Toothpaste Fun in Fourth

What smells minty fresh and teaches our students about the power of their words? Toothpaste, of course!

 

This annual favorite among fourth graders across BHS is a powerful tool that helps teach students about the power of their words in building a strong class community. Through a reading of Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson and a few tubes of toothpaste, fourth graders learned the value of thinking before speaking, and how to better support their peers around campus.

 

“We squeezed out the toothpaste, and it is just impossible to put back into the tube!” shouted Keanu to his partner Lola.

 

“It’s like our words!” added Jason. “Once your words are out, they’re out.”

 

Jason is right. Like toothpaste squeezed from a tube, once words are out, they cannot be put back in. Apologizing helps, but thinking first is better! On the rug after our minty experiment, many students were quick to find the connection between the activity and how this translates to making our class stronger and more supportive of one another. Everyone soon realized that choosing our words carefully is the best plan.

 

If you see fourth graders around campus, feel free to ask them about the toothpaste activity and what we’re up to in class. They’re off to a great start in Intermediate!