Engaging Activities to Build Class Community
We are about the start another year of teaching…and we need more community building activities than ever. These are FOUR activities I have used with grades 4-7 over my 10 year career. I know they work. I know my purpose. I want to build relationships with kids and learn as much about them as I can during the first two weeks. I would do ALL of these activities in the first week.
Memory Game: To Show We Work Better Together
Look for 30 seconds and then cover the screen. What did you see?
That’s right people, the dreaded memory game. But this one has a twist. You see, you give kids 30 seconds to 1 minute to write down OR draw what they saw. Ask all kids to raise their hands if they had AT LEAST 3 items. Keep you hands up for AT LEAST 5 items. Keep going until about 1/2 the class has their hands down.
Now tell your students they can share with ONE other person and add to their own list. Go through the numbers again…half the class should have more…Stop when 1/2 of the hands are down.
Repeat ONE more time with table groups sharing. This usually leads to everyone having a very high number. You can if you want to have one person rotate to a new table for a final share and see if every single table can get every item.
This is powerful. I have done it during staff meetings and I do it with my class every year.
What does it show? Ask them…but generally…We learn more when we work together and share. See this pdf I have used with staff for an idea of how you could run it during a pro-d.
Creative Challenge: Cut a hole in a piece of paper (8 1/2 X 11) big enough for multiple people to stand in
No cheating!
Materials: ONE PIECE OF PAPER and ONE PAIR OF SCISSORS
NO TAPE or connecting materials
The hole must be continuous and unbroken
Try this yourself before watching the video
Not the fanciest video, but it shows you the proper solution. It also gives you an idea of what some students might do the first time.
What do we talk about/learn as a class?
We will think outside of the box in this class
Failure is just a First Attempt in Learning
Science can/should be hands-on and super fun
You can make a GIANT hole with one 8 1/2 by 11 sheet (I have had kids make holes big enough to find my entire class inside)
Try different paper sizes…how many can you fit in using a small sticky note?
What happens when we cut thinner vs. thicker strips?
All of these different variations can be discussed int he context of science (what are variables)
What do I learn as a teacher?
Who is resilient
Who has worked with hands-on challenges before
Who tries to be a leader
Who is really good at group work
What is the self talk in the classroom…should I be touching base with a family real fast
Who isn’t afraid to think creatively and try pushing boundaries…even in sneaky ways. :)
Class Survey: Respect Begins with Understanding
I have a one page paper survey that I do with my kids on one of the first days I have them. It has a few open ended questions and is mostly multiple choice. I take the surveys and collate the data. I then give it back to the kids in small groups. They make bar graphs from the specific results they were given and look at the patterns.
Each group presents the data to the classroom and we use it to make a series of true statements about our classroom as well as goals we could make for the first semester. The giant bar graphs stay on the wall for at least a week, and an anchor chart with the statements stays up all year. We adjust it as needed and can chart our class progress.
What do the kids learn?
All kinds of things about each other
How to co-construct understanding and goals
Data is cool and patterns can be observed if data is displayed properly
Our class has some pretty neat strengths
Our class has a few big challenges that can become goals
What do I learn?
Many unique details about the kids. The questions change slightly each year, but here is a copy of the survey I used last year. It contains questions like:
What was your favourite book?
Circle two ways you like to learn
Circle your two favourite subjects
Circle two ways that help you calm down/regulate
Who can follow rules
Who knows how to make a bar graph
Who know how to analyze a bar graph
Who understands the power of data
Who likes to present and who likes to hide
Symbolic Self Portraits
During my Teacher Education Degree at UBC, I was taken to an amazing exhibit called Backstory: Nuu-Chah-Nulth Ceremonial Curtains and the Work of Ki-ke-in. It had a huge impact on me and many of the other students at the exhibit. This visit was linked to an Arts Education course and our follow-up activity was to create a massive symbolic self portrait that told the story of our family over many generations. We used oil pastels and took time to create deeply personal art.
This ethnographic documentary follows the remaking of a small ceremonial curtain and can provide more context to the importance of these pieces of artwork. They had significant cultural purposes. When you are using something like this as a basis for an art assignment, it is important to teach the context/history. My students always find the story of these curtains powerful and their colonial roots are mind boggling/horrific.
Symbolic Self Portraits
I show my students my symbolic self portrait and they ask me to tell them stories about myself. It connects me to them.
I teach them about the exhibit that inspired this art as well as the history behind the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Ceremonial Curtains.
I then lead them through guided questions about things they might want to represent.
My kids work so hard on these pieces of artwork and we display them like a quilt on the wall. They have no name on the front. The challenge is for students to try to determine which picture represents which person. They also love bringing in family members and challenging them to ‘find’ the right self portrait.
My kids love this activity. I learn so much about them. It gives me a real gift.
FNESC First Peoples Principles of Learning
I also love this activity because it connects to so many of the First Peoples Principles of Learning outlined by FNESC. The major principles embedded in the symbolic self portrait are:
Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story
Learning involves patience and time.
Learning requires exploration of one’s identity
It is all about relationships. Build relationships early and maintain them throughout the year in order to have a powerful learning experience even during a pandemic. You can do it! If you have an early activity you like to do, send me an email and/or share it with your colleagues. If you try any of these and they work, tag me on social media! I would LOVE to know if this post was useful.