Well, if your student is trying to explain it to you today, you may feel SUPER confused!
Why exactly were you doing running around the school trying to convince other teachers to trade you for things like a princess crown and a Capri Sun straw? What do you mean you were forced to pick up every mess that Mrs. Yeagle made....and that when you picked it up, SHE MADE ANOTHER MESS???? How was that educational?
Well, let me explain.
While it's usually unpredictable in this classroom, and you really do NEVER know what crazy Mrs. Yeagle is going to do, today was exceptionally different for the kids - we experimented with the Indian Caste system. Kids were arbitrarily placed into a caste and then required to complete the duties of that caste in hopes of earning karma points - adding to their karma points would help them be reincarnated as something better in their next life...but losing them would mean they were reincarnated as something much, much worse.
I think a game like this is effective when the kids are engaged, enjoying it, and yet also starting to wonder things like, "WHY do we just keep doing this? WHY aren't we rebelling against the system? WHY did that kid over there get suckers and gum while I had to collect his trash and tie his shoes??" And that's EXACTLY how today panned out.
Several kids scampered around the school attempting to collect items from other teachers - they were the merchants and traders. Others were artisans asked to illustrate the gods for our temples, and some were the social outcasts, forced to pick up trash and other menial tasks. It was a chaotic but educational start to our Friday!
Science expo projects are due this coming Wednesday, May 2. The students are done with their essays, but need to complete their tri-fold boards and bring them to school on Wednesday! The science expo is the following Wednesday, May 9!
We are wrapping up The Westing Game, and some kids have loved it! Some kids have hated it, and that's okay too. You can't win 'em all! I'm eagerly waiting for the Amazon boxes to arrive that have the new books for our small group novel studies.....we are all anxious to start the books we selected, and I know it'll be a great way to end the year!
Don't forget to send in money ($11) and permission slips for the field trip - those are due by next Friday, May 4! The trip will be May 10!
Happy weekend, everyone!