Week 1: Group Games and Other Name Activities

It goes without saying, you can do these anytime of the year.  Week 1 is a good week to introduce these.

Learning each others names by hearing and seeing.
GROUP GAMES

Play name games this week.  It will help everyone learn each other's names and feel connected and important.

• Sing "The More We Get Together" and include the children's names.
•  Adapt Fingerplay "Where is Thumbkin?" and use children's names.  "Where is Jaiden?" and Jaiden answers, "Here I am!" and waves to class. 

• "Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?"is the kids all time favorite circle name game.

Sit in a circle.  Clap knees and hands in rhythm while saying,
"Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?"
"__student name___stole the cookies from the cookie jar"
(Student responds). "Who me?"
(Class says)  "Yes, you!"
(Student says ) "it couldn't be"
(Class says). "Then who?"
(Student says another classmate's name)
Chant continues with next name.

The first few times playing, I just go down the circle line.   If student doesn't know the next child's name, they need to ask softly "what is your name?"  This helps practice how to ask someone a question and how to answer a question.
When everyone seems to know how to play the game and classmates' names, then any name could be chosen to go next.  Each person only gets one turn.  My name is usually chosen last and I never admit that I took the cookies,  "could be?!"
Adaptation:  Write students' names on a cookie shape.  Pull out a cookie as the next chosen.  Students will begin to read friend's names.

• Adapt the story of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? to recite names.  Children sit in a circle and chant the phrase , "Mason, Mason, Who do you see?"  then Mason would say student's name next to him.  "I see Kira looking at me."  Class chants Kira's name and it continues around the circle.  IF a child forgets the next person's name, practice asking "What is your name?"    

• Guess Who is missing? 

 One student is selected to be the 'guesser' and turns their back (goes in the hall to wait, closes their eyes...)  Teacher holds up a name card or taps a student to hide away from the group.  The guesser returns and class chants "Who is missing?"  The guesser tries to guess who is NOT in the group.  If needed, a clue could be given,  It is a boy.  or She is wearing a red shirt.  

A PICTURE CAN TELL ALL...
Matching names and pictures:

• Take pictures of students and use the pictures to hold up and class has to say the student's name.

• Use the pictures to match the picture to classmate's name.  

Writing names to pictures:  

• Make a page with students' pictures and their name.  Classmates can practice writing the names on another paper.  You can make a class book and title it, "These are my school friends."

• Give students a clipboard with paper.  They love to write on clipboards and making their own list of friends' names.  Sometimes they say it is a list of those they want to invite to their birthday party.
    Students can take class surveys asking:
  Yes  No Questions
  Do you like ice cream? 
  Do you have any brothers (sisters)?
  Do you have a pet? Do you have a dog (cat)?
  Do you know how to tie your shoes?
  
  
  
  
  Students names are written under the answer yes or no. 
  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
  Tracing names and rainbow writing letters:
• Make a sheet in grey print of students names to practice tracing the letters.  Vary tools to write with from markers, crayons, colored pencils.  
•  Write or print name in large print or bubble font and place page in clear zip bag for playdoh snake writing.
• Using large print name students can paint over letters
• Print name with a black watercolor marker and students can water paint over the letters to watch them bleed.  They think it's cool. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Shaving cream writing

 

.

• Use letter stamps to sequence letters in name correctly.
  
  
  And the more they practice,

  the better they will get.