Live and Learn: Reason for Rules: First Week of School Activity

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Reason for Rules: First Week of School Activity

Planning for the first weeks of school can be the hardest to do. I so want to jump right into the instruction, but also get the importance of spending time establishing classroom expectations. I have created a set of materials that will allow me to introduce the importance of rules while still getting right to the teaching of reading and thinking skills.

I'm going to start our discussion of classroom rules by showing this silly video clip about rules

We're going to talk about WHY we need rules in our schools. Here is where I plan on introducing the thinking skill of identifying causes and effects. I'll use an anchor chart to help record some of our thinking. Kids need to buy into the idea that rules are established for a reason, that they are not for the teacher, but rather for kids. I want students to establish a sense of ownership in the forming of our classroom so I will have them take over the brainstorming and writing of the rules after we have spent time thinking and talking about the subject.

I like using these jumbo post it notes to make my anchor charts reusable.

Did you know you can also use adhesive spray to make your laminated anchor charts sticky?

Spraying this makes the area temporarily sticky so you can adhere paper to the chart.

I laminate anchor charts so they can be left out and reused as we go through the year. The idea is that once introduced, we will continue to identify causes/effects as we learn about all kinds of other topics.

I love using literature and poems as ways to introduce and reinforce topics we are learning about.

Here is a cause/effect poem that we will read and glue into our poetry journals.

It reinforces the idea that rules are created for a reason and without them our school would not be a fun or safe place.

Students will further develop this cause and effect thinking by matching actions and outcome cards.

Third grade students are certainly old enough to begin thinking about how consequences follow actions. We will spend time talking about how we must use our third grade self control to stop ourselves from making unwise choices.

I work hard to promote the idea that students are the ones in control of much of what happens to

them in school. Situations will arise and they will have to make decisions on how to respond. This game will give them practice in understanding that positive reactions will lead to positive consequences.

Students draw cards and read the situation. If the action is a positive one, the player moves forward the number of spaces indicated. If the action is negative, they move backwards.

I like getting the students to play games during the first week of school. It keeps them from just sitting and listening to me talk at them all day and gets them working and playing with their new friends.

I like walking around and watching them interact with each other. I learn a lot about their personalities!