The Adaptable Classic Warm Up Game with a Twist!

A good whole class warm up game- 'Fruit Bowl'- can theme it to any topic/ categories e.g. 'Families'-

−         Go round the circle and label the students with the following:-

• Parent
• Sibling
• Grandparent
• Best friend
• Head Teacher

−         Teacher stands in centre of circle and calls out one of the above.

−          Those students stand and swap seats.

−         Person left over then calls out another of the above.

−         They swap seats.

−         As the game progresses more than one category can be called.

−         If 'Life' is called, then everyone gets up and swap seats.

−         NB- not allowed to swap with the seat immediately next to you.

−         Can also be themed to characters even if doing fruit or salad- give each character an action/ way of moving across the circle and a sound.

I've themed this before to 'Christmas' and other festive times; 'emotions'; the 'Spice Girls'; animals; 

BBQ items; ans all manner of historical time periods and genres!

Making Taking the Register Fun

A fun way to do the register once you have got to the point where you are happy that you know all of the students names in the group is to get a student at the start of each lesson to choose a category e.g. types of food, premiership football teams, brands of shoes, makes of car, breeds of dogs, rivers etc etc. The teacher calls the individual students names out, taking the register, and the students individually answer when their name is called with something from the category rather than saying 'yes sir/miss'. 

Using a Continuum as a Plenary

The following exercise can be done as a starter to introduce a topic or as a plenary to reflect on the lesson/ topic.

−         Whole class form a continuum- a single file line along a wall. Label one end of the wall /space January and the other December. The students line up in a single file line facing you, in order of their birthdays. They can speak to each other for this one.

−         Teacher count down from 5-1= pupils individually but all at the same time, freeze as - someone remembering a happy memory or as a character from the lesson, or a particular moment in a story for one chosen character etc etc to create a tableau. Teacher can count down again to show different moments.

−         To create a new continuum but this time using the first letter of either their first name or surname. This time the students aren't allowed to speak.

−         Count down and repeat the freeze with a sad memory or a different moment or character

−         Talk about facial expressions and body language.

−         This can be done to show how they feel about their own progress in class as well.

After the final one, the students could then be thought tapped. Using a drum to freeze on also

helps younger students to focus.

Teacher in Role

Younger students love when the teacher goes into role (T.I.R) with them during an improvisation. It works well because it is unexpected if not overused as a teaching strategy, because the teacher is also 'playing' and therefore showing another, more human side to their personality. It is a shared experience that they are unlikely to have with another member of staff or possibly with another adult. It also helps keep an improvisation on track as the teacher can direct the improvisation in the direction that it needs to go in, ask questions to explore themes or ideas that may have not arisen yet and to help support less able students.

Tongue Twisters - Starter Activities and Practice at Home to Improve Vocal Technique

Some good tongue - twisters that can be done in class with students initially- say them altogether, then maybe they work on them in pairs. Practice saying in turn each tongue twister, slowly to start with and then try and get faster.

−         Red  lorry, yellow lorry

−         She sells seashells on the seashore

−         Ed had edited it

−         Are you copper bottoming 'em maam? No, I'm aluminiuming 'em my man

−         You know New York, you need New York, you know you need, unique New York

−         She stood upon the balustraded balcony, inexplicably mimicking him hiccupping and amicably welcoming him in

§         Then can be practiced at home to develop the use of  voice/ articulation by saying and repeating actual lines at home so that every word is clear.

§         Encourage the students to say them in front of a mirror so that they can see how much their mouth/ lips/ tongue have to move to get them right and clear!

Speedy Starter Game

A good whole class warm up game- this works well when introducing topics such as 'Commedia' because it gets students thinking quickly and introduces them to the idea of improvisation and develops their listening skills. It also develops good hand/ eye co-ordination for a cross curricular link to PE! 'Earth Air Water' game:-

·         Whole class in a circle. Teacher in the centre.

·         Throws a ball to people in the circle and says either 'earth, air or water'. Then they count down from 5-1.

·         The student has to catch the ball, say a member of that category and get the ball back to the W/Shop leader before they get to 1, or they are out.

·         Play until one person left.

·         Not allowed any repeated answers.

Starter Game to Iroduce Symbolism

A good whole class warm up game- 'Balloon Race'- can be used to introduce the topic of 'symbolism'- play the game and then ask what could the balloon be if not a balloon. Include a red balloon and you can discuss the ideas for what red could represent e.g. anger/ love/ war. Also can be played to introduce the idea of 'blame', 'responsibility' etc.

−         Whole class sits in a circle.

−         Label them red/ blue alternately according to the colours of the balloon.

−         Get the red team to put their hands up so they know which team they are on and repeat for the blues.

−         Start with 2 balloons at opposite sides of the circle and shout 'go'.

−         The students pass the balloon to their team mates in a clockwise direction. This can alternate on the next go.

−         The aim is to catch up with the other balloon!

−         More balloons can be added.