Fresh Alternatives to Get-to-Know-You Activities

Do the traditional get-to-know-you activities feel a bit stale to you?  Are you looking for some fresh ideas to get your students interacting with you and each other?  If so, then check out these multi-age activities!

Minute to Win It Team Building 

For each activity, you can set a timer for the traditional minute, or you can choose the amount of time appropriate for the groups.  I like to have them strategize at the end of the round to see how they could better improve for the next round.

Chain

To be done in small groups: Set a timer for a minute. Then, each player must make a chain of paperclips. At the end of the minute, have teams count their paperclips and strategize about how to make a longer chain in the next round. 

Captain Kirk

The players are asked to discover a new planet (balloon). One player blows up the balloon as soon as possible and ties it off.  The other players "inhabit" the planet by drawing as many people on it as possible with a felt-tip marker.

Get Them Moving With....

Pool Noodles

Here's a fun way to use pool noodles to get students up and moving.  I love how the instructor gives modifications for students to work in teams or alone.  I also love that pool noodles are on sale during this time of year.

Switch Sides If...

I was inspired to share this activity with you when I read this post by Mommies Hobbies.

This is a really cool activity that works with any age.
First, divide your classroom into two sides.  You can even put painter's tape in the middle to make a visual divide.
Next, have students stand on whatever side they want.
Then, say "Switch sides if..." and insert get-to-know-you statements such as:

• You prefer country music to rock music
• Your best friend goes to this school
• Your favorite subject is science
• You have more than one sibling
• You were born in a different state
• You have lived in this area for at least five years
• You are a morning person
• You play sports 

What would you add to this list?  I always need fresh ideas to keep things interesting at the beginning of the year!

Teacher Savior: Keto/Bulletproof Coffee on the Go

Have you ever needed to blend something at work but not had a blender or the time to use one?  Have you recently started a diet that incorporates coffee with extra ingredients, such as the Keto diet or protein shakes?  Then do I have the teacher savior for you!

I recently started the Keto diet, which encourages eating higher-foods.  One of my FAVORITE things first thing in the morning is to drink what is known as Bulletproof Coffee.  The recipe is below:

1 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons Coconut/MCT oil
2 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream

You just add all the ingredients to your travel mug and.... blend.  Except, who has access to a blender during the workday?  Not to mention the fact that they are LOUD.

Now, here's the magic "ingredient":  A milk frother!  This is my favorite one from Amazon.

This is very portable, as it is really little.  Despite its size, it is powerful.  It operates off of two AA batteries and all I do is give it a good rinse after each use.  If I want to deep clean it, I will just use it to "froth" some hot water with a drop or two of dish liquid.  It will easily fit in a teacher bag or lunchbox.

The first time I heard this recipe, I was thinking that there's no way those things will taste good in coffee.  Boy, was I wrong!  It is like a creamy, rich specialty coffee.  I promise that it DOES taste yummy and that it will keep you full for a good 3-4 hours.  I like to drink it on my way to work or before my morning workout.

Have you ever tried Keto coffee?  Are you interested in it?  Let me know your experiences and suggestions!

What Kind of Teacher Are You: Excellent or Mediocre?

Being a teacher is sometimes a lot like being a parent:  If you're doing it right, you will question whether you're making the right choices.  So if you've ever found yourself wondering if you're just a mediocre teacher, then this is the post for you.

First, let me tell you what DOESN'T make an excellent teacher:

Comparing yourself to other teachers

We all know that some people are truly gifted, natural teachers.  They are creative, patient, and cheerful. That being said, if you are struggling in one or more of these areas, it does NOT mean that you are sub-par.  It means that you are human.  The very fact that you are reflecting on your effectiveness and methodology means that you are a GREAT teacher.  Comparing yourself to others never works out well.  All it achieves is to make you feel inferior, which will absolutely not do you any favors as a teacher or a person in general.

Assuming that being an expert in your curriculum content is the most important thing

It really depends on who you ask on this one.  Administrators and School Board members may tell you that not having every last word of your curriculum memorized and your lesson plans in perfect order each day point towards a sub-par teacher.  If you ask any seasoned teacher, however, they will tell you that is one, tiny part of what makes a great teacher.  This is especially true if you are a newer teacher.  You will work out the fine details of curriculum and lesson-planning as you gain teaching experience.  Seriously, don't sweat this one.  We don't teach content, we teach children.

Assuming that just because you have a bad day (or days) that you aren't meant to be a teacher

We all have those days when things just don't go right from the time we wake up until our head hits the pillow at night.  As a teacher, many of the things that happen are not totally within our control.  Things like interruptions to our curriculum, emergencies, and illnesses can turn an already unpredictable day into a downright miserable one sometimes.  What IS within our control is how we deal with it.  There will be great days and terrible days.  On the terrible ones, you will have to ask yourself what you will need to do to get your "happy" back. Specialty coffee?  Dinner with a friend?  Exercise?  Whatever puts a smile on your face and helps you get back to business is exactly what you'll need to on those days.

Now, let's talk about the RIGHT ways to tell that you are a first-rate teacher:

Do you genuinely care about your students and do you let them know how much you care?

If the answer is yes, then you are not just a good teacher you are an amazing teacher.  Students will never be their best selves in our classroom until they know that they matter to us.  This is just as true for high-schoolers as it is for Kindergarteners.

Do previous students every stop by your room or let you know how much you mean to them?

If even ONE student has done this then you need to understand that you have reached a child on a truly unique level.  That is a gift that not all people possess.  Never underestimate this gift.

Do you regularly make time in your schedule for self care?

This is a sign that you are making sure that your energy level and happiness are at full capacity.  When you are happy, you are able to give that back to your students.  Taking care of yourself is a sign of a healthy and superior teacher.  I wrote about how you can practice self-care in just five minutes in this post.

Do you have at least one person in your building in whom you trust for advice, guidance, and a shoulder to cry on?

Teaching is not a profession in which people can be lone wolves.  We need other teachers who will support us on the bad days and give us guidance when we are not making the best decisions.  They share great ideas with us and encourage us to go to professional development opportunities that keep us on top of our game.

What are some things that separate the excellent teachers from the mediocre in your mind?  I'd love to hear about what you'd add to this list!

Teacher Appreciation Sale

TpT is hosting a 2-Day Teacher Appreciation Sale, starting today, to show us some love!

I will be offering a discount of 20% AND TpT will provide an additional 5% promo code to be used during checkout (see below).  That means you will get a total of 25% off EVERYTHING in my store! 


The sale starts TODAY, May 8th at 12:01 a.m. ET and runs through Wednesday, May 9th at 11:59 p.m. ET. 

Fresh Ideas for Content Review: Review Games

Would you like to infuse some fun into your content review?  This post talks about six quick and easy games that are guaranteed to get your students interested in reviewing!

All of these games are included in my Review Games Packet with more details on how to play them.


Memory Game
In this game, you would put out a collection of flash cards or related items.  Students have a short amount of time to memorize the items.  Afterward, students would need to recall as many of the items as possible and be able to tell how they are related.

In the example picture below, I have a collection of cell organelle flash cards.  The student who recalled the most words and made the connection that these are cell organelles would win the round.

Timeline Game

Another name for this game could be "Silence" because students must arrange themselves in order without making a sound!  The game can be adapted with very little preparation to fit almost any curriculum or theme.

The first step is to count out enough sticky notes/papers for each student.  Then, choose a topic related to your curriculum and get started letting the students line up according to your topic!

Puzzle Pieces Review Game

This game requires a little preparation.  To prepare, laminate five pictures.  You might laminate pictures relating to a teaching theme and then cut each picture into four to six puzzle pieces.

Goal:  You want to end up with one puzzle piece for each student in your class, so you will want to create a variety of four-piece, five-piece, and six-piece puzzles.

In the example below, the deciduous tree matches with the acorn and the coniferous tree matches with the pine cone.

Four Corners
I talk in more detail in this post about this game, but the idea is to be able to use a multiple-choice test have students moving to different corners of the room, marked with the letters of the test choices.  I made letters big enough to see from anywhere in the room with PowerPoint.  I decided to laminate them so they would last longer.

I include the letters and step-by-step instructions in my content review packet.

Pass the Chicken

Goal:  In this game, no one wants to be stuck holding the chicken.

Directions:

1. Prepare some themed topic ideas ahead of time 
2. All students stand in a circle.
3. One student is "it" and holds the rubber chicken.
4. The teacher or "caller" says to the person holding the chicken, "Name three organelles.  Pass the chicken!"As soon as the caller says, "Pass the chicken!", the person holding the chicken passes it to the right.
5. Students quickly pass the chicken around the circle.  If it makes it back to the original person holding the chicken before he or she can name the amount of things named at the beginning, the holder is still "it".
6. Otherwise, the person holding the chicken when "it" finishes is the new "it".

Knowledge Tag

Goal:  Review content knowledge with physical activity.

Directions:

1. Designate three or four "taggers" and three or four "thawers".
2. The thawers each have a set of knowledge cards with answers. 
3. On the "go signal", students begin the tag game.
4. When tagged, the student stops and begins doing jumping jacks or running in place.
5. The thawer role is to find a student who has been tagged and ask that student a question from the cards.
6. If the question is answered correctly, the student goes free.  If not, he or she is given another question.

If you are interested in learning more about these games and downloading a copy, CLICK HERE.


Have you tried any of these review games?  Which of these sounds the most applicable for your class?  I'd love to hear your ideas!

Get Inspired With Irish Spring Diffuser Blend

Are you ready for Spring?  Even if it’s not here, you can get that Spring fresh scent with March’s diffuser blend: Irish Spring. 

You can make this blend with:

3 Lime

3 Rosemary

2 Lemon

2 Spearmint

Irish Spring is the perfect blend for March because:

We are all looking forward to Spring.  This is such a clean-smelling blend that it makes me think about those first days of Spring that keep me looking forward to opening up the windows and basking in the sun.

Let's talk about why each of the Ingredients are so effective:

Lime

Like most citrus oils, lime has cleansing properties, due to a compound called limonene. It’s great for cleaning surfaces in your cleaning spray and purifying the air in our Diffuser Blend. 

Rosemary

Another amazing multipurpose oil. This oil fights respiratory infections and chronic fatigue, improves memory and focus, and promotes emotional balance.  One of its main constituents is a hydrocarbon called Terpinen-4-ol (pronounced ter-pin-in-4-O-L), which has an antibacterial and antifungal effect similar to what is found in Melaleuca. 

Lemon

If you’ve watched any of my previous videos, you know that lemon is one of my absolute favorites. It’s a purifier and cleanser, much like lime. I put it in my liquid dish soap and powder detergents. It’s also in my seasonal allergy Diffuser Blend, so stay tuned for that!

Spearmint

I call this “peppermint light”. It’s a really clean and refreshing scent. I believe peppermint would overpower the other oils in this blend, so spearmint is perfect. It promotes focus and uplifts our mood, which is why it’s the last ingredient in this cleansing spring blend. 

Fun facts To compliment the Irish Spring Blend:

Need to get stickers or sticker residue off something?  Just use a few drops of lemon oil!  Massage it onto the residue with your fingers and voila!  No need for goo gone!

Have a great month and I’ll see you next time where I’ll be sharing a blend inspired by allergy season!

How to Reach the “Unreachable” Students

Do you want to increase student participation and assignment/homework completion?  Do you have students who seem impossible to motivate?  Then I have some solutions for you in this post!

1. Rethink Homework

If homework isn’t getting completed on a regular basis, consider not assigning it. 

Instead:

• Make all work achievable in class time. 
• Have them break up information and present it to each other.  Students can complete a graphic organizer as others present. 

You can also read my homework post based on Myron Dwek’s Grading Smarter Not Harder. 

2. Rethink Study Guides

• First, start with the test in mind. Create study guides from the tests. 
• To help students keep track of them, print them on colored paper. 
• Have them quiz each other daily on the study guide, even if it’s just a few minutes at the beginning of class. 

3. Rethink Review and Test Prep

Turn it into a game with this Review Games Packet. 

If you have access to technology:

 Webquests, edPuzzle, Kahoot (and more) can all add excitement to a class while reviewing content. 

Offer extra credit for thinking outside the box:

I tell them they can add any information not already on the test related to this subject to the study guide for extra credit.

4. Get Them Moving

I give a specific example of this in my post on 22 Interactive Learning Structures 

Another post I did was based on Rick Wormeli’s Summarization in Any Subject. 

You can pick up a FREE copy of the Human Bingo board. 

Some other good options for getting students standing and moving:

Learning stations

Gallery walks

What are some other ways you reach those students who struggle?  I always need more ideas!