Let's jump off the swings!

There was a time my 4th grade teacher bribed my class with "recess". His name was Mr Reiss, he really liked Reece's, the candy, as did I. The problem here was very clear to me. When he said we would get a free "recess" I naturally assumed we would be enjoying a delicious candy. My mind was already so focused on chocolate, that I ignored the clear diction differences.

You can imagine my disappointment when he let us all go out to play with no candy on hand.
Be careful that your children and/or students are clear on the expectations you have; rewards and discipline that may be given.
This was not his mistake at all, but a tragic tale from my childhood that reminds me, as an adult, teacher, human, partner, mom, (and whatever else I am) to be clear, and make sure to clear up any misconceptions that may or may not be anticipated.

One of the best ways to do this is to model exactly what is hoped for. Like me dreaming of Reese's. I would have been awoke to reality had someone asked if we were free to jump from the swings, wait, what does that have to do with chocolate!? Oh he means "recess!"  Of course. Playing time without the evil yard duty yelling at us to stay out of puddles even though we weren't going that way, duh.

Some of my students love jumping off of the swings. One problem with this is that I actually also love this pass time, but I am  not allowed to model to them the safe ways to land, instead they get a bad note from the office and they continue to jump in an unsafe way.

Wouldn't it be awesome if I "structured" my lesson in a way that I modeled what might happen to a swing when it is jumped from? 

Next, let's have the students talk about a few things that might change our jumping and landing. This would be "guided". Let's talk about if Jim, a 120 pound 3rd grader jumps off, how is this different from 60 pound Cassy? What if they jumped when the swing was 10 feet from the ground? Give me more ideas, students. What other independent variables can we change to see what happens to our body as it lands?  How far can we go? Oh we can land in some  water the deep end of a pool? A field? A bowl of Jello?? Great ideas. 

Now let your kids go outside, jump off swings at different heights, measure their landing distance. Let the students initiate their own inquiry. Give them time for procedures, determining independent variables, dependent and constants. One group breaks an arm of leg!? Awesome! How far did they land? Record that on a data chart.  It may be necessary to have an EMT available, or just a good ol' school nurse, or some kind of first responder. 

My husband is trained as a first responder.

So tomorrow if Claire is in a cast it could be for the love of science. She'll be ok. Bones heal. 


This was way more interesting than measuring how many times a boring old pendulum swings back and forth for 30 seconds, when additional weight is added, instead let's jump off of swings.