Classroom Applications

Changes for the Brain

May 9, 2014

Marcia Tate shared 20 Instructional Strategies for Brain-Based Instruction. This week I opted to use the Movement strategy. This week we were doing a Language Arts Benchmark test so I used her strategy (combined with activities done on our last face-to-face) to help my students "warm up" both sides of their brains.

On Monday morning during our Morning Meeting I explained how important it is to keep both sides of our brains active. We talked about how the left side of the brain controls our right side of the body and vice-versa. I made the connection with how each of us is either left- or right- handed and our other side of the brain needs some extra exercise. The kids really enjoyed everything we tried. I liked doing these more than just the usual dancing or exercise brain-breaks and will continue to use them regularly.   

Here's what we did throughout the week:
1.) Whole class stands in a circle. Students open left hand and hold it out to the side. Students point into neighbor's open palm when I said "GRAB!" The goal was to grab the finger in your palm while also pulling up your finger so it didn't get caught by your neighbor. 
2.) From the website Energizing Brain Breaks we did: Hands Brain Break (challenging), Thumb Wars (classic favorite), Twisted (fun to watch the kids), Ear and Nose Switch (tough), and Core Strength (tipsy).
3.) Kids spent a little time doing things with their non-dominant hand. We did a writing activity, I challenged them to use the opposite hand at lunch, and those of us with watches/bracelets put them on the opposite wrists. It was fun to hear the responses!

Brain-Based Learning

April 30, 2014

There has been so much stock put into brain-based learning lately that it was interesting to see some solid examples shared. "Learning on Our Minds: Brain-Based Classroom Applications" reiterated the idea that in order for students (or adults, for that matter) to be engaged, the environment must be adjusted to allow for heightened mental connections. I decided to use more brain breaks this week. I do a lot of the "15 jumping jacks in place" or "slow motion run back to your desk" but this week I found some YouTube videos to enhance those brain breaks.  

TeachTrainLove (after coming across this site I think I remember one of my lovely SAGA members mentioning it a few months ago)
This particular link took me to 20 brain break clips. Some were a little young for my kids but we all really enjoyed The Sid Shuffle, Kung Fu Fighting, and the Cha Cha Slide among others.
Just Dance for Kids on YouTube
We used some of these videos during our million indoor recesses this winter. I know the boy band haters-gonna-hate but One Direction has some of the best dancing videos :)

Totally Ten

April 17, 2014

I attended a session at our SMU Spring Conference that focused around brain-based learning. The presenter shared a tool called "Totally Ten." She used it for kids to prepare for a 4th grade unit assessment on circuits. The idea was to give students a variety of choices (different point levels) to prove their knowledge of the unit. Students can make whatever combination of levels to equal 10 points. Obviously the higher the point level the more challenging and time consuming the activity will be. I re-vamped things for a book report with my class. Here's the short-and-sweet version of what mine looks like:

2 points: Write a poem or song, create 2 character webs, 3 sentence book review

4 points: Venn diagram, drawing of favorite scence and 5 sentence description

6 points:  Comic strip (6 frames), write a 10 sentence sequel to your book 

10 points: 5 minute skit/play, diorama with 15 sentence description

The kids were very excited to choose their book and get started on the projects. I had a college student observing in my classroom the afternoon I went through this and she told me she wanted to do everything on our list :)

Rubric Practice
March 13, 2014
     After reading about rubrics recently I was anxious to give it a try in my classroom. I honestly haven't used them very often with my class. I saw a vocabulary activity on the Authentic Assessment Toolbox website that would work well with our Language Arts unit. I designed a simple rubric to assess students performance regarding word choice, definition, sentence structure, illustration, and overall neatness. My students were a little confused with the idea of point values but understood once they started working. As I was walking around I noticed that some of my rushers were really taking their time. I am hopeful that giving my students more clearly stated expectations (other than my "nice and neat" and "take your time" mantras) will give students a little push to perform at a higher level. It was good to see students taking a bit more ownership of their school work. Hopefully I can start implementing rubrics into our routine a little more regularly.

Mueller, Jon. Authentic Assessment Toolbox. Naperville, IL: Jon Mueller. 2014. http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/rubrics.htm 

Round-Robin Storytelling
February 13, 2014
     This week I tried a new activity with my class. I found it in an article called "The Two Dimensions of Positive Interdependence" by Dr. Spencer Kagan. He described how positive interdependence is when students need each other in order to accomplish a task and have a positive outcome. 
     The activity I tried with my class of 24 second graders is called Round-Robin Storytelling. I talked briefly with my class about how storytelling has been going on for a long time. We discussed how people shared information and stories before computers, iPads, and even paper and pencils. We could have spent all day just talking about that "old fashioned" lifestyle before i-anythings!
     I split the class up into groups of six. Each group had the task of telling a story for a few minutes with each person adding a new sentence as the story worked its way around the circle. I first gave my students a theme (Your trip to the Olympics!) and had them do a test-run. One group really struggled with getting a flow to their story. The other groups were a little timid but then got going. We talked about what was challenging and then tried it again without a topic. The stories were so fun to listen to as I was walking around. 
     We closed the activity by saying how working together they were able to create some interesting and creative stories. This is something I would like to do again. It seems that all too often kids aren't using their imaginations as much anymore. Video games and other interactive things but a picture and action to everything already. We need to keep those imaginations working!

Kagan, S. The Two Dimensions of Positive Interdependence. San Clemente, CA: Kagan Publishing. Kagan Online Magazine, Fall 2007. www.KaganOnline.com