Pizza Party
I've been doing a point system with the boys. If they get their materials out the fastest, or if they win at a game, or if they get 100% on a math test I give them points. When they reach 400 they can "purchase" a pizza party from the store. They can purchase other items too, like retaking a test, listening to their music in class, etc. We got to enjoy pizza for lunch.
Clothes Pin Timeline
To start our Rome unit we looked at a timeline of their civilization. I had the boys each pick three events and draw them and put them in order on a piece of ribbon. I wish I would have referred back to the timeline more often throughout the unit. I should have made sure they did good drawings and explained the drawings on the back. Oh well.
Digestion in a Bag
Food related learning seems to go really well with the boys. We created the blood model out of marshmallows and red hots. This week we did digestion using sprite and soda crackers. This illustrated the concept of mechanical vs chemical digestion.
Thank you to Science Matters for this wonderful idea!
Who killed Julius Caesar?
I set up the classroom like a crime scene. I turned on CSI music and had a dead body sculpted out in green tape on the floor. I covered the place in caution tape. It took me all morning to set up, but it was SO cool. The boys seemed to like it. They weren't as outwardly excited, but I am sure they were thinking that on the inside. Making learning fun, exciting, and engaging will always be my primary goal.
Thank you to Mr Roughton for this wonderful idea!
Field Trip #2
We went to the Monument for our second field trip. The boys have lived in Santiago for years, and they have never been up it. We talked about the history of the country (which I had to quickly learn). We looked at statues, talked about carnival, learned about Mama Tingo, analyzed art, laughed, and took silly pictures.
We ended the field trip with a horse carriage ride to get Sweet Frog. It has become a new Reyes Academy tradition. Although I was slightly frightened going through DR traffic in a horse buggy, it was SO much fun. He pulled right up in front of the store for us.
Song Parody
We are finishing up learning about Rome. We did close reading on an article listing some of the reasons why Rome fell, then I had the boys create a song parody to Passenger's "Let her go." They sing the song every single day, so it was fitting for them to choose that one.
Reading
We finished books #10 and #11 as a class today. The boys are loving their independent reading books. It is so exciting to watch them love reading. Sometime soon I want to have a reading marathon day where we curl up and read for an hour with popcorn or some sort of treat.
Take risks in teaching. The extra mile is worth it.
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