[ola] Re: Transitions!
- From: Nanosh Lucas <nanosh.lucas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 15:40:34 -0800
I might have seen this from another person, but I set up a table with the names
of my students down the left side, then I put conversation topics. Each topic
represents a 3min conversation. When there is a lull, I’m using this to get
students to talk to one another about something. Got pretty decent feedback
from it today. Works well in a 2nd-year class.
I also got a book called “The Ultimate Icebreaker & Teambuilder Guide” by John
Tucker at a leadership conference this weekend. That has some fun stuff for
keeping people active engaged.
Thanks,
Nanosh
On Nov 10, 2013, at 5:55 AM, Ruth Whalen Crockett <rwhalen@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> One thing I learned from Helena Curtain at the MAFLA conference was to have
> students move to different partners by constantly asking them a question. I
> know I also learned this with you all, but learning things for the fourth or
> fifth time often works. Here is what I mean:
>
> Students are responding to a prompt. It is time to move. “The student with
> the shortest hair move clockwise to the next partner.”
> Another prompts for speaking…time to move. “The student who lives closest to
> school move clockwise to the next partner.”
> Another prompt for speaking, maybe a physical activity, etc….time to move,
> “The student who can jump the highest move to the next partner.”
>
> There are probably a billion versions of this.
>
> Another thing that I started using were color cards from Home Depot. I think
> I wrote about this in the past. Using color cards that you pick up for free
> when trying to decide on paint colors, give students a card. Have them pair
> up with people that are their same color. Then when shifting groups have them
> look for an opposite color hue, or a color that compliments theirs, etc.
>
> I know I’m talking more about pairing than transitions. I think in many ways
> they are one in the same. I often hear teachers talking about how to pair up
> kids and who can work with who. I think what is essential here is that groups
> are fluid and that the expectation is that kids work with everyone. This is
> huge in community building.
>
> One final thing, I can’t remember if I wrote about this before…geez the fall
> has been a long one. Pan Tostado has become a really fun game in my classes
> and it might serve as a transition between activities. You yell out “Pan
> Tostado” and point to a student. That student is the toast and the two people
> on either sides of that students are the toaster. They physically form a
> toaster around the toast and the toast jumps. Then you say, Elefante! And
> again you point to a student. This student is the trunk and the two students
> next to that student are the ears. They make a loud sound together. In my
> upper level class I asked the students to come up with other versions. The
> versions are:
> Flamingo
> Extra-Terrestrial (person in the middle is ET, students on sides are extra
> legs, arms, etc)
> Whacka-mole
> Lumberjack (person in the middle is the tree, other two are sawing the tree
> down)
> Zen Diagram (my personal favorite!, this is when two students make circles
> with their arms and the person in the middle puts their head in the
> intersecting circles).
>
> Annie, thanks for getting me thinking about what I’m finding challenging and
> the things that I’m also making progress on.
>
> Ruthie
>
> From: ola-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ola-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
> Annie Tyner
> Sent: Sunday, November 10, 2013 2:45 AM
> To: ola crew
> Subject: [ola] Transitions!
>
> Hey crew!
>
> I feel like I am doing the same transitions over and over again in my class!
> My creative juices just aren't flowin'! Can you help me out? Thanks!!! I hope
> you are all doing wonderful!!
>
> Annie
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