Many of us may associate show and tell with early elementary. I know when I was young, that’s when I had the opportunity to bring in special things to share with my class. However, show and tell is just as powerful at any age. We all know that sharing what is special in our lives is a great way to connect with others.

5th grade students have the opportunity to sign up for show and tell throughout the year whenever they have something special that they want to share with the class. This could be something they made outside of school, an adventure on a vacation, something important in their life, a favorite book, or something cool that they own. Show and tell takes place during our morning meetings. After each share, students are encouraged to ask questions. If a physical object is shared, it may be displayed for the day.

Show and tell not only helps to deepen the connections between students, but it also blurs the lines between personal life and school life. This helps students to see each other as whole people and to celebrate the unique and wonderful aspects of each other. Each child is special and interesting in their own way, and show and tell is a great way to help students appreciate that in each other.