Post Test De-stress

For many tenth graders in my state this week starts testing season. We had our writing test today: 120+ minutes of high-stakes performance. Post test I figured the two classes I had would need to decompress, so I borrowed  ideas from our high school youth group and pulled together some game time. 

First, we played musical shapes. For this game, we pushed all the desk back against the walls to clear the center floor. Then,  I used blue painter's tape to tape 4-6 shapes of varying sizes to the floor. The idea is to walk around (not in) the shapes while the music plays and then land inside one when the music stops. After each round a shapes are pulled up from the floor or made smaller depending on how fast you'd like the game to go.  

Boy did we laugh! So much so, I forgot to take pictures.

After musical shapes we played "the family game" in one class and F.E.A.C.H. Charades in another. FEACH  stands for fast food, electrical appliance or cartoon hero. It's one of my favorite charades games.  

I had to go first to break the ice. I reached my hand into the cup and pulled out a scrap that read "fridge." I channelled big and boxy. I squared my shoulders. I stuck my arms out, elbows high and let my fore arms dangle from my elbows. The sound of kids laughing and guessing got louder: "box, no, no, stove.."

"No, pantry, no, ha, no , wait... "

Then I mimed opening doors in front of mu stomach like opening  a fridge and some guessed it. Whew! The we were off and giggling into the next game.

We played boys against girls- each person jotted  one item (fast food, electrical appliance or cartoon hero) on a scrap of paper to make the set of items we pulled from. 

Just try keeping a straight face when you have to act out "washing machine" or "Pokeman Ash." I dare you.