Collaboration: How To Blow a Bubble

How many times have we told our students to follow directions? What does that mean to first graders? Can they follow written directions or even write their own? In working on these TEKS, I think our students discovered how to truly follow and write their own "how to" directions.

We began by asking our students to write directions for "how to blow a bubble".  Thank you Ms. Mcmillin for the great graphic organizer!  

Following this activity we then had the teacher try to follow the student's directions. This was so much fun and very eye opening!  The students realized that you can't chew gum without taking it out of the wrapper first. After trying out their directions on their teacher, the students made revisions to their directions.  Many of the students noticed that they needed to give examples of how to flatten the gum and blow the bubble.  My favorite example was " you flatten the gum like a tortilla". 

After making revisions, we then gave each student a piece of bubble gum and they had to follow their own directions on "how to blow a bubble".  Students continued to make revisions to their directions. 

Using the app Write About This 

Students wrote "How To Blow A Bubble"!  This app allows you to insert your own photos and writing prompts.  We created a quick write, took pictures of our students with a bubble, and they wrote "How to Blow A Bubble".   A few classes, that had time, recorded themselves reading their how to's within the app as well!  

                                     

This was a great writing activity that worked on revision and thoughtful writing.  The students wrote about their knowledge, applied their knowledge,& analyzed their knowledge and writing. Through this activity the students evaluated their work by seeing their teacher try it out and then trying it themselves.  To take this lesson a step further we could have had them swap directions and record each other trying to follow their friends directions.  Do you have any suggestions on how to make this activity reach a higher level of blooms?

Following this activity, Ms. Noles, has used Write About This app with her class in Science. Check out her SQL bulletin board.  Each QR code takes you to a Write About This creation regarding the life cycle of a frog.