Building a classroom community - 2

The class have just heard the wishing rock story..........before we start our 'real' work, I explain the Picasso in a bag!! routine.

It’s easy to resource and easy to put in action. All each student needs is a large paper bag, a marker pen, and half a sheet of white paper.

I model the process by putting my paper inside the bag. Holding my pen in hand, I rest it on the middle of the paper and let the bag cover my hand. Then I look at a person next to me, and without looking inside the bag, I proceed to draw his/her face.

It only takes a couple of minutes. Then I ask the students to look at the person closest to them and do what I did – draw the person’s face, resisting the temptation to look in the bag! The room goes quiet as the students draw each other's , and then erupts into laughter when the results are shared. 

The drawing then becomes page one of each student’s journal.

My students, young and old, always have fun doing this.

Next, I hand out sheets of used typing paper and some tape, with the instruction, "OK, I want you to help each other build the highest paper tower you can....see if you can reach the ceiling!"

When they've built their tower, I show them how to make a perch a balancing bird at the top.......

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variation on this activity is building bridges......

BUILD a BRIDGE from newspaper

I challenge my class to work in groups of four to build a paper bridge that links two tables together AND is able to support the weight of a brick at its center point.

I supply a complete Sunday New York Times for each group – and a roll of tape.