I heart Science kids: Tricks of the Season

So the Christmas Craziness has hit room 403! The kids are singing while parading up the hallways, and all 24 want to tell me what they're getting for Christmas. Two kids now regularly wear a Santa hat and I do believe I saw a candy cane being split among 8 girls. (Just glad it was broken and not passed lick for lick) ...I love this time of year! It seems like everyone is in a good mood...stressed in the 5 foot world... but good mood just the same! I try to be a little more lax in the talking department and a little more firm in the R-E-S-P-E-C-T. You know how it goes! Get them to the 3:00 bell! We go until what feels like Christmas Eve. Really its the Friday before but that sounds way less dramatic. It'll be interesting. We'll wear pajamas that last day, enjoy some hot cocoa and review our math facts. I think I'll have to come up with a game or two before then. Working on Jeopardy for magnets and heat right now. Anywho. Here's how I keep my sanity and standards running neck and neck.

First, tape this to every one's desk. If you switch classes, put it on their notebook. When you catch someone doing something good, initial a light bulb. I tell mine they have to have all 9 in order to get to eat at our Christmas party. Shhh... they'll all get to eat, but they sure are proud to think they worked for it! I guess you could cross one off each time they were bad, but that's not something I want to keep up with. :)

Second, the fastest game you'll ever make. I wanted to review thermal energy and magnets today so I wiped the dust off the textbooks and turned to page 122. Those practice CRCT questions came in handy! Type up and clip apart A-D and stuff in an envelope. They got "toe to toe"--that's how I pair them...they always get so preoccupied with looking for empty feet that they don't fuss about who they work with. Each pair got a set of letter cards and would read the question and then hold their answer covered up in their hand. I checked, they tossed a ball through a basketball goal from Dollar Tree and all was right with the world. I spend 3.5 hours working on thermal energy Jeopardy and they want to throw a wad of paper at the trash can. Go figure! I wasn't knocking it because they were focused and reviewing/extending concepts and it was smooth sailing!