The start of 2013 finds us as it does most classrooms - slowly easing back into routines, full of chocolate and sporting new clothes, after the winter holiday break.
As for our special project, we have experienced gains and set backs. The primary set back has been the absence of our much anticipated SMART board from our school district. I guess the wait list for these items is pretty long and while we have our projector, we do not yet have the board. This has limited our ability to utilize Clicker 6 activities as a class simultaneously. We have been able to have small groups of students learn about composting with a Clicker book and then do an accompanying activity afterwards, but activities that lend themselves to whole group participation have not yet been possible.
Another set back (though completely unpreventable due to the seasonal cold) is the slow rate at which our compost is breaking down, thus reducing the amount we are able to process. You would think being a good Canadian girl that I would remember winter comes each year, but I had thought given the insulated nature of our compost bin that it would break down a little faster than it is. For a look at the bin we are using, check out www.joracanada.ca (model JK125).
However, on the upside, we have also experienced many successes. Students continue to become more familiar with the Clicker program and many are choosing to use it after their daily journal writing activities for self-directed writing. Over the holiday I created a number of Clicker activities to accompany the books from the aa level of the Reading A-Z program that we use with a number of students in the class. This daily exposure to Clicker has been so beneficial to students (and staff who love the program too!). We continue to modify our journal writing Clicker sets to meet the needs of students as their skills develop or areas of need arise.
While our compost is not breaking down too quickly, we do continue to collect it from our classroom, the staff room and one of our English classrooms. We have yet to convince the Foods department to participate as well, but we will win them over with our persuasive information sessions once our SMART board is up and running! Most of my students are easily able to tell or show you what can go into a compost bin and what cannot and they have become so diligent at making sure their meal time waste does not contain things that can be recycled or composted.
Also, we will be launching the Fruit and Vegetable program next week and we are expecting a shipment of over 800 apples on Monday morning. We will be responsible for washing the apples, counting out the appropriate number for each classroom and then delivering them to each class. We will receive shipments of fruit and vegetables once a month for the rest of the year and participation in this program will add to our presentations about healthy eating.
So all things considered, I think we are in a great place at this point. We have a good foundation laid and still have a ways to go to meet our project goals (we would not want to have it all dialed in too soon ;)
As for our special project, we have experienced gains and set backs. The primary set back has been the absence of our much anticipated SMART board from our school district. I guess the wait list for these items is pretty long and while we have our projector, we do not yet have the board. This has limited our ability to utilize Clicker 6 activities as a class simultaneously. We have been able to have small groups of students learn about composting with a Clicker book and then do an accompanying activity afterwards, but activities that lend themselves to whole group participation have not yet been possible.
Another set back (though completely unpreventable due to the seasonal cold) is the slow rate at which our compost is breaking down, thus reducing the amount we are able to process. You would think being a good Canadian girl that I would remember winter comes each year, but I had thought given the insulated nature of our compost bin that it would break down a little faster than it is. For a look at the bin we are using, check out www.joracanada.ca (model JK125).
However, on the upside, we have also experienced many successes. Students continue to become more familiar with the Clicker program and many are choosing to use it after their daily journal writing activities for self-directed writing. Over the holiday I created a number of Clicker activities to accompany the books from the aa level of the Reading A-Z program that we use with a number of students in the class. This daily exposure to Clicker has been so beneficial to students (and staff who love the program too!). We continue to modify our journal writing Clicker sets to meet the needs of students as their skills develop or areas of need arise.
While our compost is not breaking down too quickly, we do continue to collect it from our classroom, the staff room and one of our English classrooms. We have yet to convince the Foods department to participate as well, but we will win them over with our persuasive information sessions once our SMART board is up and running! Most of my students are easily able to tell or show you what can go into a compost bin and what cannot and they have become so diligent at making sure their meal time waste does not contain things that can be recycled or composted.
Also, we will be launching the Fruit and Vegetable program next week and we are expecting a shipment of over 800 apples on Monday morning. We will be responsible for washing the apples, counting out the appropriate number for each classroom and then delivering them to each class. We will receive shipments of fruit and vegetables once a month for the rest of the year and participation in this program will add to our presentations about healthy eating.
So all things considered, I think we are in a great place at this point. We have a good foundation laid and still have a ways to go to meet our project goals (we would not want to have it all dialed in too soon ;)
RSS Feed