True Tales from Classroom 118.....Fueled by Diet Coke

My Number One Student: Steve the class pet. He is very attentive. 

It is Christmas Break! All teachers across the nation are rejoicing. At least, this one is. I have finished my first half a year teaching second grade. After what feels like a lifetime teaching fourth grade there are some things I miss and some things I really love. I guess that is about true with most changes. I will never tire of the love notes found on my desk daily, or those little eager sparkling eyes waiting for my next lesson. 

Teaching Capacity

Capacity is an important lesson and one that can be applied in everyday life. In fact, I think most second grade math skills are ones I use a lot in every day life. A recap: Capacity if you remember is gallons, quarts, pints and cups. There are two half gallons, four quarts, eight pints, and sixteen cups in a gallon. One day I was in Fry's grocery store and an older woman walked up to me and asked me how many half gallons are in a gallon. (I must have looked very intelligent, ha) I had just taught this concept at school and I thought to myself, this is so sad that she does not know that there are two half gallons in a gallon. I said, "You asked the right person! There are two half gallons in a gallon."  She replied, "The half gallons are 88 cents and a gallon is $1.60. I am trying to figure out which one is the better deal." She said, "The gallon is cheaper!" I smiled and went on my way. 

I tell this story to my students every year. One half plus One half = One whole

I like to teach using everyday examples and make the learning REAL. So this week when we were learning how much a quart is I held up my beautiful Styrofoam cupped Diet Coke and said, "When you take your test and you are trying to decide which is bigger a gallon (and I pointed to a gallon of water we use to fill Steve's water bottle) or a quart, remember that Ms. Tidwell's Diet Coke is a quart. 32oz=Ms. Tidwell's Diet Coke=1 quart. 1 gallon=Steve's Water Refill Bottle.

There was a question on the test that read: How would you measure the amount of water in your kitchen sink? Gallons or Quarts? (Well you could technically use both....) However the answer we were looking for was gallons. Then the last test question read, Tell me why? I had SO many students answer, 

I would use gallons to measure the liquid in a kitchen sink because a sink holds more than Ms. Tidwell's Diet Coke, which is a quart. 

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! TEACHER WIN!

but wait it gets better........

It was the last day before break and one of my students brings me a 2 liter of Diet Coke with a big Christmas bow on it. He happily says, and it is 2 Liters! Which of course made my teacher heart SIIIIIIIING. That he knew the capacity. But it gets better.........

I sent his Mom a text thanking her for the coke and this was her reply:

A GALLON!! I love my job. 

XOXO- The Sunny D