The purpose of this lesson is to help students practice moving from one activity to another safely and responsibly.

Transitions and movement between activities are common times for behavior disruptions because students must stop, shift attention, and regulate themselves quickly. These moments can lead to resistance, distraction, tantrums, or more serious behaviors, especially when the change is sudden or not well supported. The best way to reduce problems is to make transitions predictable, clear, and practiced. Advance warnings, routines, visual or verbal cues, and calm adult support help students move more smoothly and keep the rest of the class on track.

Teacher Tip: This activity includes a variety of options for transitions and movement. Practice transitions repeatedly at the beginning of the year until they become automatic. Revisit and reteach as needed throughout the year, especially after breaks or schedule changes.

transition, movement

Activity 1: (15 minutes) PYRAMID OF HAPPINESS 

Review the Pyramid of Happiness anchor chart from the slides and practice the actions associated with each level of the pyramid:

• Basic Needs: Rub tummy and pretend to drink (food and water)
• Safety: Pretend to put on a helmet (safety) and make a roof overhead with arms (secure place)
• Connection: Hug yourself (love) and give a friendly wave (belonging)
• Believe in Yourself: Make a thumbs up and show off your muscles (esteem)
• Superstar Self: Jump high and land in a superhero pose (self-actualization)

Highlight the 2nd level of the pyramid (Safety) and its action (Pretend to put on a helmet and make a roof overhead with arms). Read aloud the correlating poem stanza together from the slides. When we know and follow the classroom procedures and routines, including transitions and movement, we will feel safe and ready to learn. Share the definition of the term “transition” from the slides. Emphasize that when we are inside the classroom, it is important to transition quickly and quietly so we can keep learning and having fun. When it is time to leave the classroom and walk through the school halls, it is important to be quiet so we do not disturb other students learning in their classrooms. Have a discussion:

• How does knowing how to move around our classroom and school help us feel safe and ready to learn? (EQ)

Highlight the 3rd level of the pyramid (Connection) and its action (Hug yourself and give a friendly wave). Read aloud the correlating poem stanza together from the slides. When we know and follow the classroom procedures and routines, we will build connections with others and can make our classroom a positive place where everyone feels cared for and valued. 

• How does knowing how to move around our classroom and school help us strengthen our connections with others? (EQ)

Activity 2: (5+ minutes) MARSHMALLOW TOES (Transitioning to spaces outside the classroom)

Materials Needed: Marshmallows (1 per student)

Teacher Tip: Plan this activity before your class needs to walk to a space outside your classroom (e.g., cafeteria, library, music room).

Pass out a marshmallow to each student. Have students hold the marshmallow up to their ear. Ask children if their marshmallow makes any sound (no). Have students hold their marshmallow over their desk and drop the marshmallow. Ask students if they heard a sound (a quiet sound, not a loud sound). Explain to students that when they line up and walk through the halls of the school to another area of the school, they will walk quietly like the marshmallow with marshmallow voices and marshmallow toes. Their mouths will be silent and their toes and feet only make soft walking sounds. (Adapted from The Applicious Teacher)

Perform the Marshmallow Toes Chant for your students from the slides. Then, use call-and-response to recite the chant together. Once students have had enough practice, have them stand up and recite the chant aloud together. Encourage students to add in hand signals and other body movements to emphasize the words.

Marshmallow Toes Chant

(The Applicious Teacher)

Walking through the hallway

Everyone quietly goes.

Being respectful all the way

On our marshmallow toes!

Have students practice lining up with marshmallow voices and marshmallow toes and continue walking that way to the designated location. Have a discussion: 

• How does walking quietly in the hall help other students in the school learn? (EQ)
• How can using marshmallow voices and marshmallow toes keep our school safe? (EQ)

Activity 3: (5+ minutes) LINE MONITOR (Transitioning to spaces outside the classroom)

Before it is time to line up and leave the classroom, choose a student to be a line monitor. Choose a student who has been following directions to incentivize positive behavior. Tell the class, “I chose (name of student) to be the line monitor because they listened, stayed on task, and finished their work.”

Explain that the line monitor helps the teacher observe how students are walking in line. If the line monitor sees that everyone is walking safely and quietly with their hands by their sides, the class can earn points or another classroom incentive you have established. (Adapted from Miss Giraffe)

Activity 4: (5+ minutes) BUBBLE IN YOUR MOUTH (Transitioning to spaces outside the classroom)

Tell students that they can catch a bubble in their mouth to help them remember to walk quietly in the halls. Invite students to fill their cheeks with air like a bubble is in their mouth the next time they line up. (Teacher Tip: Students will love to see you modeling this and seeing a bubble in your mouth. It will be impossible to talk to a classmate as long as students keep a bubble in their mouth.)

Activity 5: (5+ minutes) PLAY MUSIC (Transitioning inside the classroom)

Materials Needed: Kid-friendly songs

Prior to this activity, choose some kid-friendly songs that can be used for transition music in your class.

Teacher Tip: When it is time to transition from one activity to another (e.g., from one reading or math center to the next) play music to signal it is time to rotate. Use a timer to give your students a 2-minute warning before the end of their rotation so they have time to finish their activity and clean up before the music starts.

Explain to students that when it is time to rotate to the next activity or center, they will begin moving only when they hear music playing. Encourage students to dance along with the music as they move around the classroom. When everyone has arrived at their new center, turn the music off. Have students practice.

Activity 6: (5+ minutes) GRADUAL RELEASE (Transitioning inside the classroom)

Teacher Tip: When students are transitioning inside the classroom (e.g., from the carpet to their desks or from their desks to the carpet) give a specific invitation for who can stand up and walk quietly to their next place. For example, “Students who are wearing blue can quietly stand up and walk back to their seats.” When small groups of students are invited to get up and move gradually rather than the whole class at once, it helps students feel safe and calm and controls the volume and energy of the classroom.

Ideas for gradual release:

• Students wearing a certain color shirt
• Students wearing a certain color shoes
• Students who have birthdays in certain months
• Students in a particular reading/math group
• Table names or numbers

Activity 7: (5+ minutes) DOORBELL (Transitioning inside the classroom)

Materials Needed: Doorbell

Prior to this activity, purchase a doorbell that can be used inside your classroom. (Teacher Tip: Doorbells for classroom use have adjustable volume so you can find the right setting for your classroom.)

Explain to students that when it is time to rotate to the next activity or center, they will begin moving when they hear the doorbell ring. Have students practice.

Activity 8: (5+ minutes) COUNTDOWN (Transitioning inside the classroom)

Teacher Tip: A countdown can be used as a signal to give students a 10-second warning to put supplies away and quietly walk to a desired location. To effectively use the countdown attention signal, the teacher must state the desired behavior and begin a countdown from 10 to 1 (or zero if students need an extra second). For example, if students are working on an activity with a partner and you can see (and sense) that all partnerships have finished or are very close to finishing, say, “I need everyone to return to their seats quickly and quietly and sit with their hands folded in 10 seconds. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.” Praise students for following directions and give specific feedback for the positive behaviors you see. “Thank you, Devon, for cleaning up quickly and sitting quietly with your hands folded.” Practice the countdown attention signal with students.

Activity 9: (5+ minutes) KEYWORD (Class interruptions)

Explain to students that there will be times when classroom learning is interrupted by a phone call, someone coming in the class to talk to the teacher, or another similar interruption. Tell children that when this happens, the teacher will say a special word as a reminder to continue working and remain quiet (voices off) while the teacher handles the interruption.

Possible keywords:

• Show me focus.
• Nice and quiet.
• You got this.

Choose one student to go outside the classroom door and knock. Use one of the keywords and have students practice working quietly while you answer the door and talk to the student. Practice a few more times so students know what to do if there is an interruption.