Engagement Strategies: Beanbag Toss

Welcome to my blog series on quick & easy engagement strategies that can be used for any lesson, starting tomorrow! Missed out on the previous posts? Start here.

Engagement strategy #4 is beanbag toss!

What is it: In this strategy, you pose a question and toss a beanbag (or other item) to a student. They catch the beanbag and answer. Then they toss the beanbag to a new student.

How to use it: Ask a question and have students raise their hand to answer. Call on a student and toss them the beanbag. They answer the question. Ask a new question and have students raise their hand. The student with the beanbag will select someone, toss them the beanbag and then they answer. Repeat as desired.

How I used it this year: I used this strategy to have students brainstorm math workshop behaviors for our anchor chart. I had students sit in a circle and then asked them what it should look like/sound like during math workshop. I called on a student, passed them our emoji beanbag and they answered. I wrote their answer on our chart. Then they chose a different student, tossed the beanbag, and that student answered. We continued until we ran out of room on our anchor chart.

Why it works: Students want to answer so they can catch/toss the beanbag. They have to be listening to have something to say so they can get a turn. Tossing the beanbag made it feel more like a game and helped students stay engaged throughout this activity.

Bonus tip: Make sure you tell them they have to toss underhand. You can decide if you want students to volunteer by raising their hand or make it more of a "popcorn" style where students can pick anyone.

Your turn! Comment below how you've used this strategy. 

Engagement Strategies: Freeze!

Welcome to my blog series on quick & easy engagement strategies that can be used for any lesson, starting tomorrow! Missed out on the previous posts? Start here.

Engagement strategy #3 is freeze!

What is it: In this strategy, play a song. While the music is playing, students are walking. Pause the song - students have to get with a person close to them and freeze.

How to use it: When the music pauses students get with a person close to them and freeze. Then pose a question for them to answer or discuss. Give them time to answer, then play the music again. When the music starts, they start walking. Repeat as desired!

How I used it this year: We've used this strategy a few times as a reflection at the end of math workshop. When the music stops and the students pair up, I would put a number up on the board (ex: 4,892,319,490) and they would both read the number to each other. Then I would call on one student to read it aloud for the class. Then I'd hit play and the kids would start walking again. We repeated a few times - as much as we had time for.

Why it works: Music makes everyone happy! Especially when you play a popular song that the kids like. The kids are moving which helps with their engagement. They also love the anticipation of not knowing when the song will pause - it gives the activity a game-like feel.

Bonus tip: If you have access to YouTube at school, use it to pull up practically any song for free. You can also search for kidzbop if you're worried about the lyrics. I used Happy and Can't Stop the Feeling because I like those songs. Make sure you stress the importance of walking - if they start running, they have to sit out.

Your turn! Comment below how you've used this strategy. 

Engagement Strategies: Four Corners

This is the second post in my blog series on quick & easy engagement strategies that can be used for any lesson, starting tomorrow! You can check out the first post here.

Engagement strategy #2 is four corners

What is it: In this strategy, number the corners of your classroom 1, 2, 3 & 4. *you don't have to physically number them - just tell the students which is which* Students will move to a corner of a room depending on their answer to a question.

How to use it: Pose a question and give 4 answers. Assign each answer a corner. The question can be unrelated to the lesson. Students then move to the corner that matches with their answer. Once they're there, give them something to discuss or do as a group or in pairs.

How I used it this year: I asked a random question and gave 4 choices. (What sport do you like best: (1) soccer, (2) baseball, (3) gymnastics, (4) other). They moved to the corner of their choice. Once they were there I posed a question related to our lesson on science tools. Example: which science tool do you like the most? Which tool have you used in the past? They discussed the question with someone in the same corner. I had a couple of students share out. Then I asked a new random question, they moved corners and I posed a different question related to our science lesson. We repeated this a few times.

Why it works: Students are standing and moving which helps with engagement. It also forces them to work with various people without you having to be the one to choose pairs. Finally, it allows the students choice in where they move and they love when the questions reveal new information about them.

Bonus tip: If you end up with only 1 student in a corner have them pair up with someone else. Give them a short amount of time to choose a corner and move. I would count down and they had to be in the corner by the time I finished counting or I chose a corner for them.

Your turn! Comment below how you've used this strategy. 

Engagement Strategies: Inside/Outside Circle

This year I have a very energetic class (read: chatty, low attention span, busy bodies). I'm having to reach far into my tool belt to keep them engaged during my lessons. Which led me to the idea to start a blog series on quick & easy engagement strategies that can be used for any lesson, starting tomorrow!

Engagement strategy #1 is inside/outside circle.

What is it: In this strategy, have half your students form a circle facing the outside. The other half of your students will line up in an outer circle facing them. Don't worry about who they're facing - you're going to move them. is it weird I get a sick sense of satisfaction when they think they get to be partners with their best friend, only to be moved??

How to use it: Give a direction for moving (example: outside circle move to the left 2 people; inside circle move to the right 3 people). Then have the pairs (people facing each other) share or discuss something. Move again and discuss something new or repeat with a new partner. Repeat as many times as needed.

How I used it this year: Students individually brainstormed a list of science lab rules. Then we watched a quick cartoon over lab safety and they checked off the rules they heard in the video. Afterwards, we used inside/outside circle to reflect. First they shared a rule they heard in the video that they had written down. Then, they shared a rule they had written down that wasn't in the video. Finally, they had to find 1 new rule from their partner and write it down.

Why it works: Students are standing and moving which helps with engagement. It also forces them to work with various people without you having to be the one to choose pairs. Finally, you can quickly move them to a new partner within the same activity - this helps with short attention spans.

Bonus tip: Not enough room in your classroom? Me neither - I took my class outside for this! We were only outside about 10 minutes, but the extra burst of sun and fresh air also helped with focus. Plus we used the circle in the middle of the basketball court on the playground to form our outside circle.

Your turn! Comment below how you've used this strategy.