Pamela M. Fowler
To bring this session to a close, collect the Space Flight Applications and place them in individual folders you will use through out the year. These folders will be made in the last session of GETTING TO KNOW US.
DAY TWO
#1
Title: DO YOU REMEMBER?
Goals
1. To develop memory skills.
2. To further establish positive learning environment.
3. To recall names and personal information.
4. To develop skills of relating names to faces and information learned.
Materials
1. 3x5 index cards
2. Space Flight Application of each student
3. The Best Thing About Me Statements
Time Period
10-15 minutes
Classroom Set-Up:
Students are standing shoulder to shoulder facing the teacher.
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Presentation:
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1. Write each student’s name in the lower right hand comer of the card.
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2. Use the information learned from the SPA and the Best Thing About Me from Day 1.
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3. Choose 3-4 statements each child had said the day before and write them on individual cards in the first person.
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____
I like baseball and
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4. Mix cards.
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5. Line the class up shoulder to shoulder facing you.
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6. Begin with the first child in line. (either right to left or left to right)
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7. Read the first card aloud to the first child.
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8. This child must identify the person who made the statement yesterday. He/she can look at the faces of his/her classmate if they need to.
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9. If the student can correctly identify the author of this statement he/she can stay in line.
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a. If she/he is unable to identify the person he/she must sit down.
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b. When given an incorrect answer, place the card back into the pile. Do not give the answer. It will come up again and maybe the person who is asked the question will be able to answer it correctly.
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10. Go on to the next person in line and repeat steps #7-9 until the cards run out or until there is only one child standing.
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Choose unique statements for each child so they do not get confused. You may even ask a student to identify his/her own statement.
#2
Title: PUT YOURSELVES IN ORDER
Goals
1. To develop cooperation skills.
2. To develop listening skills.
3. To further develop positive learning environment.
Materials
None
Time Period
10 minutes
Classroom Set-Up
Area cleared for movement of class members.
Presentation:
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1. Say to the class, “Put yourselves in order by height, from tallest to shortest.”
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2. Allow time for the class to organize themselves in a line.
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3. Praise the class for their success.
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4. You may want to go down the line and ask them how tall they are. Point out the fact of the students in front and behind them.
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Notice the number of inches difference.
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5. Ask the class to put themselves in order by the following information:
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1. Birthdate
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a. day
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b. month
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2. Shoe size
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3. House number
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4. Total of telephone number
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a. first three digits (4+6+9=19)
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b. last four digits (8+1+7+4=20)
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c. all seven digits (4+6+9+8+1+7+4=39)
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5. Hair length/height
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6. Weight
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7. Distance from school
#3
Title: THREE CHANGES
Goals
1. to improve observation skills.
2. to develop memory skills.
3. to improve memory skills.
4. to develop listening skills.
5. to improve listening skills.
Materials
None
Time Period
10 minutes
Classroom Set-Up
Divide the class into two even teams.
Stand them facing each other in a line shoulder to shoulder.
Presentation
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1. Spread teams out at arm’s length.
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2. Each person facing their partner must observe each other.
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3. Tell the class to notice their partner’s dress, hair accessories, etc. Allow for approximately one minute for his. Allow no talking.
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4. Tell each team to turn their backs to their partner.
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5. Have them make three changes in their appearance. i.e. untie a shoelace, pull pant leg up, switch their watch to the other wrist, etc.
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6. Take approximately one minute to allow them to make the changes.
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7. Turn teams around at the same time to face each other again.
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8. Each partner must then identify the three changes.
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9. When both partners have identified all three changes have the pair raise their hands. Commend the teams for their efforts.
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10. Change partners and play again.
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11. Continue for as long as you would like. Three to four turns are usually sufficient.
ENDING THE PERIOD
Each class ends with a relaxation activity.
Title: RELAXATION TECHNIQUE
Goals
1. To wind down the class.
2. To calm students down after activity.
3. To prepare students for next class.
4. To learn how to relax.
5. To lessen feelings of stress.
Materials
None
Classroom Set-Up
1. Lights off.
2. Students sitting in a circle (No desks).
3. Students eyes closed.
Notes
Teacher directed activity.
Presentation:
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1. Instruct the class to keep their eyes closed all throughout the exercise and to respond to your voice.
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*The first few times the class participates in this technique, they will feel awkward. Some may giggle and we all know how contagious giggling is. Remind them to keep quiet and proceed. Your voice is soft and quiet. Sit or stand in one place for the first few times. This way distractions will be avoided. Put a DO NOT DISTURB sign on your door and relax your class.
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2. Say:
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“TAKE A DEEP BREATH IN THROUGH YOUR NOSE AND EXHALE THROUGH YOUR MOUTH. START WITH YOUR FEET. FEEL YOUR FEET INSIDE YOUR SOCKS. WIGGLE YOUR TOES, SCRUNCH YOUR TOES REAL TIGHT . . . AND LET THEM GO. ROLL YOUR ANKLES AROUND AND AROUND TO THE RIGHT, NOW GO ROLL THEM AROUND THE OTHER WAY. MOVE UP TO YOUR CALVES. TIGHTEN THE MUSCLES IN YOUR CALF TIGHT, TIGHT, TIGHT AND RELAX.
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LIFT YOUR LEGS UP AND HOLD, HOLD, HOLD . . . NOW DROP YOUR FEET TO THE FLOOR.
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RELAX . . . INHALE . . . AND EXHALE . . . GOOD. RELAX.
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TIGHTEN YOUR BUTT MUSCLES TIGHT, TIGHT, TIGHT AND RELAX (HERE IS WHERE THEY TEND TO GIGGLE). PULL YOUR STOMACH IN REAL TIGHT AND HOLD IT, HOLD IT, HOLD IT . . . GOOD, NOW RELAX . . . ROLL YOUR SHOULDERS BACK SLOWLY 1, 2, 3 AND NOW THE OTHER WAY SLOWLY 1, 2, 3 GOOD.
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PULL YOU SHOULDERS UP TO TOUCH YOUR EARS HIGHER, HIGHER, HOLD IT . . . GOOD NOW DROP THEM AND RELAX.
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INHALE SLOW 1, 2, 3 AND EXHALE TROUGH YOUR MOUTH. SHAKE YOUR ARMS OUT. SHAKE YOUR WRISTS. TIGHTEN YOUR HANDS INTO A FIST REAL TIGHT, TIGHT, TIGHT AND . . . RELAX SHAKE THEM OUT. ROLL YOUR HEAD TO THE RIGHT AND VERY SLOWLY AROUND IN A CIRCLE EASY, BE CAREFUL. ROLL YOUR HEAD THE OTHER WAY, EASY AND SLOW. DROP YOUR HEAD TO THE LEFT. MAKE YOUR LEFT EAR TOUCH YOUR LEFT SHOULDER WITHOUT MOVING YOUR SHOULDER. YOU WANT TO FEEL THE STRETCH IN YOUR NECK NOW DROP YOUR HEAD TO THE RIGHT, EASILY. FEEL THE STRETCH. DROP YOUR HEAD FORWARD NOW SO THAT YOUR CHIN TOUCHES YOUR CHEST AND RELAX. INHALE 1, 2, 3 AND EXHALE. AGAIN INHALE 1, 2, 3 AND EXHALE. SLOWLY PICK YOUR HEAD UP, AND OPEN YOUR EYES.
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3. Turn on the lights.
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4. Be sure to keep a quiet atmosphere.
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5. Ask the class how they felt doing the exercise.
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6. Rearrange the classroom back in order.
Day Three
#1
Title: TELEPHONE
Goals
1. To further develop memory skills.
2. To develop listening skills.
3. To improve listening skills.
Materials
None
Time Period
10 minutes
Classroom Set-Up
Seat class in a circle. (no desks)
Presentation:
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1. Ask and discuss with the class about the word ‘communication’.
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2. Explain to them that the activity is based on listening and paying attention.
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3. You will begin the sequence.
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4. Use a short phrase which is fairly easy and whisper the phrase into the ears of the student sitting to your right.
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5. He/she is to repeat what was heard to the person to their right.
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6. If the child did not hear or fully understand what was said they can dial the OPERATOR, by saying ‘operator’ and you are to repeat the phrase. This can be done only once.
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7 The sequence continues until the information gets to the person on your left.
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8. This student is to say what was heard out loud.
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9. If the information was relayed correctly, the last person then becomes the ‘informant’.
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10. If it was not relayed correctly the first ‘informant’ gets to choose the next person to begin the next round.
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11. Continue this sequence as long as you choose to varying the information to be relayed.
#2
Title: CIRCLE STORY
Goals
1. To improve memory.
2. To develop skills in sequencing.
3. To develop and improve listening skills.
4. To develop creativity.
Materials
None
Time Period
10 minutes
Classroom set-up
Seat children in a circle with no desks.
Presentation:
1. Explain to the class the goals of this activity.
2. Begin the activity as if you were telling a story.
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3. State a sentence and then stop.
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4. Turn your head towards the student who will be next. Use this signal so that there will be no interruption of the story line.
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5. Proceed around the circle to each student.
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6. Each student must add a complete thought to the story in a sequential manner.
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7. You can proceed this way once or twice until the story is complete.
#3
Title: WHEN I GO TO CALIFORNIA
Goals
1. To develop memory skills.
2. To develop remembering a series in a circle.
3. To develop listening skills.
4. To develop and improve patience.
Time Period
15 minutes
Materials
None
Classroom Set-Up
Seat students in a circle without desks.
Presentation
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1. Tell the class to think of what they would like to take on a trip to California. Give them a minute to come up with some things in their head.
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2. The first person starts by saying “When I go to California, I am going to take a trunk” (or any other object).
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4. The third person takes a trunk and the second object and adds a new one.
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5. Each player takes in exact order all that has gone before and adds a new object.
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6. If a person makes a mistake he/she must sit inside the circle and cannot add an object.
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7. Go around the circle once so that everyone has an opportunity to contribute and stop.
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8. Play a second time. This time set a goal for no errors.
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9. You can change the state with each round and play as often as you see fit.
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10. You can also pair students up when you play two or more rounds for one state.
#4
Title: “A” MY NAME IS ALICE
Goals
1. To improve remembering a series in a circle.
2. To improve memory skills.
3. To improve listening skills.
4. To improve concentration skills.
Time Period
20 minutes
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1. Explain to the class the general procedure: “We are going to go around in a circle using the letters of the alphabet, and we are going to think of people‘s first names that begin with each letter. You have to listen and remember all the names that come before you and then take the next letter in order and say a name which begins with the letter. One rule: You cannot use anyone’s name in this classroom.
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2. The first person says,“ ‘A’ my name is Alice.” (or any other name that begins with A)
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3. The second person says, “ ‘A’ his/her name is Alice, ‘B’ my name is _____.
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4. The third person says ‘A’s name, ‘B’s name and then takes the next letter and gives it a name.
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5. Each player says, in exact order, all that has gone before and continues with the next letter of the alphabet.
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6. Continue around until you get to Z. Depending on the size of your class you may choose to stop when the person who began the series is confronted again. You may say “Okay, keep going, just omit A-J.”
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7. If a person makes a mistake he/she must sit in the center of the circle and cannot add a name.
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8. Play again and set a goal for no errors.
#5
Title: RELAXATION TECHNIQUE
See Day 2 for specific instructions