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Jump Start: Circuit Training for the Brain
A short-term intervention for students who are struggling in reading or
math.
An approach to remediation that combines physical activity and Fun
directly with the learning tasks.
JS dramatically improves student performance by strengthening their
basic math and literacy skills.
Average improvement of 30% after 4 weeks of Jump Start.
JS teaches math facts so teachers can teach math concepts.
JS teaches sight words so students can become confident readers.
General Description
Jump Start for Learning is a simple program. We set up 4-5 Active
Learning Stations (ALS) around a large, open room with equipment like
hippity hops, exercise balls, hopscotch mats and jump ropes with learning
materials and an instructor at each station (see diagram). Students,
divided into skill-leveled groups of 3-4, play in the stations with the
equipment and work on either math or literacy learning tasks with the
instructors. Kids work in each active learning station for 3-4 minutes.
Then they rotate to the next station until they have worked in each at least
twice.
Example of Jump Start for Math Station Set Up for 12 second graders
1. Hopper Balls (ALS)
w/ charts of
addition facts
4. Hopscotch w/ (ALS)
subtraction
flash cards
Rotate @ 3 min.>>
2. Long jump rope (ALS)
for skip counting
3. Number array (ALS)
w/ addition facts
What is unique to Jump Start is that kids are being vigorously active and
having fun while they are practicing things like math facts or sight word
phrases. The vigorous physical activity and fun stimulates their brains (see
Spark: the Revolutionary Science of Exercise and the Brain by Dr. John
Ratey) and significantly enhances learning.
“There’s sort of no question about it now,” said Dr. John J. Ratey, a clinical
associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “The exercise
itself doesn’t make you smarter, but it puts the brain of the learners in the
optimal position for them to learn.”
Current research shows very clearly that there is a strong connection
between physical activity and learning readiness. The brain scan below
shows a middle school brain taking a test. The brain on the left was taking
the test with no exercise. The same brain on the right took a vigorous 20
minute walk before taking a similar test. It’s easy to see which brain is
more active.
The Plan
Divide the students into instructional-leveled groups of 3-4 students.
Note: If documentation of improvement is needed, we pre- and post-assess
students. The pre-test can be used to form the instructional-leveled groups.
The post-test measures individual improvement.
Jump Start builds fundamental skills by combining rote learning with
movement. Each group goes to an Active Learning Station (ALS). Students
either take turns doing the activity and learning task or performing the activity
and task together. As the kids are bouncing, jumping and hopping they practice
flash cards, charts or lists of math facts, sight words, poems, etc. We encourage
choral responses whenever practical. That gives each student opportunity for
more total responses.
In JS for Literacy they can work with flash cards of letters, sight words or sight
word phrases, charts of poetry or nursery rhymes, lists of word families,
spelling words, etc. In JS for Math they can work with flash cards or charts of
math facts, charts for number recognition or number comparison, counting
forward and backward, skip counting, dice, playing cards, etc. We use
materials that are appropriate for ability of the group, that enable quick
responses and that can be used while students are being active.
Groups work in each station for 3-4 minutes. Then they rotate to the next
station. The session runs for 40-45 minutes and allow two complete rotations.
We end each session with an active game combined with appropriate learning
tasks. We encourage students to respond quickly. Speed and accuracy are
stressed. The goal is automaticity.
We try to “keep it simple”. We work on basic, foundational skills. JS can give
struggling students a significant “jump start” in their skill development in a
short amount of time.
The Team:
A Jump Start class requires a lead teacher who can manage kids in open spaces
and who has experience with different types of learning materials and
strategies. Keeping children focused and on task while encouraging them to be
in motion can be challenging. Choosing appropriate learning activities and
being able to gradually progress to more challenging materials is crucial to
success.
Jump Start instructors need to be creative, flexible and--most of all--Fun! They
need be able to keep the atmosphere playful while keeping students focused on
the content.
Selection and Assessment:
Classroom teachers recommend students who are in need of extra support in
reading or math. Those students are invited to sign up in order to participate in
the program. Having classroom teaches call parents directly to encourage them
to enroll their child has been very successful.
For JS for Literacy we can assess sight word recognition using the Frye Lists of
1000 most frequently used words. For assessing reading speed and accuracy we
use Treasures Fluency Assessment by MacMillan/McGraw-Hill.
For JS for Math we can assess with a computation worksheet and/or a
AIMSweb probe appropriate for the grade level(s). However, assessment is
time consuming and not essential. Experience has shown that, whenever
possible, the lead teacher should conduct the assessments.
Before or After School or during the school day
JS sessions typically run 3 to 4 weeks meeting 3-4 days weekly for 45 minutes.
Jump Start may be scheduled before or after school or during the school day if
space/time/staffing are available. There are advantages and disadvantages to
each scenario.
Holding JS classes before school presents transportation issues for many
families. However, kids are usually fresher and more energetic in the morning.
Classroom teachers report that students who are participating in Jump Start
come to class much more energized and eager to learn. It gives them a “jump
start” to their day.
At Academy School in Brattleboro, Vt. we have an After School Program that
provides bus transportation home. This solves the transportation issue but
holding JS after school made the sessions longer (1 hour). We provided a
snack. We always start and end with an active learning game just for fun to get
students energized and motivated.
Scheduling Jump Start for Learning during the school day is ideal if staff and
space is available because you can choose students for the program who need
the extra support the most.
Over 3 years we pre and post assessed 80 students, first grade through fourth,
who participated in Jump Start for Learning and the average improvement on
foundational math or literacy skills after 4 weeks was 30%.
Jump Start is an excellent addition to a summer school programs. Jump Start
has been a successful in the Brattleboro, Vt. and Westminster, Vt. summer
school programs.
I am available to train your staff to design, set up and lead a Jump Start program
at your school.
John Bentley
jgilbent2@yahoo.com
802-254-2230
802-275-8701
Math LMs
Number lines, hundreds charts, etc
Flash cards of math facts
Math Fact Families flash cards
If using flash cards, you can presort them into different levels of difficulty so that
you can use appropriate math facts for different groups
Laptops w/math activities
Number Cluster Cards
Deck of Big Cards, remove face cards
Charts of combinations of 10, doubles, near doubles
10’s Frames cards (find online, copy, laminate)
Counting, skip counting, math facts with a number line, hopscotch, number array
Instructor generated charts for number recognition, number comparison, math facts.
*Fly Swatter Game
Dice for reading numbers, addition, subtraction, multiplication or division facts.
You can use more than 2 dice.
Number spots (make your own w/blank spots, oak tag or foam)
Add an extra digits beside hopscotch mat, kids work on double digit numbers
White boards (many uses)
Objects for counting
Place value boards
Literacy LMs
Free downloads, copy & print
Laptops w/literacy activities
Letter flash cards, letter sounds
Flash cards of sight words and sight word phrases
Enlarged word list posted on the wall.
Sight words
Spelling words
Vocabulary words
“Trick” words
Vocabulary words on Elmo or Smart Board
Word families with “slider” flash cards
Nursery rhymes, poems
Poems, nursery rhymes, jump rope chants w/long rope
Rhythm enhances learning too.
Flash cards or charts of short/long vowel words
White boards for spelling, vocabulary words, etc.
Equipment (PE equipment on hand?).
Hopper Balls (hippity hops)
Jump ropes, long jump rope
Pogo balls
Exercise balls
Hopscotch mat
Hula hoops
Beach ball
Playground ball
Bean bags
Obstacle courses
Tumbling mat, wedge mat
Mini Tramp
Number array and letter spots
Number line on the floor
Cone course
Tunnel w/desks
Balance beam
Twister w/numbers, letters added
Alphabet bean bags
Sheet rock buckets for drumming
Dice or Big Dice(use 6-8=more combos)
Jump Start Equipment Online
Esportsonline
Hopscotch mat
$38.39
http://www.esportsonline.com/hopscotch-playmat.html
18” Hopper Balls (K)
$24.79
th
24” Hopper Balls (4 -adult) $26.39
http://www.esportsonline.com/hoppers.html
5” Numbered poly spots
$64.79
http://www.esportsonline.com/5-numbered-poly-spots-1-30.html
Alphabet Poly Spots $ 92.79
http://www.esportsonline.com/alphabet-poly-spots.html
9” Colored Poly Spots
$26.39/doz. (make your own, numbers one side, letters on
opposite side)
http://www.esportsonline.com/color-my-classr-spots-markers.html
Great Lake Sports
22” Hopper Balls (K-3rd)
$24.99
http://www.greatlakessports.com/22-dia-hopper-ball
24” Hopper Balls (3rd-adult)
$27.99
http://www.greatlakessports.com/24-dia-hopper-ball
Alphabet Bean Bag Set
$29.99
http://www.greatlakessports.com/alphabet-bean-bag-set
Resourses:
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by Dr. John J.
Ratey
Unique Teaching Resources: Fry 1000 Word Lists Free Flash Cards
http://www.uniqueteachingresources.com/Fry-1000-Instant-Words.html
Candoʼs Helper Page: Free Flash Cards
http://www.candohelperpage.com/sightvocab_1.html
Really Good Stuff: Sight Word Flash Cards, Sight Word Phrases
http://www.reallygoodstuff.com/
Sing a Song of Poetry: A Teaching Resource for Phonemic Awareness, Phonics and
Fluency by Gay Su Pinnell and Irene C. Fountas http://firsthand.heinemann.com/
EAI Education: Math Flash Cards http://www.eaieducation.com/
Lakeshore: Math Flash Cards http://www.eaieducation.com/
Treasures Reading Fluency Assessment published by Macmillan/Mc Graw-Hill
AIMSweb: Math Assessment Tools http://www.aimsweb.com/