Kelso's choices

As part of the continuing work on learning to work as a group, our class spent some time today looking at Kelso's choice wheel.

Kelso's choice is a tool designed to have students recognize that they are capable and smart enough to resolve many conflicts that occur between peers in the classroom and on the playground. It emphasizes choices and distiguishes between small and big problems. This does not replace the role of the adult in mediating conflict, but it encourages the students to think about what choices they have in their own brain to resolve the problem.

We talked today about four solutions to common problems:

1. Go to another game - if students are finding it too frustrating in a game, simply leaving and going to play something else is a great solution.

2. Make a deal

3. Tell them to stop

4. Talk it out - this strategy encourages students to express their emotions to each other using "I feel" statements and ending with the questions "do you understand?"

Students shared stories of when they have used these strategies. We now know that if there is a small problem, we can try two solutions before getting a teacher to help out.

 

 

S4 Police Visit

Today Constable Angela Strand came to visit the grade 2 class. As part of the S4 program, she spoke with the students about what is in her 'tool belt'. Students were then asked to think about ways they can cope using their 'tool' belts - they brainstormed things that they do that keep them calm (breathing, helping others, reading, resting, having a snack) and then wrote those strategies on their tools.

 

 

Planning out fairy tales and talking about circumference

We have been reading fairy tales in class and students started planning out their own version of 'The Three Little Pigs'. Using different graphic organizers, students were challenged to start by thinking of their ending...first! By having an end in mind, they can then think of the different events that will take them there.

 

 

 

 

 

In math, we talked about Circumference (the distance around something). They then had to measure the circumference of their head, wrist, ankle as well as three objects of their choice.

 

 

Measuring

Students continued measuring the classroom, along with their shoes, arm and leg. We talked about hom you can measure items by comparing them, using their hands or by using different materials. Students had to use links, blocks and popsicle sticks to complete this task.

 

 

 

Hot and Cold temperatures

Students were given the task of finding items that were hot or cold. We read a book about temperature and brainstormed items that were hot or cold. Students then created picture collages of items that were hot or cold.

Reading Emotions

After focusing yesterday on working with a group, the students learned about reading emotions today. As a class, we read the book "Lots of Feelings".

We talked about when we feel different emotions. Then, the students rotated through 3 activities: Emotions charades, guessing what the emotion is and acting out the story as a group. To end the morning, each students started drawing three faces: a face that would show they are working in school, a face showing they are helping a friend and a face showing cooperation.

Measuring the classroom and working with a group

Today we launched into our math unit on measurment. Students were able to choose from a variety of items to measure different objects in the class. Afterwards, we talked about how you choose what to measure with - some tools are better suited for different objects!

This afternoon we worked on strategies on how to work with others. Students had to work in a group of 4 to design a playground. Afterwards, they reflected on how their group worked together and what strategies they used to help problem solve.