Rain? Indoor Recess? New Idea! {2 of 31 Slice of Life}

We are bundled and ready to head outside for a much needed fifteen minute recess.  It looks like the rain stopped and there was no building wide email saying we were inside, it actually said out as of 10:50am and now it's 11:15am.  I'm feeling relieved for my students.  We just finished our fourth day of normed reference testing, the Terra Nova and in second grade I read every question; 50 to be exact and they need a break from sitting and listening.

I open my door and I'm greeted by both recess teachers saying it just started to rain.  I ponder this message, grab my own coat, and out we walk to our Outdoor Education Center.  A pavilion with one full wall of cement block, a roof, and three open sides. For fifteen minutes I watch a cluster of three boys chit chatting, a pair of two girls playing a hand jive game of Avocado, a game of tag in the same area of a game like Red Light Green Light.  These two running games looked like one at times and I was in awe they all seemed to understand there were two games going on in the same space.  

I watched.  I observed.  I can give some feedback to a family wondering about friendships.  I also watched students enjoy each other and come up with ideas that required nothing extra.  I don't mind the cold or a little wet and I'm glad I thought outside the box so we all got some fresh air and down time.  

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for fostering this writing community and offering this challenge.