Building community continues to be important in our classroom. A few years back, I came across the chain gang activity. I really like it because it leads to conversations about how we are one as a class but all have our unique strengths. Try it with your class and hang the chain proudly so students can see how their individuality is important to our classroom.
Hi, I'm Jeni Stovall from Dr. Strange's EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. I was assigned your blog to read for the next two weeks and wanted to let you know that from what I have read so far it is quite amazing. I love the idea of one day doing a Chain Gang Activity so that my students will be a community instead of children that come in every day and count down the time until they will be able to go home. I know that it will be a great activity and was wondering if you know of any other things I would be able to do with the students since you are so community aware in your class room?
ReplyDeleteYou are more than welcome to read what I have written about your blog and the other assignments I am given in this class by following my class blog http://stovalljeniedm310.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the comment, Jenifer! Today we had a class meeting and played a game where we tossed a Koosh ball while standing in a circle. We made a pattern where each student had the ball once in a random order. We timed how long it took us to get through the whole group. It was a fun team work game that I plan to use again.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI'm Lana Brooks and I'm also from Dr. Strange's EDM310 class at USA. This activity is a wonderful idea. As you mentioned, everyone has their own strengths, and that really contributes to the success of a class/team. If I learned one thing as I got older, it was the importance of other people's ideas, methods, talents, etc. When working together like that, the possibilities are endless! Do you think this particular activity would be too "elementary" in a secondary school setting?
Well, I look forward to visiting your blog again and posting my summary next week. Feel free to visit my blog as well.
Hey Lana,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. I have used it with 6th graders, too. I think kids might appreciate listing things they're good at no matter the age. I think the teacher's attitude toward it makes the difference!
Hello Becky Goerend.
ReplyDeleteI am an Elementary Education Major at the University of South Alabama. I am in a class called EDM 310 and I have been assigned to your blog. I will also be posting a summary and my option on my EDM 310 blog. EDM310 Blog http://falloashleyedm310.blogspot.com/
I think this is a great idea to do within a classroom. This shows students that they all have special talents that they can offer. Sometimes with student they think they have nothing to offer but this shows them that this is not true. This makes them feel like they are important, which is a good quality because sometimes they don’t feel important at home.
Hello Mrs. Goerend.
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how much I have truly enjoyed reading your blog posts. I thought this one was really neat because it showed the children what their individual strengths are as well as what they can do as a whole. I think this would be a wonderful thing to do at the beginning of a school year and then visit throughout the school year to see how they progress. Thanks again for your awesome posts!