materials
- construction paper
- scissors (adult only)
- laminator
- tape
- CD player
- CD including the song "I Can Sing a Rainbow" (if available)
Preparation
- l Cut out a large number of paper squares (the colors of the rainbow) and laminate them. Each square should be large enough for at least one child to stand on.
What to Do
1. Put each color square on the floor, connecting them together to form one large square or rectangle.
2. Have the children form a circle around the big square or squares. Sing or play the song "I Can Sing a Rainbow" or any other song.
3. When the music or singing stops, call out a color of the rainbow.
4. The children run to that color and stand on it. There are several of the same color, so it should not be crowded; however, squares can and should be shared.
5. Sing or play the music again. When you stop singing or playing, call out another color and the children find and stand on this one. Timing can get faster as children learn the colors and feel comfortable moving in the space.
Teacher - to - Teacher Tip
- l Make sure that quiet or less active children get a chance to get to the rainbow square they want so they feel a sense of accomplishment and participation.
Assessment
To assess the children's learning, consider the following:
- l Watch each child as she goes to the squares. Can she identify the colors on each square? Note which colors children have difficulty identifying.
-Annette Rivlin-Gutman Seattle, WA
Instructions
l Make sure there are an equal number of balls in each color to be collected.
Spread the balls out in a large open area. The balls should be spread out and
not grouped by color. Set up the collection bins where the teams will line up.
What to Do
1. Divide the children into teams. There should be the same number of teams as
there are number of colors.
2. Assign each team a color. Each team's color represents the color of balls the
team will collect.
3. Have each team form a line near their collection bin.
4. Each team will work as a relay. The first child runs to find a ball matching the
team color, returns, and puts the ball in the bin.
5. The next child then runs to find another ball matching the team color, returns,
and puts the ball in the bin.
6. The relay continues until all of the team's balls have been found and placed in
the bin.
Teacher - to - Teacher Tip
l This activity also works well with plastic eggs as a springtime activity.
Assessment
To assess the children's learning, consider the following:
l Were the children able to work together in teams?
l Did the children collect only balls that matched their team colors?
