CLOWN GAGS!

AND.. WE'RE BACK! Ms. Kobi joined us this week to help introduce a new mini-unit. Earlier this year, our 2^nd grade authors worked to create personal narratives –a true story in their life. Ms. Kobi heard about our narrative writing and thought it sounded awfully similar to the making of a clown gag! Ms. Kobi explained that a clown gag has a set up, build up, and blow off –just as a narrative would have a beginning, middle, and end.

 Our week kicked off on Tuesday by watching a video entitled Wally on the Run. In this clown gag, two clowns find that a reward will be given for returning a lost dog. They set off to catch him, though it doesn’t quite go as they planned. The students were rolling on the floor laughing over this silly clown gag! I’ve never heard so many belly laughs simultaneously. Once the giggling had subsided, we worked to identify the characters and setting of the story. The students were also asked to categorize the beginning, middle, and end of the gag.

Find the video at this link: Wally on the Run

Ms. Kobi then taught us our very own “Strongman” clown gag. The students were broken up into teams of five and were each assigned a character. They worked together to “mime” the gag. The “Strongman” began with two roustabouts lifting a hefty barbell into the center ring. Next, a famous strongman came to show off his/her muscles and struggled to pick up the heavy barbell. Finally, two young children came across the barbell, lifted it up effortlessly, and skipped away as the strongman fumed and chased after them. The students practiced in their groups, getting the opportunity to play each part. Toward the end of our time together, students performed for one another.

___________________________________________________________________________

On Wednesday, our classroom received quite the surprise! Ms. Kobi stopped in and surprised us by dressing as a clown. The students were in awe of how different she looked. They each had the opportunity to touch her clown nose and make up. It was a great afternoon and helped us to understand that clowns are really just people.

___________________________________________________________________________

On Thursday, excitement was at an all time high. Our 2^nd graders couldn’t wait to begin acting in their clown gag. This time we added a twist. The students were introduced to a new character in their story – the ringmaster. It was helpful to have a discussion on how the ringmaster helps to better define our setting.

The students were also introduced to the idea of including dialogue in their story. They were given a graphic organizer of the “Strongman” narrative with spaces for each student to write their dialogue. I was so proud of the teamwork that occurred here, as students brainstormed and asked for feedback from their classmates! They continued to work together to practice their new clown gag with the added dialogue and performed for the class.

It was an exciting week learning about different literary elements! The students had such a great time acting as part of their own clown gag, and I was so impressed by the creativity that I saw!

Our adventures will continue next week, as students will be responsible for writing their own narrative clown gag!

MOON PHASES

It's time for our Space Unit! Ms. Kobi joined us two different days this past week: Wednesday and Friday. Prior to our time together, we spent a bit of time discussing the terminology rotation and revolution. This also led into a discussion about the eight phases of the moon and how to determine if a moon is waxing or waning.

On Wednesday, Ms. Kobi helped to reinforce our terminology and concepts by bringing in spinning plates! The dowel acted as the axis of the Earth and the plate acted as the rotating planet Earth. Each student was given the opportunity to be the sun, Earth and moon. The sun was to stand in the middle with waving arms to simulate the sun’s hot rays. The Earth was to hold the spinning plate and slowly revolve around the sun. The moon was to quickly revolve around the Earth.

It was a great way to try out a circus skill and reinforce a fairly abstract concept. I have already ordered spinning plates for my classroom in the hope that I will be able to continue to utilize them during this unit!

The fun and learning didn’t end there, though. Once everyone got the opportunity to play each role, Ms. Kobi shared with us information about the art of contortion. She explained that contortionists bend their bodies in unusual ways; we then broke into groups to practice contorting our own bodies to spell the word M-O-O-N! 

 I asked groups to share how they were able to contort to spell the word M-O-O-N.Then, we contorted our bodies to look like each moon phase. I had no idea I had such skilled contortionists! My body could not bend in many of the options that were presented! 

Then, we contorted our bodies to look like each moon phase. I had no idea I had such skilled contortionists! My body could not bend in many of the options that were presented! 

Ms. Kelm was willing to share the Moon Phase song she created with her AIM artist last year for us to utilize again. Everyone practiced our new moves to the song.

 If you’d like to take a listen, the video can be found at this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fdbvd-h7kU

_______________________________________________________________________________

  

On Friday, our moon phase learning continued. Ms. Kobi shared with us clown attire. Everyone then jumped right into making a “clown hat” of a different moon phase. The students were responsible for coloring in the dark portion of the moon and cutting their moon out. Ms. Kobi and I then helped to assemble their “clown hats” which they wore proudly the rest of the day!

Ms. Kobi brought in a clown car shaped as the Earth. I challenged everyone by asking them to silently put themselves in order, beginning with the new moon. It was a challenge to stay silent, but everyone did very well putting themselves in order! They all got the chance to then jump out from behind the Earth –shouting their clown name. WAXING GIBBOUS! FIRST QUARTER! WANING CRESCENT! Just who wouldn’t want to be a moon phase clown?!

To end the lesson, students continued to jump out of the clown car. shaped as Earth. This time instead of saying their own name, the audience had to determine which clown had jumped out by looking at the moon phase on their clown hat. It was a great was to gain a deeper understanding and to assess all the learning that occurred!

READ ALOUD

This week Ms. Kobi joined us each day to read aloud a circus-related story. On Monday, we read You See a Circus.. I See by Mike Downs. The story lead to a great discussion of circus families and the types of jobs a family member may hold in the circus. 

On Tuesday, we read To the Big Top by Jill Esbaum. This was by far my favorite story of the week! This story took place in the early 1900's -two young boys work to help set up the circus in order to earn enough money to see the show. This story lent itself to a great activity afterward. Together, we all mimed putting up our own circus tent. It took all of our energy to pick up the heavy tent, unfold it, hammer the stakes down, tie up the rope, and push everything to the top! It was a great teamwork activity!

On Wednesday, Ms. Kobi brought in the story Circus Girl by Tomek Bogacki. This story provided us with the opportunity to discuss our feelings when we befriend someone new and feel included -we brainstormed ways we could be a good friend to someone else. Finally, we were able to practice being tight rope walkers, just like the main character! How fun it was for everyone to be able to perform their own "trick" while walking the tight rope! Our class tried to create a name for each move, as well! My favorite -The Spinning 360!

On Thursday, we read Dimity Dumpty, The Story of Humpty's Little Sister by Bob Graham. Everyone knew the famous rhyme about Humpty Dumpty and we were able to compare our new circus story with the original.

On Friday, we finished up our read aloud unit with Ms. Kobi with the story Circus Family Dog by Andrew Clements. In this story we learned about the role a dog plays in the circus! Toward the end of our time together, Ms. Kobi pulled out her burning hoop (a red, orange, and yellow fabric covered hula-hoop) for everyone to jump through!

It was a treat to see Ms. Kobi every day this week! I speak for everyone when I say we truly enjoyed the fun, circus spin she was able to bring to each read aloud. Maybe you'll be inspired to try your own tight rope trick :) 

TEAMWORK!

WHAT DO WE WANT? TEAMWORK! WHEN DO WE WANT IT? NOW!

The theme this week was all about teamwork during our time with Ms. Kobi. Our time together started by everyone taking part in the circus elephant walk. Typically in the circus, elephants will use their trunks to link to the elephant tail in front of them, creating a chain of elephants walking together. Today we did just the same! Each student used one hand as a tail and another hand as a trunk –we started with only five people in a line while everyone else chanted:

Great big elephants, oh what a sight!

Swinging their trunks from left to right.

Some are followers and one is the king,

as they all march around the circus ring.

Then we put our teamwork skills to the test and linked everyone together for one gigantic elephant walk! Oh, what a sight!

Finally, we finished the day off with partner juggling. Together with their reading partner, students stood across from one another and side-by-side to practice juggling scarves. To make it extra fun, we added in a few spins before catching each scarf!

This month has been a hoot getting to participate in actual circus activities! It has been so much fun learning to balance feathers, juggle and walk the elephant walk. Next week our circus adventures will continue with Ms. Kobi sharing her favorite circus read alouds with us!