helping the kids who are out to lunch

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Home : 2002 : April : 7

helping the kids who are out to lunch
By Carolyn

I understand this feeling. I know that after testing last year my kids more or less thought that school was over. When you work in a state which has THE TEST, then the drive seems to be getting the kids to perform on the
test. The kids quickly get the idea that the only reason they are working is so that they can pass the test, not so that they can learn. Mine actually asked me after testing last year, "What will we do now?" I told them that they would learn, of course!
It's difficult to convey to children that the main reason for them to be in school is so that they can learn skills which are essential

for life when all the while you are generating test takers. Here are some activities that I try after testing:

1. Have the kids make a memory book. This is actually a language arts/writing activity, but it is fun to do. Have the kids make a cover. If you have a picture of them, then they can put their picture on the front. On the first page, have them write about something that was funny, embarrassing, etc. in Kindergarten. Illustrate it. The next page should be for grade one. The following page will be for grade two, etc. My kids loved doing this. On the last page, they can put autographs of their friends and teachers.

2. Have the kids pick a state that they would like to learn more about. This incorporated social studies and writing. The students go on the Internet and in other sources to draw a picture of the state flag, obtain information about state flower, tree, bird, etc. They can describe the location and climate of the state. This is also a fun project.

3. Have your students take a story you are reading in reading class and create a skit of it. My students also created an Oprah Winfrey show of a character in our novel, Manaic Magee. They loved doing this.