Trying to find a quick and easy way to take attendance and get your students quickly spread out for a quick stretch or warmup?
That’s why I use Home Base Spots (I’ve also heard others call them “Squad Lines”) in my classes. It’s my strategy for assigning seats in my gym. It helps me quickly check to see if anyone is absent, make any needed announcements and get a quick stretch in and do Our Daily Warmup after our instant activity of the day.
I’ve gotten a few questions about these from people who read my First Week in PhysEd Blog, so I made a video to give you a visual.
Video Below to See My Updated “Social Distanced” Home Base Spots
Some Tips for Teaching Kindergarten their Home Base Spots:
Check out the video below for an example of how to set them up Pre-Covid:
I hope that was helpful – I think using assigned spots is a great management strategy for Physical Education Classes.
If you want to download the Home Base Spots PDF you can do so below:
P.S. If you want a copy of my Roster Sheet that corresponds with my Home Base Spots there’s a Google Drive Link below (you must copy it to your Google Drive to edit it)
|25 student roster| |20 student roster|
Have Fun and Teach On!
Hi Ben! You’re awesome at what you teach and for helping others by putting so much content out there! Thank you.
I have a FIRST DAY question –
when you are introducing yourself/rules of the gym with your slides and have the kiddos first on the home base spots, how do you logistically (and safely) ask them to move around to do a “quiz check” for remembering their spot?
Thanks again for any time!
Hey Taryn
Thanks for reaching out!
After we introduce home base spots we may do an activity or go over rules and expectations then have them return to their spot as a “spot check”
Just something to get them to move from the spot and then return.
Hope this helps!
Do you use home base spots when you have double classes? Some days I have 25 students, some days 50 students. I like the idea of home spots so I don’t spend so much time asking students to give others “personal space,” faster to take role, etc. but I am trying to figure out how to make it work with 50 students.
Hey Julie,
Great question!
For a double class, we have two sets of home base spots. At my school, we have the grid system on both sides of the gym.
Hope this helps!
You do an awesome job. Thanks
Thank you Brenda!
Do you still use home base spots now that COVID restrictions have lifted?
Hey Amy,
Yes we do! They are great for management and organization!
I’ve used squads/home bases for years. I’m looking for a fun way to tell kids where they sit rather than running down the list on the first day.
Hey Cheryl,
If you find one, share with us!
We usually go down the list when we give students Home Base Spots because it gives us a chance to learn their names.
But we are always open to new ideas!
I’m trying to open the pdf of the homebase spots, but it won’t open. Can you help?
Hey Katie,
Sorry about the issue!
Usually, this issue is related to a school filter, pop-up blocker, or browser caching issue – so we’d recommend trying from another computer, switching browsers, clearing your cache and making sure all pop up blockers have been turned off.
As a another option you can also find some of our products on our Teachers Pay Teachers Page Here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Pe-Specialist
I just got hired as elementary PE Teacher and this will be my first year ever teaching, your videos have been extremely helpful…thank you so much for sharing!!!
Congratulations Nicole! Welcome to the profession! May we suggest listening to our podcast on advice for first year teachers? You can check it out at the link below:
https://www.thepespecialist.com/podcast/002-advice-for-a-first-year-teacher/
Ben,
Great work. Your school is very lucky to have you.
I have used a lot of your ideas with success and enjoy your emails. I just wanted you to know you are appreciated and are effecting kids everywhere.
Brenda
Hey Brenda,
Thank you so much for reaching out and those kind words! We truly appreciate it!
I made 5 foot by 6 foot boxes in my gym and make movement areas for them still using the numbers and letters for their squad spots. I was able to get 24 in my gym. Even though with some doing online school my biggest class is 19 kids.
I even put numbers and letters on cones and use spot makers to mark squad spots outside. So they all have plenty of space outside.
Hey Dennis,
That’s a great idea! Having markers will help students remember.
Hey Ben,
I love your stuff. Thanks for sharing!! I also use “squads” (I call them teams) of 5. Each day, a different member of the team is “captain”. The captain leads stretches, gets out and puts away equipment, and gets to make decisions for their team. The kids LIVE for the day they are the captain and it takes a lot of decisions off my plate! Go ask your captain!!
Hey Cheryl,
Thanks for the idea! I like how you are allowing students to have responsibilities in your class. That’s awesome!
Will all your activities work well with Middle School Students? I really do love all your ideas. They are awesome.
Thanks so much.
I would personally use many of the same activities if I was teaching Middle School, but it really just depends on your teaching style and your students, you can modify almost anything to make it a little more challenging if needed for older students.
Hello! Thanks for all your info and ideas! Being a bit older, I really appreciate the simple, step-by-step guides to the “tech” parts of your information! I appreciate that you have ideas for both those who incorporate technology in their classrooms and for those (like me) who find it doesn’t always work well that way but prefer “old school” ideas–you have it all and are able to help a wide variety of people in your audience! Thank you!
Hey Emily!
Glad the resources are helpful! Thanks for reaching out!
Hello, I want to use all of the great tools you’ve posted but whenever I click on a link to download a poster, or a document it just gives me the loading circle and never works. My internet speed is high. Is it a common problem that you’ve been having? I’ve tried throughout this summer and its not working, it is my first year of teaching and really hope this works asap. Please help. thanks!
Sorry about the issue!
Usually, this issue is related to a school filter, pop-up blocker, or browser caching issue – so we’d recommend trying from another computer, switching browsers, clearing your cache and making sure all pop up blockers have been turned off.
As a another option you can also find some of our products on our Teachers Pay Teachers Page Here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Pe-Specialist
I will be teaching grade 7 and 8 PE this year, wondering if you would use “Home Base Spots” with this age group as well? Any suggestions on how to get the students to change quickly so we can begin PE.
My kids don’t change clothes so….. But yea – home base spots would work with any age group
Do you assign each kid a home base spot?
Yes – we do this at the beginning of the year. (Except for Kindergarten)
What do you do for kinder?
They are my only grade level with 25 min classes, so we don’t take attendance with them – just get them in and do 4 stations after a quick jog around the room
Thanks. One last question. What about middle school? This seems like middle school wouldn’t need this.
I don’t teach middle school, so I couldn’t say, but if I did I would probably still use this system if kids were having trouble remembering their spot in the gym for quick attendance/stretching/warmups
We do squads with K. It takes a couple of weeks but they get it! ?
Hi! I was wondering if you do some type of warm up activity every class with grades K-1?
Yep, I have a post about that here: https://www.thepespecialist.com/helping-your-kids-focus-with-instant-activity/
I actually have home base spots also but I use colors and numbers. It works great! For grades K and 1, I play a silly game with them when I assign their spots to help them remember. They travel around the room using a locomotor skill. When I call out “the word of the day” (your pick), they return to their spots. I repeat it several times using different locomotor skills. They love the game, and remember their spots. : ) I love the way you do the plickers cards. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to do that. Do you have really thick lamination on them, or are your kids more gentle than mine?
Nice!
I purchased mine premade from Amazon – it’s a thick matte lamination
Hey Ben,
I love this idea (and the link to Math/Geography)! Question though, what is your secret with the grade 1 students?
D
No secret 🙂 Just lots of repetition and remembering that they are 5-6 years old, which means they are just in the exploration stages of skill development – so give them lots of practice (usually through stations)