Comprehensive Classroom Group Time Activities Notes
Classroom Group Time Activities
This session focuses on various engaging activities for young children, including songs, poems, and an interactive letter game, all while emphasizing good listening and classroom behavior.
Group Time Introduction and Rules
Before starting the activities, the teacher guides the students to transition to 'swivel' (sitting down) and encourages good behavior, such as following directions. Specific students like Adrian, Cameron, and Gianna are praised for their compliance. The importance of taking off gloves, having a quick sip of water if needed, and sitting calmly is reinforced. The class is reminded to have 'ears listening, voices quiet, bodies calm,' setting the expectation for group time behavior.
Activity 1: "If You're Happy and You Know It"
The first song sung is the classic "If You're Happy and You Know It." To begin, all students are asked to stand up and ensure they have enough space, not touching anyone else. The song includes actions such as:
Clapping hands
Stomping feet
Shouting "Hooray!"
Doing all three actions together
The song reinforces expressing happiness through physical actions and vocalizations.
Schedule Review
A student named Cam inquires about the schedule, which the teacher notes might have been reviewed before Cam's arrival. The teacher offers to go over the schedule again after the current activity, demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness to student needs.
Activity 2: Poem - "Five Juicy Apples"
The second activity introduces a new poem titled "Five Juicy Apples." The poem is a countdown, illustrating subtraction as each apple is "eaten" by a student. The first time, the students listen. The second time, they participate by taking turns having an apple dedicated to them.
Poem Structure and Participants:
Initially, there are juicy apples sitting at the store.
Mia eats one, leaving apples.
Cameron eats one, leaving apples.
Harley eats one, leaving apples.
Blake eats one, leaving apple.
Adrian eats one, leaving apples.
The poem concludes with a plea to the "Grocer, grocer, please order more. We like to buy apples when we visit your store." This reinforces the cycle and the desire for more apples.
The poem is repeated, with different students participating:
Giada eats one, leaving apples.
Jake eats one, leaving apples.
Connor eats one, leaving apples.
Moriah eats one, leaving apple.
Adrian eats one, leaving apples.
The teacher assures students who didn't get a turn that they will have one on another day when the poem is revisited.
Activity 3: Unnamed Song with Motions
The third activity is an unnamed song that starts with a specific motion. The teacher demonstrates the motion, and students who recognize it are encouraged to raise their hands. Harley correctly identifies the song, and the class sings it together.
Activity 4: Theme Game - Beginning Letter Recognition
This activity is an interactive game previously played, focused on identifying the starting letter of one's name. Instead of raising a hand, students are instructed to touch their ear when they see the letter their name begins with.
Examples of Letter-Name Associations:
Teacher's name: Stanton (starts with S)
Connor: C
Cameron: C
Adrian: A
Marston: M
Mia: M
Harley: H
Blake: B
Gianna: J
Jake: J
Emphasis is placed on the first letter of the name, not just any letter found within it.
Activity 5: Song - "Five Green and Speckled Frogs"
The fifth activity is the song "Five Green and Speckled Frogs." The teacher uses props, including five frogs, a hollow log, and a pool, to visually represent the song's narrative.
Song Structure and Actions:
Initially, there are green and speckled frogs sitting on a hollow log, eating delicious bugs.
One frog jumps into the cool pool, leaving frogs.
This process continues: one by one, frogs jump into the pool.
The count decreases from to , then , then , then , until there are green and speckled frogs left on the log.
Each stanza describes a frog jumping into the pool, accompanied by the iconic "Ribbit, ribbit." The activity concludes with the teacher putting away the frog and log props.
Activity 6: Poem - "Diddle Diddle Dumpling"
The sixth activity is the poem "Diddle Diddle Dumpling, My Son John." The teacher uses an illustration to accompany the poem.
Poem Details and Discussion Points:
The poem describes "My Son John" who went to bed with "one shoe on and one shoe off."
He is also wearing "stockings," which the teacher explains are long socks.
The illustration shows a shadow, which the teacher identifies as likely John's mother, suggesting she is trying to get him to bed.
This poem offers a playful look at a child's bedtime antics and introduces the term "stockings" as a synonym for long socks.
Activity 7: Song - "Five Little Ducks"
The final activity is the song "Five Little Ducks." The teacher uses hand motions to illustrate the ducks going out and returning.
Song Structure:
The song begins with little ducks going "over the hill and far away."
Mother Duck calls "Quack, quack, quack," but only little ducks come back.
Then, little ducks go out. Mother Duck expresses sadness by saying "Quack, quack, quack, quack."
In a joyful turn, all little ducks come running back, signifying a happy reunion.
The song teaches counting down and then bringing all the ducks back, concluding the group time session.
Based on the provided notes, behavior in the classroom group time is managed through a combination of clear expectations, positive reinforcement, and redirection:
Clear Expectations and Rules: At the start, the teacher guides students to "swivel" (sit down) and sets explicit rules for group time: having "ears listening, voices quiet, bodies calm." Students are also reminded to ensure they have enough personal space during active songs, "not touching anyone else."
Positive Reinforcement: The teacher uses praise to encourage desired behavior. Specific students like Adrian, Cameron, and Gianna are praised for their compliance during transitions and for following directions.
Redirection and Instruction: For interactive activities, specific instructions are given to guide behavior, such as touching their ear for the letter recognition game "instead of raising a hand." This manages how students participate to maintain order and focus.
Addressing Basic Needs: Before activities, students are prompted to take off gloves and have a quick sip of water if needed, which can prevent discomfort that might lead to disruptive behavior.
Overall, the approach is proactive, focusing on setting positive expectations and reinforcing them, rather than solely reacting to misbehavior. The emphasis on calm bodies and quiet voices promotes a focused learning environment.