One activity i chose was the cooperative learning groups. In these particular learning groups each group is comprised of 4 students. The students are working on a science project. In this particular science project they are to build a model of volcano. These students each has their prospective jobs within the small group. One student will work on how to make it erupt, one works on making the platform, one works on cutting the chicken wire, and one is cutting up newspaper strips. The desks in the group are all facing each other, and each student is given an instruction sheet for their particular job. They are instructed to help one another when someone gets stuck, and to check off on their papers when they have finished each step. Another activity I chose was the use of learning centers and computer stations. Some examples of my learning centers for this particular day are the video center on volcanoes, the reading center on volcanoes, and the poster center on volcanoes. I have four groups set up for the students to learn from about volcanoes. The video center is off in the corner, and has a 20 minute video for the students to watch. The reading center is towards one outer wall and has a stack of books and magazines for the students to read about volcanoes. Another learning center has various posters of volcanoes that are packed with useful information about volcanoes. Then there is the computer station where the students can research more information on the web about volcanoes.

One behavioral expectation of my cooperative learning groups is to keep the voice volume down between students in the small groups, so as not to disturb other working groups. I will tell my students this rule, then i will discuss and demonstrate appropriate volume. I will make sure to reinforce this rule as the project progresses. Another behavioral expectation of my cooperative learning groups is to share materials. Each student within the groups are going to share materials such as scissors, paints, papers, etc. in order to get the group project accomplished. The students will need to share those materials so there will be no fighting/arguing over whose is whose. The students will know those particular materials are everyones in the group. I will tell my students that this is a rule of cooperative learning groups and make sure to demonstrate and discuss with them appropriate ways to share materials. I will also reinforce this behavioral expectation by walking around to each group to make sure they are sharing the materials whilst working. One behavioral expectation I will have for the learning centers and computer station is that each group of students stick to the agreed upon time schedule for each center/station. Each center/station has a 20 minute time limit. When one centers time is up the students will rotate to the next section. The students must not stay in the center longer than 20 minutes. I will tell the students about this, then I will demonstrate proper movement from one station to the next. I will make sure to reinforce this rule by being available to guide the students to each center. Another behavioral expectation I will have is to keep the materials orderly for the next group. If the students are in the literature learning center then they will make sure to put all of the books and magazines back on the table where they go. If the students are in the video learning center, they will put the video back to the home screen to be ready to be watched by the next group. If the students are in the poster group they will make sure just to gather themselves, and all notes, etc. they may have. If the students are at the computer station they will make sure to return the screen to a blank research page. I will discuss this expectation with the students then demonstrate this by showing them how to do each thing. I will make sure the students are following this expectation by making sure they do this each time we rotate groups. I chose to write about a homework project that requires collaboration with an adult.
The students will create a bridge out of some items with an adult at home. They will be using popsicle sticks, string, and toothpicks. These items will be acquired from home and from the classroom. The materials will be taken home along with an instruction sheet. Another out-of-class activity will be a field trip to the Golden Gate bridge. We will be taking a bus across the bridge on Friday, and will return the same day. I will be giving a lesson/tour of the bridge while on the trip. We will study the design of the bridge. We will go to the visitors center to learn about how the bridge was designed and built. We will be talking to a man that was there during the construction of the bridge. One behavioral expectation of the toothpick bridge take home activity will be that of remembering to bring their materials home with them. I will place all of the materials in gallon ziplock bags, and place the bag by the door. They will need to remember to bring these bags home with them today. They will grab these bags on their way out the door. I will show them all what the materials are in, where I have placed them, and how many to take. Another behavioral expectation will be to bring their completed projects back to class by next Monday. It is now friday, they will have the entire weekend to work on it. This behavioral expectation allows for sufficient time to complete the project. I will make sure they all know this date by writing it very large on the board, and making sure this is the last thing they hear from me out the door. I will also send home a piece of paper on the project that requires parent signature on the project and it’s requirements completion time in order to make sure this is done. One behavioral expectation of the field trip will be to remain seated and voices low during the bus ride. The students will demonstrate to me their appropriate bus voices, and we will discuss why our voices need to be low, as well as why we need to remain seated. Another behavioral expectation of the field trip will be to stick with your accountability buddy. We will choose our accountability partners, and explain what they are for, and why they are important in matters of safety. We will also go over what happens if you lose your accountability buddy. The student would tell the teacher they have lost their accountability buddy. We will discuss why it is important to never be alone on the field trip. We will then demonstrate walking in lines with our partners. I. I will require the students to demonstrate appropriate switching of learning centers to me before we begin our actual rotations of stations. I will give them a signal that states its time to rotate stations and have them actually demonstrate this a few times, until we have gotten it down. I will create a contract with the students that has the behavioral expectations of the field trip, and make the students read, sign, and go over the contract with me before they are allowed to go on the field trip. This contract will have every behavioral expectation on it as well as the consequences of not following these.