My freshmen are wrapping up our study of The Odyssey this week, and I couldn’t help but share their adorable efforts on a recent in-class activity. Like a proud parent who tapes gold-star papers to the refrigerator, I often post awesome creations on my classroom’s back wall of cabinets. Make it onto the cabinet display? Two bonus points for you!
Here’s a close-up look at some of my latest favorites:
The “Whose Phone Is This?” activity works with every novel and play. In fact, my juniors will complete the same worksheet when we get to The Catcher in the Rye in a few weeks. I’m guessing I’ll have a lot of red hunting cap-adorned selfies on that round.
Teach on, everyone!
I just used this activity for Julius Caesar and there were a LOT of Antony selfies! I love your products!
Awesome, Monica! I love this.
What a fantastic idea!!! Do you share the template?
Tanya
Yes, indeed, Tanya! It’s super-affordable and available here:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Character-Cell-Phone-Fun-Writing-Activity-Use-with-ANY-Literature-Grades-6-12-1038198
Thanks for finding my blog!
Hi, I just purchased this resource, but was wondering if you had a rubric to go along with it. I was trying to figure out your marking scheme and noticed that most students in the “Hall of Fame” photo above got a 12/10 – can you kindly explain this please! I love this activity and am excited to have my students try it out! Thanks so much!
Hi Verina,
Thanks for checking in with me. I don’t have a rubric to share since this is a relatively small assignment in my class, but I’m happy to explain the grading. This in-class work is assessed for completion. If a student completed every section with reasonable answers, then he/she received 10/10. I gave the complete worksheets to my student T.A. and asked her to pick her favorites. The ones chosen by my T.A. were posted on my limited cabinet space and those folks were given the 2 bonus points for being selected – sort of like a little 12/10 gold star in the gradebook. Hope this helps! 🙂
Love this! So engaging for students. We featured your product in a real classroom for our Fun Idea Friday feature over at the Snarky School Teacher last month! Thanks for such a great resource!
Glad this was a hit with your classes, Nicole! Thanks for the shout-out. 🙂
I teach 5th grade reading and THIS IS AWESOME!!! Thank you for sharing this very cool and engaging idea!,
My pleasure, Kelly. So glad you found me! 🙂
LOVE this!! So funny. I love the one with messages to Poseidon from Polyphemus and Zeus, “PS: Come to dinner at 6” hahaha.
How much time do you give the students to complete this? Can’t wait to use this when I teach The Odyssey this year!
Thanks so much, rbhobbs11! I give my freshmen a full 55-minute class period to complete the assignment. I used to send it home as homework, but some of my more advanced students would obsess over the wallpaper art and spend two hours+ on this simple assignment. I decided I didn’t want to contribute to their perfectionist-induced stress, so now I always just use it as a stand-alone single class period assignment. Fun for them and grading time for me! 🙂
This is so much fun and so engaging — and really got my sixth graders thinking about character traits. They loved sharing them and posting them in the classroom. Thanks for a great idea – I am the “cool teacher” because of you!
Awesome, Martin! And, hey, if you don’t look good, I don’t look good. 🙂 Glad this was a hit.
Hi. I am teacher from Malaysia. I teach Malay Language. I tried this method with my Form 3 students. In the beginning they were a little confused but managed to finish their task happily. Tq.
Oh, Suganeswari, your note makes me so happy! It’s thrilling to hear that this little activity I made has gone global. Behold the power of the internet! So glad you’re a part of our blog community. 🙂