Inspired to RACK!

Read no further until you've clicked on this link and have read "Let's go RACKing!"  Seriously.  Play along.  You'll be glad you did.  Okay, you read it, right?  Aren't you glad you did?  The author of that post thoroughly inspired me, and gave me hope that I could do something similar with my kids.  Compassion, unselfishness, respect, heroism, and all the many honorable traits that I wish to sink into the core of each of my first graders are things we read about, discuss, and practice almost daily, but will these traits become part of who they are unless they have the opportunity to use them outside the four walls of our classroom?


I've got my kids for 12 days during December, and I'm making plans to RACK each of those days.  I want to keep it fairly simple but very meaningful.  There are some things that I'll have to orchestrate, preparing treats for example, but as much as possible, I want the kids to take ownership.  I want them to know how it feels to show kindness without being acknowledged or expecting anything in return. We'll remain anonymous, but when possible, we'll leave notes similar to the one in the inspirational post.  Here's my tentative plan.  


Day 1: Leave treats on each car in our school parking lot.

Day 2:  Take a quick walk to the Kuna Library and leave a collection of bookworms for the librarians to pass out.  

Day 3:  Leave treats for the lunch ladies.


Day 4:  Take hot chocolate out to duties at recess.


Day 5:  Clean the school grounds.


Day 6:  Leave a treat in the school mailbox for the postman.


Day 7:  Donate food to our school's food drive.


Day 8:  Donate a book to Operation Wish Book.


Day 9:  Leave a treat for our custodian and leave our classroom and hallway in better shape than normal.


Day 10:  Leave treats in the office for parents who sign in.


Day 11:  Head outside early before the dismissal bell rings and sing Christmas carols to the bus drivers while they wait.


Day 12:  Write Christmas cards for the senior center.


I'd love to hear back from anyone who has similar plans or who has ideas for me.  I've never done this before, so I welcome any and all thoughts.  There's still time to make changes.  I can't wait to RACK!