This year, I wanted to change up some of the ice breakers done in the first three days of school. I used the idea from Dave Burgess' Teach Like A Pirate when I applied the strategy described. Burgess suggests teachers incorporate some of their personal interests into the classroom. For this activity, I met the students half way, so to speak. I shared with them, my interest in horse racing and they were able to share themselves in one of the most iconic self-representations in horse racing: Jockey's silks.
Jockey's silks are unique to a horse's owner. The owners select colors and designs that represent them.
That is precisely what I wanted to student to do: create designs, symbols, and colors that represent them. This activity allowed me to informally discuss student interest, catch a glimpse into their creative side, and provide an opportunity for them to discuss their designs with each other at their newly formed table groups.
To introduce the activity, I sketched and colored my actual driving colors that I registered through the USTA during my harness racing days. (Note: Drivers in harness racing wear colors that represent themselves, not owners; thoroughbred jockeys where colors of owners). I explained my design selection (Circle and X to represent a target) and color selection (black and blue representing injuries and desire to win) as a colored in the silks to model the activity.
This coming week, students will revisit their colors and provide the same explanation, thus producing their first writing piece of the year in an idea notebook - a seed to later writing in the year?
The silks and the horse images adjacent will be used to chart our chapter book reading over the course of the year. The horse, or silks, will move across the board as each chapter book is read. By using silks vs. names, I am hoping students will not compare themselves to other names, like a competition, but look at reading chapter books more of a goal and a progression throughout the year. Afterall, some horses run straight for the front and win. Others falter in the stretch. And some horses start off way back and close strong to win. The idea is to use a chapter book a week as a guideline. The idea is to help inspire every student to cross the finish line with 40 books read.
Jockey's silks are unique to a horse's owner. The owners select colors and designs that represent them.
That is precisely what I wanted to student to do: create designs, symbols, and colors that represent them. This activity allowed me to informally discuss student interest, catch a glimpse into their creative side, and provide an opportunity for them to discuss their designs with each other at their newly formed table groups.
To introduce the activity, I sketched and colored my actual driving colors that I registered through the USTA during my harness racing days. (Note: Drivers in harness racing wear colors that represent themselves, not owners; thoroughbred jockeys where colors of owners). I explained my design selection (Circle and X to represent a target) and color selection (black and blue representing injuries and desire to win) as a colored in the silks to model the activity.
This coming week, students will revisit their colors and provide the same explanation, thus producing their first writing piece of the year in an idea notebook - a seed to later writing in the year?
The silks and the horse images adjacent will be used to chart our chapter book reading over the course of the year. The horse, or silks, will move across the board as each chapter book is read. By using silks vs. names, I am hoping students will not compare themselves to other names, like a competition, but look at reading chapter books more of a goal and a progression throughout the year. Afterall, some horses run straight for the front and win. Others falter in the stretch. And some horses start off way back and close strong to win. The idea is to use a chapter book a week as a guideline. The idea is to help inspire every student to cross the finish line with 40 books read.
One student diving right in.
Six done from the afternoon group. Many girls went with hearts to reflect their sense of caring and interest in others.
This is fourteen of the seventeen from the morning class.
1st on left: students favorite colors and first letter of first name
2nd on left: student draws a circle with each point (yellow) representing a family member
3rd on left: A tree, the students interest in nature.
5th on left: Polka dots and purple (favorite color) each circle is half white half purple.
1st on left: students favorite colors and first letter of first name
2nd on left: student draws a circle with each point (yellow) representing a family member
3rd on left: A tree, the students interest in nature.
5th on left: Polka dots and purple (favorite color) each circle is half white half purple.
On Left: Last four from the morning class.
Middle: The four teachers in the class
On Right: First seven from the afternoon class
Middle: The four teachers in the class
On Right: First seven from the afternoon class
Two students working away on their colors.