BRAIN RESEARCH
These activities will not only put a smile on your students’ faces, they will reflect brain research in a meaningful way.
• The brain likes rich experiences, novelty, and challenges.
• Senses are like pathways to the brain. The more senses you activate, the more likely the message will get to the brain.
• Children need frequent “brain breaks” and “exercise snacks."
• Balance is essential in life and in the classroom.
• Everyone’s brain is unique! One size doesn’t fit all!
STATE STANDARDS
Standards are the framework of instruction and define the knowledge and skills students should have at different grade levels. We carefully selected activities that will reinforce your standards in multiple ways. Print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics, oral language, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing activities can easily be adapted to your specific needs and goals for literacy.
STEM – SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATH
This packet contains math activities for counting and cardinality, operations, measurement, and geometry. Seasonal science concepts are provided, as well as ideas for integrating technology and engineering through hands-on experiences.
CHALLENGING AND PLAYFUL
Yes, we want to challenge children and provide them with an opportunity to develop academic skills, but we must also recognize that they are children. The best way for children to learn is through PLAY. That is their work. The secret is to take what children have to learn (skills) and make it so much fun it will seem like play.
INTENTIONAL TEACHING
Intentional teaching means you act purposefully with a goal in mind. Intentional teachers set up activities and the environment so the students can accomplish those goals. By using the songs and learning activities in this packet you will be developing language skills, math skills, science concepts, physical skills, and social emotional skills. The ultimate goal of any education system is to develop well-rounded individuals, and these activities focus on that WHOLE CHILD.
ACTIVE LEARNING
Teaching is what the teacher does. Learning is what the student does! Key elements of active learning include student activity and engagement in the learning process. Our songs and activities will have your students moving to facilitate that mind-body connection. They’ll also be talking, sharing, and cooperating with their classmates.
PURPOSEFUL PRACTICE FOR AUTOMATICITY
This is a fancy way of saying “repetition.” Children must practice reading, sounds, sight words, math facts, etc. over and over to master skills. They may not want to do a worksheet over and over, but with a catchy tune or hands-on game you’ll hear, “Do it again!”
DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION
The beauty of a song and dance is that it provides an open platform for children with different skill sets to enjoy something together. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to dance or move. IT’S ALL GOOD! As long as the children are engaged and having fun it’s a good thing. Research suggests it takes 7 to 25 times to put a movement in the brain, so watch how children progress and improve as you repeat activities.
EXECUTIVE FUNCTION
There is a great interest in the executive function because it seems to be a bigger predictor of academic success and life success than IQ. When children sing, move, and play these games you are actually nurturing the executive function because they need to self-regulate. There is task initiation and task completion because they must start and stop on cue.