grad
VELS
A Game Children Play
in the Mbundu Tribe
es LE
Younger
Students
Time:
5-10 minutes
Objective:
Students will practice saying numbers in foreign languages and participate in a game played by children from the Mbundu tribe in Angloa,
West Africa.
Materials
Needed:
Language sheet
Procedures:
TIPS
1. Students stand in a circle, with one student in the center.
2. The student in the center calls out a number.
3. Students then group themselves into groups the size the student
in the center called out.
4. There will likely be a group that is a different number than the
one that was called out. This group will need to say the number
of the size of their group.
5. The student in the center will stay there for three rounds and
then another student is selected.
for
Success:
For more of a challenge, require the student in the center to say the numbers in a
different language. (See Language Number Guide)
Counting to Ten – Language Guide
SpanishFrenchGerman Japanese
KoreanSwahili
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Hana (HA-nah)
Dul (dool)
Set (set)
Net (net)
Da-sul (DA-sut)
Yuh-seot (YA-sut)
Il-gop (EEL-gope)
Yuh-deol (YA-dool)
Ah-hop (AH-hope)
Yeol (yool)
Uno
Dos
Tres
Cuatro
Cinco
Seis
Siete
Ocho
Nueve
Diez
Un
Deux
Trios
Quatra
Cinq
Six
Sept
Huit
Neuf
Dix
Eins
Zwei
Dreu
Vier
Funf
Sechs
Sieben
Acht
Neun
Zehn
Substitute Teacher Handbook / 8th Edition
Ichi (itchy)
Ni (knee)
San (sun)
Shi (she)
Go (go)
Roku (rock)
Shichi (shi-chi)
Hachi (hat-chi)
Kyuu (coo)
Juu (ju)
Moja (mo:ja)
Mbili (mbi-li)
Tatu (taatu)
Nne (n-ne)
Tano (taa-no)
Sita (seta)
Saba (saa ba/
nane (naa neh)
tisa (tea sah)
kumi (koumih)
Fun Time
Fillers
Time:
20 minutes
Objective:
Students will try to guess adverbs and the scenarios.
Materials
Needed:
Language sheet
Procedures:
grad
VELS
Adverb
Charades
es LE
Older
Students
1. Cut out the slips of paper on the attached sheet. Keep the papers
separated into the two piles. One pile should have all the adverbs,
the second pile should have the scenarios in it.
2. Divide students into groups of three.
3. This game is like charades, except they will also have to act out
the scenario according to the adverb.
Adverbs and Scenarios
Directions: Cut out each of these scenarios and adverbs. Keep
the papers in two separate piles and have students draw one
paper from each pile.
©STEDI.org
web
Angrily
Grocery Shopping
Anxiously
Bowling
Awkwardly
Flying a Kite
Cheerfully
Rowing a Boat
Courageously
Flying an Airplane
Doubtfully
Swinging
Eagerly
Playing Baseball
Jealously
Playing Basketball
Lazily
Working Out
Loudly
Mowing the Lawn
Optimistically
Vacuuming the House
Quickly
Driving a Car
Quietly
Riding a Bike
Reliably
Skateboarding
Seriously
Texting a Friend
Shyly
Talking the Phone
Tenderly
Doing Homework
Warmly
Walking a Dog
Wickedly
Playing Soccer
Substitute Teacher Handbook / 8th Edition
grad
VELS
Climbing the
Mountain with Dice
es LE
Adjustable
Time:
5–10 minutes
Objective:
Students will practice adding and subtracting numbers found on dice.
Materials
Needed:
Dice
Pencil
Mountain Sheet for each student
Procedures:
TIPS
for
Success:
1. Divide students into groups of 2–6 depending on how many dice
you have.
2. Give each student a “Mountain Sheet.”
3. The object of the game is to climb up one side of the mountain
and climb down the other. The way students do this is by rolling
the dice and marking off the numbers that they roll. The trick is
that they have to mark these numbers off in order.
4. The can mark off a number in one of three ways:
a. If students roll the number directly.
b. If the sum of two consecutive numbers equals the number
that needs to be marked off
c. If the difference of two consecutive numbers equals the
number that needs to be marked off
5. Students in each group will take turns rolling the dice and
marking off their charts.
6. The student who marks each of the numbers off the fastest,
wins.
To make the game go a little faster, any number that is rolled or any sum or difference
can be marked off. For example if a one and a two are rolled, numbers one two and
three can be checked.
©STEDI.org
6
5
6
6
5
5
4
4
5
4
3
2
1
3
2
2
1
1
6
4
3
2
2
5
4
3
3
6
1
1
6
6
5
5
4
4
3
3
2
2
1
6
5
4
3
2
1
1
©STEDI.org
grad
VELS
Close to
100
es LE
Younger
Students
Time:
15 Minutes
Objective:
Students will play a game that helps them practice adding to 100.
Materials
Needed:
Copy and cut out enough game cards for each pair of students to have
a set (see attached).
Procedures:
TIPS
for
Success:
1. Divide students into groups of two.
2. Give each group a set of Close to 100 Game Cards.
3. Tell students they will be playing a game called Close to 100.
Each game consists of five rounds.
4. Round 1: Deal six cards to each player. Players choose four of
the six cards to make two 2-digit numbers that, when added
together, come as close as possible to 100 (without going over).
Wild cards may be assigned any value. Students will then figure
the difference between 100 and the sum of their individual
points, this is their score. Students will make note of their score.
5. Rounds 2–5: Play is the same except students are only dealt four
cards.
6. Players then add up the total difference from each round and
whichever pair of students has the lowest score, wins.
You may want to consider having the students cut out their own cards to save
you time.
Substitute Teacher Handbook / 8th Edition
Close to 100 Game Cards
Wild Card Wild Card Wild Card
Wild Card
0 00 0
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
6
6
6
6
7
7
7
7
8
8
8
8
9
9
9
9
©STEDI.org
grad
VELS
Find Someone
Who…
es LE
Adjustable
Time:
15 minutes
Objective:
Students will talk with students in the class to find out information
about them.
Materials
Needed:
Find Someone Who… worksheet (see attached)
Procedures:
TIPS
for
Success:
1. Hand out one worksheet to every student.
2. Inform students they will talk with the other students in the class
to find out if they meet the descriptions found in the boxes.
3. If a student does meet a description, they will initial the box on
their classmate’s paper.
Decide beforehand if it is okay for students to initial more than one box. In smaller
classes, this is recommended.
Substitute Teacher Handbook / 8th Edition
Name:
FIND SOMEONE WHO…
Ask the other students in the classroom to see if they fit any of the following descriptions. Have the student
initial the line.
___ Has more than five kids in his/her family.
___ Plays golf.
___ Likes to work on computers.
___ Lives with or near a grandparent.
___ Has traveled outside of the country.
___ Likes the color blue.
___ Was born in a different state.
___ Had peas for dinner in the last week.
___ Did not eat breakfast this morning.
___ Has a dog.
___ Has read all of the Harry Potter books.
___ Saw a movie in the theater the previous weekend.
___ Speaks another language besides English.
___ Has the same birthday month as you.
___ Plays a musical instrument.
___ Wants to be a doctor.
___ Is allergic to peanuts.
___ Wears contact lenses.
___ Works regularly as a volunteer.
___ Has milked a cow.
___ Has done yoga.
___ Has been camping.
___ Likes the same band you do.
___ Has red hair.
___ Has homework to do that night.
___ Plays soccer.
___ Had cereal this morning.
___ Lifts weights regularly.
___ Has an after school job.
___ Has green eyes.
©STEDI.org
grad
VELS
Grouping
Math Facts
es LE
Older
Students
Time:
Students will solve a math equation and group themselves accordingly.
Objective:
Math grouping flashcards (see attached)
Materials
Needed:
1. Hand out the math fact families randomly so each student has
one. However, be sure to complete the fact family.
2. Explain that a fact family is a series of equations that are related.
For example, our fact families include the following equations:
2x3
3x2
6÷3
6÷2
Ask students if they can see why this is a fact family.
3. Tell students that they are going to work to group themselves
into fact families.
4. Whichever team does this fastest wins the round.
5. Students will look at the card that was handed to them and when
the teacher says, “begin,” start asking other students what fact
family they belong to.
Substitute Teacher Handbook / 8th Edition
grad
1-8
VELS
Grouping
Ten
es LE
Time:
5 minutes
Objective:
Students will play a game to help them quickly find groups of ten.
Materials
Needed:
A deck of cards (with the face cards removed) for each group of students
Procedures:
TIPS
for
Success:
1. Divide students into groups of 2 – 4 and give the students a deck
of cards with the face cards removed.
2. One student will shuffle the cards and lay 9 face up.
3. All of the students in the group will look at the 9 cards and find
numbers that will create a group of ten.
4. When a student identifies a group of ten, the student removes
those cards and keeps them in their own pile.
5. Any cards removed needs to be replaced.
6. For example, a student sees that two fives are laid down. She can
collect those two fives and continue looking for another group
of ten. The student who shuffled will then replace the two fives
with two other cards from the main pile.
7. Play continues for two minutes. The student that has the most
cards at the end of the two minutes wins the round.
Demonstrate a practice round for all the students to see so they understand how to
play. This will eliminate many questions.
©STEDI.org
grad
VELS
Jan, Ken,
Po
es LE
Younger
Students
Time:
5–10 minutes
Objective:
Students will play a Japanese game that uses skills in cooperation and
probability.
Materials
Needed:
None
Procedures:
1. Divide students into pairs and tell them they are going to play a
game like children in Japan play.
2. The game is similar to Rock, Paper, Scissors but in Japan they call
it Jan Ken Po.
3. The object of the game is to win the round. Students win the
round in one of three ways:
• Rock (made by making a fist) beats scissors.
• Scissors (made by using your pointer finger and middle
finger into scissors) beat paper.
• Paper (made by laying your hand flat) beats rock.
4. Students will sit facing each other and chant “Jan, Ken, Po!” On
“Po” students will make one of the signs mentioned earlier to
determine who won the round.
5. Students will play their partner three times. Whoever wins the
most out of those three times will move on to the next round.
Continue until there is a final winner.
Substitute Teacher Handbook / 8th Edition
grad
VELS
Make a Run
for It
es LE
Varied
Time:
20 minutes
Objective:
This is a fun activity for the last few minutes of class if activities end
early.
Materials
Needed:
Dice
Pencil
Scrap paper
Procedures:
TIPS
for
Success:
1. Divide students into groups of 3–5 and give each of them six dice.
2. Students will roll the dice and try to create runs starting with the
number one. (Note that all runs have to start with number one
for them.)
3. Each number that contributes to a run counts for 5 points. For
example, if a student rolls a 6, 5, 1, 1, 2, 4. The student would
get 10 points because there is a 1 and a 2 in the roll.
Another example: If a student rolls a 5, 4, 2, 6, 6 then the player
wouldn’t get any points.
For older students, consider having each of the numbers in the run count for 6, 7, or 8
to make it more challenging to add points.
©STEDI.org
grad
Older
Students
Time:
20 minutes
Objective:
Students will create an innovative product that should be invented.
Materials
Needed:
Paper
Colored Pencils/Markers
Procedures:
TIPS
for
Success:
VELS
New
Inventions
es LE
1. Students can either work on their own or with another student.
2. Students will draw a picture of an innovative product that should
be invented. Along with the picture, ask students to write a three
sentence summary of their product and how it is to be used.
3. Allow students to share with the other class members if they
would like.
To get people thinking, you may want to run a brief brainstorming session before allowing them to work on their invention.
Substitute Teacher Handbook / 8th Edition
grad
Younger
Students
Time:
5–10 minutes
Objective:
Students will participate in a game that children in Greece play.
Materials
Needed:
Beans
Procedures:
TIPS
for
Success:
VELS
Odd or Even – Number
Game from Greece
es LE
1. Divide students into groups of two.
2. The first student will hide a small number of beans behind his/her
back and ask the second student, “Odd or even?”
3. The second student either guesses “odd” or “even.”
4. If the second student guesses right, the first student will give
him/her a bean.
5. Then it is the second student’s turn to hide beans behind his/her
back.
6. The game goes on until one player is out of beans.
If you would like to rotate students, play for an allotment of time and then have students rotate. Before the students rotate have them count their beans, whoever has the
most beans wins the round.
©STEDI.org
grad
es LE
1-2
Time:
15–25 minutes
Objective:
Students will practice identifying the number of syllables in a word.
Materials
Needed:
Class roll (may be useful, but not required)
Procedures:
TIPS
for
Success:
VELS
Syllable
Detectives
1. Ask if any student knows what a syllable is. For further clarification, say a few words and clap as your say them to demonstrate
a syllable.
2. Inform students that they are going to be detectives and try to
discover how many syllables are in each class member’s name.
3. Invite one student at a time to stand up and have the rest of the
class repeat the student’s name. While they repeat the name,
students will clap to determine how many syllables are in each
person’s name.
4. Possible extension: After each student has had a chance to find out
how many syllables are in his/her name, ask if any students have
nicknames. You can repeat step three using student’s nicknames.
Point out that typically nicknames have fewer syllables.
1. Maintain an excited attitude towards the “discovery” of syllables in each name.
Your attitude will model for the students how they are to respond.
2. Set clear expectations at the beginning of each activity.
Substitute Teacher Handbook / 8th Edition
grad
2-9
VELS
What’s Your
Value?
es LE
Time:
3–5 minutes
Objective:
Student will practice their deductive reasoning skills.
Materials
Needed:
Number cards (can easily be made by writing numbers on small squares
of cardstock paper)
Procedures:
TIPS
for
Success:
1. Divide students into groups of three. Two of the students are
handed number cards face down. Students will then take the
cards and place them (without looking at the cards) and put
them facing out on their foreheads.
2. The third player will say the value of the two cards added together.
3. Based on the value and the number that they can see (the other
student’s number) the two students will try to figure out the
value of their own card.
4. Students try to race to figure out their answer first.
5. To make the game more challenging for older students, require
the third student to use subtraction, multiplication, or division to
determine the value.
1. If you do not wish to make number cards, a deck of face cards after removing the
jack, kings, queens, and jokers would be a good way to go.
2. This activity would be a great early finisher activity.
©STEDI.org
grad
Younger
Students
Time:
15 minutes
Objective:
Students will discover the identity of his/her classmate.
Materials
Needed:
Strips of paper cut into 3 in x 20 in long
Tape
Pen or Pencil
Shoebox or small container
Procedures:
TIPS
for
Success:
es LE
VELS
Who
Am I?
1. Have each student write his or her name on a strip of paper and
place it in the shoebox or container.
2. Ask one student to come forward and pick a piece of paper
without looking at the name.
3. Help the student take the strip of paper and tape it around their
head.
4. The student will then turn to their other classmates and ask one
yes or no question to each student trying to determine which
classmate’s name is written on their headband.
Example questions include:
Am I a boy?
Do I have dark hair?
Am I short?
5. When the student thinks she knows her secret identity, she may
take a guess. If she guesses incorrectly three times, tell her the
student’s name written on the headband.
6. Ask for another student to come forward and repeat the process.
1. If you don’t have time to go through students individually, distribute the names and
a piece of tape to everyone. Have students assist each other in putting on the headbands without looking. They can then ask each other questions as they walk around
the class until they guess who is on their headband.
2. If you don’t have paper, sticky labels work well too. Just place the name on the back
of each student then have students go around and ask their yes or no questions.
Substitute Teacher Handbook / 8th Edition