A-TISKET A-TASKET
A-Tisket A-Tasket
A-tisket a-tasket (Children hold hands in a
A green and yellow basket circle. One child is “it” and
I wrote a letter to my friend skips around outside the
And on the way I dropped it. circle.)
I dropped it, (“It” drops a hanky, behind
I dropped it a friend. The friend picks
And on the way I dropped it. up the hanky and exchanges
A little friend picked it up places with “it.”)
And put it in their pocket.
Activities:
Write words, letters, numerals or other information you want to reinforce on envelopes. Place the envelopes in a bag or basket and use these for “it” to drop behind a friend. The friend must identify the information before exchanging places with “it.”
Let children make baskets out of paper sacks. Cut down two sides as show. Open.
Staple the center strip to make a handle. Children can save high frequency words and math flash cards in their baskets.
Hide magnetic letters around the classroom and let children “hunt” for the letters and save them in their baskets.
Take a nature walk and collect autumn leaves or other objects in the baskets. Group the items by like attributes. Can children regroup them by another attribute?
Play “a-tisket a-tasket” listening game. Place 5-10 objects on a table on one side of the classroom. Have the children sit on the other side of the classroom. Choose one child at a time to take a basket and walk to the other side of the room and collect the objects that you name. Vary the number of items that you request to the ability of the children.
HOKEY POKEY
Hokey Pokey
You put your right hand in. (Stand in a circle. Place right hand in the circle.)
You take your right hand out. (Place right hand behind you.)
You put your right hand in (Place right hand in circle and shake.)
And you shake it all about.
You do the hokey pokey (Hands in air and wiggle as you turn around.)
And you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about! (Slap thighs, clap hands, and then snap to the beat.)
You put your left hand in… (Continue singing other body parts.)
Right foot…left foot…head…etc.
You put your whole self in… (Jump in the circle.)
You do the hokey pokey. (Get down on hands and knees and
You do the hokey pokey. wave arms up and down as if praising.)
You do the hokey pokey,
And that’s what it’s all about!
Activities: Put a sticker or lotion on the right hand to help children remember. If you focus on the “right” then what is leftover is the “left.”
Seal a letter size envelope. Cut in half. Insert fingers in one half to make a puppet.
Write a letter, shape, color, or word on the puppet. Use it to reinforce skills as you do the “Hokey Pokey.” For example, if you write “J” on the envelope you would sing:
You put your “j” in.
You take your “j” out.
You put your “j” in and you shake it all about.
You make the “j” sound /j/ /j/ /j/
And then you put it down.
Cut a strip off the other end of the envelope to make a bracelet. Wear the bracelet on your right hand to help with directionality as you sing. Let the children make a name bracelet to wear on a field trip. Make patterns, write words, or use stickers to decorate envelope bracelets.
Cut a corner off the remaining part of the envelope. Let children decorate it with their initials or a picture. This makes a bookmark that can be slipped on the upper right corner of a page in a book to mark their spot.
ITSY BITSY SPIDER
Itsy Bitsy Spider
(Is Everybody Happy? CD)
The itsy bitsy spider (Touch thumb of one hand to index
Went up the water spout. finger of opposite hand, then reverse
Down came the rain and as you move arms up in air.)
Washed the spider out. (Wiggle fingers down for rain.)
Out came the sun and (Circle with arms over head.)
Dried up all the rain. (Cross palms.)
And the itsy bitsy spider (Climb fingers up again.)
Went up the spout again.
Activities - Have children get a partner and take turns giving each other a spider massage.
The itsy bitsy spider (Walk fingers up the back from
Went up the water spout. the waist to the shoulder.)
Down came the rain and (Scratch the back in a downwards
Washed the spider out. motion.)
Out came the sun and (Rub the back in circles.)
Dried up all the rain.
And the itsy bitsy spider (Walk fingers up the back ending
Went up the spout again. by massaging the shoulders.)
Children stand next their partner and wrap inside arms around each other’s waists.
Children use outside arms to sing and make the motions for the “Itsy Bitsy Spider.”
Sing silly variations for the song. You could sing the “teensy weensy spider” with a high squeaky voice or the “big, fat spider” with a loud deep voice.
Learn the spider handshake. Children hold up four fingers and then intertwine their fingers with a friend as they wiggle their “eight” legs.
Do the spider cheer by touching fingertips from both hands. Open and close and tap together.
Remove the label from a can of chicken noodle soup. Cover it with paper and write “spider soup” on it. Crumble up a package of Ramen noodles in a lunch bag and write “spider webs” on the bag. Prepare the “spider soup” according to directions and then stir in the web.
TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (Nursery Rhymes and Good Old Times CD)
Twinkle, twinkle, little star. (Open and close fists.)
How I wonder what you are? (Point up in the air with index finger.)
Up above the world so high, (Move index back and forth.)
Like a diamond in the sky. (Make diamond shape with fingers.)
Twinkle, twinkle, little star. (Open and close fists.)
How I wonder what you are? (Point up in the air with index finger.
Sing these words to this familiar tune:
Special, special, special me. (Open and close fists.)
I’m as special as can be. (Point to self.)
There is no one quite like me. (Shake head “no.”)
I’m as good as I can be. (Nod head “yes.”)
Special, special, special me. (Open and close fists.)
I’m as special as can be. (Point to self.)
Special, special, special you. (Open and close fists.)
You’re my special friend, it’s true. (Point to friends.)
From your head to your toes. (Point to head and then toes.)
We’re all special friends you know. (Hold hands.)
Special, special, special you. (Open and close fists.)
I am special - you are, too! (Point to self and then a friend.)
Cut large stars out of construction paper. Glue a child’s photo in the center or ask her to draw a picture of her face in the middle. Ask each child to tell you five special things about herself as you write the words in the points of the star. Use stars on a bulletin board that says, “We can’t all be stars, but we can all twinkle!”
Cut yellow stars out of construction paper and write high frequency words on them. Sing this tune to engage children’s attention: Twinkle, twinkle little star. I wonder what word you are… Hold up stars for children to read the words. Hint! You could adapt this activity for letters, numerals, etc.
Glue glow in the dark stars to craft sticks and use as pointers.
Explain that “sparkle” words are like “fancy Nancy words.” They make what we read and write more interesting. Make a poster that says “Sparkle Words.” As you learn new vocabulary words add them to the poster. Encourage the children to add sparkle words to their writing.