Shownotes
Small changes to your lesson structure can incorporate a lot of fun. Let's dive into 13 ideas you'll want to try with your learners.
Resources
Ellie’s Blog Post -
Math Truth or Dare:
Math Wheels:
Math Color by Numbers:
Related Episodes
Episode 3 - Three Games to Play in Your Classroom
https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/classroom-games-you-can-play-today-episode-3/
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Mentioned in this episode:
Make your social studies lessons engaging and interesting!
Explore ancient Egypt by writing notes about the mummification process inside a mummy and build the landscape of the great pyramid out of two sheets of paper. In ancient Greece, students create their own polis (little town), compete in the games, and explore Alexander’s conquests. And if you want to explore Mexico, students can simply color a map, or digitally, they can try to put the landscape formations into the correct places and label the map, all with the mouse. Stop by The Colorado Classroom on Teachers Pay Teachers to choose the next unit your students will rave about.
Transcripts
Brittany 0:00
Hey, Ellie, I don't know if this ever happened to you, but did you ever feel like your classroom was boring or just kind of skating by, or that you were the mean one in the grade level because everyone else seemed to be laughing, goofing off, doing fun things?
Ellie 0:38
Um, yeah, I would say yes. Even though I did engage in activities, I often felt like I was a little more strict and a little less fun than some of the other teachers.
Brittany 0:50
Yeah, same here. I sure had those moments occasionally, especially since I was the grade level leader and gave all those grade level lectures when the students were disobedient. I had this like persona with the kids, but those in my class knew that I tried to keep my class laughing and having fun throughout the day.
Brittany 1:13
So this is The Teaching Toolbox, and I'm Brittany, and I'm here with my eager associate, Ellie,
Ellie 1:19
hello,
Brittany 1:21
and today, we're going to open the proverbial classroom door and explore ways to keep your class having fun through daily lesson structure.
Ellie 1:32
So first of all, some people might ask, why do we want to have fun in the classroom? Isn't school supposed to be about learning which we need to take seriously? I mean, there's so much to get done. Who has time for fun? Well, fun and engaging classroom environments are not just about entertaining students. Having fun and keeping students engaged is critical to enhancing students educational experiences. Before we dive into ways to incorporate the fun, let's think about a few significant benefits. First, with fun, we end up with improved engagement and motivation. Fun activities and creative teaching methods can capture students attention and spark their interest in the subject. When students actually enjoy learning, they're more likely to participate in class and stay motivated to explore new topics. This increased engagement can lead to a deeper understanding of the material and improved academic performance.
Brittany 2:33
Number two, engaging activities can help enhance social skills and collaboration. By incorporating fun elements that are academic, such as group games, interactive projects, role playing activities, it encourages students to work together and communicate effectively. These experiences help students develop essential social skills such as teamwork, empathy, conflict resolution, and then students can build stronger relationships and a sense of community in the classroom by collaborating with peers in a fun setting.
Ellie 3:12
Fun and engaging activities can also reduce stress and anxiety. We know the middle school years can be challenging for students as they navigate academic pressures and social dynamics. Introducing fun activities into the classroom can serve as a stress reliever, giving students a break from the textbook or regular classroom routines and helping them relax a little bit. A fun classroom atmosphere fosters a positive emotional climate where students feel more comfortable and confident. This can lead to improved mental well being and a more supportive learning environment.
Brittany 3:47
erica on a wooden boat in the:Ellie 4:34
You know, I love that, because that also can throw in a little bit of review when you have those kinds of questions. That's awesome.
Brittany 4:39
You can see who understood it and who didn't.
Ellie 4:42
Right. You can incorporate music. Play upbeat music during transitions or while students are working independently. Create themed playlists or let students choose a song of the day that energizes the room. When we used our Footloose task cards, we would play the song footloose, which the students absolutely loved. And it didn't wreck their focus or their concentration or anything, it was just there in the background. They enjoyed it and enjoyed the math activity.
Brittany 5:09
You can hold theme days. Designate days like Wacky Hat Wednesday or Throwback Thursday, where students and teachers can dress up or participate in fun challenges related to the theme. And again, you could make the themes academic, like Triangle Tuesday or Explorer Wednesday.
Ellie 5:27
You can use interactive games. Use classroom games like Kahoot, Jeopardy, or Quizlet live to review material. Turning learning into a game brings energy and excitement. One of my favorite math and actually language arts games is the Truth or Dare games that uses the concepts of a unit to create true or false and open ended questions. I have a blog post all about those that I can link in the show notes.
Brittany 5:54
Number five, you can have classroom competitions. Start the day with a fun physical challenge, like a one minute paper airplane contest, a quick scavenger hunt, or a trivia question. In episode three, Ellie and I discussed three great games to play in your classroom, and one of those games you can't win is a great game to play quickly every day to keep a little fun and humor in the day. The first few days of playing take a little longer, but then it goes much faster after that. So maybe go back and give Episode Three a listen. We'll link it in the show notes.
Ellie 6:31
Yeah I really liked that when you shared that one. That was pretty cool. You can have students role play, or do some acting. Students can act out scenes from a book, reenact a historical event or even play the role of a teacher for a quick lesson recap. Students love being the teacher.
Brittany 6:48
Yes, they do.
Ellie 6:50
There were times that another adult would walk into my classroom and need to talk to me for a minute about something, and I knew it was going to be more than, like, three seconds. So if we were in the middle of going over homework or something. I would hand my math book or the answer key or whatever over to a student and let them take over, and they just loved it. And I feel like the kids even the kids even perked up when another student was being teacher.
Brittany 7:13
Yeah, they definitely respond differently.
Ellie 7:15
Yeah. They love that.
Brittany 7:17
You can celebrate achievements. Create a shout out wall, or dedicate five minutes of class time to acknowledge both small and big wins, from academic achievements to personal milestones. Pin them up on a special area on the wall or a cabinet door and share them from time to time. One year I had a giant turtle on the wall because I used to adore turtles. And above it, it had the words turtle talk. And so anytime someone did or said something funny or special or whatever, one of the kids would capture it on a sticky note, and then we'd place it on the giant laminated turtle. And then it stayed there all year, and the kids loved going back and reading the sticky notes from time to time.
Ellie 8:04
Nice, and then you had those memories. That's awesome. You can make lessons a little bit different by integrating art. Let students express their learning through drawing, doodling, or creating quick comics related to the lesson. And teachers can join in on that artistic fun. Math doodle wheels and doodle notes are great ways to use art and color during class. And color by numbers also incorporate art and incorporate some of that relaxation that coloring provides and helps students find the topic a little less scary.
Brittany 8:38
You can introduce silly challenges. Introduce some playful challenges, like trying to complete an activity with one hand or within a certain time limit. Add fun stakes, like giving the winners a quirky badge or a title or a certificate, kind of like those Minute to Win It games we used to see all over.
Ellie 8:58
That's fun. You can use funny video clips or memes. Share short school appropriate funny videos, memes, or gifs related to the day's lesson. Laughter can create a lighter, more relaxed atmosphere.
Brittany 9:12
You can have quick brain breaks. Incorporate short energetic activities like dance offs or trivia questions between lessons. These breaks can re energize students and enhance their focus.
Ellie 9:27
If you have jobs or someone who is interested in it, have a class historian. This individual writes down what happens each day. And being a kid, they usually collect the funny, odd and unusual occurrences and things that you may not see. Collect those in a spiral notebook or journal and read through some occasionally as a class.
Brittany 9:50
And then number 13, even though there are some who say that sarcasm is bad, use a little sarcasm to adjust a bit with the kids. Because they're just at the age where they're getting it. So just be careful that the kids get what you're saying and that you don't say anything too bad. I used to joke with the kids quite a bit about relationship issues and stuff, and so whenever I saw kids passing love notes back and forth. We used to take them and during recess or whatever, I would go put them on transparency paper, and then we'd all correct the grammar and punctuation and spelling.
Ellie:I bet they love that.
Brittany:Yes, they did. It was quite funny.
Ellie:Oh, goodness, fun times. Well, these are 13 ideas that we hope are fabulous tools for your teaching toolbox, and they can keep both teachers and students more engaged and bring a refreshing, playful energy to the classroom. Incorporating these small, enjoyable elements into your daily teaching routine can significantly improve student engagement and the classroom atmosphere. By fostering a fun and dynamic learning environment, you enhance student enthusiasm and create a space where education becomes an exciting journey.
Brittany:If you enjoyed today's episode, please leave us a review. These reviews help others like you find us as well. Thanks. Have a wonderful day
Ellie:Bye.
