Show and Tell

You all are right... they LOVE to share. I do several things to let them do it. After we do our lunch count during morning meeting my Handy Helper(one per day) has to run this to the office. While they are gone I ask "who has something exciting to share" They raise hands and I let them speak... this is every day. Usually, about 3 or 4 get to speak before Handy Helper returns. I also let kiddos bring in things that pertain to particular units we are doing. That only happens every once in awhile so it really doesn't take much time.

One of my favorite things to do is the Mystery Box (like a PP)! I have a little box. It's actually one of those metal photo boxes with a see through front pocket. I have a card that says MYSTERY BOX . The box actually latches like one of those old timey metal lunch boxes. I think I got it a Dollar Tree or Dollar General a few years ago, but I've seen them lately.

I use a ring binder and whole punch index cards in the corner (how many are in my class). They use these to write their clues. I put the box, the index card clue keeper, and the directions in this vinyl bag that clasps shut. We rotate through the class... everyone gets several turns. They LOVE it. Here's my letter that I print off, put on construction paper and laminate to keep it good all year.:D

We have a class mascot that goes home in a bag each night (except on weekends) usually in a year the kids get 3 or 4 turns (I have 22-25 students) The first time when it comes back we write about it, the second time they pick a secret letter and bring three things from home that start with that letter and the children guess the letter, the third time they bring something and the children ask questions to guess what it is and the last time the take a journal home and write about it.

We also do student of the week (lasts longer because we have more students, but you could do only one idea each time the child is student of the week). They can bring in things that are special to share, they are the line leader and collect the hot lunch and on Friday they bring a guest who shares with us we've had guests, read stories, play insturments, do crafts, talk about their jobs or hobbies, cook ect... they love bringing a guest.

My oldest has looped with his first grade teacher, and I've liked how she's done her "show and tell". It usually correlates to what they're learning. Every week, the entire class "shares" something on the same topic.

One week this year the kids were asked to bring in any kind of map (map skills)--you wouldn't believe the variety of maps!

Another week, they were working on habitats/ecosystems in science and starting to write reports in language--the habitat they'd chosen was the ocean--everyone had to research 1 ocean animal and report to the class 3 things they'd learned.

So, maybe you could tie your show and tell to the curriculum. Definitely make a statement about please don't send any valuable items to school.

For "S and T" (what we call it now! even the kids do!), I schedule one kid a day. We make a calendar at the end of each month and I list who the s and t person each day. We don't start until about the middle of October--after I've interviewed one child a day. Once that is done, we start Show and Tell.

So by the holidays, each child has had two show and tell days. (If they forget on their day, they can bring it the next day, or the next or the next or the next!).

The very beginning of January we do "New Thing Show and Tell". We were supposed to have three days the first week back--January 2, 3 and 4. The 2nd ended up being a snow day, everyone but two kids forgot their new thing on Thursday--so just about EVERYONE brought it on Friday! Usually, it's spread out over a few days--bring it whenever you remember during that first week--actually it worked great to do everyone on one day! :cool:

Everyone gets to bring in a new thing (clothes they are wearing, toy, book, whatever!). I take their picture and we make a book out of it...This is my ______. I got it from ________. It ________. (This year we BLOGGED it! :) So cool!) :cool:

SOOOO....tomorrow we are starting "Mystery Can". The show and tell person brings home a coffee can with a "clues" book in it. They place something inside the can and write three clues to go with it. They read one clue, call on one person to guess what it is, read the second clue, call on one person, read the third clue and can call on as many as three people (or if so many kids have a guess, and the clues are so hard to figure out, I'll let them call on a whole bunch of kids!). I'll guess, too, unless it's super obvious.

If someone "gets" it, they write their name on the back side of the clues page (Guessed by: ___________) and I write what the show and tell was (It was:_________). Sometimes I have to write "we were STUMPED!". :confused: :confused: :confused:

The kids told me last week that their kindergarten teacher got to look at the mystery can show and tell ahead of time last year. I told them I WON'T! :p

I am a third-year, first grade teacher. I have found this to work wonderful with my first graders. "Secret Letter Detective" One student a day. That student chooses a letter necklace (thick yarn with a laminated letter of the alphabet on it) They wear it home and bring in one object beginning with that letter the next day. The object has to be in a small bag or box, because, remember, it's a secret!! They also take home a dito from my classroom with space to write 3 clues about the object. After storytime, the Secret Letter Detective shares his/her clues. Whoever guesses the object gets to be the next "detective" If the same person guesses it the following day, my students know that we choose someone else. EVERYONE gets a turn and then we start over for the "second round" and so on and so forth. THIS IS GREAT BECAUSE I EXPLAIN IT TO MY PARENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AS MY METHOD OF "SHOW & TELL" AND THERE IS ONLY ONE STUDENT PER DAY FOR "SHOW AND TELL" IT ALSO ONLY TAKES APPROX. 5 MINUTES A DAY.

When I taught kindergarten, I got tired of so many kids bringing silly things for show and tell each week. So, another teacher had an idea of 2-3 kids a week bringing something in a bag with clues. Here is my form attached. This year, in first grade, the only kid who can bring a special show and tell is the Star of the Week.

For next year, you might want to try Stand Up, Hand up, Pair up. Every child brings a show and tell object, and they stand up, put their hand in the air, and pair up with a partner. If an odd number, I become a partner. The person with the smaller object talks for one timed minute. Then the larger item person gets to talk for a minute, and then we start over with hands up. If kids don't have objects, they step off the rug until the others are partnered up, and then they get to walk around and listen at whichever group they choose. The kids love it!

I call it Sharing instead of Show and Tell. The first full week of each month their Sharing is assigned to them. Examples are "Bring something from a different state or a foreign country." "Bring something that is considered junk food and 5 reasons why it's bad for you." "Bring an item you might need in order to build a house and tell us how you use it." "Tell us a tasteful joke that will make us laugh." "Bring a recipe for your favorite meal." I have 4 kids present their sharing every day. (They are all assigned a day at the beginning of the year and stick with it.) They do this right when they come back in from lunch so when they come in they immediately sit down in a circle on the rug and they start sharing when they are ready. I grade the Sharings that are assigned to them and send it home. Parents and kids take this very seriously and really enjoy it. I grade them with a checklist like, " ___ You remembered to bring in a written recipe. ___ You were able to read the directions clearly. ___ You gave us a very clear idea of what this dish tastes like and looks like. " etc. I demo the sharing assigned to them on the Friday before they are expected to do their sharing so they have an idea of what is expected of them.

Now the rest of the weeks during the month, they do free Sharing. They can bring in any item, or do a Talk Share which is when they tell a story. 3 students get to ask questions when the speaker is done with their sharing. Everyone shares once a week. They all know when they are expected to share. And it only takes up about 20 minutes a day.

I taught first grade at a school with a very high ESL population, and part of our LA standards included listening and speaking skills. I tied "sharing" in with the letter blends were discussed each week. Students had to bring in an item that began with our sound for the week. They had to write 3 clues about their item, and read the clues in front of the class. The other students tried to guess what the mystery item was. I had 4-5 students bring in "sharing" each day. The whole process took maybe 15 minutes. It was a great filler after lunch or the last 15 minutes of the day. Students had to identify the letter sounds we worked on for the week, match the sound to something in their hourse (or something they could draw a picture of), write 3 sentences about the mystery object, and then share out loud with the class. I covered 4 different standard strands with one simple activity. I didn't have enough time in my day to allow students to bring in things from home just to shares, but I found this system to be a happy medium. And the kids loved it

1. Students bring a mystery item in a paper bag. The child writes down three clues (with the help of the parent) about what is inside the bag. The students then ask the child yes/no questions. "Is it your favorite toy?" . . .

2. Students bring in their favorite book to share with the class. They "read" the book to the class and/or share their favorite part of the story. The other students ask questions and comment about the story.

3. Students bring in something that begins with the letter that you are currently studying.

4. Students take a class mascot (stuffed animal) home over the weekend. He/she returns and talks about what they did together. Parents record an entry that goes into a class book.

In my K class we have show and tell every Friday. Our Show and Tell is related to our letter of the week. The child must bring an item that begins with our letter. This week is the letter Aa and I anticipate lots of apples. This works well but some kids still bring in toys that don't start with our letter. I ask that child to identify their toy and ask the class if this begins with our letter. If the class says no (and are right) the student must sit down without their toy. If the object does start with our letter they tells us if it does anything special or where they might have gotten it. I would not let this parent bring their dog to school. Even if for a few minutes at the end of the day. Dogs can be a liability due to biting and what if the dog has fleas. Your room might have fleas tomorrow. Also, not all children like animals. I know that might daughter, who is in K, would start screaming and be terrified. I know I would be upset if that were to happen in her class. This is just my opinion but I don't think any live animals should be brought into the school for show and tell.