Duration
The length of the exercises is not of primary importance. Some exercises may only take 15-30 seconds. What is important is consistency. Some type of exercise should be utilized at the beginning of each class.
Note
I have used these exercises in conjunction with a behavior modification system developed by Miss Ethel Papa, a teacher in the New Haven School system.
Space
While the majority of these can be executed in a minimum of space, some exercises may necessitate a larger area. Many may be done with students working from their desks or standing behind or to the side of same. As concentration grows, students are able to handle movement and less rigid structures will be required.
Students
Preparing the student for this type of activity will be discussed under lesson plans. While very little preparation will be required for these earlier exercises, later exercises will demand more explanation.
Exercises numbered 1-6 are observation, memory, and coordination activities which ask students to observe specific information and commit it to memory. Students may be asked to give information back in some form, either verbal or non-verbal. Some provide excellent opportunity for reviewing basic skills (i.e., #1).
1.
WORD PLAY
Place
seated at desks
Students
entire class
Time
teacher should be able to assess the level of students and anticipate—no longer than 8-10 minutes.
Means
This exercise can be done using any of the following: nouns, adjectives, adverbs, colors, numbers, names—or teacher could create types of words which are applicable to their subject matter.
One student is asked to give a noun. Second student repeats noun given by 1st student and gives one of his/her own. Next student repeats the first two and gives one of his/her own. Continue throughout the class. Once students gain confidence, the task can be made more complicated.
Note
In the beginning, students may tend to use proper nouns. I let them do this to realize that if they do concentrate, they can remember up to 27 things in sequence. Before beginning, I might also remind them to focus on the individual speaking, as this can also help them to remember. This is particularly important with lower level students. As students grow, I discourage use of proper nouns. Higher level students will be less likely to do this, but you might want to set it as a rule initially.
2.
FOLLOW MY HAND
Place
chairs pushed in—students standing behind or to the side of the desk
Students
entire class
Time
no more than 4-5 minutes—It will be necessary here to build students concentration to where they will be able to sustain longer periods. Again, time is initially dependent on the ability level of your students.
Means
Teacher faces students. He/she tells students they are to follow her movements. (Students will immediately compare this with Simon Says). Explain students are to start with right hand; this means teacher will start with her left. Teacher raises left arm up to center—right arm follows. Left arm up, right arm follows. Start slowly making sure all are getting the idea. As soon as students are all with you, you may pick up speed and make movements more complicated. Students may also enjoy being the leader.
3.
WHERE’S THAT LINE?
Place
seated at desks
Students
entire class
Time
no more than 5 minutes
Means
(Make sure students are sitting up straight—feet and hands quiet and eyes on you). Ask them to look for all the straight lines in the room. Jot answers on board. Next, ask them to look for any squares in the room. Jot answers on board. Finally, ask students to search for circles in the room. Jot answers on board.
Homework
Look around your kitchen tonight. Find five objects (amount can change depending on the level of students) in your kitchen. Notice the way straight lines, squares and circles have been combined to make these objects. Draw as best you can these objects and be prepared to share your findings with the class.
4.
WHAT NEXT?
Place
seated at desk
Students
entire class
Time
no more than 5 minutes
Means
Tell students to watch your movements carefully. Plot a set of movements and actions for yourself. Ask students to state in sequence the movements and actions you performed. Later, this can be adapted so that students will reinact the exact movements.
5.
CONCENTRATION BOARD
Place
seated at desks
Students
entire class
Time
2-3 minutes
Means
Teacher arranges a board in classroom on which a variety of shapes and forms are arranged. Students are asked to study the arrangement closely. Students are not allowed to copy the arrangement. Some may attempt to do so.
The following day before students arrive, change one or two things on the board. Check to see if students recognize the changes. Keep to a minimum of changes initially. As students become more adept the changes you make can become more subtle.
6.
MUSICAL FEET
Place
standing beside desk
Students
entire class
Time
no more than 5 minutes
Materials
drum
Means
Check to make sure students posture is correct. Explain that you are going to beat the drum in sets of eight. They are to hold feet together for the first four counts or beats. On the fifth beat they are to move the right foot forward. On the sixth beat bring the right to the left. On the seventh step right to the right. On the eighth bring the left to the right. Repeat exercise.
This can also be reversed. Hold four, on five—left to left, on six—right to left, on seven—left back, on eight—right back to left.
This can also be done to different tempo musics since most musical forms can be counted in eights.
There are several ways this exercise can be adapted.
Exercises 7-9 involve basic sound exercises; and while observation and memory are also necessary, stress is more on the ability of the student to listen and also recreate certain sounds.
7.
CLASSIFYING SOUND
Place
seated at desks
Students
entire class
Time
no more than 5 minutes
Materials
sound effects record or several teacher prepared sounds
Means
Teacher puts on board the words: long, short, staccato, sustained, harsh, smooth or any other applicable. Explain and give an example of each type of sound. Explain that there can be overlapping. A sound can be short and smooth or long and smooth. Try to give examples. Next play or demonstrate a series of sounds and ask students to classify them.
Homework
Tonight listen and find at least two examples for each category.
Note
The library can be a resource in finding this type of record.
8.
CAN YOU HEAR?
Place
in seats
Students
entire class in pairs
Time
no more than 8-10 minutes
Materials
The following paragraph mimeographed for all students. Half the students will also receive questions to follow reading of the paragraph.
The thoughts of traveling 500 miles to visit her aunt and uncle in Indiana excited Mary Jane. Even though her mother had been a little apprehensive about her traveling such a long distance by herself, Mary Jane’s father had insisted it was too good an opportunity to miss. So here she was alone on the stagecoach headed for an unfamiliar place.
She glanced around the carriage. Many of those who had begun the journey with her had long since reached their destination and the coach was now filled with a new group of travelers.
Mary Jane was particularly interested in a young girl about her own age who appeared to be accompanied by a rather old, distinguished looking gentleman. The girl seemed very shy and it was difficult to see her face, as it was concealed by a large pink hat. Her hands were clasped tightly in her lap and she had not spoken since first stepping foot inside the carriage.
Questions:
Why was Mary Jane going such a long distance?
During what time period is this story set?
Why was Mary Jane interested in the young girl on the coach?
Note
Teachers may use paragraphs of their own from literature and also from content area books such as social studies, science, etc. Students concentration will be affected by the interest level of the material they are reading. This should be stressed.
Means
Half the class will receive the paragraphs to read. The other half will receive the questions. Group A will be asked to read the paragraphs. Group B will cause distractions by making a series of noises, movements, and reactions. Students work in pairs.
Stop students after a short time. Ask Group A to answer questions. Group B will help A see if answers are correct.
9.
REPEAT THAT SOUND
Place
in seats
Students
entire class
Time
no more than 5 minutes
Materials
variety of objects from which you can create a series of sounds.
Means
Teacher reminds students that concentration means eyes are on the subject, feet and hands are quiet and there is no verbal communication. Ask students to close their eyes and listen to the sounds you will make. At first keep # low and do it slowly. After five sounds, stop and have students try to repeat them in sequence.
Note
As students become more adept at this skill, increase number and speed.
Exercises 10-13 are more difficult and should not be attempted with lower level students until some expertise has been gained with earlier exercises. Students here are asked to incorporate several skills—observation, sound, feeling, recreating feeling, coordination, and cooperation.
10.
RECALL THE FEELING
Place
standing to the side of the desk
Students
entire class
Time
no more than 5-8 minutes or at teacher’s discretion based on level of students
Materials
small ball, larger ball
Means
As you prepare students, have the small ball in your hand. Pass it from hand to hand. Throw it in the air. Explain to students you are going to pass the ball to the first person in the row. That person is to feel the ball (caution students on the danger of mishandling the ball) and pass it to the next person who will handle the ball and then pass it on. Make certain students feel the weight and the size of the ball, how it looks and feels as they throw and pass it. The ball will make its way back to the teacher.
The teacher then puts the ball away, and begins to pass an imaginary ball. Teacher instructs students to make sure they have the same size as the one just used. Tell students they are now going to pass the imaginary ball. They must watch carefully the person from whom they are catching the ball and concentrate on the size, shape and feel.
Note
On different days this can be repeated using the large ball, or teacher can use other materials. It would be good to get students to recognize and compare large to small—heavy to light—hot to cold.
11.
MAKE THE SOUNDS
Place
seated at desks
Students
entire class
Time
5-10 minutes (can be longer as concentration and ability grows)
Materials
Use the following paragraphs or short story that uses a lot of sound effects. Teacher can make up stories or once students understand the exercise, students may write sound stories.
Randy didn’t think it would take him that long to get to where his father worked. He had taken his bicycle to the garage to fill the tires with air and was now headed down Main Street. Just as he reached Forest and Main, he saw a large garbage truck picking up trash from Mrs. Fan’s house (sound). Mrs. Fan’s dog, Peppy, who was usually fenced in the backyard, was gingerly running up and down barking and snapping (sound) at the truck.
Traffic on Main Street was particularly heavy this morning and Randy saw Mrs. Fan trying unsuccessfully to get Peppy back in the yard as cars sped back and forth (sound) in front of the dump truck. Randy jumped off his bicycle and ran across the street to help Mrs. Fan as several cars honked (sound) their anger.
All of a sudden Randy heard the screech of cars (sound) and a loud crash (sound) as several cars came to a sharp halt (sound). Everyone rushed out of their cars and began to argue (sound). Randy heard the sound of a police car (sound).
As the policeman walked up to survey the damages, Randy heard a rustle (sound) in the bush next to him and a little short bark (sound). He looked down to see the source of the whole problem.
Means
Teacher can have entire class work together or divide into groups or have certain individuals take certain sounds. Once this is done teacher starts to read the story. When you reach a sound point to group and instruct them to make that sound. Continue this way until end of story.
Note
It may take some students longer to get into this type of activity than others. You may want to repeat the story and tape it. Students enjoy hearing themselves.
12.
MIRROR IMAGE
Place
small area in front of room or on the side of desk
Students
working in pairs
Time
5-10 minutes
Means
The idea is to mirror each other. Instruct students to keep movements smooth. The idea is to work together and concentrate on each other not to confuse each other.
Note
This is a very difficult exercise for students to get into, and may require much coaching from the teacher. Remind students about concentrating on each others moves.
This exercise should be repeated often with different combinations of students.
13.
HAND BINGO2
Place
seated at desks
Students
entire class
Time
can be an entire period
Materials
Bingo game
Means
Teacher is the caller; however, instead of calling numbers vocally, the teacher gives the numbers so that students have to concentrate and count and add the numbers. For example, if the number is O-57, the teacher will make an O with hands—then with hands will make 57—could be two hands 5 times then one 5 and one 2. Teacher can adapt this in several ways.
These next two activities, 14A-14B, are vital in establishing a firm foundation for all improvisation Which will occur in the class. Exercise 14A introduces the Where, Who and What. Exercise 14B introduces stage directions and allows for developing imagination in creating more elaborate improvisations and setting.
14A.
WHERE, WHO, WHAT
Place
start seated at desks—later groups in front
Students
entire class in groups
Time
could be up to a period or more
Means
Teacher will explain the terms:
-
Where?—Place where action is taking place (i.e., kitchen)
-
Who?—Persons in scene (i.e., brother/sister)
-
What?—The situation (i.e., arguing about a lost notebook, or the last piece of bologna)
-
Divide class into groups. Have them develop a where, who, what. Call each up to the front to do the scene.
14B.
WHERE, WHO, WHAT
Place
seated at desks
Students
entire class in groups
Time
could be up to a period
Materials
each group is provided with a painted piece of plywood and chalk. Also, ditto of floorplan suggestions on pg. 93-94 of Viola Spolin’s,
Improvisation
for the Theatre
.
Means
Teacher will first go over basic stage directions—upstage, downstage, stage right, left, center, etc. Explain that in every play or story there is a where. Give several examples and do one on board. If our where is a kitchen, what do we find in a kitchen? How would we place things? Whose kitchen is it? How many people live here? How old is it? Are the people young or old?
Note
After you have done one together on the board, give each group a where and have them plot out a floorplan. Next they are to develop the who (people who will appear in the room) then the what (the situation which has brought them together). They might even want to give an opening line for the characters.
Have each group improvise their where, who, and what.
This can be repeated in many different ways and even taped for turning into presentations.
Exercises 15-20 are further exercises to increase a combination of concentration and awareness skills. They are included at this point to add variety to the activities students have been doing up to this point. Exercise 17 is particularly valuable for it also is reinforcing use of syllabication.
15.
WHO’S THERE?
Place
seated at desks
Students
entire class at different times
Time
discretion of teacher
Means
One student is asked to step outside the door. He is to decide where he is, who he is, and why he is there. Also, what the weather is like, the time of day, etc. He then is to knock at the door as the character might. Students try to figure out “Who’s There”.
16.
MOVING—WHERE?
Place
area in front of room
Students
any number depending on the space available
Time
5-10 minutes
Materials
record or tape player and some type of music—more classical or expressionistic (something which will express feeling and emotion).
Means
Ask 4-6 students to walk around in rhythm with the music. At certain times ask them to stop and look at different objects. Make sure they are really seeing them. (This is good for developing observation skills).
17.
DEVELOP THE WORD
Place
first at desks, later at area in front of room
Students
groups of 4
Time
exercise may take more than one sitting—perhaps one sitting for preliminary work and second for presentation
Materials
list of words which can be divided into syllables and acted out
Means
Each group is given a word. They are to break it into syllables. Students are to disregard the spelling of the syllable, but are to relate to the sound. For each syllable they are to create a where, who, and what. Then they are to act out the syllable.
For example—the word figure. The fig might be ripening on a tree that Grandpa has planted. It may be the only fig that Grandpa has been able to grow and he is thrilled at his success. The who might be Arthur, his five year old grandson, who has come to spend the afternoon. The what—Arthur accidentally knocks the tree over and the fig falls off and is stepped on.
The “ure” could be used as “your”. The where: in kitchen; Who: mother; What: lost earring.
Two syllable words should be used rather than three because of time limit in class. Some preliminary work may be assigned as homework.
18.
WHISPERING AND SHOUTING
Place
area in front of room
Students
small groups
Time
5-10 minutes
Means
Students create a where, who, and what. They are asked to act the scene three times. First they whisper. Next, they yell. Then in regular tones.
19.
KEEPING CONTACT
Place
front of room
Students
individuals
Time
discretion of teacher
Means
Each individual will show or teach something to the class. Individual must work to establish eye contact with each member of the audience.
20.
PUZZLE FUN
Place
seated at desks
Students
entire class
Time
discretion of teacher
Materials
Teacher adapted dittos from the game Mr. Mighty Mind
Means
pass out ditto sheets. Have students cut out the pieces necessary to complete the puzzle. The object is for students to see how the pieces will fit in the correct way to make the design on the ditto. Exercises in this game go from very simple to more complex. Teacher can choose those which are in line with her students.
Exercises 21 and 22 both depend heavily on the student’s preparation in exercises 14A and 14B. Both are variations of improvisation and rely on the student’s knowledge of Where, Who and What.
21.
SIGHT-IMAGINATION
Place
seated in groups
Students
entire class
Time
discretion of teacher
Materials
several different objects (i.e., rings, fork, child’s toy, anything)
Means
It might be wise to first do one together as a class. Choose an object. Pass the object around the class. Have students look and feel the object carefully. State that you will give the class a where (place) and a time. They are to create a story that takes place during that time about that object.
After doing one with entire class, you may want to give each group the same object, but a different where and time. There are several variations that can be created from this exercise.
Note
These can lead to forming of scripts or improvisations. At times, teacher may wish to give a beginning and ending line to set purpose.
22.
PICTURE PERFECT
Place
area in front of class
Students
small groups
Time
discretion of teacher
Materials
several pictures or groups posed (perhaps from art books or magazines), different types of music, record or tape player, box of various props.
Means
A group of students is given one of the pictures. They are told to make the picture with the students in the group. When called to the front of the class, they form the picture. When the music starts they bring the picture to life. There is no vocal during this, just movement. When the music stops, they freeze.
Note
This can be fun, repeated with different types of music. Also can be done verbally.
The two activities listed here are vital in the transfer of sensory awareness activities.
Scott, Foresman and Company, Inc. in its material
Tactics In
Reading
(available at a variety of levels) includes a section on sensory awareness and imagery in reading. Students are asked to use their senses in bringing the printed page to life.
The value of radio shows has been discussed previously.
23.
TRANSFER THE SKILL
(1)
Place
seated at desks
Students
entire class
Time
discretion of teacher
Materials
Scott, Foresman, Company, Inc.
Cards of Sensory Imagery
Means
Discuss first the type of exercises we have been doing and Why. Explain that when you read, you must involve yourself totally in the experience in order to appreciate the author’s intent and to understand the characters.
There are 4-5 of these cards which deal with the senses and using them in reading. Several exercises for students are included.
Note
These do not have to be used all at one time, but may be spread out over the unit as the teacher sees the opportunity.
(2)
LISTEN & REMEMBER
Place
seated at desks
Students
entire class
Time
this could take a few class periods
Materials
old radio shows, tape player, or record player, ditto on show. (I have included a sample of the first page of ditto for “
The Scandal
”. Space does not permit the entire worksheets).
Means
Ask students what they thought people did before television came along. Try to get radio from them. Discuss differences between radio and television and how radio demanded the listener to use his imagination. Explain that you are going to play the first half of an actual radio drama and ask them to listen carefully. After the first playing, hand out worksheet #1. Ask students to answer questions in complete sentences. Give them a short time to do that. Have them turn questions over. Explain you are going to play the first half again. Remind them to imagine the action, see the characters, what they are wearing, etc. Listen to how the sound creates a feeling. After second listening, have students turn over question sheet and fill in any blanks they left the first time. Follow the same procedure for the second side using worksheet #2 “Bohemia”.
(figure available in print form)
Note
As students become better at this, you need supply only one worksheet for the entire show.
