Inner Chalkboard
Good for children ages 3 to 7, and 8 to 11.
Beforehand Preparation
Assemble 5 to 6 key pictures that relate to the song. I often use this activity in conjunction with the Song Puzzles activity, the Mixed Up Pictures activity, or the Concentration Matching Game activity.
Activity
After the pictures are displayed in front of the room, tell the children you will give them 10 seconds to memorize each of the pictures, then you will take one or two of them away and see how much they can remember. Count to 10 then take away one or two of the pictures. Ask the children specific questions about the picture. What color was the person wearing? How many animals were in the picture? What was the weather like in the picture? How many plants were in the picture? Receive the children's answers then show them the picture to help them check their answers.
Repeat the process with another picture or two. Now sing the song asking the children to remember the pictures as they sing by putting the pictures up on their "inside chalkboard." Point to the picture location (now without any picture, just the space) as you sing.
Benefits of this Activity
Good for thinking memory skills (See Chapter 10). Good for visual and musical intelligences (See Chapter 5). Great for active participation in the learning process (See Chapter One). Good for Concrete Representation of the concepts (See Chapter Seven and Chapter Five).
Good for children ages 3 to 7, and 8 to 11.
Beforehand Preparation
Assemble 5 to 6 key pictures that relate to the song. I often use this activity in conjunction with the Song Puzzles activity, the Mixed Up Pictures activity, or the Concentration Matching Game activity.
Activity
After the pictures are displayed in front of the room, tell the children you will give them 10 seconds to memorize each of the pictures, then you will take one or two of them away and see how much they can remember. Count to 10 then take away one or two of the pictures. Ask the children specific questions about the picture. What color was the person wearing? How many animals were in the picture? What was the weather like in the picture? How many plants were in the picture? Receive the children's answers then show them the picture to help them check their answers.
Repeat the process with another picture or two. Now sing the song asking the children to remember the pictures as they sing by putting the pictures up on their "inside chalkboard." Point to the picture location (now without any picture, just the space) as you sing.
Benefits of this Activity
Good for thinking memory skills (See Chapter 10). Good for visual and musical intelligences (See Chapter 5). Great for active participation in the learning process (See Chapter One). Good for Concrete Representation of the concepts (See Chapter Seven and Chapter Five).