Let's play more games for shorter times and play them more often.
SHORT, REPLICABLE, 'Call and Response' ACTIVITIES.
THE GOAL: SHORT, REPLICABLE ACTIVITIES, THAT CAN BE DONE EVERY WEEK, IN THE SAME WAY WITH MINIMAL FUSS. THE ACTIVITIES SHOULD HAVE A ‘CALL’ (FROM THE TEACHER) AND ‘RESPONSE’ (FROM THE STUDENTS). THE STUDENTS SHOULD BECOME VERY FAMILIAR WITH THESE ACTIVITIES SUCH THEY COULD CAN TAKE THE ROLL OF THE TEACHER. THE LESSON NOW INVOLVES DOING SAME 5 X 5 MINUTE ACTIVITIES FOR SEVERAL WEEKS (5 WEEKS). OVERTIME, SOME ACTIVITIES ARE STOPPED AND A NEW ONE IS INTRODUCED. OFTEN THE NEW ACTIVITY EMPLOYS A ‘TECHNIQUE’ THAT HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY DONE SO IT IS EASY TO SET UP. EG. INSTEAD OF ‘DOUBLE LINE BATTLE WITH FRUITS IT’S DOUBLE LINE BATTLE WITH BODY PARTS
WHY? WHATS NEW AND DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS?
IN THE PAST, THE ‘MAIN GAME’ WAS BEING PLAYED ONLY ONCE OR TWICE AND THEN FORGOTTOEN. THE SET UP AND EXPLANATION WAS DIFFICULT AS EACH WEEK WAS A NEW THING, ALSO THE MAIN GAME WAS BEING PLAYED FOR TOO LONG, 20 TO 30 MINS, AND THE STUDENTS GET BORED UNLESS THE TEACHER WAS AMAZING AT HAMMING IT UP. HERE, THE GAMES ARE SHORTER ALLOWING US TO JUMP FROM ONE ACTIVITY TO THE NEXT. NOW, FOR ANY PARTICULAR THEME, eg. ‘FRUITS’, THE STUDENTS WILL BE PLAYING A ‘FRUIT’ BASED ACTIVITY WEEKS BEFORE AND A WEEKS AFTER IT IS SCHEDULED AS THE ‘MAIN GAME’ AND SET FOR HOMEWORK.
TOO MANY GAMES. THE CURRENT KINDY MANUAL CONTIANS EVERY IDEA WE HAVE EVER HAD FOR KINDY. WE ARE NOW TRYING TO ‘BOIL IT DOWN’ TO WHAT THE BEST GAME IS FOR THE EACH UNIT IS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEW, ‘THE ONE TWO’ TECHNIQUE COMBINED WITH THE SONG, TEACHES THE WEATHER BETTER THAN ‘CORNER ROULETTE’, SO WHY PLAY IT AT ALL. IT IS OUR GOAL TO MAKE A NEW KINDY MANUAL FEATURING THE BEST GAME FOR EACH UNIT WHILE STILL INCLUDING OPTIONAL EXTRAS FOR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES EG. VERY SMALL GROUPS, VERY BIG ROOMS ETC.
GREAT FOR DEMONSTRATION LESSONS AND CONTINUITY ACROSS THE CLASSROOMS.
PROPS
A BAG OF UNIVERSAL PROPS IS BEING CREATED THAT HELP SET UP THE ACTIVITIES AND LET THE STUDENTS KNOW WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING. CARRYING A BAG OF PROPS (TOYS) ON THE WAY TO CLASS ALSO CREATES SOME INTEREST OF KIDS WHO AREN’T YET IN THE CLASSES. CURRENTLY WE ARE CARRYING THE PROPS IN A GIANT, MESH ‘WASHING BAG’ YOU CAN SEE THE PROPS WE HAVE BELOW.
TRANSPARENT BAG FULL OF PROPS
MINI TRAFFIC CONES – HELPS KIDS KNOW WHERE TO STAND
SPLIT BOX – KIDS LOVE PUTTING THE CARD IN THE BOX
RUBBER DUCK (TOKENS) – THINGS TO RUN AND FIND
THE LUCKY DIP BOX MAKES CHOSING A CARD FUN
RANDOM TOYS TO FILL THE BAG UP AND MAKE IT LOOK FUN
EXAMPLE OF QUICK TRANSITIONS BETWEEN THE ACTIVITIES
NOTE HOW THE CONES QUICKLY HELP THE STUDENTS ORIENT THEMSELVES FOR THE NEXT ACTIVITY.
TECHNIQUES
VIDEO EXAMPLES
INTRO
The teacher says,
“Hello Everyone”,
The student’s say,
“Hello , ………… Sensei.”
Good afternoon, Good bye,
STOP!
Intro- Hello Everyone, Hello Paul Sensei,
INTRO with FUNNY VOICES
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ROLL CALL
The teacher says,
“Where is Kenji?”,
The student’s say,
“I’m here.”
Roll Call- Where is Kenji?, I'm here.
Roll Call MIMICKING the kids for laughs.
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STAND UP - SIT DOWN
This technique lasts all year, as we move through different stages.
0) Video – SONG INTRO
1) Stand Up- Sit Down- Basic
2) Head, Shoulders, Monkey, Gorilla (A blend of things)
BASIC- SssssssStand Up - Sit Down - Kick Kick
HEAD SHOULDERS MONKEY GORILLA
HEAD SHOULDERS MONKEY GORILLA (2)
3) BODY PARTS
4) ANIMALS
5) OPPOSITES
6) VERBS using the ‘Show Me’ game, (Simon Says)
(Stand Up etc.) with a focus on BODY PARTS
(Stand Up etc.) with a focus on ANIMALS
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THE ONE TWO
Like, ‘Rock, Paper Scissors,’ but you MUST NOT do the same action as the teacher.
WEATHER - How's the weather?
WEATHER - How's the weather? (2)
YET TO BE DECIDED POSSIBLY VEGETABLES
SPLIT BOX
Kids enjoy putting the card in the box. Use the split boxes for different uses.
What's you name? My name is .....
50-50 - Do you like.....? Yes. I do. No, I don't.
BODY PARTS BABY WITH SPLIT BOX
SINGY SONGY
The teacher says,
“Hello Everyone”,
The student’s say,
“Hello , Paul Sensei.”
1,2,3,4,5,6,7 - with ANIMALS
Head Shoulders Knees and Toes
Eyes and Ears and Mouth and BANANA!
TRIGGER WORD
1) Do an ACTION, 2) Find a CARD, 3) Find a (Token)Rubber Duck.
ACTION
The students do an ACTION when a certain word is said.
FEELINGS - How are you? Happy = SPIN etc.
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FIND A CARD
The students run to FIND a particular card.
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RUBBER DUCK
In the absence of cards, students run to find a ‘TOKEN’ Rubber Duck.
FRUITS - What fruit do you want? - Rubber Duck
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VOCABULARY GAMES
Any game that can be played with DOUBLE LINE BATTLE can be played with STEPPING STONES, HORSE SHOE JAN-KEN & CATS vs. DOG
DOUBLE LINE BATTLE
TWO CONES
FEELINGS: Double Line Battle
FRUITS: Double Line Battle
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STEPPING STONES
HORSE SHOE JANKEN
CATS VS DOG