Challenge your students to go beyond the set expectations and be amazed at what they achieve. Introduce One Ups!
What is a One Up?
A One Up is when students do one extra thing in their work above and beyond the task you have set.
Once they have completed the task you set they add an idea of their own – that little extra something to add to their work.
Why do a One Up!
It’s an opportunity for every student:
- To do that extra bit of thinking
- Go that extra mile
- Think differently
- Develop and use new ideas
- Stun you with their brilliance
- Show that they know more
- Motivation for students to achieve more and challenge themselves.
When could you do One Ups?
- The all day One Up Challenge
Write up on your white board – Today is One Up Day
Doing a One Up means you add one extra ‘something’ into your work.
I look forward to seeing your ideas.
2. Try a One Up session during Maths, Literacy, Inquiry, Art – any curriculum session will suit a One Up.
What might happen?
- Some students will do more than one, One Up!
- Some students will only do one, One Up!
- Some students won’t get it first time. Make sure you get the students who do a One Up to share what they achieved. Great for prompting those that weren’ t sure.
- Some students will do One Ups regularly without prompting. Time for lots of praise and feedback to them.
Tips:
Accept all One Up ideas.
Provide meaningful praise and feedback to every students that makes the effort to do a One Up!
– Wow, I like the way you thought of adding an extra illustration to your work.
– I notice that you have shown me you can write large numbers as well as using the digital format. That’s a great way to do a One Up!
– So pleased to hear and see that you have added in three extra sentences into your story. Now that’s just a little bit wonderful!
– What a marvellous effort learning 5 extra spelling words!
– That’s pretty nifty making up an extra multiplication equation!
– Hmm, I am pretty impressed with your idea. Thank you
Here are some One Up examples provided by students:
- Today I wrote the answers to my sums in words as well as numbers. Year 4 student
- We had a CRT teacher in for the day and I told them that we had two ways to select partners instead of one. Year 4 student
- I added in extra colours to my picture and then I decided to draw in more trees in the background. Year 2 student
- I tried to get in an extra lap today as I was running. Year 5 student
- We had to make a shield for history. The other students made their shield from cardboard and paper but I got my dad to take me to the recyclers and we found some metal that was the right shape for a shield. I added on a Greek word for warrior. Year 7 Student
- We were doing a maths activity. It was about the number of members of the AFL footy teams in 2016. I reasearched the data and got my results and recorded them on the sheet. Then I had finished and had time so I ordered the numbers from least to most. The teacher really liked my idea and got everyone to order their results as well. I felt pretty good that the teacher really liked my idea. Year 4 student
So challenge your students today. The ideas they have will be worth seeing and hearing. It will give both of you a real buzz!
