Getting Started/Grade 4/Nanuet, NY Anna Sexton Highview Elementary School, Nanuet, NY What suggestions would you give to new teachers for "getting started" with Journey North for the first time? "I would suggest to new teachers to first decide if they want to tightly structure the learning or make it looser and more independent. One of my teacher friends chose a tighter environment and paired kids to work on one mystery class location and then did manatee as a whole class. I went for the group choice way. When I first started it, we did just two migrations - manatee and bald eagle. I have to say I prefer the migrations of the radio-tagged animals. It incorporates tracking the latitude and longitude on maps for them which is a great skill. "I would suggest to new teachers to definitely set up the binders. It helps the kids stay organized. The first year I would only do two migrations at most. And finally, the teacher must read all the updates as well. There is so much information available now to read so you have to pick and choose what works best." How do you manage the small groups? "I print out full reports for each group and we keep them in a binder. This way they have the questions and text to look at without tieing up a computer. I highlight the questions because they can be easy to miss. If there are web links, then they go on the computer to read them." If you have tips you'd like to share, please write to Journey North: jnorth@learner.org Back to Teacher Tips Page Facebook Pinterest Twitter © 1997 – 2019 Journey North. All rights reserved.