Four-Corner Cartoon Traveling

Submitted by:  Arni Bjorgvinsson
http://pe.central.vt.edu/cartoondance.html

Purpose

To have students practice moving safely in general space and to increase students' abilities to travel using a variety of locomotor movements Concept being Taught: Travelling/General Space Suggested Grade Level: K-2

Materials

Lively "dancin" Music and tape or cd player; Four large posters (for the gym wall), one each of a cartoon character such as Buzz Lightyear, Mr. Potato Head, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, etc.; 4 smaller cards (about 8" x 6") of card-stock type paper (for the teacher) with pictures of the same characters drawn on them; large open space such as gym

Organizational

Before the lesson, hang each large poster picture on one wall in one corner of the gym. The children will be scattered throughout playing area.

Descrption

To begin the lesson, show students how each corner of the gym has a picture of a cartoon character. Let them know that when the music begins, they will be moving around the general space using a specific locomotor movement that you call out (e.g. skip, jog, gallop, etc.). When the music stops, they are to safely move to one of the four corners and wait there until you pick one of the 4 cards from your hand (hold the cards up, character facing away from you, as you pick). Let them know that the students in the corner of the picked character card will get to pick the next movement they will be doing.

Have students find a self space, then call out a locomotor movement and begin the music. Observe the students ability to correctly travel using that movement. (If they had difficulty with it, stop the music, give students a cue to help them, and have them begin travelling again rather than picking a new movement.) When you're ready to move on to the next locomotor movement, stop the music and pick a card. Have the students in the corner with the same character as the one the card you picked decide the next movement. Begin the sequence of starting and stopping the music again, each time having students do a different locomotor movement.

Modifications

Instead of having students in the corner whose card was picked choose a locomotor movement to do next, have them pick an exercise or movement that all students do (e.g., jumping jacks, push-ups, jog in place, the twist, jumping up and down, etc.).