CALL BACKS

Call backs are similar to the game “Marco Polo.” The teacher says one thing and the children respond. Call backs work like a charm to focus children’s attention.

Teacher says: Hands on top.
Children respond: Everybody stop! (Put hands on head and freeze.) 

Teacher says: Macaroni and cheese.
Children respond: Freeze please! (Freeze and look at the teacher.)


Teacher says: Ready?
Children respond: Spaghetti! (Stand up straight.)

Teacher: Marco
Children: Polo

                           

Teacher: Okeedookee
Children: Artichokee

Teacher: Peanut butter
Children: Jelly 

                                                             

Teacher says: All set? (Snap fingers twice.)
Children respond: You bet! (Snap fingers twice.)

*If they are not ready they respond “not yet.” Keep saying “All set?” until the entire class is responding “You bet!”

Teacher: Da da da da da...
Children: I'm loving it! (MacDonald's advertisement)

Teacher says: How do you feel?
Children respond: We feel good! Yeah! (Stick up thumbs.)

*Encourage the children to make up their own call backs. 

Hocus Pocus
Teacher says:
“Hocus Pocus!” (Stick out index finger and circle around like a magic wand.)
Children respond:
“Everybody focus!” (Children make circles with fingers and thumbs and place
around eyes like spectacles.) 

Check!
Teacher says: Standing straight?
Children respond: Check!
Teacher says: Hands to self?
Children respond: Check!
Teacher says: Mouth closed?
Children respond: Check!
Teacher says: Ready for the hall?
Children respond: Check! 

Line Up Call Back
I say “line.”
You say “up.”
Line (teacher)
Up (Children)
I say “sit.”
You say “down.”
Sit (teacher)
Down (Children)
“Happy” – “Monday” etc.

HAVE A SEAT!

Children will be ready to sit down and focus with one of these tips!

Give Me a Clap (Tune: “Addams Family”) Give me a clap. (Clap twice.)
Give me a clap. (Clap twice.)
Give me a clap, give me a clap,
Give me a clap. (Clap twice.)
Give me a snap. (Snap twice.)
Give me a snap. (Snap twice.)
Now fold your hands and put them down
Into your lap. (Model putting your hands in your lap.) 

Sit Down Chant
Clap your hands. (Clap 3 times slowly.)
Stomp your feet. (Stomp slowly 3 times.)
Put your bottom
in your seat! 

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Lap (Tune: "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes")
Head, shoulders, knees, and lap, (Point to appropriate body part.)
Knees and lap.
Head, shoulders, knees, and lap, (Point to appropriate body part.)
Knees and lap.
Legs are criss-cross applesauce (Cross legs and fold hands.)
And our hands are in our lap, lap, lap.


Sitter Spot
If your class has a difficult time sitting in a spot you can make them a “sitter spot” from felt squares or fun foam. Cut circles (any size) and write the students’ names with a maker. Spread these out so they all have a defined place to sit. Explain that it’s their “special” spot.

                              

Divide and Conquer
One of the simplest techniques for “impulsivity” is to separate children who tease each other. Putting a high-energy student between two quiet friends will definitely have a calming effect.


Smart Hands
When I was in kindergarten 100 years ago (not really – only 69) Mrs. Meyers taught us to fold our hands and put them in our laps. Do you know this still works? One teacher demonstrated folding her hands as she told her students, “These are smart hands that will help you listen and learn.”


Criss Cross
Criss cross. (Children sit cross legged on the floor.)
Be your own boss! (Children fold arms around their chest as they give themselves a hug. Hugging their chests helps children center themselves and gain control.)

Put Your Bottom on the Rug
(Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
Put your bottom on the rug, on the rug.
Put your bottom on the rug, on the rug.
Put your bottom on the rug, then give yourself a hug.
Put your bottom on the rug, on the rug.

Have a Seat (“Shortnin’ Bread”) 
Everybody have a seat, have a seat, have a seat. 
Everybody have a seat on the floor. 
Not on the ceiling, not on the door. 
Everybody have a seat on the floor! 

Note: If you want children to sit in a chair, then sing: 
Everybody have a seat, have a seat, have a seat. 
Everybody have a seat on your chair. 
Not on the ceiling, not in the air. 
Everybody have a seat on your chair.

Secret Signals
Explain to your students that you are going to have some “secret signals” that only your class will know. Here they are:
1 – Whenever the teacher says “one” everyone should sit down quietly.
2 – When the teacher says “two” everyone should put their hands in their laps.
3 – When the teacher says “three” everyone should smile

HOCUS POCUS FOCUS!

Getting children's attention takes a little 

"hocus pocus" and one of these ideas.

Hint! I would choose one of these at a time and use it for several weeks. When you do the same attention grabber repeatedly it becomes an "indicator" in the brain to help children know it's time to look, listen, and learn.

Tootsie Roll
Tootsie roll, (Roll hands around each other.)
Lollipop. (Pretend to lick a lollipop.)
We’ve been talking, (Open and shut fingers.)
Now let’s stop! (Make sign language sign for “stop.”)



H-A-P-P-Y
Teacher says: Is everybody happy?
Children repeat: Yes, ma’m. H –a- p – p – y. Happy! (Clap on letters.)


Drum Roll, Beethoven, Toot-a-Roo
Teacher says: Give me a drum roll. (Children pat legs like a drum.)
Teacher says: Give me a Beethoven. (Children pretend to hold a cello and hum Beethoven’s 5thSymphony.)
Teacher says: Give me a toot-a-roo. (Children cup hands around mouth like a trumpet and salute.)


Play a Game
Simon says...
Put your hands on your knees.
Wiggle your nose.
Touch your toes...


Magic Clap
Explain to the children that you have a magic signal that only your class will know about. Every time you clap your hands, you want them to repeat the clap and look at you. Practice this by clapping patterns, such as:
clap, clap ~ clap
clap, clap, clap ~ clap ~ clap
After children have repeated the clap and are focused on you, give directions for the next activity.


Give Me a Clap
Lead children in a cheer or a clapping pattern. Make it a game and challenge by saying, "Can you do this?"
If you can hear my voice, clap your hands one time.
In a softer voice say:
If you can hear my voice, clap your hands two times.
In a whisper voice say:
If you can hear my voice, please look at me.
Continue lowering your voice until children are focused on you.


Make Rain
Hold up palm as you say, “Let’s make rain. Do what I do.”
Tap pointer finger on palm for several seconds.
Tap pointer finger and middle finger.
Tap pointer, middle, and ring finger.
Tap pointer, middle, ring, and pinky on palm.
Clap hands together loudly, then reverse movements.
Tap pointer, middle, ring, and pinky on palm.
Tap pointer, middle, and ring finger.
Tap pointer and middle finger.
Tap pointer finger on palm.
Slowly bring palms together and put in your lap.


                   

Criss-Cross Applesauce
Cut the label off a can of applesauce and glue it to a piece of paper. Tape the paper to a stick and whenever you want the children to sit "criss-cross applesauce" hold up your sign. That's a good example of visual literacy because before children read words they read pictures.
*Thanks to my friend Pamela Pounds for this fantastic idea.

                                            
Student Heroes
5-4-3-2-1-zero (Hold up hand and put down one finger at a time.)
I’m looking for my
student heroes. (Make goggles with thumbs and fingers and place around eyes like glasses.)

*Call the names of children who are sitting quietly.

Check out this video to learn more attention grabbers and transitions.

Click to watch video

SO LONG - FAREWELL

You know how important it is to start each day in a positive way with a song, but it's equally important to end each day with a smile and a song.


It Is Time to Say Good-Bye (Tune: "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain")
(Clap your hands and stomp your feet to the beat.)
It is time to say good-bye to all my friends.
It is time to say good-bye to all my friends.
It is time to say good-bye,
Give a smile and wink your eye. (Smile and then wink.)
It is time to say good-bye to all my friends. (Wave good-bye.)
Yeehaw!!! (Fist in the air.)

Goodbye Friends (Tune: “Where Is Thumbkin?”)
Goodbye friends. (Wave good-bye.)
Goodbye friends. (Children repeat each line.)
Time to go. (Point to clock.)
Time to go.
We had fun learning.
We had fun learning.
Love you so. (Cross arms as if hugging and then point to children.)
Love you so.

The More We Get Together (Traditional Tune - Sing in sign language.)
The more we get together, together, together.
The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.
For your friends are my friends,
and my friends are your friends.
The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.

The more we learn together…

The more we play together…

The more we sing together…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9QbZnLqeMw

3 –H Good-bye
Heigh-de-ho, heigh-de-hay,
Sure am glad you came today.
Before you go, what do you say?
Hug, handshake, or high-5 today?




*Cut out a hand (handshake), heart (hug), and "5" (high five). Children choose the one they want to give the teacher before they leave the classroom.


Pat on the Back
Cut hand shapes out of construction paper. Write a positive comment about each child on a hand. Tape the hand to their back before they leave at the end of the day.

Partner Share
Children turn to a friend and tell their favorite thing they did at school that day.


Sales Person
Good teachers are like sales people "selling" children on learning and other activities! Before children leave at the end of the day give them something to anticipate the upcoming day. "I can't wait for you to come back to school tomorrow. We're going to _____________! It's going to be AWESOME!"

WALK THE ROOM

WHY?

This is an alternative to the traditional circle time or morning meeting. You might not want to do it at the beginning of the school year, but as skills and content expand, it could be a way to increase children's attention span and interest.

HOW?

Think about using the four walls in your classroom with the visuals and the activities below. The children can stand and walk around the room to face the flag, calendar (math/science), word wall, and classroom alphabet. Integrate appropriate songs and movement activities to reinforce these skills.

Note! This strategy could easily be adapted for different age levels and concepts.

My World
What? flag, US map, poster of handshakes, classroom rules

How? Sing a good morning song, say the pledge, do a handshake, review rules, etc.

Calendar/Math/Science
What? calendar, weather chart, hundreds chart, daily schedule

How? Sing songs about the days of the week or the months, review your daily schedule. Sing the weather song and have a “meteorologist” report. Count, add boys and girls, think of equations that equal the date, etc.

       

Word Wall
What? word wall, flashlight, pointer, fly swatter

How? Sing, dance, clap, and cheer words. Make sentences with words, play games, spotlight words, spell words with sign language, etc.

Alphabet Wall
What? class alphabet, pointers

How? Sing alphabet songs and play letter recognition games. Clap on consonants and jump on vowels. Do Karate writing where children punch up high for tall letters, punch in front of them for middle letters, and give a little kick for letters with a tail.

I'M SO GLAD I CAME TO SCHOOL TODAY

End circle time on a positive note by doing a few cheers and inviting the children to share their goals for the day.

I’m So Glad I Came to School Today (“In My Heart There Rings a Melody”)
I’m so glad I came to school today,
I came to school today,
I came to school today.
I’m so glad I came to school today,
I came to be with all my friends.

Partner Share
Have children turn to a friend and share something they are looking forward to doing at school that day.


Toss and Tell
Take a bean bag or wadded up paper ball. Ask students to think of something that they are looking forward to doing at school. Toss the ball to a child. After they answer they toss the ball back to you.




Visualize
Have children close their eyes and think about what and how they are going to learn.


Fist List
Children make a fist and then hold up a finger for each thing that they are going to do at school that day.

Right Now! Right Now!
Say, “Right now, right now, right now, right now! Who can raise their hand and tell me something they are excited about doing today!”

Catch a Star
Ask children to think of something they are going to do to be a kind friend. Tell them to reach up and grab a star and then put it in their hearts.

GO!

Create a daily schedule that reflects the age of your students and your curriculum goals.

"Picture" Our Day
Children read "pictures" before they read words so put photos of different activities on large index cards. Attach a piece of magnetic tape on both sides. As you review your schedule each morning you can insert specials and adapt to changes. Turn the cards over as you complete each activity so children will understand the progression of the day.

          


Hang Ups
Draw large T-shirts on poster board. Take photos of students doing daily activities. Write the activity, time, and glue the picture to the T-shirts. Next, hang a clothesline across the top of one of your bulletin boards. Clothespin the T-shirts in order to the line. As you move through the day, turn over each shirt so the students can see their day get shorter and shorter. When you get to the last T-shirt do an “end of the day” dance!!!

Our Special Day
This is a book that will help children feel comfortable as they learn the daily routine in your classroom. Read the book each morning to prepare children and to capture their interest in activities you have planned. You could also send the book home with one child each evening to share with their families.

First, take pictures of the children engaged in your daily activities and routines. Glue pictures to construction paper and write captions similar to the ones suggested. (Adapt to the age level of your students and your curriculum.) Put the pages together and bind to make a book.

Welcome to Marshall School
Put away your backpack and get ready for a great day! 

                          

We start our day with circle time and a song!
We talk, do the calendar, and learn together.

Next, it’s time for language arts.
We read, write, listen, and learn!

Time to go outside for P.E.
We need to exercise our bodies as well as our brains.

Next comes math! We count, add, subtract, measure,
graph, and think!

                                            

Time for lunch.
I’m hungry! How about you?

Story time is always special.
Books are friends that we love to visit again and again.

Then it’s time for learning centers.

Let’s recall and review our day.
Don’t forget your backpacks!
Good-bye, friends!
See you tomorrow!


IPhone
You can use a play phone for this activity. Start each day by passing the phone around the class and asking each child to say a sentence about what they want to learn or do that day. “I …..” Only the person holding the phone is allowed to talk!