With the start of 3rd Quarter comes the start of a new enrichment cycle.
The word enrichment or RtI often causes teachers to cringe, roll their eyes, moan, or a variety of other negative reactions or emotions.
I get it. Totally.
It can be frustrating when gains are not glaringly obvious. It can seem like a huge disruption to the school day. It can feel like a mandate not a motivational measure.
I like to try new things with my RtI or Enrichment groups. This round I have students who would be a great fit for Genius Hour or Independent Study. Both things I totally love and support. But as I studied my list of students and reflected on their needs, I also thought they could use an extra helping of family time. They all have advisory for 30 minutes to start their day, but wouldn’t an extension of that time be super beneficial too? I thought so, therefore I rolled with the idea…
I thought it would be fun to set up my enrichment like a game show. Game shows are fun. Game shows require teamwork. Game shows display positive emotions and support. Game shows test knowledge. Game shows give out prizes. Basically, key components of game shows and key components of great enrichment classes are identical!
We started with Family Feud. This is no doubt about it one of my favorite game shows of all time. The ridiculous support they give their family members spills over multiple times every question. “Good Answer” they all energetically exclaim whether the answer is actually good or not (I love this concept so much it plays a huge role in my daily classroom. Check out the chapter in my book Game Changers)
Each kid at the beginning of the cycle drew a card from a deck. With that draw, 4 teams (or families) were naturally formed. The Diamonds, Hearts, Spades, and Clubs. (Quick tip… you will want to review with kids the different suites of cards. They have no idea what a spade or club is!) For the first week we battled playing Family Feud, family vs. family. I found a deck of Family Feud questions at The Dollar Tree for a dollar (flippin love that store). You can also play an online version of this game for free!
We focused on sportsmanship here. We focused on teamwork. We focused on the fact that although you may not like every person in your “Family” in order to win you simply must work together. Then celebrate together whether you win or lose. These are foundational concepts I truly believe must be taught in school.
It was epic! And easy to plan. And teachers certainly don’t mind a little less prep. Can I get an amen?
Moving on to Who Wants to Be a Millionare Next Week. Stay Tuned!
PS- Are you doing something AWESOME in your enrichment or RTI? I’d LOVE to hear about it! Connect with me on Facebook or Instagram
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