William Summey

Grades 1-3 Introductory Activity – Letter Puzzles Materials: interlocking blocks (about 25), marker Make stacks of three blocks. (If your blocks are large, use only two blocks in each stack.) Print one of these letters on each stack; print the letter large, covering all three blocks in the stack: T, R, U, S, T, G, […]

Grades 1-3 Introductory Activity – How We Communicate Materials: pencil, stone, megaphone, flashlight, scissors, whistle Show each item in turn to the kids. Ask: “How can you use this to communicate with someone? Think of as many different ways as you can.” Tell kids to discuss their ideas with partners nearby. Then call for answers. […]

Grades 1-3 Introductory Activity – Do What I Say, Not What I Do Materials: no materials needed. Guide children to stand and face you. Tell kids to do whatever motion you say. Say a movement for kids to do but move in a different way. For example, say: “Clap your hands” while you march in […]

Grades 1-3 Introductory Activity – Build It! Materials: chenille stems, pieces of foil Guide children to use the chenille stems and foil to build a structure. They can work in one large group or in several smaller groups. Allow them to experiment with the materials to build. Tell kids that something was built or constructed […]

Grades 1-3 Introductory Activity – Food Box Puzzles Materials: empty food boxes, scissors Cut the fronts from clean empty food boxes. Use cereal boxes, cracker boxes, and other boxes that kids will recognize. Cut each box front into several pieces. To keep the activity more simple, keep each puzzle separate. To make it more challenging, […]

Grades 1-3 Introductory Activity – Follow the Path Materials: tape, pom-poms, straws (one per child) Make several tape lines of several feet across the game area. If you have colored tape, create some lines that cross one another. Give each child a straw. Place a group of kids at each end of each tape line. […]