KIRTLAND, Ohio — Kirtland Middle School students are about to embark on a big challenge. A screen-free week is about to start inside classrooms and at home. From May 6 through May 12, students and teachers will ditch the devices for more in-person interactions.
Middle School principal Bob Race said he understands his students spend a lot of time on screens, even in the classroom, using Chromebooks for assignments and watching large classroom screens during lessons.
Race said he worked with the Student Leadership Council to come up with the challenge. Each teacher will modify lesson plans to go back to the basics of paper and pencil.
Race said, “The no-screen week would be an exciting thing to do because kids nowadays are always looking at a screen. This week would be beneficial to showing kids how to have fun without a screen and adjust to new and more fun ways to learn. It could show kids that their life isn’t only on a screen and they can enjoy themselves and time with their friends without playing video games with someone.”
Each child will be asked to sign a Screen Free Pledge Card. You can join in the screen-free week, too. You can find more information about the challenge and a pledge card for your family if you want to try the challenge by CLICKING HERE.
Here are some screen-free ideas from the Kirtland Middle School Student Leadership Council:
- Organize a game of touch football, baseball, or softball in the local park or play soccer, softball or volleyball.
- Paint a picture, a mural or a room.
- Learn about native trees and flowers in your area.
- Plan a picnic or barbecue.
- Plant a garden. Work in your garden
- Cook a meal or bake using a cookbook
- Take a nature hike.
- Take an early morning walk.
- Take photographs and then organize them into an album.
- Shoot hoops with friends. Play a round of H.O.R.S.E
- Create sidewalk art with chalk.
In the future, the school hopes to expand the screen-free week into the community too. You can support students taking the challenge by donating. Students are raising money for new equipment for our fitness room, as well as STEM equipment for our newly added electives next year. CLICK HERE TO DONATE.
