Today I tried something different with my students - a seemingly risky simulation of Shay's Rebellion. At the outset, I felt markedly more nervous than on a typical lesson day, because there were so many details, so many moving parts, and so many ways that organically evolving student cognition could shift the activity into waters I could not anticipate. And really, all of those things sort of happened, but no moment of it spun out of control. And Marionye, an awkwardly cautious and softspoken sophomore who rarely picks things up the first time round, told me, "I'm glad we did this activity. I understand now what the people suffered."
So I suppose I'm glad I gambled.
It makes me wonder, when you scan your memories of school (both primary and secondary), are there any lessons that particularly stuck with you? I wonder if any patterns emerge.
To be perfectly frank, the first lesson series that springs to my mind is a series of stations, largely focused on different artforms in Jamestown, my class explored during... second grade maybe? Perhaps I remember this because so much of me thrills at the opportunity to be creative.
Which sorts of activities have left a lasting imprint on you? Why do you think that is?
1 comment:
Hmm... I remember being Laura Ingalls Wilder in 5th grade for a history day (or something like that). I got to dress up and pretend I was her for a day. SO fun. Also, I remember creating birthday books in 2nd grade for our classmates: everyone would write a message and draw a picture for the person with a birthday and our teacher made the messages into a book we got to keep. I felt very encouraged by my birthday book - and a boy from my class confessed his love for me... so fun :-)
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