Hi everyone! It's Greg here! Becky and I haven't figured out how to differentiate between posts yet, so ideas are greatly welcome. I hope everyone is enjoying their fleeting days of summers. This is the first summer since I started teaching that I "took off." I've had the opportunity to reflect a great deal about my teaching and the activities and projects I would like my students to accomplish this year. 

I thought I would share one of my (and my student's) favorite activities. I am aware this is geared to 10th graders, but I truly believe it can be done in the early primary grades as well.

I teach a 10th grade global studies course that surveys modern developments in major countries and regions around the world. One of our major focus areas is East Asia - with a specific emphasis on China. Near the end of the mini-unit, I check for understanding before our final evaluation (a persuasive essay). We begin class with a discussion on color preference and color meaning. (This really throws them off!) I then prompt them to determine which color, or combination of colors, best represents modern China. Since I'm rather low key, I ask them to elaborate their answer on one side of a 3x5 index card. 

Once complete, I ask them to determine which object in my classroom best reflects the state of China. Honestly, students built a connection between China and my stapler, the American flag, and a Louis Armstrong poster. They write their answer on the other side of the card. 

When the students are done writing their answers, we actually tie strings (colored according to their answer) to the objects in the classroom. At this point, most of the students think I'm crazy - but it doesn't take long for them to jump right in.

We wrap up the activity with a thoughtful discussion about the colors and objects - and usually tie them back to specific examples we discussed throughout the unit. The extra 45 minutes it takes to complete the activity affords students with a much richer and deeper level of analysis in the final evaluation (and it's fun!). I know the whole things sounds rather goofy, but their ability to build connections to everyday objects (and read other's work) adds perspective to their opinions.

This project could easily be done to provide students with an open interpretation of a book character, event, or process. For example, I know Becky's students really enjoy the Barbara Park Junie B, First Grader Series.

So, when prompted to draw a connection to an object around the room, students might come up with some of the following ideas:
1. Students might connect the story to a journal or pencil because Junie B. is always writing in her journal.
2. They might also explain that since she doesn't always follow the rules, the class expectations chart is most representative of her. 
3. They might tie together someone's glasses because she gets a pair of them in First Grader, (at last!).
4. Students might say they chose the water fountain to represent Junie B. because she is always getting up for a drink.
5. Or, you could say the missing tooth chart represents her because she is always concerned about what ultimately happens to loose teeth after they fall out.

Click on the picture below to download a worksheet that students could use to organize their thoughts.

Really, the possibilities, requirements, and spins you could put on this activity are endless. I'd love to hear your ideas!

Hello everyone, Becky here! I have to tell you that I can’t believe I am finally writing our first blog post! It has been a year in the making/thinking, and now I feel that I am finally ready. Greg and I began toying around with the idea of starting a blog after attending last summer’s Penn State York’s Summer Institute. After hearing many amazing keynote speakers, from Ruth Culham, to Jeff Anderson, to Kate Messner, the common theme was - “to become a better writer and teacher of writing, you have to actually write!” - Who would have thought?!

It wasn’t until one of Kate Messner’s breakout sessions last year that I felt like maybe I could do this writing thing. She shared her “Sometimes on a Mountain in April” poem. (You can read it here.) We used that mentor poem and took five minutes to write our own. I’d like to share mine. It is called “Sometimes in a Nursery at Bedtime.”

Sometimes in a Nursery at Bedtime

Sometimes in a nursery at bedtime, a squirmy toddler will lay and snuggle with you. You will kiss his forehead and the smell of his freshly washed hair will take you back to the nights when you swaddled and rocked him when he was just an infant.

Sometimes in a nursery at bedtime, you can read all of the bedtime books before they get ripped from your hands and thrown to the floor. But it’s OK if you don’t.  Luckily you know them all by heart and can recite them anyway.

Sometimes in a nursery at bedtime, your little one with echo you as you say goodnight to all the things around his room before you say goodnight to him.

And sometimes in a nursery at bedtime that little one will curl up and fall asleep with you as you whisper his bedtime prayer.

(Any dry eyes in the house?) It wasn’t until that poem, that I considered myself a writer. I was given a new confidence that maybe I could do it. As Kate provided inspiration for me, I hope that I can do the same for my students. It just might give them the opportunity to see themselves as a writer too!

Until next time friends! Stay tuned for a writing freebie in our next post! If you’re interested in reading more, subscribe to our blog. Also, you can follow us on Instagram (@theclasscouple) and check out my TPT store!  More products will be coming soon! Feel free to leave us some love in the comments section!