In this post I explain 18 games or activities that are educational AND appropriate for a socially distanced classroom. These are all intended to be used within content areas. These will get your students moving, interacting, and thinking when they might be stuck at their desks throughout the school day. I hope a couple get you brainstorming!
If you're teaching online/virtually or concurrently/hybrid, I hope at least one of these 15 ideas will inspire you! There are several free templates linked here to get you going. Have fun! Laughter is the best medicine. Spread some love to your students and build that classroom community no matter the circumstances.
I love hands on math activities. While you can purchase games, these are 10 easy structures that can be used for any math content at any level. You just need a few materials to create your own activities for the classroom. I promise it's better than a worksheet!
I love teaching with a workshop model, and I love teaching in small groups. Stations are so much fun to me. I love feeling like the class is shifting in time and being productive. I wanted this virtually, too, but how? I knew what I needed to get started. Here are some ideas for how to get going and what kids can be doing while you're with small groups. I'd love to know how it's going for you, too.
I love google forms! I have done tons of assessments using forms, gathered feedback, used it to create groups based on student choices, and more. It's a fantastic platform that can fill many needs.
If you're like me, you're teaching online, and breakout rooms are one of the few things that make my online classroom feel real and interactive. Here are 7 ways I'm using this tool and 9 recommendations for gradual release.
Number Sense Routines have become my passion. Over the past couple of years, I've been exposed to more and more websites with so many free resources. Now, I am obsessed! There is so much variety. I love how these routines and puzzles teach students so many skills. Most of these could be used in an online environment, so no matter how you're teaching this year, these will work for you!
One of the first things I wanted kids to have at home while teaching virtually was whiteboards, so I was psyched when my administration planned to make sure every kid got one in their "to go" kit to take home. I love using them in class, and kids love working with them. While whiteboards can of course be used as a replacement for paper, here are 10 specific ways to utilize them.
Google Slides are great for Collaborative Work! Think about collaborative story writing, number sense routine discussions, jigsaw reading, and more! See my periodic table project for one such idea.
Charmed by Challenge 