Reasons to Celebrate
2/13/2021
This year, more than any other, teachers are jumping on every opportunity to celebrate our students and make them feel special. While many of our non-academic, extra “fun” activities have been cancelled due to COVID restrictions, there are some traditions we’ve been able to modify and continue. The 100th day of school can be somewhat kiddish for 5th and 6th graders. However, I felt that the fact that we’ve been together, IN SCHOOL for 100 days was certainly a reason to celebrate this year. My students walked through our classroom door draped with streamers and were immediately excited to be in school. The morning started out with math. I teach Pre-Algebra, which has students from grades 5-8, so I wanted to do something special for this blended group. We put a spin on some classic “Minute To Win It” games. In small groups, the students rotated between four stations. From picking beads up with chopsticks; to hitting ping pong balls off clipboards; to blindfolded cotton ball pickup with spoons; to throwing balls at a target, the games required concentration and teamwork. The students enjoyed each round, playing for 100 seconds instead of only a minute. After math, I had my 5th and 6th graders back and we switched to our Valentine’s Day celebration. Valentine’s Day can have somewhat negative connotations around commercialism, but our class didn’t buy things for each other this year; instead, we focused on the word “love” and what exactly that means to each of us. We first wrote journal entries about “who I love” and “who loves me”. Afterward, we spent a lot of time writing kind words and compliments to each other. Students had some sentence stems to choose from and produced some sweet, thoughtful comments. It’s always a great feeling when students know they’re appreciated and that their classmates notice the little things about them that make each person special. Coincidentally, our students were celebrating in art class, too. They’ve been discussing Festival in Italy. They worked together using their faces as their canvases. To say they were excited would be an understatement. You can see the smiles behind their masks. In the afternoon, we switched back to 100s day activities. Students started off by thinking about what "100" really looks like. They tested their internal clocks, seeing how close they could come to correctly identifying 100 seconds. They tested their liquid and sand measuring skills, eyeballing 100 mL of water and 100 g of sand. They went out into the hallway and tried to estimate what 100 inches looks like. Teams were impressive with their accuracy on all accounts. Students also used their math skills to figure out how many different mathematical equations that could equal 100. They also shot balls at a numbered target and tried to accumulate 100 points without going over. Once we finished that activity, the kids needed to move, so we headed down to the gym. We tested our physical stamina and counting skills, seeing how many times we could do an action in 100 seconds. We blinked, jumped, clapped, did sit-ups, and did “high fives” with our feet. After lots of laughs and some huffing and puffing, it was time to end our day. Finishing off with one of their favorite activities (a themed Madlib), our day was complete. Even though fun, busy days like this aren’t outlined in any of our curricula, students were still practicing important skills. Having a growth mindset, working as a team, improving their number sense, and simply playing together are critical learning experiences for 5th and 6th graders. Investing a full day to these celebrations is important for students and teachers alike. Despite all the hardship this year has brought, the privilege of spending the past 100 days together is cause to celebrate.
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Elizabeth FerryMs. Ferry's experiences include teaching with the Peace Corps in Tanzania, teaching high school English in Maine, and this is her second year at PNA. She loves moose, outdoor activities, and being with her students. Archives
April 2021
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