Camping with Common Core

Happy Friday! How many days of school do you have left? The end of the year is SO bittersweet! I LOVE my class this year... just adore them, so it's hard to let go. However, the time to take care of myself a little bit and time with family (and blogging of course) will be really good for me.

I am sharing about my FAVORITE end of the year tradition. I present it as a surprise for each grade level, but it is something I do every year. Camping in the Classroom! This year was the best because I made camping themed common core activities. I cannot tell you how EXCITED the students are to have a camp out in the classroom. It is definitely the most excited I have ever seen my students, and they would have continued camping the rest of the year if I offered it. For Five for Friday, I'm going to share 5 fun elements of camping in the classroom.

 I set my classroom like a campground. I put a picnic table cloth on the table, 3 little tents, an inflatable pool as our lake, and of course a campfire. I cut stars for the ceiling. You can make a campfire out of paper or use props. I also put a campfire video from youtube on the smartboard. Click here for a tour. (To do smaller scale camping, I think you could get away with a tent and a campfire)

We loved singing campfire songs together!

 Students loved reading/writing around the campground.

I put camping themed math problems around the room and the students went on math hikes!

Parents wrote letters to our campers from home. I put them in our camp mailbox. Students also wrote "opinion letters" home as well as information books and campfire stories!

Students fished out a speaking/listening card each day to pose a social issue, opinion related issue, and more to discuss with their tables. They also received their badge of honor when they did something honorable.

We ended the week with friendship s'mores!

If you would like to camp with your students, here is Camping with Common Core!