Index

Literacy Art Seeds

Mystery Bag.4 Silly Riddles.4 Venn Diagrams..4 Character Wheel....4 Character Report Card...5

Visual Art Seeds

Be the Sculpture.5 Creative Crayon Ideas.5 Class Quilt5 Self-Portrait Banner.6 Animal Flip Book6

Drama and Storytelling Seeds

Bell Tolls...6 Boring Words...6 Charades..7 Dont Laugh.7 Elevator7

Dance Seeds
Magic shoes.7 Balloon Balance or Bust..7 Shape Shifters..7 Dance Freeze8

Three Levels.8

Music Seeds
Musical Rainbow.8 Form Books8 Follow the Leader..8 Instrument Categories..8 Homemade Jam..9

Math
Math Poetry9 Story Problem Art..9 Math Commercials.9 Get the facts...9 Fraction Pies or Pizza..9

Social Studies What-If Writing..9 Class Flag10 Famous Portrait Monologues..10 Holiday and Season Dances10 History through Music.......10

Reading
Partner Writing10 Listen and Draw..10 Showtime.11

Character Traits11 Dynamic Word Singing11

Science
Five Ws and H Webs..11 Habitat 3-D.11 Point of View Props11 Endangered Species12 Musical Season Stories12

Healthy Lifestyles & PE Movements

Word Association12 Art Walks12 Play Ball..12 Shake it out.12 Rhythm Circle........13

Classroom management
Chants and Action Poems13 Twenty Questions13 Line Ups..13 Inhale/Exhale/Stretch..13 Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes...13

Inclusion of Exceptional/ESL
Folktale Detectives..14 Art Bags..14

Greetings..14 Cultural Dance.14 Multicultural Song Book..14

Literacy Arts Seed Strategies

1) Mystery Bag- Make a bag of objects connected to an upcoming book. Reveal one at a time and ask students to find the common connection. For example, sticks, red items, and a basket. For suspense, take out the easiest last. Tell students to not call out so everyone can see everything before any guesses. Variation: students make book-related collections and present mystery bags in small groups. Pictures can be used instead of objects.

2) Silly Riddles- Students write and share riddles with three clues, arranged general to specific. Use these steps (1) choose any subjects such as cats. (2) Use a book title or character and brainstorm words that sound like the syllables. Wil=bur=chill, hill, still, fill, still; bur= stir, her ,purr, sir (3) Combine syllables to fit the subject; Wilpurr. (4) Make up a question; What did a fan or Charlottes Web name his cat? (Wilpurr)

3) Venn Diagram- Venn diagrams are used to compare and contrast different aspects of two books or stories: Literacy or art elements, genre traits, versions of the same story, or books by the same author. Two overlapping circles are drawn. Separate circles are for the individual characteristics of the two things before compared. The overlap area is for commonalities. Example: Compare the main character in the Harry Potter series and Frodo in Lord of the Rings.

4) Character Wheel- Write a characters name in the center. Draw and label spokes on the wheel to represent character aspects; speech, thoughts, actions, and appearance and what others think or say about the character. Students work in groups to fill in the wheel. Other categories include characters feelings, worries, hobbies, talents,

skills, personality; Adaptions: For biographies, change the spokes to include fitting categories; obstacles faced, significant achievements, special life events.

5) Character Report Card-After reading; students complete a report card to grade characters on talent, tact, poise, appearance, honest, and so forth. With younger students, do this collaboratively. Ask students to justify the grades.

Visual Art Seeds 1) Be the sculpture- Look at famous statues and discuss their emotions and why statues exist. Look closely to see how different body parts are arranged. Have students assume a statue pose and when tapped, say a one liner about what he or she is thinking or feeling.

2) Creative Crayon Ideas- Peel and break crayons, use them on their sides, or tape several together. Encourage mixing of colors and creation of hues of one color by changing amounts of pressure. Blend white chalk with orange or brown crayon for skin tones. Rub crayon drawings with a cloth to give them a gloss. For crayon resist, try painting over crayon drawings with tempera, watercolor, or food color. Use black construction paper for the background and paint over crayon drawing with white paint. An alternative is to use white crayon or a candle to draw on white paper then wash over with paint to reveal the image. This seems like magic!

3) Class Quilt- Everyones quilt background should be the same size to start off. Origami paper works and other media can be added. Subject matter can vary. For example, each student can make a personal quilt piece about herself. In math, quilts can be used to explore geometric shapes (squares, triangles) and for counting. Experiment with printing, lettering, and collage. Encourage students to avoid the obvious: This need not be representational art; it can be abstract. Use chalk to mark placement on large bulletin board roll paper. (I tape two long pieces together side by side.) Glue finished quilt pieces. Wipe off chalk. Create a border using steps explained previously under displays and bulletin boards. Students can make cartoon-type speech bubbles telling about their creations process to post with the finished quilt.

4) Self-Portrait Banner- Materials: white paper, white fabric (12x12 inches), pencil, chalk, water, mirror, permanent black marker, and masking tape. Directions: (1) Look in a mirror and examine your face closely. Sketch each half, really thinking of shapes and line. Outline in black marker. Add whatever you want to represent you (hat or symbols) (2) Put fabric over paper and tape down. Trace black outline with marker. Wet fabric do not soak. (3) Use chalk to put in color. When dry, spray with non-aresol hair spray. (4) Sew or glue all portraits into banners or a quilt.

5) Animal Flip Books- This book type combines animal parts to create new creatures. Students draw or find magazine pictures of animals and insects that have distinct heads, bodies and legs. Pictures should be similar in size. Each animal is a page in the book that needs to be fastened together so that body parts are in approximately the same place on each page. Each page is then cute into thirds: head, body, legs. By turning the different page parts, new animals are created and can be named. This can evolve in to creative writing by setting up categories for students to use to invent a description of their new creature: habitat, food, habits, and movements. For younger students, body parts can be place on cards and assembled on a table.

Drama and Storytelling Seeds 1) Bell Tolls- (category games) this requires fast thinking and movement. Give each student inch piece of masking tape. Make a circle. The person who is It goes in the center. Everyone else stands on the tape. IT begins by saying, The bell tolls for all those who_______. And plugs in a category (play an instrument, know Picassos first name). Anyone who fits the category must move and try to get a new spot while IT tries to get a spot. The person without a spot is the new IT. At any point in the game, It can shout tornado and everyone must move to a new spot, not right next door. Adapt for any unit (know the capital of Maine).

2) Boring Words- (Fluency) Brainstorm a list of dull words. (Cardboards, the ,dust, box) Practice saying them changing the dynamics (volume), tempo (rate), pitch, pause, and stress to make them interesting. Variation: Collect boring phrases and sentences for this activity.

3) Charades- This favorite pantomime game involves two teams. Each takes a turn. Traditional categories are book, song, TV shows, film, and famous person, but any categories can be used: one-two-, or three syllable words, rhyme pairs (hink pinks such as sad and dad) synonyms, antonyms, words beginning with a letter or sound, homophones (sun-some e, red-read) quotes, proverbs, famous pairs (peanut butter and Jelly), states, countries, and so forth. Create nonverbal cues, such as sounds like (pull, ear), short word (show size with fingers), long word (show with two hands moving apart), syllable numbers (show with fingers) movie (pretend to roll film, and book (use hands to show open book.)

4) Dont Laugh-form four to five groups who each make a circle. An IT points at someone and asks a funny question. Person to the right of person questioned must answer. Everyone tries not to laugh. Go fast. Example would you eat blue food?

5) Elevator-Form small groups. The place is a jammed elevator. Students think about who they are, problems they have, and how they feel. On signal, the group starts a conversation. Variations: Brainstorm contexts from stories, time periods, and locations under study. Any public place can work. Students can be characters, persons in paintings, scientists, or historical figures. Dance Seeds 1) Magic Shoes- Students imagine they have on magic shoes that allow them to walk in special ways (on water or air) Variation: Brainstorm ways to walk. Write on cards and draw from a hat. Call out with a creative change (speed, level, shape, energy.)

2) Balloon Balance or Bust- Small groups join hands and form a circle. Each group receives a balloon, and the object is to keep it in the air without dropping each others hands.

3) Shape Shifters- The goals is to create, number, and remember five shapes. Leader then says ONE and students make the first shape. On two they make a second shape. This continues through five. Then the leader calls numbers at random, and students make the shape for that number.

4) Dance Freeze- After learning dance elements, put on music without lyrics (classical) for students to free dance. When the music stops, each freezes and gives a one liner about a dance element he or she is using.

5) Three Levels- Students create a shape and then freeze in low, middle, and high levels on a count or signal. Music Seeds 1) Musical Rainbow- Add food coloring to each of the eight glasses filled with different amounts of water. (Each should have 1 inch or so more water than previous). The eight notes will make a beautiful rainbow when put in order. 1 is clear, 2 is red, 3 is orange, 4 is yellow, 5 is green 6 is blue, seven is purple and 8 is clear.

2) Form Books- Read a book based on a song like Shake my Sillies out. Sing the song. Ask student show form (pattern) is illustrated in the story or song. Give children phrases of a favorite song to illustrate to create a class book. Children draw a picture for each line of the song. IF a line repeats, they should draw the same picture. The final book will show the songs form.

3) Follow the leader- Use rhythm instruments, homemade or purchased (sticks, tambourines, drums, cymbals) Leader plays different rhythms. Everyone echoes the rhyme on his or her instrument (ta tum ta tum ta tum tum )

4) Instruments Categories- Collect pictures of orchestral instruments. Ask students about people (family members) who have similar but unique voice sounds. Explain this is also true for instruments. Show pictures grouped in families (percussion, winds) Shuffle cards and have students regroup them by similar sound. Reinforce efforts based on sound groupings. Explain how instruments are grouped by (1) sound similarity (2) the way they are played, and (3) the material from which they are made.

5) Homemade Jam- Have jam session with student-made instruments. Put on music and play along. Variation: Create a parade using all the instruments.

Math 1) Math Poetry- Many types of poetry depend on math concepts for the construction (e.g.) counting syllables, words, and lines in haiku, diamante, and limericks) Show students different poem patterns to use and write math poems.

2) Story Problem Art- Students create art to go with story problems that they are given or they can write and illustrate original ones. Problems can be exchanged for solving. Suggestions: Teach basic drawing shapes. See previous drawing and sketching ideas.

3) Math Commercials- students prepare ads to sell particular math concepts or skills: fractions, time, and division. The goal is to convince the audience they need this math form.

4) Get the Facts- Call out math problems to solve by jumping, hopping, or walking along a number line. Give a different way to move each time (fast, slow, low, halting, flowing). Sounds, chants, and instruments can be added.

5) Fraction Pies or Pizza- Because music is based on subdivision of time into fractions, students can cut pies into fractions and use musical notation to label the pieces. For example, divide pies in half with a picture of a half note on each slice.

Social Studies 1) What-If Writing- in Jokes to Tell your Worst Enemy there is a sections on History Rewritten Mothers Way Use this as a prompt for what-if writing about historical

events. Discuss the humor and possible serious side effects. Arts Extension: Create drama scenes to show what ifs.

2) Class Flag- Examine the flags and symbols of countries. Discuss how and why they use the colors, shapes, designs, materials, and lines they do. Divide into groups to create a class flag to represent whats important about the class. Make fabric, paper, paint, and collage materials available for design.

3) Famous Portrait Monologues- Use portraits of famous figures (presidents). Students research persons in the art and prepare 1-minute monologues about the times, problems, values, economics, and customs. Monologues are presented in character in the first person.

4) Holiday and Season Dances- Brainstorm movement qualities of Halloween characters (stiff movements of a skeleton) or create a giving dance for Thanksgiving (focus on rituals and feasts), or loving shapes to rhythms for Valentines Day. Spring dances can focus on rising and stretching and other growing movements.

5) History Through Music- Find songs and music that reflect the environment and times, for each example, music or songs about specific historical events and values ( Battle Hymn of the Republic) Examine a period song to discover its origins and how it expressed the attitudes, worries, and values of the time.

Reading & Language Arts 1) Partner Writing- Students read a story and then write to a friend about is. Possible entries are a letter, a note about what they liked or didnt like and why, or mini book review.

2) Listen and Draw- Partner students and give one a secret object. They sit back to back as one describes the object while the other tires to draw it. Encourage students to tell size, shape and color and focus on use of visual details. Variations: Do by arranging sets of objects or with one pattern describing a drawing while the other draws.

3) Showtime- After reading a book, form groups to create a commercial, jingle, news update, or newsbreak about a theme/big idea in the book. Number groups for order of performance. Give 10 minutes to plan. The whole group comes back together and the show begins.

4) Character Traits- Do in small groups. Choose a literacy character and identify the personality traits (bright, cheerful, sad, depressed, ruthless, gentle) Invent several movement phrases that express the traits. Then decide how the character changed by the end of the book. Choreograph several more phrases that express. Students then connect the movement phrases to create a short dance that expresses the transformation.

5) Dynamic Word Singing- The teacher leads students in singing, changing, cheering, clapping and snapping letters and syllables in spelling or vocabulary words. Us e forte (loud) piano (soft), crescendo (getting louder) and other musical terms to change volume.

Science 1) Five Ws and H Webs- After reading an informational book or story, students web the five Ws and H questions; who, what, when, where, how, and why to summarize. Add details to support.

2) Habitat 3-D- Use boxes to create dioramas of animals habitats (land or water). Add clay sculptures, tempera paint, found objects, and paper mache in construction. Emphasize the importance of showing how the habitat would enable the animal to survive (food, shelter)

3) Point of View Props- Challenge students to use simple props to feel as animals do. For example, try to eat rice with your mouth as birds do or try to drink like a cat or dog from a tub of water. Use props to get the feel of snakes shedding their skins or birds in a nest (garbage bag with end cut open: use leaves or build nests).

4) Endangered Species- pick an endangered animal and explore ways it moves and under different circumstances (tired, hungry, scared) Use what if questions to explore possibilities. Use childrens literature for ideas, such as The girl who loved wild horses for horse actions.

5) Musical Season Stories- Play seasonal music without words, and pantomime events from the season. For a spring story, students may mime a flower blossoming. Students practice writing about the process of a flower growing from a tiny seed sprout afterward. Vivaldis The four seasons.

Healthy Lifestyles & PE movements 1) Word Association- For a circle. Leader says a word connected to an upcoming lesson. Person to right says the first thing that comes to mind. Connect quickly! Example: Spider.

2) Art Walks- Take walks to find art and beauty in nature. Use clipboards to note colors, textures, and shapes. Return to the same spots to find differences during the year. Stop to sit in special places to listen to sounds. Tell students to close their eyes and picture what they hear. Prompt with visual art vocabulary. After walks, sketch or paint the experience.

3) Play Ball- Form a circle. Leader holds an imaginary ball (show size with hands) and calls someones name before it is thrown, saying, Sue, Basketball. The receiver then says, thank you, basketball. Play continues with receiver calling a name and throwing the pretend basketball. After a few rounds, the leader introduces a second ball, saying, Joe, beach ball. And Joe responds, Thank you, beach ball. Continue to add more balls. AT the end call stop and ask everyone with a ball to hold it. The audience guesses the kind of ball by its size and how it is held.

4) Shake it out- In circle, the leader invites everyone to shake the left foot out, counting down from 10. Next, do the same with the right foot and also arms. Ask what else should we shake out? Then coach about different ways to shake, fast, slow, high, low.

5) Rhythm Circle- Stand in a circle with IT, who creates rhythmic phrase that is passed around the circle to the right until it returns to IT. The person to the right is then IT.

Classroom Management 1) Chants and Action Poems- Many Collections are available, such as Coles Miss Mary Mack and Booths Dr. Knickerbocker. Ask students to echo line by line. Display words on a transparency or chart and add actions. For example, with Dr. Knickerbocker the chant suggests actions: Lets put the rhythm in our hands (clap clap). Encourage variations.

2) Twenty Questions- Use an art concept or an object in a bag that represents and idea (texture). Students ask yes-no questions to discover it. For examples, is it something about landscape? Is it something you mix? Students cannot guess the item until all 20 questions are asked.

3) Line UP- Leader calls out various ways to line up: alphabetically, by birthday, by height, and so forth. Periodically stop and have students interview those around them to find out three things about one another. Variation Give directions to group in north, south, east, west locations. Example: redheads take the north wall.

4) Inhale/Exhale/Stretch- Direct students to do the following slowly inhale, reach up and overhead and to floor with knees bent. Exhale. Repeat to each side. Roll head and shoulders forward and backward, bend arms, do socket rolls, touch head to shoulders, touch knees, touch toes, sit and twist and bend. Do slow windmills, toe presses, heel to toe slowly, clasp hands behind and stretch shoulders, spine stretches, squat and press forward (exhale), bend one leg and repeat (exhale) Use slow music or nature sounds.

5) Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes- First, sing the song through. Then add motions, practice at a slow tempo. Finally, ask students to stand in a circle and do movements as they sing, gradually substituting body parts with hums, but continuing the actions: Touch

head, touch shoulders, touch knees, touch toes, and so forth. Sing at different volumes and tempos.

Inclusion of Exceptional/ ESL students 1) Folktale Detectives-Students study a culture by (1) reading folktales to find out what is valued or (2) exploring how the literature of the worlds culture has common motifs. For example, use a Venn diagram to compare Snow White and the Queen; young versus old; happy versus bitter; inner strength versus focus on magic and spells. Suggestions: Contrast characters and settings in folktaleshigh versus low place, young versus old, bad versus good.

2) Art Bags- Use large zip-lock bags to send home a piece of art, a book related to it, and a related artifact or object. Invite students to check these out to share with their families. For example, a spring bag can have prints or postcards of Monets garden art, the book Linnea in Monets Garden, and flower seeds to plant.

3) Greetings- Everyone mills around until the leader says Greet. Everyone starts to greet people in different ways. The leader can suggest roles or dispositions: Pretend you are long-lost friends or are from another culture.

4) Cultural Dance- View videos of different dances available on the internet, such as Youtube. Look for folk dances. Ask the students to notice specific BEST elements in each dance and hypothesize what is being communicated. Focus on the structure of the dance (beginning, middle, end) what is repeated, and more. Example two videos.

5) Multicultural Song Book- Students collect songs from different cultures and countries by making notebooks of lyrics and sheet music and mixes using CDs and tapes. Variation: Each student or group selects one culture for which to find songs or music. Put into a classroom collection.