Sunday, March 27, 2016

Day 27: #SOL16-Easter Egg Hunt Differentiation



The Slice of Life Challenge is hosted by the inspirational writers of Two Writing Teachers. Each March, they invite people to join them in a commitment to write every day. Here's to another year of daily slicing!


I'm also linking to Margaret Simon's DigLit Sunday this morning, as my Easter egg hunt will have a digital element this year. We'll see how that goes!


My mother made the suggestion that we not have our annual Easter egg hunt this year. It's the one where My daughters and my nephews race around the yard trying to find the most plastic eggs. I've had my years of Easter Egg Differentiation--one year, each child had a specific color they looked for to try to minimize the tears and the fighting. During other years, specific colors were for older kids while the other colors were deemed younger kid eggs. This year, the youngest is ten, so we really don't need any handicaps. All colors can be fair game for everyone.

"Not have the Easter egg hunt?" I feigned a gasp. "The kids love it. It's part of Easter." I didn't remind her how close I am to some of the kids being 21. When my brothers and I came home from college for Easter, my father hid a case of ponies around the back yard. I can't wait to reinstate that tradition!

The truth is that we don't have many traditions that always happen around holidays. The Easter egg hunt is one of the few, so no, I am not giving it up, even without the ponies in the not-so-distant future. I understand where my mother is coming from. In past years, there have been tears over who hasn't gotten as many eggs. Inevitably, the dogs will find an egg in a few weeks and struggle to eat the jelly beans. And yep, there's the problem of mud and gardens.

This afternoon, there will be mud on shoes. Some of the mud may even get tracked into the house. I will follow the searchers around and I will repeat, "There are no eggs in the gardens," but there still may be a crunched crocus.

I'm thinking about how to differentiate for my mother the gardener and nature lover. What if I incorporate technology? What if each child has a "Noticing Component" of their Easter egg hunt, and has to show us pictures of specified late March beauty--a purple blossom, a daffodil that's not yet bloomed, a Hellebore (yes, they'll probably have to ask), a freshly clipped rose branch, an abandoned bird's nest, and others. Maybe if they have to notice, they'll start to appreciate. Differentiation exists even out of the classroom!

Happy Easter, and Happy Slicing,


6 comments:

  1. We are about to hide 1000 eggs for kids aged 21-10. Never too old!! Keep it going! Totally going to steal the ponies idea in a few years -- you have my friends laughing to tears right now over that line. Bring on the mud and have a great time!! Happy Easter.
    Clare

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  2. I love Easter Egg hunts. And I guess I always differentiated without thinking of it that way. So funny what we do instinctively! I love how you could incorporate digital work here! Every kid has a phone. Still I think every kid wants the eggs! Have fun.

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  3. I love the way you would connect pictures of spring beauty with the Easter egg hunts! Traditions are so wonderful. I had a moment of guilt this morning when my 3 year old wondered where the Easter Bunny hid the eggs. When I was growing up, the EB never hid eggs and instead left us each a toy. That is the tradition I keep now for my kids, but my little one thought there would be eggs. Her Grandma is doing an egg hunt later in the day. I just said, "Oh, sometimes the Easter Bunny is too busy delivering the presents to hide eggs!" Oops.

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  4. Our Easter Bunny hides clues that lead the kids to their baskets- they have about 6 clues each. But the traditional egg hunt follows once all the cousins are together. Love how you are thinking about adding noticings to your hunt- can't wait to hear how it goes~

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  5. No egg hunts for us this year as the youngest in our group is 25. Someday the tradition will return. You are always the teacher thinking in terms like differentiation. Thanks for linking up today.

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  6. What a fun idea! I miss the Easter Egg hunts from when our kids were little. I can't wait until the next generation comes along and we can begin again. Although, I may have to steal that pony idea for my college aged kids next year. :) Happy Easter!

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