Category: ideas

being a teacher, challenge, ideas

A Couple of Ideas Before Break

Pernille Ripp
Image from here

March in the US means spring break is fast approaching and so are the students yearning for vacation.  So what is a teacher to do when the learning cannot stop and neither can the teaching.  Well I created some projects that yes, cover the standards, and also keep my students on their toes.

  • The Grand Canyon Challenge.  I have wanted to incorporate Google SKetch Up for along time in my classroom and now finally have a chance.  In this extension for a landforms science activity students have become structural engineers that have to get a large crate from one side of the Grand Canyon to the other every day of the year.  There are limitations of course, such as a no fly zone, and the students have to ultimately sketch their concept in Sketch Up.  I revealed this today and the kids were stumped and excited.  Final product:  3-D sketch to be judged by my husband and presented to the class.
  • The Slavery Research Project Prezi.  Prezi is another tool I have wanted to show my 5th graders and this delving into slavery comes as integrated social studies and reading activity.  We have been reading “Jump Ship to Freedom” and the students asked, yes asked, whether they could do research on issues surrounding slavery.  So for the last 2 weeks the students have been very hard at work researching (nice way to discuss Sweetsearch and other internet searching tips) as well as creating their Prezi and their presentations.  Final product: students present their research and are videotaped so they can critique themselves.
  • The Superheroes Writing Project.  Stumbled upon this brilliant idea from TES and then adapted it for my own use.  We have been discussing authors’ tools and this exploration of superheroes through comic-books gives us a chance to really work on creating a character, creating a setting and a plot development.  I have never had students complain to me before about not having enough writing time, now they do.  Final product:  Superhero and villain dossier, detailed setting description as well as mini plot development with illustrations if they choose.
  • Readers Theatre.  We have 1st grade buddies that we do a lot of fun projects with and this month we are working on readers theatre with them.  In the end students will film their productions and perform for each other, the filming is for their parents to see.  Natural way to practice fluency and expression at all reading abilities.
  • Mini projects in general.  I am trying to come up with more movement in my classroom right now as well as mini challenges.  Students are currently bringing in spaghetti, marshmallows and toilet-paper tubes for some mini challenges we will be doing as well.  

We are finishing up several units before spring break affording us the ability to come back and get immersed in new stuff.  I do like to wrap it up a bit before break because after it the year just seems to disappear.

A couple of notes:

  • I am sharing my superhero lesson plan but it is a work in progress and I am adding to it as I teach it.
  • Prezi cannot be used without email addresses so I have students use my account for it, however, if they have emails you can give them individual accounts for free.
  • Google Sketch Up does give out free educator licenses for their Pro version, which is awesome, so take advantage of that!
  • Many of my ideas come from the people I am connected with; my inspirational husband and my PLN so thank you.
assumptions, being a teacher, ideas, promises

It’s Not You, It’s Me – Or Why My Great Idea and Your Great Idea Shouldn’t Date

Pernille Ripp

We’ve all been there, bouncing around at your school or home because you just discovered something absolutely, truly, fantastically wonderful that you just cannot wait to try in your teaching.  It is a marvelous feeling this one, one that makes you want to sing from the rooftops and share the idea with everyone you meet.  And then you do and the person who you indulge it with looks at you blankly.  Silence.  Deflated, you walk away, thinking to yourself that maybe that idea was not so great after all.

But wait it’s not them, it’s you.  Or me in this case.  I am one of those can’t wait to try it and then tell everyone about (mostly on this blog) idea kind of people.  I get so overly excited about something that I am practically bursting at the seams with my newfound wisdom and my poor husband is forced to listen to hours upon hours of blissful teacher talk.  I rave, I rant, I share and then I don’t understand why others don’t see the magic or get as excited to try it as I did.  Take Twitter for example, I don’t think I have convinced a single person to get on it, and yet it is one of the most life-altering educational experiences I have ever had.  But it’s not the “them” that are to fault, it is me.

We all love great ideas.  We all have them and we all share them.  Some great ideas work especially well for us and others just really don’t.  As I grow as an educator, I am beginning to understand more which type of ideas I am really drawn to; student-centered, technology integration, and no grade/homeworks/rewards etc. are things that just rock my world.  Others not so much.  So when other people come up to me and share their great idea, I might be the one with that blank stare that does not show any kind of enthusiasm.  Because to me it just doesn’t sound that exciting, or it goes against something I think I believe in, or I just don’t have the time.

And that’s when I realize, hey it is okay for others NOT to get excited over my great idea.

After all, being a teacher means you get to work with an incredible array of personalities that have one thing in common; they really love kids.  So whichever way, or whichever ideas we use, to get us to change the world one kid at a time, is alright by me.   However, I will promise myself that the next time someone presents their great idea to me, even if it seems a little strange, I will give it a good listen, perhaps even try it, and then decide.  After all, I can only change myself.