Top 3 Tips For Movement in the Middle School Classroom


Three different no-tech ways to engage middle school students in the classroom!




We all know that obesity in children is on the rise.  So, we know the students need more movement  - but in Middle School?  Where the students are already all over the place?  Are you kidding me?

That's what I thought when I first heard this was the subject of our professional development after a long day in class.  

Then the presenter started showing us some games - but not just gallery walks, brain breaks, or other simple exercises - actual ways to incorporate games and movement as part of the lessons.

Some of the ideas were not new - they were "old" cooperative learning tactics but renewed with movement.  Soon I started to think about how I could adapt my favorite learning techniques and add in movement.

My Top 3 Ways to Incorporate Movement into the Middle School Classroom:



Do you want to incorporate more movement into your Middle School classroom?  Try "Slide"!  #teaching #tips #activities


The first game I came up with is something I call "Slide".


Two rows of students face each other.  One row has the questions on index cards with answers.  The other row has to answer the questions.  As a pair faces one another, if a student answers correctly, they switch places.  Soon, the teacher calls "Slide!" and the answer people move one space to the right to face a new partner with a new question.

I keep calling "Slide" until I believe that all questions and answers have been revealed enough times.

It's fun and can be used with any topic.  It can be used with task cards or with questions & answers that you put on index cards.  




Get your Middle School students up and moving with this school version of "Deal or No Deal"!  #teaching #tips #activities #movementintheclassroom


The Second Movement Game is a version of "Deal or No Deal".


You could use the same task cards/index cards from the previous game to play a version of "Deal or No Deal" by placing the cards inside numbered file folders.  

The first student up has to choose a number and when the contents of that numbered folder are revealed, they must answer the question correctly to get the folder and have another turn.  Otherwise, that file holder is allowed to move to the front of the room.

The winner is the one with the most folders in the end.  For some extra-level competition, each folder could have a different value!  :)




Here's a game that can be adapted to ANY subject area that will also increase the movement in your Middle School classroom! #teaching #tips #activities


The last movement game I have is "Tic-Tac-Toe".  


Think it's too simple to be a good movement game?  It's amazing what a little competition can do to engage middle school students!  Plus it's super quick prep using nothing more than some task cards or index cards and your whiteboard:


1.  Divide the class into two teams.  One is the “x” team and one is the “o” team.
2.  Draw a tic-tac-toe board on the whiteboard.
3.  Ask a question to the first member of the “x” team. If he/she is correct, then he/she places the x on the board!  If he/she is incorrect, he/she simply loses the chance to place the “x” on the board.
4.  Now repeat #3 with the “o” team. 

5.  Continue with each member of each team until you have a winner with 3 in a row!  You might even give bonus points as a prize!



So there you have it!  My top 3 ways to incorporate more movement into your classroom to get more students engaged!


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