Sponges and Brainstreams

SPONGES

 Grades 5-12  / 5-10 Minutes

I often conducted "Sponge" minilessons at the beginning or end of  class (English, Reading, and/or History) .  My secondary students also loved what we called "Brainstreams."  I'll explain the difference. 

A SPONGE is normally a timed (90 seconds - 3 minutes) activity  to see how many items one can list on any given topic or term. As we would wring a sponge, we wring our students' minds.  

Examples:  List everything you know about the Civil War.

                      Name everything on your bedroom floor.

                      List all the girls you know.

                      Name all the nouns in this room.

A BRAINSTREAM is another timed activity in which students "stream" from a word.  Great way to introduce vocabulary or new ideas.  It's always interesting to hear their last words on the brainstream.  In the first example below, a student went from Civil War to Jewelry. 

Example:  Say, "Civil War."  Students then list the first words that come to their minds from  the previous word directly before it.  (Civil War, Yankees, baseball, diamonds, jewelry,  etc. ) 

Example:  Write a new word on board and give definition.  Then time them as the "stream" from that word.   They'll never forget that word!

Within a few weeks, my students would easily have 50-80 words on both sponges and/or brainstreams.  They normally start with 10-15 words.  I used my "smacker" to push them to over think less, write more. Super fun, all students are engaged, and a great exercise for their minds! 

 For the ELA classroom, I might use Sponges like this:

• Before beginning To Kill a Mockingbird, I ask them to sponge everything they know about the Civil Rights movement (words and phrases only).  After time is called, I ask each student to call out the first word (or last word) on their paper.  Great starters for class discussion. 
• I give them a word from our text.  Let's say, "Mulligrubs" (which means "bad mood").  After defining the word, I ask the students to list all the things that give them the "mulligrubs."  
• After a lesson on active verbs, I ask them to list all the action verbs they performed the day before. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More Sponge Ideas!

copied from http://coe.sdsu.edu/people/jmora/MoraModules/vocabularydev.htm

We can thank an unknown teacher/consultant from the Texas Education Agency for this delightful list of activities she called SPONGES. The term was originally coined and used by Madeline Hunter. A "sponge" is an activity designed to produce learning during the times taken up by "administrivia." These sponges stem from her teaching  philosophy that there should be no wasted moments in her classroom. Therefore, she created these sponges to soak up every valuable moment. The concept of sponges has changed names over time and place. Some teachers call them "bell work" or "vocabulary builders." Whatever we call them, they are worthwhile for many reasons. They are especially useful as effective vocabulary builders for English language learners. ELLs can work on sponges in heterogeneous cooperative groups so that they can learn from each other, but everyone can contribute. These sponges can also be competitive within groups or by forming groups assigned related topics to see which group produces the most responses, or finishes first, and so forth.

It is important to keep in mind that vocabulary is learned most effectively when words and their associated concepts are practiced and used in a meaningful context. These vocabulary development activities should be related to the content that students are studying as a form of "brain-storming" for initial teaching or reinforcement of already familiar concepts. Teachers should use their professional judgment as to the appropriateness of any particular "sponge" activity within their overall curriculum.

UPPER GRADE SPONGES

1. List the continents of the world.
2. Make up three names for rock groups.
3. Name as many kinds of windstorms as you can.
4. Take a number. Write it. Now make a face out of it.
5. Name as many gems or precious stones as you can.
6. Write the names of all the girls in the class.
7. Name as many teachers at this school as you can.
8. List as many states as you can.
9. Write: (a) an abbreviation (b) a Roman numeral (c) a trademark (d) a proper name (biographical) (e) a proper name (geographical)
10. How many countries and their capitals can you name?
11. How many baseball teams can you name?
12. Write down as many cartoon characters as you can.
13. List as many kinds of flowers as you can.
14. Turn to your neighbor. One of you tell the other about an interesting experience you have had. The listener must be prepared to retell the story to the class.
15. List all the things in your living room.
16. Write what you would do if you saw an elephant in your backyard.
17. Name as many kinds of ice cream you can.
18. List five parts of the body above the neck that have three letters.
19. List one manufactured item for each letter of the alphabet.
20. List as many nouns in the room as you can.
21. List the mountain ranges of the U.S.
22. Write the 12 months of the year correctly. Stand up as soon as you are finished.
23. Make a list of five things you do after school.
24. List one proper noun for each letter of the alphabet.
25. Write one kind of food beginning with each letter of the alphabet.
26. Name as many holidays as you can.
27. How far can you count and write down by 6's?
28. Name as many balls as you can that are used in sports games.
29. List as many U.S. presidents as you can.
30. List all the work tools you can think of.
31. List as many models of cars as you can.
32. Name all the colors you know.
33. How many parts of an auto can you list?
34. How many animals can you list that begin with vowels?
35. List as many kinds of trees as you can.
36. Name as many countries of the world as you can.
37. List as many personal pronouns as you can.
38. List as many kinds of transportation as you can.
39. How many different kinds of languages can you name?
40. Write as many homonyms as you can. Example: past-passed
41. You have five children. Make up their five names.
42. Name as many things as you can that are made of cloth.
43. Name as many things as you can that you can wear on your head.
44. Name as many movie stars as you can. Tell what movies they were in.
45. List all the musical instruments that begin with "t".
46. Name as many television game shows as you can.
47. Name as many politicians as you can.
48. Name as many breeds of dogs as you can.
49. Write the days of the week correctly in order. Stand up when finished.
50. List all the kinds of sandwiches that you can.

51. Scramble five spelling words, trade with someone, and unscramble them.

52. List as many things as you can that make people the same.

53. List as many kinds of soup as you can.

54. List all the places you find sand.

55. List as many breakfast cereals as you can.

SECONDARY SPONGES

1. List as many states as you can. Name their capitals. List the states in alphabetical order. List the states in rank order by size (largest population, number of Representatives in Congress, by regions, etc.)
2. Write: (a) an abbreviation, (b) a Roman numeral, (c) a trademark, (d) a proper name (biographical), (e) a proper name (geographical).

3. How many countries and their capitals can you name?

4. How many baseball teams can you name?

5. Turn to your neighbor. One of you tell the other about an interesting experience you have had. The listener must be prepared to retell the story to the class.

6. List all the things in your living room.

7. Name as many kinds of ice cream as you can.

8. List five parts of the body above the neck that have three letters.

9. List one manufactured item for each letter of the alphabet.

10. List one proper noun for each letter of the alphabet.
11. Write one kind of food beginning with each letter of the alphabet.
12. Name as many holidays as you can.
13. List as many U.S. Presidents as you can.
14. List as many models of cars as you can.
15. How many parts of an auto can you list?
16. Name as many countries of the world as you can.
17. List as many personal pronouns as you can.
18. List as many kinds of transportation as you can.
19. Write as many homonyms as you can. Example: past-passed.
20. Name as many movie stars (singers, cartoon characters, action figures, famous sports figures) as you can. Name the movies are they in?
21. Name as many politicians as you can. Name an idea they believe in. Tell what office they hold. Name the political party they represent.
22. List all the places you find sand.
23. List as many breakfast cereals as you can.
24. Make a list of the 10 largest things you know.
25. Name as many planets as you can.
26. List all the sports you can think of in X minutes.
27. List all the foods you can that have sugar in them.
28. List all the foods you can that have milk in them.
29. Name as many rock groups as you can that begin with the letters A-F.
30. Name as many teachers at this school as you can.
31. Name all the models of Ford (Toyota, Chevrolet, or other name brand) cars you can think of.
32. Name all of the parts of speech and give an example of each.
33. Why were these dates important: 1492, 1606, 1776, 1812?
34. Find these rivers on your map: Mississippi, Rio Grande, Colorado, Hudson.
35. Which television series can you name that have high school-aged characters as regulars?
36. Name as many airlines as you can.
37. Name the different sections of the newspaper.
38. Name as many islands as you can.
39. Name all the types of musical instruments you can think of.
40. Name all the foods you can think of that contain protein.
41. Name as many kinds of fish as you can.
42. Name all the words you can that begin with the prefix in
43. Name as many of the album titles of records by Ricky Martin, Madona, Selena, the Beatles (update according to current interests of students).
44. Name all the countries that have the letter "E" in them.
45. Name as many animals as you can which cause harm to man, either directly or indirectly.
46. Name five books you've read recently that you really enjoyed.
47. Name a movie you saw recently that you did not enjoy and tell why.
48. Name as many places as you can remember where you and your family have spent vacations.
49. List things you would buy if someone gave you a $100.00 gift certificate from Target (Toys-R-us, Nordstrom's, Staples, Home Depot, etc).

The Smacker

Cure for Constipated Writers....the Smacker.

First of all...it's not what you think.

Like most ELA teachers, I find my middle-high school students are somewhat  constipated in their writing.  Not a nice word, I know, but it totally fits.  I'd give them a prompt...and they'd just sit there, scared to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard).  They worry about spelling, punctuation, but most of all, they worry  what they write will sound "dumb."  So...they just don't write. To counter this writing constipation, I sometimes walk around the classroom with a ruler (I call it the "smacker"), and I tell the students I will smack their desks if I don't see them writing something....anything!   Before you call DHR,  I don't smack the students (and they know I won't), but I do walk around the classroom, and I have smacked many a desk.  After a few weeks of this, my students know I mean business when I say, "Let's WRITE."  The kids love the "smacker" and often remind me to pull it out, which never ceases to crack me up.

No matter what the grade level, this little trick works wonders. The students often surprise themselves with the content, as well as the amount of it.  Granted, it's not appropriate for every mode of writing or lesson or even some students,  but it definitely has its place.  It is especially helpful for what I call "quick writes" and brainstorming. I tell my students that I want their pens to be extensions of their minds, pouring out what they are thinking...even if it's dumb or misspelled.  We can always clean it up later.

I introduce the "smacker" to my students at the beginning of the year when I teach them how to "sponge" or "brainstream." In conjunction with the "smacker," sponging/brainstreaming really helps my students write more thoughtful content instead of overanalyzing each word of their first writes. In other words...they learn to "let go" and just write. 

Mad Talk - Teaching Voice

MAD TALK

Teaching Our Students Voice

Grades 5-9 / 40-60 Minute Lesson

I've taught English Language Arts to grades 6-12, and no matter what the grade level, my kids really struggle with finding their own voices in their writing.  I suppose I blame the scripted nature of teaching writing and the intense focus of mechanics, instead of content, but I'll leave that for another discussion.  Fact is...my students would come to me writing what they thought I wanted to hear, using the tone and voice they thought would earn an A.  Helping my students discover their own voices and styles of writing became something of a conviction of mine.  After all, I could really relate to them.  I was in college before I found my own voice, thanks to an English professor from Jamaica, who fished my voice out of my writing and challenged me to use it.

One of my favorite intro activities in teaching voice is called Mad Talk.  Super fun.  Works for all grade levels.  It's one of those lessons that every single student of all ability levels will enjoy....so much so that one could hear a pin drop once the writing begins.  I first discovered "Mad Talk" writing when I was a fellow in Jacksonville State University's Writing Project many years ago.  Another teacher had shared a similar lesson, and like most teachers, I adapted a "stolen" lesson and made it my own.

It's pretty simple, really.  I ask the students to think of something  (or someone) who made them mad.  I mean REALLY angry.  I read some excerpts from various stories or novels in which a character berates  another.  Sometimes, I show a video clip from a film. Then I ask the students to say what they really wanted to say to the person who angered them.  I do remind them not to curse and go crazy with the violence.  My classroom motto is  "wholesome and uplifting" - ask any kid I ever taught.

With my timer and smacker in hand, I tell the students they have 3-5 minutes to speak their minds. To tell off the wrongdoer, to stand for justice, to say what they've long wanted to say, to Mad Talk.    "Okay...go!"  Why I've not photographed the looks on their faces as they are writing, I don't know...because it's funny stuff.  Pure, unadulterated hatred.  I'm pretty sure my desks still bear the marks from their anger-fueled writing.

I call time and let a few students share (sometimes in response group, in whole class, or think-pair-share).     Here's one from an 8th grader, named Josh. (I've not corrected any grammar errors because we are focusing on CONTENT, not MECHANICS).

• Shut up you dork. I am going to hurt you ya fat beached whale. You smell like zoodoo. I hate you, you freakin sun of a monkey wrench, dodo eating coward.  I am never going to be nice ever again, you four-eyed tic-tac tooth punk.  Just go before I beat you to a bloody pulp you pig looking, Michelan-tire man brother I wished I never had. 

Can you hear his voice?  We normally get lots of laughs as students share, which leads us to the discussion of the power of voice in pieces of writing.

Then, we try Soft Talk.  Same concept, but I ask the kids to think of someone they've tried to comfort before.  Someone's grandma died, made a bad grade, didn't make the cheerleading team, etc.  Sometimes, this prompt is a little harder, and I let them imagine a scenario, if they can't come up with one on their own.  Soft Talk is my favorite of the three forms. I get to see the softer side of my students, and there are often some surprises.  Here's Josh again: 

• Don’t be mad and upset.  It’s hard, I know how you feel, everybody has there day – you may cry now, but there is no point. One of these days your going to be living it big with a great life and family while others who said or did something will probably be living in the dump literally.  Just cheer up I am still your friend and always will be your brother.
• Just a note, in case you missed it.  Josh is talking to the same brother, in both the mad and soft talk. 

Once again, students share.  Next, we Fast Talk. I ask the kids to think about a time they got in trouble (or almost got in trouble).  What did they say to escape punishment?  The time they wrecked the car, came home an hour late, colored their hair, etc.  Here's Josh again: 

• Oh, please don’t ground me. I will never do it again. I am sorry. However, it was not my fault.   Furthermore, I will promise to do anything, but please  don’t ground me. In addition.  I will wash the dishes every night until I am 20, and clean my pig sty of a room,but please don’t ground me. Consequently,  I love you so very much. Don’t do this to someone who loves you as much as me.  Sniffle, thanks mom.

While I've always conducted this activity pretty much the same way, I've extended the lesson a dozen different ways.  Sometimes, we use one of the "talks" to inspire a narrative.  Sometimes, I use the novel we're reading to search for each of these "talks." And many times, I use it to pair with a grammar lesson.  As you can see, Josh's sentence structure and  punctuation are quite distinct in each of his "talks." For example, in his "Fast Talk," his sentences are short, and they resemble exactly how one would speak if in trouble...fast.  You can probably also tell that we had been working on conjunctive adverbs the week before. Proud of Josh for using them!   No matter how we end up using these quick writes, I always ask the students to put them in their writing portfolios (another blog post), in case we should need to revisit them again.  

Just a note about Josh.  He was almost sixteen in the 8th grade and detested writing (and school, for that matter).  He was a big kid and was often viewed as a bully.  In my weekly conferences with my students, I discovered Josh was really a good kid and smart too, but because of excessive absences over the years and some learning challenges, he was seriously below grade level in many areas.  He was frustrated, embarrassed, and as is usually the case, his behavior was a result of both. While I can't say he became a prolific writer in my class over the course of a year, I can say he was indeed a writer, completing each assignment I gave him.  I'd like to think Josh learned he too has a voice that deserves to be heard.