3.WALNUT TREE
Nogueira
Group 1 (2-4 year olds)
Hi teacher!
Welcome to Walnut Tree, our third cycle.
New cycle, new objectives!
Take a few minutes to read and internalize the objectives of this cycle as they are the fundamental guidelines that should structure your teaching practices.
Vamos juntos!
WE SUGGEST YOU CHECK THE EVIDENCES WITH WHICH YOU WILL OBSERVE IF YOUR STUDENTS HAVE ACHIEVED THESE OBJECTIVES
THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS CYCLE ARE:
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Begin to show understanding and refer to words and concepts in English.
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Interact with peers as a group response to the teacher's interventions
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Demonstrate trust in the relationship with the teacher and peers by experimenting with the language.
When you see that there is progress in these areas, you can move on to the next cycle. Check the rubric that will help you know if the group is ready to move forward!
WE SUGGEST YOU CHECK THE EVIDENCES WITH WHICH YOU WILL OBSERVE IF YOUR STUDENTS HAVE ACHIEVED THESE OBJECTIVES
CLASS PLAN
2. NARRATIVE
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Always try to generate curiosity in your students by eliciting from them any kind of speculation; and when reading with them, make sure you use your body language so that meaning is clear.
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The narrative will always be followed by a simple discussion, in which you will ask specific questions about what they’ve heard or seen.
My class is 25 to 30 minutes long!
We know that some schools work with more frequent and shorter English classes of 25 to 30 minutes. In those cases, we suggest you follow this shortened plan of activities.
To ask your students about the video experiences (jornadas), ask them how they did them, if they are liking them so far, which were their favorites, etc.
Remember
1. STARTING SONG
To start this new cycle we will turn to our starting song. Probably for this moment, the children will already know some parts of the lyrics. Encourage them to repeat the slogans that the song proposes!
Also, you should not forget that in this song the children must run the benches to the sides to free the centre of the classroom and take off their shoes.
Lyrics
ALTERNATIVE
STARTING SONGS
If your friends are in the classroom, say hello
If you see your teacher smiling, show your teeth
If you want to show your feelings, give a hug
If you feel like being silly, make some noise
If you want to get together, make some room
Let your heart feel so much better, make some room
Let’s get ready for Vivadi
Let’s have some fun and play with english in our world
Let’s get ready for Vivadi
We are all in this together
We’ll do it you and me
We’ll be a big great family
2. NARRATIVE
After the starting song, you will introduce the narrative moment. We will be constantly referring back to it in our activities.
Choose one of these stories to start the cycle with. You will have several options of stories but it is up to you if you want to repeat the same story along all the cycle, or f you want to read different stories every class or every week.The narrative will always be followed by a simple discussion, in which you will ask specific questions about what they've heard or seen.
For each story, you have a read version that goes in conjunction with the project version. And, in case you do not have a projector, you have the printable version.
Tip: we suggest that you repeat the story you choose for at least two classes, so that children can get deeper into the story and strengthen the sense of meaning of it.
We remind you that, even if you have audiovisual support, your body language is essential for children to understand the meaning of the story and also make it meaningful to them.
You can choose between these options in no specific order, but remember how important repetition is. So if you decide to repeat a story more than once, don't worry if another story is never told.
Discussion for "The Lucky Seed"
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Have you ever planted a seed? Did it grow? Into what?
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Do you like creating things?
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Did you enjoy the story?
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What was your favorite part?
Discussion for "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom"
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Did you like the story?
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What was your favorite part?
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What letter do you like and which one do you not like?
Discussion for "The Rainbow Fish"
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What was so special about the Rainbow Fish?
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What did the octopus tell the rainbow fish?
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What was your favorite part about the story?
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Did you like the story?
You can choose some words that repeat throughout the story and tell some students that when they hear the word assigned to them, they have to change places in the round. For example: tell student A that his/her word is “luck”. Everytime she/he listens to that word, she/he’ll have to change places with another student.
Tip: try this strategy after the third class in the cycle!
ARE YOU UP FOR A CHALLENGE?
MORE STORYTELLING OPTIONS
For children, growing up means learning lots of new things every day. First, they learn about their family, what surrounds them and how to start clarifying their doubts, expressing desires and preferences. As children grow up, the learning process becomes more meticulous and they begin to take more complex actions at school, at home and with friends. But the basics, which they need to learn from an early age, are personal hygiene habits, so that they feel more autonomous and confident.
How about we brush our teeth together? Ask in advance that they bring a brush and toothpaste. Before starting the brushing experience, let's explore the vocabulary they will need:
1) Up
2) Down
3) To the left
4) To the right
Promoting good hygiene habits is a good strategy to prevent illness and discomfort. But, how can we help children with this? The answer is: practice and consistency! First, it is ideal to set an example. It would be useful to talk about hygiene habits, turning this activity into a great opportunity to practice English.
Questions:
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What color are your teeth now?
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Do you have big or small teeth?
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Do you brush your teeth every day?
3. ACTIVITIES
After the discussion, the students will do the following activities that are inspired by the narrative.
Choose the activities that correspond to the narrative you just read.
ACTIVITIES
Inspired by "The Lucky Seed"
Game: Grow
Material: Seed
How: Either draw or project on the whiteboard a seed or give each of the students the image. Ask them that they have each been given a magic seed that can grow into anything. Ask them to draw what would grow and the elements they need for it to grow (water, sun, love, etc.). At the end of the activity, ask them to say what they have chosen (if they do not have the vocabulary, provide it for them and make sure they repeat it.
Online variation: Project the seed and tell the students to draw it out on a piece of paper at home and continue the activity the same way.
Game: We are Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
How: Give each student one letter (if your class is too small, give each student more than one letter. If you have too many students ask them to share letters. Read the story and the students have to stand up when they hear their letter.
For example: “A told B” the students that represent A and B stand up.
Online: The activity works the same way online!
ACTIVITIES
Inspired by "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom"
Game: Clap along and answer questions
How: Play the following video (after 0:40) and ask these questions throughout the video, pausing at the indicated moments.
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Is the book about numbers or letters? (at 1:11)
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Where are they going: up the coconut tree or down the coconut tree? (at 1:30)
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Is the tree standing up or lying down? (at 1:45)
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How do the little letters feel now? Sad or excited? (at 2:46)
Once the students are comfortable with the story, ask them to clap along to the story, creating the beat. To make it a little bit more challenging, don’t play the video.
Read the lyrics while the students make the beat.
Online: The activity works the same way online! Just when you ask them to clap along to the story, creating the beat, ask them to turn on their microphones.
ACTIVITIES
Inspired by "The Rainbow Fish"
Game: Let’s color the rainbow fish!
Material: The Rainbow Fish, colored pencils (one for each student and the teacher)
How: Print this picture of the rainbow fish as big as possible. Then ask each student to color one scale of the rainbow fish. Throughout the activity, make sure you ask them which color they’re using, and if they like that color. You may also ask what other things usually have that color (example: blue → the sky). In the end you will have a colorful rainbow fish created by everyone in the class.
Game: We are all rainbowfishes!
Material: colorful paper (one for each student and for teacher)
How: put the students in a circle and have a lot of colorful papers. Tell the students that the papers are the scales of the Rainbow Fish. Grab one of the pieces of paper and say “I am now a rainbow fish”. Then pass the papers to the student next to the teacher, the student then has to grab one of the papers and say “I am now a rainbow fish” and pass the papers to the student next to them, and so on. Eventually all the students will each have a rainbow paper.
Online variation: A variation for this activity to do online is for you to tell your students to pick the brightest material/object they have. Then you call out one student. When the student is called out, they must hold up their bright material/object and say "I am now a rainbow fish." Then they will call out another student and so on.
BRAIN BREAK
It's time to stop and focus on an action to be able to continue with the class.
These short breaks are essential to renew the kids' energy and be more prepared for what follows.
You can use this resource at any time during the class if you think it's necessary.
Yes, Let's!
The teacher initiates an action by saying something like, “Let’s bake a cake.” The class reply with, “Yes, let’s!” and then pretend to bake a cake. The students can shout out any idea they like. For example, someone might shout, “Let’s wash a lion!” The class will reply, “Yes, let’s!” And everyone will wash a lion. The game continues like this, with no idea being too silly.
the next student’s turn.
Lie about how you got here
The students sit in a circle, and one by one each student lies about how they got to class. This could be by flying car, unicorn, or time travel. Anything goes in this exercise. Encourage students to really tell a story and give detail.
Soundscape
Students sit in a circle, and the teacher explains that they are going to create the atmosphere of a place with sounds. Ideas may include the seaside, school, London, the jungle, the zoo, or fairy land. Ask someone to start: they must repeat their chosen noise, or the phrase, over and over again. Then the person next to that student adds their noise; then the person next to them adds their own noise, and so on.
Name Moves
Students stand behind their chairs. In turn, each student says his or her name accompanied by a special movement. For example a student might say, “Kayla!” while dramatically dropping to one knee and doing Jazz Hands. After the student does his or her move, the rest of the class says the student’s name in unison and imitates the move. Then it is the next student’s turn.
You can also make circus and theater expressions for the kids. According to what is available in the classroom, instead of the kid’s names you can ask them to choose a circus profession to represent: clown, magician, ballerina… and the special movement must match the profession.
Pictionary of Faces
Ask the kids to make a big circle so everyone can see the other’s expressions. Some pictures will be projected on the wall and all kids should try to copy the face expressions. After we practice the expressions and the vocabulary, it’s the students turn: call out the name of one student, and he must say the expression every one should make. You can also practice memory with them: the first kid says “happy”, the second must say “happy” and “sad”... until the expressions are over or someone doesn’t remember the order.
Acting to music
Students lie down and a piece of music is played. Students can listen to it lying down for about 30 seconds or more, and when they are ready, they stand up and move around the room in response to how the music is making them feel. The music may inspire them to be a wizard, skipping to wizard school, to walk through a cave terrified, or to sit quietly reflecting on happier times. Whatever the music inspires, the students must follow their intuition and go with that, not paying attention to anyone else in the group.
KARAOKE
Music affects the way you learn a new language and it can help you improve your pronunciation and fluency. Working with lyrics is a great way to stimulate the learning of new vocabulary and help students pronounce difficult words.
Ask your students to choose a song from the options below, let them feel part of the decisions in your class. Once they are involved it is more likely that they engage with the activity and feel comfortable practicing their English.
6. MOVE YOUR
HIPS!
Children will probably need to loosen up a bit now, as they have been sitting for quite a while now!
This is why you will have a purely immersive moment of dancing around the classroom while they listen to a song in English.
You can choose a song from this suggested playlist.
ARE YOU UP FOR A CHALLENGE?
Print these flashcards of movements and put them in a bag. While the song is playing, the children can pass the bag, take out a card, show the choreographic step to the rest and let the others copy it.
![[HD] Sing - Set it all free - Ash (Scarlett Johansson) [Lyrics]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dtqI1LkI268/maxresdefault.jpg)
7. HARMONY
Remember to begin this space by playing relaxing music.
Probably by now, the children will already associate this music with Harmony Time, so go ahead and set the mood with our relaxing playlist:
1. GROUP ASANA
This ASANA segment of Harmony Time involves a group posture.
Gather the children together and ask them to sit in a circle again. They will have to massage the head of the one who’s next to them.
While the music plays in the background,
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GROUP ASANA
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SWARA
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SAVASANA
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ANJALI
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2. SWARA
IN AND OUT:
With the children sitting down, show them that you are breathing through the nose by exaggerating the breathing mimic. While inhaling say “Breathe in” and while exhaling they say “Breathe out”. Encourage them to copy you to renew the energy of their bodies.
3. SAVASANA (guided relaxation)
Play the following song and repeat it throughout all the classes. This serves as a guide for the student, as they’ll know that when this song sounds, it is the moment of final relaxation and you have the confidence to close your eyes because it is not a new activity that may frighten you.
4. ANJALI
Sitting down, the practice is closed by taking both palms together to the centre of the chest.
This hands posture has already been done in previous cycles, but today we will introduce its name. So, as you put your hands together towards your chest, you should say "Anjali Mudra" aloud so that the kids can associate the final posture to its name.
Finally, as always, Harmony Time will end with a group "Thank you"
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8. ENDING SONG
Lyrics
If you enjoyed our time together, sing along
If you can’t wait for next class, high five!
To get ready for what follows, tidy up
See you next time dear teacher, good bye!
It’s not goodbye with Vivadi
The things I learnt today will always stay in me
It’s not goodbye with Vivadi
We are all in this together
We’ll do it you and me
We’ll be a big great family
To remind your students to access the platform and do the jornadas.
Don't forget