School is in Session

This past weekend we went swimming at this lodge where we passed Queen Elizabeth Park and saw some animals. The view from the swimming pool was absolutely breathtaking. It was good that we got there when we did because after we got out it started to rain.

Anyway, this week we officially started teaching in our classrooms. My P3 class has 21 students all with a range of different ages and abilities.

In math, the students were to start a unit on measuring length. The first unit of measurement that students learned was meters (yes meters. I get to practice using British English spelling). I wanted students to be able to explore and discover when measuring. I partnered students up to measure items together so they could work collaboratively as a team. Since there weren't enough meter sticks for all partners to have as their own (there were only 3 available meter sticks). I had to get creative so the day before, I bought some thread and cut them into meter lengths so all students could participate.

I had students measure objects such as length/width of the classroom, length of the chalkboard, length of the door, etc. Then they were required to find objects on their own that measured less than 1 meter, more than 1 meter, and more than 2 meters. I let students go outside to look around and find objects. I was impressed with what some students found.

The only think I wish I had done was to not give students the actual meter stick to use because rather than measuring in meter like they were asked to, a couple partnerships measured using centimeters that were marked on the meter stick.

I then moved on to having students measure using centimeters, millimeters, meters and centimeters, and centimeters and millimeters.

I think so far it's going pretty well. I'm really trying to help them understand the conversion/place value between meters, centimeters, and millimeters. But they definitely like the hands on aspect of the learning.

For English, I was handed the Ugandan National Curriculum to teach from. Everyday, they're supposed to learn a set of new vocabulary as well as already provided sentence structures that they use to make new sentences.

For example:

Who (ate/shared) (an/a/the) (mangoes/oranges/cake)?

(Peter/Ali) (shared/ate) (an/a/the) (mangoes/oranges/cake).

Rather having them just learn the words as in being told what they are, I wanted students to get creative. After introducing the vocabulary words to students, I put them into groups of about 4 students each. The students would then have to work together to come up with a sentence as a group. This shows me their ability to work together, construct sentence with correct use of vocabulary, meaning, and grammar, and be creative.

 

Also rather than having students copy down the sentences and replacing one work with another, I chose to create a sentence structure activity. I made cards with various words on them (who, the, she book, shop, etc.). Students were then assembled into groups and had to construct sentences using the cards provided. Students thoroughly enjoyed the activity and I had a great time watching them work and hearing their sentences. Several groups have come up with very creative sentences.

Next, I think I'm going to have them write stories using the words and sentence structures we learned. I'm curious to see how students write independently with only a few guidelines to follow.

Tomorrow is Saturday and we'll be going to Port Fortal (it's actually Fort Portal. Inside joke). Enoch will be coming with us. We hope to look at some caves and eat some pizza!!