Chalk

Well, it looks like the warm weather is here to stay and I am LOVING it!  Being cooped up all day inside with 100 sixth graders, however, is not fun.  Since the school year is not over and I plan on teaching until the last possible second, I try to work in activities for the students that get them up and moving or outside.  Chalk is by far the best teaching tool I have in my arsenal for this time of the year.  The kids love using it and enjoy the opportunity to go outside.  On our first nice day of spring, back in March, I taught the properties of multiplication and addition.  I took the classes outside and lined the students down the sidewalk.  Each student was given a piece of colored chalk and asked to draw an example of one of the properties using variables or numbers.  We then moved down the line labeling the examples.  This was a great test review activity for the kids.  They loved being out of their seats (and the classroom) and it reviewed material they were being tested on.  Chalk is cheap, nice weather free, and in my opinion, chalk fits into any subject.