Tic Tac Booyah is a fun and engaging review game!

We Are Thespians!

Here’s how we enjoyed our last day together! It really hasn’t sunk in yet. We laughed, we cried, we played! Minute to Win It! Oh so fun! I made some...

Last year the cup stack was one of my FAVORITE team building activities (see post here). So, naturally, I wanted to give it another shot! The Cup Stack is a fun, yet challenging activity that promotes team work. The supplies are basic: cups, string, rubber bands. I go ahead and tie the string to the rubber bands so it is ready to go. I make a few for groups of 4 and a few for groups of 5, this way no matter what the numbers are in the classroom I can make it work. I start by asking students what teamwork is. What does it look like? sound like? feel like? We brainstorm a list of ideas that I hang in the classroom for students to refer to. Each class comes up with a variety of ideas, but they all center around the same theme. Then I introduce their challenge. I start off my admitting that this will be a frustrating activity. We discuss ways to handle our stress and feelings that arise when others make a mistake or don't do what we want them to do. I model that they will each be given 6 cups and a rubberband with strings attached to it. Their job is to stack the cups into a design by only holding onto their individual string. I demonstrate that when everyone pulls on their string the rubberband opens wider, and vice versa. I also show them the challenges of picking up a cup that has tipped on its side or fallen on the floor. No matter what happens, they must follow the one rule: YOU CAN ONLY TOUCH YOUR STRING. No touching the rubber band, no touching the cup, and no touching other group member's strings. I reinforce how communication is so important in order to reach the goal. Then I set them off. Here are some videos and pics. After about 10-15 minutes, we pause and reflect on our experiences. I ask them to rate their group on how well they worked together using the ideas we wrote at the beginning of the lesson. I ask them what went well for their group. I also ask them what didn't go well for their group. We talk about different strategies and ways we an handle ourselves when things don't go the way we want them to. Throughout the activity I walk around and facilitate positive communication, so I usually have a few examples to help springboard the discussion.

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Whether you're looking for a first day ice breaker or games to play at a back to school bash, this list has something for everyone!

Share these story of Elijah crafts with your kids at home or in your classroom. I've added a new printable for Elijah being taken to heaven.

Do you use Kaboom! in your classroom? It has been my go-to center for the past few years, whether I'm teaching Firsties, or now third graders. If Kaboom! is new to you, or it is something you haven't yet tried in your classroom, here are some great reasons to give it a try:

Okay, I mentioned that we played a wacky (but really fun) game, that six of us on the game committee made up, for the entertainment at our R...

The Unfair Game is a totally unfair twist on Jeopardy that your students will LOVE to hate! Learn how to play and find sample game boards in this post.

Here are some really fun and engaging games that any Orton-Gillingham tutor can use during the O-G sessions to keep the lessons motivating.

If you are looking for something to do with your children this weekend, then you should click this printable ‘20 questions to ask your child

Getting To Know You Ice Breaker Game for Your Family Reunion Family Reunion Bingo A fun, traditional ice breaker game for your family reunion is the “Find Someone Who…” game. The printable ga…

Fun and engaging ESL activities, games and worksheets in printable PDF format with full teacher's notes and answers for English teachers to use in class.

Ok teachers! It's officially getting down to the wire. It's time to start planning those back to school activities! I love these types of ac...

Fun and engaging ESL activities, games and worksheets in printable PDF format with full teacher's notes and answers for English teachers to use in class.

Family reunion bingo is a great ice breaker activity for family reunions or parties of any kind. I created a family reunion bingo card several years ago that we have used over and over again.…

Have you ever seen the etheric cord that connects you to every thing on this planet? You may get a glimpse of it every now and again, especially in your most meaningful relationships. When we connect with another person, especially romantically we activate an energetic cord with them. As we continue through the relationship every […]

A picture about safety conditions. This can be used to practise modals, particularly SHOULD. First, they students match the descriptions to the picture, then they rearrange the sentences to say what Mum should do. This can lead to some good speaking practise about do's and don'ts in the kitchen. Key included. - ESL worksheets

This post explains how teachers can use an academic version of the highly engaging Spoons game to review concepts. Free games included!

The video for "It's Oh So Quiet" by Björk is by far one of my favorites to demonstrate contrasting dynamics, piano, and forte.

Yup... kids come back Monday- am a *little* in denial at the moment.. you'd think after 4 days of meetings (!!!) that I would be ready, but ...

I have posted before about the end of the school year and how I sing camp songs with my kiddos. They love it and can't wait for the end of April to start singing these crazy, silly, hysterical songs! It has become a much anticipated tradition! Here are a few I recently learned and my students love! 1. Alligator This is serious fun here, folks! Dramatize the first call and response part and then really let loose with the craziness on the "alligator" chorus part. You can see it in action on the youtube video below the music. 2. Big Camp Mambo I love (almost) anything with syncopation and this one has it in spades! 3. Boom Chicka Boom This is the first one I always teach them and I can't tell you how much they LOVE it. The sillier you are, the more they will love it! We start with the traditional while performing a patsch, clap pattern, then we do their favorite "styles": Girly style (high voice, pretend to fix hair, put makeup on, fan your face, etc.) Muscle Man (make bodybuilding gestures and use "Arnold" voice.. y'know what I mean!) Underwater (speak the chant and move pointer finger up and and down on lips very fast) Baby Style (a goo goo ga goo goo ga... high baby voice) Barnyard Style (I said a moo chicka moo... I said a milk chicka moo, chicka milk, chicka moo) Surfer Dude (I said a dude chicka dude.. I said a whoa, chicka, narly, chicka wave, chicka dude) Opera Style (use your imagination) Grandpa Style (use your imagination, yes, again) Parent Style (I said a room, go to your room... I said a room, go to your room, don't come out until next June) Star Wars Style (OH, they LOVE this one and I always end with it! I said a zzzzt chicka zzzzt... I said a Luke I am your Father, join the dark side chicka doom.. end with "Jedi" instead of "uh huh" and "Dark Side" instead of "oh yeah" and then I end with "The Force Be With You". WINNER!!!

Read My Lips Primary Review Game is a fun way to review a whole bunch of different LDS Primary Songs in one Singing Time! Includes printables for Music Leaders.

Fun and engaging ESL activities, games and worksheets in printable PDF format with full teacher's notes and answers for English teachers to use in class.

Inside: A library of top Spanish games for class, that are fun AND provide quality comprehensible input. Most of us know by now that games are essential for every language classroom. We get it: games get our students moving, make class fun, promote higher engagement, and create those happy vibes we all want, as teachers. And

Rhythm Cup Explorations is the popular cup-tapping rhythm program that works in piano lessons, music classrooms, & any place students need to learn rhythm!

These games are excellent fillers and even better for those early finishers who need a challenge! How about some good old fashioned Boggl...

I have so so many R kids on my caseload right now. In that past, that statement would be followed with a mournful sigh, or possibly with me throwing my head back and shaking my fists in the air cursing, “why me!?” Let me tell you… I used to struggle with how to teach the R […]

This is a wonderful free game for teaching nouns in first grade! Kids look at each common name and tell if it's a person, place, object, or animal. #grammar #nouns #firstgrade

I am doing my best not to do any work over the next three days but I am sure you all know how that goes. My little one is napping now and I ...

Here's a template for all your hangman playing needs! Of course, you don't need a template at all. My kids and I have played hangman on various bits of scrap paper found in my purse, including receipts! But having a template is fun too and helps when playing with younger kids. The version above includes the outline of the hanged dude and outlines for letter blanks. These make it easy for kids to trace. The version below has no outlines which allows players to make longer words, phrases, or even more complex hanged dudes! Hangman really is a game of unlimited fun! If you need directions on how to play Hangman, About.com has thorough instructions. Just click on the Hangman templates, and you can download them from GoogleDrive. After downloading, feel free to print them as many times as you like!

I’ve wondered a few times in my life what it would be like to be on Family Feud. SURVEY SAYS: I don’t really want to find out. I’m pretty sure that I wou…

This is one of my “greatest hit” lessons. The first time I taught it, I worried that it was going to be a flop, and came to class with several backup plans. To begin, its important to…