Telegram 5 from the Classroom

We had our inquiry lesson today. [Stop]

It started off okay. [Stop]

We had to do a lot of review. [Stop]

We forgot to ask questions after we showed the video. [Stop]

Whoops. [Stop]

It got good when the mock congress started though. [Stop]

One bill passed and was vetoed. [Stop]

They could not overturn the veto.[Stop]

Two bills failed to pass. [Stop]

One bill passed and was not vetoed. [Stop]

The students were extremely enthusiastic. [Stop]

Perhaps a little too enthusiastic. [Stop]

Overall very successful.[Stop]

One girl claimed to hate congress. [Stop]

Mission accomplished. [Stop]

Telegram 4 from the Classroom

We had our first lesson today. [Stop]

I think it went well overall. [Stop]

The students were surprisingly into the lesson. [Stop]

They wanted to know all about the line of succession. [Stop]

My nerdy interest in government really helped there. [Stop]

Even if I did fumble and nearly mix up where the secretaries of defense and state are. [Stop]

The projector broke for awhile, as predicted. [Stop]

We managed though. [Stop]

The independent practice was mixed up somewhat. [Stop]

I am looking forward to the next lesson. [Stop]

Lesson Planning

When I said in the telegram that having to teach both an inquiry and cooperative lesson plan in an hour and fifteen minutes was difficult I wasn't kidding. I'm not sure we'll be practically able to. That's why my partner and myself have agreed to basically drop the cooperative plan and focus on the inquiry.

The inquiry lesson is a mock congress where student write and pass bills. The teacher then can either veto or approve them. If they are vetoed they can vote to overturn the veto. It shows them how the real congress actually works. I'm pretty proud of this lesson plan, and I can't wait to try it out.

Telegram 3 from the Classroom

Observed the class ruing an inquiry/cooperative lesson plan. [Stop]

Students' chattiness can be harnessed for good. [Stop]

Will proceed with plan for mock congress. [Stop]

There is an area of concern however. [Stop]

It is difficult to teach both a inquiry and cooperative lesson in a little over an hour. [Stop]

Also, the projector is terrible. [Stop]

Really, that might be a bigger concern. [Stop]

Telegram 2 from the Classroom

It is the first day of teaching today. [Stop]

I will not be teaching for a while though. [Stop]

Instead I observed how the class was during a lesson. [Stop]

It was a direct instruction lesson. [Stop]

The teachers had to cover American history. [Stop]

It was from the 1600s through the end of the civil war. [Stop]

Again, they had to teach this during one hour and fifteen minute session. [Stop]

I do not envy them. [Stop]

At all. [Stop]

The students seemed attentive, which is good. [Stop]

A little chatty though. I will have to watch that. [Stop]

I will continue observing for the inquiry/cooperative lesson. [Stop]

Pumpkin

I came up with a good ice breaking activity for the class. Well, I say came up with, really it was used a popular idea. The idea is simple. You take a beach ball and on each stripe write a question. These questions are things like: What is your favorite season, What sports do you play, Do you have any pets, etc. Then you toss it around, and the person who catches it answers the question that faces them. Then they toss it to someone else.

It's a very fun getting to know you game. Some of the questions will be getting to know you questions. Others will be questions getting to know their knowledge of government and history. There is one thing though. Apparently they don't sell beach balls this time of year. So I ahd to use  a plastic pumpkin. At least it's festive?