Three Icebreakers for the First Day of School!

As a former public speaking teacher, I'm all too familiar with student anxiety.

The first day of school can send every little worry into high gear! New teachers, new classes, for some, a completely new school!

As we think about the first day of school, we as teachers should consider what simple things we can do to break through the anxiety and make students feel more at ease.

I was walking through Dollar Tree the other day and spotted an adorable little foam cube with dry-erase options on each side. It sparked ideas instantly! It came home with me, along with a little dry erase marker.

Ultimately I came up with three ideas to use this fun tool as a way for a non-disruptive icebreaker. Take a look and see if any of them would be fun to try!

Numbers Game

Write numbers 1-6 on each side and have a corresponding list of questions on the board. Questions should be non-invasive but something that could have a different answer for each student. Let the student roll the dice and then look at the question with the same number on the board to answer. Here are some examples I thought of!

1. Tell me about a time you were really proud of yourself.

2. Tell me about a sport/e-sport you play or wish you played.

3. If money was no problem, where would you live?

4. What's your dream vacation location?

5. If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

6. What candy do you wish you had a lifetime supply of?

Starting Letters

Write a letter on each side of the cube. Propose a few different topics (or have the students give you some ideas!) and have the student roll. The student will need to answer the proposed question starting with the letter they roll! (Almost Scattergories come to life!) 

(Some popular letters to include could be R, N, T, and O. Or use the 5 vowels and Y)

They could discuss       

1. Foods you like

2. One thing that is scarier than public speaking ;)

3. City/Place you’d like to visit

4. Favorite holiday and why it's your favorite

5. Something you’d hate to step on

and so on! I'd love to hear more ideas below!

Favorite Things

It's as easy as it sounds! For an especially shy/nervous class, this is a simple, non-invasive way to make connections that will get other students to say, "hey- me too!" Write one thing on each side of the cube that a student could tell you their "favorite" of. 

Ideas include things like: 

1. Vacation spot 

2. Food 

3. School subject 

4. Color 

5. Favorite animal 

6. Ice cream flavor

What do you think of these ideas? What other topics and questions would be good to ask? Tell me in the comments, I'd love to hear from you!

Looking for more back-to-school resources? I've got some that might help you! Check out my Editable Classroom Rules Debate, my Back to School Debate Bundle, or the Storytelling PowerPoint Game!

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Tips for Students with Stage Fright

On day 1 of public speaking class, I wanted to address the elephant in the room. 

"I know a lot of you are scared of public speaking and you may be dreading this class. I promise that I'm on your side, I won't push you to do anything that I don't know you can accomplish, and we will do this together. You will succeed." 

I so badly wanted my students to know that, even if they were scared, I would help them succeed. Stage fright or speaking anxiety wasn't going to stop them from triumph! That's one reason I taught using the workshop method (found here!) but sometimes for certain students, the anxiety can persist. Here are a few tips you can use for your most nervous students.

1. One of the best ways to combat stage fright is through commonality. 

You might think, "how can MORE of what they are afraid of DECREASE the fear?" So much of public speaking fear is tied to one bad experience or how rarely they have tried. 

I keep this in the back of my mind: More speaking = decreasing fear (eventually). The monster becomes smaller and smaller if they keep practicing. Try different types of speeches to shake it up: demonstrations, persuasive, debates, informative, impromptu, speech games, etc. (Psst, you can find ALL of this in my TeachersPayTeachers store.) But they need to keep going! I tried to get my students up in front of the class, even for 30 seconds or in a game, at least once a week.

2. Let students have autonomy over their topics.

Another way to discuss things you KNOW. If you assign all of your student's topics, it doesn't allow the excitement and confidence the student can gain through seeking more information on a topic that interests them.

I'd also encourage public speaking teachers to not push topics that are specifically ONLY about the student. For some that really struggle with speaking anxiety, talking about themselves only intensifies the spotlight! Try introducing or talking about others or discussing their favorite hobby!

I take exception with persuasive topics just because I want balance and situations where both sides can be embraced. Even then, I give students a list to work from so they can still some autonomy and work within their own interests to keep anxiety lower.

3. Don't make them always stand alone.

Giving speeches doesn't have to be only one student behind the podium. You can shake it up! Have groups give a presentation, have the volleyball players describe the perfect spike, the students that enjoy cooking can come together to demonstrate a new skill, etc. Shake things up and have group speeches every so often. 

It keeps things exciting and gives your most nervous students a little boost and extra support. Try to divy up the stronger students and make sure everyone has a turn to speak. Some speeches WITH others can help immensely!

When you teach public speaking, do what you can to help dispel the speaking anxieties. A little confidence goes a long way! Always write down something they did well. Let them practice in pairs during classtime and get peer feedback. Play games and get them laughing and telling stories! Little by little, each of these choices can chip away at anxiety. 

Do you have another idea to help stage fright for public speaking students? Tell me what it is in the comments below!

Need more support to teach public speaking? Check out my public speaking units on TeachersPayTeachers.

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Should classrooms celebrate Valentine's Day?

Inclusion in the classroom has always been a problem. Growing up is unbelievably difficult. 

When holidays roll around, they come with class parties. Activities, treats, energy surge through the classroom. If your school doesn't have the policy to require anyone that bring Valentines to bring one for everyone, it can be heartbreaking to see some kids receive less than others or nothing at all.

It can leave us wondering: should we celebrate Valentine's Day in the classroom? Is it worth the possible heartache?

I actually believe that we can and should allow Valentine's Day celebrations if we do it right. Here's why.

1. Students can't learn empathy if we eliminate all their opportunities to do so.

We can push anti-bullying programs and education, but we must also provide students with the ability to show kindness and inclusivity at normal school functions! It might be tempting to look at things like class parties and gift-giving holidays and say, "no more! Too many kids are being left out!" instead of using them as opportunities to teach the kids HOW to include their classmates.

Teaching them HOW includes teaching them the power of words, and that a student doesn't need disposable cash to make another student feel valued, but that a kind word and a timely note means so much!

2. Encourage students to reach out to someone lonely.

Children tend to be self-focused by nature. I had a teacher who used to say "walk slowly through the crowd." What he meant was to slow down, look around, and see who is by themselves. Who is isolated? Who has been left out? And beyond that, how can I step up and make them feel important?

Encourage them to use Valentine's Day as an opportunity to make a new friend as well.

3. Take this chance to remind every student of the potential you see in them.

You as the teacher can use this as a springboard of encouragement as well. Tell the students how much you care about them and how proud of them you are.

Remind them that you believe they can make anyone and everyone feel included by the choices they make! Did you bring something for everyone? Did you know you have the ability to make someone's day by the words that you choose? I know and believe you can!

In my opinion, it comes down to this: if we eliminate all opportunities for students to include each other, they'll never learn how to do it!

What do you think? Should we celebrate Valentine's Day in the classroom? Tell me in the comments below!

Do you want to have this same discussion with your students? Check out my Valentine's Day Debate Activity!

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How To Use Student Choice Boards for ELA Assessment

 

This post is a guest post by Mrs. T of The Musings of Mrs. T. You can find out more information about the author at the end of the post.

Assessing English Language Arts (ELA) can be quite a challenge. There’s so much to cover and it’s hard to know where to start. Should you begin by testing grammar knowledge or how well your students utilize their spelling and vocabulary skills? Should you focus on how they express ideas through writing first or through speech? Plus, we haven’t even mentioned how to keep track of students’ reading and comprehension of texts. Well, let me share a strategy with you that will be able to make your ELA assessments a little easier.

Student Choice Boards can be used in all sorts of ways across many subject areas, but I like to use them for assessment purposes. A Student Choice Board is simply a board (or table, or wall of post-it notes) that provides students with a selection of task options that they can choose from. You can include as many options as you like, and students can complete them in any order. The reason this works so well for assessments is because you can cover a range of different skills at once, and your students get to practice some autonomy. When it comes to assessing ELA, I recommend including about 10 options and asking students to select 5 to complete, one from each of the following areas: Writing, Grammar, Reading & Comprehension, Speaking and Listening, Spelling & Vocabulary.  

The first step to creating a Student Choice Board Assessment is to figure out what the task options will be for your students. They should all require a similar amount of effort and take a similar length of time to complete. That way you can avoid having students only picking the ‘easier’ options. I like to list mine out in their separate categories to start with. For example, you might begin with something like this:

 

Writing

Newspaper article on event from the past week

or

Pitch for a new movie

 

Grammar

Advertisement for a toy

or

Edit the teacher’s text

 

Reading & Comprehension

Book report

or

Create a quiz

 

Speaking & Listening

Lead a discussion

or

Conduct an interview

 

Spelling & Vocabulary

Create a crossword

or

Write a journal entry

 

Once you have planned what the tasks will be, the next step is to decide how to present this to your students. It can be as simple as writing out the instructions on post-it notes or colored paper and displaying it in the classroom. The picture below shows an example of what this might look like. Here, I color-coded the activities so that students simply need to pick one task from each colored category. I also labeled the tasks with a letter so that it is clear to see which tasks students decide to work on.

Now that the set-up is complete, you can explain your expectations to your students and give them the time they need to complete five tasks. (Usually, this takes a few lessons).

Once you have used this strategy once, it becomes easier to use it over again. Your students will know what to expect and will develop their own strategies for working through the tasks. They’ll also get excited to see what the new task options are whenever you change them up! Additionally, this strategy can easily be adapted for digital learning. All you need to do is display the task options to your students through google classroom (or whichever digital platform you use for teaching) and then give them a place to be able to submit their work to you when they’re finished. You can even try doing themed Student Choice Boards for different times of the year! With so many ways to use this strategy in your teaching, I hope you are inspired to give it a try! 

A huge thank you to Mrs. T of Musings of Mrs. T for this guest post. You can find more information about her on her blog, her TeachersPayTeachers store, and/or follow her on Facebook!

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How do I talk about the election in the classroom?

I feel blessed that I've been around a lot of different types of people. I grew up in a Democratic area of a Republican state and as an adult, I moved to a Republican area of a Democratic state. It's given me the opportunity to talk and listen to people from all walks of life and their concerns and dreams for our great country.

I'll never forget the election of 1996. I was just a kid, but I remember my dad placing his sign for Bob Dole in our front yard. Our neighbor came out and saw what he was doing and exclaimed, "Hey, that reminds me!" He charged into his house and came out whistling with his Clinton/Gore sign. He popped it into his front yard and he and my dad laughed. They chatted for a while, shook hands, and went back to their respective houses. Never for a moment did he ever doubt that they both loved this country. Their friendship is STILL ongoing, leaving house keys with each other during every trip, making conversation, etc. Different opinions, still friends.

That type of behavior is becoming rarer, sadly. We've lost the ability to listen and learn and engage respectfully. Every political season, I am reminded of how much I loved teaching debate in the classroom. When you teach debate in the truest sense, students are forced to prepare to defend both sides of an issue- regardless of their feelings on the matter. Debate taught me that there is so much more than just my own perspective and I can always listen with empathy, even if I disagree. Debate is learning the persuasive appeals, how to avoid logical fallacies, and how to pull together an argument. No matter how unsure students were about debate before we started, they almost always started to enjoy it once they got to tackle an issue they had an interest in. I started with a topic I thought they would find interesting (coffee seemed to be a crowd-pleaser) and moved to more serious topics as we progressed.

With the US election ramping up, it's an easy introduction to several hot-button topics. I would encourage teachers to keep the conversation open by not forcing kids to stump for a candidate, even just in a classroom setting. Think of policies they can look at both sides of! If they challenge policy, they can look at polls, previous elections (hanging chads, anyone?), facts, and figures. A good debate should lead students to do real research!

I structured a set of US Election debates to deal with three different topics: electoral college/popular vote, voter ID requirements, and voting machines/paper ballots. While some of these topics have threads of partisanship in them, I hoped that there would be plenty of information out there so students could stick with the facts and explore these topics past the lens of pure politics. You can find my US Election debate pack here.

What do you think? Are there other topics I should have included? Are some of the current topics too partisan in your opinion? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time (unless the political ads kill us all),

Sarah 💗

Thanks to Paula Kim Studio for the election clip art used in this blog post and pins. You can check out her store here!

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Great Scripts to Introduce Drama

I think if I see one more presentation of "The Wizard of Oz," I'm going to lose it. There are more plays that are good "beginner" student plays that are great to introduce to your students! I worked in a small school and couldn't have a full-blown drama class and so I had to use bits and pieces of time to introduce good literature and plays.

At first, I wanted to have the kids read plays, but their eyes glossed over. They groaned at the page count. It obviously didn't excite them.

 

So I tried something new. I handed out scripts. Highlighted lines. Stage directions. They latched to a character. They compared parts with their friends. Switching to scripts and having them read them aloud brought new life to stories and plays!

Are you unsure of what stories can be easily converted to scripts OR scripts that are set up for beginners? I used almost all of these almost every year to get the kids excited about literature and plays and it was a hit!

1. Ransom of Red Chief - O. Henry

You may figure out quickly that I have a soft spot for O. Henry. I love watching the students realize the surprise ending that he writes so cleverly. This one has villains, a kid, and lots of laughs. This is a great one for students that want a little comedy mixed in. It's a little bit longer, but engaging. If you can't find a version in a script form, it would be super easy to do yourself with a narrator. 

Clicking here will lead you to a PDF download of the story.

2. The Open Window - Saki

Another surprise ending! This story has a compelling female character at the forefront and a few more characters than some of the other stories. A little bit of dark humor and a surprise that holds until the very, very end. Talk about dramatic! This story is shorter too and was easy to adapt to a script. 

Clicking on this link will lead you to a PDF download of the story.

3. Arsenic and Old Lace - Joseph Kesselring

If you haven't seen the classic Cary Grant movie of the same thing, stop what you're doing and go find a place to watch it online RIGHT now. If you've seen this one, the play is excellent for students. It's not difficult to follow, full of surprises, and has fun, expressive characters. A guy that thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt? Two little old ladies? A crazy brother? (This would be a GREAT pre-Halloween read!) It's a win all-around! If you want only a short cutting from this play, I recommend using the scene where (spoiler alert!) Mortimer finds the body in window seat and confronts his sweet old aunts for the truth. I did this scene with my kids at a competition and they got high marks. It's so much fun!

You can find more information about the play here.

4. The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkein

Tolkein wrote a lot of stories that adapt well to scripts, but the "Riddles in the Dark" from the Hobbit is a fun one. I encouraged my students to do their own version of Gollum, and not to just copy the movie version. Since most students were familiar with The Hobbit in some form or other, this one took less explanation and I could add or subtract students depending on how I divided up the narrator parts. They loved it!

You can find the same script I used at a competition on this website under "Riddles in the Dark."

5. Cyrano de Bergerac - Edmond Rostand

Which one of these is not like the others? I know, Cyrano seems like a weird choice here, but it's a simple premise and has an iconic scene at the balcony, and most translations are easy for students to understand. Don't believe me? My kids did this scene at a local competition and placed!

You can find the same script I used in my TeachersPayTeachers store.

6. Blind Date - Horton Foote

This is a shorter play and can be done in its entirety or as a cutting. This funny play about a date-gone-wrong incorporates several characters who are all humorous in very different ways. This play is a great introduction to Horton Foote's work.

If you've never read this one, read an excerpt here. This scene is between a bossy aunt and a free-spirited niece. 

7. After Twenty Years - O. Henry

Ok, I might have snuck in one more O. Henry story. This one is probably the shortest of all the stories I highlighted but still good! It can be read as is or could easily be made into a script with multiple narrators. My students loved the ending!

You can read it here. (It's a PDF download of the story.)

Looking for a few more ideas? Look into Our Town by Thorton Wilder (the Stage Manager character might take some explanation or The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

I hope this list was helpful! Do you know of some more stories that are great for students who are just starting to dip their toe into drama? Tell me more in the comments below!

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Helping Kids Deal with Pandemic Disappointment

Disappointment has hit at every turn during the pandemic. The educational world especially has seen a lot of change. Teachers have been unable to see their kids, parties canceled, field trips gone, competitions unplayed.

It is inevitable that students will grieve these losses. Proverbs in the Bible says, "hope deferred makes the heart sick." When we are looking forward to something that is lost, it hits hard.

What are some ways that we can help students reeling with bitter disappointment, frustration, and grief?

1. Listen

It seems too simple in a sense, right? But sometimes, when a kid is pouring out their frustrations, I find myself fighting to not cut them off and start counseling. Sometimes letting the student get out everything on their chest is far more helpful than any interruption! They may even get to the best conclusion on their own if you can be that listening ear. Don't interrupt. Let them talk while you actively listen.

2. Make sure they feel seen.

A note, a kind word, a small gift. Even a short letter of "I know this has been difficult, but you're handling it great" lets the student know you have thought of them. The pandemic has made a lot of kids feel invisible and forgotten. It's ok to let them know you're thinking of them.

3. Find creative ways to celebrate accomplishments.

If the pandemic has brought out anything in us, it's creativity! Drive-by receptions, ding dong dash drop-offs, social distancing visits, etc. We need people, it's in the fabric of our souls. Being physically apart doesn't mean we cut each other off completely.

Leave a note, make an Instagram post, host a drive-by reception, gather on Zoom, make the slideshow. Let them know that you are proud. They crave to know we are proud!  

Even when times change, students don't. Their basic emotional needs remain the same. They need to feel noticed and they need to know how proud we are.

Let's not let this pandemic steal any more than it has to. Tell your kids how proud you are. 💖

Sarah is a former teacher and a current TeachersPayTeachers author.

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Teaching Personal Narrative through Distance Learning

Distance learning has sent everyone into a frenzy. Creativity has always been a part of teaching, but now we see that being stretched to new boundaries! Tech may have been our enemy before, but now it must be our friend if we have any hope of successfully navigating this new territory.

Most teachers have turned to Google Classroom, but there's a learning curve. Some of us are gliding on the curve, and well, some of us are tumbling off, LOL. But we continue on! Why? Because our students need us!

I've been on the curve myself, sometimes gliding and sometimes crashing. But we continue on.

Do your students know that there's a special story unfolding right now? Things may be low-key, but the story is continuing on.

As I thought about this happening in my own life, I wanted to tweak one of my older resources to a format that could be used to document what is happening now. Students can be pouring their thoughts and feelings right now into writing practice!

Teaching Personal Narrative in Social Media is now available for Google Classroom! It includes information/goals/standards for the instructor, student instructions, a digital worksheet for the students, and an assignment submission sheet.

Go check it out in my TeachersPayTeachers store now! What type of online resources have you been searching for? Do you feel like there are enough digital resources out there? I'd love to hear from you!

Looking for a more persuasive type of digital writing assignment? Try these Persuasive Speaking and Writing Topics!

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Free Educational Activities for the Quarantined Kid

No need for a long introduction or a mention of the virus-that-shall-not-be-named. With schools closing out of precaution, you may find yourself at home with a school-aged child. This downtime doesn't have to result in wasted time! There are so many FREE and EDUCATIONAL online resources! Check out this list and see what's available to you. This might be an amazing time for your young students to pick up a new skill, find a new favorite book series, and/or learn more about a new topic.

Did your local library close? Ours did and I was surprised! (I knew I shouldn't have put off my quarantine book visit...) But since I have a library card, I have access to a whole host of things, especially apps. My favorite ones are Hoopla, CloudLibrary, and Libby. Check your local library's website to see what one they have available in your area! Hoopla is probably the most popular app, so I've highlighted a few things that might be a great match for your own kiddos, but you need to check them out for yourself!

Library Apps/Hoopla
-Audiobooks: I am the ultimate multitasker so I love listening to an audiobook while cleaning, doing dishes or taking a walk. Here are some audiobooks on Hoopla that might interest your kiddos!

-Movies: Hoopla has educational videos too! Interested in languages or a historical figure?

-Graphic Novels: Graphic novels are a fun way to encourage reading. The app has a large variety of options!

-eBooks: eBooks are great for the child that has a device they can read on. Here are some classics and highly ranked books they can assess instantly!

If Hoopla isn't a viable option for you, there are a host of websites that are offering free educational content as well. Check out this list for ideas. If there's one I'm missing, make sure to mention it in the comments!

Websites
-iCivics: This super fun website is full of social studies and government learning games. Below is a screenshot of their game simulating jury duty! Check it out here.

-GoNoodle: GoNoodle is a website to help kids get out their wiggles and learn to be active. They have a family access option that might be VITAL to burning extra energy! Check out family access here.

-MissionUS: MissionUS has several choose-your-own-adventure stories based on historical stories. It feels like a game, but your kids are learning cause and effect. Check it out here.

-Khan Academy: Khan has a huge resource library for learning on every subject. Have your student pick a favorite topic and dive in here!

-code.org: If your kid is tech-savvy, have them try their hand at coding. This is a huge up and coming skill and there are so many fun resources to learn it. Check out code.org here.

Edited 3/16 to add:
Mo Willems Lunch Doodles - The children's author Mo Willems is hosting daily "doodle" videos through the Kennedy Center every day at 1pm EST. This would be a delightful way to study some art! The first video can be found here.

Cincinnati Zoo Virtual Safari - Cincinnati Zoo is hosting "virtual safaris" on Facebook Live every day at 3pm EST. Search through Facebook to find them showing animals and answering questions live!


I hope this list gave you options and ideas! Any other free resources I missed? Please tell me about them in the comments!

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