We are learning to PEE when we write paragraphs. Each paragraph has to have a point, an explanation, and examples. I asked the lads and lasses in my class to write 5 peeing paragraphs about a parent. At this point Sheree reminded me it was Fathers Day on Sunday and asked if they could make cards. I surprised them by bringing in my cardmaking stuff. This resulted in a Friday morning and lunchtime of creativity and messes. Halfway through the morning I had the bright idea of making this part of our upcoming unit on friendships. I made the students write a complimentary description about a class member that I chose. It was a much harder task thinking of ideas. We suddenly found a learning reason to use Google chat so Ihad to lift the class wide ban. In The past Google chat has proved a major distraction. Today, however, it was extremely helpful as it allowed students to discreetly queriethe friends odd the person they had been assigned to. A very successful way to get students collaborating with people they don't usually seem out. They then made another card to contain the published writing. 
