Earthquake Reading

My students earned 50 points. Yeah! I give them "points" every time I catch them being good as a class, getting compliments from another teacher, and so on. When they earn 50 points they get a no uniform day and they get to choose an activity of their choice that is no longer than 20 minutes.

Well they choose "earthquake" reading. What is that you ask? I asked the same thing. It is something they have been plotting at recess amongst themselves. Earthquake reading is bringing in pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals, piling them under your desk and snuggling up to read. I am so pleased that they wanted to spend their time reading. However, as they got started they took about 10 minutes just setting up their desks. (They actually had 45 minutes to read, as we have DEAR time every day already for 15-25 minutes.)

Why did it take so long to set up? Well here's what happened before DEAR time...

At lunch they had plotted again and asked if they could make "forts" with the blankets they had brought from home. I said sure, as long as they didn't move their desks too much. Now we have a problem. Remember how you were supposed to pile your blankets and pillows UNDER your desk so you could snuggle up and read? Well, now the blankets were on TOP of the desks and we have hard, concrete floors. It wasn't too comfortable reading under the desks. And it is a bit dark under the desks when there are blankets draped over them. It is hard to read in the dark. So little by little students were emerging from under their desks to sit in their chairs and read. They do love to read, so they didn't want to miss out on that.

This was really quite fun as it unfolded. They still had fun and would probably choose it again. I still remember making forts as a kid in our house and it was more fun building the fort than it was actually hiding out in it. Oh the joys of childhood!