Incorporating Movement Into The Classroom.

 

There has been research dealing with movement and learning.  We know that when students move around, the amount of oxygen increases in our blood and the increased oxygen helps us learn and remember more.  In addition, there has been a indication that increased movement in class helps ADD and ADHD students focus more with less behavior issues. 

Unfortunately, too many articles focus on incorporating movement in elementary school which doesn't always help high school students.  We can't always take over the gym, especially if there are classes using the gym all day.  Furthermore, we can't always take students outside without permission or due to weather issues.

However, there are certain activities high school teachers can introduce into their classes so students are able to move around. Admittedly, some activities need a bit of adjustment to work in the classroom but it can be done.  In addition, activities do not have to take the whole class period but can be done in a few minutes.

The first activity is the gallery walk.  The gallery walk is a way to show how students completed certain problems.  To do this, divide students up into small groups of 4 to 6 students.  Provide each group with markers and a large piece of paper.  Then give each group a problem to do on that paper. Once they are all done with their problems, they will hang them around the room.  Ask students to move around the room looking at each poster.  Ask each student to write down a question, comment, or with a thought on either post-it notes or on a gallery walk response sheet.  At the end of the time, ask students to return to their poster, read the comments and questions before they discuss the information.  As a final step, ask students to write a short summary of what everyone questioned or commented on and their responses.

Try a chalk talk.  A chalk talk is where the teacher places flip chart sized paper around the room.  Each paper has a single question, statement, visual, or math problem written on it.  Students move round the room writing their answer, thoughts, conclusion, or the work showing how they did the math problem on each paper in response to what was written on it.  

The way it works is for students to choose one paper.  They read the writing on it and think about it for a minute or two before spending two or three minutes writing down their thoughts.  They they move to the next sheet and repeat the process. At the end, the teacher collects the sheets to read through the answers.  Since students do not write down their names, they often feel more secure in writing down their thoughts.  What is nice is that you don't have to have students answer every single page.  You can allow enough time to answer two or three.

Perhaps, you could use a white board meeting where small groups of students investigate a situation which uses a data set.  They have to make sense of the problem, figure out an answer or conclusion and they write it on a whiteboard. Students are expected to share their thinking and conclusions using graphs, pictures, mathematical equations, and written words.  Once everyone is done, they then present their work including their conclusions to the other students.  The other students give them feedback and ask questions to clarify their thinking.

Then there is the musical mingle game.  Select three or four questions ahead of time.  Ask students to stand and play music so they wander around the room.  When the music stops, students find a partner and the teacher asks the question students are expected to discuss. After a couple of minutes, start the music again and students begin wandering again till the music stops.  Once students have had the opportunity to discuss all three questions, they share some of their thinking with the class. 

I love doing a search and rescue where I place half sheets of paper around the room.  On the top half of the page is the problem and on the bottom there is an answer but it is the answer to a different problem.  I let students work together if they want to but they have to show their work on their answer paper.  They work the problem, then go looking for the answer.  When they find the answer, they work the problem listed on the top and when they get an answer, they look for it.  If they make a mistake, they won't find the answer or end up discovering they have already used the answer so it makes them take a second look at their work.  I sometimes put up just a few or a lot depending on how long I want it to take.

Finally, one can implement stations where each station has one or two problems for students to work before moving to the next station.  The problems at each station have a specific focus.  If students are studying linear equations, one station might have students create a table of values, another might have them graph the equation, another might ask them to compare basic equations such as y =x and transformed equations such as y = x + 3 and discuss what is happening. When they finish at one station, they have to move to the next station until they are done.

If possible, it is good to integrate a little movement into the classroom to help students.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.