With a focus on the importance of Social-Emotional Learning, Michelle and I want to intentionally teach these skills. We started our IWOW by searching for activities and projects that would be age appropriate and of high interest for our students. As we compiled our list, it became apparent to me that many of the activities we gathered were once a part of the regular classroom schedule. However, with increased testing and bulking up the curriculum at all grade levels, many on the list happen only on “special” occasions. Because of this, we want to plan intentional lessons to practice these skills. One activity on our list was teaching our students a dance of some type. Last week, both of our classes together with our high school mentors learned the Continental Slide.

*We noted that several students who are reluctant to join in on gonoodle and other similar activities seemed to be enjoying and actively participating.

*Also noted was that students asked during the day and the next when we would be dancing again.

*We also noted that it would be fun to pick a simple dance and teach it at the beginning of the year and make it our “go to dance” so students could become very familiar with the music and steps.

Enjoy our short video of our students learning the Continental Drift.

Below are other ideas that we can use to cultivate confidence in students.

1. Clean-up Day

a. Have kids bring old gloves to wear.

2. Teach how to play in door board games correctly.

a. Uno

b. Pictionary

c. Yahtzee

d. Trouble

e. Old Maid

f. Charades

3. Teach how to play outdoor games correctly.

a. Four-square

b. Duck - duck – goose

c. Ships and sailors

d. Red Light Green Light

e. Jumping over the River

4. Teach a Line Dance

a. Cupid Shuffle

b. Macarena

c. Cha-Cha Slide

d. Hustle

e. Continental Drift

5. Improv Skits

a. The Lady with 100 Cats

i. Have students compete to see who can come up with the best skit using the given information.

6. Listen to a Podcast

a. Listen wise

i. Have students give a review of the episode. What was good, what was bad, give the recommendations of it.

7. Create a Podcast

a. Review a book they have read

8. Mindfulness Practice

a. Practice ways to ease stress and give students a skill that they can apply to so many areas of their lives.

9. Genius Hour

a. Have students explore topics and skills that they choose all on their own.

i. Example: listening to a foreign language