There’s something about the shrieks, shouts, and laughter of playground play that makes me smile. Recently, I got two earfuls of smiles when I drove by a school playground with my car windows wide open.
What fun! But then my teacher switch flipped on. Wait a minute! These kiddos (and their teachers) have another couple hours left in their school day!
So here’s my burning question for my teacher peeps: How do you get your students focused on learning after several minutes of wide-open outdoor play?
My ears are ready!
Diane
PS: Hey, don’t forget—if you want a chance to win a super-duper math prize pack, submit a comment to the “All-About-Math Giveaway” post by midnight EDT Sunday, April 15!
I always do a bathroom and drink break after being outside. We then join together in our “Reading Pond” and read a story…deep breaths help too. =)
We do a bathroom break and then we come in and do some “Brain Gym” to help them get back to work and ready to focus on the day.
Besides bathroom and drink a little soft music with the lights out helps to settle us down.
We use the restroom, drinks, and then come back to the room for our read aloud chapter book time with the lights out-my kids and I both love the relaxation time and they are still learning 🙂
We sit on the whole group carpet for a 2-5 minutes with our eyes closed listing to calming music. The students find this to be calming. They are ready for the lesson to follow.
We do a restroom break and the kids wash their hands and get some water. Then it is straight to the tables for lunch.
I have my kids come in and do D.E.A.R.
Music playing as the class comes in. Silent reading for 20 minutes allowing everyone to settle down.
DEAR time (Drop Everything And Read), then mad minute (30 math facts in 1 minute).
Maybe, there is something wrong with me, but I have 2 set in stone rules.
1. No screaming allowed unless there is blood (a LOT) involved.
2. No running in the mulch area (around the playground equipment).
The students can yell without screaming and they can run in the grass area all they want.
In answer to your question, After we come back to the classroom, we put our heads down and rest as the students get drinks of water. This takes about 15 or so minutes and then it is on to the next lesson.
Before we go in we run and run around the playground and then we go in and hear a story
we just come in they drink rest there heads for a mintute and they are ready to go.