SOL23...Raffle Day!

SOL Raffle Day

     So, our Slice of Life Challenge is officially underway, as you can see by my writing every single day. I have tons of students writing every day along with me, 19 in fact. So I'm super impressed. To keep students interested in the challenge and to give them a little extra something for working so hard all week, every Friday we hold a raffle. I have an old shoe box students decorated and a ton of blank tickets we've cut out over the weeks. Every day students complete a SOL, they get to add their name to a ticket and put it in the box. On Friday, we hold a raffle where I call three names from each class and they win a prize. The kids have been super into it.

     Today was a raffle day. After getting through attendance and book check, the students started getting antsy. They knew what was next. I peered around the room as I wrote the last book page down in the binder. All eyes stared back at me. A few students were tapping their feet or hands. A boy in the back was lifting himself as high as he could without actually leaving his seat. I smiled and looked down again.

"OK!" I called out, grabbing the white binder with all of their SOL info. 

"YES!" A boy in the back shouted out, "Raffle time! I'm totally gonna win this week."

I continued talking as if I hadn't heard him, "I have a few slicers who need to come up and fill out their tickets while everyone else finishes up working."

Lots of groans. Loud groans. I laughed and looked back up at the class. I know they were waiting for the raffle part and I was keeping them waiting. I liked seeing how excited they were though. Drawing it out a few minutes wouldn't hurt anyone.

"You know the drill. Everyone gets their tickets in, then we call the raffle." 

     I opened the binder to their class and scrolled over to Day 22. As I made my way down the list, I called out names of all the students who needed to come up front and fill out a ticket. 14 kids. At first one, and then two, and then several, popped out of their chairs and made their way to the front of the room. I grabbed a handful of blank tickets and set them out on the counter for easier access. One at a time, kids quickly jotted down their names. Some carefully folded the tickets in half or even thirds, some shoved it down deep into the box, there carefully set it on top. Everyone had their own methods for thinking their name would get called.

     As kids continued writing their names, I glanced around at the rest of the class. I walked to the side of the table to get a better view and listened in as several students discussed the raffle.

"I did 12. I'm winning this week."

"12! I did all of them. I did 23! I'm getting it."

"Ms. Haury, I need to win this week. I need it!"

     As the last student made their way back to their seat, I made a show of cleaning up the counter and putting away stray tickets. I could hear the sighs as everyone silently watched me. Finally, I picked up the box and gave it a good shake. The room was silent. Every eye was on the box, shaking back and forth in my hand. I continued shaking the box for several more seconds. First, one way. Then next, another way. Then up and down. Then side to side again. I heard a sigh from the corner of the room. At least I knew I had their attention!

     I opened the lid and stuck my hand in, giving the tickets inside another good mix before pulling one out. As I pulled a ticket out and held it up, several loud gasps sounded around the room, chairs scraped back, and all eyes followed the ticket trying to read who's it was from their seat. I gave them another second and then called out the name loudly. One whoop sounded, while several more groaned. I smiled as I stuck my hand back in for round two.