Community+Building

=**Community Building in the Third Grade Classroom**=

=1)Compliment Chain= (Source-http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/classroom-behavior.html) This is a good activity to help students want to be good and work together as a community for a common goal.

 I have a compliment chain in my classroom. It's a chain made of paper links and it hangs from the ceiling. Whenever my class receive a compliment from another teacher (for good behavior in the hallway, or any other type of positive behavior), I add a link to the chain. When the chain reaches the floor, the kids receive a popcorn party. It's a positive way to promote good behavior and community!  = **2) Sharing Monday** = **(source-** http://mrpullen.wordpress.com/2007/05/08/building-classroom-community/)

 Every Monday, give your students a chance to have a structured conversation about things going on in their lives. Students can sit in a circle and take turns in a clockwise fashion. Students who don’t wish to contribute may simply pass their turn.

= **3) Sing to start the day** = **(source- scientific studies, personal experience,** http://ezinearticles.com/?Building-Community-in-Your-Elementary-Classroom---Sing,-Sing,-Sing&id=3494704)

Research shows that singing to start the day off releases stress, and provides a sense of community among the students. To start off the day set aside a specific time. Set an alarm for five minutes. Turn the lights down and instruct the students all to participate and sing. The following is a good song to start the day off with

This is Where I Live

This is my community

This is where I give my best

With courage and integrity

I pay attention to my attitude

I'm aware of what I say and do

I do my part to make a difference

And in all things I choose excellence

= = = = =4) Jar of Concerns= (source-Personal idea, personal experience)

At the beginning of the year explain to the students that our classroom is like our family. Sometimes we fight with our brothers and sisters but we still love them. Tell them that as a family we will do things to upset each other but we need to get through it so we can learn. Explain to the students that everyday they will each receive one index card at the top of their desk. At the end of the day they are allowed to write one thing that happen to them that upset them throughout the day. Remind them not to put a name on the card. After they do this they will drop there card into a large jar. A time at the end of the day will be set aside. The teacher will get the jar and read each of the concerns the students have. As a class we will figure out how to make sure these problems do not happen the next day. Try and end on a positive note by telling the students how proud you are of them and reiterate the idea of family after all of the concerns are addressed.

=**5) Welcome Each Student**=
 * (source- observing at Blackburn Elementary school)**

It is important to make sure each student feels welcome in the classroom everyday, and are made to feel like they are wanted. The teacher should stand outside of the door waiting for the students each day. As each student walks in the door greet them by addressing them by name and give them all a high five/ hug/ handshake. Talk to each child directly letting them know that as a teacher you are excited for them to be there and you are excited about teaching them each day.

=**6) Build Community Through Identity (Notes from loved ones)**=
 * (source- observed this activity in third grade classroom at Blackburn)**

When parents/ guardians come in to meet the teacher during open house provide them with a pen and a piece of paper. Instruct them to write an encouraging note to their child explaining what the child is good at, what they love about the child, and wishing them luck throughout the year. Take a picture of the parents and child. Prior to school starting have these notes laminated and attach the picture to the notes. Display these notes on a bulletin board in the classroom. On the first day of school have each child read their note to the class and tell about their family. This allows children to see that everyone has a family they care about. It makes the students feel like they know each other better to hear them talk about their families and see pictures of their loved ones. Leave the notes and pictures displayed in the classroom all year to give the students a feeling of home and security.

=7) String Compliment Game= (source- personal experience)

Once a month have all of the students sit criss-cross apple sauce in a circle in the floor. Explain to the students that we are going to make a web of complements. Everyone will have a turn. Tell them to be patient and follow instructions or it will not work. A student starts off with a ball of yarn. They pick one person and say something nice about that person. They hold a piece of the string and throw the ball of yarn to the person they said the complement to. That person then picks another student to say a complement to, holds a piece of string and throws it to that person. The game continues until everyone has a turn and everyone is holding a piece of yarn. (the teacher will have to help the students, especially the first time they do it. The teacher will have to wrap the yarn around each students wrist so they do not drop it and prompt the students if they can not think of anything to say)

=8) Name the Classroom= (source-Personal experience in elementary school)

Make the classroom personal to the students. They have to be in it all year so make it their home. The first day of school tell the students that they are going to get to name the classroom. Have a class discussion about what they think it should be named. Write the names on the board. Then let the students vote on what it should be called. Allow the students to help decorate the door to the classroom with the name on it.

=**9) Pen Pal Project**=

(source-Personal idea)

The first week of school students may not know each other well. Tell them that you want everyone in the class to be friends and look out for one another. Tell them that they are going to have a pen pal. For homework the first night of school (or during time set aside in class) assign each student the name of another student. Tell them that they are to write that student a note telling them about yourself. You can write sentences write facts about yourself, or draw a picture. List three things that you want the letter to include on the board such as: favorite food, pets, favorite activity. The next day allow the students to deliver their letters. Once everyone has received and read the letter from their pen-pal allow each student to come to the front of the room and tell the class about their pen-pal and read the note they have received out loud.

=**10) Classroom pet**=

Get a small pet for the classroom (gold fish/ hamster). As a class let the students name the pet. Each student will be assigned a job for a week. The jobs will rotate and all of the students will have a turn to have a job. Name the pet as a class. The class will love the pet, and all want to take care of it. Having a classroom pet allows all of the students to have at least one thing in common. The class will form a community when caring for the pet that is equally every ones.

=**11) Shoe Finder**=
 * (source-**http://www.ehow.com/way_5318924_team-games-activities-elementary-students.html) This is a good activity for the first day or week of school. Have the [[image:http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png link="http://www.ehow.com/way_5318924_team-games-activities-elementary-students.html#"]] stand in a circle. Instruct them to remove one shoe and place it in a pile in the middle of the circle. After the students have returned to their place in the circle, tell them that they must retrieve one shoe and find who it belongs to. Once they find the owner of the shoe, they must find out one interesting thing that the person did over summer vacation. Give the signal to go and allow the students about three to five minutes to perform the activity. Have the participants return the shoes to their owners and come back to form a circle once more. Allow each student to tell about the person whose shoe they found.

= = =**12) Class Quilt**=
 * (source-**http://www.ehow.com/way_5318924_team-games-activities-elementary-students.html)

Distribute a piece of art paper or construction paper along with various art supplies (crayons, markers, paint, glue, glitter and yarn) to each student. Explain that they will have one class period to decorate their paper in a way that represents who they are. The students could draw a picture of themselves, or they could create representations of their interests, abilities, goals, family and friends. During the next class period, allow each child to show her picture to the class and explain it. Discuss how we are all unique but that we can all work together and support each other. Glue the squares together to form a "quilt," and display it on the wall inside or outside the  .