There are many reasons why this year has been more difficult than years past. For me, the most difficult aspect has been trying to run two very different curriculums simultaneously: at-home and in-person instruction. The good news is I can see the light at the end of the tunnel this year, and next year we will not have an at-home component.

As the year progressed, creating content for the at-home PE pod was getting exceptionally hard. My students all had different play spaces as well different available equipment. Some students had adult caregivers available to help and others did not because they were working. There were so many confounding factors to try and account for that I essentially had to have five or six variations at the ready. By then end of this year, I am getting burnt out with at-home PE instruction. If you have been delivering at-home PE content as well, and you are at your wits end, I have another free lesson for you. Hopefully this can get you over the hump so you can finish out the rest of the year a little less stressed.

Think of a topic that most of your students would say is boring or their least favorite.

Did any of you think of…….spelling?

Some people love it, some people hate it, and most are indifferent. Spelling is not something that typically draws out the energy or motivation from students. One way to get over the “blah” nature of spelling practice and spelling tests is by injecting some active movement in. How about we combine spelling tests with a scavenger hunt? And we make it a race as well? Hopefully that sounds like something that will get your students more excited about spelling

Montessori Physical Education

Scavenger Hunt Spelling Bee

At-Home Version

 

Introduction:

How do we make spelling practice more fun? Make it a scavenger hunt!

 

Materials: 

·      A list of words generated from common household items

o   The spelling difficulty should be adjusted to the age of the students

·      A computer with internet connection

 

Prior Knowledge: None

 

Presentation 

1.     Make a long list of words of common household items. Make sure that their spelling is at a difficulty that is appropriate for the age group.

2.     When all the students are ready, the instructor will read the word to the group. The students will need to search for the item and come back to their computer once they have it.

3.     When the student returns with the item, they need to show it to the teacher on the screen, then spell the word in the chat.

a.     There are several scoring options for this game:

                                              i.     The students don’t keep score

                                            ii.     The first person to bring back the item and spell it correctly wins the round.

                                          iii.     The students earn points depending on how fast they get the item and spell it correctly. If there are 10 students, the first finisher gets 10 points, the second gets 9 points, etc.

                                           iv.     All students who can get the item and spell it in one minute or less get 10 points, then 7 points for at two minutes, the 4 points at three minutes, etc.

b.    Regardless of the scoring system used, if the student does not spell the word correctly, they need to go get another item and return with it before they get another chance to spell the word.

                                              i.     For example, if the student finds a pen, and writes pin, they have to leave the pen that they retrieved and go get another pen before they get another crack at spelling the word again.

4.     Play as many rounds as you can in the time you have for PE.

5.     Try avoid using homophones in your spelling list.

 

 Aims:

Direct:    For the students to practice their spelling in an active way

Indirect:   Listening to directions

                Spelling

               

Physical skills practiced: 

·      Running

 

Control Of Error: 

The instructor should have premade word lists so they don’t have to think of words on the spot.

 

Points of Interest: Races and scavenger hunts are games that typically inspire lots of energy and motivation (especially in younger students). This is a fun way to break up possible Zoom monotony with something more active.

 

Age: Any age