After TAKS

After TAKS, the kids pretty much figure that school is over. They get completely out of control for the most part and, even though we've got another month of instructional time and PLENTY of curriculum to fill it, we really can't get a whole lot done.

In 7th grade, we don't have a Social Studies or a Science TAKS. They do those in 8th grade. The SS test has always been almost entirely American History, which is taught during the 8th-grade year, so that makes sense. The Science test covers curriculum from 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. It really doesn't make much sense to test them over stuff they haven't seen for 21/2 years, but that's the way its done! Oh well....as I said yesterday, change is coming.

Since the 7th grade is done testing on Wednesday, we have a couple of days to fill while the 8th-grade continues to test. This year they decided to rotate kids from Home Room to Home Room, doing a different activity in each. I started them off with an observation warm-up. They have 60 seconds to look at a drawing of an accident and make as many mental or actual notes about the scene as they can, then I ask them a series of questions about it. It's really a lot of fun, and the kids, for the most part, have seemed to enjoy it. Next, I'm giving them my "Instructions Test." You've probably taken one before. It's a series of instructions that ask you to do all sorts of crazy stuff, like jump on one leg or write your name with your foot and then finally, at the end, the last instruction says to ignore all of the other instructions and simply write your name and date at the top and turn it in! Even though some have heard and some figure it out, I still catch a lot of them with it! I'm having them complete it regardless just for the fun of it! Finally, I'm showing them my "Optical Illusions" powerpoint. It's a series of optical illusions that are really pretty amazing. I get lots of "ooohhs and ahhhhhs" during the showing! I finish it off with "Negative Jesus," which is a rather strange looking blob on a page that, when you stare at it and then close your eyes, you see the image of Jesus! The kids love it! They'll holler "Mister! I see Jesus!" Yesterday, one little girl said "I see Jesus over there! Oh! Now He's over there! Mister, He's EVERYWHERE!!!" I said, "You know, they told me that at church one time, too!" Anyway, I'll enclose the image and you can see if it works for you! - Dan