Technology+In+The+Classroom

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**Technology in the Classroom The students will be coming up with a game for them and their classmates to play one day in class. Click the link below to see details. [|Game details] ** **Game examples:** //Frogs and ants,//// The Bus, Buggy Rides. || **Name of Activity:** **Buggy Rides** **Purpose of Activity:** To help Pre-K children learn to work together and use appropriate social skills. **Suggested Grade Level:** PreK **Materials Needed:** 2-4 medium sized rectangular-shaped laundry baskets with a looped rope (about 3 feet long) attached to one handle. **__Description of Idea__**

Tell students that they will be going for a buggy ride. Each of them will have a chance to be a rider and a horse. They will need to tell their "horse" when to begin pulling by saying "giddy-up." One child sits on their bottom in the basket while the other child pulls. Another child can help push if the rider is too heavy for the horse. Emphasize that the horse must wait for the rider to say "giddy-up" and follow a designated path on the floor at a slow speed. After completing the designated course, the students change roles. For safety, the teacher must monitor the children as they get in and out of the baskets to make sure the horse does not start before the rider is safely seated.|| **Name of Activity:** **Frogs and Ants** || **Purpose of Activity:** This game is a cooperative game in which students have to help their fellow classmate in order for the game to continue. **Suggested Grade Level:** 3-5 **Materials Needed:** 1-3 pinnies; 5-8 hula hoops **__Description of Idea__**

Before playing the game, explain the rules and how students will need to cooperate--work together safely and nicely--in order for it to be successful. The rules are: A few "**frogs**" will be chosen. At the signal, the frogs move around and try to tag the **ants**. When tagged, the ant must lay on their back with their feet and hands extended in the air. At this point, the ants that have not been tagged can try to "save" their fellow ants by getting four ants to carry and set the "**hurt**" ant inside a **lily pad** (have students demonstrate how to safely carry a "hurt" ant, and how to carefully set them down on the ground). When all four ants are attched to the "hurt" ant, they are safe and cannot be tagged by the frogs. After the ant is placed down on the lily pad, all five ants have **two seconds** to get away before they can be tagged by the frogs. The game is over when all the ants have been tagged and are laying on their backs; frogs will be changed when the game is over. Whenever the stop signal is given, all students must also immediately freeze. Once all students understand the game, have them go to a self space to begin at your "go" signal. Stop the game when needed. If the game gets over too quickly, bring the students back in to discuss cooperation among the ants. Discuss how ants who do not help others, in order to keep playing, actually make the game get over more quickly...that sometimes, we must help others in order to make things work better for ourselves. (Plus, it's just nice to help others!) Begin the game again with two new frogs; observe any difficulties or positive actions by students. When the game is over, again bring the students together and discuss what you saw, asking for their input as to how trying to cooperate is or is not working.

**Name of Activity:** **The Bus** || **Purpose of Activity:** To help students cooperate when completing physical challenges. **Suggested Grade Level:** 3-5 **Materials Needed:** One or more large (high jump size) mats **__Description of Idea__**

Let students know they will need to be cooperating together in order to complete the day's activities. Their purpose will be to work together in order to move a large mat around the gymnasium (or teaching area). Discuss what it means to cooperate: working together nicely...looking out for others...helping others...talking nicely with others. Remind students that there are some important **safety concerns** involved with this activity. They especially need to remember that they are to move at the same speed as everyone else in their group. If they go too fast, they can cause other people -- and the mat -- to fall, and people might get hurt. They need to think of others and not "horse play", as others again can get hurt. Also, remind them they need to lift and put the mat down together. Suggest that each group designate one person as the "**captain** ", who leads (by counting) when the mat should be picked up and put down. Divide students into groups around each mat (try not to have too many at one mat, for safety reasons; perhaps half the group at one mat). Present the following challenges (mats are on the ground when you explain all challenges) and have students try them after you've finished explaining each, answering any questions as needed. If needed, stop the activity and discuss the kinds of behaviors that are helpful -- and hurtful -- to a group working together. When done, review the types of behaviors which were positively used to cooperate.
 * Challenge 1) Lifting the mat** : Students lift the mat together, then bring it back down to the floor (quietly) at the same time. You may decide to verbally "count" to cue students to lift it the first time, and then allow the "captain" to count after that. Remind students to lift it only to a point where they are able to see over the mat.
 * Challenge 2) The drop** : Students lift the mat. At your signal, they drop it at the same time. Remind them to move backward out of the way when they drop it! If they all do it at the same time, it will make a big boom! (Not necessarily fun for you to hear it, but the kids will love it!) Again, you may want to verbally count for them to do it the first time, then allow the captain to give the cues to drop it after that.
 * Challenge 3) The drive around** : Students lift the mat and walk around the gym while holding it up (again, not higher than they can see over it). Give students direction to turn: straight, turn left, turn right, U-turn, backward, etc.
 * Challenge 4) The pick up** : Have a few students spread around the gym. A group with a mat comes over to "pick up" each child. The group must drop the mat, the student lays on the mat, and the group up must pick the mat back up. Stress the safety! It is important that the student on the mat lies without moving, and that the group brings the mat to the floor safely without dropping it. Be sure not to pick up more than two students at a time.
 * Challenge 5) The 360** : Students turn the mat 360 in one, then the other, direction.
 * Challenge 6) The tow truck** : While half the class lifts the mat up, the other half goes under the mat on the hands and knees, all facing the same direction. The mat is gently brought down onto the students backs, who then must move the mat to the "garage" (sideline) without dropping it.