Implementing an [606608]

Creating and
Implementing an
Interactive,
Inclusive Circle Time
Gini Bramlett
Fannin County Schools

Introductions
A little bit about you…
Who are you?
Where are you from?
What job do you do?
About your population

A little about me…
Gini Bramlett
Undergraduate and Masters Degrees from UGA
Teaching Experience
Clarke Middle School, Athens, GA
Horn Lake Intermediate, Horn Lake, MS
Regents School of Oxford, Oxford, MS
Blue Ridge Elementary, Blue Ridge, GA

Objectives
As a result of this activity, the participant will gather ideas
on ways to engage students through an interactive circle
time.
As a result of this activity, the participant will be able to
integrate technology into the classroom daily morning
routine.
As a result of this activity, the participant will be able to
create an interactive circle time that all students can
access and interact.

Purpose & Goals
of our daily Circle Time
Sets the tone for the day
Learn to listen & take turns
Work on following directions
Celebrate each other & self
Gain self -confidence
Practice social skills (i.e. greetings)
Create a sense of belonging
Repetition = learning
Social, emotional, and intellectual learning

What are your initial thoughts?

Things to keep in mind…
“Reducing the amount of information will likely increase
on-task behavior and understanding during morning
meeting. Consider displaying the information only as
needed during the activity. Placing materials on foam
board or a flip chart may be helpful, as they can easily be
put away when not in use.” –Kara Hume {source}

Welcome to our Circle Time
(Everyday Format)
Greetings
Day of the Week
Month of the Year
Calendar
Season
Weather
Who is in class today? (Attendance)
Weekly Classroom concepts (letters, numbers & counting, songs, etc.)

Weather

Attendance

Other Attendance Ideas

Other Concepts: Counting
Click

Websites We Use
Starfall (Letter of the week, colors, counting, interactive
songs)
You Tube
Phonics Song (on YouTube “A is for Apple”)
Phonics song with sign language (also YouTube)
Station: KidsTV123

What websites do you use?

Non Verbal Students/Technology
Big Macs
Record greetings
Repetitive story lines
Proloquo2Go (iPad app)
GoTalk
4+
Button

Low tech
Low tech AT are devices or equipment
that don't require much training, may
be less expensive and do not have
complex or mechanical features. For
example: handheld magnifiers, large
print text, using paper and pen to
communicate, canes and walkers,
reachers /grabbers, specialized pen or
pencil grips and much more
{source}
{source}

More low tech ideas
Great Website:

http://tnt.asu.edu/t
nt-helpdesk

Behavior Strategies/Visuals
{source}
Quiet Voice Hands in Lap Sit in Chair

{source}

Have a spot for each student…

Transition Ideas
Songs/Music
“Check your schedule”
Flick the lights
Musical Instrument (train whistle, chimes)

How do you transition in your classrooms?

How do I create my own?
Things you need:
Smartboard or Activeboard
Boardmaker , symbol stix , or pictures
Tips:
When copying from Boardmaker to Smartboard , copy and paste
one item at a time
Lock down items that you don’t want students to be able to move
Make sure they are low enough on the page for little children to
reach

Don’t Recreate the wheel
http://exchange.smarttech.com/#tab=0
https://www.boardmakerachieve.com/Activities/Search

Gini Bramlett
gbramlett@fannin.k12.ga.us
* If you would like me to send you my SmartBoard file of
my daily circle time, please email me at the address above,
and I will send it to you! You are free to use it just like it is
or change it however you see fit! If you come up with a
great idea, I’d love for you to send it my way.

Resources
The Morning Meeting Book
by Roxann Kriete & Carol Davis
Making the Most of Morning Meeting
by Kara Hume
Making Morning Circle Meaningful
 By: Bruce, Susan; Fasy , Cara; Gulick , Jessica. TEACHING Exceptional Children
Plus, v2 n4 Article 1 Mar 2006.
Evaluating Circle Time as a support to social skills development – reflections on
a journey in school -based research
By: Canney , Catherine; Byrne, Alison. British Journal of Special Education.
Mar2006, Vol. 33 Issue 1, p19 -24.
Circle Time: An Exploratory Study of Activities and Challenging Behavior in
Head Start Classrooms.
By: Zaghlawan , Hasan ; Ostrosky , Michaelene . Early Childhood Education
Journal. Mar2011, Vol. 38 Issue 6, p439 -448.

Blogs & Websites
http://workofheart.bravehost.com/circletime.htm
http://www.bainbridgeclass.com/morningmeeting.htm
http://www.teachpreschool.org/2013/03/ten -tips -for-circletime/
http://special -ism.com/7 -strategies -for-more -successful -circle –
times/
http://aac.unl.edu/yaack/toc.html
http://tnt.asu.edu

More websites and blogs
http://littlemisskimberlyann.blogspot.com/2014/01/glimps
e-of-our-circle -time.html
http://autismtank.blogspot.com

Pictures and Videos
Parents granted permission for the
pictures and videos in this
presentation to be used for
teaching and sharing ideas with
other educators. They may not be
copied or used for any other
purpose.