Wake Up Those Kids!!!
Danielle BoggsNorth Laurel
Middle School London, KY
Warning!Warning!Warning!
Please excuse yourself if you need to leave & talk if you need to talk.
Why won’t they just do something!
Motivation refers to the student’s “drive” or striving to accomplish some goal based on past performance and
expectation for success or failure
Many of our students are not motivated because they have already experienced too much failure in the classroom.
Engagement…not just another education buzz word!
•Engagement refers to the student’s involvement with, investment in, or connection to an activity or task
•Engagement is affected by motivation—how the student feels, what the student expects, and the value the student attaches to the activity
Make 1 engaging change in
each unit you teach!
• Transform a worksheet
• Make a game• Find a video
clip
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WILL DO WONDERS FOR STUDENT
BEHAVIOR IN YOUR CLASSROOM…
If you set clear expectations for your students before you begin the activities!
LEVEL 0: No ConversationLEVEL 1: WhisperLEVEL 2: Normal Conversation
LEVEL 3: Elevated Voice
VOICE LEVELS
Activity Title CConversation
HHelp
AActivity
MMovement
PParticipation
Topic Sentence Boxes CConversation
Level 1-2(Whisper-Normal Conversation)
HHelp
Ask your partnersIf you can’t figure it out together, RAISE YOUR HAND
AActivity
ALL group members are working to complete task
MMovement
Level 0(No movement)
PParticipation
Groups working together
Why hands on activities work well in my room…
• Students will participate in at least 4-5 different activities in a class period
• The variety keeps the students’ attention, increases their motivation, and facilitates learning
• Every student can succeed in some way and there is no time to get bored
While I am talking, be on the lookout for ideas that will work with your teaching style and your
students.
Brainstorming Notes: Write down activities you think will work in your classroom and what content you
think the activities will go well withHandouts
Name 15
• Materials: Scrap paper and a pencil• Directions: Instruct students to list 15 things that…….
in 3 minutes• Have students stand and share 1 item from their list
aloud, then be seated (students may not repeat an item another student has already listed
• Record the item onto a list on the white board and have the student write their item on the back of their scrap paper in large letters
• When all students have had a chance to give an item have them arrange themselves in alphabetical order according to their item
DemonstrateScrap Paper
Whiz KidsQuick Thinking Game
• Half the deck is creative questions• The other half are letter cards• Draw one from each stack and have fun with
the answers
Brain Gym
• The primary focus of Brain Gym is children moving, speaking, and physically interacting in the classroom
• There are 26 Brain Gym activities• The Brain Gym activities are designed to provide
physical activities that WAKE UP THEIR BRAINS• The program was developed based on findings
during Dr. Paul Dennison’s research into reading achievement and its relation to brain development
The Cross Crawl
• A movement similar to walking in pace and swinging the arms
• This activity accesses perceptual/cognitive functions such as: crossing the visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile midline
• Enhances academic skills such as: spelling and writing, listening, and reading comprehension
Demonstrate
Neck Rolls
• A movement that relaxes the neck and releases tension; it is often used reading or writing
• This activity improves auditory-linguistic processing, coordination of visual and auditory skills, and skimming and scanning for information
• Academic skills enhanced by this activity are reading aloud and silent reading for study
Demonstrate
Arm Activation
• A self-help activity that lengthens the muscles of the upper chest and shoulders, helps balance the muscles of the chest and back, and relaxes the fingers
• This improves work in the visual/tactile/kinesthetic midfield and relaxation while focusing
• Enhanced academic skills are penmanship and cursive writing, spelling and creative writing
Demonstrate
BRAIN GYM : TEACHER’S EDITIONCOPYRIGHT 1989, 1994, AND 2010 BY
PAUL E. DENNISON AND GAIL E. DENNISON
Note Taking Strategies
Attention Getters…
• Video Clips to spark students’ interest
• Introducing a topic with a story or trivia
• Adding animated clip art and audio to PowerPoint presentations
Adding New Life to Boring Activities
Attention Getters = Student Relevancy
Guided Notes…
• Copy of notes with key words left blank so students can fill them in as you give the PowerPoint presentation
• Address labels can be created prior to note-taking day to reduce spelling errors…this is especially good for students who need a scribe
• Copy of notes provided for students to highlight and add visual cues
Sample
Around The World…
Supplies: envelopes, colored paper, teacher-created graphic organizer
Directions: 1. Write keywords on the outside of envelopes2. Print information related to the keywords on colored
paper3. Create a graphic organizer for students to record
information onto4. Place envelopes on desks (Envelopes stay on desks, while
students move from desk to desk)5. Students will move from desk to desk to complete their
graphic organizers
Suggestion: Review expectations before starting activity and set a timer to have all students move at the same time
Foldables…The possibilities are endless
Suggested resource:
Contact Dinah Might AdventuresDinah-Might Adventures, LPP.O. Box 690328San Antonio, TX 78269Office: (210) 698-0123Purchase Order Fax: (210) 698-0095Orders Only: 1-800-99-DINAH
Foldable templates located on disk, Demonstrate
REPLACE THOSE OLD POWERPOINTS WITH SOMETHING MORE HIP HOP
http://flocabulary.com/fivethings/
ELIMINATE SOME WORKSHEETS
Sorting GamesAny worksheets that ask students to categorize is perfect for a sorting
game!
Materials: Small buckets, bowls, boxes, bins, etc.LabelsWorksheets
Directions:1. Label buckets according to the type of worksheets
(ex. Types of sentences: declarative, exclamatory, interrogative, and imperative)
2. Cut worksheet problems into individual playing pieces3. Have students work in groups to sort the worksheet
problems into appropriate buckets
Human SentencesSupplies: Sentence stripsMarkersDuct tapeDirections:1. Write sentences on strips and cut as you see fit,
according to your content focus (You may want to make punctuation marks on separate cards)
2. Place a strip of duct tape, long enough for your students to stand on, on your classroom floor
3. Hand out pieces of sentence strips and have students arrange themselves on the duct tape in a complete sentence
4. Students can place correct punctuation, move prepositional phrases for a more complex sentence, etc.
Stand Up/Sit Down
• This can be adapted to any Smart Board or PowerPoint activity in order to give students an opportunity to move in the classroom
• Students are instructed to stand beside their desk when they see a correct model on the screen and stay seated when they see an incorrect model on the screen
• A great formative assessment that can be added to already existing plans
Response Boards
Another great formative assessment that can be included in already developed lesson plans
• Easy to make or inexpensive to buy• Items needed: Colored card stock, sheet protectors,
dry erase markers, and decorative duct tape for some added fun
DemonstrateCardstock/Sheet protectors
Jenga in the Classroom
The Matching GameThis activity is perfect for vocabulary practice!
Supplies: Teacher created graphic organizer (with vocabulary words and definitions)ScissorsEnvelopes (for storing matching game)Glue sticksConstruction paperDirections:1. Create a graphic organizer with vocabulary words on one side and the
definitions on the other.2. Have students cut out the vocabulary squares and the definition squares. 3. As a warm-up during that unit have them play the matching game to learn
words/definitions. 4. As their vocabulary quiz at the end of the unit, give them a glue stick and a
sheet of construction paper to make their final matches.Hints:Have students work with partners the first few days and then ask them to
begin to practice matching independentlyFor students that are easily overwhelmed, give them a few words at a time
then introduce new words as you begin to see them mastering the original words
DemonstratePhobia-match Envelopes
How well do you know your phobias?
Acrophobia fear of heightsAgoraphobia fear of open
spacesAilurophobia fear of catsAmaxophobia fear of vehiclesAnthophobia fear of flowersArachnophobia fear of spidersAstraphobia fear of lightningBrontophobia fear of thunderClaustrophobia fear of closed
spacesCynophobia fear of dogs
Gephyrophobia fear of bridgesHerpetophobia fear of reptilesMurophobia fear of miceNyctophobia fear of darknessOchlophobia fear of crowdsOrnithophobia fear of birdsPyrophobia fear of fireTriskaidekaphobia fear of the
number 12Xenophobia fear of strangers
Main Idea MadnessStudents will listen to all of the supporting details and
determine the topic or main idea.
Directions:• Hand out supporting detail cards to the students • Have all students stand and read aloud the supporting
details that appear on their card• Provide sticky notes • Ask students to write their name and the topic or
main ideaDemonstrate
• Read the text to the students• Read the text to the students omitting the last
word…they will read the last word in unison• This help student’s fluency and require them to
follow along as you readDemonstrate
“The Biology Teacher”
Custom Reading GuidesMaterials: various colors of transparency paper cut
to desired size, sentence strips cut to the same size, and double-sided tape
Directions: 1. Have students look through the various colors of
transparency paper and choose the color that they can read through the best
2. Place double-sided tape on the top portion of the sentence strip and apply the chosen transparency paper with approximately 1 inch of the transparency paper above the top of the sentence strip
AnnotationIt is like having a
conversation with a book!
Highlighting is a way to annotate a book
Annotating allows you to:Ask questionsDefine difficult wordsComment on meaningMark events and passages you want to revisitTake notes during a classroom discussion
Additional Suggestions: Use sticky notes or side loading sheet protectors for annotating textbooks, magazines, etc.
A student annotation guide and side loading sheet protectors are located in your folders
Student HandoutIf you are new at annotation the student handout will give you simple guidelines to help you through the process
Let’s take a look!
Reading Walking Tour
Supplies: Teacher made graphic organizer, enlarged reading materials, masking tape
Directions: 1. Reproduce reading materials in chunks or
paragraphs, or rewrite sections of reading materials onto poster paper. Number in order and hang sections on the walls around your classroom or in hallway outside of your classroom
2. Create a graphic organizer with corresponding paragraph/section numbers for students to write the main point of each section
3. Divide students into groups and have them rotate from section to section reading and recording the main point of each section as they read
4. After all groups have made it through the rotation, have a class discussion to ensure that all students found accurate main points
Paragraph Stickers
Supplies:Non-fiction reading passageRemovable color coding labelsDirections:1. Supply number of labels according to the number of paragraphs in the
passage2. Have students place a label at the beginning of each paragraph3. Students should then number their paragraphs (I suggest telling students
how many paragraphs they should have numbered ahead of time)4. While completing questions pertaining to the passage, have students
site paragraph numbers. 5. If answers are incorrect, prompt all students to go back to specific
paragraph to reread and find the correct answerDemonstrate
“A Smart Move for Schools: Adding Chess to the Curriculum”
Brainstorming CardsSupplies: Sentence stripsMarkersWhiteboard or chart paperMagnets for each student in your classDirections: 1. Give students a theme or title on the board2. Have students brainstorm a list of nouns related to that title (This is a good time to do
Name 15 activity)3. Students will share their favorite noun and you should place their noun on a class list4. Once all students have shared their favorite noun have them write that noun on their
sentence strip (This is going to be a class poem, so ask them to start with a capital letter)
5. Next, have them write a ……..6. Last, have them add a prepositional phrase to their strip7. Place strips on the board with magnets and lead the class in a discussion about the
appropriate placement in the poem8. Rearrange as needed
Demonstrate Imagery PoemSentence Strips
“Snow Days”
Ranking Activity
(This exercise is great for persuasive writing)1. Present a thesis statement to the students and ask them to
brainstorm arguments to support the thesis2. Ask students to write the thesis statement and their three best
arguments on separate index cards3. Assist the students in ranking their arguments from strongest to
weakest by rearranging the index cards as a prewriting activity
Floor-Sized Game BoardsSupplies: • Bulletin board paper, floor
puzzle pieces, or vinyl table cloth (to create game board)
• Markers or paint (to decorate game board)
• Plastic bowling pins (to create pawns)
• Large dice (home-made or purchased)
• Review questionsNote:
If you have core content board games, you can use their board as a model to create your own floor-sized version
Caged Questions
Supplies:• Bingo cage• Bingo balls (to
attach questions to)
• Modge Podge or tape
• Teacher-made graphic organizer (for student responses)
Bare Books Game Board KitsAmazing Facts Mansion…
WWW.BAREBOOKS.COM
Whiteboard Spinner
Puts a new spin on those old review questions
Game Templates on Your Disk
• Today’s PowerPoint Slides• Bingo• Jeopardy• Who Wants To Be A
Millionaire• Turnover Squares• The Answer Is…• Weakest Link• Hollywood Squares• The Price is Right• Foldable Activities
Brainstorming Activity
What have I seen today that I can
use in my classroom…
Contact Information:
Danielle BoggsNorth Laurel Middle School101 Johnson RoadLondon, KY [email protected]