Hey Diddle, Diddle, Those Arm Gestures Are Too Little!
Arm Gestures
Objective: Students will incorporate effective arm gestures into their nursery rhymes based on guidelines previously outlined in class discussion.
Materials: Four to five nursery rhymes and copies of each will be needed.
Steps:
1. The teacher will discuss with students what good arm gestures are. Areas to cover may include:
- Using gestures above the waist
- Un-attaching arms from sides
- Making sure that arm movements motivate/correspond with what is being said
- What too much movement will do to a speech
- What too little movement will do to a speech
- Making sure arm gestures look fluid/comfortable with the speech
2. Students will pick out a nursery rhyme that they are comfortable with. Give them a few minutes to re-familiarize themselves with it. Some examples of well-known nursery rhymes are:
- Humpty Dumpty
- Fuzzy Wuzzy
- Hey Diddle Diddle
- Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater
- Pop! goes the Weasel
- Rain, rain, go away
- Ba, Ba, Black Sheep
3. Students with find a partner or be partnered with some one to present their nursery rhyme to. Give them time to go through the nursery rhyme twice each with allotted time to fix any areas expressed by their partner.
4. Create small groups of approximately six (depending on class size) to present their nursery rhyme to. Give each of them time go through their nursery rhyme twice with allotted time to fix any problem areas.
5. Bring class together and have everyone present their nursery rhyme to the entire class.
Result: Move on to the next topic.
Katelyn Klute
September 9, 2009