I don’t know why
you say goodbye I say hello.
Hello, hello…
I received an
email last week from someone asking for a goodbye song. I thought it was really cool that their
administrator asked them to do an opening song and an ending song each day in
their classroom. I aim to please,
so today you’ll find a few “Hello” activities and tomorrow I’ll share some
“Goodbye” songs.
Brain research
would suggest choosing one song to start your day and one song to end your
day. Use the same songs for a
month so they will become “indicator” activities in the brain. Indicator activities let your students
know in a positive way when it is time to learn and turn on the brain and when
it is time to bring closure to the day.
Hello! How Are You? (“Skip to My Lou”)
Hello, how are you? (Wave
hand.)
Hello, how are you?
Hello, how are you?
How are you this morning?
I am fine, and I hope you are, too. (Point
to self, then a child.)
I am fine, and I hope you are, too.
I am fine, and I hope you are, too.
I hope you are too, this morning.
Turn to your neighbor and shake their hand. (Shake
hands.)
Turn to your neighbor and shake their hand.
Turn to your neighbor and shake their hand,
Shake their hand this morning.
Hello, Neighbor! (“Good Night, Ladies”)
Hello, neighbor. (Wave
to partner.)
What do you say? (Give
high five.)
It’s going to be a (Slap
thighs, clap hands,
Happy day. clap
hands in the air with partner.)
Greet your neighbor. (Shake hands.)
Boogie on down. (Hands
on hips and wiggle.)
Give a bump, (Bump
thighs.)
And turn around. (Wave
hands in air and turn around.)
Shake a
Hand (Tune: “Buffalo Gal”)
Everybody shake a
hand, shake a hand, shake a hand.
(Walk around and
Everybody shake a
hand and walk around the room. shake hands.)
Give high 5. (High five.)
Hug a hand. (Palms together, wrap thumbs around,
and squeeze.)
Knuckle bump. (Make fists and bump knuckles.)
Boogey down. (Wiggle down and up with a friend.)
Smile and wink and
walk back to your seat. (Smile and
wink.)
Morning Rock
Begin this pattern: stomp, stomp, clap ~ stomp, stomp,
clap, etc.
(It’s similar to the beat of “We Will Rock
You.”)
Teacher’s name class is super. (Stomp, stomp, clap.)
We think first child’s name is
super. (Stomp, stomp, clap.)
We think second child’s name is
super. (Stomp, stomp, clap.)
We think third child’s name is
super. (Stomp, stomp, clap.)
And so on using each child’s name in the
room.
Compliment
Circle
Children sit in a
circle and the teacher beings by giving a child a compliment. The first child then passes on a
compliment to another friend and so on until everyone has had a turn giving and
receiving a compliment.
*Let
children toss a sponge ball or bean bag around as they compliment each other.
Hint! Give a “hand hug.” Teacher squeezes the first child’s
hand, then they continue to pass the “hand hug” around the circle until it gets
back to the teacher.
*You can also
“pass” a smile around the room.
Starting Line-Up
Have the class form two lines facing each
other. One at a time, announce a child
like they announce players at a football game. (For example:
“Starting line-up for Ms. James’s room is Daniel Wong. He has brown hair and enjoys
soccer. Let’s hear it for
Daniel!”) That child runs through
the middle of the lines as everyone gives them a high five, a pat on the back,
and an encouraging word.
Hint!
Older children could write their own descriptions for this activity.
Morning Mantra
What is my job
today? (Teacher
asks.)
Your job is to
teach us and to love us. (Children
respond.)
What is your job
today? (Teacher
asks.)
Our
job is to learn and to love each other. (Children
respond.)
Turn on Your
Brain
Start the day by
having your students “turn on their brains.” They turn on the left side (twist by left forehead), the right
side (twist by right forehead), the left ear, the right ear, the left eye, and
the right eye. They don’t have to
turn on their mouths because they stay “on” all the time. Now they are ready to learn!!!