Background Noise Perfect for ANY Classroom

Working on a project? Giving students time to brainstorm or write? Have one or two students that just can't concentrate with the noise from a neighboring class or that constant flickering light?

It sounds like you're in need of some productive background noise! Here are FOUR easy and scientific options for you to use in your classroom.

1. Birdsong

From what I understand, this is hardwired within us. Birds chirping let us know that everything is OK. Or in survival terms: there are no predators around. The world is safe and we can focus.

So by putting some bird beauties on in the background, you are giving students background (and maybe drowning out the annoying sound your lights make) while letting them subconsciously know that they can focus.

This also helps them connect to nature (albeit superficially) which may be more than many get!

I like the below because it isn't looped, it is real and it's long enough for one class (even if you are on block schedules)


Sources:
BBC - The Surpising Use for Birdsong
Julian Treasure- The Benefits of Birdsong

2. Video Games

Stick with me. What is the purpose of music in video games?

• To be in the background (i.e. not distract you)
• To keep you playing (i.e.  not sleeping to your classical music)

More and more people are finding that video games in the background are doing it for them! I've read some suggestions that this is MORE effective if you have played the video game since then your brain connects the music to the feelings you had while playing. So you may want to ask students what games they play and see if you like any. As a game-boy fan of yore, I am putting Mario Brothers below for your perusal.

Sources:
Is Noise Always Bad? Exploring the Effects of Ambient Noise on Creative Cognition  (Doesn't specifically mention video games, but ambient lyric-less songs)
The New Playlist for more Productive Work

3. Brown Noise

What? I thought it was white noise? Well, that's one option. There's also pink noise. I find most of my students prefer the slightly deeper sound of Brown noise, but it's really personal preference.

If it just sounds too much like static to you, this is very similar to teachers who like playing waterfalls or running water (I tend to avoid these my school has strict one-at-a-time bathroom rules that running water make difficult to enforce).

This is a calming noise that's great for getting your higher energy students to settle down and focus on the activity in front of them.

Sources:
Is Noise Always Bad? Exploring the Effects of Ambient Noise on Creative Cognition  (Doesn't specifically mention video games, but ambient lyric-less songs)
The New Playlist for more Productive Work


4. Student DJ

Give the students' choice! This is a great (and free) prize if they're awesome. Have them make the (school appropriate) playlist.  If you can view YouTube have them send you a link. If not, play from their hone's directly.

The science here has nothing to do with the music they play, but the fact that they feel they have a say in what happens in the classroom.

Involved students are focused students.

There are definitely more options (especially the seasonal ones) but these tend to be my go-tos. What do you like to have playing in the background?

Video Games as Literature Assignments

My students are big into technology. I don't think that is really rare in students nowadays, but this is one of the first classes that has been so vocal about it! When I let them know that their assignments can be done virtually they literally tell me, "We love technology"

As a result this year when I started the, "Adaptation Project" I wasn't surprised at all that students were excited. They usually do a great job (as seen in last year's blog post), but this year a group of students asked if they could make an adaptation video game instead of a standard video. Always up to let my students be creative I said yes! The only extra was that they would need to make a, "making of the video-game" video since one of the requirements was that I hear voices.
In the end they came up with this:

Keep in mind that they did create a game! What you are watching now is me "playing" the game (I recorded it).

Interested in having your students create their own video games? Well, these don't involve that much English but Sploder is a good place to start. It doesn't require much skill and can be personalized. Later your students can explain why they chose to depict the story a certain why.

If you have had your students coding (via something like the hour of code) you could probably get more complex.

What do you think? Is an assignment like this suited for your students' levels? How would you change it? What sites would you use?

Games That Teach Organizational Skills For Adolescents

I am a huge fan of The Sims, but otherwise I never really got into videogames. Nonetheless, when Brandy kindly agreed to allow me this guest post I was excited. There is so much research about how people learn better when we are playing! So, what games can help students learn organizational skills?
 
Teenage kids love to play video games. They can be fun and entertaining. It keeps them occupied for hours at a time. While it may seem that videogames are just for entertainment purposes, some also teach very valuable life skills to your children 13 years old and above. 
There are many role playing games that encourage a teenage kid to strategize and organize the layout of their armies. They show how to organize the soldiers to be in the best fighting positions, and how to defeat their enemies. Games like World of Warcraft, Fable, Halo Wars, Call of Duty, or the Oblivion series encourage these types of play. And then there are also puzzle games like Big Brain Academy and Tetris if RPG is not something a player would like to try.

World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft is a science fiction fantasy video game that encourages creativity in each section of the game. There are several ways to play this game. Each realm contains different quests and advances in the game. There are many professions that you can choose from to gain skills in the game. These professions include miner, blacksmith, and tailor to name a few. Other skills include cooking, fishing, first aid and archeology. When learning these skills, you have to organize certain things to complete a task. Many missions are included in this game. If completed, the player is rewarded with money to use in the game or other forms of rewards.

Fable

Fable is a role playing game that is full of action and adventure. The story puts a focus on the player’s struggle as they help to overturn the kingdom of Albion. There are many trials and challenges along the way to the ultimate battle at the end of the game. There are many games to play that help increase knowledge, strength, and dexterity. These games teach patterns and organizational skills that move at either a slow or quick pace depending on the level of expertise the job has to offer. This helps to gain guild seals and friendships throughout the country. By gaining friendships, you also gain followers that help to defeat your brotherhood's army at the end of the game.

Halo Wars

Halo Wars is a strategy game that operates in real time experience. This game gives players the chance to command armies against your enemies using skill, resources, and organization. You can choose to be on the human side or the alien side. Each player is able to train and gain special abilities that help them gain advancement through the ranks until they get to the top.

Big Brain Academy

Big Brain Academy teaches teenagers not only organizational skills but also helps them to gain other cognitive thinking skills. There are five different sections that help to test and gain brain experience. They include thinking, analyzing, computing, identifying, and memorizing. These games help open the brain waves and train it to become more efficient and quicker to process much needed information. Players can play by themselves or with other players. Not only does it teach different skills, it is a lot of fun to play as well.

Tetris

Tetris is the ultimate organizational game that has been around since 1984. In order to advance in Tetris, you need to make sure that the Tetriminos or blocks fit together and don’t stack to the top. Each level that clears brings on a new level that makes the blocks fall faster. This makes your brain think quicker and helps you to place the blocks on a more strategic location.
As you can see, there are many different video games, with gaming sites to provide game information such as this, that can help adolescents learn to be organized. They can have fun with learning. Share these with your kids today and help them learn how to be a more organized individual.


Brandy Lindsey is a freelance writer, homeschool teacher and photographer. She enjoys blogging, knitting, and writing in her spare time. She lives in Northern Maine with her husband and three children.