On an activity day, it makes sense to include physical games and activities to help children work off some of their excess energy. One activity asks children to work cooperatively to move a ball around the room. In each corner of the room, place a poster of a different color. Ask all of the children to stand in the center of the room. Yell out one of the colors. When you do, the children must move the ball to that corner. While they are moving it, every student somehow has to touch it. They can kick it, roll it or pass it. When they get to the corner, call out another color and have students move the ball to that corner. They must move the ball in a way they have not tried yet.
Even on activity days, children need to prepare for upcoming assessments. Showdown is an activity that lets them have fun reviewing content. Place students in groups of four, and have them get out paper and pen. Ask students a content-related question and have students secretly write down an answer and flip their papers over to hide their answers. When every student has answered, say, "1, 2, 3, Showdown!" Students should flip their papers over and compare answers. Ask them to discuss any discrepancies with their group members.
Cooperative activities allow students to take a break from being competitive and work together to get to know each other better. A circle game works well and keeps students engaged. Have students stand in a circle and give them a ball. Ask one student to throw the ball to another and ask him a question. The catcher answers the question and passes it to someone else. While he is passing, he should ask the same question that was asked of him. Play continues until every student has had an opportunity to answer the question.
To keep students engaged, give them content-related activities to break up the day. Fact or Fiction asks students to write down three statements, two true and one false, about the content they are studying. After writing, they should share the information with a partner who can try to figure out which statement is the fiction, based on his knowledge of the topic.