KABOOM twist - Great game for class

Here is a twist on the vary popular KABOOM GAME

Instructions at SOURCE

Making Ten

Have students work in pairs. Each student has ten cubes of one color and a blank copy of the chart. Each pair trades one color cube with partner and colors in our chart to match. Fantastic to reach all learners: oral, visual, kinethetic, tactile.

Source: http://owl.li/C2Jzr

Fraction Games

Teachers Pay Teachers have a lot of neat (and free or affordable) lesson ides they share, this one is a neat one for fractions.

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Outside Literacy Centre

As weather gets nicer (hopefully) here is a neat idea to try.....


Outside literacy center: Play twister, or jump from word to word: http://ow.ly/ppOPL

Reading Comprehension Dice

Source

BINGO Fractions

I often have blank BINGO sheets in my 'Bag of Tricks' so that I can easily fill it in depending on the class, subject, grade I get called into.

I really like this idea, as I think a lot of kids struggle with fractions and this is a fun way to help them learn them

http://pinterest.com/pin/96616354479291529/

Spelling Dice Game

I posted the dice game for writing last week, this is another great activity to use to practice spelling words. As a TTOC this can be a fun way to fill time in an educational but fun way if you get through all the materials early.

http://pinterest.com/pin/4855512071925700/

GAME: Simon Dit - Simon Says (en francais)

The best thing to teach students is actions and body parts. Then you can play "Simon dit" (Simon Says) with them. Usually I have a little script / cheat sheet and let students take turns playing "Simon" (or Simone)

Fun game to play at the end of a French class if there is time. They love it! You could also have "bonbon" prize

Cool FSL activity for tenses

Source: lutinbazar.fr via Amanda on Pinterest

Plastic Easter Eggs in the classroom

Our Spring Break is attached to easter this year, however, I wanted to share this anyways for teachers who have classes before Easter, or for future years... these plastic Easter eggs are on sale around this time of year and I have a bunch I got from the dollar store (I am talking 20 for $1).
For classroom teachers and teachers-teaching-on-call, these are some great ideas to try if you have some plastic eggs on hand. May be worth adding to your "Bag of Tricks" around Easter time.

While I have used them for scavenger hunts, prizes, games, here are some other ways to use them in the classroom:
Easter Egg Word Families....

Source: google.com via Mary Anna on Pinterest

Source: indulgy.com via Kali on Pinterest

Easter Egg Math.....

Source: momto2poshlildivas.com via Amy on Pinterest

Source: kindergartensmorgasboard.blogspot.com via Mary Anna on Pinterest

Source: teachersland.com via Analyn on Pinterest

Questions could be put inside these....

Source: classroomfreebies.com via Letitia on Pinterest

Make a game....

Source: toddlerapproved.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

There are endless ideas....

Source: educatingtothecore.blogspot.com via Karen on Pinterest

Source: indulgy.com via Kali on Pinterest

Writing BINGO

I am always looking for fun ways to incorporate writing games into days I teach as a TTOC (Teacher-Teaching-On-Call, Substitute) as well as fun fillers for when my own class wraps up early on a lesson, activity or project. I saw this on pintrest and wanted to share it with you all.

Source: twocandoit.blogspot.com via Marie on Pinterest

Ice Breaker: Human Knot

This used to be my go-to game when I ran summer camps for years and years in my younger, pre-teaching years....

Summary: A good icebreaker or teambuilding activity for new people to learn to work together – in close physical proximity! The goal is to figure out how to untangle the human knot without letting go of hands.

Ages: 12 and up. Recommended number of people: 7-200 (group sizes of 10 are ideal). Messiness factor: Might break a sweat – (close proximity – hope you’re not claustrophobic!). Materials required: None. Recommended setting: Both indoors or outdoors.

Human Knot Game
Goals of the Human Knot Game:

• Team building and communication
• Problem solving
• Ice-breaker or get to know others better

Setup for the Human Knot Game:

This game is versatile in that multiple group sizes can play. Form groups of about 10 people each. Have each group standing, facing towards each other, in a circle. Each person should be standing shoulder to shoulder. First, instruct everyone to lift their left hand and reach across to take the hand of someone standing across the circle. Next, have everyone lift their right and reach across to take the hand of another person standing across the circle. Make sure that no one is holding hands with someone standing directly beside the person.

How to Play the Human Knot Game
To play, the groups must communicate and figure out how to untangle the knot (forming a circle of people) without ever letting go of any hands. If you wish, this icebreaker can be played competitively, in which the facilitator says “Ready.. Set.. Go!” and has all the groups race to become the first group to finish. If any group member lets go of a hand (breaks the chain), then the group must start from the beginning, or you could impose a penalty/punishment for that person (e.g. wear a blindfold).

This game typically takes 15-30 minutes to complete. You can impose a time limit if you wish to make the game more challenging. When you are done with the Human Knot activity, you can ask some debrief questions if you wish, such as “How well did you group work together? What strategies did your group adopt? How did it feel to solve the game?” etc.

Variations
To increase the difficulty level, you can either (1) blindfold some of the players or (2) require that the game be played silently (no talking).

Photo and instructions via: http://www.group-games.com/ice-breakers/human-knot-icebreaker.html

Game: Four on a Couch

Four On A Couch

Name of Group Game: Four On A Couch Type: Indoor Number: Medium Group (12 - 19 people) to Large Group (20 + people) Age: Middle School – Adults Time: 20 - 30 minutes Four On A Couch Set-up:

Summary: Fun strategic memory game for medium to large groups. Great for teenagers to adults! Goal: Try to get four of your teammates on the couch! Preparation: - Four marked chairs or a "couch" that can fit four people. Four people must sit on the couch at the beginning of the game. Everyone else can sit on the ground in a circle or in unmarked chairs, with the outer circle boundary including the four special chairs/"couch". - One piece of paper for every participant and pens - A bag to collect the pieces of paper How to Play Four On A Couch: 1. Split everyone into two equal teams and ask them to sit in a circle. Add one empty seat in the circle. When starting, each participant needs to sit next to his/her opponent on both sides (alternating team members), including the four people on the "couch". Hand out the pieces of paper and pens (one per person). Ask everyone to write their names on their piece of paper and to put their pieces of paper in the bag. 2. After this, pass around the bag and ask everyone to draw one piece of paper with someone else's name on it. Each person should read their own piece of paper without letting anyone else know what his or her paper says. 3. Explain that the goal of the game is to get four of their teammates on the couch. The person on the right of empty chair/spot calls the name of a game participant. The person whose piece of paper has the called name sits in the empty chair. Whoever sits on the right of the new empty chair calls out another name. 4. Start by asking the person to the right of the empty chair to call a name. The person with the piece of paper with the written name sits in the empty chair. Continue this pattern. The first team to have four of their members on the couch wins the game. Source: http://www.greatgroupgames.com/four-on-a-couch.htm

Game: Electricity

A fun game to play as sponge or time-filler at the end of the day...

Summary: Squeeze your teammate's hand as quickly as possible- only if the coin comes up as heads! Goal: Be the first team to grab the object, if the quarter comes up as heads. Preparation: - A quarter - An object for teams to grab (ball, stuffed animal, water bottle, etc.) How to Play Electricity: 1. Arrange everyone into two equally numbered teams. Have both teams line up in parallel lines. At the end of the line, place the object about five feet away (in equal distance from both ends of the line). You’ll be at the head of the line. 2. Explain the rules: Everyone in line will need to hold hands and close their eyes. Only the first person of both lines can open their eyes. Flip the coin in the air, catch it, and reveal the quarter to the first person of both teams. 3. If the quarter comes up as “heads”, the first person squeezes the next person’s hand. The second person squeezes the next person’s hand, and so forth. At the end of the line, the last person runs to grab the object. The team that grabs the object first wins a point for the round. If the quarter comes up as “tails”, then no one squeezes anyone’s hand. If there’s an “accidental” hand squeeze and the quarter comes up as “tails”, the team that grabbed the object loses a point for the round. 4. For the second round, the first person goes to the back of the line and the game continues. The first team that reaches 10 points wins the game. Source: http://www.greatgroupgames.com/electricity.htm

Scoot Game

As a TTOC (Teacher Teaching on Call) I like games and activities that are interactive, can be adapted to any subject and age, and do not require a lot of prep or materials.

 

Some of my favourites include Tic-Tac-Toe and Basketball Trivia.

 

This is a new one I haven't tried yet, but can't wait to give a go.... it does require a bit of prep, but could easily be done in a short amount of time.

Scoot Game-

1. Make a simple chart with enough boxes so that each student in the class has one. Give this chart to students (you could even ask them to make a chart and number it 1-30 [or however many people are in the class] This is where students will write answers to problems.

 

2. Assign each desk a number (to match the chart) If desks are in a circle it will make movement easiest, but regardless of desk seating plan, be sure to give clear instructions on which direction students move during "SCOOT" (You may wish to put # signs on the desks to make it clearer)

 

3. On each desk put a flashcard face down with a problem on it (Math, Socials Studies, Vocabulary, etc) You may put the # on the back to make it clearer for students which question/answer they are working on.

 

4. Students flip over the flashcard and solve the problem, writing the answer on their chart sheet. When you yell "SCOOT" they flip the card back over and move to next question/problem/desk

 

5. Once everyone has gone to each desk and gotten a chance to answer each question, you can end the game and review the answers they wrote on their charts.

 

*You an decide how much time to wait between calling "SCOOT"

**Review rules, safety in moving from desk to desk before starting the game.

Here is an example created for a class of 12 students reviewing percents:

 

 

 

Card Trick Teacher

So I was shown this website http://www.thecardtrickteacher.com/ which has a ton of interesting ways to use cards in the classroom.

There are some cool Math tricks to use in class as well as some fun other tricks to try.

What's neat is they have videos showing the tricks as well as how they are done.

Here is an example:



I always have a deck of cards in my classroom or in my TTOC bag, so I find these various videos pretty awesome.

Back to School... Get Your Bag of Tricks Ready

The first week of school for TTOCs can be slow. Often there are not a lot of calls to go in for work, but there are things you can do during that week to prepare for a busy school year.

One suggestion I give to TTOCs is to take this time to get your "Bag of Tricks" ready to go. A 'Bag of Tricks' is something I have with me when I go into any classroom. The items in there will have you prepared for (almost) any situation. Here are some items in my bag:

• Writing Utensils
• pens
• pencils
• overhead pens
• dry erase pens
• chalk
• Activities
• mad libs
• sudoku
• picture book
• playing cards
• dice
• Personal Items
• Lunch
• Running Shoes
• Tylenol
• Tissues
• Waterbottle
• Mints
• whistle
• Extras
• stamps or stickers
• small beanbag or ball
• prizes or rewards
• your card or contact info

I also like to have my camera or cell phone to snap photos of bulletin boards, classroom set-up, and such that I like.

What do you always bring with you?
Comment below with your ideas to share....

Math Games WebSite

Try this site for some awesome Math Games for all levels:

http://www.aplusclick.com/index.html

Game: Sentence Race

Sentence Race

Level: Any Level
A good game for large classes and for reviewing vocabulary lessons.

Prepare a list of review vocabulary words.

1. Write the word list on two pieces of paper (One per team).
2. Cut up the words and organize the pieces into two bundles (One per team).
3. Divide the class into 2 teams.
4. Distribute a bundle to each team, distribute one word to each student on their team. Both teams have the same words.
5. When you call a word fromt he list, the students with the words race to the blackboard (one student from each team) The students must then race to write a sentence using their word.

The winner is the one with a correct and clearly written sentence. (You can do who ever is first, or give points to both teams if the word is used correctly)

This is always a hit with kids. For more advanced students, use tougher words.

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Midsummer Night's Dream - 2 fun games

I have been seeking ways to do more engaging activities during our Midsummer Night's Dream unit. I found these awesome activities and although i was reluctant to try them with my chatty, mostly male, Grade 9 English class (last block of the day also!!!) I gave it a shot and was pleased with how into it they got (ok, they prizes helped motivate them) I was also super excited to discover how much they had retained from the play thus far!

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Scavenger Hunt

Part One:

Discover how your classmates’ opinions and experiences relate to the play! Walk around the room and find a student to which each statement applies and ask him/her to initial the square. Students may initial each paper only once! The first student to complete all 25 squares wins!! Share your findings with the class and discuss the situations to which you can relate and why.

___ has played a trick on somebody Puck	___ has "loved" someone who didn’t return the feeling	___ has felt jealousy	___ has envied a friend’s good looks	___ has had parents disapprove of a relationship
___ has tried to run away from a problem	___ believes in love at first sight	___ has fought with a friend over a boy/girl	___ regrets falling in love with someone	___ has had funny or bizarre dreams recently
___ believes that looks don’t matter when in love	___ likes to tease or mock others	___ has disobeyed a parent	___ has been annoyed by a persistent admirer	___ has had a crush on the friend of a boyfriend/ girlfriend
___ enjoys magic shows or tricks	___ has gotten completely lost	___ is sometimes fickle about love	___ has told a friend’s secret	___ has been spoiled
___ enjoys plays and shows	___ has rudely insulted a friend	___ has refused a loved one’s demands	___ likes to play "matchmaker"	___ has performed on stage

Then on a BINGO sheet have students write out these names in random order:

Demetrius Hermia Oberon Snout

Egeus Hippolyta Peter Quince Snug

Francis Flute Lysander Philostrate Theseus

Helena Nick Bottom Puck Titania

Bingo Directions for Teachers: Use the following descriptions or quotes to test your students’ knowledge of the characters of A Midsummer Night’s Dream!

Descriptions:

1. wants to take the changeling child from the Fairy Queen (Oberon)

2. falls in love with a mortal while under the spell of a love potion (Titania)

3. the Duke of Athens (Theseus)

4. the Queen of the Amazons (Hippolyta)

5. says the "Prologue" of the play Pyramus and Thisby (Peter Quince)

6. plays the lead male role in the play Pyramus and Thisby (Nick Bottom)

7. plays the lead female role in the play Pyramus and Thisby (Francis Flute)

8. is worried about learning his lines for the play Pyramus and Thisby (Snug)

9. plays the Wall in the play Pyramus and Thisby (Snout)

10. asks the Duke to force his daughter to marry Demetrius (Egeus)

11. the man Helena loves (Demetrius)

12. the man Hermia loves (Lysander)

13. reveals her best friend’s secret to the man she loves (Helena)

14. puts a love potion in the wrong man’s eyes (Puck)

15. runs away with her lover against her father’s wishes (Hermia)

16. does not think the Duke will enjoy the play Pyramus and Thisby (Philostrate)

Quotes:

1. "The course of true love never did run smooth." (Lysander)

2. "Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind." (Helena)

3. "Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art translated." (Peter Quince)

4. "I am that merry wanderer of the night." (Puck)

5. "The villain is much lighter-heeled than I. I followed fast, but faster did he fly." (Lysander)

6. "Yet marked I where the bolt of Cupid fell. It fell upon a little western flower, Before milk-white, now purple with love’s wound" (Oberon)

7. "I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was. Man is but an ass, if he go about to expound this dream." (Nick Bottom)

8. "The object and the pleasure of mine eye, Is only Helena." (Demetrius)

9. "I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again: Mine ear is much enamour’d of thy note" (Titania)

10. "Nay, faith, let not me play a woman; I have a beard coming." (Francis Flute)

11. "Lovers and madmen have such seething brains …" (Theseus)

12. "A play there is, my lord, some ten words long … But by ten words, my lord, it is too long." (Philostrate)

13. "… I present a wall: And such a wall, as I would have you think, that had in it a crannied hole or chink, Through which the lovers, Pyramus and Thisby, Did whisper often very secretly." (Snout)

14. "Four days will quickly steep themselves in night; Four nights will quickly dream away the time" (Hippolyta)

15. "Have you the lion’s part written? pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study." (Snug)

16. "You thief of love! what, have you come by night And stolen my love’s heart from him?" (Hermia)

My grade 9s did really well with the descriptions. The quotes were a bit harder, but they still did a good job!

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