Wednesday, September 8th, 2015

Administrivia: Laptop forms

Target 1:  Learning how to build a community in the classroom.
By the End of the Period: You will know the names of people in this class and be more comfortable being here.

New Seating Charts & Activity
Two truths and a lie.

Silent Reading

Activity: Tower Building -- Build a free-standing tower that is the tallest and most beautiful.  After the tower is built, design a presentation that explain the method the group used to create the tower. The score you receive will be based EQUALLY on height, beauty and your process presentation.

Cell Phone Policy Activity: What should the policy in the class be?  What is it based on?  How should it be enforced?
1) Set up a notes packet.
2) Identify purpose and put it in your notes.
3) Model note taking: Mr. Toohey will read the first two paragraphs, Mr. Burns will take notes. Share, explain, questions?
4) 5-minute independent reading with notes;
5) At your table identify best notes; gallery walk, standing by your favorite notes. Defend.
6) Final 10-minute of note-taking
7) Share most important information at your table.
8) Develop your policy.
9) Share out, briefly.
10) Redefine your policy.
11) Write your policy.
12) Gallery walk.
13) Vote with your feet.
Policies must:
1) Explain the reason for a cell phone policy
2) Explain when or if cell phone use is allowed;
2) Where cell phones are stored during class
2) Explain consequences;
3) Explain teacher and student role in enforcement;

Activity: Group Biography -- Your group will be submitting and essay entitled "Our Group with Mad Skills." You will interview the person to your right, asking them questions about something that they do particularly well. You will then compose a paragraph that will describe in detail the skill and what it is that they do well.

Activity: Helium Loop -- in groups of 8 you'll be placing one finger under a hula hoop and trying to lower a it to the ground without loosing contact with it.

Assignment: Bring materials for an egg drop contest. We will pay you Humex cash for material.

Target 2: Learn why people behave the way they do.
By the End of the Period: You will be able to explain your own behavior based on both the Meyer-Briggs personality inventory and Maslow's Hierarchy of needs.

Seating Chart: Turn and talk for 1 minute: Half the room list as many benefits of a seating chart as possible. The other half list the benefits of free seating.

Circle Intro:  What is a circle?  Why do we do it?
Circle Question: Name one thing you'd like to get better at this year.
Circle Talk: Why we take notes.

Activity: Cooperative Learning -- Members of your group will choose between two lectures on human nature. After listening and taking notes , you will come back to your group and share your learning while the remainder of your group takes notes for understanding. Next, go to the room you weren't in to ask questions.  Finally, 5-minute free write on Maslow's & Meyers-Briggs for understanding.

Activity:10 minute writing exercise: Group Writing -- Write an essay made of paragraphs the talk about times in your lives that you were at the different levels of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs OR Write an essay made of paragraphs that talk about what it means to be an Introvert, Extrovert, Judger or Perceiver.

Activity: Helium Loop -- in groups of 8 you'll be placing one finger under a hula hoop and trying to lower a it to the ground without loosing contact with it.

Debrief: (Circle?) Why did we do what we did?  Name one person you know better as a result of this day.  What did you learn about them?

Materials List: Hula Hoop, tape, large sheets of paper, white lined paper, pencils

For the Future: 
Egg Drop
Transcript Activity