The Summer Olympics are here!
The summer games are almost here! it occurred to me that we have a great opportunity to tie in learning with “olympian-size” learning successes! We are always looking for ways to celebrate writing, right? So in this article are ideas on how to kick off your year along with a couple of FREEBIES.
Here are 5 Things to kick off your year with Olympic Size Learning!
Begin the Year with your own Olympic Learning Games!
Cornhole Team Math or Alphabet Game
- Grab your favorite tub and a bean bag (no need to have an official cornhole board).
- Divide the students into two teams.
- Each student takes a turn (as in a relay) throwing the bean bag. (let them have multiple tries or “phone a friend” for help.
- Student answers a question (again with help, if needed)
- First team to finish wins, BUT all students are praised and receive a sticker, etc., for participation.
Gold Medal Fishing for Letters
Fashion a fishing pole out of a dowel rod, string, and a paper clip. Grab your magnetic letters. (or put a magnet on your fishing pole and print the free Fishing For Letters Resource below (click on image) –place paper clips on each card). My goal is to make this as easy as possible for set up!
- Call students to the pool (floor area with letters or cards) to fish for the letter (card) and name it.
- Choose and answer until all have had a turn.
- Award Gold Medals to all students for Olympian Effort! (Goldfish crackers can be a gold medal too!)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g5F6mxcqMQvcZzjAKxiWOClElnQHP5vH/view?usp=sharing
Journal About Your Successes
It is so important to celebrate with positive comments and effort from both teacher and student. Why not have the student to draw a picture each day that represents something they did well, then write about it. The success could be as simple as not running in the hall, or raising his/her hand to be called on. Use your imagination, but ABOVE ALL, encourage your students to make those entries!
Grab your FREEBIE here (click on image):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HRTfjNp-gGKMH6cyE9RPxv_H_elmZoG5k3x3ePTb-ao/edit?usp=sharing
Olympian Effort
Students work better together! And this means helping the classroom operate efficiently! Give students a consistent set of behaviors you will be watching for. Each time you catch someone (or when they tell you, lol), have them to put a gold dot on the chart for that behavior. When the row is full (either individuals or whole class goals work), celebrate with your favorite activity, snack, extra minutes of choice center time…you set the limits! Grab a class poster here (click on link below the image):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g5F6mxcqMQvcZzjAKxiWOClElnQHP5vH/view?usp=sharing
Write a Class Story Highlighting Student Successes
Fridays are a great time to write a group story highlighting achievements of your students. This can be a simple “I Can” chart:
Example: (tall lined chart paper)
We are Olympic Size Learners!
____________can walk quietly in line.
____________can write his name.
____________can name the letters in the alphabet.
(continue on until all students are recognized)
Another Example: (storybook chart paper)
Look at Me! I’m a Learning Olympian!
My skills are super cool! I learned to do my best, and I am proud!
My skills are solid gold!
Olympic Reading Circles
This idea is an easy one, and also helps with social distancing and quiet reading.
Grab a hula hoop or ten, space them like the Olympic Rings, then make them a center activity for small group reading and centers time. If you have a class set, they can also make great personal space marker for all kinds of work.
Need Some Ready Made Resources? These sets can be purchased for less than 3.00!
Students need a positive start. Enjoy the coming year by celebrating all of their successes!
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