March 2013
3 posts
February 2013
3 posts
2 tags
2 tags
WatchLesley, Ann, Donna, Chris and Ron play One Word Build-A-Story to help Leslie write some jokes for the press conference. Ron isn’t much help.
January 2013
2 posts
December 2012
3 posts
1 tag
“I used to give in. I used to have a 4.0 GPA. I used to do ALL of my homework. I...”
– Learning to Think and Question (By Student Christian Isaac) « Cooperative Catalyst (via adventuresinlearning)
10 tags
April 2012
1 post
4 tags
Step
Step
Whole class
Any age
Facilitator calls out commands (step, jump, run, etc) and players have to follow them. If they call a number, players have to make groups of that number. If a player isn’t in one of those groups or doesn’t follow a command, they’re out. Facilitator can call “One” for players to raise their hand. The last to raise their hand is out....
March 2012
2 posts
7 tags
Yes, Let's!
Yes, Let’s!
Any number
Any age
Players walk around the space. The facilitator calls out a command, saying “Let’s ____” (ex: “Let’s be pirates!” “Let’s be kittens!”, etc) and players enthusiastically respond, “YES, LET’S!” Players then continue moving around the space and interacting as the new characters.
Source:...
6 tags
That's Charlie!
That’s Charlie!
4 players
5th grade or older
3 Players are on stage planning a party and come to realize that they’ve accidentally invited Charlie. Charlie is a terrible friend! The 3 players endow Charlie with different characteristics (“Charlie always speaks in that annoying fake French accent!” “Every time Charlie enters the room, he throws the nearest plant...
January 2012
1 post
5 tags
Streets and Alleys
At least 10
5th grade and older
Players form a grid and hold their arms out horizontally when the facilitator calls “Alleys!,” vertically when they call “Streets,” spin when they call “Tornado,” and drop to the ground when they yell “Earthquake.” One player is the cat who chases another play, the mouse, through the streets and alleys. The...
November 2011
4 posts
http://www.reddit.com/r/education/
(_)
.......
cardboardhousesxrayvision:
if a website doesn’t identify a webmaster, you shouldn’t trust it and you can’t learn anything from it. many major, important websites don’t/can’t identify ONE webmaster/author. if a website is bias, it can still often be useful in a paper.
also, if i ask you a fucking question in class, don’t tell me TO GOOGLE IT JESUS CHRIST YOU’RE THE TEACHER.
HOLY FUCKING SHIT
cardboardhousesxrayvision:
when you ask inane questions of your students, you’re not going to get answers. the silence doesn’t mean that they don’t know the answer. the silence means they think you/the question is fucking stupid.
these three posts are from my personal blog. it’s what i was experiencing during a class when i really shouldn’t have been on my laptop. as a...
cardboardhousesxrayvision:
academia teaches kids that their own thoughts and ideas are not valid and not to be trusted. they are taught that scholarly books and articles are the only things that can validate what they already know to be true. students’ own experiences don’t count for shit. without a paper written by someone with a doctorate degree, your ideas are false. and in my experience at...
July 2011
2 posts
April 2011
41 posts
Lovely Encounters; Hello!: Dear Parents/Adults,... →
electriflyingstars:
Children Learn What They Live By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D. If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for…
5 tags
Making Faces
At least 3 players
2nd grade – adult
A number of players sit, forming a line. The middle player is the Master; the others are his servants. The master is planning something (a party or whatever) and is giving his servants instructions. Whenever the master is not looking at a particular servant or servants, these try to make faces behind the master`s back. If they are caught they are fired and...
5 tags
One Duck
At least 3 players 3rd grade – adult Everyone in a circle. We are going to say a pattern, one word per player, going clockwise. It goes like: • One Duck, two Legs, Quack • Two Ducks, four legs, Quack Quack • Three Ducks, six legs, Quack Quack Quack And so on, till someone misses. Keep the rhythm!
4 tags
Name Volley
At least 4 players 2nd grade – up Players form a circle. Someone with an imaginary ball says the name of another player and “throws” the ball to them. That person “catches” it and continues the pattern. Source: http://improvencyclopedia.org/games/index.html
5 tags
Millepede
At least 10 players 5th grade – adult Players join hands and form a circle. Move the circle to a wall and collapse it so it is two lines joined at the ends. “Wheel” the circle along the wall as quick as possible. Be very careful! Source: http://improvencyclopedia.org/games/index.html
6 tags
Ksss
At least 2 players 5th grade — adult Players form pairs and sit on the floor. They establish a very simple rhythm by slapping their knees then either pointing their hands up/down/left/right. The players continue this till they do the same action at the same time. If they do, they replace the pointing action by making a fake water gun and making a “ksss” sound effect. The point of the game is...
5 tags
Queen
At least 5 players 3rd grade – adult One player is the queen (or king) and stands at one end of a room. Other players line up at the other end of the room and approach the queen one a time to offer a “gift.” The queen can tell them to “die” (if she’s not interested), “freeze” (if she might be interested), or “continue” (if she is interested). The first person to reach the queen wins. Source:...
8 tags
Bunny
At least 9 players 3rd grade — adult Players stand in a circle. One player becomes the middle of the bunny and the two people next to them hold their arms up as the bunny’s ears. They jump up and down and say “BUNNY BUNNY BUNNY” together then throw the turn to another player in the group. The game should be fast paced and funny! Source: http://improvencyclopedia.org/games/index.html
4 tags
Human Props
At least 4 players 4th grade — adult The first player starts an activity that would clearly define where they are (example: Washing up shows they are in the shower). The other players come in as objects that would be found in that environment and the first player “uses” those props. Source: http://improvencyclopedia.org/games/index.html
6 tags
House, Creature, Flood
At least 6 players 2nd grade – adult Players create “houses” (two people stand facing eachother with their arms up and hands touching) with a “creature” inside (another player crouched beneath their arms making a silly creature face). When the facilitator calls “house,” the players making a house find a new creature to cover. When the facilitator calls “creature,” the players crouching as...
5 tags
Gibberish Commands
At least 3 players 3rd grade – adult Players form pairs. The ‘commander’ gives their partner commands in gibberish (without miming it). They don’t move on until the partner understands and is able to do the command. Source: http://improvencyclopedia.org/games/index.html
5 tags
Fuzzy Ducky
At least 4 players 6th grade – adult Silly concentration game and great warm-up. All players in a circle. We will count numbers clockwise, except that: • any number that is a multiple of 3, or contains a 3 (like 13) becomes `Fuzzy` • any number that is a multiple of 7 or contains a 7 (like 17) becomes `Ducky` • any number that is a multiple of 3 and 7 (like 21) or contains both 3 and 7...
5 tags
Freeze Tag
At least 5 players 2nd grade – adult A tag game. If “It” tags you, you have to stay frozen in place until someone unfreezes you. Source: Childhood
7 tags
Ding Dong
At least 4 players 6th grade – adult Players choose a volunteer from the audience and ask them a series of questions about their day. Players then improvise a scene based on the answers. Each time the players get something “wrong” in the scene, the volunteer yells, “DONG!” The players must repeat the section of the scene they got wrong until they get it right. When they do, the volunteer yells,...
8 tags
Half-Life
At least 4 players 4th grade – adult Players improvise a scene that is limited to 1 minute. They then replay it in 30 seconds, then 15, and then 7. Source: http://improvencyclopedia.org/games/index.html
6 tags
Scene Replay
At least 4 players 4th grade – adult Players improvise a short scene. They then replay the scene with various conditions (in a certain emotion, as if it’s in a certain time period, backwards, in a different location, etc.) Source: http://improvencyclopedia.org/games/index.html
6 tags
Magic Carpet
At least 10 players 4th grade – adult Players all stand on a large tarp that is a “magic carpet.” The twist is that the map to where the group is going on the magic carpet is on the underside of the tarp! Players have to work together to turn the tarp over while they are all still standing on it. Source:http://improvencyclopedia.org/games/index.html
5 tags
Red Button Box
At least 3 players 5th grade – adult This improv game is played by 2 players. One holds a (mimed) black box, which has 3 buttons, one of which is red. These buttons control a player; one button might be the `jerk your leg` button. The exact functions of each button are not defined. The other player enters and asks if he can play with the box. Player 1 agrees, but adds something like...
5 tags
Backwards Interview
At least 2 players 5th grade – adult To play this improv game, ask for a topic for a TV interview. Then 2 players do the interview backwards. That means that the first sentence uttered is the last one in the interview, perhaps something like: Thanks for that enlightening explanation. (to the guest) To all of you viewers at home, thank you for watching, and see you next week. And then players work...
5 tags
Assassin
At least 6 players 5th grade – adult Players secretly choose one other player to be their “body guard” and one to be their “assassin.” They must move around the space and keep their body guard between themselves and their assassin Source: http://improvencyclopedia.org/games/index.html
8 tags
Understudy
At least 4 players
3rd grade – adult
2 or 3 actors improvise a scene. The “MC” interrupts at a random point and all characters are replaced by new actors from the audience. The scene continues as it had before.
Source: http://improvencyclopedia.org/games/index.html
4 tags
Sociograms
At least 10 players
2nd grade – adult
Players walk around and “fill the space.” They are instructed to make groups (or touch someone on the shoulder) based on various things. Examples: Get into a group with people who have the same eye color/height/pants/etc. (Touch someone on the shoulder who is wearing something you’d like to try on. Touch someone on the shoulder who looks like they know...
3 tags
10 Fingers
At least 5 players
4th grade – adult
Players hold up their ten fingers. They go around the circle and say “Never have I ever…” and say something they’ve never done. If another player has done that thing, they put down a finger. The first person to put all their fingers down loses (or wins, depending on your perspective). It might be important to tell students to keep the game school and age...
6 tags
Questions Only
At least 3 players
4th grade – adult
Players have one-on-one conversations but can only speak in questions. The first person to hesitate or speak in anything other than a question is out and is replaced by the next player in line.
Source: Christina Marin, Drama as Education 2
5 tags
Two Truths and a Lie
At least 3 players
3rd grade – adult
Each player shares three things about themselves, two of which are true, one of which is a lie. It’s up to the other players to pick out which is the lie!
Source: Friends Camp
6 tags
Personal Object Story
At least 4 players
3rd grade – adult
Players form pairs and give their partner a “personal object” (it could be something that is actually important to them or not). Players form a circle as a group. Each player improvises a story about why the object is so important to their partner.
Source: Bethany Nelson
Homeless woman prosecuted for enrolling son in... →
siristar:
Connecticut authorities have filed theft charges against Tanya McDowell, a homeless woman, alleging that she used a false address to enroll her son in a higher-income school district, The Stamford Advocatereports. If she’s convicted, McDowell may end up in jail for as many as 20 years and pay a $15,000 fine for the crime.
McDowell is a homeless single mother from Bridgeport who...
