Numbers: Jump Up and Be Counted!
By Will Jasprizza
When you teach numbers at primary school it is a great chance to incorporate
movement into the lesson - rather than simply count, get your students
to actually do something, and count the number of times they do it. Using
movement lifts motivation and makes the lesson fun! Here are some of my
favourites:
Jumping
Call out the number as you jump into the air (if you can do a high vertical jump your kids will be well impressed!) The class then jumps and yells out the same number. It is important for the teacher to jump and count first so the students can hear the correct pronunciation. Once you think the students have the hang of it you can try jumping together - instead of pausing between jumps try jumping as soon as you land. This is also a sure way of helping your students get rid of excess energy (ie use it to deliberately tire them out!)
Punching
Do an exaggerated bit of deep-breathing with an appropriately karate-like crossing of the forearms and then extend your left hand whilst resting your right hand on your hip. Punch as you count! (Make sure the students aren't standing too close to each other for this one)
Kicking
Again, stolen from the martial arts - with your feet about 30 centimetres apart, just lift your knee and kick towards the front. Alternate legs. Definitely make sure everyone is spread out!
Push-ups
One of the best ways to quieten a noisy class - it's hard to play up when you're doing a few sets of 12!
Extending fingers
Beginning with balled fists, extend a finger for each number you count. For '11' and '12' first extend all 10 fingers and then one and two digits respectively. For added emphasis thrust your arm forward too! This is great when teaching the Mr Wolf Song!
Rocket Launch
Once your students are fairly competent with the numbers 1 to 12 give them
a bit of a challenge - counting backwards - but in the form of Richard's
NASA like rocket countdown. Everyone crouches down and holds their hands
above their heads like the nosecone of a rocket. As you countdown from
12 you stand up a little higher with each number, and on zero you launch
by jumping up in the air! Remember that if your students' voices aren't
loud enough the rocket won't have enough energy to take off and you'll
have to do the whole thing again! Check out the Rocket Launch song!
Egg
This is a cute version of Rocket Launch that we learnt from Debi Davis
in Hokkaido. Instead of a nosecone, form the shell of an egg with your
hands. Do the countdown and on zero, burst out of the shell and fly away
like a cute little bird, flapping your arms for added effect.
Star jumps
Start with arms by your side and legs together - star jump to a position with legs apart and arms held horizontally. Perfect for those cold winter morning lessons.
Reverse star jumps
Start with your arms horizontal and legs together - jump so you end up
with legs apart and arms by your side. After doing normal star jumps this
one takes a little coordination - that's what makes it fun!
Note
You may have notice that I have described counting to twelve, not just
ten. Why? Because if you teach the numbers to twelve you can also teach
the time (thank you to Nakata Ritsuko Sensei) . In addition, when you eventually
teach the numbers to twenty your students will begin with the 'teens',
and not have to struggle with eleven and twelve as the first numbers in
the new 'set'.
Have fun at primary school and be genki!
Copyright 2001 Will Jasprizza
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