Tuesday, January 12, 2016

What if we played basketball?


This is a Tuesday Slice of Life for Two Writing Teachers
Check out their website for many more reflections on teaching.


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My slice is basically two photos from today at school....

Our outdoor playtime was filled with cries of  "I'm too cold, Ms. Ingram!" and I decided to cut short our adventures outside. However, I knew the children needed more movement. Yes, we have entered the time of year when I am searching for ways to have gross motor play indoors.

I wondered if we could engineer a basketball hoop out of a cardboard box? I knew that we could use all the soft, small balls that we already have on hand for our balls and ramps exploration as our "basketballs.

The children and I went to look for scrap cardboard in the Art room, and our wonderful Art teacher Ms. McNeil had the "insides" of a box that was just perfect. It had a large perforated circle design, because it once held something round (a new globe? a new saucepan? a ball?). 

There wasn't much to engineer. We simply taped around the edges and then duct-taped the box to the wall! So simple, so fast, so perfect. 



Children played 'basketball' throughout centers, getting so much exercise! Indoors! Back and forth they went, shooting baskets, running after balls, visiting another center to explore something different, racing back to play more basketball. Around and around and around.

My laugh of the morning - one little girl coming over to join me at the block center, throwing herself on the floor, and gasping the words, "Oh, I am just so tired from all that basketball!" A few minutes later, she was back shooting baskets.

Fun times!

4 comments:

  1. Oh the ingenuity of a teacher! What a perfect solution for "basketball" inside.

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  2. I can tell there is so much joy in your classroom. I wish I were closer... I'd come for a visit since your room sounds like so much fun!

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  3. I love this! I have a feeling you made their day. This is what they told their parents tonight when asked, "How was school today?"

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  4. Serendipity from the art room & a great idea! I do love seeing what you do in your classroom, Maureen, & love the "tired" girl who just couldn't stop.

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