Our Classroom Quilt

My kiddos worked together on a super cute & easy- peazy project last week. Those are the best kind, right? Together they worked on a classroom quilt.

This was a special project for a couple of reasons. For one thing, quilts are very special in my family so it was a fun way to share something about myself with the students. The project also provided lots of time to chitchat which is important during those first few days. Plus putting the pieces together helped unify the class as indivuals that are part of something bigger. 

To start the project I read the Keeping Quilt  by Patricia Polacco. Obviously, Patricia Polacco writes great stories but this little one has special place in my heart! 


The kids loved seeing the different ways that the quilt was used in the story.


 Then I shared my own quilts. It was fun showing off my mommy & grandma’s handy work. Of course the kids had a million questions and wanted to know if I used their quilts as a tablecloth, how old the quilts were, etc. During this time we also talked about family traditions. Several students talked about their own special blanket or quilt.

Next each of the students worked on their own “quilt blocks” which were really 6X6 inch scrapbook papers. I had saved scraps from my summer classroom projects so they were able to add ribbon, ric-rac and paper scraps to create a design on their 6X6 scrapbook paper. They had fun making something out of the mess of scraps.

When they were done we pasted the “quilt blocks” together to make a classroom quilt. Then we talked about how we are all creative and different just like our quilt blocks but we all fit together to make something beautiful. A little cheesy I know—but the first week of school needs a whole lotta cheese! :) 

What projects do you do to promote a happy & healthy classroom community??? I am always on the lookout for new ideas! 

You've Got Mail!

Happy Sunday! This weekend has flown by! Only 8 more days until school starts for me so I have been busy, busy, busy! 

One of the many things I have been working in the last few days are these  little postcards to send to my kiddos.

 I picked them up while I was on vacation in Virginia (I teach in California). I was super excited to 

grab one for each of my 5^th graders because each postcard shows a picture of Jamestown and shares a little info-- which is perfect since we will learn all about Jamestown in just a few months!

On the back I included a little note to each student plus a reminder about the first day of school, as well as a reminder of to bring their summer homework. (Do other schools assign summer work? This was new to me when I started working in this district.)

Anyway, I hope that my little darlings enjoy getting some mail! Do you send anything out prior to school starting/meet the teacher night?

Now I am off to cut, glue and laminate some more!!!! So many project, so little TIME!  

Lunch Bunch

Building relationships is one of the most amazing and gratifying things about teaching. But sometimes it is hard to fit in between the district’s math assessment, those book report project and that pesky little staff meeting. Lunch Bunch is one of my favorite ways to get to know my students and build meaningful relationships. 

A couple of times a month I invite a handful of students to have lunch in the classroom. I know what you’re thinking, “Lunch in the classroom is nothing new”. But I like to trick the kids into thinking it’s something special. We like to call it “Lunch Bunch” and this party is invite only. Don’t worry, everybody will be invited but I get to choose who and when.

Generally I choose one week a month to do lunch bunch. It usually takes me three or four days to get through my class. I divide the kids into groups of 4 or 5 (I’m SO lucky to have small class sizes). At the beginning of the week I let the kids know that this is a lunch bunch week. They all know that they will receive an invitation but they don’t know which day will be their day. Each morning they excitedly check their desks for a lunch bunch invitation. When the students receive an invite they are so excited!

Lunch Bunch doesn’t happen until lunch (duh!). When I excuse the other kids for lunch my lunch bunch friends stay behind. I usually try to bring a treat from home to make it a little more exciting. We push the desks together to create a big dining room table. Then we all sit around our big table and eat and talk and eat and talk some more.

I cannot tell you how valuable this time is for me! First of all, I can get to know my students and speak to them about their lives outside of the classroom.

 Secondly, I can observe the kids in their natural habitat. Sometimes I get real, real quiet and just listen as the kids chatter away with one another. I find out lots of valuable information about my little kiddos that I could never learn while I’m teaching math or discussing the causes if the American Revolution.

  

Another great thing about lunch bunch is that I make the groups! This lets me support new friendships and help students socially. For example, last year I got a sweet new boy at the beginning of the year. He barely spoke a word in class and at lunch he sat by himself. I did a little digging and was able to figure out some of his interests outside of school. The next lunch bunch I paired him with a couple of boys that had similar interests. He was able to chat and even joke around with the boys in the less intimidating setting of lunch bunch. Over the next few weeks he developed meaningful friendships with a couple of the boys he was paired with during lunch bunch. 

By midyear he was much more comfortable and his participation in class improved as well. Now I can’t credited that all to lunch bunch but I definitely think it got the ball rolling.

Well, I think I’ve babbled on long enough. As you can tell I heart lunch bunch! I would definitely recommend trying it in your own class. You can use these cute lil invitations to start your own lunch bunch.

 Let me know how it goes!