A School Surprise

Last week, I walked into my classroom after a recess break to a loud chorus of "Surprise!" The room was decorated with balloons and gifts, and various school parents had arrived to help lead a 4th grade baby shower.

 

The first activity was a matching game: pairing animals to the correct name of their offspring.

Then we went outside for what I called the "empathy run." The shower host instructed the students to run the length of our outdoor basketball court, wearing a backpack on their stomachs. The backpack contained nearly 9 pounds of weight. As most students finished their run, I heard comments like, "How do you do it, Mrs. Schleicher?" and "That's why you need to sit down so much!" and "Boy, that's heavy!" What a creative idea for the students!

Once back inside, we played a game of Baby Bingo.

 
My very favorite part of the shower was receiving a book that the students had assembled called "Fourth Grade Baby Advice." Each student drew a picture and then wrote a letter containing what they appreciated about me as their teacher and advice that I should know as a mother-to-be. Here are some of the most creative kid entries:

* Make sure you always have an air freshener in your hand.
* Keep markers and other things like scissors on a high shelf.
* Remember that their diapers will stink every time you change them.
* Don't be stressed.
* Make sure you always feed them, never yell at them, and sing them a lullaby.
* Never run out of diapers.
* Always spend time with them. Kids get lonely fast.
* Try to remember who is who and don't forget their names.
* Make sure the baby twins will be Detroit Lions fans.

A big, big thank you goes to my dear friend Laura (who also has a son in my class) for organizing this shower. She had so many creative ideas! The kids obviously had a great time, and I was left with many wonderful memories.