Students learn better when they perform a hands-on activity or movement. Many students who have the opportunity to engage in hands-on experiences in class have higher levels of engagement and learning. This experiential learning involves students actively taking part and ensures that they understand more than they would from memorizing material or listening to lectures.
When students participate in hands-on experiences that involve the whole child, they actively engage in learning experiences that cement the content being taught. They may manipulate physical objects, do physical movements to mimic processes, or engage in hands-on learning such as science experiments; these sorts of activities are highly engaging and activate various areas of students’ brains.
Common hands-on activities for classrooms include: using flashcards for vocabulary practice; using sentence strips to practice vocabulary, or to make sentences and paragraphs; placing words into graphic organizers; making foldables; moving to music; and playing card games. Students also can perform skits or move their bodies to demonstrate a process.
Students who engage in the learning process by participating in physical activities learn more and perform better on assessments. If you are not already doing so in your classroom, consider adding physical activity breaks, yoga and meditation, and hands-on and whole-body activities to your lesson plans to help sharpen your students’ minds and make the winter months less static.
If you need support from an education coach you can contact Reach Educational Services at 803-757-0156.
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