One of the best ways to engage and motivate students is to apply learning to real-world situations or to associate the learning with something that students can identify with. The examples that follow have been used successfully in classrooms around the country and can be adapted for your subject and situation.

1. In social studies, history, or Government, hold a Party Convention to teach the principles of the democratic process. One teacher in Nebraska organizes a party convention with affiliation to any major party, and then breaks his class up into as many two or three student state delegations as possible. After appointing one student as “the candidate,” students research their state and attend the convention as delegates of their state.

1. Another social studies or history example is to reenact major events, such as the Battle of Bunker Hill, or the Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. As the teacher, you might dress up and set the stage before acting such things out yourself, or you might engage the class more deeply by including them in the process.

1. Math and science concepts lend themselves well to music. Put your students into groups and have them create a song or rap to help remember the concept being discussed. I’ve talked repeatedly about the value of music in remembering information and this strategy bears inclusion again here. Bringing students into the process and allowing them to use music they love motivates them to participate and remember. There are a variety of resources available on my website, but a new resource I discovered recently is http://mrduey.com. Another teacher tuning their love of music to the subjects they teach.

1. Teachers have been using animals like fish, reptiles, and amphibians in the classroom for years to teach students about life-cycle, habitat, and responsibility. The problem with this idea is that, over time, the process becomes more chore than treat for students. Another approach, and something that many communities offer, might be to have service animals brought in during specific days or times. These animals are specially trained for a variety of tasks and service organizations are always on the lookout for ways to help train these animals by offering them opportunities to interact with others. This is an especially good activity for involving students with special needs and can be adapted to a variety of subject areas.

1. Having a cook-off or using food examples is an excellent way for students to apply concepts like fractions, U.S to metric conversions, geometry. Teach fractions using a pizza or cake. Show how a sandwich is a square until you cut it in half and it becomes two triangles.

1. One life skills activity that reaches students can be applied to a variety of teaching moments. Give students an ‘entertainment budget’ and have them use their ‘money’ to purchase a new gaming system with games and extras. Make the budget small enough to be challenging. Many students have no concept of the skills involved in managing money, but they will apply critical thinking to the mathematics with this sort of challenge activity.

1. Hold a mock trial with lawyers, a judge, etc. to examine the judicial process, act out current or historical events, or to deter students from making poor life decision. Many high school criminal justice courses use this activity, sometimes including field trips to actual courtrooms, but the idea can be applied to a number of other courses and ideas as well.

Jeanne from Kirtland, NM teaches Quadratic Equation Through Song

During the week of August 10th I was pleased to work with two great groups of teachers.  During the first great session in Kirtland New Mexico, one of the high school math teachers agreed to demonstrate how she uses music by singing the quadratic formula to the tune of “Pop Goes the Weasel.”

Teachers at Ranches Academy and Rockwell Charter HS Sing Testing Strategies!

Then I spent two awesome days in Eagle Mountain Utah with the teachers from Ranches Academy and Rockwell Charter High School.  On day two, I presented, “Memorization and Test Taking Strategies”. We talked about testing strategies and three groups of teachers agreed to share the songs they brainstormed to remember testing strategies.  Thanks to Sara, Kayla, Allie, Jamie, Stacy, Melanie, Angela, Dorothy, Tiffany, Tammy, and Sue (I hope I got everyone’s  name right) for being courageous enough to let me film them to share with the world!

The following rhyme explains how to approach multiple choice questions on a standardized test:

First do the easy.

Then do the tough.

Quickly guess the difficult stuff.

Focus on multiple choice, they say later come back to do the essay.

Cross out answers that don’t make sense.

You’ll be done in no time, w/out being tense.

Watch your time and you’ll be fine.

Easy first, then the worst.

Guess the rest try your best.

Multi-choice then your voice.

Please don’t shirk, check you work.

Easy

Difficult

Guess

Multiple choice

Essay

Cross out wrong

Starring: Donna Barone, Tammy Weaver, Carissa Capwell, Kathleen Teay, Brent Herzog.

To the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star….

Calculate the time you need.

If you do you will succeed.

Easy questions first, they say

Difficult next is the best way

Multiple choice before essay

Guess the rest and end your day.

Time                               (draw a clock)

Easy                              EZ

Difficult                        E=Mc2

Guess                            ????

Multiple choice            ABCD

Cross out                       XXXX

To the tune of Frere Jacques….

Calculate time, calculate time

Easy first, easy first

Do the harder questions next

At the very end just guess

Then you’re done, have some fun!

Time for testing, time for testing

Easy first, easy first

Then we do the hard ones

Quickly guess the others

Then cross out, then cross out

How to manage time.  To the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat…

Try the easy questions first

Don’t waste too much time

Spend more time on harder ones

And you will do fine

Save the essay for the last

You can make it fun

List ideas before you start

Write a sentence for each one.

I’m testing for my next level in Kung Fu in a couple months and one of the requirements is to memorize quite a bit of information from the Kung Fu Members Handbook. Memorization has never been easy for me. I think that’s why I have so many strategies in my seminars to help students memorize information. I’ve used the strategies myself with tremendous success and have found students surpass all expectations (their own and those of their teachers) when they use memorization strategies.

And finally, Microsoft’s website has templates for flashcards and designates exactly which Avery product fits the dimensions.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT102530781033.aspx

 Enjoy making flash cards and seeing your students increase their test prep success!