The Roots of Collaboration

Today we had many opportunities for collaboration in Room 408.  Students worked together on various projects and felt such a sense of accomplishment (as you can see in the celebration pictures below).

Literally jumping for joy!

This group used every single cube to create a wall that did not fall down.

This group completed every floor puzzle in the cabinet.

We also practiced collaboration skills by playing games such as Uno and Checkers.

This afternoon we started talking about classroom rules and how my job is to keep everyone safe by making sure we all practice and follow our classroom rules.  We read and talked about how each student is like a train on a track.

We're all working together to do our best to learn and grow smarter in Room 408.

However, sometimes trains get derailed...

We talked about logical consequences as a way to get us back on track.

If someone needs help, I will use the following logical consequences to get them back on track:

If you can't, you won't be able to use it for a time.

This counts for hurt feelings, ruined creations, and accidents.

Sometimes we need time to separate ourselves and think about what we can do different.
Taking a break does not mean you are in trouble.  It's a tool to regain self-control.

Tomorrow we will be discussing what kinds of rules we think we need to have in our classroom in the 180 days we'll be learning, working, and playing together.

What rules do you think we should have in Room 408?