Tech Balance Chart

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Theme: Balance

Materials: Pictures of various activities (English) // (Spanish)

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Vocabulary: Balance

SAY: Balance means using technology but also making time for other activities, such as playing outside, reading, or talking with friends and family. This helps you stay happy and healthy.

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Explore: 

SAY: Let’s discuss why balance is important and how it might apply to technology.

How do you balance using phones, tablets, games, etc., in your own life? How do adults balance their use of these things? Just like we need different foods to be healthy, we need different activities to stay happy and strong. Using technology is fun, but doing other things is also important.

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DO: Tech Balance Chart

‍Materials: A large poster board or whiteboard, markers or crayons, a timer, and pictures of various activities (e.g., reading a book, playing outside, eating a meal, using a tablet, playing with friends, sleeping).

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Create a Balance Chart: Draw a big circle on a large poster board or whiteboard and divide it into sections like a pie chart. Label each section with different activities: 

• Playing Outside
• Reading
• Eating
• Sleeping
• Playing with Friends
• Using a Tablet/Computer
• Add any others you feel relevant

Distribute the pictures of these activities and ask the children to help you place them in the correct sections on the chart.

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Explore more: Consider each section of the chart. 

ASK: Why do you think playing outside is important? How do you feel after reading a book? Why do we need to sleep? What can we do if we spend too much time on the computer?

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Emphasize that all these activities are important to keep our bodies and minds healthy.

Interval Training Game

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Theme: Balance

Materials: On their desks, students should have paper and something to draw with, their computers, and a book.

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Vocabulary: Balance

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SAY: Balance means using technology but also making time for other activities, such as playing outside, reading, or talking with friends and family. This helps you stay happy and healthy.

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Explore: 

SAY: Just like we need different foods to be healthy, we need different activities to stay happy and strong. Using technology is fun, but doing other things is also important.

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ASK: What if we stayed on the computer at our desks all day? What kind of school day would that be? 

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DO: Interval training game

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Materials: On their desks, students should have paper and something to draw with, their computers, and a book. Set a timer for short intervals (e.g., 3 minutes) and lead the children through a series of mini-activities:

• 3 minutes of a simple outdoor game (if possible, or indoor physical activity like jumping jacks) 
• 3 minutes of reading or looking at picture books 
• 3 minutes of drawing or coloring 
• 3 minutes of a tech activity (like a short educational video or a simple game on a tablet)

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‍Reflect: After completing the activities, gather the children in a circle. ASK: How did it feel doing different activities? Did you notice a difference in how you felt after each one? When tech is used in the classroom, what changes in the class?

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‍Key Learning: This activity aims to help students understand that while technology is fun, it's important to balance screen time with other activities to stay healthy and happy.

The Freeze Game

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Theme: Self-Control

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Vocabulary: Self-Control

SAY: Self-control means stopping yourself from doing something you shouldn't do, even if you really want to. It's like being a superhero who can make good choices and wait patiently. 

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Self-control is an important skill for finding balance in any situation. Self-control helps you wait until the teacher or a friend is done talking before you talk or put the cookie aside until after dinner.

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Explore: 

ASK: When watching your favorite TV show or playing a game, how do you feel when it's time to stop? Why is it good to take breaks from screens and do other activities like playing outside or reading a book?

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DO: The Freeze Game

Explain that today, they will play a fun game to practice self-control. 

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SAY: Self-control means stopping yourself from doing something you really want to do.

In this case, dancing! You will be dancing and moving around when the music is playing, but when the music stops, you have to "freeze" and stay very still until the music starts again. It’s important to stop as soon as the music stops and stay frozen even if you want to keep dancing.

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Play music and encourage the children to dance, jump, and move around. Stop the music suddenly and remind them to freeze. Repeat several times, varying the time the music plays and the "freeze" periods.

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Reflect: After playing, gather the children in a circle and discuss the game. 

ASK: Was it hard to stop when the music stopped? How did it feel to stay still when you wanted to move? Why is self-control important?

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Example Scenario for self-control reflection:

What can you do if you feel upset when you have to turn off the computer or tablet?

Here is a strategy for breaking away from your tech: “Breathe, look up, and finish up.”

• Take a deep breath
• Look at the person talking
• Close or turn off the device

SAY: Remember, this takes effort and time and practice to make happen! 

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‍Key Learning: By playing the Freeze Game, they learn to manage their impulses and make good choices.

Heart to Heart

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Theme: Self-Control

Materials: How to position students in two circles

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Vocabulary: Self-control

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SAY: Self-control means stopping yourself from doing something you shouldn't do, even if you really want to. Self-control is a hugely important skill that is crucial for finding balance in any situation. We are practicing this theme again because it takes time and effort to get good at. 

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Explore: 

ASK: Why is self-control important? 

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DO: Heart to Heart

Divide the class into two equal-sized groups. Arrange them in two circles, one inside the other, facing each other. Each student should be facing a partner one-on-one.

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Materials: How to position students in two circles 

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DO: 

1. Split the class into equal-sized groups.
2. Arrange them in two circles, one inner and one outer, so the students face each other one to one.
3. Ask them to discuss the following discussion prompts with their partners. Allot a few minutes to each prompt, then have the inner circle move one position to the right for a new partner for the next prompt.

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1) How does technology change your learning?

2) What would it be like if all technology was removed from school?

3) What do you do when asked to stop playing on the computer or an iPhone?

Reflect:

SAY: Let’s end the day practicing a strategy that uses self-control.  

‍ASK: What can you do if you feel upset when you have to turn off the computer or tablet?

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Remind the class of the: “Breathe, look up, and finish up” technique.

• Take a deep breath
• Look at the person talking
• Close or turn off the device