cooperative musical chairs
I've met some resistance in my attempt to build a classroom community, particularly when I assign co-operative learning groups. I've also met some bleary eyes this week due to the switch to Daylight Saving Time.
Thursday morning I launched a pretty significant lesson: How to explain the significance of quotations. It's a skill students will have to know in order to do well on their unit test and moving forward in ELA. I started talking... and was met with the tell-tale look of a tired, disinterested class. Students were slouched in their chairs, looking at me with half-open, sleep-deprived eyes.
I told everyone to stand up, grab their chairs, and move them on the opposite side of their desks. Because we are reading Shakespeare and performing readers' theatre, the desks have been configured into a U-shape, which made for a perfect space to play Cooperative Musical Chairs. Unlike the traditional game of Musical Chairs, this version stresses cooperation over competition because layers must work together when the music stops to find a seat for everyone by sharing and cooperating.
Begin the game by setting clear rules and expectations, especially since players will be sharing chairs. Start the music and prompt players to walk around the circle of chairs. Stop the music ever 20-50 seconds, varying the time each round. Remove a chair each time the music is stopped, before the next round begins. The game ends when you feel the space for players is too limited to continue playing the game safely. Explain to players that now they will reflect on how they experienced the game.
Possible questions to ask:
What happened in this game?
How does this version of Cooperative Musical Chairs compare with the traditional version?
How does each version make you feel?
What was difficult about this game?
How could you have avoided those difficulties?
What skills did we use to play this game and how can we use them outside of the game?
The teacher could also debrief the game by explaining that cooperating and working together is an important skill in all classroom activities, not just musical chairs.
For more detailed instructions visit here.
Thursday morning I launched a pretty significant lesson: How to explain the significance of quotations. It's a skill students will have to know in order to do well on their unit test and moving forward in ELA. I started talking... and was met with the tell-tale look of a tired, disinterested class. Students were slouched in their chairs, looking at me with half-open, sleep-deprived eyes.
I told everyone to stand up, grab their chairs, and move them on the opposite side of their desks. Because we are reading Shakespeare and performing readers' theatre, the desks have been configured into a U-shape, which made for a perfect space to play Cooperative Musical Chairs. Unlike the traditional game of Musical Chairs, this version stresses cooperation over competition because layers must work together when the music stops to find a seat for everyone by sharing and cooperating.
Begin the game by setting clear rules and expectations, especially since players will be sharing chairs. Start the music and prompt players to walk around the circle of chairs. Stop the music ever 20-50 seconds, varying the time each round. Remove a chair each time the music is stopped, before the next round begins. The game ends when you feel the space for players is too limited to continue playing the game safely. Explain to players that now they will reflect on how they experienced the game.
Possible questions to ask:
What happened in this game?
How does this version of Cooperative Musical Chairs compare with the traditional version?
How does each version make you feel?
What was difficult about this game?
How could you have avoided those difficulties?
What skills did we use to play this game and how can we use them outside of the game?
The teacher could also debrief the game by explaining that cooperating and working together is an important skill in all classroom activities, not just musical chairs.
For more detailed instructions visit here.
Would you rather?
It’s Monday morning. The students are tired. An hour into class, they start slouching in their chairs and the tell-tale glaze of disinterest crosses their eyes. Twenty minutes remain until their break but, let’s be honest, their brains are not going to absorb any more material.
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, today’s brain break was "Opposites Attract, Or Do They Really?" When ready to start this activity, ask students to stand at the wall that represents their preference. Next, call out a word pair. For example, I asked, “Which makes the better pet? Dogs or cats?” Students walk to the wall that matches their preference. Those who prefer dogs go to the dog wall (in this case, I pointed to the west wall of the classroom) while those who prefer cats stand at the cat wall (I pointed to the opposite wall). I then asked each group to mingle and, when called upon, orally present one argument as to why cats are better pets than dogs, and vice-versa.
We did three rounds and the students perked up enough to complete a writing assignment before their break. It got them out of their chairs, moving around, and learning about common interests they share with their classmates, especially classmates outside of their immediate circle of friends. It also gave students a chance to exercise their persuasive-argument skills.
If you are thinking of doing this brain break, here are some other sample word pairs:
Books/movies
Concerts/plays
Football/baseball
Basketball/soccer
Performer/audience
Novels/poetry
Sweet/sour
Spicy/bland
Snow/rain
Fog/sunshine
Beach/mountains
Desert/rain forest
Walking/jogging
Rock (or pop) music/country music
Day/night
Lake/river
Maze Runner/Hunger Games
Book/movie
Coke/Pepsi
Comedy/drama
Mercedes/BMW
There are many word pair combinations you can use: two different popular musicians or bands, two academic subjects, two popular movie stars, two popular reality shows, etc. Tap into your students’ interests!
Source: Icebreakers for High School Classrooms created by Dianne Mason
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, today’s brain break was "Opposites Attract, Or Do They Really?" When ready to start this activity, ask students to stand at the wall that represents their preference. Next, call out a word pair. For example, I asked, “Which makes the better pet? Dogs or cats?” Students walk to the wall that matches their preference. Those who prefer dogs go to the dog wall (in this case, I pointed to the west wall of the classroom) while those who prefer cats stand at the cat wall (I pointed to the opposite wall). I then asked each group to mingle and, when called upon, orally present one argument as to why cats are better pets than dogs, and vice-versa.
We did three rounds and the students perked up enough to complete a writing assignment before their break. It got them out of their chairs, moving around, and learning about common interests they share with their classmates, especially classmates outside of their immediate circle of friends. It also gave students a chance to exercise their persuasive-argument skills.
If you are thinking of doing this brain break, here are some other sample word pairs:
Books/movies
Concerts/plays
Football/baseball
Basketball/soccer
Performer/audience
Novels/poetry
Sweet/sour
Spicy/bland
Snow/rain
Fog/sunshine
Beach/mountains
Desert/rain forest
Walking/jogging
Rock (or pop) music/country music
Day/night
Lake/river
Maze Runner/Hunger Games
Book/movie
Coke/Pepsi
Comedy/drama
Mercedes/BMW
There are many word pair combinations you can use: two different popular musicians or bands, two academic subjects, two popular movie stars, two popular reality shows, etc. Tap into your students’ interests!
Source: Icebreakers for High School Classrooms created by Dianne Mason
double double
Grab a partner and form an inside/outside circle.
- Every time teacher says "double," students will fist pound.
- Every time teacher says "this," students will high-five.
- Every time teacher says "that," students will use their back-hands to high-five.
- Teacher says "double double this this, double double that that, double this, double that, double double this that."
gimme 5
All students must get out of seat and take at least 3 steps away from their desks.
- All students find 5 people to high-five
- While giving the 5 high-fives, each student must tell the other "you're awesome!" to boost class morale and develop a positive environment.
Simon says
Do not underestimate the power of children's games in a high school classroom. Simon Says, where 1 player takes the role of "Simon" and issues instructions (usually physical actions such as "jump in the air" or "stick out your tongue") to the other players, is typically a hit! As players are eliminated from the game by either following instructions that are not immediately preceded by the phrase, or by failing to follow an instruction which does include the phrase "Simon says" get those students to be Simon's eyes, so they are not sitting idle. Ask students to lead the game to help make it "their" game, which also gives you a break to refocus and perhaps set up for the next learning activity.
Another popular game that my Grade 10s asked to play was Heads Up 7 Up. Every. Day.
Another popular game that my Grade 10s asked to play was Heads Up 7 Up. Every. Day.