Let's play more games for shorter times but 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.
TRAFFIC CONES
SPLIT BOX
LUCKY DIP BOX
RUBBER DUCK (TOKENS)
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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.”
Into- Hello Everyone, Hello Paul Sensei,
INTRO with FUNNY VOICES
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STAND UP - SIT DOWN
This technique lasts all year, as we move from simple, ‘Stand Up’- Sit Down’ commands, to ‘Animals’, ‘ Body parts’, ‘Opposites’ and finally ‘Verbs and Actions’ with the ‘Show me’ (Simon says) Game
BASIC- SssssssStand Up - Sit Down - Kick Kick
HEAD SHOULDERS MONKEY GORILLA
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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?
YET TO BE DECIDED POSSIBLY VEGETABLES
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.
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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.