Malice in Wonderland

thetriangleninja:

https://pinterest.com/pin/5488830765393030/

I love this and think it would make a sweet poster. 

(Source: amandaonwriting, via yeahwriters)

(Source: threesixfivequotes, via teachingliteracy)

I started a unit on Africa with my 7th grade World Cultures classes about two weeks ago. To prep for the unit I created a a large wall size map of Africa on the back wall of our classroom. Then as the first activity in the unit each student drew an African country from a hat and did an individual report on the country.

Each student then got to decide what they wanted to learn about their country. They filled out a KWL. Then picked the top 3 things they wanted to learn and started researching. I had students researching military strategy, educational programs, medicine, dance, music, art, food, economy, and more.  Each report I read was completely unique because no two students had the same country, or the same interests. On the last day of our research activity the students got into small groups and shared what they had learned about their countries. It was amazing to see the level of participation and engagement during the activity and the level of retention afterwards when I asked them to fill out an exit ticket listing 2 things they learned from their group discussions.

Another part of their report included finding and printing a picture to place on our class map. The picture needed to in some way represent the country they had researched. Many of the students selected the country’s flag as their picture. Others, however, went in alternate directions. One student, working on Cameroon, selected a picture of a two wrestlers because wrestling is a very popular sport there. Another student selected a picture of a tigerfish because they can be found off the coast of his country.  The student studying Liberia printed a picture of a quilt with a flag pattern on it to represent both the country’s flag and the notoriety of their quilting. 

The best thing about the map is that it is tangible. It is something the kids can interact not just look at like a normal pull down classroom map. Each student got to come up to the map place their picture on their country and explain how their picture represented the country. And now, we use it on a daily basis to review the geography of Africa. When the students took their Africa map pre-test the highest score received was a 12 out of 53. On average (based on past tests) about half of the students work their way into the C/B range by the final post-unit map test. It is my goal that by using the map on a daily basis and by having the students physically interact with the map regularly all of my students will make it to the C range, with the majority in the high B to A range. 

girlwithalessonplan:

That’s an awfully happy owl for having read “1984.”

I really like this poster because it combines several of my favorite things: my favorite activity, reading; my favorite book, 1984; and one of my favorite animals, owls. 

(Source: kneesandtoes)