Five-Minute Activities for Young Learners

Box 93
Little Red Riding Hood chant
Little Red Riding Hood
The Big Bad Wolf
Oh, Grandma! What big eyes
All the better to see/look at you, my dear.
you’ve got!
Oh, Grandma! What big ears
All the better to hear you, my dear.
you’ve got!
Oh, Grandma! What a big nose
All the better to smell you, my dear.
you’ve got!
Oh, Grandma! What big feet
All the better to run with you, my dear.
you’ve got!
Oh, Grandma! What big arms
All the better to catch/hug you, my dear.
you’ve got!
Oh, Grandma! What big hands
All the better to draw with you, my dear.
you’ve got!
Oh, Grandma! What big legs
All the better to jump with you, my dear.
you’ve got!
Oh, Grandma! What a big mouth
All the better to sing/talk with you, my
you’ve got!
dear.
Oh, Grandma! What big teeth
All the better to eat you, my dear!
you’ve got!
Follow-up
• Find a picture story book of Little Red Riding Hood and read it to the
class.
• For other narratives, see Activities 2.16, 3.5, 3.13, 3.14, 3.18, 4.10, 6.18.
Five-Minute Activities for Young Learners
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5.2 Callisthenics
Level
*
Language focus
Instructions, vocabulary: parts of the body, shapes
Skills focus
Speaking and listening
Thinking focus
Following directions
Teaching approach
Promote accuracy – correct errors
Interaction
Whole class work, suitable for large classes
Preparation_On_the_board,_draw_a_circle,_a_square_and_a_triangle._Write_the_English_words_beside_each_shape.__Procedure_1'>Preparation
On the board, draw a circle, a square and a triangle. Write the
English words beside each shape.
Procedure
1 Ask the children to stand up and give them one of the instructions from
Box 94, e.g. Draw a big circle with your head. The idea is that they can
stretch and exercise while they listen to directions and revise the names of
the parts of the body.
2 When they have grasped the idea of the activity, call on one of the
children to give instructions to the others, e.g. Draw a small square with
your right foot.
3 Each child who has a turn to give instructions then chooses someone else
to give the next instruction.
Box 94
Drawing shapes with the body
Draw a big/small
with your right arm.
with your left hand.
with your little finger.
circle
with your thumb.
with your head.
with your nose.
with your eyes.
with your mouth.
square
with your ear.
with your left leg.
with your right foot.
with your big toe.
triangle
with your knee.
Healthy bodies
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5.3 Create your own dance
Level
*
Language focus
Instructions, vocabulary: parts of the body, action verbs
Skills focus
Speaking, listening and reading
Thinking focus
Inventing
Teaching approach
Promote creativity – accept errors
Interaction
Pairwork, suitable for large classes
Preparation
Choose a music CD – something you know the children will
love to dance to.
Procedure
1 Tell the children that, together, you are going to create a new dance
routine. Play some of the music and suggest the first set of actions, e.g.
Put your hands on your arms and tap, tap, tap with your fingers. Write
this sentence on the board, and get the children to do the actions.
2 Give the children a few seconds to talk with their partner about what
actions could come next. Some suggestions are in Box 95. Then choose
one of the children to suggest a dance move.
3 As each new set of movements is suggested, write them on the board. The
children may not have the language to fully express what they want to
do. Encourage them to say as much as they can in English, and then
supply the missing words for them.
4 As you write the dance instructions on the board, ask the children to read
them and do the actions.
5 Finally, play the music and have the whole class moving, tapping,
jumping and generally having a wonderful time.
Box 95
Dance movements