OPEN HOUSE IDEAS

OPEN HOUSE IDEAS

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Click on the Bullseye to send me your ideas

OPEN HOUSE IDEAS:Parent/teacher night, etc.

[ Math Activity ] [ Interactive Open House ] [ Science Idea ] [ Estimation]
[ Family Poster ] [ Word Puzzles & Games] [ Interactive Open House]
[ Welcome to our classroom] [ Humor & Crafts]

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following activities/ideas center on making open house (parent teacher night etc.) at your school more informative, educational and fun. A relaxed mood makes for easier communication. Teachers from various grade levels supplied these ideas; however, with a bit of imagination, they may be modified to suite the needs of any level. Please consider sharing your ideas -- click on the bullseye to send your ideas/activities and I will be happy to add them to this list. Thank you for your support.

Math Activity

From: Kevin M O'Shaughnessy

Level: K-6

Procedure:

The day of open house do a math lesson to incorporate the activity.

2) Do a bar graph on "How we eat our Oreos!" Sound delicious?

3) During math class everyone receives an Oreo with strict instructions to eat it as they would at home.

4) Try to come up with 4 common ways and a 5th option to eat the cookie.

TEACHER'S NOTE: Each child was able to come up and fill in their name under the column necessary. In the evening a large plate was placed and the students job was to take their parents over to get an Oreo and then go to the special graph made for parents. I did make an exception for parents, they didn't have to eat it their favorite way only having to sign the graph how they would eat it at home.

Compare the results. They are fun to compare and it is a great ice breaker with parents.

TEACHER'S NOTE: Hope this is clear as I am writing quickly. Let me know if anyone tries would love to hear responses. I'd love to claim the creativity, but it was shared with me.

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An Interactive Open House

From: Laura

Level: (k-12 * with modification)

Procedure:

Meet families at the door and hand out a sheet of paper with a list of activities for their child to do with them. For example,

a) have family do DOL (Daily Oral Language) on board and correct it for them

b) find their child's writing on the bulletin board and add a comment

c) listen to a poem at the Listening Center, etc.

TEACHER'S NOTE: I can send you a copy of my list if you are interested.

Include the specialists

a) check in with the art teacher

b) try out a computer CD with the librarian.

TEACHER'S NOTE: It is a huge success because I don't have to do anything - except train or prep the kids prior. They love being tour guides around the room and school. It is also good because it discourages lengthy conversations about kids - which should occur at conference time - not in front of everyone!

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Open House Ideas-Science

From: Mary O'Reilly

Level: All (* with modification)

Procedure:

TEACHER'S NOTE: Our sixth grade science teacher had one of the funniest open houses in my memory.

On each group of four tables put a clear plastic cup containing a goldfish.

2) After giving opening remarks give out foot long thermometers (or whatever you have) and tell the parents to take the temperature of the goldfish.

TEACHER'S NOTE: After a moment of stunned silence, the parents broke out in hysterical laughter. A great ice breaker. His name is Elwood Boone and our school is Chatham Middle School in Chatham, NJ 07928. He doesn't have an e-mail address but if you want to comment send the messages to me, and I'll print them out and give them to him.

3) By the way, to get the fish temperature all you have to do is take the temperature of the water, the cold-blooded fish is the same temperature.

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Estimation

From: Marcie Zisow

Level: K-6

Procedure:

Why not try a lesson on estimation. Have the children and parent estimate how many kernels of popcorn will pop from 1/2 cup of popcorn.

2) Let them actually do the popping. Several poppers will be helpful.

3) They then need to figure a way to count the amount without actually counting kernel by kernel. Strategies are written down by the kids and shared with the class.

4) Then children and parents select the strategy they would like to use and actually do the counting.

5) They'll be amazed to find they have about 200 pieces!

TEACHER'S NOTE: If time permits, I'd extend this into a class graphing activity and a lesson on finding the average. Have fun!

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Open House Ideas: Family Poster

From: Author

Level: k-6

Procedure:

Have the parents make a poster telling all about their family using magazines.

2) They divide the poster into sections of their choice

TEACHER'S NOTE: for the kids I name the sections. My family-- things we like to do as a family-- what I like to do -- etc.

Do this as an icebreaker with the kids -- they'll love it. It is a beautiful way to share information about each other.

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Open House Ideas: Word Puzzles & Games

From: Dawn

Level: K-9 (* modification may be needed)

Procedure:

TEACHER'S NOTE:
    We just had open house, and I had word puzzles and games of the like for my parents and
    their children to do together. Also, I have the students do an interest inventory on the first
    day of class - things like, If you couldn't watch TV, what would you most likely do?
    (not so ordinary questions).

    So, for open house, I had the parents fill one about their children. Then, when the students
    do them, we will compare the with what their parents said about them! It will be fun to see
    the results.

    Tangram puzzles are neat, geography games, pattern block patterns, etc. You could have
    several stations and let them choose and travel. Have fun!

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Interactive Open House

From: Brenda Wood

Level: All

Here are a couple of ideas:

Use Hyper Studio or some other multimedia application plus your school's digital camera or a regular 35 mm camera and a scanner, if you have one to create: a) an interactive introduction to the staff and school (photos, sound (voice/music), interactive layout map, text, student drawings, etc. b) an interactive introduction to your class/classroom (photos, sound (voice/music), interactive layout map, text, student drawings, long range plans, expectations, etc.)

2) At Open Houses later in the year, use Hyper Studio to display student multimedia projects by creating a main menu which links to each of the students' project files.

3) Kid Pix sideshows are another great way to display student work, just not very interactive.

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Video Open House

From: Author
Level: all
concepts = Open House
materials = video camera, tv and vcr
activity_time = 20 mins.
A Day In Mrs. ????? Class
Procedure:

Video tape the outside of your classroom (door shut) as you say, "Welcome to our classroom!
Let's go in and meet the students and watch us learn!" Keep taping as you open the door and go in. Stop tape.

2) Video tape each student individually introducing him/herself and saying what his/her
favorite subject is.

3) Video tape your students working during different subjects. I usually do Math, Reading,
and Writing. I also video tape myself reading with the students.

4) Video tape the whole class, ready to go home, saying "Thank you for coming to our classroom. Bye!" The students can wave as you focus out. This is a great way for the students to show their parents what they do in school and for parents to really see their child at work. I have always had positive feedback on this and I have been doing it for about 8 years. Plus, there is no having to stand up front and give a speech. Just turn on the tv and go! Oh, before I turn the tv on, I do introduce myself, welcome the parents, thank them for coming and explain what they are going to see.

Teacher's Note: You may need to get permission from parents to video tape their children.

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Humor and Crafts: Make your open house a fun event
From: DeeAnn Anderson
Level: all -- (With major modification for K9-12)
Concepts = Open House
Materials = Will vary
Activity Time = ?? mins.
Procedure:

Teacher's Note:
    My son's 4th grade teacher had her students bring in a set of clothes in their backpacks
    without their parents knowledge. When we arrived at open house, we found a class full of
    "students". Her students had used a paper sack for the head. The head had eyes drawn on,
    etc. and yarn hair. The head was attached to the clothes which were stuffed with newspaper
    and the finished product was seated in the students' desks. My "son" had his feet up on his
    desk and his hands posed behind his head which had his baseball cap on. We have never
    laughed so hard.

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