Pilgrim Venn Diagram

I've just diagnosed myself with a serious problem. I am going through {what I have cleverly penned} as "Pattern Blogging."

Here, I'll describe the symptoms: On Monday, I'm super pumped at reading and writing blog posts. On Tuesday, I'm still an eager beaver and I will read and {most likely} write blog posts. By Wednesday, I'm not writing any blog posts, but I'll read some. And then by Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, I'm so exhausted or have too much work to do that I barely look at my computer for pleasure reading and/or writing.

I really need to break this pattern. But how? Is it due to the time change? Maybe. Or maybe the teaching profession has just gotten REALLY TEDIOUS AND PAPERWORK heavy??? Huh, huh, huh? Do you think that could be the reason??

So, how does this change? Dunno?? But I really wish "in the classroom" educators were making these mandates as opposed to businessmen or politicians who aren't in the classroom and don't have a clue as to what best practices are!!

It's stuff like this that can really bring a girl down! I've said this a bunch of times: My days are not ruined by the kids, it's the ADULTS!

Ugh, ANYWAY! We did a have fun activity today. {Shh, don't tell anyone.} I had seen a few Venn Diagrams on the inter-webs for 'Kids Then and Now' and I really wanted to do this with my class. Thank goodness, April from ChalkTalk shared her print-ables for this exact activity!!! Woohoo

I made a few adjustments so that the kiddos would complete their own venn with a buddy before we did the large one together. It worked out great!

First, I paired the kids up and gave them a baggie full of phrases and one Venn Diagram.

Using my document camera, I showed the teams how to display all of the phrases on their papers, so that we could have a good look at each one.  I walked around and made sure no one had the phrases in a pile, upside down, or on the floor.

* Also, we noticed that it is really hard to pick the tiny phrases up with our fingers (Thanks a lot, Ms. Monroe!) One of my students showed us that it was easier to move the pieces with the eraser end of our pencils. {Goodie, someone took their smart pills this morning.} If you wanted to redo this activity, you could make it on a larger piece of paper and then it would be easier to move the phrases. But it really wasn't too bad.

Next, I would slide over one phrase and tell them to find that phrase. I would ask them to decide, with their buddies, which part of the venn diagram that phrase should go in. I would give them some time, walk around the room, and spy listen to their conversations. A few teams just guessed, however, most teams used their words and put a lot of thought into their choices. Plus, I know they were thrilled with me allowing them to talk!

We would go through this same procedure for each and every word phrase until all of the phrases were gone.

Afterwards, I told them to look over their final diagrams and make any changes.

Then, I revealed the correct answers using my Power Point Answer Key slide. We discussed the reasons why each phrase went in that certain spot and I gave them some time to fix their team venns.

When they fixed their venn diagrams, I went around and used long strips of tape and taped down their phrases. Most teams wanted to keep their venn diagram, so I am going to make a copy for them to take home tomorrow. {Aw, I'm sooooo nice.}

One teams completed venn diagram

Now, we all met on the rug and completed the large venn together. Do you think they remembered where each phrase went? Oh, yeah! Learning at work, people!

Okay, so drawing large circles is really hard!

I have a copy of the sheets I used for y'all to download. Rather than lock-it in Adobe, I kept it in the Power Point format so that you could change the phrases, clipart, or font if you wanted to. 

However, if you'd rather just have the one I used, e-mail me, and I'll send it your way.

Pilgrims Now and Then Venn Diagram

THANKS to everyone who reads my blog and cares to comment. I really appreciate it!!!

Happy Monday!