Build WHAT?
Build it and they will come!
Has ANYONE seen the Kevin Costner Movie…
FIELD OF DREAMS?
Field of Dreams with Kevin Costner. Build It and they will come! Check out https://1stgradefireworks.net
On MY top 10 of ALL TIME GREATS!
Yes..I love baseball ( GO SF GIANTS! )
But
This is SOOOO much MORE!
It’s about never giving up.
Keep trying.
When others tell you that YOU are CRAZY..
I LOVE THAT!
( sniff…sniff… hold on now)
OK.
SO How do I give my 6 year old FIRSTIES
a chance to EXPLORE their dreams?
To “think OUTSIDE the BOX”?
To …go the extra mile?
Recently, I have been exploring
Genius Hour.
First of ALL…I don’t have an hour.
Secondly, their little minds and bodies couldn’t focus on ANYTHING for an hour.
So make it REAL
30 minutes of MAYHEM!
NO.
I don’t call it that!
( Even if it makes my OCD heart skip a beat!)
FUN FRIDAY!
Now…this is NOT your “Teacher KICKS BACK while kids DO WHATEVER THEY WANT!”
This is a structured time of the week ( ANY DAY WILL WORK)
where kids get “tools” to BUILD!
I tell them they are building a city.
We brainstorm (chart with pictures – Lots of EL students )
ALL of the things WE want
in a PERFECT city!
(They want LOTS of PARKS…grass…Ice cream stores…etc )
And then I group them into groups of 4.
I switch them each week.
I get out their “TOOLS”…
Blocks…Garage Sale & “FRIENDS” donations
Their FAVORITE!
Toothpicks & marshmellows..
Engineers in ACTION!
Math Blocks…Want to learn about “sides”, “corners”, “flats”, “rolls” ?
Use them!
Oldie but a goodie!
They LOVE to follow the picture DIAGRAMS!
Get out your MATH Manipulatives…and let them PLAY!
NO! Not “PLAY” 🙂 …BUILD!
Build a CITY!
CUBES!
And the ALL TIME FAVORITE…..
LEGOS!
Giant TUB!
I ask Parents to donate a small baggie of their “extras” from home.
We add them to the tub!
I may need a LARGER tub! 🙂
And so..don’t forget.
If you want to encourage kids to DREAM BIG!
We have to let them do it!
Create, problem solve, share, plan, explore.
I hope the future leaders of our country can do ALL of it!
(Better start teaching them HOW!)
And remember…you need to be a part of it also.
I do.
We do.
You do.
WOW!
Excuse me.
I have some “creating” to do with those legos!
LOVE this!!! I might actually try this with my 2nd graders 🙂
Karen