Each year during Valentine's week, we celebrate Friendship Week at Sunset Ridge. This idea stemmed from National No Name Calling Week. We just chose to put a more positive spin on it at our school. It is tradition that on Valentine's Day, to celebrate the fact that "we are all friends", we participate in Mix It Up at Lunch. (from TeachingTolerance.Org)
This is a time when students are encouraged to sit at new tables and with new people to get to know others who may not be in their social circle. My K-6 students love it! However, Ii takes a little bribery to get my 7/8 kiddos to participate so that is where the CANDY comes in handy! As students enter the cafeteria they are given a ticket with a picture of a candy bar on it. (NJHS students help out).
Prior to lunch time tables have been decorated with Candy Bar Signs on a stand (a water bottle and a
ruler or paint stick taped to it then wrapped in tissue paper...again NJHS kids helped). Students are to find their corresponding table and make conversation with their new table mates. (Inspiration for the butcher paper in the center of each table along with crayons comes from my days as a waitress at Macaroni Grill) Discussion starters were written on the butcher paper by NJHS students prior to lunch times.
If students are participating and sitting at the correct table, they write their name on the backside of their ticket. Tickets are collected and drawn out of a bucket to win mini candy bars (K-6) or full size candy bars (7/8). Candy bars are courtesy of our PTO.
Teaching Tolerance reports that "studies have shown that interactions across group lines can help reduce prejudice. When students interact with those who are different from them, biases and misconceptions can fall away."
To keep the mood light and festive, fun music is playing, along with a slide show of random pictures of Sunset Ridge students. Feel free to email me at [email protected] if you have any questions about this annual event.
This is a time when students are encouraged to sit at new tables and with new people to get to know others who may not be in their social circle. My K-6 students love it! However, Ii takes a little bribery to get my 7/8 kiddos to participate so that is where the CANDY comes in handy! As students enter the cafeteria they are given a ticket with a picture of a candy bar on it. (NJHS students help out).
Prior to lunch time tables have been decorated with Candy Bar Signs on a stand (a water bottle and a
ruler or paint stick taped to it then wrapped in tissue paper...again NJHS kids helped). Students are to find their corresponding table and make conversation with their new table mates. (Inspiration for the butcher paper in the center of each table along with crayons comes from my days as a waitress at Macaroni Grill) Discussion starters were written on the butcher paper by NJHS students prior to lunch times.
If students are participating and sitting at the correct table, they write their name on the backside of their ticket. Tickets are collected and drawn out of a bucket to win mini candy bars (K-6) or full size candy bars (7/8). Candy bars are courtesy of our PTO.
Teaching Tolerance reports that "studies have shown that interactions across group lines can help reduce prejudice. When students interact with those who are different from them, biases and misconceptions can fall away."
To keep the mood light and festive, fun music is playing, along with a slide show of random pictures of Sunset Ridge students. Feel free to email me at [email protected] if you have any questions about this annual event.