On the Move with Dr. Seuss

Cindi Elrod, Physical Education Teacher                                                         Becky Paradise, Adapted P.E. Teacher
Gage Elementary                                                                                                         Fletcher Elementary
San Diego Unified                                                                                                       San Diego Unified
celrod@mail.sandi.net                                                                                             bparadise@mail.sandi.net

Note: Thanks to Cindi for giving permission to present this awesome reference here. Her presentation at our recent San Diego City Schools Elementary Phys Ed. staff development was great. I highly recommend these activities for anyone interested in combining literacy with movement.

Introduction

            This unit was created to allow students to be physically active while incorporating literacy. We have developed the activities to address a wide range of gross motor skills with small and large groups. Specific Dr. Seuss titles were selected that easily generates movement. These tasks have minimal set-up time once the materials have been prepared.

"You may have brains in your head,
You have feet in your shoes,
You can steer yourself any direction you choose,
-Oh the Places You'll Go..."

Now, let's move with Dr. Seuss!

Green Eggs and Ham

Music: "Green Eggs and Ham", Rock and Roll Songs that Teach, The Learning Station.

Hand Clapping Game   Tap Knees and hands alternately(4X) Criss cross hands with palms down(4X) Criss cross hands with palms up(4X) Tap knees and clap hands alternately(4X) Throw hands up in the air ("flip them") Put hands down to the sides ("flop them") Roll forearms ("don't drop them") Repeat faster as tempo increases
Plate Pass Game - Equip: green plate, beanbag and egg.
Students sit in a circle and pass the plate holding the beanbag and egg around to the tempo of the music.

Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please Go Now!

The "Go" Game  (2 variations)

        1st - Scatter poly spots around a designated area. Each student stands on a spot. Read the story and each time the students hear the word "go" they move to a new spot.
        2nd - Create a designated space with two parallel lines approximately 20 feet apart. Students stand side by side on one of the lines. Read the story and each time the word "go" is read they move toward the opposite line. If they reach the line, they wait for the next "go".

Horton Hatches the Egg

Equipment: Large plastic egg or ball, two poly spots, cones

Divide class into two groups. One group stands behind poly spot #1 in a single file line. The other group stands in a circle in the center of the coned area with the ball or egg. On signal "go", studnets in the center pass the ball around the circle, counting each hand-off aloud. The students in line, run around the outside of the coned area and step on the second spot while remaining in line order. As the last person in line reaches the spot, they shout "Horton Hatches the Egg" and the center circle stops counting. Repeat, as many times as desired, then have groups switch places.

Ten Apples Up on Top

Equipment: 1 beanbag per student.

Each student places a beanbag on their head and walks randomly around a designated area, without touching or bumping others. Hands are to be held behind their back while moving. If the beanbag falls off, the student becomes "frozen" and cannot move until another student, with beanbag on their head, picks it up and replaces it on frozen student's head.

My Many Colored Days

Movement Exploration - As the story is read, have the students perform the various animal walks designated in the story.
Rainbow song - Equipment streamers or scarves. We All Live Together, Vol. 5, Greg and Steve, Rainbow of Colors.
Explore movement with streamers throughout the song.

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

Fish:- Equipment: Poly Spots and hoops around designated area. Students are scattered in area. Teacher calls out the following commands. One fish=one student per spot;  two fish=two students per spot;  red fish=stydents find red hoops and place 1-2 feet inside hoop;   blue fish=students find blue hoops and place 1-2 feet inside hoop.

Holiday Game: Equipment: Fish cutouts. Students in circle formation, seated or standing. Teacher calls out either, "one fish, two fish, red fish, or blue fish. Students holding the specific cutout called, runs around the circle one time and returns to original place.

Hand Clapping Rhyme:  Tap knees and clap alternately or create your own clapping pattern. Sing to the tune of "100 botlles of pop on the wall"   Like this:

Chorus:
A-B-C-D-E-F-G
H-I-J-K-L
M-N-O-P
Q-R-S-T-
U-V-W-X-Y-Z
Oh, that Sam I am, Oh that Sam I am,
I do not like that Sam I am, Do you like Green Eggs and Ham?
Repeat Chorus(alphabet)
Then we see him jump on the mat, he says he is the Cat in the Hat,
I know some good games we could play, the fish says he should go away.
Repeat chorus(alphabet)

The Cat in the Hat

Cat, Cat, Hat - Equipment: 3 parallel line, approximately 15 feet apart.
Students start in pairs, stand face to face on the centerline. Partners alternate saying the word "cat" until one student chooses to say "hat". The student who says "hat" turns and runs toward the line behithem. The other partner attempts a 2 finger tag before "hat" partner reaches the line. Return to the centerline for round 2.

The Foot Book

As the story is read, students act out the various foot movements.

Happy Birthday to You!

Read the story and accompany it with: The Happy Birthday Twist! Holiday till You Drop, Movement and Activity Songs for Kids, John Jacobson and Alan Billingsley

Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?

Creative Movement - List all the "noises" from the book on cards. Have a student pick a card and move their body to act out what they think the noise would look like.

Dr. Seuss Station Activities

Cat in the Hat Ring Toss - Place hats over cones and have students stand behind designated line and toss rings around the hats.

Pup in the Cup - Attach a Dr. Seuss character and string to plastic cup. Hold cup and attempt to swing the charcter into the cup.

One Fish, Two Fish - Students stand on balance beam or low step and fish using magnetic pole and fish with paper clips.

Dr. Seuss ABC - Students choose from a list of words and "catch and spell" the word(s) by playing catch with a beanbag, (i.e. P-U-P, toss the beanbag back and forth, reciting the letters of the word).

Snow - Students wad white tissue paper to create a snowball and then toss and catch to self or a partner. (Author: Roy McKie and P.D. Eastman).

500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins - each student balances 4-5 beanbags on their head and walk in designated area.

The King's Stilts - Students maintain balance by wlaking around a designated area on can stilts. These can be purchased or made by using cofee cans and rope.

Hop on Pop - Students play "hopscotch" on foam tiles or hopscotch pattern taped on the floor. Create various patterns.





Thank you Cindi and Becky for providing us with such a wonderful resource. Your presentation at our S.D. was incredible and it is a shame it couldn't be scene by more physical educators, teachers and administrators.