Since I began The North Star as a way to set the tone for the school year, I have found that I have also changed the way I plan the school year.  While I do spend the summer months reflecting on the past year and organzing for the upcoming year, I don’t quite get the next year set until I have met my new group and find out their plans.  Part of what we do with The North Star is make goals for the new year:  a goal for school, a goal for home, a goal to help the community, a health goal, and the last goal is THE BIG DREAM.  I ask the children, “If you could do anything you wanted, what would it be?”  I teach second graders, and this is a difficult thing, at first, for them to understand - to be able to choose anything. At you might expect, their goals are tied to their interests, but they are also tied to what is happening currently in their lives. It makes me think how important it is to give young children as many positive experiences as we can to help build their dreams!  So, here are some of my current student’s dreams with some ways I can build my year’s lessons and activities around their dreams.  Isn’t it great to be able to have a learning environment based on the learners dreams!

• THE SPORT DREAMS:  I want be a famous gymnast, Major League Baseball player, soccer player, Olympic swimmer, play basketball in the womens’ NBA. I think some of these dreams come from the Olympics this summer.  How can we support children who excel in sports while they are in the classroom?  How about creating a sports newspaper.  Have them teach others some sports moves or share orally what is happening in the sports world to practice oral expression. Share their dreams with the PE teacher. Have them bring in photos and let other children interview them for the Sports Hall of Fame.  There is TONS of math in sports. I have even converted one of our science kits into a week-long “Science CIrcus Camp” with a balance-themed circus performance at the end of the week - one of my favorite parts of the year!
• THE MONEY DREAMS: I want to be rich, have one million dollars. There is some good math here too.  And there are some great fiction stories to be told.  Plus, there are some good life lessons for those who want to be rich - work hard, do your best, what will you do with your money when you have it?  There are some great role models to share, like Milton Hershey.  Get the children thinking now while they are listening!!

Here are some more dreams. How would you use them to teach in your classroom?

• TO STUDY PENGUINS
• TO BE  A ZOOKEEPER
• TO BE FAMOUS FOR SINGING
• TO BE A PINKS DRIVER (racecar)
• TO GO ON A CRUISE TO HAWAII
• TO DO A BACK FLIP ON A SCOOTER
• TO OWN MY OWN HORSE TO RIDE
• TO CLIMB UP A CRATER
• TO GET ONE INCH AWAY FROM A TIGER
• TO BE FRIENDS WITH HANNAH MONTANA AND MILEY CYRUS AND BE A FAMOUS SINGER
• TO LIVE WITH FAIRIES AND HAVE WINGS:  I wasn’t sure whether to allow this as a BIG DREAM.  But then I thought it had good potential for discussion and learning this year.  What do you think?