Three weeks left until summer break. I want to enjoy the remaining weeks, and I still want to provide academic challenge to my students. I’m planning to finish out the year with high interest, low stress activities.
*Kids will be researching their favorite Greek god or goddess. They’ll be writing a report, coloring in a 12 inch poster of their deity, and I’ll be taking their photo and gluing it in for the face.
*I’m reading aloud The Lightning Thief and myths about the Olympians. Kids love anything to do with the Greek gods and goddesses.
*We’ll be learning about the four main types of government and role playing based on the type of leadership in the Greek city-state.
*I have students sitting in groups, simulating being members of a particular city-state. They earn points (and get points taken away) for being the first to get quiet, open their books, answering questions correctly, etc.
*Something new I’m adding is a listening component to reading. We’ll read a whole-class novel, but I’m using my iPads as listening centers, so kids will plug in and listen to an audio version of a novel I’ve downloaded while they have the book in their hands. There will be questions for every few chapters. I’m purchasing seven headphone splitters so kids can listen five at a time on each of six iPads. After, we’ll watch the movie so we can compare and contrast the novel to the film version. See the link below:
*I have Character Counts tickets I’ll hand out when I catch kids on task and showing a particular character trait. I’ll have a small, weekly prize drawing.
Students can get so amped up this time of year. I’ve come to realize that to survive these last three weeks, I need to keep it interesting and calm in the classroom.
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