Here follows our discussion so far.  I've divided it between comments and suggestions for improvement.

Directions:  Post your thoughts about recess ON this website NOT in the comment box.  We expect the same high quality of writing that is exhibited below.  Please put your thoughts in the right section (comments or suggestions). You must put your name on your thoughts.

Comments

Casey- When we go up to gym and we want to play basketball, the 7th graders get angry when the 6th graders come and want to play, and they are mean about it. Also when we don't want to play basketball, one of the teachers yell at us that we are in one of the games.

Nina - 12/13s always take one end of the gym and the 10/11s the other.  There is very little room left if you don't want to play basketball with one of these groups.  

Kerem - 12/13s don't let the 11/12s play in their basketball game.

Eleanor - When we play soccer and basketball with the 12/13s they never pass to us.  This is not fair.

Bryan - While I haven't been to recess often, I have seen six 12/13s taking up half the gym.  

Eli - I think that 14 people taking up half the gym isn't fair.

Bobby - They aren't playing real basketball anyway so should be so serious about it.  

Patrick- Half the time the 7th graders are the ones coming in late and clogging up the gym. 

Nola - The 7th graders are too rough, and the two Nicks usually dominate the game. I don't think that there should be a limit to the amount of people that play, that's to exclusive. 

rebecca- I don't even go to recess when it is in the gym because it gets so crowded. 

Eleanor- I agree with Aly, because the 5th graders and the 7th graders are both really competitive, but over all I think that this whole thing is sort of point less and I think that the 7th graders are the ones who are making it chaotic...

Emily- I don't go up to recess, but from what I've heard and seen from other times is that the 12/13s aren't being fair, and the 10/11s are being unfair too.  They are both excluding other people.  I don't think the 14 people only rule is fair, because I'm sure that if somebody's friend comes up late, he or she will be accepted.

Mick -- i have never been to the gym for recess so i have no idea.

Eliza-- If you don't want to play basketball, you shouldn't even bother going to the gym. Both halves are all basketball. There is no room for anything else. Even if you get to the gym before the basketball players, they will push you out of the space and take it for themselves. I don't even know why the 12/13s are the ones complaining. They always get their precious game and half of gym to play it in.

Suggestions

Adrian - 12/13s take the end of the gym with the lower baskets and leave the 10/11s those that are higher.  This takes the challenge out of the game for the older kids and makes it harder for 10/11s.  They need to switch ends.

Aly - I think that since both the 5th graders, and the 7th graders are playing basket ball (on two different sides of the gym) They could play together and the rest of the gym could be for soccer or whatever people want to do. THIS MIGHT NOT WORK because the 7th graders might not pass to the 5th graders since they are so much taller and they think they are better.

Sabine- I don't really go up to recess much but maybe the grades can take turns playing like the 5th graders for a little bit, then the 6th graders and so on. I doubt this but it could work. 

Bryan - I think that half of the gym should be basketball and the other half should be other sports. I am not sure if it works, because the 7th graders might just take everyone else out of the game.

Francesca- I think that it's good then grades can play together. Maybe there can be 12 or 15 people, with 4 or 5 from each grade. I don't go up, though, so...