SCOOTing Into Games

SCOOTs....
Have you used them in your classroom?  Back in April, I shared a teeny, tiny bit about how I have used them with my students to incorporate more movement in the classroom.

I wanted to dig a little bit deeper.

Through my reading of blogs, professional books, and articles this summer, I feel that there is a continuous reminder of the value....NEED....for engagement.  Whether that is engagement during independent reading, math centers and games, or interactive writing.  Our students must be engaged and motivated during their time with us.

But sometimes...they need some repeated practice, as well.  This is not always very engaging.

I am not a huge fan of worksheets, especially if there is another approach that I can use to hit the skill that I have in mind.  For example, this past year we used a TON of math games to hit math facts instead of math fact sheets.

So...

But let me back up a bit.  If you have never SCOOTed, I wanted to show you how simple and (actually) quick it is.

First, we organize the desks so that the students can move around them easily.  I like to put the desks in a square because my teammate and I can stand in the middle and quickly assess who needs more support.  But any configuration will work as long as students know where to go.

Second, lay the task cards or skill cards on the desks and provide the students with a recording sheet.  (Sometimes I lay manipulatives on the desk as well, if they are needed).  They need to make sure they match the skill card number with the correct answer box.

Then it is time to start.  Students answer the question or problem on the skill card on their answer sheet.  Then when you feel that most students are ready, you say, "SCOOT!"  And they all move to the next desk.  As students answer the questions, I walk around to observe how students are doing. 

Finally, students turn in their sheets.  My teammate and I use their answers to inform our instruction or to form some small groups for intervention.  It has become a great tool for us!

So when could you use SCOOTs in your classroom?

There are so many different ways to use this tool.

Phonics.  Students can get repeated practice filling in the correct vowel pattern and reading the word.  These answer sheets can also be used as sorts when they are finished!

Fluency.  Students can read short passages or poems to each other and decide if it was read fluently.

Math.  There are so many uses for SCOOTs in math: place value, number sense, measurement, fractions, shapes, the list can go on!

I would love to hear if you have tried these out in your classroom and what your experiences have been!  Were your students engaged?  Were you able to use the information to guide your instruction?  Here is a FREEBIE to try out this year!

If you are interested in trying out any other SCOOTs this year, here are some that I have available (many are differentiated to meet the variety of needs in your class):

Do you have any other games that you use in your classroom to promote engagement?