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CELEBRATING 13YEARS OF NEIGHBORHOODS & BACKYARDS!!!
Welcome Back!!! Here’s to a successful year for everyone!
Backyards are simple. We are here for two reasons:
- Student Voice – your ideas, wants, needs, concerns
- Relationships – among students, teachers, family, and the community
THIS year however we will have 24 9th grade backyards and 56 10-12th grade backyards. There will be some changes.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Backyard Rep meetings will occur every Fridayduring your lunch beginning Friday Sept.6th
1st lunch in the ROCK
2nd lunch in the Wisconsin
Snack sheet sign up attached
This year, Backyards will again be competing in an ongoing competition called the Spartan Cup. The Spartan cup is reflective of community effort within our Backyards and of course some FUN!!!
Friday Sept. 13th: Student Government Leadership Training Retreat(1st – 4th) Go to neighborhood office for planned absence form.
Principal Dahmen is known for his famous line… “This is the way we do things here at Memorial” and the Memorial Way was coined.
IMPORTANT: DUE to changes please either write names of Backyard reps if they have not changed or elect new reps for your backyard.
Student government offers students a significant role in the development and implementation of Backyard! PLEASE select your backyard reps.
Requirements for 1/4 Leadership Credit; note that you can also be a Backyard Rep without this credit option.
1) 100% attendance at all weekly Backyard meetings (Lunch & Back- yard).
2) Attend required Leadership Retreats— Fall & Spring
3) Create Backyard activities, plan class and/or Neighborhood events. Actively lead & demonstrate responsibility for your Backyard.
4) All reports (permission/student/staff reflections/accountability) must be turned in by the designated deadline. Be responsible.
5) Class officers must be elected from Backyard Reps.
Please return form to the Backyard Box in the main office by Thursday Sept. 5th
BACKYARD NAME:
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TWO (2) Reps/backyard
NAME:
______
GRADE: 10 11 12
NAME:
______
GRADE: 10 11 12
SPARTAN POINTS----
10 POINTS IF TURNED IN BY THURSDAY SEPT. 5TH
“You can learn more about an individual during an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”
-Plato
Some ideas to try…Name Games/Get to Know You:
1. Introduce yourselves, first names
2. Next time around use alliteration; pair your name with another word that you like/identify with. For example, Soccer Steven, Kool Keenan, Lively Leah…
Hustle Bustle (Speed Name Game):
Form a circle; one person begins by saying “their” name so everyone can hear it, and go around the circle. Did you remember everyone’s name? Probably not..repeat that identical sequence, but this time, say the names as quickly and efficiently as possible. Have someone time the group. Great time, but now try one more time to decrease the time. Try going in reverse to see if the time improves…challenge yourselves!
Bumpity Bump Bump:
1. Circle formation with one person in the middle.
2. Point decisively at one of the circled folks, say their name with conviction followed with the exclamation “bumpity, bump, bump” (bbb)!
3. The person whom you pointed to and said their name must respond by saying the first name of the person to the LEFT, before you finish exclaiming “bumpity, bump, bump” (bbb). If the name is flubbed or completely forgotten, that person takes the place in the middle. If they get the name correct, you are still stuck in the middle.
4. Change it up and name the person to the right or even trickier is have the person in the middle choose right or left. For example, say the name, say left or right, and bbb.
To Tell the Truth:
1. Form a circle-with one volunteer to begin in the middle. Each person in the circle must have something to stand on. For example, piece of paper, paper plate, etc.
2. Middle person says their NAME & a “TRUE” statement about themselves. If that statement applies to anyone in the circle-you must move to another position (cannot move next to either side of where you began each time a statement is made). If the statement does not apply to you-you stay in your spot. The individual who does not get a position is in the middle and begin again. For example, my name is Victoria and I are in cross country. Anyone in cross country would move to an open spot. My name is Nathan and I have 2 sisters…keep playing till the FUN subsides.
Note Card Activity:
Have everyone take a notecard or piece of paper and answer the following questions.
1. In the upper R corner, write your favorite musician/band
2. In the lower L corner, write the subject you do best in
3. In the upper L corner, write the name of your favorite book
4. In the lower R corner, write your favorite kind of car
5. In the top middle, write your favorite activity, hobby, or sport
6. In the bottom middle, write your hopes for the future
7. In the middle, write your full name
8. Spend about 5 minutes answering the questions, then go around the class and share one or two items of your choice.
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Who’s In the Group?
Might be beneficial to make an overhead copy of this activity!
Each of the following sentences begins with “A person in this group…” On a piece of paper, number from 1-25. Find someone in your BY that the statement pertains to and write their name by the statement number. For example, #2-Amy & Alexis. So, begin and mingle, mingle, mingle!
1. …who has never been outside our state is
2. …whose first name starts with the same letter as mine is
3. …who likes the same sports I do is
4. …who was born outside our state is
5. …whose hair is the same color as mine is
6. …whose eyes are the same color as mine is
7. …who has read the same book that I have read is
8. …who is shorter than I am is
9. …whose birthday falls in the same month as mine is
10. …who wears the same size shoe that I do is
Snacks
Food and snacks are a BIG part of getting together with friends. But! It’s expensive and can be a hassle.
What is your backyard food philosophy?
DATE / NAME9/9/13
9/16/13
9/23/13
9/30/13
10/7/13
10/14/13
10/28/13
11/4/13
11/11/13
11/18/13
12/2/13
12/9/13
12/16/13
1/13/14
Start your year out strong!
BACKYARD
BUCKET LIST
What we want to do in backyard this year……..