Thursday, July 4, 2013

Traffic Light and Artopoly

Time for another classroom management post. Now that you know about "show me the Mona Lisa" I'd like to introduce you to my traffic light!

The traffic light works not only as a visual reminder, but as way to play Artopoly! Here are the rules:
  1. The traffic light determines their behavior/sound level.
    • Green Light: You can talk in a normal inside voice
    • Yellow light: You are being warned for being too loud or unruly! Whisper until you have earned green light again!
    • Red light: Stop! You are too loud! Silent art for 1 minute, or longer if the class can't follow the traffic light. Sometimes I even have the class put their head down until they can be quiet and under control.  They can move back to yellow if they work silently!
  2. AFTER cleanup (this is key! Sometimes its the only way I can get the kids to clean up) and everyone's head is down, I will roll a giant dice.
  3. Whatever number I roll, their pin moves on the board. Each pin is labeled with their grade, and teacher...for instance 2M.
  4. Sometimes they land on prizes such as radio day, switch seats day, etc. If they make it the whole way, EACH student who didn't get their name written on the board gets to pick a prize out of my treasure box.
  5. **I only roll the dice if they are on green light! If they end they day on  yellow light "they have to go slow" and only move 1 spot. If they are on red light, they don't move at all**
This game was a BIG hit with all grade levels. Even my "too cool for traffic light games" six graders would whisper if they went to yellow light. My best classes even made it to the treasure box twice. Between "show me the mona lisa", the traffic light, and the artopoly game, I was able to somehow control my classes! The kids love this game!

My artopoly game was inspired by this pintrest post. However, I am not a huge fan of Monoply and I wanted a more whimsical "candy land" like feel!
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2 comments:

  1. UnknownJuly 26, 2013 at 4:52 AM

    Hi, I was wondering, do the students get to the end of the artopoly game where it says "treasure box" at the end of every class? I don't understand how they get there. How many times do you roll the dice. What types of things get student names on the board.

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  2. KiaraJuly 26, 2013 at 6:29 AM

    I roll a dice at the end of class, which only moves them 1-6 spaces. I think there are maybe 60 spaces on the board, so it takes months before the class gets to the treasure box. Most classes only got treasure box 1 time, when they finally land there....though a few of my classes never made it at all (and they know why!)

    As far as writing a name on the board, I refer back to my rules for this. It could be talking while I am talking, insulting another student, misusing a supply, or getting out of their seat.

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