Mirrors Resources: None Age: Grades 1 and up Instructions *Model what this looks like so students know how slow to go. *Remind students to use different levels and balance.
Students will need to be in pairs. They need to decide which person is leading and which person will follow. Once this is decided they need to face each other.
The person who is leading will start to make slow motions while the other person copies them. Eventually you will have the pairs switch roles.
We loved having the pairs share what they are doing with the rest of the group!
This can also be done as a whole group activity where there is one leader and everyone else in the class mirrors their actions.
Body Writing Resources: None Age: Grades 1-6 and above Instructions :
Have students space out around the room so they all have their own space.
Tell students to pretend their is a pail of paint in front of them. Have them spell their name, as big as they can by dipping their hand into the paint and painting on the air in front of them.
Have them do the same things but with other body parts; right elbow, left elbow, left foot, right foot, knee, left or right hip.
Molecules Resources: Music Appropriate Age: Grade 2 and up. Instructions:
This is a great warm up! Start by playing some music and have everyone spread out, walking around the room.
Stop the music and call out a number between 1 and 10. Everyone must get into groups of that number. If you say one they must hug themselves. The last person or people to get into a group are out. If they do not make the right number (because there is not enough people to make that number) then they are also out.
The last two people in the game are the winners.
You can also ask your students to move in a specific way if you would like to make it more interesting- for example, walk around the room like a ballerina, lions, like you are stuck in mud etc.
Keep the Beat Resources: None Appropriate Age: grade 3 and up Instructions:
Everyone will be sitting in a circle except for one person. That one person is the detective and must be in a separate room for the beginning of this game.
When that one person is out of the room the teacher will pick one person to be the leader. That person will start to make a beat using their body (Ex: clapping, patting lap, snapping, hitting the floor etc.) and everyone else will follow.
The detective will come back to the room and walk around the circle trying to see who the leader is. They will have 2-3 guesses.
The leader must continuously change the pattern and everyone else must follow. To help the leader not be detected remind your students to look around the circle and not just stare at the leader waiting for them to change the beat.
If the detective guesses correctly, that leader becomes the new detective. If the detective is not able to solve who is changing the pattern than we have a new game with a new leader and detective.
Onomatopoeia Circle Resources: None Appropriate Age: Grades 1 and up Instructions:
Have everyone stand in a circle. Each person will need to come up with a sound and an action that goes with it.
Have one person start, they will make a sound and their action. Everyone else in the circle will repeat the sound and the action. Keep on going until everyone has done one. If students can not think of one, skip them and come back.
A, B, Shift Resources: None Appropriate Age: Grade 3 and up Instructions:
Split the students into two groups. Have them make two lines facing each other. Each student should have a partner across from them.
Label one line A and the other B.
When you say A, the students in line A will strike a pose. When you say B, students in line B must copy the pose of their partner in line A. Afterwards you will say shift and everyone moves one spot to the left.
Continue to do this until each person has returned to their original position. Go slow at first while the students get a hang of the motions and then speed up.
Move Across the Circle Resources: None Appropriate Age: Grades 1 and up Instructions:
Have everyone stand in a circle. Number the students either a 1, 2 or 3.
The teacher will call a number and a way to move across the circle, for example, "3's move across the circle as if you are light as a feather".
You can call two groups at once or all three if you would like.
Sample ways to move: ballerina, stuck in mud, very heavy, you haven't slept in a couple days, tight rope walker, circus clown, floor is lava, lions.
Make the Shape Resources: None Appropriate Age: Grades 1 and up Instructions:
Have the student split into groups of 4 or 5.
The object of this game is to work together to create a shape using the group members bodies.
You can start easily by using basic shapes (square, circle triangle etc.)
To build difficulty have the groups try to make more complex shapes such as "taco" "donut" "flower" etc.