Upon lesson completion, students will understand and demonstrate use of positional vocabulary to communicate movement and location.
Materials
Books:
1. Go Dog Go by P.D. Eastman
2. Ups & Downs: A Book of Positional Words by Robin Boyer
3. Up, Down, & All Around by Katherine Ayers
4. Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins
5. All About Where by Tana Hoban
Small ball
Hula hoop
Bulletin board paper
Paints
Brushes
Sponges
Markers
A paper star
Activities
Day 1: Introduce positional vocabulary with Go Dog Go
PE Activity – “Center of Attention” one student stands in a “Hula Hoop”, they become the “center of attention” and strike a pose and freeze. Their classmates move around them demonstrating positional vocabulary. Example: Center lays on their tummy and classmates demonstrate “above” by stepping over them.
Day 2: Review positional vocabulary by reading Ups and Downs
Drama Activity – “Ball…what Ball” Mime activity that begins with a real ball. Play with, hold, toss, and catch a real ball. Then have them move their “mime” ball into positional vocabulary positions.
Day 3: Review positional vocabulary by reading Up, Down, and All Around
Visual Art Activity: “Movement Mural” use positional vocabulary flash cards to discuss movement. Cover a wall space with bulletin board paper. Use a science theme (animals) and have students paint or draw “pieces” of the mural in the correct locations.
Day 4: Review positional vocabulary by reading Rosie’s Walk
Musical Activity – “Place the Sound” Use a variety of musical instruments to play on, around, under, and beside. Example: inside a triangle, around the top of a drum, across a xylophone, under a tambourine.
Day 5: Review positional vocabulary by reading All About Where
Dance Activity – “You Be The Star” Each student will create a dance made of 8 count movements. They will begin with a star in both hands and will move above, below, beside, or around the star using 8 counts to demonstrate each positional vocabulary term.
Differentiation Approaches
1. Each activity allows for movement for active students
2. Each activity involves both individual and group participation
3. Students with learning differences will feel comfortable because there are no paper and pencil tasks, and flash cards can be read aloud
4. Strong focused students can model expected behaviors
Assessment
1. Teachers will be able to observe student movement and determine their level of understanding positional vocabulary
2. Teachers will be able to observe students hand and body movement as they “mime” catching, releasing, and moving “their ball” to determine their level of understanding positional vocabulary
3. Teachers will be able to observe where students chose to place their piece of art on the mural and can then assess them further, by asking them to explain where their piece of art is in relation to another piece of art on the mural
4. Teachers will be able to observe students hand and body movement as they utilize a variety of instruments and position their hands correctly to play their instruments in different positions
5. Teachers will be able to observe students hand and body movement and observe the students position in relation to the paper star to judge their understanding of positional vocabulary
Follow Up and Extension Ideas
1. Each activity allows for movement for active students
2. Each activity involves both individual and group participation
3. Students with learning differences will feel comfortable because there are no paper and pencil tasks, and flash cards can be read aloud
4. Strong focused students can model expected behaviors
Additional Details
- Grade Level: Kindergarten
- Arts Content Area: Theatre Arts, Visual Arts
- Non-Arts Content Area: Math, PE, Science
