End of Year Field Trip

To the next grade! What better way to ease the worries about going to the next grade….than to go on a field trip to that classroom??

For our field trip, Nicole’s class (second grade) took a field trip to Melissa’s class (third grade). The next day, Melissa’s class took a field trip to fourth grade!

Before visiting the next grade, however, students had to PERSUADE their teacher to allow them to go to the next grade! Students wrote a persuasive paper to the following question: Why do you deserve to go to the next grade?

Students had to use lots of DETAILS and EXAMPLES of their growth in their writing, in order to persuade the judge.

To put an even more fun and cute twist on the persuasive writing assignment, the teachers dressed up as a judge! The judge listened to each student’s case and decided that all students “PASSED” to the next grade because they gave a lot of details and examples of how much they improved throughout the school year.

We found the gavel at Party City and used a old black coat for our gown. Another good idea is to borrow someone’s graduation gown!

Students pleaded their case to the jury and after the verdict of “pass” was in, they were awarded with their congratulatory letter!

We then were ready to begin planning our field trip to the next grade!

The day of our field trip, I projected this onto the SmartBoard:

I announced the exciting news that we would be visiting the student experts of fourth grade! I invited students to write all their burning questions that they had about next year’s curriculum, classroom, homework, behavior….they thought of everything!

Below are some pictures of the second graders on their field trip to third grade!
Here, the third grade experts are showing the math book to the visitors.
 
One of the most popular questions that the second graders asked the third graders was: “What do you do for math?” The third graders were happy to show them!

Here, the third grade experts are making their teacher proud and showing the second graders the guided reading group and guided reading schedule.
 

Oh, and by the way, this is also a REALLY good way to really get a feel for how you sound and how you act to the students on a daily basis!! I “heard myself” when the experts were explaining third grade, especially when I heard one of my students say, “You get what you get, and you don’t throw a fit,” when there was a question about birthday treats. :)

 
Another burning question? BEHAVIOR? The future third graders asked lots of great, thick questions about the economy books, the credits and debits, and of course….the rewards!

Good job, girls! I love that they are actually taking time to point out the thinking stems! So they are actually listening when I teach about what good readers do…

Looking to use this idea with your own kiddos?? Find out more below!

Persuasive Writing: Tell it to the Judge! I Deserve to Go to the Next Grade! 

File Description: Order in the court…I mean the classroom! The judge and the jury members turn this lesson into a mock trail! Students are put to the test as they read their persuasive paper in front of the court! This lesson is a creative and unique way to teach your students about persuasive writing…while having a little fun in the process!

File includes: detailed directions, colorful anchor charts, common core standards, peer editing checklist, teacher rubric, awards, colorful faces (persuasive paddles!) to print for the jury members, a graphic organizer, and ideas for how to turn your classroom into a courthouse for this writing lesson!

This writing activity is aligned to CCSS!

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