Brain Waves Instruction

Best Homework Motivator Ever!

For years I tried to motivate my middle school students to do their homework.

- I associated prizes, class parties, and fun and games with homework completion.
- I threatened a life of doom if students didn't do their homework.
- I made extensive phone calls to parents.
- I developed elaborate homework tracking forms.
- I wrote progress report and report card notes and reminders.
- I held lunch detentions and after school detentions.

You name it, I tried it, and in the end, nothing was as motivating as this...

Source: IKEA

I know, I know, you're thinking, "a chair?!" Well, let me just tell you that this is no ordinary chair. It's "The Orange Chair" and for years it motivated my students to do their homework.

Here's a short video all about this homework motivator:

And here's how I used "The Orange Chair" in my classroom:

1. I told my students that each time they completed their homework they could write their name on a small piece of paper. (I associated a classroom job with the distribution and collecting of 'homework squares'.)

Source: Play Create Explore

2. Then, they could place that piece of paper into a small container.

3. Every Friday, I drew a name from that container. (It doesn't take long for students to realize that the more homework they do, the more chances they have at winning the drawing.)

4. The winner of the drawing gets to sit in "The Orange Chair" for the entire class.

OK, right about now you're thinking, "that's it?" Well, basically it is. However, the most crucial part of this entire motivation system is THE HYPE.

In my classroom "The Orange Chair" was sacred. Students were forbidden to ever touch it, let alone sit in it. Signs that said "please do not sit in this chair" were placed on the chair during Open House. Former students weren't allowed to sit in the chair either. The rule was that after they graduated high school they could come back and sit in "The Orange Chair" (and some of them did :)). I told stories of legends, like students that never, ever got to sit in the chair during an entire school year and other students who got picked to sit in the chair for a record number of times. Oh, and it's very important to make the person who wins the chair for the day feel like a king or queen. Bring him/her a footrest and a special clipboard. Have all group work go to them. If there's a fire drill during the prize, bring the chair with you so that he/she can continue sitting on it. You get the point...make it special!

It's a very, very simple idea, but I can't stress enough how motivating it is. I think it's the combination of getting to fill out the square and put it in the container (as opposed to being the kid who doesn't get a square that day) and the feeling that it truly is a special honor.

My students love "The Orange Chair" and trust me, so do I!

Thanks for stopping by!

Brain Waves Instruction

P.S. I bought my orange chair from IKEA, but any unusual chair would work. Here are some other ideas:

1. Big Joe Bean Bag Chair
2. Yellow Painted Adirondack Chair
3. Bungee Chair
4. Red Leisure Chair

P.P.S. - I've compiled a bunch of other classroom management tips and tricks plus all my back to school necessities in this Back to School Toolkit...I love it almost as much as I love that Orange Chair!

This post contains affiliate links.

Clip Artists and Font Designers I Love

The following clip artists and font designers hold a dear spot in my heart. Their work adds character and pizzazz to the resources that I love creating. Click on the links below to discover their catalog of work:

CREDITS:

Summer School Made Easy

Early in my teaching career I spent many summers teaching students in summer school and summer bridge programs. In fact, I even created a summer Step Ahead program working with students who would be in my classroom in September. We worked on summer reading projects and acclimating them to the skills, expectations, and units that they would experience in the classroom in the upcoming school year. It was such a wonderful experience. Students that traditionally floundered at the start of school entered my classroom confident and well...a step ahead.

While I found teaching summer school rewarding, there were certainly days that I would have rather sipped lemonades poolside than grade and plan inside. That's why I created a comprehensive summer school program for middle school English Language Arts.

Available here.

It's filled with five different units woven together with a journey theme. That means that summer school teachers can skip the planning, focus on the fun stuff - teaching!, and help students meet CCSS in an engaging, rigorous, and thematic way. Enjoy!

Investigating Historical Texts - Close reading of the Lewis and Clark's journal entries

Short Story Literature Study - "Lob's Girl" by Joan Aiken (story about a dog's incredible journey to his owner)

Mini-Research Project, Speech Analysis and Writing - Study of the speech genre, analysis of speeches about journeys, mini-research projects on incredible explorers, speech writing on research and presentation

Poetry Analysis and Writing - Analysis of three journey-themed poems and two poetry writing guides

Personal Journey Reflection - Quote investigation, personal reflection, and journey map

This multi-unit pack is available at Brain Waves Instruction on TpT here. Wishing you summer days with more lemonade a whole lot less planning!

Brain Waves Instruction

P.S. - This multi-unit bundle would also be great to teach at any point throughout the school year. Just imagine...your first six weeks of school - planned and ready!

Speech Unit - Common Core Bonanza!

I'm always on the lookout for a unit that meets as many possible CCSS as possible...and when I can't find one, I get busy making one.

Speech Unit

In this Speech Unit, students first analyze historic speeches while developing an understanding of the genre.

(Sample Speech Analysis Worksheet)

Then, they conduct a mini-research project on Presidents of the 20th century and write a speech on their research.

Speech Pre-write

Finally, they put their public speaking skills to the test while they deliver their persuasive speeches, while their classmates actively listen and record their learnings.

In just ten days, students have the opportunity to read, write, listen, and speak - tapping into a plethora of CCSS.

Take that Common Core!

(This product is available here.)

Creative Writing in the Classroom

Have you noticed a shift away from incorporating creative writing into the ELA classroom? I sure have...and I'm super sad about it! That's why I still try to infuse a little creative writing into my plans each week.

I've compiled my ten favorite creative writing lessons into this resource...

It's jam-packed with lessons that get my students excited about writing...and since that's why I became a teacher in the first place...to help students realize how fun learning can be...these lessons are classics in my classroom.

One of the lessons that students go nuts over is the Paper Disputes activity. Ordinarily, I spend most days with middle schoolers telling them not to fight, so you can imagine their surprise when I bring out this creative writing assignment...Paper Disputes.

In this writing activity students work with partners to create the most amazing dialogue fight ever. My kids go nuts thinking up creative situations for the fight like a beautician and her client or two garbage men. They always get so into writing the dialogue that we end up having performances, too.

Available at my TpT Store

The best part? By the end of this activity they've practiced writing realistic dialogue with correct punctuation and structure. They're usually having so much fun, I hate to ruin it for them and remind them that they're learning too!

Available at my TpT store!

If you're ready to get your students fighting, be sure to stop by our Teachers Pay Teachers Store and download this lesson! Or, find this lesson and 9 others HERE.

Thanks for stopping by,
Brain Waves Instruction

Spelling Games and Activities

My middle school students love playing games and since I love making learning fun, I'm always up for a few games in the classroom. One of the easiest ways that I've found to incorporate games into my lessons is through spelling instruction.