This document provides instructions for several interactive classroom activities that incorporate movement to help students stay engaged. The activities can be adapted for both in-person and online classes. They include having students work together to form shapes with ropes blindfolded, compete in word relay races at the board, build stories together one word at a time with actions, walk around adding to posters on the walls, and ask each other yes/no questions to figure out identities or secrets. The goal is to make learning more fun and interactive.

1. TEACHER TOOLKIT
Part 2: Interactive Activities

2. Tips for Part 2:
Interactive
Activities
All of these activities work great in a
regular classroom. Most can be
adapted for online, too.
Movement is so important to help
students retain information and stay
engaged.
Incorporate some movement in
every class. If you teach online, you
can still use movement, but usually
smaller moves work best.

3. Perfect Square (Teacher directions)
• Divide students into groups. Give each group a long piece of twine or
rope.
• First have students use the twine/rope to build different shapes on
the floor.
• Then blindfold them and tell them to create a perfect square. Try with
everyone blindfolded and also with some people able to see who
rotate giving directions to the person (people) who can’t see.
• Other shapes to create: a heart, a circle, a house, a tree, etc.
• Great as a competition with groups.

4. Board Races (Teacher directions)
• This is best played with 6 students or more--the more, the better.
• Split the class into two teams and give each team a colored marker.
• If you have a large class, it may be better to split the students into
teams of 3 or 4.
• Draw a line down the middle of the board and write a topic at the
top.
• The students then write as many words as you say related to the topic
in the form of a relay race.
• Each team wins one point for each correct word.

5. Running Dictation
• Work with a partner.
• One partner leaves the room & is the runner.
• The other partner is the scribe.
• The runner will be given a sentence & will need to “run” to his/her
partner and dictate the sentence.
• If the runner forgets something, he/she must run back out to read the
sentence again.
• Finished? Compare your sentences.
• Change roles.

6. Gallery Walk (Teacher directions)
• Put up big pieces of paper around the room. You can add pictures or
sentence prompts. You can practice specific grammar points, such as
prepositions of place, or any vocabulary topic or theme.
• Students walk around in groups and add examples to each paper. It’s
also an option to have students draw pictures depending on their
English level.
• Next slide = student directions

7. Gallery Walk
• Work in groups.
• Walk around the room and check out each picture.
• Write one sentence about each picture.

8. One Word Stories (Teacher directions)
• Make a circle (standing works great).
• One word at a time, students build a story. They have to repeat it for
each person. Example:
• Student A: Today
• Student B: Today I
• Student C: Today I suddenly (etc.)
• Add actions!

9. Group Action Stories (Teacher directions)
• Group stands in a circle.
• First person starts a story and acts out the story in place.
Everyone copies the movements of the speaker.
• For example: I woke up this morning (stretch arms), put on my
jeans (step into imaginary clothes) and went for a run (run in
place).
• Then I ….. The next student continues the story.
• After everyone has a turn and the story is complete, go around
again and have everyone repeat the story with actions.

10. Give One, Get One (Teacher directions)
• This is a great way to get students moving, talking, and sharing ideas.
It’s also a great way to introduce a new topic.
• Instruct students to fold a paper lengthwise and label it like the
picture on the next slide. Then give them a few minutes to list what
they know about the topic on the left side of the paper (Give One).
• Possible topics: daily routines, countries, things people should do
every day, etc.
• Then have students mingle and share their ideas. If partner A shares
a new idea with partner B, partner B writes it under the column Get
One.
• Come together as a full class and share at the end.

11. Give One Get One

12. Secrets
• Think of a secret. It can be something general or specific.
Write it on the card. Example: I have 7 cats.
• Draw a secret from the box. You must walk around and ask
your classmates questions to find out whose secret it is. You
cannot FIRST ask the direct question.

13. Secrets Example: I have 7 cats.
NO:
Do you have 7 cats? X
YES:
Do you like cats?
Do you have any pets?
How many animals live in your house?
If you think you are correct, then you ask: Is this your secret?
(Read the card.)

14. Amnesia (Teacher directions)
Preparation: Use pieces of paper or 3x5 cards. Write a name of a famous
person on each card. You’ll need at least one card for each person in your
class.
• Make up a dramatic story to tell the class about how there was a big
tornado (or another natural disaster) and everyone fell and hit their head
and forgot their identity. They need to ask their classmates yes/no
questions to discover their identity.
• Tape a name on the back of each student. Be sure to not let the student
see.
• Students mingle and try to find out their identity by asking their peers
yes/no questions.

15. Amnesia Questions
Examples:
• Am I a real person?
• Am I famous?
• Am I from _________?
• Am I known (famous) for _______? (acting, singing, politics,
etc.)
• Am I dead? Am I alive?
• Did I ___________