Although our week started a little more slowly than I wished, it ended on a great note! My learners finished their mini-posters and the bulletin board they had started last week. Quite honestly, I was a bit disappointed with the appearance of the outcome. I had to remind myself that in elementary art work it is the process, not the product, that is most important. My disappointment diminished as they shared their posters and talked about what they had learned.
The rest of our week was spent learning about how aluminum cans are made. The culmination of our week's work was illustrating the steps in the production of a can. After the students reported on each step, I assigned them partners to work with to draw a particular step. I decided to assign the partners because they usually get to select who they want to work with on these types of activities. Of course, they pick the same partner repeatedly. Today I basically paired a high achiever with a lower achieving student.
I was delighted with what I saw and heard taking place among my sixth graders! They were sharing information about their step, making (and taking) suggestions about how to illustrate their step, and deciding who would draw and who would write their caption; it was teamwork at its best! Co-operative learning was alive and well in my room! The best part of all was that they were so pleased with what they had constructed and with what they had learned. They wanted to post their work in our hall. My camera's battery died before we got the final products up, so they may appear on a future blog.
Our recycling piles are getting bigger and bigger. This week we learned that if people in the United States recycled all the aluminum cans they usually throw away each year, they would save enough energy to power a city the size of Baltimore, Maryland. I wish I knew how much energy these students have in plastic bags in our school's storage room waiting to be taken to the recycling center!
www. reuserecycle.net/how-can-i-reuse-php.
www.pacleanways.org/kids
The rest of our week was spent learning about how aluminum cans are made. The culmination of our week's work was illustrating the steps in the production of a can. After the students reported on each step, I assigned them partners to work with to draw a particular step. I decided to assign the partners because they usually get to select who they want to work with on these types of activities. Of course, they pick the same partner repeatedly. Today I basically paired a high achiever with a lower achieving student.
I was delighted with what I saw and heard taking place among my sixth graders! They were sharing information about their step, making (and taking) suggestions about how to illustrate their step, and deciding who would draw and who would write their caption; it was teamwork at its best! Co-operative learning was alive and well in my room! The best part of all was that they were so pleased with what they had constructed and with what they had learned. They wanted to post their work in our hall. My camera's battery died before we got the final products up, so they may appear on a future blog.
Our recycling piles are getting bigger and bigger. This week we learned that if people in the United States recycled all the aluminum cans they usually throw away each year, they would save enough energy to power a city the size of Baltimore, Maryland. I wish I knew how much energy these students have in plastic bags in our school's storage room waiting to be taken to the recycling center!
www. reuserecycle.net/how-can-i-reuse-php.
www.pacleanways.org/kids
Remember things don't always start they we want them to but they end up great especially when the kids really like what they are doing. Keep up the good work. Your kids deserve an award!
ReplyDeleteI too identify with wanting the “ideal.” I struggle with wanting it to be perfect. This is such a worthwhile project! We focus on the academics so much we forget character development, instilling values and fostering appropriate behavior. Who has time for these with the tests, tests, and testing some more. Your students are learning to be responsible citizens. This is vitally important. These are lesson your students will not forget. You are making a difference.
ReplyDeleteJoan, I can tell that you guys are busy. I'm sure that they are capturing the attention of the whole school. It seems as if they are having a ball. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeletePicture purrrrrrrrrrr-fect! The pictures really showcase your work.
ReplyDeleteOutstanding! It is refreshing to see students taking responsibility and taking action! I love it! Remember, how we begin acts is not always as vital as how we end the acts!
ReplyDelete