The Turbo Snail

Younger students can do some goofy things when all their work is finished, they are making honor roll grades, and they have what I call “creative time".  I have reading clubs and a great little library in the back of my room.  We also have brain games and puzzle-type things.  But sometimes they don’t want to do any of these, or perhaps they already have, and then they do . . . weird stuff --

like making a “Turbo Snail.”  “What is a ‘Turbo Snail’?” you may ask.  Well, confused reader, I will try to explain that to you, even though I am rather confused myself.

A “Turbo Snail” is a snail that a student brings in for science, takes to his desk, and then puts into a little snail house he had made for it.  I might add that the snail house is next to the outhouse made from popsicle sticks painted red and black.  

The outhouse also has things like “stink,” "out of order," "NO toilet paper," and “keep out” written out on it.  The student informed me that you can erase the words and write new words on the outhouse if you use pencil.  Sorry, I have papers to grade and I don’t have time to write on your outhouse, although I am a little impressed.  But back to the snail.

Once the snail is out of his house (the snail house, not the outhouse), he has a little wagon attached to him with tape.  The wagon has the little Marci Cook Math tiles in it. (If you haven’t checked out Marci Cook Math I encourage you to do so.)  The student then puts a “TURBO” sign on the snail’s shell and he is ready to go.  

I was informed that if you put some water on your desk or arm, the snail will come out of his shell and pull the math tiles around.  It really works, too.   He showed me.  Don’t ask me why a student really needs a “Turbo Snail” to pull his math tiles around in a paper wagon on his desk.  He could just store them in his desk, or the outhouse.  I guess he was just being creative.