Keep Playing 31

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Before You Start: Explain that a rhythm is a regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound and give a few examples of how to create a rhythm with hands and body, such as clapping, snapping and dancing.
Before You Start: Define the Rhythm Captain. This person will be the one to lead the group in rhythmic movements.
Before You Start: Define the Rhythm Detective. This person will be the one to guess who is leading the group in rhythmic movements.
All players should sit or stand in a circle so that everyone is visible. Designate one player to be the first Rhythm Detective. This player will leave the circle and cover their eyes so they cannot see or hear the group.
After the Detective has left the circle, silently select one player to be the rhythm captain. Keep this person a secret, you don’t want the detective to know who they are!
The Rhythm Captain should begin doing a rhythm of movements and all players must copy the movements the rhythm captain does.
Once the rhythm captain and the other players are all doing the movements, the Detective should be invited to rejoin the group and stand in the middle of the circle.
After a few moments, the rhythm Captain should change the sound or movement, and all players should follow as quickly and discreetly as possible.
The detective will get 3 changes to guess who the Rhythm Captain is.
If they guess correctly, select a new Detective and a new Captain and then begin a new round.
If the Rhythm Captain isn’t guessed in 3 guesses, they should reveal themselves, and then it’s someone else’s turn to be Detective and Captain.

Age Group Modifications:

For younger students: Teach the game to students in layers, beginning with the first goal of everyone successfully getting to the finish line. Have students use a visual marker to show where their designated starting line is.

For older students: Add new levels to the game such as all players have to touch the fish before it can cross the starting line, or an exercise (such as jumping jacks) that players must do before moving forward.
Another Way to Play

After each try, have the team discuss their strategy and improve it.

Adjust how the players move: skipping, hopping, heel-to-toe (to increase complexity).

Increase the distance between the starting and finish line.
Academic Application

Change the phrase the leader says to incorporate vocabulary and spelling words, or make it apply to any subject that students are currently learning.

Have everyone stand in a circle.
The job of the Detective is to seek out and catch the Frog, before they claim too many victims.
The Detective has three chances to catch the Frog before they “get away”.
If caught, the Frog will then become the Detective for the next round.
To begin the game, a Detective is chosen and asked to leave the playing area. All players are asked to put their heads down as the leader chooses the Frog. Once chosen, the detective will be asked to rejoin the playing area and stand inside of the circle. The Frog’s job is to put as many people to sleep as they can, by looking at individuals, and sticking their tongue out at them when the detective is not looking. Once the Frog sticks their tongue out at you, you must pretend to be asleep while remaining on your feet.
Based on who and where the victims fall, the Detective must try to figure out who the Frog is. Remember, the Detective only has three guesses!

As May approaches, we turn our focus to the theme of responsible decision making.

Responsible decision making means understanding all aspects of a decision and its consequences before making a choice. To make the most appropriate choices, students need to learn how to evaluate the situation, analyze their options, and consider the potential consequences of each of those options for themselves and others.

This week, we will start learning the pieces of responsible decision making by practicing the skill of identifying problems. This means recognizing when you face a difficult situation. In playing our featured game of the week, Rhythm Detective, students face various challenges depending on their role in the game.

Teach students to play in class, and then empower them to lead the game and teach others!

Select a skill focus from the list below, then copy and paste it into the search bar to see games that develop that skill.

Accurate Self Perception
Active Listening
Empathy
Growth Mindset
Identifying Characteristics
Identifying Emotions
Impulse Control
Inclusion
Integrity
Physical Self Awareness
Resilience
Self Awareness
Self Confidence
Self Management
Self Motivation
Social Awareness
Stress Management

Select an item from the list below, then copy and paste it into the search bar to see games that require that item.

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Chalk
Cone
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Flag
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Hula Hoop
Jersey
Jump Rope
Kickball
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Select a game type from the list below, then copy and paste it into the search bar to see games of that type.

Autonomous/Self-Access Game
Ball Game
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Icebreaker Game
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Keep Playing!

Game of the Week

Rhythm Detective

Identifying Problems

Play In-Person

Play Virtually

How to Play

Game Debrief

Modifications

Brain Break of the Week

Frog Detective

Get the Poster

How to Play

Announcement of the Week

Email Template

How to Use it

Keep Playing!

Game of the Week

Rhythm Detective

Identifying Problems

Play In-Person

Play Virtually

How to Play

Game Debrief

Modifications

Brain Break of the Week

Frog Detective

Get the Poster

How to Play

Announcement of the Week

Email Template

How to Use it

Quick Tips

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