Hi Reader,

One of my favorite parts of teaching is watching students become genuinely excited about learning. Sometimes, the best way to create that excitement is to simply let them have a say in what they learn.

Last week, I set up a little Travel Agency right in my classroom! I even had magazines and travel pamphlets that a travel agent friend gave me, which made our agency feel a little more official.

I created a page with 12 pictures of destinations around the world that I typically teach about during the first quarter of school. On Thursday, my students took the page home and looked at the destinations with their families. Their job was to circle their top three choices and bring the paper back to school on Friday.

And guess what? 100% participation! 🙌

On Friday, I used one of our tables as my travel agency office. Students came up to me two at a time and excitedly shared the three places they had chosen and, more importantly, why they chose them.

One little girl chose Petra, Jordan because her dad LOVES Indiana Jones. She knew the movie was filmed at the Treasury in Petra, so she wanted to learn more about the place she had seen on screen.

Another student chose Rainbow Mountain in Peru because his dad had gotten sick there. He wanted to learn about the place and experience it for himself someday. His dad may have experienced altitude sickness, since Rainbow Mountain sits at more than 17,000 feet above sea level.

Those conversations were exactly why I wanted to give my students a voice.

Every destination on the form received at least one vote, but there was one clear favorite...

🐨 BRISBANE!

Apparently, you can't compete with adorable koalas. 😂

So, our first Passport Adventure will take us to Brisbane on Friday! We'll transform our classroom into a koala sanctuary and learn about Australia while bringing a little bit of the country right into our classroom.

And I couldn't resist adding a little literacy connection, too!

🦘A Reading Tip for Australia

Teach kids about AWfully cute animals in AUstralia during the month of AUgust!

Now they can make a connection between all those adorable Australian animals and the au and aw digraphs they are learning.

It doesn't have to be complicated to make learning memorable. Sometimes, a silly phrase, a picture of an animal, and a connection to a real place in the world can make a phonics lesson stick.

Please vote in the poll below to help me determine if I should make the resources I used for my students accessible to everyone or not. Thank you!

❤️ Give Them Something to Be Excited About

At the beginning of the school year, so much of our time goes into teaching routines, procedures, expectations, and how to function as a classroom community. We absolutely need those things.

But I also want my students to know that our classroom will be a place where learning is exciting.

I want them to walk through the door wondering, Where are we going today? What are we going to discover?

When we give students opportunities to make choices, share their interests, and connect learning to their own lives, we show them that their voices matter.

As you settle your students into the routines and procedures of your classroom, don't forget to give them something to look forward to, too.

Create a classroom where they aren't just learning because they have to. Create a classroom where they can't wait to find out what's next. 🌎❤️

P.S. While I'm getting my own students settled into a routine this week, I'm also about to embark on a major adventure that will help teachers bring the world into their classrooms for the entire year! 🌎✈️

Follow @mrsdepasquale on Instagram or Facebook for a sneak peek.

Get your passports ready! 🛂

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