Catching Up & Sparking Student Motivation

Hello again lovely followers!

Let me start by catching you up on something...

I know I've been away from the bloggy world for a few weeks. Let me explain..
My time in fourth grade as a permanent substitute has come to an end, so I have debated whether or not I should continue to post on this blog. At first, I thought I should not - leave it as is, and utilize it like an online portfolio. However, I remembered why I started this blog in the first place...to inspire others just as I have been inspired. It is a better opportunity to continue to post my ideas. I'm still the building substitute for my district, and working with grades 3 - 5. I still continue to incorporate my creative ideas into my lessons as a substitute, so I will share those, along with other ideas I have to offer. So please, I ask that you have an open mind as you continue to read my blog posts. Thank you, to those of you who have supported me on my blogging adventure, and who have inspired me to keep blogging.

On that note, I'm linking up today with Joanne from Head Over Heels for Teaching  to share an idea for Earth Day!

This time of year, I think we all need a little motivation. Maybe due to the state testing, or the change in the weather, or other reasons. But one thing's for sure - "it's THAT time of year." While there's plenty to celebrate in April (National Poetry month, autism awareness, Spring, Easter, etc.), I wanted to take some time to focus on one holiday, Earth Day. April 22nd marks Earth Day this year, and there's a ton of cute ideas out there on Pinterest, blogs, etc. to celebrate. However, I encourage you to try something new this year with a trending topic.

"Selfies." Yep, they're a trend. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, you name it. Social Media users everywhere are posting selfies, and chances are, if your students use social media, they are joining in this trend, too. Well, this year for Earth Day, NASA is making use of these pictures with the #GlobalSelfie initiative. With the constantly changing planet, NASA decided to create a more conducive image of earth, rather than just satellite mugshots. So, this year, people all over the world will be sending their respective selfies to NASA holding up a sign to show their location, and NASA will create a mosaic to combine these individual images to showcase our planet.

So, here's my idea to apply this in the classroom...

Have students take their own #GlobalSelfie, to create a classroom mosaic. You could join in the fun and use NASA's pdf  they provide users. This could be a lesson on latitude and longitude, and use Google Earth to find your exact classroom location. Or, you could have students write their promise to save the earth and "Go Green" and hold that sign in their selfie. 

 Depending on your district's technology available,  students can use laptops, iPads, etc. to take their selfie. Once it's taken, their picture could be uploaded onto Mosaically.com where you can choose a large image of the earth, and have students' pictures be the small images. 

This would make for a great classroom bulletin board display, or a grade wide display! What are you doing for Earth Day? 

Sparking Student Motivation: Social Studies Tour

Happy Saturday, friends!

Today I'm linking up for another Spark Student Motivation Saturday with Joanne from Head Over Heels for Teaching!

If you read my last post here, I talked about my Social Studies is coming to life in my exploring the regions unit. So far, we have still been boarding our boat (I turn all the chairs and desks around each day before Social Studies into a "U" shape so that the room is our boat, and students provide me - the captain - with a ticket before they board).

On Friday, we visited Florida, where we made three important stops. First, on our riverboat, we traveled to the Everglades, to learn about the biodiversity present there. We watched a fabulous tour video to learn about how alligators and crocodiles are cohabitants together in the Everglades waters, and received a brochure to keep as a souvenir.

Then, we went upstream to Cape Canaveral to visit the JFK Nasa Space Center and take a tour to learn about the United States' exploration in space.

Don't I look great in an astronaut suit? ;o)

Then, we took a bus to Orlando to visit Disney World - what trip to Florida would be complete without a trip to Disney, right?

Students brought in their favorite Disney item as souvenirs so we took a gallery walk around the room to view all the different toys, movies, and items that students were able to share. It was a fabulous experience for students who have been there to share with those who have not visited there before.

We are continuing to explore the Southeast region of the United States this week by taking a trip to the Gulf of Mexico, where we will explore the effects of oil spills, to Jamestown, Virginia, the site of the first permanent English settlement in America, where we will explore an interactive online game called The Online Jamestown Adventure.

Students have been keeping a travel journal (with pictures, both hand-drawn, and actual photos I've taken) to include to describe their learning from each place. This interactive, authentic approach to learning has definitely gotten students excited about Social Studies unlike ever before.

Enjoy the rest of you weekend!