Special Helper of the Day...and freebie!

Classroom Jobs ~ Special Helper
Most teachers have enough jobs for each student in the classroom and model what they expect for each job in the beginning of the year.  One great part about a classroom job system is that it takes about one minute to announce the new jobs for the day.  Easy…right?  This past year I have tried something even easier and my students loved it.  Keep on reading!

Here is how it works...I have a “Special Helper” of the day.  Each day it is a new student.  When it is their snack day…it is their day to be the “Special Helper”.  Can I just say they love being your little side kick for the day!  The night before their big day he/she will bring home the “What’s in the Bag?” (read about below).  This helps the students remember that they need to bring snack the next day to school, too!  Rarely my students are left snack~less!    

We all take very good care of our classroom during the day and with this “Special Helper” technique I still believe my students have a sense of ownership and responsibility in our classroom each day. 

What’s in the Bag
By using the interactive “What’s in the Bag?” in your classroom your students will use descriptive language in authentic and purposeful ways to communicate in large-group settings.  This will help your students develop speaking and listening skills. 

• First discuss the importance of descriptive language, as well as speaking and listening skills, with your students!

How does “What’s in the Bag?” work…
One Idea:
The special helper of the day will bring in the bag with an object inside from home.  The students will take turns reaching into the bag to describe the hidden object, using only their sense of touch. After three clues are given, the other students try to guess what is in the bag, based on the descriptive language used by their classmates. Finally, after the hidden object is guessed or revealed, students discuss additional ways to describe the object. 

Second Idea:
The special helper will bring an object from home and think of three clues with their parents about the object.  The parents or the students will write the clues down on a piece of paper to share with the class.  The special helper will read all three clues out loud to the class.  Then the students will try to guess what is inside the bag by the clues.  

Click {here}  for a copy of our “What’s in the Bag?" response sheet.  I have made 3 different choices for you to choose from.  

I will post pictures next week of my "What's in the Bag?" and my classroom.  Enjoy!