Sparking Student Motivation: Chicken Dance

Happy Saturday!  I hope you have had a great day!  The sun was shining bright here and the temperature was warm!  The snow is melting so spring is on its way!  I am linking up with Joanne from Head Over Heals for Teaching for one of my favorite linky parties of the week.

This Friday was a Friday!!  It was a long week and we were just not feeling school, myself included!  I was teaching math and the students were falling asleep and had no energy.  I was getting tired just looking at them!  I knew I had something fun planned for the end of class, but we needed to get through some not as fun stuff first.  I looked at my students and I said we need the Chicken Dance.  They looked at me with puzzling faces and I told them to head over to our classroom library (the only large open space in the room).  They did and I grabbed my computer and opened itunes and I found the Chicken Dance.  Yes, the Chicken Dance.  I pressed play and we danced!  The whole class was into it, which was amazing because in fifth grade some think they are too cool!  It did not get silly or crazy, just fun!  We danced through the song twice and then continued our math lesson.  The students were more awake and ready to conquer percents!

My favorite comment I heard from one of students was...(she was talking to another student) "Is she really going to play the Chicken Dance?" The other student replied, "Of course, it's Miss L.  She is always doing crazy things!"  Yes, I am always doing crazy things, but I don't mind!  You do what you have to do!

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Nick from Sweet Rhyme & Pure Reason is having a One Year Blogging Anniversary giveaway.  

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Check out these fantastic giveaways!  I think I am off to watch a movie in bed!