Air Writing
Children stand and extend their index finger in the air. Explain that you will do “invisible” writing in the air with their magic finger. Have children make numerals, shapes, letters, or write words in the air with their "magic" finger.
Adaptations: Try “foot writing” where they make letters, shapes, and numerals with their foot.
*Invite children to suggest other body parts they can use to practice writing sight words or spelling words. For example, they can write with their elbow, knee, nose, and so forth.
Karate Writing
Explain that some letters are tall. They start at the top dotted line. Some letters start at the middle dotted line. Some letters have a tail. They go below the line. Sing the “Alphabet Song” stretching up in the air for tall letters, putting hands on waist for short letters, and touching the ground for letters with a tail. For example:
A -hands on waist
B - hands in air
G - touch ground
Adaptations: Use letter aerobics for spelling sight words, spelling words, or vocabulary words.
*Count as you karate chop. Count by ones, fives, tens, etc.
Step and Read
Children stand and walk in place as they read each word in a sentence. When they come to the end of a line they “jump” down to the next line.
Adaptations: When they come to a period they clap their hands. For a question mark they shrug. When there is an exclamation point they put their fist in the air. On commas, they snap their fingers, and for quotation marks they wiggle 2 fingers on each hand.
Sports Spell
Have children stand and pretend to dribble a basketball. Spell out words as you dribble, and then shoot the ball in the hoop as you say the word. For example:
T (bounce), H (bounce), E (bounce) ~ “the” (throw the ball in the hoop)
Adaptations: Take a batter’s position. Pretend to take a swing as you say the letters; then hit a home run as you say the word. For example:
R (swing), E (swing), A (swing), D (swing) ~ “read” (swing around)
*Let children suggest other sports where they could practice spelling words. For example, swimming, soccer, tennis, fishing…it’s endless!
Top to Bottom Math Facts
Children stand and put their hands in the air as the teacher says a number. When they touch their heads the teacher says “plus” or “minus.” As they touch their waist the teacher says a second number. When the touch their knees everyone says “equals.” And when they touch their toes they say the answer to the math fact.
Adaptations: Tell number stories where children touch and tell the answer.
*Let children take turns calling out math facts.
Show Me
Children stand and pantomime vocabulary words. For example: “Show me irate. Show me nocturnal. Show me parched…”
Alpha-Bodies
Children stand and as you call out letters they try and make the letter with their body.
*Adapt for phonics by having children show you the sound they hear at the beginning, middle, or end of a word.
*Spell sight words or vocabulary words with their bodies.
Children stand and walk in place as they read each word in a sentence. When they come to the end of a line they “jump” down to the next line.
Adaptations: When they come to a period they clap their hands. For a question mark they shrug. When there is an exclamation point they put their fist in the air. On commas, they snap their fingers, and for quotation marks they wiggle 2 fingers on each hand.
Sports Spell
Have children stand and pretend to dribble a basketball. Spell out words as you dribble, and then shoot the ball in the hoop as you say the word. For example:
T (bounce), H (bounce), E (bounce) ~ “the” (throw the ball in the hoop)
Adaptations: Take a batter’s position. Pretend to take a swing as you say the letters; then hit a home run as you say the word. For example:
R (swing), E (swing), A (swing), D (swing) ~ “read” (swing around)
*Let children suggest other sports where they could practice spelling words. For example, swimming, soccer, tennis, fishing…it’s endless!
Top to Bottom Math Facts
Children stand and put their hands in the air as the teacher says a number. When they touch their heads the teacher says “plus” or “minus.” As they touch their waist the teacher says a second number. When the touch their knees everyone says “equals.” And when they touch their toes they say the answer to the math fact.
Adaptations: Tell number stories where children touch and tell the answer.
*Let children take turns calling out math facts.
Show Me
Children stand and pantomime vocabulary words. For example: “Show me irate. Show me nocturnal. Show me parched…”
Alpha-Bodies
Children stand and as you call out letters they try and make the letter with their body.
*Adapt for phonics by having children show you the sound they hear at the beginning, middle, or end of a word.
*Spell sight words or vocabulary words with their bodies.
Tiptoe and Touch
The teacher calls out a letter, number, shape, etc. The children must tiptoe around the room and touch something that matches what the teacher calls out.
Patty Cake Play
Let children patty cake as they say nursery rhymes, spell words, count, etc.
The teacher calls out a letter, number, shape, etc. The children must tiptoe around the room and touch something that matches what the teacher calls out.
Patty Cake Play
Let children patty cake as they say nursery rhymes, spell words, count, etc.
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