Switch up a typical day at school to a tough boot camp that not only tests students’ math skills but gives them a fun experience while learning! The Boot Camp Classroom Transformation really helped my students practice their math skills and gain more confidence in themselves. Students get to challenge themselves while having fun at the same time. This transformation aligns with common core standards.
If you’re looking for ways to make more meaningful connections to math in the real world, then look no further! Students will embark upon a day boot camp while practicing a difficult math concept at the same time. Below is a step-by-step explanation of how I execute my classroom transformations.
BOOT CAMP CLASS TRANSFORMATION STEP 1:
Setting up the classroom is the first thing I do to make this classroom transformation look real. I found army boot camp helmets at Dollar Tree for my kids to wear while they completed the challenges. Next, I put up boot camp posters and decorations. I love to put decorations in my classroom whenever we have this room transformation because it really sets the scene and gets my kids get excited for the day!
BOOT CAMP CLASS TRANSFORMATION STEP 2:
This is a little different than the rest of my classroom transformations. Instead of having students complete challenges on paper, they had to memorize their math facts and then recite them to me. This classroom transformation comes with up to 12 challenges. Depending on the grade level, students will need to memorize different math facts.
Which Grade Level Do You Need?
1st Grade Boot Camp Classroom Transformation
2nd Grade Boot Camp Classroom Transformation
3rd Grade Boot Camp Classroom Transformation
4th Grade Boot Camp Classroom Transformation
5th Grade Boot Camp Classroom Transformation (COMING SOON!)
Students could work individually or in pairs for this challenge. I encouraged them to work in pairs to make it a little easier on them. Teamwork meant they got to help each other with their math facts. I personally required students to work with a different partner on each challenge so they were able to work with all of their peers.
BOOT CAMP CLASS TRANSFORMATION STEP 3:
The first thing to do in this transformation is to give students a practice sheet to memorize a set of facts. For example, they would grab a set of 3 facts and go practice for a few minutes in a quiet place in our classroom.
Next, students would return the practice sheet and come see me for a quick fluency test. I would set a timer for 2 minutes and they would have to tell me the answer to all 12 facts on the paper within the time limit set. If they could do this, they passed the challenge. If they could not, they were sent back to the practice area.
BOOT CAMP CLASS TRANSFORMATION STEP 4:
Every time students passed a math challenge, they got to draw a chance card out of a bucket. It might say something like, “Do 10 jumping jacks”, “Do 5 push-ups”, or my favorite, “Complete the Obstacle Course.”
The obstacle course was made up of items in my classroom that I laid in order around the room. I explained to my students before we started that if they grabbed the right chance card, they would complete the obstacle course around the room. This meant crawling under some desks, hopping through tires, weaving around chairs, and walking on top of something. This was definitely my class’s favorite part of the room transformation!
BOOT CAMP CLASSROOM TRANSFORMATION STEP 5:
The ones who finish early could complete the early finisher activity as well! Students looked for the QR codes around the room and learned fun facts about the army after scanning them. They also get a certificate for completing all the challenges.
This classroom transformation would also be great for students at the beginning of the year. Teachers would be able to get an idea of how well their students remembered their math facts from the previous grade.
You can check out this Boot Camp Classroom Transformation HERE!
I also offer all room transformations in a DIGITAL format! This means students can complete the challenges on Google Slides if you’d like to save on paper. The QR codes/fun facts also come in a digital game format that students can complete and copy down online. You can learn more about how to do a digital room transformation here.
You may also find this post on Classroom Transformation Tips helpful. It lists my top 10 tips for making your classroom transformation easy and stress-free.
Want to see more classroom transformations in action? Follow me on Instagram to check them out 
