OUR FINAL LESSON!!!!!

This was the last of the 5 lessons we taught this semester, and we used it as a review of all four explorers before the summative assessment we had planned. M and I planned the basics of the lesson together, and then we split it up and each did the preparation for one of the parts. We planned to start off with a detective activity to tie into the rest of the unit. We decided to have four different boxes (one for each explorer), and to place them at each of the four table groups. Each box would be filled with clues about one explorer, and based on the clues (which came from the lessons we had taught), the students had to decide within their table groups which explorer the box belonged to and explain how they knew. I went to Michael's and bought some things (like fake flowers to represent Florida), printed related pictures offline, borrowed things like spices and silk scarves from my apartment, and created what appeared to be very old letters and documents using tea bags to make printer paper look yellow and a lighter to burn the edges. I was really excited about the activity, and it went really well. M and I walked around to the tables as the kids examined the contents of the boxes and helped them to think about why certain objects or pictures might be included, and we encouraged them to listen to each other's ideas. After each table finished one box, we moved the boxes and let them examine another until all of the groups had examined all four boxes. After that I reviewed the contents of the boxes with the class and asked the students to explain the various objects. Once we had gone through the boxes together, M introduced the Jeopardy review game she had created, and the students worked in teams with the others at their table-groups to answer the questions about the explorers and earn points. It went well overall, but because there were 5 categories and only 4 groups, and the questions went around in a circle, one group had an unfair advantage and the other groups complained. M's explanation that points aren't important quieted them down some, although they weren't entirely satisfied. However, they quickly forgot their annoyance when we handed out cupcakes as a goodbye treat. This was my favorite lesson that we taught. It showed that despite the rough patches of learning to teach, the students really did remember the things we had taught them, and it was fun for us as well as for the students. I am definitely storing this one away for the future!! :)