It's Back to School time again. Time for Professional Development, Meetings, Planning, Decorating, Open Houses, Establishing Procedures, Routines, and Gathering Supplies & Resources! Since there is so much involved with preparing for the start of the school year, I hope sharing with you some of my tasks I am currently working on or will be working on soon is beneficial to you.
First, I'll determine and write down an outline on my classroom procedures to review with students along with my classroom management policy. I will be utilizing and reviewing my classroom management Team Points Plan for the upcoming school year. I will also review school policy, codes, and more the first few weeks of school with students.
Secondly, I'll go through the teaching materials and tasks I already have at home to choose materials to start the year. Since, I have been asked to switch grades this year, I'll pull material for the prior school year of the students to review skills they should have learned last year and mastered. This will also give me an idea of their level of knowledge and skills.
First, I'll determine and write down an outline on my classroom procedures to review with students along with my classroom management policy. I will be utilizing and reviewing my classroom management Team Points Plan for the upcoming school year. I will also review school policy, codes, and more the first few weeks of school with students.
Secondly, I'll go through the teaching materials and tasks I already have at home to choose materials to start the year. Since, I have been asked to switch grades this year, I'll pull material for the prior school year of the students to review skills they should have learned last year and mastered. This will also give me an idea of their level of knowledge and skills.
"The Marshmallow Tower Project"
The first week of school I will have students complete a team project, "The Marshmallow Tower Project", shared with me at a Teaching Summit in June. Materials needed are: A box of spaghetti noodles uncooked, a bag of large marshmallows, masking tape, string, some brown or white lunch bags to hold materials, and a measuring tape. In each bag put: 10 Spaghetti Noodles uncooked, 1 large marshmallow, 3 feet of string and 3 feet of masking tape.
First have students choose a partner. This may be done in pairs or teams of 4-5 students. Give each team a bag of the materials (which needs to be put together ahead of time) and inform them they have 20 minutes to build a tower with the marshmallow on top. Which ever team's tower is the tallest wins.
Instructions you may give to students/teams: Only 1 marshmallow may be at the top of the tower and it must be at the top! You may not alter the marshmallow, take bites out of it, break it in half, etc. You may only use the materials in the bag, however, you may not use the paper bag. You have 20 minutes and may start when I say 'go' and must stop work when I say 'stop'.
That is all the instructions to provide. Let the students be creative and build a tower. After time is up, measure each tower with a measuring tape or allow a selected student to measure the towers. I hope you try the project this year - it is a great project to encourage team work. I may utilize it throughout the year and choose teams at times to see how my students' ideas change throughout the year.
Instructions you may give to students/teams: Only 1 marshmallow may be at the top of the tower and it must be at the top! You may not alter the marshmallow, take bites out of it, break it in half, etc. You may only use the materials in the bag, however, you may not use the paper bag. You have 20 minutes and may start when I say 'go' and must stop work when I say 'stop'.
That is all the instructions to provide. Let the students be creative and build a tower. After time is up, measure each tower with a measuring tape or allow a selected student to measure the towers. I hope you try the project this year - it is a great project to encourage team work. I may utilize it throughout the year and choose teams at times to see how my students' ideas change throughout the year.
Third, Supplies! Along with the typical teaching supplies such as markers, pens, lessons, highlighters, paper, pencils, I also start my year with a planner. I like calendar planners to write down all the meetings, open houses, special events, and more for school and home the first several months of school to refer back to. The planner also has a place for notes for me to list the many things to do and ideas for the first few months of school.
I hope these few tasks I shared will assist you and you enjoy the "Marshmallow Project". To save yourself time this year, check out some of my Best Sellers and visit my TpT store for more resources to help you educate your students.
I hope these few tasks I shared will assist you and you enjoy the "Marshmallow Project". To save yourself time this year, check out some of my Best Sellers and visit my TpT store for more resources to help you educate your students.
~ Best Sellers ~
Best Wishes, Ms Moore
Certified K-6, 6-9 math, and 6-9 science
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©2015 M Moore, M Moore Educational Resources. All rights reserved. You may share, pin, like, share, & repin, just not copy, take credit for my posts or products, and/or resell anything on this site. This article series and all posts are for non-commercial use and my not be resold or reprinted without the author's express written consent. Please see our Full Disclaimer
Certified K-6, 6-9 math, and 6-9 science
TpT Store ~ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Moore-Resources
Pinterest ~ https://www.pinterest.com/mooreeducresour/
Facebook ~ https://www.facebook.com/mooreeducationalresources/
©2015 M Moore, M Moore Educational Resources. All rights reserved. You may share, pin, like, share, & repin, just not copy, take credit for my posts or products, and/or resell anything on this site. This article series and all posts are for non-commercial use and my not be resold or reprinted without the author's express written consent. Please see our Full Disclaimer
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