Day 1 Activity

I never start my year with rules or procedures. That first day of school is miserable for so many kids because suddenly:

• They can’t go to the bathroom whenever they want.
• They can’t use their phone/technology whenever and

however they want.

• They have to sit up and “pay attention” for eight hours.

That’s why I always err on the side of an intellectually stimulating activity that also has a physically interactive side. For example, the “spaghetti/marshmallow tower” project. Full disclosure: I adapted this activity from Tom Wujec’s Marshmallow Experiment research. I start out by letting them select their own groups of three. Two could work, but four is too many! Next, the students are given 20 strands of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one jumbo-sized marshmallow. The goal is to build the largest free-standing tower that can stand for at least 60-seconds following the 10 minute building period.

I require them to be silent for the first seven minutes of construction. This non-verbal communication twist is totally ripped off from my Odyssey of the Mind days. Silence does a few things for me on an observation level; I can see who my leaders and followers are. I can see who is bursting at the seams to play and who feels tentative about participating. Where are my prototype builders at? No, no you can’t use the string to connect your tower to the ceiling….remember: free-standing? There is an energy to the silence.

What I start to see is who they can be if they are playing rather than playing school. I did not offer a grade or a prize; I offered a challenge. This past year, the winning teams got their picture tweeted out. The grand-champions of the whole day received stickers on day two. However, these prizes were not offered as incentive for participation.

And then the kicker: HOMEWORK! One question: Why would Miss Huggins start the year out with this project? I encourage the students to consider what day one is usually like in school. I encourage them to consider what they already know about being in school and how this project fits into their existing knowledge. I require 200 words - EXACTLY. Not one more or one less. Again, give them something concrete, give them something achievable, set them up for success. If you want a winning beginning, let them know that you mean business, but you don’t mean business as usual.

Elizabeth Huggins is the new Co-Coordinator for Glenwood's alternative high school. Previously, she taught English at Atlantic High School. Huggins is completing her Masters in the Art of Teaching with Morningside College. She recently accepted the position as social media coordinator for the Iowa Council of Teachers of English. Over the last six years, Huggins has presented at learning camps, tech conferences and the ICTE annual conference. She has a four-pound dog named Mrs. Mildred Featherbottom.