Community Building

Last year, when we knew we would be co-teaching in first grade, we knew we would have to work really hard to build a classroom community since two groups of students would be working together everyday.  Transitioning to kindergarten this year we knew it would be equally if not MORE important to start the year off by building the community again.

We start by discussing what a community is. From there we do daily lessons and activities about different topics that are important to a peaceful community and finally we finished it out by making a classroom peace promise.

 First discussion of the community.

 Our toothpaste kindness activity.

 The students had to say mean things while squeezing the toothpaste out.

 Then they have to try and get all the toothpaste back in using cotton swabs, toothpicks or spoons. Not easy!

 The message of this is that once you say mean words, even if you apologize, you can't take those words back.

 We also did a lesson on self control. Students could only pop the bubbles if they were in the category we called (ex: boys, girls). It's so hard to use self control and not pop the bubbles! We also read Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes.

(These are actually last years kids but I couldn't take a picture this year because I was blowing the bubbles!)

 We also spent a whole week on teamwork. We started the week with a puzzle activity. Each student received a small bag of 4-5 puzzle pieces that they are told to put together... But they soon found out they couldn't! They didn't have all the pieces. Then they worked with their team to put them together.

We also worked to make a beaded chandelier to hang above each table. Each student made a strand of their own beads... Then we tied them all together and swagged them from a tree branch above each table.

We introduced the students to loose parts by having them work in teams to create a line design masterpiece.

 At the end of the week each table worked as a team to make a friendship snack.

 We spent time discussing active listening. Along with listening songs, the students worked with a partner to play a back to back game. One student used their manipulatives to make something and then had to give their partner directions on how to make the same thing. The other person was not allowed to turn around... They had to listen very carefully.  Students also got to make their own designs when they were done and then sketch them. What fun!

We finished out our community building by making a peace promise. Each student signed it and put their hand print on the large canvas. We still have a few students that need to sign and do their hands next week. We will recite our promise everyday along with our rules.