Character in Action Wautoma Area School District

WASD Character in Education: Cooperation

Each month, students at Riverview learn about a character trait that the Wautoma School District recognizes. One of those character traits is Cooperation.

Mealworms! Beetles! Bugs and seeds! Oh My!  The second grade students at Riverview and Redgranite have been learning about the life cycles of mealworms, milkweed bugs, and brassica seeds.  Throughout the unit, students have observed each element and documented their observations.

  Students must cooperate with their partner to ensure a positive experience for everyone, and a successful outcome! One partnership demonstrated compassion and cooperation when one student was not comfortable handling the mealworms. His partner stepped up to support him and explained what she was observing so both students could recognize the lifecycle stage.

  Another group learned how cooperation also encompasses taking turns. Both partners were excited to get their hands dirty and plant their brassica seeds.  They were able to talk through who would complete each task so that both students could experience the planting process.

  Cooperation was a crucial part of observing our milkweed bugs too! We created habitats that hang on the wall, so the bugs had ample space to crawl and eat and grow. However, it is hard to observe these habitats without cooperation. Students took turns holding their habitats up for the other partner to observe the changes in the milkweed bugs, and then they switched jobs! Students also needed to work together to locate their milkweed bugs as they started out about the size of a pinhead!  Two sets of eyes looking was much more successful!

  Recognizing how we must work together and listen to each other was an important skill students learned and used while working with live creatures. We are proud of their determination and cooperation not only during this unit, but every day!

Third grade students had a chance to put their cooperation skills to practice as they celebrated Game Day.  Riverview students are participating in an alphabet countdown as we prepare for the school year to come to a close. All grade levels have a chance to incorporate fun activities and games to celebrate each letter. Students in 3rd grade had an opportunity to play a variety of games as they worked together to play fair and have fun, while celebrating the letter ‘G’ for Game Day!

Many students were excited to play games, and they were mindful of incorporating cooperation as they participated. “We we’re good sports about not winning and we worked together,” said Emmersyn Pietkauskis. Students were randomly assigned groups to join to participate in Game Day and Gwyn Gruszka said, “we didn’t make a fuss about who our teammates were.” Many students said they were excited to have a chance to play games from Crazy Eights to kickball and Anthony Cereceres commented that all students worked together to pick up when they were finished. It was a fun day for all to take part in.

Over the past several years, Wautoma Area School District staff members have collaborated with the guidance counselors to promote character education throughout all four schools. The WASD Character Education Committee believes it is important and necessary for staff, students, parents, and community members to help instill these values in the next generation.

Planning is currently underway for the second district-wide Character Day on Wednesday, October 12, and the committee is looking to get the community involved. Any volunteers or community organizations interested in working with the WASD Character Day Committee should contact Julie Petersen (petersenj@wautoma.k12.wi.us) or Courtney Vaughan (vaughanc@wautoma.k12.wi.us) for more information.