Chalkboards and white boards are used in a variety of ways to enhance learning. Teachers use them to write out vocabulary words, demonstrate math concepts and make announcements. Incorporate classroom boards for activities too. Create a word search using vocabulary or lesson unit words by making a grid on the chalkboard or whiteboard. Fill the squares on the grid with words and fill the remaining spaces with random letters. Have students work together to solve the word puzzle.
Maps and globes can be used in a traditional way, i.e., to teach children map reading skills as well as geography, but they can also be used as a springboard for creativity. Tell children to write the numbers one through five on a piece of paper. Then, one at a time, ask each child to come up front and close her eyes. Have the child point to a spot on the map or globe. If her finger lands on a body of water, have her try again. Write down the location her finger touches and repeat for all five spots on her piece of paper. Once everyone in the classroom has a piece of paper with five locations, instruct them to write a short story that involves those places. For example, the story can be set in the first location and involve a person who was originally from the second location. Or the story can move in plot from location to location.
Books can form the basis for a scavenger hunt. Create a scavenger hunt that will require children to search through books to find the answers. Create a list of questions such as, "Can you name a book with an elephant on the cover? " and "What is the picture on page four of a book about ants?" Children can work individually or in pairs or teams to find the answers to the scavenger hunt questions.
Common classroom objects can be used in a variety of ways, such as in a game of "I Spy." One student starts by saying, "I spy with my little eye, something that is...." and then gives a characteristic of the secret object. For instance, a student may be looking at a classroom plant and can say, "I spy with my little eye, something that is green." Other students then try to guess what he spies.