Literature & Physical Education:
Stories & facts inspire both active play and reading for pleasure.
Diane Baker
Santa Ana USD
dbakerpe@mindspring.com
(949) 675-2199
Standards
Physical Education
NASPE #6:Understands that physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and social interaction.
State Challenge #4:The student will exhibit a physically active lifestyle and will understand that physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment, challenge and self expression.
Region 9 Content Standard #9:Students interpret language arts, science, or social science concepts through movement activities.
NASPE #1:Standards for specific movement skill themes.
Reading-Language Arts (Reading/Language Arts Framework for CA)
By grade four, students read one half million words annually, including a good representation of grade-level-appropriate narrative and expository text.
Movement Activities
Warm up, Starters - perform actions related to story in general space and incorporate movement concepts of pathway, speed, level, direction & force.
 "Do" a book
Books:
Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball by Vicki Churchill
How Can You Dance by Rick Walton
Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Pippa Goodhart + many similar titles
Activity:
Individuals gathered close to teacher for looking and listening then scattered in play area for movement. curl body, jump & stretch, scream, walk, fall, stand still, make faces, run, curl as cued by pictures and rhyming words.
I See I See copy phrases from books as prompts) a SPARK starter, p. 2
Book: Panda Bear, Panda Bear,What Do You See? Martin Jr., Bill & others
Activity: Individuals scattered within play area
The teacher, or child who selects picture, says, "I see I see..." Everyone inquires, "what do you see?" Player with the card reads the prompt and shows the picture. Children move as prompted until stop signal.
Everyone Says "Sit Down!" (adapted from song by Patty Zeitlin)
Book:Boomer Goes to School by McGeorge, Constance W.
Activity:Players, scattered and sitting on poly spot, shake index finger and chant
everybody says "sit down sit down"
everybody says "sit down sit down"
but I can't sit down, I won't sit down
my feet are all full of _______ (run, hop, skip, jump, gallop, dance around!)
Players move in general space until stop signal. Repeat chant with new locomotor skill.
Ball games or skill practices with other manipulative objects (Ideas from story prompt grade level appropriate activity)
Soccer pass & dribble
Books:The Wolf is Coming By: Elizabeth MacDonald
All About Sharks By: Jim Arnosky
Activity: 2 players continuously kick & trap until player passes ball & commands, "the wolf is coming!" Player with ball dribbles a designated number of times toward pair of cones while partner attempts to take ball away. Resume passing after player kicks ball between cones or players dribble that many times.
Pass and Pass Back
Book:The Big Orange Splot By: Pinkwater, Daniel Manus
Activity Players divided into groups of 4-5 students, each group with one ball. One player standing in front of group, passes to each player in turn and each passes back. Change leaders after all have caught pass. Each group creates a unique game by changing one or more element: formation equipment boundaries action relationship of players.
Manipulate Frisbees
Book:Donavan's Word Jar By: Monolisa Degross
Activity: In pairs or threes explore spinning, rolling, flying, balancing on the ground, in the air. Can you spin & jump over? spin it with eyes closed, turn around then open eyes & catch frisbee? Can you balance it on your foot while your partner crawls under? Send a player to get 2 words from the word jar. Interpret one of the words with a frisbee activity. Accountability: as one group shares their activity the remainder guesses the "word." Remember to tell us what part of speech and perhaps, a synonym.
Got a Hat Hat by Bob Schneider on the CD "Country Kiddie Boogie."
Books:Miss Hunnicutt's Hat By: Jeff Brumbeau, Gail De Marcken
Boss of the Plains: The Hat That Won the West By: Laurie Carlson, Holly Meade
This is the Hat By: Nancy Van Laan, Holly Meade
Activity: Students scattered in general space, each with a paper plate (indoors) or frisbee. In response to music cues move plate up & down, side to side, around on head and trade with other student. Provide opportunity to throw frisbees or manipulate plates prior to song.
Create a Game to practice striking skills
Book:Last Licks: A Spaldeen Story By: Cari Best, Diane Palmisciano
Activity: Divide into groups of 4-5 players. Observe a basic game in which students take turns striking ball, running around distant cone and back to home to score a run before fielders get ball to catcher. Use the "aurora borealis" (pinky ball) to create a new game that involves striking.
Pass the Fritters, Critters, a SPARK bean bag game
Book:Pass the Fritters, Critters by Cheryl Chapman
Activity: Students in circles of 4-5 players pass one or more bean bags quickly around the circle. When the music stops switch direction. Precede group game with opportunity for children to explore catching bean bags individually & with partner.
Squirrels Play
Book:Meanest Squirrel I Ever Met by Gene Zion
Actvitiy: Arrange trash balls inside a rope oval, Divide groups of 2-6 players into 2 teams, each group with a playground ball. Both teams stand equal distance behind "basket of nuts." Each player in turn throws ball at trash balls and keeps any that pop out of basket. Object is to collect more trash balls than the other team.
Optional rules for older children:
1) If a ball moves within the target but does not pop out, that ball is set aside and may not be won by either team.
2) When a team knocks the last ball out of the hoop the other team takes off running around the field. The chasers count "1 banana, etc." and have 20 seconds to tag.
Fire, Animals & Yellow Jackets, a shuttle baton relay
Book:Fire Race: A Karuk Coyote Tale of How Fire Came to the People by Jonathan London, Lanny Pinola, Sylvia Long, Julian Lang
Activity: Divide into teams of 4-5 players, each team with its own baton to represent a piece of smoldering coal. (Pull differently colored scarves through cardboard tubes.) Choose 3 or more players to be the "yellow jackets." Line up in shuttle formation. On signal 1st runner carries baton to team member waiting across field. Last runner in the relay tosses baton into target area. The yellow jackets interfere with runners by forcing them to change pathway and thus not cover the distance as quickly.
Tag Games
Adapt games that teach grade level standards.
Share space, tag gently, follow rules, accelerate toward safe line, zig zag to avoid tagger, elude tagger in pursuit of goal.
Chicken & Fox or Wolf tag
Book:What's the Time, Grandma Wolf? by: Ken Brown
Activity: One student is the wolf who stands 50' from starting line with several little wolves. Remaining players, the "chickens," line up double arms' distance apart on opposite end of playing area. The chickens ask: "What time is it Grandma Wolf?" If grandma replies: "Two o'clock," the chickens take 2 steps toward wolves and repeat question. When grandma responds, "Dinnertime" chickens turn and run back to starting line. Wolf and family give chase and attempt to tag chickens. Compare how many chickens are caught, how many are safe. Which is more? Repeat game with new wolves.
Variation: Play in groups of 4-6 players--several chickens, 1 wolf.
Defend the Bowls
Book:Bowl Patrol! by: Marilyn Janovitz
Activity: Divide into 2 teams, identified with pinnies. Arrange mats or ropes around boundary to represent fences. Scatter light cones within boundaries to represent bowls. Dogs stand within boundaries to guard bowls without touching them. Cats begin on fence. On signal, cats attempt to sneak by dogs, snatch a bowl and place it behind fence. If tagged with bowl in hand a cat must drop bowl. After 30 - 60 seconds count bowls remaining within boundaries. Switch roles and play again.
Thanksgiving Dinner without Turkey Tag
Books:Gracias, the Thanksgiving Turkey by: Joy Cowley, Joe Cepeda
Thanksgiving at the Tappletons' by: Eileen Spinelli
Activity: Divide class into 2 teams. One team, who will guess & chase, lines up on one end line. The other team, who will flee, makes a huddle and agrees on one food. They then face chasing team about 3' distant and chant, "The turkey ran away, what will you eat on thanksgiving day?" The chasers call out foods in a loud voice. The fleers give hints-- food group, color, etc. When the fleers hear the food they chose, they run to safety at the opposite end of the field. Switch roles and play again.
Is this the party?
Book:Fortunately by: Remy Charlip
Activity: Place up to 5 hoops on the ground within boundaries. Divide into groups, one group for each hazard + one group to be the "birthday boy." Players in each hoop will represent one of the hazards: sharks, tigers, pitchfork, explosion, party. Each round change the location of each hazard. Players representing the "birthday boy" have 3 chances to find the party. They go together to a hoop and ask, "Is this the party?" If not, the players respond, "No, we're the sharks!" and chase the birthday kids to a boundary line. If yes, they respond "yes!" and change places. The new birthday kids jog one lap around the field while groups choose new roles. If they do not find the party in 3 tries, the leader picks the next birthday group.
Raccoon & Crab Tag , based on the Omaha tale "Two Raccoons"
Book:In a Circle Long Ago: A Treasury of Native Lore from North America : (Native American; ALA Notable Book) by: NANCY VAN LAAN
Activity: Before playing generate lists of words in several categories. The raccoons look at a list and choose the word which signals, "go tag!" One raccoon will read the words on the list. When the other raccoons hear the word they have selected as the "go" signal they will all attempt to tag as many crabs as possible before crabs reach the safe line. Mark boundaries of the playing area & designate end lines as "safe." Decide how many players will be raccoons and whether they will be seated, kneeling, on their backs with eyes open or closed. Decide what the crabs will be doing within the boundaries (crawling, crab walking, walking). Before playing raccoons huddle, choose list and "go" word.
Sample lists: zoo animals, pets, fruits, verbs, etc.
Parachute Games
Incorporate imagery suggested by story into traditional activities to increase group cooperation and/or build fitness
Crocodile Beat
Book:CROCODILE BEAT by: Gail Jorgensen, Patricia Mullins
Activity Children standing around edge of parachute. Assign each color group to be one of the animals (ducks elephants monkeys birds bears snakes). On signal all players grasp edge and lift parachute overhead. The teacher cues one group to let go and move underneath by reading their page. ("...the bears are clapping and dancing around..." As the parachute descends the lion calls "Snap!" The crocodiles, who have been sitting in center of chute with eyes closed, attempt to tag animals before they return to places. Remaining students bring parachute down to waist.
Bear & Chipmunks
Book:How Chipmunk Got His Stripes: A Tale of Bragging and Teasing (Picture Puffins) by: Joseph Bruchac, James Bruchac, Jose Aruego, Ariane Dewey
Activity: Before players inflate the chute the teacher picks one or more players to be the "bears." Players inflate chute and teacher signals several "chipmunks" to go under chute by calling a color group. On "Down" players bring chute to ground, chipmunks attempt to get out to their own places and bears, trying to catch a chipmunk, crawl carefully on top.
Solar System, Planets vs. The Sun
Book:Martian Rock by: Carol Diggory Shields, Scott Nash
Activity: Nine or more players representing planets begin adjacent to parachute. Remaining players hold chute with one hand at waist level. The player holding chute who is next to the planets wears a yellow jersey. On signal, all begin running CCW. Planets attempt to cross the starting line before the parachute completes one rotation.
Dance & Rhythmic Movement, Creative Dramatics
Abstract ideas from stories
develop ideas with attention to movement qualities
express in dance sequences
act out a scene, a dilemma or entire story
Movement with Streamers (pathways, speed, flow, level) & Ribbon Dance
Books:Dancing With the Indians by: Angela Shelf Medearis, Samuel Byrd
My Many Colored Days Board Book by: DR SEUSS
Activity: Explore moving streamer at various levels while stationary & traveling through general space at various speeds. Teacher guides exploration by selecting contrasting music segments. (brisk, slow, bumpy, flowing, accented, smooth, etc.) Posters of spatial designs also focus exploration.
Create a simple, group authored routine to interpret a story, event, celebration, gamut of feelings, etc. Students suggest shapes to make with streamers. Teacher assembles routine and designates how many times to repeat each move. Select music consistent with theme.
Movement with Lummi Sticks (rhythm patterns, directions )
Book:Max Found Two Sticks (Reading Rainbow Book) by: Brian Pinkney
Activity: Explore rhythm patterns suggested by stories. Create marching routine in which children move in unison forward, backward, etc. and in place while striking lummi sticks.
Native American Prayer of Beauty
Book:Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message (Reading Rainbow Book) by: Jake Swamp, Erwin, Jr. Printup
Activity: "Being as it was a long time ago, I walk in beauty. Before me, to my right, to my left, behind me, around me, above me, below me. and the beauty is finished." Half of the players chant song respectfully. Others walk and gesture in direction indicated by words.
Dancing Drun
Books:Dancing Drum: A Cherokee Legend (Native American Legends) by Terri Cohlene, Charles Reasoner
Jumping Bean by Edna Miller
Activity Many children's books invite interpretation in movement. Use basic locomotor and non locomotor patterns, enhanced by variations in levels, pathways, direction, force, flow and relationships between dancers to interpret ideas.
Fitness
Learn fitness concepts such as "pacing" while participating in vigorous activities.
Lizard & Snake
Book:Lizard's Song by: George Shannon
Activity: Form perimeter with cones and scatter poly spots inside. Divide into pairs. One partner has 2 scraps of paper or objects, (one black and one white). That player occupies a poly spot, and exercises in place. The other partner jogs perimeter. On stop signal runner goes to any player on a spot and guesses which hand has the black object. If correct, that player gets to occupy the spot.
Nouns & Verbs
Book:Why the Banana Split by: Rick Walton, Jimmy Holder
Activity: Form perimeter for each group of 5-10 players. Using the book create a page with 2 columns-- nouns and verbs that mean "go away." One player standing in center signals remaining players to exercise in place by calling out a noun or to power walk or jog around perimeter by calling out a verb. On the stop signal players stretch in place and the center player exchanges places with another player in group.
Other books to promote healthy eating and exercise are:
Tiffany Dino Works Out by: Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, Nate Evans
Albert the Running Bear's Exercise Book by Barbara Isenberg, Marjorie Jaffe, Diane de Groat (Illustrator)
Social Skills
Trust & Be Trustworthy
Book:Adopted By the Eagles by: Paul Goble
Activity: Select an activity appropriate to group such as trust walks, lead blindfolded player through mindfield, sherpa walk, etc. Before doing the activity read book.
Who's a Jumping Bean
Book:Norma Jean, Jumping Bean (Step-Into-Reading, Step 3) by: JOANNA COLE
Activity: Divide into groups of 3-5 players, each with one copy of the book. Players read book out loud together then decide which scene to interpret. Have equipment available such as long ropes, small cones, poly spots.
Strategies & tips for Designing Your Own Activities
Select relevant story and pre read story one or more times
Identify key words
Meaning, sound, rhythm, synonyms, links to known vocabulary
Choose movement activity in which everyone will be active most of the time
that is developmentally appropriate for children's
movement skills, responsibility level of class, social skills
for which you have sufficient equipment
buy, beg, make or do stations
Provide writing prompt for reflection, closure
You may contact me for a database of children's books
Thanks Diane, simply incredible resources!
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