How Can I Organize an All-School Share-a-Thon?

[Linda]

[SOLVED] I need ideas

I've been searching for information for weeks, and I can't seem to get any help. I've used this forum in the past and have really appreciated the quick responses. This is not a science question, but an education question. Is anyone feeling creative? I would like to have an all-school share-a-thon where different activities are going on at the same time. I want students to be showcasing the different activities they do on a daily basis. For example, some students can be performing science experiments, others putting on a mock trial, choir and band can perform, students can read the books they've made etc. etc... I need to write a 20 page paper on this and it's due in a week and a half. Has anyone heard of anything like this? Can you give me any pointers or should I change my topic?

 

[FZ+]

Erm... What exactly do you need?

Please, more details!

 

[Zero]

Yeah, more details!

 

[Linda]

I don't know what exactly to do. Okay, at Halloween we use to have stations every 50 feet or so and we would each do our own thing for the trick-or-treaters. This was at a state park so we were spread out along a path, and we were allowed to dress and act however we wanted - so of course my gang were always the mad scientists...boy, I'd forgotten about all that. This would basically be the same thing except that I would need to get teachers and students to agree to take over one station, and they would need to come up with something interesting enough to bring people in. What would get you involved? As a student, how can I get you to come back to school and 'work'? What have you done in your classes that you would WANT to do for an audience? How much time would you be willing to give up? Should it be after school or on the week-end? Would you rather perform for the audience, or would you rather teach them how to do something and then watch them do it? (like show them how to make a toy of some sort, a birdhouse, or something fun but inexpensive). As a parent, what would you want to see? What would interest EVERYONE in your family? Do you want to come and sit or have the ability to roam? Do you want it to take place in the school building or outside in the park? Would you want refreshments available to purchase? How can we get you to bring your friends and neighbors? Does this sound like fun or just another responsibility? Would you want to watch the students perform, or would you rather take part in the activities yourselves? As a teacher, what can we do to make this relatively painless? Is there something you do in your classroom that others might find interesting? Something that doesn't cost any money? HAS ANYONE BEEN TO ANYTHING LIKE THIS? What search terms can I use to find information on the web? Is there anyone you know of that I can contact? Someone who has done this and knows what kinds of problems I will run into so that I can avoid them?

 

[TENYEARS]

If you are in direct contact with the students and they are the ones putting this on then I would suggest you have a brainstorm session with them. Rules are simple you write every suggestion on the black board no matter what it is. See what they are interested and what they would be willing to do or not. Have them select what they would like to do and chart the activies and subactivies and the time it would take to do them during the length of the entire event. Once the train is rolling and it becomes their ideas in play, the intensity and enjoyment increase and it becomes their event and not yours. You will have your participation and they will do their best because they will take ownership of the activities.