Bringing Joy to Your Classroom: Week of October 9th
As Ontario teachers, we understand that education is not just about textbooks and assignments; it's about sparking curiosity, nurturing creativity, and creating memorable experiences. With that spirit in mind, let's explore how to infuse excitement into your classroom for the upcoming week, from October 9th to October 13th. These themed days offer unique opportunities for fun and learning without the need for extensive preparation or costs. From celebrating Indigenous Day to focusing on mental health on World Mental Health Day, supporting inclusivity on National Coming Out Day, promoting financial literacy on National Savings Day, and exercising the brain on Train Your Brain Day, we've prepared three prep-free and cost-free activities for each day to make your classroom a hub of joy, growth, and enlightenment.
Indigenous Day - Embracing Cultural Heritage
Activity 1: Indigenous Storytelling Circle Gather your students for a storytelling circle where they share stories inspired by Indigenous cultures. Encourage them to use their imagination to create narratives that celebrate Indigenous traditions.
Activity 2: Indigenous Art Appreciation Display Indigenous artwork in your classroom and discuss its significance. Encourage students to share their thoughts and impressions, promoting cultural awareness and appreciation.
Activity 3: Indigenous Language Greetings Teach students simple greetings in Indigenous languages such as "Boozhoo" (Anishinaabe), "Tansi" (Cree), or "Wela'lin" (Mi'kmaq). Encourage them to greet each other using these phrases throughout the day.
World Mental Health Day - Nurturing Well-Being
Activity 1: Gratitude Journal Distribute notebooks to your students and encourage them to start gratitude journals. Ask them to write down three things they're grateful for each day, promoting a positive mindset.
Activity 2: Kindness Chain Create a kindness chain by having students write acts of kindness they've witnessed or performed on strips of paper. Assemble the chain in your classroom to remind everyone of the importance of kindness.
Activity 3: Guided Breathing Exercises Lead your class in simple guided breathing exercises to promote relaxation and focus. Resources like Calm offer free guided sessions.
National Coming Out Day - Fostering Inclusivity
Activity 1: Inclusive Classroom Discussion Engage your students in an open conversation about inclusivity and respect for all. Encourage them to share their thoughts on creating an inclusive classroom environment.
Activity 2: Rainbow of Kindness Provide colored paper strips and ask students to write acts of kindness or supportive messages on them. Create a rainbow display in your classroom as a symbol of acceptance.
Activity 3: LGBTQ+ History Trivia Challenge your students with a fun trivia game about LGBTQ+ history and achievements. Use online resources to gather interesting facts and questions.
National Savings Day - Financial Literacy Fun
Activity 1: Budgeting with Play Money Distribute play money to students and have them create budget plans for fictional scenarios. This hands-on activity introduces basic budgeting concepts.
Activity 2: Savings Goals Collage Encourage students to cut out images from magazines or print pictures representing their savings goals. Create a savings goals collage in the classroom to inspire financial literacy.
Activity 3: Financial Literacy Quizzes Organize financial literacy quizzes based on age-appropriate concepts. You can find free quiz templates online to use in your classroom.
Train Your Brain Day - Mental Gymnastics
Activity 1: Riddles and Brain Teasers Challenge your students with a collection of riddles and brain teasers. Websites like Riddles.com provide a wide selection of free brain-teasing questions.
Activity 2: Logic Puzzle Race Organize a logic puzzle race where students work in teams to solve puzzles. You can find free printable logic puzzles online.
Activity 3: Brain-Boosting Word Games Engage your students with word games like Scrabble, Boggle, or crossword puzzles. These games stimulate critical thinking and vocabulary skills without the need for extra materials.
Which day will you plan to celebrate with your class this week? Let me know in the comments!! Happy teaching!
