Fine motor skills can be so elusive in the first grade.
We have hand sanitizer bottles placed around the classroom in an ever-losing battle against germs. We tell the kids: "Just one pump!" after they sneeze or pick their nose or something. But even though we give them this direction, they somehow manage to form a puddle of hand sanitizer in the palm of their hands. Then they start rubbing it together, splashing it onto themselves and others standing nearby. Pretty soon it's dripping down their elbows....
AND THE GLUE!!
Obviously I know better than to give them all white glue (you know, in those Elmers bottles with the orange twist tops). I thought I would be safe with stick glue. And, to be fair, maybe about half of the first graders can use a glue stick without ensuing disaster. But the other half? They twist that glue all the way up out of the container so that they have all two inches of it exposed. Then they press really hard on their paper, smooshing the glue and breaking the stick part. Then when they're done (and smooshed glue is coating the sides of their stick), they just smash down the cap over top, not thinking to twist the glue back down into its' container.
I'm thinking a few mini-lessons are in order....
Not Modern Enough to Use Modern Conveniences
8 months ago
9 comments:
I tell ya! I did a mini lesson on "how to use our whiteboards and marker bags" today because we used them for the first time. Seems the mini lesson paid off as it was a great session. As for glue -- ugh. I always like to use special glue pots from school shops and Popsicle sticks when I'm with the wee ones. Good Luck!
We go through a glue stick once a week. AND THAT'S ONLY ONE 1st Grader for an hour of homework. I can't imagine a whole class. And giving him the glue bottle? NOOOOOO. I do like the glue that comes in the bottles with the squishy top like bingo markers but I can't always find them.
My school has these awesome red tops that go on the Elmer's glue bottles. All the kids have to do is press and the glue comes out, but not too much. They are great.
http://www.tapnglue.com/
I bet you can purchase them elsewhere too! Some kids still manage to squeeze out too much, but most do a great job (in Kinder) and they don't have to do anything to close them after each use.
Ha! I feel the same way about glue at my house... my kids are simply NOT responsible enough to manage it... they get it EVERYWHERE and then I'm cleaning glue off of my counters for weeks!
I'm totally with you on the hand sanitizer over-pumping. "Splashing" and "dripping" are two verbs that should really never be used to describe the action of hand sanitizer if it's used correctly. If there's so much that you're having to wave your hands through the air at high speeds to dry them, child, you're using it wrong.
Good luck with that minilesson!
oh man I've had to teach some mini lessons also!!! I need to do one soon about how to treat the books in my class... they are terrible with them...
My 9th graders do the same thing...
Mini-lesson. Great idea. I think I'll do that with my kids, too. "How to rinse your dishes after a meal" will be the first one.
Better too much sanitizer than not enough, huh?
hi sarah, just a "note" to say i am loving your cute cards + notes in your etsy shop...
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