When it comes to getting your students' attention, and keeping it, making your lesson as relatable as possible is key. Turn what kids already find entertaining, like going to the movies or texting, into learning experiences, and they'll meet the challenge head on! And they'll have fun doing it! Here are 10 tips to supplementing your daily lessons with real-world kid experiences.
- Have students text a summary of the story they just read to a friend in the class and then share their friend’s summary with the class. This will really help them to make a summary brief and to the point.
- For book reports, have students write a review of the book on their Facebook page. This may even prompt discussions about the book with their peers. Have them print their review and discussions to include in their book report.
- Take a picture of your mall’s directory and post it on your whiteboard to teach mapping skills. “Travel” through the mall with your students. Have students write directions from one store to the next store. Find the pet store. How would you get there from here?
- Follow-up your lessons on fact and opinion with some previously recorded TV commercials. Have students divide a piece of paper into 2 columns, labeling one as "facts" and the others as "opinions". As students watch the commercials, they'll quickly see that there are probably more opinions in commercials than facts!
- Use popular songs that your students will know to help reinforce your lessons on similes and metaphors. Your students will gain an understanding of how metaphors are used in writing, as well as learn how to better express themselves verbally and in writing. You could even give your students the challenge of re-writing the popular song using their own metaphors.
- Post the cafeteria lunch menu calendar on your whiteboard to work on calendar skills. What day are we having mashed potatoes? What day is pizza day?
- Use your local movie theater’s schedule to work on reading a schedule. What time is Madagascar playing? How many times is it showing? Which movie is showing at 3:10?
- Anytime you play a game, instead of reading the directions to your students or telling them how to play the game, make enough copies of the instructions for all the players to read, either out loud or silently. Students will be working on their comprehension skills in order to play.
- According to Common Sense Media, 52% of children under the age of eight have access to mobile devices like a smartphone, video iPod, iPad or other tablets. Reward good behavior with 15 minutes on your classroom iPad to play an educational (of course) app. Try any of these suggestions.
- Your newspaper is one of the best (and inexpensive) resources for you to use. The topics are endless! Have students find their spelling words, highlight, and write the sentence the word was in. Read articles and headlines to reinforce main idea. Use the ads promoting discounts to practice math problems, or clip coupons to use in your next math activity.