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Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Christmas Tree S.T.E.M

Every December I dread...I mean D-R-E-A-D putting up my classroom Christmas tree.  I hate sorting the branches, attaching them to the pole, fluffing, etc, etc, etc!  

Image result for Grinch clipart
Now, before you call me the Grinch, I LOVE Christmas time!  I love decorating my house and my REAL tree. I love sitting next to the tree with only the Christmas tree lights on.

Last year as I was dragging my Christmas decor and tree out of storage, it hit me!  I am  not going to put the tree up this year, my students will as a S.T.E.M  challenge!

Image result for brilliant clipart

This week I started math time by throwing all the parts to the Christmas tree down on the floor.  (Yes very dramatic like!)  I had students visualize the shape of the Christmas tree.  And share with them their challenge.  



Groups rotated to this as a station during our Guided Math time.   It took them a bit to figure it out and at times our tree looked a little funny! 
However, at the end of Guided Math, the tree only had 2 miss places branches. 




This activity taught my students...
1. The importance of  developing a plan first
2. How to listen to every one's ideas
3. How to effectively communicate our ideas
4. We shouldn't all do our own thing.
5. How to work as a team.

I will NEVER put together another class Christmas tree again!  The learning benefits are amazing and as an added bonus, I don't have to put the tree together!  Now, how do I make beginning of the year classroom set up a S.T.E.M activity?


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