Monday, March 21, 2011

Scavenger Hunt

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I think that scavenger hunts are an awesome activity to do in the classroom. I think that if you can come up with a scavenger hunt that is meaningful and relevant to \ the lesson, it is a great way to get students actively involved. They will be engaged and excited about the lesson. It gives students the opportunity to get up and move around =, possibly get outside, and collaborate with their peers- all of which are needed during the school day. I think that scavenger hunts are also a way that you, as a teacher, can reach out to kinesthetic and visual learners.

The other thing I like about scavenger hunts is that they can be used across subject areas. A math scavenger hunt may include looking for numbers, shapes, or fractions. A language arts scavenger hunt may be finding spelling words or taking pictures of verbs in action. A science hunt could be taking pictures of various natural phenomena. Scavenger hunts provide a very versatile activity and I plan to use them in my future classroom.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Blog Review: Teacher Tom

http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/

The first thing that hooked me when looking at this blog was the picture at the top, and the "About Me" section. The picture is of a middle-aged man with long hair in a cape. The "About Me" informs readers that he is a preschool teacher in Seattle, as well as an artist and author. He is also the ONLY employee of this preschool. The next thing that hooked me, was his most recent blog entry. It was a very profound and insightful reflection on hiding the truth from our children and students. He recounts a student incorporating the earthquake in Japan in a story he was telling, and other student asking questions about it. He also remembers a time when he and his daughter walked to Ground Zero. His daughter got angry with him when she found out that 9/11 happened when she was alive and he had never told her about it. He discusses the importance of telling our students and children the truth in a way that they understand.

From looking through more of his blog posts, he presents very insightful reflections on parenting and teaching. He also posts activities and projects that are going on in his preschool. This blog is very entertaining and informative. It has won some blog awards as well. I found it so enjoyable to read and I plan to follow it now and read it regularly.