This is where I will post lesson plans incorporating differentiated learning,
universal design strategies, and educational technology. I look forward to exchanging ideas with all of you in these areas.
Personality Collage
One really good activity for the start of the year is a personality collage. All
you need are magazines with a lot of pictures, scissors, gluesticks or tape, and a backing material (I use long manilla paper.)
You ask the students to show certain aspects of their lives with pictures from the magazines. The trick is that these
aspects must be "represented." For example, a family of three can be shown with pictures of three similar birds. When the
collage is done, students attach a sheet to the back that you have given them that explains their representations. You hold
the front of the collage up to the class, and see if they can guess who made it. One of the questions that must be answered
is: "What is something no one would guess about you?" Another is: "What is something you are proud of?" All of the students
learn something, even about kids they have known for quite some time. New kids get a simple way to share a lot of information
with their new classmates, and get a great deal of information in return. If you are brave, include a collage
you've done yourself - the kids love it when they find out it is yours! This is a perfect activity that allows for differentiation
and full-inclusion (you may need to provide assistance depending upon the students in your class.)
After the exercise is over, I post the collages on my back wall - they instantly
decorate your room!
Below is the sheet that goes on the back of the collage. You can set up any simple
rubric for assessment. Mine is an "accomplishment" rubric - answer a certain number of the questions, complete the activity
in the class time provided, and stay on task and you are awarded points on a scale of six. (For example, all questions answered,
completing the activity in the time provided, and staying on task = 6 points.) I make the scoring easy, and allow talking
within reason so that there is a sense of community established. Try this activity- it works!
Personality Collage
Guideline Sheet
Mr. Adams
This is a creative project. You may satisfy these requirements any way that you want to, but
you must indicate how you are doing this on this guideline sheet.
1. You will represent your family relationships (parents,
guardians, brothers, sisters, etc.)
2. You will represent where you live
3. You will represent your like(s)
4. You will represent your dislike(s)
5. You will represent your favorite sport(s)/hobby(ies)
6. You will represent something of which you are proud
7. Show something that no one would suspect about you
8. You will represent pets if you have any
