"We Learn by Doing" Activities
By William C. Janiak, MS, RMT, Consultant and Activity Specialist

     The goal of these activities focuses on children listening and doing.  The activities will help to enhance the following:

   1.      Developing a sense of rhythm.
   2.      Improving speech and language.
   3.      Providing an acceptable means for emotional release.
   4.      Improving self-confidence and strengthening self-expression.
   5.      Training to follow directions.
   6.      Developing self-control; increasing retention and attention spans.
   7.      Encouraging growth in creativity and imagination.
   8.      Improving coordination and motor control.
   9.      Developing interpersonal communication.

CONCEPT CHANTS

Instruction:  Children sit in a circle of chairs or on the floor with the teacher.  The teacher starts the chant.  The children listen first to the chant and then add their creativity and thoughts into the concept chants.  At first, the children will copy the thoughts from one child, but by repeating the concept chant over and over, the children recognize they must try to create new answers.  The concept chants are simple and logical.  Here are a few:

1.  Names go up, names go down.
                 This is the way my name sounds." 
(The teacher goes first and reflects her name by using expression and makes her name go up and down.  The children follow through with their own expression and reflections of their name.) 
           
2.   When I'm angry and mad, I look around to be bad.  When I'm angry and mad, I like to _______!   (Children give their thoughts to the blank)

3.   Big bugs bite!  Big bugs bite!  Where, oh, where, do the big bugs bite? (Children point and say where the bug bit them)

4.   I've got a name and it goes like this.  (Children, one at a time, say and clap their name at the same time)

5.   Sitting next to me is ________?

6. I have a cry inside me and it goes like this.  I have a cry inside me and it goes like this.  (Children, one at a time, share their cry)

I'VE GOT A LOOSE TOOTH

Instruction:  Go through the chant once.  Ask what words are repeated over and over again.  Do the chant again and every time the children hear, "loose tooth," the children clap "loose tooth."  Ask children if another word is repeated. This time it is "wiggily, jiggily" and the children slap their knees just like like they clapped when they heard, "loose tooth."  Go through the chant the second time using both actions clapping to "loose tooth" and slapping knees to "wiggily, jiggily."  Finally, there are other words not used in the chant such as thread, pillow, bed, quarter, and head.   The children each select a rhythm band instrument.  For example: the word thread may sound great with rhythm band sticks, or children may use a triangle when they hear the word pillow, etc.  When the selections are made for those words, the entire chant is now ready for a full production.  The groups are divided into the clappers, slappers, and the rhythm band instruments, as they work together to perform this chant.

           I've got a loose tooth, a wiggily, jiggily, loose tooth.
           I've got a loose tooth, a-hanging by a thread.

           So, I pulled my loose tooth, my wiggily, jiggily, loose tooth,
           Put it 'neath my pillow and then I went to bed.

           Someone took my loose tooth, my wiggily, jiggily, loose tooth,
           And now I have a quarter and a hole in my head.

Bill Janiak’s "We Learn By Doing Workshops"

  47 Years of Professional Consulting and 62 Different Training's

      Consultant, Trainer, Speaker, and Artist

   19131 NW 39th Court

  Miami, Florida 33055

   Business: (305) 625-2128

    Fax: (305) 474-8136

E-mail: williamjaniak@att.net

http://www.welearnbydoing.com

http://blog.musicwithbill.com

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