Grids, Hands-On Charts, & Movement

Today educational author Rich Allen is our county's keynote speaker at our in-service.

He has shared some interesting ideas and many photos that teachers have shared with him.
Spelling Grid
Teachers had a grid of letters painted on the floor. The students stood around them in a circle. The called out a spelling word and had one student spell it out by hopping from square to square.  They could also use bean bags.

He also showed the following types of charts to keep students moving:

Music Notes on a Scale

They also had a coordinate grid on the hallway wall.

Sight Word Twister


Bean bag letters for K on a hopscotch board (students identify the letter or letter sound; one side of the bean bag was an uppercase letter and one was lowercase).




Outdoor Spelling Grid- He was talking about how they found the students outside practicing their spelling words before school.  I would love to get one of these at our school!  They also showed an outdoor 100's chart!

Academic Vocabulary Chart
This chart was made out of sheet protectors.  You can change the vocabulary depending on the unit of study.  I love that you can use this for any subject!  In the example given, they showed geometry.  Pictures and phrases were inserted into the squares such as "4 corners" or "Triangle".  The students would then have to expound upon that information, giving a definition or characteristics of each term.

Floor Calculator 

This floor calculator was used by the students to practice equations. Students on the side could stay engaged by saying the color of the next number (answer).

Periodic Table (made by HS students)

I would love to use a Spelling grid, 100's chart, or multiplication table!

If you can't make it permanently in the classroom, they suggested a tarp, sheet, or shower curtain. 

Do any of you have these?