My mind is still spinning with ideas as I reflect on last week's Curriculum Camp. Switching to Block Schedule, 90 minute sessions everyday, has me thinking about the number of activities I need to plan for each class period. We will be on 4 x 4, where the students will take 4 classes for the 1st semester and 4 classes during the 2nd semester. I was thinking that if I were teaching the same subject to different students both semesters, I could simply reuse the ideas and activities that worked during the Fall and tweak or discard those that didn't quite go as planned. However, I do not teach the same subject twice, but I do teach the same students both semester - aaah! No re-gifting activites :)
I like to have one extra, over the top little something going on once a week. Often, it centers around some sort of assessment of knowledge, which allows the students to continue to practice the big ideas beyond a worksheet or problems from the end of the chapter (Eww - Who really likes 40 practice problems lined up like neat little soldiers?) During the Curriculum Camp we briefly touched on using games in the classroom, so I started ReALly thinking about "beyond the normal" ideas. My motto is AlwAys: Go BIG or Go HomE!!! Here is what I came up with so far:
Human Graphing: Use tape to make a huge coordinate plane on the floor. Assign each student a number. I thought it would be fun to pin their numbers to their shirts like runners get at a marathon to make them true Mathletes! This would be their "number" to plug into parent functions. They would then graph themselves on the coordinate plane.
Human Fooseball: How can this be educational??? I don't know, but it looks so fun that I have to try it!!! The only thing I can come up with so far is have teams who score a goal, answer a review question for an "extra" point. If the team, cannot correctly answer the question, the opposing team gets a turn to steal.
Giant Sorry: The game Sorry has about 20 -24 pieces - perfect to get all students involved. I thought I could tape pre-determined questions to the floor in the shape of the Sorry game board. As the students move around the game board, they would need to correctly answer questions or face a penalty of moving backwards.
Dance, Dance Revolution: I ordered
these last year and have yet to unpack them :/
Amazing Race with Google Earth: I have found lots of
ideas online for creating a classroom Amazing Race. I am still sorting through
this to make it applicable to my subject matter.
GeoCaching: I love
online caches, but I was thinking something outside.
QR Code Scavenger Hunt: Finally, found something that will work. I will share more later!
Snapguides: Have students create tutorials using
Snapguide
Screencasts: Assign each student a question from the study guide to create a tutorial. Post screencasts on an interactive study guide using
Dabbleboard,
Google presentation, or
Prezi
Write a Short Story: The Story of X and how he found himself. Publish short stories on class blog.
100's Chart Game: One of my
all time favorites that I usually use on St. Paddy's Day.
Algebra vs The Cockroaches: Online flash game
Graph a Wave Party: Intro activity to introduce graphing trig waves complete with a little beach ball fun.
Clue: Maybe this year I can add costumes??? I found a great
example of how others have embellished the activity with lots of props. I can't wait to transform my own classroom!!!
You Tube Turkey Hunt: Ok, technically this is a worksheet, but the students find a prize on You Tube and then get cupcakes at the feast. CuPcAkeS and MaTh - no better morning!!!
Jenga: Not sure about this one. I need to have someone who has actually played Jenga help me, but in the meantime, I have found a
great example of how the game was used as a test prep tool.
Virtual Piano: I will be using this at Christmas time this year. Self-checking activity in which students complete multiple choice questions and then play their answers on the
keyboard. If the answers are correct, the answers should yield a recognizable tune. The students did not recognize the fight song last year; maybe they will get Jingle Bells easier.
ClassTools' War of Worlds: This is my standard
"go-to" activity that I use for Open House, Back to School Night, and test review. The students never realize they are working 30 plus problems in a matter of minutes.
Socrative's Space Race: I need to think of
Space Prizes to make
this activity OuT of ThiS WoRLd. Maybe this is where I can use the black light and glow in the dark bracelets. I still trying to think of a way to incorporate these into an activity.
Hula Hoop Venn Diagrams: Why do
graphic organizers need to be limited to a sheet a paper. Why not make them a group activity by making them life size? (I know, it is obvious I have become a bit obsessed with
life sized games, but they look so fun. Take a quick peek at
Scrabble and
Chess. I am thinking these might be fun to play at lunch one day:)
While this list is in no way comprehensive, it does give me a spring board for planning lessons on the block. Some activities I have done before; others, I still need to wrap my mind around. WhAt am I MiSSinG? Do YOU have an AcTivIty that YOU will ShAre with me?
I love summer! The sun on my nose. Popsicles in the frig, hours to spend surfing the web and ambition to re-create what you see :D This week, I found an organizational idea to incorporate into my class this Fall. First, let me say I am a binder girl. There was a time when my whole life was filed in one binder after another. I somehow migrated away from the binders and I have never felt quite as "together". So, when I saw this Teacher Binder, I was InSPiRed to make one too! The binder includes sections for calendars, meetings notes, and lesson plans. I am not quite finished putting it together, but I do have the calendars, week-at-a-glance, and section dividers ready to share. 
