Brain Warmers

One of the best parts of the day is opening the doors to let in the boys and girls each morning! There are hugs, lots of smiles, and loads of stories and visiting. It is a really terrific way to start a day and it is so, so energizing! 

As the students bounce in and get their Kanga Pouches unpacked, focusing their energy is key. Each morning we tackle an action-packed Brain Warmer! They are quick, lasting no more than 5 or so minutes, and we sure do have loads of fun!

The theme for the Brain Warmer changes each day to keep the students engaged. Children are always encouraged to work with and talk to their peers. These activities are a great transition into the day, allowing the students to "get their stories out" with each other, and they warm up important skills. 

Magazine Monday

Students choose from a variety magazines, such as Owl, Chirp, and ChickaDEE. These magazines are geared towards the primary reader and offer a different format for reading. 

Tune Up Tuesday

Students "tune up" a skill chosen by the very wise Mrs. Beliveau. This past week we were doing a picture/word search! We sure do love a challenge!

What Is It? Wednesdays

What is that? 

Projected onto the SMARTboard are a few "zoomed in" pictures for the children to examine and discuss. Then they are to write (or draw) their guesses on their whiteboards. 

Here are last week's fall-themed puzzlers:

Most had the first picture pegged as a pumpkin, but the second picture could have been a blanket, mitts, a toque, or a sweater! 

Here are the full pictures:

Think Outside the Box Thursday

On Thursdays, the students get a shape. They are to turn that shape into something creative and new by "thinking outside the box"! Last week it was a crescent shape. 

What did the boys and girls come up with?

(1) a moon (2) puppy in a bed (3) pirate ship

Fidget Friday

Students warm up their fine-motor skills on Fridays! We have enjoyed play-dough, links, lego, cubes, and a few other incredibly fun building items.

Thank you, papa, for the donation of play dough to our class!

The boys and girls are really enjoying our morning Brain Warmers! They have an opportunity to tackle a new challenge each day, all while connecting with each other in a unique way. The children can hardly wait to come into class!

Morning Brain Warmers

In our Grade One class, a big part of September is learning and practicing the daily routines. This past week, we focussed on our morning Brain Warmer routine. After unpacking their Kanga Pouches, this is what students do when they arrive at school each day.

In the past, I have had students complete journal prompts, sentence corrections, and other worksheet-type activities. This year, I decided to move away from the typical paper-pencil warm up tasks. I found they were not particularly engaging, so I decided on an alternative that allows students to talk and share with each other in a unique, active format.

Here is our weekly schedule:

Magazine Monday

Students are encouraged to flip through a magazine of their choosing in pairs. Some of the magazines on hand are Chirp, Highlights, High Five, Clifford The Big Red Dog and Let's Find Out. All are geared towards a primary reader and offer a different format for reading than the typical fiction book.

 

Tune Up Tuesday

Each Tuesday, the students will “tune up” a skill chosen by the teacher. This week, the children enjoyed being challenged by a picture/word search!

What Is It? Wednesday

What could it be?

Each Wednesday, I project pictures onto the SMARTboard for students to identify. Do you know what these might be?

The students were fairly certain the first picture was a pumpkin. As for the second picture, guesses ranged from a toque, a blanket, a sweater, mittens, to a pair of colourful socks. Here are the complete pictures:

Think Outside the Box Thursday

On Thursdays, children receive an abstract shape. They are encouraged to turn the shape into something else by “thinking outside the box”. This past Thursday, they received this L-shaped picture:

Here are some of the students’ creative creations:



From L to R: Rollerskate, striped snake, foot in a sock,
hockey stick, the beach in Mexico, and a sock.



Fidget Friday

Fridays are filled with items to fidget with! This week we enjoyed play dough in partners. Pipe cleaners and beads, cloud dough, links, building blocks, and more will make an appearance on Fridays.

So far, I’m very pleased at the results of this new format of morning warm up task. Students are engaged in an activity that is enjoyable and different each day, and can connect with each other in a meaningful way. The children can hardly wait to come into class for the daily Brain Warmer!