Film Friday – Gummy Bear and Dinosaur Stomp
I think that we all have the one class that walks in the door a little squirrely every time. They fidget and chat and need something to help them focus before you’re going to get ANYTHING done in class. You can start with echo clapping, a poem, a game song, or other activity to try and get them on track. I find that sometimes it’s quick an easy to show them a video that helps them focus, wiggle a little, and move to music!
Here are two of my favorite “move it, move it” type videos that help get kids shaken out and ready to learn. It’s been quite a while since I’ve shared a fun, inspirational, silly internet video that you could use in the classroom. I’m bringing back “Film Friday” to share with you a couple little videos that I found and love. If you get earworms easily (you know, those songs that get stuck in your head and will not leave), maybe don’t watch these videos. They’re catchy and hilarious!
This little video was was introduced to me not too long ago but I’m sure many of you have seen it before. Apparently it’s on a Wii game (maybe “Just Dance 2”?) but as I don’t have a Wii I can’t really corroborate that. I just know that it’s hilarious and really stinking catchy. Our P.E. teacher sometimes breaks out this song to use with kids when they need a little break in-between lessons or on those days when the gym is in use and she needs to teach in the classroom. It might also be on the list of videos that my classroom teachers show when they have to do an “indoor recess” or a “brain break.”
My thought is that you could show this to kids “just for fun” and then secretly sneak in a guided listening lesson. Especially because of the distinctive actions and changes in music between sections, the song could so easily be used to teach form. The actions help kids identify when musical passages change which makes mapping out the song pretty easy. I might start by showing my students the song and having them perform the actions along with the video. Then the second time through we could stop as we went and map out the different sections until we had a completed form.
And if nothing else, maybe this could give you some ideas of fun and funny actions to incorporate into your next performance!
Dinosaur Stomp
This hilarious video from the guys as Koo Koo Kangaroo might already be one of your favorites. It’s part of the video/exercise/teacher helper pack that you can find at GoNoodle.com. Our district does GoNoodle and teachers love it for “Brain Breaks” (but let’s not go into that because I HATE the word “Brain Break” especially when music is involved… but that’s an argument for another day).
The Dinosaur Stomp has quickly become one of my favorite videos for Kindergarten and I tend to show it every year to them. We do a movement/reading activity that I learned at my Orff Level from my amazing movement teacher Jennifer Donovan. The activity helps us think about opposites and also start to use our body in new and creative ways.
First we read the book Dinosaur Roar by Paul Strickland (find it HERE on Amazon!) and work our way through the actions. The book introduces lots of opposites which the kids can then mimic with their body: “Dinosaur weak, dinosaur strong. Dinosaur short, or very very long!” We first read the book sitting next to the reading chair and then reread it so that kids can move around and do crazy actions with their body as I read. They have a BLAST!
Follow-up with the Dinosaur stomp video was an easy and natural next step. In the next lesson we might read the book again and do actions and then try out the video and see how it gets us to move our bodies again in new and fun ways. The actions are repetitive and the song is a hoot. Check it out, I think you’ll like it. Oh… and if you like Dinosaur stomp then you’d probably better check out “Fanny Pack,” also by Koo Koo Kangaroo.
I hope you enjoyed these videos! What are some of your favorite videos to show to kiddos to keep them excited, engaged, and energetic? Leave a comment with a link to your favorite video. I’d love to see what you use!
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