to do because they could write the poem. And the class was calm and quiet when they were working. I was glad!

The students are pretty good at making change, which I would be assessing tomorrow. Since they are always doing Math without noticing it (getting the washroom pass, buying things in the morning and in the afternoon), I think I can use the afternoon period to do some Art with them. After recording the temperature after lunch, I "sold" a few things just to review how to make change, and then I taught them how to make an origami tulip.

I planned to have each student make a bundle of tulips, but it didn't work out. We spent the whole period making only one tulip! It was hard for them. If I can do it next time, I'll show them with a bigger paper. Also, I'll give them softer papers, because construction papers are hard to fold. In fact, I'll probably teach them to make the tulips again before Mother's Day!