Pernille Ripp

This art from Jordan Crane hangs in my living room

I have been obsessed with zombies for a long time, not that I can watch many movies with them in it because I am wimp who gets nightmares, but books, art, and the whole concept has fascinated me for many years. This year as I try to get my students invested in social studies and the study of the United States history we always start with land regions, so what better way than to get them researching these with the help of a zombie apocalypse?

While this is meant to be a hook, it is not meant to be a study of zombies, but rather a new way to get to know a certain land region. Students must prepare a presentation to the citizens of their land region suggesting two possible safe places for them to go. Before they can present they therefore have to research major cities, climate, elevations, major transportation routes, main bodies of water and anything else that can aid them in defending their citizens and riding out the attack. I will also ask the students what else they should be researching and adding to their presentation. Because this is our first presentation of the year I want to see which tools they have and also how they research. Students will pick partners and then I will pair up the partnerships, this way I can also study the group dynamics.

I made sure to mention this project at back to school night to hopefully ensure parents understand the educational value behind it. I am looking forward to seeing how the students react and will start of by showing David Hunt’s video as an introduction. To see the student hand out (that will probably change before I am happy with it) please click here. As always, feel free to borrow this idea, I did not invent it , I just tweaked it to fit my needs.

Update: I cannot tell you how wonderful this project has been in my classroom. The students have been motivated, engaged, and driven by their curiosity. In fact, to see one student’s take on it, read her blog post. I also created two rubrics with the help of Rubistar for the project, here is the self evaluation one and here is the presentation rubric.

Here is a video of an actual presentation by the Southeast Region group.

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Why the Internet is Like the Mall – Discussing Online Safety With Students

September 4, 2013September 7, 2013 Pernille Ripp

Another cross posting from my other blog, this one has taken on a life of its own, with others putting their own spin on it. When we discuss internet safety, it is vital that we are able to relate it to students’ lives, so that they can understand that being behind a computer does not mean that they are protected. While I am not in the business of scaring students, there are plenty of other ways that can happen, we can stress the importance of proper behavior. And thus this lesson came about; linking the internet to going to the mall.

I believe in the importance of honest conversation with the kids, where they supply the answers, rather than me hitting them over the head with it. I simply started out this lesson by writing the words “Internet Safety” on my whiteboard and turned to the kids. They volunteered what these words meant to them and then I ventured into the mall analogy; so what would they do to stay safe at the mall if their parents dropped them off?

Some of the students answers were

That they would not talk to strangers
Give anyone their information if approached
Go only to the place they were supposed to
And they wold go straight there, rather than take detours or stop at other places
They wouldn’t give their money to strangers
Not get caught by good deals or lured into things they probably shouldn’t do

By having the students provide the safety rules, taken from their own memory of rules drilled into their heads by their formidable parents, they connected real life danger with things that can happen on the internet. Sometimes students think they are safe on the net, as we all know, and this brought the responsibility home for them.

So as we continue learning proper safety and etiquette, we will keep referring back to the mall analogy, for example, would you walk up to a friend and tell them their outfit was ugly when talking about how to comment? Today was one of those moments where I was able to make students understand something they have to learn in this day and age. A lesson not just meant for 4th graders or 5th graders but hopefully something they will keep in the back of their minds when they go on the internet themselves, or maybe even next time they go to the mall. Once again today I realized how huge my responsibility is for these kids and how glad I am to be their teacher.

You Teach a Child to Blog…Common Concerns with Student Blogging Answered (mrspripp.blogspot.com)
Teachers Do More Than Teach – Why Technology Can Never Replace Them (mrspripp.blogspot.com)
It Is Not About the Gadgets – Why Every Teacher Should Have to Integrate Tech Into Their Classroom (mrspripp.blogspot.com)

Be the change, new year

Change Becomes Habit

September 1, 2013September 1, 2013 Pernille Ripp

I used to think I was crazy changing all of the things I had traditionally been doing. I am sure I was not the only one. I used to think that I would grow out of it, get so frustrated I would quit, realize that the traditional ways were here for a reason and that’s why I should go back to them. Go back to hours of homework, go back to percentages and letter grades, punish some students while rewarding others, test them at every chance, and definitely be the boss of them all. I used to think change was hard.

Then a day passed, months, and finally years. Now as I get ready for my 6th year in the classroom and my 4th year of giving the classroom back to my students, I realize how natural it is. I have replaced my old toxic habits with these new ones and they no longer seem radical or even hard to implement. They are who I am as a teacher and it is just the way I know how to teach. It doesn’t mean it is perfect or that some people still don’t think I am crazy, but it does mean that I feel a sense of power in what I am doing and I have the results of student engagement to back it all up.

Changing how one teaches is terrifying, I know. Sticking to the change is frustrating, hard work, and sometimes so unappreciated that it leads to tears or angry words. But changes stop being changes after awhile and become habits instead. And habits just aren’t so scary to most. Habits become second nature and one day you realize that you are teaching the way you wanted to from the beginning. That you would be a student in your own classroom. That anyone can change, all it takes is the first step. Even if people think you are crazy.

I am a passionate 5th grade teacher in Wisconsin, USA, proud techy geek, and mass consumer of incredible books. Creator of the Global Read Aloud Project, Co-founder of EdCamp MadWI, and believer in all children. I have no awards or accolades except for the lightbulbs that go off in my students’ heads every day. First book “Passionate Learners – Giving Our Classroom Back to Our Students Starting Today” will be released this fall from PLPress. Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

being a teacher, new year, reflection, Student-centered

I’m Not Ready Yet

August 31, 2013 Pernille Ripp

I wipe the last table off, position the pencil cup, shut off the lights and close the door. Supposedly my room is ready for the 26 brand new students that will bounce in Tuesday morning. Supposedly I am ready to meet their needs once discovered. Supposedly I don’t have to go in these next few days, I will keep my door closed, and my room ready.

But I am not ready yet. A hole exists. A need that has not been met so my room feels unfinished. As I drive home it finally dawns on me what it is: my students. My room will always be unfinished without them. My room will never feel ready without them.

I can set up, prepare, write plans, make copies, create welcome back bulletin boards, but in the end, my room will never be quite done. My room will never look ready. My room will always seem empty until they come. And what a wonderful feeling that is. My students are what make us a classroom. Not the tables, the books, the bulletin boards or all of the supplies. The kids. They are the ones that matter. I cannot wait to finish my room.

building community, new year, Student-centered, students

Building Community Activities Just for You

August 30, 2013 Pernille Ripp

Every year I try to have various community building activities for the kids to do on those first few days of school. And while I detest ice breakers, in 5th grade, we do like the occasional get to know me activity. Though the years I have used various scavenger hunts, time capsules, and bingo games to get to know them a bit better, to get them to know each other, and also for me to keep until the end of the year. Then when summer beckons and we cannot believe that the year is over, I pull out the forgotten letters, the time capsules, the about me’s, and we reminisce and we laugh and we shake our heads at the answers we gave so long ago.

As I shared some of this with my teammates yesterday, I realized I should share it here as well. Some of this is me created, some of it is adapted from others a long time ago. Either way, I hope you have a phenomenal back to school and that some of these may be useful to you.

Around the Room Scavenger Hunt – customize to fit your room, helps the kids notice the things they need to find or know.
Human Treasure Hunt – great for when you have a lot of new kids so they can discover things about each other
A Letter to Me – I use this to peek into the kids’ thoughts and then save it until the end of the year to see how they have changed
Me Collage – a secret collage where the kids have to guess who made it
3 minute time test – there are so many variations of this one but it is used to discuss the importance of following directions
Group Bingo – Instead of numbers they have to find kids that match the description
Time Capsule – Students fill in the blanks (this one always cracks me up)
How We Started – All of their favorites are listed here

Other Ideas for Community Building:

The Bloxes Challenge
– a favorite of mine the past few years and this year the whole grade level will do it.
Create a flag pennant: Cut a white piece of 12”X18” construction paper diagonally to create two pennants. Students write their name in large letters with color and then fill in the pennant with things about them. Laminate and display above their lockers.
Writing sample to see how they grow, a great prompt is; “What color is (blank) grade?”
Every year I have the outgoing class write “Dear Future Student” letters so we read these in the first couple of days.
Using Animoto.com the students create a classroom vision video. Educators can get a free account and then use that for student work. We use the stock pictures and add out own sentences to show what we want to get out of the year.
Random pictures of you slideshow. Create a slideshow with pictures that are meaningful to you and have students guess what they mean – this can be a lot of fun as students guess their meaning.
The firs test of the year! Surprise them with a pop quiz that is all about their teacher, true/false questions work best.
Connect the students – this is a great activity that only requires a large sheet of paper and sharpies. Students all write their name on the border of the paper and then one person makes a statement about something they like or do such as, “I play soccer.“ Anyone else that plays soccer gets to draw a line from his or her name to the name of the person who made the statement. Then the next person states something and so on until everyone has had a turn. Great way to visualize all the things we have in common.
Name your table and create a banner for it.
Toilet paper introduction. Pass a roll of toilet paper around and instruct students to take as many squares as they want. Once everyone has taken their squares, tell them they need to share as many things about themselves as they haven taken squares.
Guess the like. Every student writes down something they do or like on a piece of paper (no name on it!) then crumble it up. Have a paper toss battle for a few minutes and then everyone grabs one “ball. Try to guess whose paper it is.”

Some of these I use, some I don’t but either way, feel free to use.

I am a passionate 5th grade teacher in Middleton, Wisconsin, USA, proud techy geek, and mass consumer of incredible books. Creator of the Global Read Aloud Project, Co-founder of EdCamp MadWI, and believer in all children. I have no awards or accolades except for the lightbulbs that go off in my students’ heads every day. First book “Passionate Learners – Giving Our Classroom Back to Our Students Starting Today” will be released this fall from PLPress. Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

Be the change, being a teacher, inspiration, new year, Student-centered

A Kinder, Slower, More Receptive Approach to the Start of School

August 29, 2013 Pernille Ripp

I was fortunate enough to have my very first article published by EdWeek this week in anticipation of my book release this fall. I have been so excited to move into the editing stages of my book, titled “Passionate Learners – Giving Our Classroom back to Our Students Starting Today.” This book is meant to be a how-to book for new teachers and veterans that want to change a little or a lot of how they have been teaching. It is a practical book filled with ideas and examples to hopefully inspire you to give the classroom back and give students a voice in their education.

So here is an excerpt from my article, please click the link to see the rest

No teacher begins a teaching career with ill intentions. Yet most of us make our biggest mistake on our very first day. I was no different, nine years ago. I chose to do everything the way I had been taught in college—the way the popular new-teacher advice books said I should.

Sure, I laughed with the students and made noises about our “class community.” But as the all-important first week of school progressed, I went about dictating rules, establishing who was in control, and setting tight boundaries for the year.

As a result, I lost the opportunity to create the kind of relationship with my students that leads not only to motivation and engagement but to real ownership of learning and ultimately greater achievement. At the time I didn’t recognize the loss—it took several years, in fact. If you’re a new teacher about to begin your journey, maybe my lessons learned can help you avoid the pitfalls of a pretend partnership with your students.

To see the rest and my ideas for a better way to start, go here