Dynomite Behavior

Throughout my student teaching experience, I quickly learned that one of the most challenging aspects of being an educator is having a good management plan in my classroom. I've tried a wide variety of things with my fifth graders, and there was one in particular that really stuck.

This management plan is referred to as "dynomite behavior". I simply placed the dinosaurs at the front of the room for all of the students to see. Before each subject, (Math, Science, Reading and RTI) the whole class would start with 5 dinosaurs. If I had to wait for the class to be quiet or there were specific behavior problems during the hour, I would just simply take down a dinosaur from the computer. I was amazed by how receptive the students were to this behavior plan. They were held accountable for their actions. I would often hear some students say to the others, " She's going to take a dinosaur down" and the whole room would go quiet. When the students got to their "goal" I would bring a treat for the students. This is definitely a plan that I hope to play out in my own classroom someday.

So I decided to try a little "photobooth" with my students. I created a mixture of fake mustaches, hats and glasses that the students loved to use as their props. 

I think it's safe to say, it was a hit!

Tuck Everlasting

I got the opportunity to choose the book that I would read a loud to my 5th graders. I chose Tuck Everlasting,  written by Natalie Babbitt. Now this book is one fine example of why you cannot judge a book by its cover. When I took out the book I got moans and groans and had one of my students respond with, "Was that book written in the 1800's"? Despite their negative responses, as I began reading, the students became enthralled by the book and easily  attached to the main characters. Tomorrow We're getting the chance to watch the Disney movie based on the book. I'm excited for the students to get the chance to make comparisons between the two. 

This book really got a lot of students thinking about the questions, What would you do if you could live forever? Would you even choose to live forever if you could?

One of my favorite quotes that I want to touch on with the students is: