Goodbye {waves}

No, I am not leaving.....but our office clerk is and my class signed up to create the Farewell banner for her retirement luncheon.   The spur of the moment activity we did for it came out really cute, so I thought I would share!

First, I had the students draw a picture of their hand very close up.  They actually just traced their own hand.  Then they drew themselves behind the hand as if we were looking at the hand really close up and they were behind it.   I did discuss perspective at this point (I can't let a lesson go by without *some* standards in there ;) ).

Then, after the students colored the picture, I asked them to write a paragraph (with topic sentence, supporting details, and concluding sentence....again, gotta get *some* standards in ;) )  about our office clerk, all she did for the school, and how she personally connected with each child.  We did a little peer editing/revision, and then the kids wrote their final drafts on a speech bubble.





I had them then trace their drawn hand on a separate piece of paper, cut it out, and attach it with a brad so that it actually waved.  Here are a few of them to see.  Can  you see the brad?  The hand on top moves back and forth....so cute!

Then I thought about how this could apply during the year (and not just for retirement banners).  It would be a great beginning of the year introduction to writing in class, as well as having the kids introduce themselves!  A perfect little first week project...that would make a great bulletin board too.