At the beginning of the year I do an “I can” unit where we focus on

the things we can do (or are willing to give a try). We first talk about

one of the biggest things that hurt our learning. It is the words “I

can’t.” so we bury the words “I can’t ” under a classroom rug. (It is fun

because that same day I remove the folder of words without their

knowledge and for the rest of the year you will have little ones trying

to see if they are still under the rug and I just tell them that we

buried them so good that they are not there anymore.)

Once we have buried “I can’t” we talk about all the things we can do. We list them, turn them into a Bingo game, and make books based on “I can”. I

introduce them to the quote “If you think you can, you can” (which we

chant everyday before we come inside from recess) and then I play the

song “Kan Kan” from Moulin Rouge. It is kind of wild and loud so after the first day I would recommend playing it as a last of the day activity. The students are allowed to dance anyway they CAN and sing along if they like. They like it so much they request it often.

Tambee McKell

First Grade Teacher

Grovecrest Elementary

Pleasant Grove, UT

– Tambee McKell First Grade Teacher