Call To Excellence Ideas
Before Call To Excellence:
- Read to learners.
- Physical activities such as “Electric Slide”, “Shout”, Cha, Cha slide, etc. See Songs for song videos.
- Talent Shine! – Learners may come up and perform talent/tell jokes, etc. ( Material MUST BE APPROVED with teacher on duty.)
- Work on Test Skills using power point or in class groups.
- Set up a HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE table for peer and cross-age tutoring.
At Call To Excellence –Weekly or Daily (usually shorter version)
- Have name for it. e.g.(School Mascot) Wakeup – lasts about 15-20 minutes. Begins day with positives. Builds community. Showcases learners. Different teachers/classes each week are responsible for the assembly. Learner-led – Goal is for each learner in class to have a part.
- Fun way to begin assembly : Do a class/grade roll call – classes respond with short chant giving the name of their class/grade, a quote, or celebration. Learners create new chants quarterly. (Great creative opportunity for learners!) Might use this opportunity for classes to do a short recitation following their name chant. (Example of Script for Roll Call)Potential Learner Roles:
- Flag salute – 1) American 2) State
- Patriotic song
- Moment of Silence
- School creed
- Teacher creed
- Class creed
- Life principle
- Quote
- Doing grade level roll call (see script link above)
- Fable or literature piece of the week – to support Life Principle
- Greeting of week – foreign language
- Callback of the week
- Class presentation – recitation, song, skit, etc. – once a week or month depending on the number of classrooms
- Joke (easy place to give parts to more than one learner by telling multiple jokes)
- Lunch Menu
- Fun energizing song
- Birthday Recognition
- Celebration – Introduce a new one for the week
- Challenging/Academic Word of the Week – Learners turn in their definition to the office and one or more are drawn daily and announced over intercom during daily announcements.
- Nutrition Nibble – Hint for healthy eating (Consider having person in charge of cafeteria present this information)
- Introduce a composer and play a selection of their music. Extension: Play it all week in the cafeteria or as the learners exit an assembly.
- Challenge with question to be answered or problem to be solved. – Learners turn in their answer to the office and one is drawn daily and announced over intercom during daily announcements.
- Designate a day each week for a curriculum area:
Examples:
Tuesday: A literature piece is presented to illustrate week’s life principle or a teacher presents a literary element of the week, (plot, metaphor, antonym, etc.), shares books, examples of the element and explains it to learners. Teachers follow up with classroom activities.
Wednesday: Health/Physical Ed. Highlighted
Thursday: Art/Music Focus - Music teacher highlights type of art/music, artist/composer, etc.
Friday: Learner Recognition: i.e. for modeling specific life principles at school, participation/achievement in activities, etc. - Other Ideas:
a. Academic Content focus i.e. math, social studies, etc.
b. Riddle or challenge question from academic content given and learners are challenged to bring answer to office before a specified time and then recognized at next assembly.
- Class with the highest attendance average from the previous week is honored at the Monday Rise and Shine. This may be done by grade level.
- Perform a skit to emphasize a particular classroom practice or life principle.
- Recognition of learners with character - A learner is chosen from each class who exemplifies the life principle of the week. A certificate is given with a statement from the teacher about how that learner demonstrated the character quality. Take a photo of the group and send it to school or local newspaper. Invite parents. Have designated area of wall/poster in school where learners can put his/her Handprint with their name and the life principle exemplified.
- Incorporate award assembly one time each 9 week period towards the end of the quarter to recognize academic achievements for that quarter.
- Do “Knock Knock” jokes as learners are entering to practice basic call backs, use of complete sentences, and to activate the brain. Script for Knock, Knock jokes
- Dress up in a designated theme attire.
- Have the “Showcase” class demonstrate a celebration to be used that week by everyone.
- Use digital projector & laptop to show off recent learner activities with power point slide shows (best if learner generated)
- Award a “Spirit Stick” for the class with the most enthusiasm at end of week.
- Select a random learner in your auditorium and have an Master of Ceremonies go to him/her in the audience. The MC greets learner, asks learner’s name and introduces him/her to audience. MC asks learner a question (may be academic, pop culture, announcements,, etc.) and awards a prize to learner for participating. This is a great opportunity to model “Call a helpline” procedure.
- Adapt t.v. game show formats (i.e.. Minute-to-Win-It) to highlight academic content.