Attention-Getting Teaching Tools are in the Bag!
Use a small felt bag decorated with a funny creature to create a bag of writing prompts.
Hi and welcome back to Attentionology for K – 5 Teachers!
Attention-getting teaching tools are in the bag…
literally.
Colorful, interesting, fun and funny bags of all kinds 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 for 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
Invite kids to drop small objects that connect to learning skills into “opportunity bags.”
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?… (more…)
Barbara Cleary has been serving as a resource to hundreds of educators for more than 25 years.
An award-winning writer, producer, teacher, and trainer, Barbara’s focus is on offering easy, fun tools and tricks that support K-5 curricula and assist teachers with classroom management.
