Top 10 favorites!
Brain Strategies
from:
Smith, J.A. (2006). 90 instructional strategies for the classroom. Marion, IL: Pieces of Learning.About the book...
1. Cube-It
Brain Link - challenge, choice/variety, trigger emotions, relevance
Brain Processing Preference - verbal/linguistic, visual/spatial, tactile, artistic, individual
Content Skill - reading, organizing, writing, summarizing, following directions
Thinking Skill - problem solving, sequence, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, originality, and composing
2. Graffiti Grammar Art
Brain Link - novelty, multiple memory, pathways
Brain Processing Preference - visual/spatial, artistic, tactile, individual
Content Skill - grammar
Thinking Skill - comprehension, imagination, creating
3. Graphic Organizers
Here are some sites that have a variety of graphic organizers which can be printed if students don't make their own:
- http://my.hrw.com/nsmedia/intgos/html/igo.htm
- http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/
- Graphic Organizer Maker from Tech4Learning
Brain Link - attention/focus, activate prior knowledge, pattern seeking, multiple memory pathways, relevance
Brain Processing Preference - verbal/linguistic, visual, tactile, individual/pairs, or small gropus
Content Skill - reading, language development, writing
Thinking Skill - organizing skills, brainstorming, attributes, integrating skills
4. I Have...Who Has
Brain Link - attention focus, practice, feedback, activate prior knowledge, social interaction
Brain Processing Preference - verbal/linguistic, auditory, group, tactile
Content Skill - vocabulary, listening
Thinking Skill - flexibility, risk taking, cause/effect
5. Jeopardy
https://www.superteachertools.net/jeopardyx/
http://exchange.smarttech.com/search.html?q=%22jeopardy%22
Brain Link - social interaction, practice, feedback, novelty, attention
Brain Processing Preference - verbal/linguistic, interpersonal, anlaytic, tactile, individual/groups
Content Skill - All
Thinking Skill - comprehension, analysis, evaluation, risk taking
6. Journals
Kidblog is a great site to help foster online journal writing. There are lots of classes who have used Kidblog this year; ask your ITRT if this is something that you are interested in learning more about for next year.
Brain Link - reflection, relevance, multiple memory pathways
Brain Processing Preference - verbal/linguistic, interpersonal, individual
Content Skill - All
Thinking Skill - analysis, synthesizing, evaluation, composing, observing
7. Rap It
Brain Link - pattern seeking, novelty, challenge, social interaction
Brain Processing Preference - musical/rhythmic, verbal/linguistic, bodily/kinesthetic, auditory, analytic, individual, pairs, groups
Content Skill - All
Thinking Skill - imagination, sequencing, summarizing, elaboration, analysis, risk taking
8. Throw the Dice
SMARTBoard users: SMART Notebook software has a variety of interactive dice to choose from that could be used for this activity.
BrightLink users: Easi Teach software has interactive dice in the widget section.
*Here is an online dice roller site: http://www.random.org/dice/
Brain Link - social interaction, reflection, practice
Brain Processing Preference - verbal/linguistic, tactile, analytic, groups
Content Skill - All
Thinking Skill - comprehension, elaboration, analysis
9. Top 10 Lists
Brain Link - challenge, practice, humor, novelty
Brain Processing Preference - verbal/linguistic, analytic, individual/pairs/groups
Content Skill - following directions, comprehension, summarizations, word meaning
Thinking Skill - problem solving, analysis, fluency, flexibility, attributes, risk taking, imagination
10. Venn Again
Brain Link - practice, evaluation, pattern seeking
Brain Processing Preference - logical/mathematical, visual/spatial, analytic, individual/groups/pairs
Content Skill - All
Thinking Skill - analysis, evaluation, classify, attributes
Rebecca Narron - ITRT & Online Learning Developer
- Chickahominy Middle School
- Atlee High School
Email: rnarron@hcps.us
Location: Ashland, VA, United States