CREATIVE IDEAS

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Correct the Teacher
Builds listening skills
Instruct students to follow along as you read. Let them know that you will make mistakes as you read on purpose. You might throw in errors of grammar and pronunciation. You might insert errors that are out of context. As the students pick up on an error, they should quickly raise their hands. See who will be first to spot each error.

Videotape Book Report
Builds presentation and analysis skills
Set up a video camera in the back of the room and have each child videotape him or herself presenting a 30-second "commercial" for a book they read. The students should tell what is good about the book within 30 seconds and then they have 2 more minutes to read a favorite passage from the book -- a passage that might motivate others to want to read the book!

Detective Spellcheck
Builds spelling and observation skills
Write 10 words on the board. These should be words the students already know. (This week's spelling words might be good words to use.) Go over the list of words with students. Then instruct them to lay their heads on their desks. When their heads are down, erase one of the words and rewrite it with a spelling error in it. When you announce "Go to work, detectives!" the students can raise their heads and try to figure out which word is misspelled. You can have students raise their hands as soon as they figure out which word is misspelled, or you can have each student write the correct spelling of the misspelled word on a sheet of paper. Correct the papers for a spelling grade.

A-B-C, 1-2-3
Builds sequencing skills
Provide a variety of boxed items from the supermarket. Challenge students put the boxes in sequence. They might sequence numerically according to weight, length, or price; or they might sequence by alphabetical order.

Math in Real Life
Builds awareness of the role of math in real life
Try to make time each day for students to share ways in which they encounter math in real life. Keep a running list of the places and times they find math -- to drive home the understanding that math skills are very important and practical in life.