SHORT Week 28

Hi Everyone,
This week was incredibly short due to not one, but two, snow days! On Monday the mentors learned about values and brainstormed ways we can use our strongest values in class to show leadership. The most important value across all classes was family so we talked about ways we could make our classes feel like a family. I look forward to seeing how this plays out this week. On Tuesday we talked about boundaries. We discussed how boundaries are based on agreements about what is okay to do and what is not okay to do in any type of relationship, and also who is allowed to do what. We then played a game to determine what we think is ok and what is not ok with some fabulous scenarios I made up. Wednesday and Thursday we, of course, had off. On Friday another class needed the gym so we played games, watched silly videos and listened to music as our fun Friday. Heres a fun video of us playing with a unicorn game I got at a staff Christmas party a couple months ago. Look forward to a lot more fun and pictures next week!

Week 27 @ Scott Carpenter

This week was a whirlwind! Monday the Mentors got to work on our end of the year celebration powerpoint. The mentors had to pick a picture of themselves, a powerful quote, and their future career. On Tuesday we started talking about accountability and what taking responsibility for our own actions looks like. We explored excuses, how our attitudes or belief systems impact our choices and the difference between an explanation and an excuse. On Wednesday we did something a little different and had a circle talk. Circle talks give every person a voice and allow students to talk without fear of being interrupted. We started the talk out by discussing everything the students were frustrated about school and essentially they had about 30 minutes to just get it all out. Then I turned the conversation around on them and asked them to come up with ways that they can be accountable for what is happening at school. Then asked them, for the things that they can't be accountable for, how can they self-advocate for themselves to make things better. This part of the conversation was where the gold was found. For instance, students want to fight for a student council, or some type of structure, that gives the students a voice in decisions made here at Scott. In our Period 2 class, the students took it very seriously and already chose Ms. Amy, pictured below on the right, as student body president.





















 On Thursday we started talking about social justice themes in a very specific way. I showed the students a couple videos of modern "protest songs." We then discussed the themes in the videos, digested what Social Justice means and then I sent them on their way to find their favorite protest song. Music historically brings people together and what better way for the kids to start exploring social justice than through music? After they were done picking their song, telling me why they chose it, and what was the message, students worked on missing work. On Friday we had a lot of fun. We started the day off with a minute to win it challenge, where table groups competed against each other by trying to win 4 silly games. Then we played balloon volleyball, which was so slow it made them laugh. And last, we brought back the wonderful game of kickball, which a lot of students did not know how to play! What type of elementary school deprived these students of kickball... I will be investigating! Hope everyone has a great week this week!

Week 26 at Scott Carpenter

This was a short week for us here at Scott. On Monday the mentors got together and had a bit of fun playing games and learning some tips and strategies to be a good mentor. On Tuesday we learned about the Love Cup. Students explored the things in their life that drain them and the things that fill them with love and energy. They had a great time working on the Love cup project and thinking through this topic.

On Wednesday we had our tutoring day and students worked on missing work, finished up their love cup project and tried out some new educational websites about math. On Thursday we had our Fun Friday. We started out by playing Scatter Ball, which is a school favorite. Classes are really into playing an all class basketball game that is always filled with laughter, traveling and 5 or 6 missed shots at a basket. Look forward to another week filled with knowledge, laughter and building stronger bonds.

Week 25 at Scott Carpenter Middle School

What a wonderfully silly week we had at Scott Carpenter! Last week we explore the "Why" of why we get upset, stressed or hurt through a series of discussions. This week, we explored the "How." We learned all about Emotional Trolls which are the ways we react in unhealthy ways when we are upset. We also learned about Emotional Superheros, which is how we react in healthy ways when we are upset. On Tuesday the students had a class competition where they had to match each emo-troll with the correct behavior, why they act that way and the negative outcomes.

On Wednesday we played a review game about Emo-trolls and the students had to listen to a scenario where someone was acting out in an unhealthy way and then guess which Emo-Troll it was. Then we talked about Emo-Superheros and the students had to create a project that showed them as an Emo-Troll and as an Emo-Superhero. This activity gave students a chance to explore what helps them calm down and what they need to react to situations in a healthy way.

On this day we also did an activity where brave students got up and said a very important to our time song lyric in the voice of their Emo-Troll. See videos below! Thursday we had a great day doing a station version of our tutoring day. Students rotated between working on a grammar website, math website, checking their missing work on empower/ setting a goal for Low-Mass areas, and working on missing work. Every 8 minutes students rotated and this seemed to keep them focused and on task! On Friday we had a bit of a weird day because the 6th graders had a special event but the mentors had a great time bonding with each other!

Week 24 at Scott Carpenter

During the week of love here at Scott Carpenter, we got quite a bit done. We finished up our mini section on Belief Systems, and all the students got to present their final projects. They each had to come up to the front of the class and talk about their piece, which yet again was filled with hiding faces and giggles. This time students did significantly better standing in front of their peers and sharing their future goals, and I am incredibly proud of them.

 On Wednesday students were introduced to Hot Buttons and explored what makes them angry, what is at the root of that anger, and how do we calm ourselves down. We also had parent-teacher conferences this week, and it was so great to meet the parents of all the excellent students I get to interact with. Friday I was out town, but hopefully, the students had a great Fun Friday! I also wanted to share a video that all the teachers were asked to make. The theme was "What is your Why?"

Week 23 at Scott Carpenter

This week at Scott Carpenter we dove deep into our limiting beliefs and how to change them into empowering beliefs. On Monday the Mentors explored how much they really know about their Mentees and brainstormed questions they could ask to get to know them better throughout the week. On Tuesday we played a game where the students explored the limiting belief cycle and then had to create their own cycle based on a limiting belief they held about themselves. This activity was challenging for some as they really had to evaluate their own lives and actions. On Wednesday the students were introduced to the concept of Ubuntu, which is a South African concept that values community and compassion on a profound level. The students watched a video about the topic, link below if you would like to know more, and then came up with ways to use the concept in our classroom. This concept has already changed classes because whenever I see something that isn't compassionate, that isn't building trust or community in the classroom, I turn to the student or students and say, "Is this how we practice Ubuntu in our classroom?" The answer has repeatedly been, "No Miss, I'm sorry."

On Wednesday we also started our "pull it all together" projects, and from what I saw the next couple of days the projects will be unique and beautiful! On Thursday there were quite a few students missing due to the snow but we tried having our tutoring day later in the week this week and I think the students will utilize this time more efficiently throughout the year. On Friday we had a jam-packed day. First, we played a game called shipwreck where the teams had to knock over other teams pins to sink their ship. This game worked on communication, teamwork, and strategy. Mostly because once you get down to one pin an entire team would be guarding it, you really had to work together and sometimes with other teams! Then we played the cup game from Shaw Heights, thanks Megan, and we could only play it once, for three minutes, because Scott Carpenter kids get tired fast! After that, we played a new version of red light, green light where the Stoplight is a member of the opposite team. This game challenged the students to pay attention to each other and work together to get to the end before the other team. We ended the day with an all-class basketball game in which lots of laughter, traveling and missed baskets occurred.

         Ubuntu Video

Week 22 at Scott Carpenter

We had a great week here at Scott Carpenter Middle School! On Monday the skies above opened up and revealed an unexpected amount of snow which inspired a lot of students and families to stay home and enjoy each others company. On Tuesday we worked on finding a word that inspired us to be better throughout the school year, and the students loved doing a small art project and showing their creativity! Thank you Megan for this great activity!


















 On Wednesday and Thursday, we talked further about belief systems and dove into Empowering and Limiting Beliefs and how they help or hurt us. The students had to read various articles about beliefs and then create a poster that would help them teach the rest of the class about their material. Overall the presentations were a fun experience to help students work on literacy skills, teamwork, and public speaking. I do believe we will be doing more public speaking activities as some of the students either hid behind their posters or talked to the whiteboard instead of their classmates! It was adorable.



















 On Friday we had fun in the gym playing crab ball, soccer and scatter ball. Don't know what crab ball is? It is like soccer but below a student demonstrates how you have to "walk."