LANGUAGE LEARNING FUN

The number of English Language Learners is growing rapidly in our schools.  I’m certainly no expert at this, but these are some activities that I think could easily be adapted to learning a second language. Often when I do workshops a teacher will say, “Do you have any ideas for LEL students?” It’s funny, but almost every project I demonstrate I say, “You know you could use this by….”

Here are three keys to teaching a second language (or anything for that matter!):

1st TPR – Total Physical Response
The more senses you activate and the more you engage children physically and mentally, the more likely the message will get to the brain and stay in the brain. Say it, move it, sing it, act it!

2nd If You Want to Catch a Rabbit, You Have to Have a Rabbit Trap!
You’ve got to engage children’s attention and interest before you can teach them anything. Games and hands-on activities are one of the best ways to capture their interest.

3rd Hooks and Repeat
You have to hook new learning to something that is already in the brain to make those connections. And, you have to repeat things over and over and over again to make those pathways firm.

I Spy!
This is an old game, but it could easily be played using words for colors and shapes of a second language.
Example: I spy something rojo!
              
Touch Something
The teacher says a word (color, shape, object) and the children have to walk around the room and touch something that matches the word.

Simon Says
Change the words of Simon Says to reinforce body parts.
Example: Simons says put your hands on your cabeza.

Musical Words
Write vocabulary words on paper plates and place them on the floor. (You might want to write the word in Spanish in red on one side and the word in English in blue on the opposite side.) Play some catchy music and tell the children to dance around. When the music stops, the children find a plate and pick it up. The children silently read their word and translate it. The teacher randomly points to several children to identify their word and tell what it means. The children then put the plates on the floor and the dancing continues.
                                     
Show Me
Each child has a set of vocabulary cards that they place on their desk or on the floor. As the teacher calls out a word, the children find it and hold it up in the air. (You could vary this by calling out the word in English, saying it in Spanish, giving a definition, and so forth.)        
                      Flip Books
Fold a sheet of paper in half lengthwise (hotdog). Fold in half widthwise (hamburger). Fold once again (juice box). Open. Cut down on the three creased lines to the center fold.  Fold in half. Write the word in Spanish on the front of the flip and the word in English under the flip.                                                                                                                  

 





     







Four Square
Fold a sheet of paper into fourths. Open and trace over the creased line. In the upper right corner write the word in English. In the upper left corner write the word in Spanish. In the bottom right corner the children illustrate the word. In the last section they write sentences using the word.
                                       

Paper Plate Puzzles
Cut paper plates into thirds. Write a word in English on one third. Write the word in Spanish on another section. Draw a picture clue in the third section. Mix up pieces. Children put the puzzles together and read the words.
*Hint! You could use puzzlers for number words, color words, animals, foods, etc

TILLY TALLY

Teach children this “hands” on song about tally marks to the tune of “Little Red Wagon.”
     Put down a tally mark in a row. (Open palm and put down index . finger.)
     Put down a tally mark in a row. (Put down middle finger.)
     Tally, tally in a row, (Put down ring and pinky fingers.)
     Fifth one goes across. (Put thumb across.)

*Use pretzel sticks to sing and tally.

Data Collectors

Children can practice using tally marks when they collect data with these clipboards.  

You can buy clipboards, but there will be “ownership” when children make their own from recycled cardboard.

Materials: recycled corrugated cardboard, butterfly clips, markers, paper
                               
Directions: 1.  Cut recycled cardboard into 9” x 12” rectangles.

2. Attach a butterfly clip to the top and then let the children decorate with markers.

3. Insert paper in the butterfly clip and use it to do surveys of favorite authors, foods, sports teams, colors, etc.

You can also use clipboards for these activities:

     Take notes as the teacher reads a book
     Do interviews of classmates, parents, etc.k
     Write the room (write words they can read)
     Count the room (list of classroom objects to count)
     Draw observations (weather, science experiments, etc.)
     Shape hunt (draw shapes they find in the classroom)
     Record information from nature walks or field trips

Note!  I gave Kalina one of these clipboards last weekend when I saw her and she LOVED it!  She carried it every place we went and wrote words and drew pictures.  I think she thought she was pretty cool and looked "smart" with it!  Once again a reminder that we don't need to give children the world's fair when they are happy with plain vanilla!

COOKING UP A RHYME!

You know it makes me sad that so many of you are not allowed to cook in your classrooms any more. When I think of the cooking experiences I had with my students it makes me smile. One of my favorite memories was when we were making pizzas. I said, “Let’s put them on the pan so I can bake them.” Floyd, a precious red head said, “That’s O.K., teacher, I’ll just eat my raw!”

Last week I got a new computer and this old file with recipes to go along with nursery rhymes and songs popped up. (I have no idea where it came from, but if you’re reading this and it was you, please let me know so I can give you credit.) It was just too cute to “trash,” and so I’m sharing it today. And, even if you can’t have food in your classroom, you might enjoy making these with your own child, a neighbor, a scout troop, or a grown friend!

                                                 Ole King Cole’s Coins
Every king has a treasure trove filled with coins so why not make these healthy coins to fill up your students.

Ingredients:
Fresh carrots
Sour cream
Dill

Have the students wash and scrub the carrots with a vegetable brush. Now slice them up so that they look like coins. Chop up the dill and mix in the sour cream for the students to dip.

Name Cakes

After singing the ABC’s the children can eat them with me!

Ingredients:
Rice cakes
Peanut butter, cream cheese or frosting
Alphabet cookies

Find the letters of you name and place them on the table. Spread the topping of your choice over the rice cake and press down the letters of your name into the topping on the rice cake. These name cakes were alphabetically delicious.

Muffin Man Zucchini Muffins

The Muffin Man didn’t have this recipe in his cookbook but now you do.

Ingredients
½ cup grated zucchini
1 egg
2 Tablespoons of oil
¼ cup of honey
¼ cup of grated lemon peel
¾ cup of flour
½ teaspoon of baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cinnamon

Add the first five ingredients and mix well. Now add the rest and pour into muffin tins that have liners added. Bake at 400 degrees for twenty minutes. I’ll bet the Muffin man steals this recipe.

Jack Horner’s Thumbprint Biscuits

Jack Horner stuck his thumb in a plumb, but your children will get a kick out of sticking their thumbs in a biscuit.

Ingredients
Canned biscuits
Grape jelly

Give each child a biscuit and tell them to stick their thumb in the middle. Let them fill the hole in the middle with a spoonful of grape jelly. Bake according to directions on the package. Have your children say, “What a good (boy, girl) am I!

Moon Pizzas

The cow jumped over the moon and the astronauts landed on the moon. This recipe will add a whole new dimension to the rhyme or a study of the solar system.

Ingredients
English muffins
Pizza sauce
Shredded mozzarella
*Pepperoni, olive slices or cheeses shaped liked stars or moons are optional

Toast the English muffins ahead to time - especially if you like your pizza crust crunchy. Now spread the pizza sauce over the surface of the moon (English muffin) and add the mozzarella and other toppings of your choice. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese melts.

RAH! RAH! TREASURE BOX

For some of you the end of the school year isn't far off. Here's an activity that would be perfect to start now and then the children would have a "treasure box of books" to take home and read over the summer.

Explain that books are like treasures. They are dreams and adventures and friends and full of wonderful things. Encourage the children to tell you why they love books. Invite the children to make a "treasure box" so they can save the books they make at school. They can take their treasure boxes home at the end of the school year so they'll have books to read all summer long. 
                                     
Directions
Ask children to bring in an empty cardboard food box from home. Cut off the top and spray paint gold or silver. (An adult will need to do this.) Let the children decorate with stickers, glitter pens, and other art media. Over the next few weeks have children save reproducible books and blank books they make in their "treasure boxes." SELL the children on reading these over the summer because books are like friends you want to visit again and again!!!

RAH! RAH! Read at home! Read at home!
Here's a little formula a teacher shared to encourage students to practice rereading books at home.  Tell them to hold up four fingers and read their books four times.     

     1st – Practice reading to a stuffed animal.
     2nd – Practice reading in the mirror.
     3rd - Practice reading to a pet or sibling.
     4th – Read to their parents.

Hint!  You can download free reproducible books from many sites.   You might want to start your collection with "The Wheels on the Bus" I had on my blog yesterday.
*nellieedge.com also has some good reproducible books.
 

SING, READ, LEARN!!!

“I get by with a little help from my friends….” And one of my special friends is Vanessa Levin at pre-kpages.com. Vanessa not only has a brilliant mind when it comes to technology, she has a warm heart when it comes to creating things that will engage children.

Several years ago Vanessa created “Nursery Rhyme Readers” to go with some of my nursery rhymes. We’ve had many comments from teachers about how much their children enjoy the little books and songs and are motivated to read with them. And, we’ve heard many of you say, “When are you going to make more?” You asked for it…and you’ve got it! Volume II of the Rhyming Readers is now available!

http://drjean.org/html/songs/songStoreRhymingReadersVol2.php

You’ll find reproducible color books and color charts, black and white books and charts, and downloads for each of these titles:

     Twinkle Little Star
     The Itsy Bitsy Spider
     The Three Little Kittens
     The Wheels on the Bus
     Old MacDonald Had a Farm
     I’ve Been Working on the Railroad
     Home on the Range
     Jack Horner
     Five Little Hotdogs
     Baby Bumblebee

Here’s a sample for “The Wheels on the Bus.”

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljNGlFVm5EV21NeHc/view?usp=sharing

                 

Here's the download for the black and white version.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljdzF3ZXNidkJpVTQ/view?usp=sharing

Books + songs + kids = READING FUN!

                                             

WALLY ACHA BRAIN POWER

A friend sent this link and said, “Jean, this guy is doing the same thing you do in ‘Wally Acha.’ He’s added squats and claims all sorts of miracles for kids with learning disabilities.” Check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSwhpF9iJSs

I’m not sure it’s quite the miracle he claims, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt children (and older adults like me) to do this. What I once thought of as a silly camp song is actually good for the brain!  Maybe that’s why I’m so smart! Just kidding!!!

Here’s an adaptation to my “Wally Acha” to include some squats (breath in as you go down and exhale as you come up). 

Wally Acha
Wally acha, wally wacha, (Slap thighs and then cross palms.)
Doodley do, doodley do. (Touch nose and ear with opposite hands.)
Wally acha, wally acha, (Slap thighs and then cross palms.)
Doodley do, doodley do. (Touch nose and ear with opposite hands.)
It’s a simple little song there’s not much to it, (Squat down and up.)
All you’ve got to do is doodley do it. (Squat down and up.)
Wally acha, wally acha, (Squat down and up.)
Doodley, doodley do. Poo poo! (Squat down and up and the hug self.)

Don’t you think it’s more fun when you sing?

LIFE CYCLE PROJECT

Caterpillars
Let's go to sleep (Wiggle fingers.)
The little caterpillars said.
So they curled up (Cross fingers and
In a chrysalis bed. close hands as if praying.)

They will awaken (Open fingers slowly.)
By and by,
And each one will be (Clasp thumbs and
A lovely butterfly! wiggle fingers like wings.)

Here are two life cycle projects that take a little time and effort, but they are something your students never will forget.

Pasta Butterfly
Materials:  stick, rice, corkscrew pasta, seashell pasta, bowtie pasta, craft glue

Directions:  Look on the playground for sticks or have children bring one from home.  The stick should be as long as their foot.  Have them glue a piece of rice on the left end of their stick to represent the caterpillar's "egg." Next, glue on a corkscrew pasta for the "caterpillar." Glue a seashell pasta on next for the "chrysalis." Finally, glue a bowtie pasta on the red end of the stick for the "butterfly."  (They might want to color the pasta with markers before gluing it in place.)  Encourage children to describe the life cycle of the butterfly using their stick.

Hint! You could also use a bean for the egg, fuzzy yarn for the caterpillar, cotton ball for the chrysalis, and tissue paper for the butterfly.

Butterfly Puppet

Materials:  old sock, markers, coffee filter, food coloring, eye dropper, pipe cleaner, safety pin

Directions:  Several days before doing this activity ask children to bring in an old sock from home. First, let them decorate the outside of the sock to look like a caterpillar. They can use markers, pompoms, etc.

Next, prepare a butterfly using a coffee filter. Children fold the coffee filter into eighths. Using an eye dropper, have them drop colored water onto the coffee filter. Open and dry. Scrunch up in the middle and fasten on a pipe cleaner for the body and antenna.

Turn the sock inside out and pin the butterfly inside. Children can begin the story about the butterfly by inserting their hand into the sock. For the "chrysalis," have them begin turning the sock inside out. As the butterfly emerges, the children stick their hand in the sock to reveal the butterfly.

Butterfly Bites
Children will enjoy assembling and eating this butterfly. You will need celery cut in 4" pieces, cream cheese, and pretzel twists. First, spread cream cheese in the hollow part of the celery. Insert two pretzels on either side for wings.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljNC0zOS1Pbl9Dbnc/view?usp=sharing