May 23

Written by: deb
5/23/2014 6:44 AM 

Filling five minutes here or there with functional, skill building activities can be a challenge! This blog will offer some quick five minute skill-builder time fillers that will be packed with fun!

This game is not a new idea...but I used it often just before recess or during a lull in the classroom. I bought my beach balls at the end of the swimming season. Cost is low!

Beach Ball Facts! Draw circles, squares or triangles on a beach ball and write an addition fact (or subtraction, multiplication, division) inside each. All students must stand up. Toss the ball to a student and say a command for which problem to answer, "Right index finger!" or "Left index finger!" or "Right pinkie!" etc.  Once he answers one correctly, he tosses the ball to another student and shouts out the command for which problem to answer. The students remain standing until missing an answer. Play for a limited time of five or ten minutes, or until only one student remains standing.

This game can also be used for other subject areas. If you create an index file of questions (color code them or label them A, B, C, etc)....write triangles, squares, circles, and squares in varied colors all over the beach ball. When a student's finger (you say the command...right pinky, left index finger, etc.)  or thumb lands on a red square, pull a question from the red pile and ask for the answer. Same rules as above.

Happy Teaching!

Deb

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