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My Top Five Activities
Posted: August 26, 2019By Rossana Villaflor, Teacher
Every new school year comes with its own set of challenges and dynamics in the classroom. But no matter what I may encounter as I return to school, I know that I will have Overcoming Obstacles in my teacher toolbox to get my year off to a positive start!
Here are my top five go-to activities that I like to facilitate with my students in our first month back to school:
“People Bingo” (Part 1 of the Middle School Lesson Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses) gets my students moving and acclimated back into our classroom environment. It gives my students a chance to get reacquainted with each other and to introduce themselves to new students. As a teacher, this activity is a great way for me to get to know how my students’ perspectives have changed over the summer and gain insight into their strengths and weaknesses. I also like to customize the activity sheet for my younger students and add my own statements that pertain to any artistic experiences they may have had over the summer.
“If I Were…” (Part 2 of the Middle School Lesson Who Are You?) provides my students with a fun way to think critically and use their imagination while having to answer or complete the statements as quickly as possible. My eighth-grade students, in particular, love this activity since it forces them to “think outside the box” and find out things they have in common when sharing their statements within their small groups. My sixth-grade students use these statements as a way to help them draw and design symbols that identify their personalities. For example, in the question that asks students, “If you were a piece of clothing, what would you be?” my students will answer the statement by drawing their piece of clothing and later on explaining why this clothing (or accessory) best describes them or how it reflects who they are.
The “On Your Way” (Part 3 of the Middle School Lesson Stepping-Stone Goals) activity is a must-have in my teacher toolbox for that first couple of weeks back in school. After my students have recognized their strengths and weaknesses, they will use this knowledge to set realistic goals to achieve in my classroom. Although the ultimate goal for all my students is to be successful and get good grades in all their classes, I use this activity to help students understand that some goals are personal to an individual’s needs and skill level, and tracking one’s progress towards his or her own goals is crucial to their success. For example, if a student knows that he or she needs to complete their homework in order to pass my class, then their stepping-stone goals should reflect the steps that they need to take so they will not miss a homework assignment. Another student’s goal might be to get better at taking notes so they can pass my quizzes and exams. That means that their stepping-stone goals have to show the steps they need to take to improve their note-taking skills.
The activity sheet “Stress Factors” (Part 3 of the Middle School Lesson Handling Stress) is a great way to help students understand that my class and my room is a safe and healthy environment for them to learn and be themselves. I found that some students get very anxious about the new school year and overwhelmed by so much information, peer pressure, and expectations that they need to meet. I like to make my visual arts class a stress-free place for my students to learn. I prefer they focus on and approach new lessons and assignments with a healthy level of curiosity, rather than with stress and worry.
I had one student who would become noticeably anxious any time I sampled finished artwork as part of my exemplars. When I asked him what he was so worried about, his response was a very frustrated, “I can’t possibly do this!” I would simply remind him that with my help, and with his classmates’ support and teamwork, he would be able to do any type of art presented to him. He would later try and surprise himself with the work he was able to achieve like he did with his paper-weaving project. Having students identify where their stress is coming from is crucial to their behavior and conduct in my class. This activity helps my students to better deal with stress and for them to find healthy ways to help reduce or relieve that stress.
Last but not least, the activity “Create a System” (Part 3 of the Middle School Lesson Getting Organized) which uses the “Organization Checklist” activity sheet helps my students identify the best ways to keep an organized portfolio of work, necessary supplies, and calendar of special upcoming events. My students are required to keep a portfolio of their classwork, as well as long-term projects. In order to do this, they must organize their completed works, as well as works-in-progress, to be reviewed each marking period. This activity is also a great way to discuss why the cleanliness of their workspace is important to their organization skills and in completing assignments. My students usually like to keep working until the last minute of our class time and forget that they need 5-10 minutes to put their work in their portfolio and clean up the space and materials they used. Being organized with their work will help them to reduce the stress that comes with having to look for their materials and supplies in their next class.
I feel that these five activities are what my students and I need to jump-start our school year! As long as I have these activities to support my lessons and further connect my students in their learning process, I can help reduce my own stress and focus more on enjoying a great school year.
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