The Easiest Way to Teach Routines

Do you find it cumbersome to teach your routines over and over, year after year? Are you and your students bored as you cover this essential information? Why not make those first days fun and engaging by creating a video scavenger hunt?

A few weeks before the school year began, I went into my room to take photos and record videos. I chose to photograph specific areas where routines and expectations are essential. Because routines are generally the same year to year, most kiddos just need a quick review! These videos are the perfect engagement tool for those first days! Check out my overview of this process in the video.

Here’s how to make your own Tellagami Scavenger Hunt.

1. Create your videos.
Use the Tellagami EDU app to create an avatar. Then, superimpose it over images of important areas in your room. These areas should require specific directions, routines, or expectations. Record yourself talking about each designated area.

2. Put the videos on YouTube.
Upload your videos to your YouTube channel. Create a playlist of all the videos so you can easily find them later. You can see all of the videos in my playlist here.

3. Create and place QR codes.
Create a QR code to link to each video. Make sure you organize, label, or keep track of each specific one, otherwise they will get all mixed up! Print out the QR codes. I glued them to colored pieces of paper before placing them at the locations they described.

4. Create your clues.
My clues involved color theory. For example, one clue said, “This color is created by mixing red and yellow.” Students then found the orange QR code and watched the corresponding video for that location.

The best thing about the videos is their flexibility. For example, in my kindergarten and first-grade classes, we watched the videos together. You can also add or delete videos as you create new areas, expectations, or routines. Plus, students can review the videos as needed. It’s a great way to get students moving and thinking on the very first day of art!

For more videos like this, subscribe to AOEU on YouTube.

Subscribe!

How do you teach routines year-to-year?

Do you create videos? Post them below!