Patty Berge’s room is a strange shape, but she has managed to use the space to enhance her instructional goals.
Students will place questions on the board at the beginning of each unit. As the unit progresses, they will be able to answer their own questions off the board.
A student is in charge of filling out the homework chart each day. At the end of the day, teachers go over the homework for each class so students can check their assignment books before going home.
There is a folder for each class on the wall by the door. This is where students turn in papers.
Grades are posted on the wall every two weeks. There is a crate for each class and a folder for each student. This serves both as the student’s portfolio and as a place for make-up work. Students who have been absent know to go directly to their folders to find any assignments they missed.
Marshmallow is the class rabbit. Taking care of him is one of the jobs students can apply for at the beginning of each quarter. They are “paid” for their work with extra credit points.
The instructions for each center and all the necessary materials are kept together in plastic tubs. The rotation schedule for the centers is posted outside the classroom so students can get right to work.
Students find the instructions for each center in a folder.
Tennis balls over the feet of the chairs keep the noise level down.
Students who are engaged in working on a project are less likely to engage in off-task behavior.
At center number four, students measure vinegar and baking soda into a beaker, then place a balloon over its mouth. They then measure the balloon to see if it got as big as they predicted it would.
Students take the temperature of hot and cold water. They make a prediction about what the temperature will be if they mix the two together, then take the temperature of the mixture.