Bringing FUNN into the Classroom
"You can learn more about a person in an hour of play and than a day of a conversation." - Plato
Want to have your students racing to your class each morning?
FUNN is a very important tool that helps our program staff assist any group whether they be a class of 10-year-olds, sports teams or high flying corporate managers to achieve amazing things as part of our team building programs.
F.U.N.N is an acronym originally developed by Karl Rohnke of Project Adventure fame which stands for Functional Understanding Not Necessary.
Having fun is a tool that invites people to engage and participate as it is human nature to want to be involved in something that is just pure fun and is a little bit different to the norm.
As Mark Collard from explains ‘having fun’ doesn’t mean they have to be rolling in the aisles embracing a giant belly laugh – having fun is about experiencing all that it is to be a human being, particularly when this occurs within a non-threatening atmosphere.
Because FUNN works! Feedback from a few teachers who have introduced FUNN to their class have noticed the strategic benefits as it engages, focuses and builds a positive classroom learning environment right from the start of the day.
Focus: Lead into the lesson with a fun activity with a similar theme to the lesson to be taught and this will lead to the students activating the areas of the brain required for the tasks of the lesson ahead
Engage: After 5 minutes of playing you will have an engaged audience ready for the lesson proper to begin.
Address: Ensure at the completion of the activity you quickly move on to address the plan for the lesson and get them started with the positive, warm and enjoyable learning atmosphere in the room that you have created!
Reward: Its time to reap the benefits! As you have just played a game with your class that was soooooo much FUNN the students will quickly want to get on with their work (HINT: They want to be able do it again next time!).
TA-DA what an amazing start to the day!
Remember if you are excited about the new FUNN activity you are introducing the rewards for you effort will take care of themselves. Dont forget fun is no secret so spread the word! why not start a competition in the staff room or with your other year level colleagues to see who can bring the most FUNN to start the day
I have put together a collection of ideas you could use to have a little FUNN each morning; you'll soon be hooked on FUNN and want to develop your own ideas to suit your students' interests.
Here are three of my favourite games to play that will energise and bring FUNN to any environment
Space Counting
Thumb Wrestling in Stereo
Knee Tag
- The more of them you take, the more you leave behind. What are they? Footsteps
- What has four fingers and one thumb, but is not alive? A glove
- What flies without wings? Time
- What happens twice in a week, and once in a year, but never in a day? The letter "E"
If you start your day with literacy and numeracy subjects this is a great one to try.
Draw one of the questions below on the board and tell the students that each question contains a number and some initials for a common phrase, or an item that has something to do with that number. Depending on their age possibly give them an example (24 H in a D = 24 Hours in a Day). If students are struggling tell them that most times the number is the best clue
| 4 L on a D | 4 legs on a Dog |
| 5 F on a H | 5 Fingers on a Hand |
| 26 L of the A | 26 Letters of the Alphabet |
| 7 D of the W | 7 Days of the Week |
| 90 D in a R A | 90 Degrees in a Right Angle |
| 365 D. in a Y | 365 Days in a Year |
| 12 N on a C | 12 Numbers on a Clock |
A few years ago my wife had a book called '1001 Horrible Facts: A Yukkopedia of Gross Truths about Everything' and each morning chose a fact to put on the board. Her year 7's raced to the door each morning the find the next weird fact!
You can create a list of weird facts after a quick search of the web and put them up on the smartboard or whiteboard.
Try using FUNN for a week and if doesn't work please call me and I will personally give you ideas to make sure it works next time!
I have a lot of fun creating activities for Active Ed's Incursions for you and your students to enjoy! Click here to find out more!
Until next time, have FUNN!
Cheers Luke