Suspension can be a good thing!

Early last week, students were assigned into groups of 3 to 4.  The catch?  Each group had to build a spider web made of plastic bags that was capable of holding the most books possible.  Groups received 2 plastic shopping bags and were NOT allowed tape or glue.  This STEM activity (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) followed on the heels of our Science lessons pertaining to animal adaptations.

First, each group had to begin cutting and assembling the bags according to what design they decided would work best.  A few groups asked and received permission to look up designs on the Internet.

Some groups cut strips that were too small to go into the design, which usually resulted in a request for more shopping bags  in order to start again.  Some groups built webs that looked almost like the original shopping bags.  They were redirected to consider what an actual spider web looked like.  Other groups got into layering their spider web, with each layer consisting of tied or woven strips of plastic bag.  At least one group member had to be encouraged to collaborate with their group members to see what design they thought would be best.  

The best performing spider web held 16 books. 

 Afterwards, students had to record their findings on a follow up worksheet.  

Students were also instructed to research topics related to their project.  Some research topics that were listed for students, but not limited to, were:  What is the strongest, lightest material in the world, what spider webs are the strongest, largest suspension bridges, other inventions that require suspension technology, and materials that make up suspension bridges.  My 5th graders had to look up at least 2 facts with a webpage reference.  A few students were allowed to present their findings.

 

In the end, it was a fun experience!  My 5th graders were able to work in groups, build self esteem, create designs that used common household items, research and apply what they learned to their world, and also got a chance to get out of their seats!  Awesome!

Read-a-thon

Our current school fundraiser, a "Reading Adventure" Read-A-Thon, has just begun.  Students have a chance to be sponsored by family, friends, or both.   A high percentage of the contributions go toward Bethlehem.  More importantly, we reaffirm the importance of literacy within our school and community.  Even if your child is not sponsored by monetary contributions, we must certainly emphasize reading during these next few weeks (This is your pep talk for the week!  I love pepping people up.  In fact, I once invested my peppiness into 1 year of collegiate cheerleading at Northern Michigan University!)   We can make this a FUN next few weeks for our students by goal setting of overall minutes read, working on further developing comprehension and oral reading skills, by using a variety of resources and strategies to gain information.  We can make this fun by creating, or going to an environment, where reading is encouraged.  

Now more than ever, a student can access reading through digital, hardcopy, or audio outlets. Students may make online or store purchases, rent or borrow from local/school/classroom libraries, or by having books passed down by an older sibling when the older sibling grows out of a book (as we do in our house).   With all the ways to access stories, you would think there would be NO WAY I would hear the expression, "I don't like to read."Yet I heard it this year.  It has not been the first time I have heard this statement.  It shall not be the last time. Nor should it deter anyone from making lasting meaningful progress with the person who makes such a statement. 

One of the first times I heard this statement, I was employed as a Special Ed. teacher over 10 years ago.  The students I worked with were attending half day at my alternative education program due to their previous extreme behaviors at resident districts.  One of the common traits these students shared was low academic performances, including reading fluency and comprehension skills several grades below grade level.  When i went to read a story aloud to the group one day, a 4th grade student asked my why I was reading to them.  The reason he asked this?  He had never been read to before.  In fact, many of my students had adults in their lives that either were not proficient readers themselves, or were not in their child's life to invest the appropriate amount of time necessary to establish reading, as a necessary tool, in their child's life.  Many of my students had severe behavioral responses during the first sessions of my oral reading lessons.  Initial responses were so severe, students had to be encouraged to use a chill out strategy, or needed to use our time away room.  Gradually, I was able to increase reading aloud from a few minutes to 30 minutes, with follow up comprehension questions.  For some of my students, our reading sessions became moments of stability in their lives.   Books became the connection that brought us together.  This connection became stronger than the temporary comforts provided by a X-box, hand held, television show,  or  playing on an iPhone. 

Emphasizing reading during these next few weeks and beyond can bring us closer to God through scripture, as well as better understanding the unique lives each of us live on this Earth.  Reading can and should be an awesome down time routine!  I am not saying we must toss all game systems and electronics aside, I am just urging all of us to give a little more time to reading these next few weeks.  Make the switch during these next few weeks.  I know many of us can invest in this reading challenge, for it is in our DNA to grow and develop---to transform!!!   

You know, I used to be told by my former students that reading words from video games was adequate for them.  I believe many of us treat reading the same way.  We may be using our God given skills to sell ourselves short on many occasions.  We pay attention to headlines instead of comparing multiple news sources.  We tune into the same people, from news stations, lyrics from musicians, other public figures that seem to always have the best to say when we feel like we need it the most.       I am urging you, dear reader, take these next few days to get back into a good book , to find several news sources when examining a local, state, nation, or worldly topic. For our world is being filled with too many soundbites, when a person, community, state, nation or nation is owed so much more than that.

With that being said, I have been impressed by all of our students' reading abilities.  All of our 5th grade students have the ability to read proficiently enough to engage in reading for information or entertainment.  There are even some students that enjoy reading in the classroom, sometimes needing to be directed to put away their chapter books during a lesson!!!!  Others need to read more in order to develop their reading fluency, comprehension, and self confidence across all subjects.   We are One World, Many Stories.  It is never too late to learn a different perspective. It is never too late to locate literature that appeals to an individual's interest. With positive direction and motivation, we shall enjoy each and every day of reading across the curriculum and beyond.  We shall develop more confidence in speaking with members of our class and community. We shall deepen our implicit and explicit understanding of ourselves and others.  I am looking forward to our Read-A-Thon journey, and to the excited reading journeys to come with my 5th graders!