A little lesson in thinking outside the box and working as classroom community.
1. Provide students with 4 12 inch(ish) pieces of string.
2. Go to a large area {outside works best} Have students bring their string, paper, and pen.
3. Once outside, have students use their 4 strings to form a box {if you are outside, give the students boundaries since will need to hear you. You will always have that one who wants to go a mile and a half away from the group.}
4. Ask the students to sit/stand inside their box. Take time to point out the awesomeness and freedom of the outdoors. Ask, "How do you feel inside your box?" Give them time to write a response.
5. While staying in their box, ask them to connect somehow with someone they were in class with last year.
6. Continuing to stay in their box and connected {maybe} to their person from #5, have them also connect with someone who they do not know or was not in their class last year. This should be an almost impossible task...but it's fun to watch.
7. Have them disconnect and ask, "Why was it so hard to make those connections?" Allow time for them to write a short response.
8. Ask the group, "What will make it easier?" Hopefully someone will say not being inside their box!
9. Tell them to step outside their box.
10. Now repeat steps 5 & 6.
11. Add to it until the group is all connected. You can say things likes, "Connect with a group that is directly beside you." or "Connect with a group that has more people than yours does.' etc
12. {This is my cheesy moment} Once the whole group is connected say something along the lines of, "I will push you to think outside of the box this year. You will work harder, think deeper, and accomplish more than you have ever have before. As a result, you as an individual will grow and we will become stronger as a class, as a family. We will help, respect, and encourage each other to become creative thinkers. I will not draw lines around you as you will not draw lines around yourself. Our motto this year: We will not be bound by others judgements or their clocks. Do not draws lines around us because we think outside the box."
13. Ask students to take their paper and find a quiet spot. Ask, "What are you looking forward to this year? What are you scared about? What do you want to accomplish this year? How are you going to do this? Pause between each question to give them time to write.
14. As they are responding, walk around to each student. Cut their string and tie it around their wrist to form a bracelet. Tell them how excited you are to have them in your class, you know they will meet/exceed all of your expectations, and how the string is a reminder to think outside of the box.
I have done a similar activity in the past and we had students wear their bracelets until they were so old they just fell apart...it's a very cool way to build connections and community!
Happy teaching,
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