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Literacy 4-6

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Literacy 4-6 > Strategies > Temperature

Temperature

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Overview

Providing ways for students to meet their individual temperature needs supports Attention and Inhibition & Self-Regulation. Maintaining a comfortable classroom temperature, usually between 68°F and 74°F, also promotes increased student engagement and learning.

Use It in the Classroom

Learn how this elementary school with no air conditioning tried to cope during a heat wave. By dimming the lights, opening the windows, and blowing fans in each classroom, these educators attempted to monitor the temperature and cool down the school.

  • When teachers are able to control the temperature of their own classroom, they can adjust it according to the needs and current moods of their students. However, if this individual control is not possible, some affordable classroom accommodations that help mediate differences in temperature include blankets and portable fans.

    • Design It into Your Product

  • Products can monitor the temperature of a learning environment and provide suggestions to maintain the optimal temperature for a learner. Being in an environment that is too cold can lead to distractibility and decreased Attention. Similarly, an environment that is too warm can also result in decreased concentration due to discomfort and drowsiness.
    • View References

    Resources

    Below are additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.
    Examples

    Ten Simple Tips

    DIY ideas for fun ways to keep students cool on hot days

    Research

    Heat's Impact on Student Learning

    Article on the correlation between heat and lower student outcomes

    Research

    Importance of School Facilities

    The impact of school facilities, including temperature, on student outcomes

    Factors Supported by this Strategy

    Literacy
    Cognition
    Attention
    Inhibition & Self-regulation
    Sensory Integration
    Social and Emotional Learning
    Student Background
    Adverse Experiences
    Safety
    Socioeconomic Status

    More Physical Space Strategies

    Dim or Natural Lighting

    Dim or natural lighting provides a calming environment.

    Individual Spaces

    Having spaces where students can go supports self-regulation and individual deliberate practice.

    Mobility & Flexibility

    Multiple tables and chairs on wheels allow for setting up the classroom to support the desired learning outcomes of each classroom activity.

    Multiple Display Boards/Screens

    Multiple display spaces promote collaboration by allowing groups to share information easily as they work.

    Multiple Writing Surfaces

    Multiple writing surfaces promote collaboration by allowing groups to share information easily as they work.

    Quiet Environment/Pockets of Quiet

    Decreasing extra audio input provides a focused learning environment.

    Rich Library: Audio & Braille

    Books for vision differences support reading development for learners with visual needs.

    Rich Library: Complexity

    Reading materials of varying complexity and levels are necessary for all students to experience success.

    Rich Library: Diversity

    Multicultural and diverse books are critical for supporting all students.

    Rich Library: Multimodal

    Providing varied types of resources that align with interests of individual students supports overall literacy development.

    Rich Library: Poetry

    With figurative language and creative sentence structure, poetry supports the development of a deeper understanding of the different ways language makes meaning.

    Rich Library: SEL Topics

    Books on social and emotional learning (SEL) topics, such as developing empathy and productive persistence, help teach these skills.

    Sound Level

    Providing ways for students to adjust sound level supports individual auditory needs.

    Uncluttered Environment

    Spaces that are structured, organized, and clean provide increased room for collaboration and active learning.

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