HIT: Fingerplays to settle students, Part II

[Jean Townes <townesj@PEAK.ORG>]

Here is one that my k-1 kids like

Autumn leaves come falling down, some are red and some are brown
   (extend arms overhead and slowly lower hands, wiggling fingers as you
come down)
The wind goes whoosh! through the air
   (on whoosh, sweep arms to the right and up)
When I look back there are no leaves there
   (raise palms over lap)

---

I just read one in my Children's Material text by Tomlinson and Brown.
It is titled Tailpiece and is by Max Fatchen.

Tongues we use for talking
Hands we grasp and link
Feet are meant for walking
Heads are where we think
Toes are what we wiggle
Knees are what we bend
Then there's what we sit on
And that's about the end.

---

There's this one:

I have ten little fingers, and they all belong to me
I can make them do things, would you like to see?
I can hold them up high and bring them down low
I can put them together and hold them just so.

Do the motions the words sugges and end with folding hands together and
putting them in your lap.

I also like this one:

I wiggle my shoulders
I wiggle my nose
I wiggle my fingers
I wiggle my toes
Now all my wiggles are out of me
And I'm as still as I can be.

Here's another to sit kids down--usually gets them settles too.

I can jump, jump, jump
I can hop, hop, hop
I can clap, clap, clap
I can stop, stop, stop
I can nod my head for yes
Shake my head for no
I can bend my knees
And sit down slow.

---

Try this using the appropriate motions ending up with hands folded in the
lap

My hands upon my head I place,
On my shoulders
On my face.
Then I reach them up s-o-o-o-o high
and quickly count 1,2,3,
And see how quiet they can be

---

I have found Marc Brown's books Hand Rhymes and Finger Rhymes to be
helpful.  Ladybug magazine sometimes has a finger play included in an
issue.  Many finger plays are available on the Internet.

My favorite to open a lesson with for K and 1 is "Open, shut them" There
are variations, but a woman showing the hand motions is at this web site:
http://msucares.com/home_family/nhi/lessons/language/fingerplays.htm#open

I have this one and other ones on poster paper glued on to posterboard so
children can see the words as we are saying them.  I usually do between 1
and 3 other finger plays bwtween stories depending on how restless and
wiggly the kids seem that day.  Other favorites include the "apple one"
(Way up high in the apple tree), the "turtle one" (There was a little
turtle) and the one I call the "tricky one" (Clap your hands, clap your
hands, clap them just like me).  I have all my classes for 45 minutes once
a weeks so finger wiggle time is definitely needed!

---

Here are Grandma's spectacles (make small circles around eyes with
fingers)
Here is Grandma's cap. (pointed hat with hands at top of head)
This is the way she folds her hands and puts them in her lap. (hands are
folded and put into laps)
Here are Grandpa's spectacles (larger circles)
Here is Grandpa's hat (Larger hat--I like to make it a sombrero with my
hands going outwards)
This is the way he folds his arms (Right hand to left upper arm/ left hand
to right upper arm)
Just-like-that! (arms are crossed in front of Grandpa and are down in
front of waist)

I then tell them to sit like "grandmas and grandpas!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jean Townes, Media Specialist                  townesj@PEAK.ORG
Clover Ridge Elementary School                 Phone: 541-967-4565
Greater Albany Public Schools
2953 Clover Ridge Rd, NE
Albany, Or 97321
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