An Unlined Accident

Several months ago, I popped into the Penn Bookstore at 36th and Walnut to buy a notebook. I really like Moleskine notebooks for some reason, and the bookstore has a wide variety. I remember being in a rush, so I grabbed a pack of three notebooks and headed out. When I got home, I realized that the notebooks I bought were missing something very important…lines! Bah!

Maybe this is making me sound really square, but I like writing on lines. I wasn't too thrilled when I started writing in my unlined notebooks, but they grew on me rather quickly. They opened me up to taking notes in a new way. I've become a big fan of idea webs, which is convenient because I had one due this past week as part of my Term IV assignment. 

The goal of Term IV is to create an integrated unit centered around a specific topic of our choosing. I originally wanted to write a unit on architecture, because I noticed that my 2nd graders LOVE building. Unfortunately, I know pretty much nothing about architecture, and some of the topics I was interested in teaching were already covered in a Social Studies unit on homes that took place earlier in the year. During a great conversation with my Penn Mentor, she suggested a unit on play. Play! This topic spoke to me much more than architecture. I couldn't wait to make my idea web for it. Check it out:

It's a start!