calming starters
Getting students re-focused after a transition is often difficult and
frustrating. When changing classrooms or returning from lunch or
recess, the students frequently come in energized and need help settling
down to be able to concentrate. It is important to include activities in
one’s daily/weekly routine to provide the students with the chance to
calm down and get focused. This chapter offers many options that
could be easily slid into your schedule and allow for a smoother and
more satisfying transition into learning.
Having a short activity on the board that students can begin as soon as
they walk in the room is another successful option. It gives the
students a focus and a responsibility. Although it will take some
students longer than others to get on task, all students will eventually
fall into the routine once they know to look for the assignment and
realize that they are being held accountable for its completion. Here are
a few ideas that do not require much planning on your part:
a logic puzzle
one of the starters from another chapter in this book
students write sentences using the week’s spelling/vocabulary
words
math problems
students find the grammatical/spelling errors in the paragraph
on the board
students respond to questions about the last lesson
comprehension questions
cloze activities
filling out forms for a passport, job application, or driver’s license
Also, it is often a good idea to use transition times to have a pep talk
with a difficult student. Let them know what is coming up next, what
they need to do to succeed, and give them some words of
encouragement.
Regularly implementing some of these ideas into the most difficult
portions of your schedule will offer relief and tranquility into your day.
Give it a try!
Stretches/Yoga
AGES | 5-12 |
FORMAT | Whole Group |
MATERIALS NEEDED | None |
DURATION | 5-10 minutes |
-Possibly checking out some of the children’s yoga sites to learn about
some of the animal stretches
DESCRIPTION
1. Ask students to find a place in the room where they cannot touch
anyone.
2. Explain to the students that they are going to do some stretches
all together.
3. Model the activity:
a. Teacher models a stretch while students watch.
b. Then all together the students will perform the stretch 5
times at the same slow pace and counting in an “inside
voice”.
4. Do 8-12 simple stretches with the students. If you don’t want to
do yoga, just think back to your days in Physical Education class.
It is a good way to change the flow of energy in the room.
VARIATION
1. After doing the activity on several occasions, let students earn the
right to lead the stretches.
2. Ask 8-12 people to lead one stretch each.
3. If this is an activity that you do often, allow the students to name
the stretches.
Music Story
AGES | 5-10 |
FORMAT | Individual |
MATERIALS NEEDED | Classical Music or Opera, paper and colored pencils/crayons 20 minutes |
DURATION |
DESCRIPTION
1. Explain to the students that music can tell a story or make us
feel a certain way.
2. Ask students to close their eyes and listen to a piece of music
allowing their imaginations to follow the music.
3. Play the music.
4. Pass out paper and colored pencils/crayons to each student and
ask each person to draw an image that pops in their minds while
listening to the music.
5. Let them know that there is no right answer.
6. Play the song several times while the students draw. The room
should be quiet so students can be inspired by the music.
7. Allow different students to share their drawings. It is interesting
to ask the students what part of the music made them think of
the image. Some students may tell a story while others will do
something more abstract. All are acceptable.
SUGGESTIONS
1. Some music suggestions might be:
a. Ludwig Van Beethoven Symphony #5
b. Edvard Grieg The Peer Gynt Suite
In the Hall of the Mountain King
c. Gioachino Rossini William Tell Overture The Finale
d. Johannes Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5
Finale
2. It is interesting to see how the students let their imaginations run
wild when doing this activity in the future.
Read Aloud
AGES | All Ages |
FORMAT | Whole Class |
MATERIALS NEEDED | A great story |
DURATION | 5-20 minutes |
DESCRIPTION
1. Grab a great book and begin reading. It can be an old favorite of
the class or a new selection.
2. If students are charged with energy, they can remain in their
seats to listen to the story while you walk around the room.
Drop Everything and Read
AGES | All ages |
FORMAT | Whole Class |
MATERIALS NEEDED | Reading material for each student |
DURATION | 5-30 minutes |
DESCRIPTION
1. Tell students that for the next “x” amount of time, everyone in the
class (including you) will take some time to read silently and
individually.
SUGGESTIONS
1. If this activity is new to students, then it is a good idea to start
with a short amount of time (e.g. 5 minutes) and work up to more.
2. If your students are not accustomed to having a special place to
sit on the floor away from others and work, then ask them to
remain in their seats.
3. Allow students to read anything during this time (as long as it is
school appropriate and they are quiet.)
a. Magazines
b. Cartoons/comic books
c. Novels
d. Short stories
e. Newspaper
Storytelling
AGES | All ages |
FORMAT | Whole Class |
MATERIALS NEEDED | None |
DURATION | 5-10 minutes |
-Plan ways (like repeated text pattern or
sound effects) that would allow the class
to participate
DESCRIPTION
1. Find your theatrical self and make the story come alive.
EXAMPLES FOR CLASS PARTICIPATION
1. “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”-Divide the class into Three
groups. First group will chant about Papa Bear’s things. The
second group will chant about Mama Bear’s things and the third
group is in charge of Baby Bear’s things. Students can repeat
after you to make sure they all say the same thing.
2. For “The Three Pigs” get the class to be the wolf and say “Open
up! Open Up! Let me in or I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll BLOW
your house down”
3. For “The Little Red Hen” the students can do actions for each of
the animals and say “Not I, said the _______”.
Quick Creative Writing
AGES | All ages |
FORMAT | Whole Class |
MATERIALS NEEDED | None |
DURATION | 20 minutes |
DESCRIPTION
1. Throw an interesting topic on the board. “If” topics are often fun:
a. If you could beam yourself anywhere right now, where
would you go? Why? What do you think it would be like?
b. If you could meet any famous person, who would it be?
Why? What would you say to them? What activity would
you want to do with them?
c. If you could have one super hero power, what would it be?
Why? What would you do with it?
d. If you could change into any animal for a day, what animal
would you choose? Why? What do you think your day
might be like?
2. Give the students 20 minutes to write silently.
3. Allow students to share their ideas.
Silent Ball
AGES | All ages |
FORMAT | Whole Class |
MATERIALS NEEDED | Soft or rubber ball |
DURATION | 5-10 minutes |
DESCRIPTION
1. Put desks into a circle.
2. Ask students to stand in front of his/her desk.
3. Explain the following rules:
a. Students can sit on their desks (only sitting and only if
being safe)
b. Students must remain silent
c. Students throw the ball gently to other students
d. Students who don’t follow these rules are out.
e. Students who do not catch the ball when thrown directly to
them are out.
4. Give students options of what to do once they are out of the
game:
a. Watch the game silently
b. Do their homework silently
c. Read a book silently
d. Draw silently
5. Give a student the ball. He/She throws the ball gently to another
student.
6. That student throws the ball gently to yet another student.
7. Continue like this until there is only 2 people left or until you run
out of time.
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