Jootopia

A great way for students to write and talk about themselves is using the GATE depth and complexity icons: language of the discipline- what words or phrases do they use, rules- what rules do they think is important to follow, ethics- what are some issues are they concerned with, etc. This is a great activity before or after teaching a lesson on graffitti art. Have students graffitti their name in addition to this activity!

Start the year off with a first day interview! Have students get to know each other by asking their classmates questions and answering questions about themselves. Have students share out by introducing their new friend to the class!

4th Grade California Mission Investigation using the GATE icons and the GATE universal themes of "Structure" and "Systems."

Students "Think like an Editor" and can use this resource to assist them in editing or peer-editing writing.

We Friday Film day every Friday. This activity works well both in the classroom and on Zoom. We will watch a short film (usually animated) and have students analyze story elements such as the characters, setting, problem (conflict), and lesson learned in groups/breakout rooms. They will make a judgment: thumbs down, neutral, or thumbs up, and explain their opinion in a paragraph response.

Have your students discuss the Habits of a Scholar and what three qualities they think the President of the United States should possess. They can nominate a person they know in real life, make up a person, or write about themselves! They can draw a portrait of this person or attach a picture in the frame.

Have your scholars practice discussing and writing their New Year goal/resolution for 2021. Using Sandra Kaplan's Habits of a Scholar- Goal Setting, students can use this tool to set and keep track of an academic, social emotional, or physical goal that they have committed to. Teachers can use this form as a discussion tool during parent conferences.