Interactive History

Welcome back after Christmas break! We hope you enjoyed your time off - we certainly did! But it's back to the books and studies. Your students probably arrived back to school ready to chat about their Christmas adventures, catch up on socializing, and still in their "no study" frame of mind.

As much as I love reading and traditional assignments, sometimes you need an activity to get your students really interacting with a subject. It's January, too, and it tends to be a dreary month. Who wants to study about a bunch of dead people and past events, more commonly known as "history"? And who wants to study when there's rain, cold, or snow outside?  And who wants to read a book about dates and names when you just had Christmas break? (Well, I do, but sometimes my enthusiasm fails to convince my students.)
 

The All-Important Resources

The Problem: How to make history interactive and hands-on

The Solution: Use games, activities, and simulations in class.

The Next Problem: How do you create non-lame or boring games, activities, and simulations for your history classes?

You know there are activities out there, just where to find them…

The Next Solution: You have three options.

#1: Find something in your random Google search

Pro: This does work! I have found quite of few great games and activities using Google.

Con: You might need to adapt the game/simulation/activity for your class and most of the ones I found are geared toward information and presentation rather than the activities/simulations/games. This can take some time. And other people have access to the internet, so your students might have done the activity previously…

#2: Use someone else’s curriculum, lesson plans, or ideas. This includes the curriculum provided given by your respected school.

Pro: It’s easy. So easy.

Con: Finding non-pencil and paper activities can prove difficult; you're branching out of the traditional which happens to also be the majority.

#3: Come up with your own!

Pro: It’s fun, exciting, and if it is successful, oh so worth it! You can personalize the activity and create a memorable experience for the students. Depending on how big you go, you can also get parents involved and other teachers involved! Teaching requires a little risk-taking…you can always turn it into a “life-lesson” for the students…

Con: It can take a lot of time, preparation, and work. It can sometimes end up a flop.

The Idea Box (Or more aptly titled, the class activities that were a success)
Here are four activities I created for my middle school history classes – the activities that weren’t a flop. I hope they stimulate your creativity to design your own interactive history lessons!

Why not make a chart on the floor?

(This activity is not included in the below ideas)

• The Catacombs (Ancient History): Take big cardboard boxes, blankets, chairs, and tables to create tunnels throughout the classroom starting at the entrance to the classroom. You can place “clues” or pieces of information throughout for the students to find (like bingo or just “who can find the information first”). Just make sure you have a beginning and an end with twists and turns in the middle. When I set this up in my class, the director brought up the elementary classes and the other director brought up some of the high school classes. Lots of fun!
• Jousting Tournament (Medieval History): This has not happened just yet…so SHHHHHHHHH!!!! It’s a secret from my students!! It will involve pool noodles, shields (which my students made in class), and potentially rewards for best costumes. But no more information until afterwards in case one of my students looks here!
• Ellis Island Simulation (Modern/USA History): Yes, this was an actual simulation of Ellis Island including the original 25 questions immigrants were asked, a health inspector supplied with chalk (thanks to one of the directors), and various stops where students were asked those 25 questions throughout their progress through the Island (thanks to parent volunteers!). My class time was about 45 minutes. Did every student make it through during that time? Nope. But that kept things realistic. Students still talk about this activity (3 years ago).
• Underground Railroad Activity (Modern/USA History): Take the classic child’s game “hide-and-seek” and change it up! There are three teams: one hides, one searches, one team helps the hiders and distracts the searchers. Bring quilts and such to help (quilts add another historical element). You’ll be amazed at the amount of places students can find to hide in a classroom! We still play this game every so often, the students enjoyed it!

"You'll never know unless you try," one of my bosses said when I expressed concern about a potentially unsuccessful activity. Experiment, have fun, and learn!
 

Have fun!

Ms. Schmidt

 

Into the Swing of things

Excuse our silence!

We've wrapped up the first semester, made it through tests and final grades, escaped into Christmas break with family and friends, and hurried into the 2nd semester of the year!

All that said, new posts coming soon!

The Art of a Well-Balanced Outfit Part I

Now that I have gone over basics, and what kind of pieces to acquire, it is time to talk about putting them together! I am a firm believer in the mix & match method, especially for those of us who cannot afford to buy new clothes every week... month...year.

An old friend reminded me that I once bragged I could take any single piece of clothing, and, no matter how hideous, find some way to redeem it in an outfit. To a certain degree, I believe this to be true. Not in the sense that I think I am the clothing guru, and anything that touches my body will magically become couture. But I believe that you can make *almost* any piece of clothing/accessory work as long as you understand the great powers of balance and illusion.

I share this little anecdote, not to encourage you to seek out the ugliest thing you can find and try to make it wearable, but I want you to see that even old clothing can be recycled, and worn like new. For example, adding fancy buttons to an old cardigan, as mentioned in one of my earlier posts. Work with what you already have. Seriously, I still wear shirts, sweaters, and other plain pieces that I have had since high school. Making a good outfit doesn't have to be about buying all the latest, trendiest clothes. Over half of my wardrobe is either from a thrift store or is clothing that I have owned for over 10 years. Unless you have a special event to attend, a good outfit should be about 3/4 well-fitting basics, and only 1/4 prima donna.

Here are a few tips I live by:

Tip #1: Update a classic pattern. Tartans, herringbone, houndstooth, etc., don't have to be confined to the rigid rules of the country club.

Specimen 1: Here is a classic houndstooth blazer I picked up at a thrift store about 4 years ago. Notice the fine balancing act happening here. The cranberry & mustard give it a trendier, more contemporary feel, and in turn, the black & white houndstooth tone down the explosion of color.

*Note: Mix and match your colors, but keep your cools with your cools, and your warms with your warms. If they are in the same color family, YES you can wear them together.

Specimen 2: In this case, the houndstooth is the piece that is jazzing it up. Chambray shirts are the new white Oxford, and every bit as versatile as denim pants.










Tip #2: Color is great, but if you don't have the confidence to wear it boldly, stick to appropriately placed pops of it.

Someone (who was clearly in love with the 80's) decided that bright colors and neons were back in style. I am all for this trend, so long as it is tamed, and not causing any traffic accidents. I'm sure you have heard the trending term "pop of color."All this means is, rather than making yourself a walking rainbow, you choose a piece (or two) in bright colors, and use them to liven up a neutral-heavy outfit. This could be a brightly colored shoe, accessory, or make-up. Whatever you do when working with bright colors, make sure that they are proportionately spaced. For instance, if you chose to wear khaki pants and white shoes with a lime green knit tee AND lime green earrings AND a lime-green headband, you are in serious danger of looking like a lime green lollipop. Consider wearing a white polo underneath and switching out those green earrings for pearl studs, just to diffuse the bright color palette a bit.

Personally, I like my color schemes like I like a good kindergarten seating chart, but instead of boy-girl-boy-girl, it's neutral-color-neutral-color. My bright colors stay sandwiched in between the neutrals to keep them behaving. *You can't see it in this picture, but the shoes are neutral bottom piece of the sandwich.

Tip #3: Animal prints are now considered neutrals.

Specimen 1: I can wear bright colors with animal prints because the neutral colors of the print tone down the bright, and conversely, the solid colors of the scarf and pants subdue the wildcat. Rawr!

*Notice, I used a more dull green scarf up top to add to the balancing act. If I didn't have the scarf, I would suggest using something else, like a neutral colored blazer or cardigan.

Specimen 2: Because I chose bright green as my pop of color, I chose everything else in neutral. White collared shirt, animal print, black loafers, black belt, black hair... JK. God chose that.










I have much more to say on the topic, but it is almost 10 p.m., and being the sad teacher type that I am, that means bedtime was half an hour ago. So until next time dear reader.

-Miss C

A spirit of thankfulness!

I originally typed this up on my Kindle (tried out a new app). My Kindle would decide to restart and erase everything. My fault for relying on something completely new! So here it is typed up a second time!

Happy Thanksgiving a few days late!  And Merry Christmas!

Is your Christmas tree up yet? The Christmas wreath hung on your door? The Christmas lights decorating the bushes outside or the windows in? This is possibly my most favorite time of year – this period between Thanksgiving and Christmas – I love the lights, the sounds, the planning, the anticipation!

We just passed the time of year dedicated to gratefulness. But why keep it regulated to one time of year? What would life be like if we dedicated more time to recognizing what we are grateful for? 

I made a short-ish list of some things for which I’m thankful. It is a light-hearted list, but shouldn’t we be thankful for the seemingly simple things of life besides just the "big" things?

1. Thankful for friends and family (of course!)
2. Thankful for erasable markers
3. Thankful for tipped-back chairs that have, thus far, resisted gravity 
4. Thankful for bosses who encourage creativity in curriculum, lesson planning, and classroom management
5. Thankful for post-it notes 
6. Thankful for my almost eight-year-old laptop which hasn’t died on me yet
7. Thankful for loose-leaf paper, notebooks, and binders for holding my notes, jots, and outlines
8. Thankful for friends and fellow teachers who share their wealth of “teacher knowledge” and curriculum and advice
9. Thankful for student doodles and notes on homework and exams (the occasional “thank you for the midterm, Ms. Schmidt!” and, no, I’m not lying, I’ve gotten those!)
10. Thankful for history resources I’ve lost myself in after I’ve located the wanted information
11. Thankful for copy machines
12. Thankful for color! (It makes the world come alive.)
13. Thankful for red heels which dress up any pair of pants, but don’t look too…red…
14. Thankful for the little black truck I drive 
15. Thankful for cardigans and their versatility
16. Thankful for science experiments allowing my middle school boys a chance to “cut loose” in class and seeing the two girls in the class enjoy interacting with the material
17. Thankful for the moment a student looks at you and says, “I hate [the subject you’re teaching], but I love your class!”
18. Thankful for words of encouragement from others and from the Lord
19. Thankful for radio stations playing music between 6-8am 
20. Thankful for the children’s excitement to learn and eagerness to share that information with you...even if it really has nothing to do with what you teach

For what are you thankful? I would love to hear them no matter their "level" of depth!  

Blessings on your last month of the fall semester,

And on your Christmas plans!

Ms. Schmidt

No Talk November?

The following entry was written in early October. Some changes have occurred since my original musings, including some transforming classroom dynamics and a trip to a family farm where I did in fact shoot real guns. Part II may come upon request.

I think I have finally been assigned a class I cannot handle. Are they brutes? Nope, pretty sweet group of kids. Do they pay attention? Sure, at least I think they are. Are they not turning in their homework? Sure, the only exception is the one who already has a slight case of Senioritis.

My problem: I have a quiet class.

Perhaps in a different setting, I would be singing a different tune, but I am a modern language instructor. The goal is to communicate, isn’t it? And alas, I fear I have a group of 11 students who are not just quiet, but I think they may be…introverts. Now I use the term “introvert” not in the sense of not out-going, but in the Myers-Briggs’ definition. An Introvert (an “I”), then, is someone who has the preference of processing information internally, reflecting before speaking, and then expressing themselves once and (generally) only once.

Time out! Have you met me? I’m little Miss “E” Extrovert and frankly don’t learn a blessed thing unless I have talked it out. I was “that kid” in class who felt the need to blurt out the answer before anyone else had the chance to even think about it. Sure, I found my foot in my mouth from time to time, but that’s how I learn, right? “Ready, Shoot, Aim!” is how I find myself functioning, not “wasting” time thinking about what I’m shooting at! (I know what you’re thinking: don’t let this girl loose at a shooting range…but I will go this month, I promise! Please see proof of voyage at the bottom of this entry.)

Maybe we are not on the same page yet, so I will get to the point. I feel as if I am confronted with a world-class crisis (oh, so dramatic!) for which I am wrestling to find an appropriate solution. How do we as teachers who have a strong affinity for one type of instruction, because it is a reflection of our own personality type, adapt to a class that is in the majority of a different personality type and therefore in need of a type of instruction outside our comfort zone and/or abilities?

My “crisis” looks like this: about every third lesson, I use simulation with a combination of PowerPoints to introduce and review vocabulary and grammar structures. I ask some student volunteers to act out a scenario in conjunction with my asking a series of questions to them and to the rest of the class, using the recycling method promoted in Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS). Students who are not acting are required to respond in unison to the questions asked. Other than the student volunteers, no one is put on the spot in this situation, and all students get to practice the sentence structures and vocabulary. In both this situation and in general class work, this group of students is hesitant and even reluctant to respond. It appears that they are slow to respond not because they do not understand, but simply because they are processing. A lesson that took 25 minutes last year is taking 45 minutes this year.

Here are my reflections on the issue, but please, dear readers, let me know what you are thinking:

1)      Buck up, Mme V, every class is different. Don’t use your silly PowerPoints or your goofy simulations; it simply does not work for this class. Find a different way to teach oral proficiency.

2)      Keep at it! They are shy and it is only the beginning of the year. You need to establish this room as a safe place, and then they will get it eventually and even thank you for pushing them in this direction…maybe in French 3.

3)      Combo of reflections 1 and 2: Find a sweet spot compromise. You know they need more time to reflect, so grant them that time. Maybe you even need to do more pair or group work in order to let students process together and in potentially less embarrassing settings.

My responses to these reflections are as follows:

1)      I won’t go to a quiet room! I can’t do it! I think TPRS has a legitimate claim in language pedagogy and I’m not giving its strategies the boot. It is a great way for visual learners to see pictures and read the words during a lesson. The kinesthetic learners get to move around and blab a bunch. They sit down and take notes in all their other classes, but that will not happen in mine. Long live the active classroom! Plus, several students in this class have commented on how they enjoy this sort of presentation of information. And I quote: “Mme V, I never liked learning grammar ‘till now!”

2)      What if I am being insensitive to the learning needs of my students by pressing on? (Uh oh, for all you Typewatchers out there, did you just pick up on my “F”?) I might think that this is a great way to teach, but it might not be for this group of students. Granted, this is not how I teach every lesson, but I use it enough that it could be detrimental to the learning of most of the students. Will sticking with it do more harm than good? Will they even want to enroll in French 3?!

3)      So what is that compromise, little Miss Genius? Sure you can try to give them partner work, but the age old problem is that those strong students finish a lot sooner than others, and then when the slower students ask questions, your focus is taken away from monitoring the continued practice of the quick ones. The kids who are not confident get side-tracked because they fear judgment from their partner, and you can’t step in because frankly you can’t monitor 5 pairs at the same time. Stop whining and get better classroom management…?!

So it’s your turn. You get to pipe up and potentially transform my classroom. I need a round of first-responders, because this is, after all, a crisis of the classroom!

Bis,

Mme VD

The book my nose is in: Type Talk: The 16 Personality Types that Determine How We Live, Love, and Work by Otto Kroeger and Janet M. Thuesen (©1988). 

For more information on Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling: http://www.tprstorytelling.com/

Some sort of proof that I did in fact shoot a gun: