Last year, I introduced volume levels to my class and had a really positive response. It not only helped in managing students as a whole group, but was really helpful in teaching individual students appropriate volume levels throughout the day. So when I started with my new class this year, I knew I wanted to teach them about volume levels.
{someone made me this adorable chart, but I can’t link back to where I got it! This was BP (before Pinterest) so if it’s yours please leave a comment! Jessica from Under the Alphabet Tree made this for me! Also, Katie at Little Warriors has a bunch of great volume charts!}
I recently attended a professional development workshop put on by some wonderful professors from the college I attended and learned some great ideas on how to actively engage my students during a lesson. I knew I wanted to engage them in this volume levels lesson for two reasons…one, I wanted them to be engaged because this is important! and two, I knew that would learn a lot more from it if I had them actively participating than if I just sat there and lectured at them.
{Side note: If you’re interested in some new ways to actively engage your students I highly recommend this book!}
Anyway, I prepped the lesson by printing out several volume level charts {I selected “2 to a page” before printing} and several daily schedule cards that I purchased from Mrs. Bainbridge {I selected “4 to a page” for these cards and they were the perfect size for their little hands}and then cut them into strips. I put all 5 volume level cards and about 8 schedule cards into an envelope.
I started the lesson by introducing the volume levels chart and explaining the meaning of each number. We briefly talked about where it would be okay to use a level 5 outdoor voice, and when we would want to use a level 1 no talking voice. Then I split the kids up into groups of 4 using their desk letters, so that A’s worked together, B’s worked together and so on.
{they’re working on place value using Cara’s adorable snowman spinners!}
Here they are sorting their cards under the volume numbers:
I gave them about 5 minutes to sort their cards and loved listening to them working together to figure out where each activity belongs. Their dialogue was amazing!
We ended the lesson with sorting the larger cards on the board and sharing where we thought each activity card should go. This part was great because the groups where able to move their cards around after hearing a few examples up on the board. The students were so engaged!
{we decided that spelling referred to a spelling test which is why it’s under no talking :)}
The kiddos did a great job with this activity and I think they totally left with the knowledge of appropriate volume levels. We constantly review this throughout the day too. When I hear them working to loud I say “volume check” and they chorally {well, for the most part!} respond with the correct level and adjust their volume. It’s awesome!
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