Llama Rescue
My favorite lesson of the semester. I had mentioned that Mr. Hoot likes to give the students things to help him with. I called them missions. Well this one truly was a mission because it requires the students to become super secret stealthy spies.
It's Mr. Hoot's last time in class and he told the students that a baby Llama named Steven from his Animal Refuge has been captured by an evil scientist and is being held captive in a lab. Mr. Hoot knows the way but he can't do it alone. The kids jumped at the idea of being spies. I had them from the start. I then drew the lab on the board and explained the 5 traps that they had to go through. Guards, lasers, lava pit, electric eel filled pool, and cage bars would be their obstacles. They put on their super secret spy suit and entered with me.
This lesson was a drama focused lesson. I wanted to see how the students dealt with conflict and how they could problem solve by themselves and with others, all the while staying in character and focused on the task at hand. Quite a tall order for first graders I know. But I had a secret weapon. Sound. You see, I had discovered when I was using a soundscape for the animal refuge lesson that they got into it way more than other times. There was less distraction and more focus. Maybe it's all the movies kids watch these days that sound just puts them into a story. Anyway, I chose some music from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and they were living their best spy life. The music was eerie and suspenseful as we entered the first room full of guards. As we continued through each room I narrated challenges for them to overcome. It was like second nature. I saw friends in the class helping each other over lasers and shooing eels away. It was incredible.
Sadly I don't have any pictures from the day because Mr. Gatto was our baby llama Steven. But let me tell you those spies were all over that job. They rescued Steven and got him out, safe and sound. I then had the students draw a picture of their favorite obstacle and how they overcame it. The success of that day was how excited the students got about drama and overcoming this conflict together.
At this point I haven't had a management problem in a while. The lessons have flowed together and Mr. Hoot keeps the students intrigued enough to go with me wherever I need them to. We occasionally practice the carpet is calling, but only when necessary. Favorite memory of the day is when one particularly talkative student whispers this music is scary as we enter the lab. He was quiet for the rest of the mission, just absolute focus.
It's Mr. Hoot's last time in class and he told the students that a baby Llama named Steven from his Animal Refuge has been captured by an evil scientist and is being held captive in a lab. Mr. Hoot knows the way but he can't do it alone. The kids jumped at the idea of being spies. I had them from the start. I then drew the lab on the board and explained the 5 traps that they had to go through. Guards, lasers, lava pit, electric eel filled pool, and cage bars would be their obstacles. They put on their super secret spy suit and entered with me.
This lesson was a drama focused lesson. I wanted to see how the students dealt with conflict and how they could problem solve by themselves and with others, all the while staying in character and focused on the task at hand. Quite a tall order for first graders I know. But I had a secret weapon. Sound. You see, I had discovered when I was using a soundscape for the animal refuge lesson that they got into it way more than other times. There was less distraction and more focus. Maybe it's all the movies kids watch these days that sound just puts them into a story. Anyway, I chose some music from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and they were living their best spy life. The music was eerie and suspenseful as we entered the first room full of guards. As we continued through each room I narrated challenges for them to overcome. It was like second nature. I saw friends in the class helping each other over lasers and shooing eels away. It was incredible.
Sadly I don't have any pictures from the day because Mr. Gatto was our baby llama Steven. But let me tell you those spies were all over that job. They rescued Steven and got him out, safe and sound. I then had the students draw a picture of their favorite obstacle and how they overcame it. The success of that day was how excited the students got about drama and overcoming this conflict together.
At this point I haven't had a management problem in a while. The lessons have flowed together and Mr. Hoot keeps the students intrigued enough to go with me wherever I need them to. We occasionally practice the carpet is calling, but only when necessary. Favorite memory of the day is when one particularly talkative student whispers this music is scary as we enter the lab. He was quiet for the rest of the mission, just absolute focus.
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