Use a small paper or fabric bag with an alien or other funny character on the front to hold writing prompts for students.
Mid-Week Focus this week features more creative ways that teachers can use bags as BIG attention-getting tools.
Colorful, interesting, fun and funny bags beg for attention.
Bags, plain and fancy, can become focal points for learning activities.
Use bags as hooks into lessons. For example…
Bag of Alien Writing Prompts – Select a paper or fabric bag with an alien or other funny character on the front.
Use the bag to hold paper slips with story starters for students to choose at writing time.
As a hook into the writing lesson, announce that you discovered an “alien (or other character) invasion” of story starters on your desk that morning.
Students will enjoy the ruse. Tell them that a message arrived with the bag, begging attention on building students’ core writing skills.
Walk around the classroom and invite students to reach into the bag to catch a story starter.
Place the bag in a prominent place during writing time.
Create Opportunity Bags for Attention – Introduce your students to a cool tool to spur creativity and foster the important ability to stay focused and on task.
In grades K – 3, use decorative cellophane bags with attractive colors and designs, available in dollar stores and party supply stores.
In grades 4 and 5, use clear inexpensive cellophane bags like small “baggies” or newspaper covers.
Drop in small objects that connect to listening and learning skills, and plan time to discuss each object and its connection to paying attention with students.
Good choices for Opportunity Bags that beg attention on attention itself include:
- star stickers to symbolize star listeners
- chocolate kisses or other small candy as a sweet thank you for staying on task
- small inexpensive pencil sharpeners to remind students to get to the point
- small achievement certificates (Use a copier to print reduced-size certificates) to make the connection between paying attention and achieving goals
- smallest value coin in your currency to remind students that a good education is a path toward earning power
Use bags to decrease distractions. How?…
Distribute Distraction Bags – The word distracted keeps popping up, not just in safety and business news, but also in school.
A Distraction Bag is a large clear, easy-to-open plastic bag with a title page that begs attention.
“Automobile crash blamed on driver distracted by text messaging…”
“Corporate quarterly review laments lost work time from workplace injuries incurred by distracted employees…”
“Disappointing school test results linked to attention problems in children…”
In years past, distracted students usually referred to children who were diagnosed with attention deficit disorders. No more. Distracted students who struggle in school come in all descriptions.
Beg for Attention with a Distraction Bag – A distraction bag is nothing more than a large clear and clearly identified – plastic bag that a teacher can easily open in front of students.
Kids immediately get the humor in it.
All you have to do is hold up the bag and announce with a strong voice, that “before we start the day, class, I’d like everyone to drop your distractions in the Distraction Bag I’m holding here.”
“Tell you what…I think the bag can catch all of the distractions we want to ditch for now, so I’ll open it on the count of three, and you throw your distractions towards the bag.”
After the class joins in the instant act, simply say, “Thanks so much. Oh, that’s much better. Now I have a good sense that you are all ready to focus on learning!”
Make the connection with your K – 5 kids, in age appropriate ways, that dropping distractions into a Distraction Bag is a great way to de-clutter our minds and create a new sense of focus on getting good work done in school.
Attentionology is “in the bag” until next Monday when I hope you’ll stop back by for a new Attentionology of K – 5 Teachers.
Please send comments about how you use bags as teaching tools, and subscribe to this international education blog.
Talk with you again soon,
Barbara ♥ The Lovable Poet
