Hero Car Lot
(You could use hero or super hero)
Materials:
•
None
Instructions:
1. Decide if you are going to use super heroes or any personal heroes.
2. Choose 2 people to go to the center of the gym and be “it”.
3. Everyone else lines up along one wall.
4. The “its” will choose 3 super heroes or personal heroes, and yell them out to the rest
of the players.
5. The players choose which they will be in their mind, without saying it out loud.
6. The “its” call out one of the three hero names and the kids who chose that name
have to run to the other end of the gym without getting tagged.
7. If a player gets tagged they have to freeze where they are, but can help tag by
standing where they are frozen. If someone is tagged by a frozen player, they are out
too.
8. The last two people untagged will become the new “its”.
Component: Literacy
Time: 30 minutes
THEMED WORD LIST
Goal: To connect with the theme of the month
Materials:
 Dictionaries
 Big piece of paper
 Lined paper
 Pencils or markers
Procedure:
1. Engage and Connect—5 minutes:
a. Discuss with the children the theme of the month
b. Discuss how the theme relates to their own lives
2. Introduction and Set Up—10 minutes:
.
Hand out paper and pencils and provide dictionaries
a.
Explain that the group will brainstorm words related to the theme and create one list of 510 words (or more!) that they can reference throughout the month.
b.
Write the words on a large piece of paper for all to see.
c.
Split children into smaller groups for this activity
3. The Activity—15 minutes:
.
Using the dictionary, groups of children will look up the definitions to the words they
choose as a group.
a.
Children will copy down the definitions and create a small reference list
b.
Once the group is done everyone can come back together to share their findings
Reflection: How can the children relate these words to their own lives? What are different
examples of each word they can come up with?
SOURCE: n/a
SKILL: learning to consult reference material, spelling, and expanding vocabulary
SUPERHERO CAPES
Component: Art
Time: 45 minutes
Goal: To have kids use their imaginations to develop their own superhero logo and paint it on
their cape.
Materials:
● Blank T-Shirts (white, blue, red, green, and black are all good - have the kids bring these)
● Tempera paints in several primary colors
● Paintbrushes
Procedure:
1. Engage and Connect — 10 minutes: Ask the kids if they have ever dreamed of being a
superhero. What powers/abilities would they have? What weaknesses? What would they
focus on changing?
2. Introduction and Set Up — 10 minutes: Cut the sleeves off each shirt, then cut up the
sides and around the front of the collar. Leave the collar and back of the shirt intact. This
will be the cape. While you are doing this, have the kids design their own superhero logo.
3. The Activity — 25 minutes: Allow the kids to paint their own superhero logos on their
capes.
Reflection: Do you need super powers to change the world? What does it take to change the
world? What’s one thing you can think of that needs changing?
SOURCE: http://eastcoastmommyblog.blogspot.ca/2014/09/no-sew-superhero-cape-andcuffs.html
SKILL: Imagination
SUPERHERO AND SUPERPOWER ALPHABET
Component: Literacy
Time: 15 minutes
Goal: To widen their knowledge of superheroes, to think creatively about superheroes
Materials:
● Pencils
● Paper
● Markers
● Imagination!
Procedure:
1. Engage and Connect—5 minutes:
a. Ask the children what kind of superpowers they would want to have
b. Ask them which superpowers would be most useful in their day to day lives
2. Introduction and Set Up—5 minutes:
a. Explain that the kids will try to make one alphabet of superheroes and one alphabet
of superpowers (superpowers will need lots of imagination!)
3. The Activity—10 minutes:
a. Provide paper and pencils and markers and allow the children to start brainstorming
for their alphabets
b. For example: A is for Antman (a superhero), F if for Flying (the power to fly, kids
can come up with all kinds of powers, even silly ones!)
c. If the children are struggling to think of superpowers or superheroes let them know
it can be anything, even something like M is for Mailman (because who would
deliver the mail is there wasn’t a mailman?)
d. After about 10 minutes come together and share all the different kinds of
superheroes and powers they came up with!
e. Creating illustrations for each of the letters and then creating a book could be a
group activity as well
Reflection: If they could only have one superpower what would it be and why? What would they
use their superpowers for? What superpowers would be most useful in their daily lives?
SOURCE: n/a
SKILL: critical thinking, creative thinking, alphabet practice, spelling
Community Member 4 Corners
This is the traditional 4 corners game, but the people in each corner must choose to be
a certain type of person from our community. They could be teachers, doctors,
policemen, firefighters, cashiers, homeless people … etc.
Materials:
•
•
Sprout balls
A basket to hold the balls in is helpful, but optional
Instructions:
1. Choose 2 people to be the throwers, and stand in the middle of the playing area (1/2
of the gym) with the basket of sprout balls.
2. Everyone else has to choose a corner to stand in, and decide on a name for their
group. Their corners’ group must choose a name of a type of person in our community.
Once they have decided on a name, they must tell the people in the middle of the
playing field.
3. The throwers call out the names of the group’s one at a time. When your corner is
called, you run to the next corner to your right without getting hit by a ball. The goal is
run all the way back to your original base without getting hit. If you are hit, that player
must join the throwers in the middle.
4. The last person standing is the winner, and new throwers are chosen to start a new
game.
MAKE IT MOVE! CHALLENGE
Component: STEM
Time: 30 minutes
Goal: To have students engage in a critical thinking activity that involves problem solving and
team work
Materials:
 A level table
 Tinker Tools – tape, magnets, straws, balloons, string, paper, scissors, etc
Procedure:
1. Engage and Connect — 5 minutes: Set up the “race course”. Pull out the toy cars. Lay
out the “tinker tools”. Post the rules on a 3x5 card.
The Rules
You may not touch your car or alter the track. You also can not lift the table.
The first ideas to come may be building a ramp or lifting the table, so it is important that
they understood those are against the rules. Building a ramp would alter the track.
2. Introduction and Set Up — 5 minutes: Explain that today we will be problem solving how
to get a toy car from one end of the table to the other without touching it, or the table!
Ask, “I wonder how we can get a car from one end of the table to the other without
touching it?” Brainstorm some ideas of what could work. Prompt them to think about the
tools provided and how they could be used. Explain that they will work on teams to figure
out how to get their car down the table the fastest. Sort them into teams of 2-3 kids.
3. The Activity — 15 minutes: Give the teams 5 minutes or so to decide on a method for how
to move their car from one end to the other without touching it. Then, let the engineering
begin. Finally, race!
Reflection: What worked well in trying to get the cars to move? What didn’t work as well?
How was it working on a team? What would you do differently next time?
SOURCE: http://www.steampoweredfamily.com/activities/make-it-move-stem-challenge/
SKILL: Development of Problem Solving and Teamwork Skills
Super Hero Tag
Materials:
•
Sprout balls
Instructions:
1. Divide children into two teams. One team is the Super Heroes, the other is the
Villains.
2. Pass out the balls to both teams evenly.
3. The goal is to tag members of the opposite team with a ball. If you are hit with a ball
you must freeze with your legs apart. A member of your own team can crawl under your
legs to unfreeze you. Once you have been frozen twice, you are out for the rest of the
game.
4. The team still standing in the end is the winner.
SUPERHERO MASKS AND CUFFS
Component: Arts & Crafts
Time: 30 minutes
Goal: To have students create accessories for their superhero costumes.
Materials:
● Felt sheets
● Scissors
● Hot Glue
● Hot Glue Gun
● Optional: pre-cut foam shapes
● Ribbon or Yarn
● Tempera Paints
● Paintbrushes
● Cardboard tubes (from toilet paper or paper towel rolls)
Procedure:
1. Engage and Connect — 5 minutes: Ask the kids “besides capes, what sorts of things do
super heroes wear?” & “How do these items help the super heros?”
2. Introduction and Set Up — 5 minutes: Tell them that today they get the opportunity to
make their own masks and cuffs. Quickly explain the set up and split the group in two (if
you plan to have both activities running at the same time). Set up the hot glue gun to
pre-heat.
3. The Activities — 20 minutes:
a. Prep Work: Cut each felt sheet in half.
b. Masks: Have each kid pick two half sheets of felt. These will be either
side of their mask. They should cut identical masks out of both pieces
of felt. For speed, use a hot glue gun to glue together the two masks
and the ribbon or yarn that will be the ties. Once they are glued
together, the kids can decorate both sides.
c. Cuffs: Paint the paper towel tubes. After they dry, cut each to the
length of a cuff. Slit open one side of the tube. Decorate.
Reflection: How does putting on a costume change how you feel? Why do you think super
heroes wear costumes? What are other ways to change your appearance?
SOURCE:
http://eastcoastmommyblog.blogspot.ca/2014/09/no-sew-superhero-cape-and-cuffs.html
http://www.kiwicrate.com/projects/Felt-Superhero-Masks/607
SKILL: Development of Creativity and Imagination
Color Bulldog
A fun and colorful tag game for kids!
Directions:
1. One or two children are selected to be “it”
2. The people who are “it” stand in the middle of the playing field while
all the other kids stand along one edge of the playing field
3. “It” then chooses a color to call out – ex. red
4. Whoever is wearing the color red (visibly) then tries to run across the
playing field without getting tagged by the people who are it
5. If a player gets tagged, they can then drop to all fours as a bull dog
and crawl around trying to tag people*
6. The last player or two player in, become the next “it” people
*Note: this game can be hard on the knees; there is risk for grass stains,
rug burns, or rubber burns. If it is too difficult to have the bull dogs craw
on their hands and knees, they may alternately do a “bear walk” where
only their hands and feet are touching the ground
NUMBER PUZZLE
Component: Math
Time: 20 minutes
Goal: To practice math equations and think critically about numbers
Materials:
 Pencils and Paper
Procedure:
1. Engage and Connect—5 minutes:
a. Ask the group about what kinds of different math operations the might know
(addition, subtraction etc)
b. Discuss that there are many different ways to get a single number in math using
different operations
2. Introduction and Set Up—5 minutes:
a. Pass out paper and pencils
b. It may help to partner younger children with older children
c. Have the kids write down the different math operations they know and the numbers
“1,2,3,4and 5” somewhere on their paper (these numbers are important.)
3. The Activity—10 minutes:
a. This activity is to see how many different numbers the children can make between
1 and 50 using only the numbers “1,2,3,4 and 5” and using the math operations
they know.
b. For example: 1+2+3+4+5= 15, we made the number 15.
c. For example: 2x5=10, we made the number 10.
d. After 10 minutes see how many numbers they came up with.
Reflection: Ask the children if they got the same number from different equations? How can
they use this knowledge to apply to other things in their lives like problem solving?
SOURCE: n/a
SKILL: critical thinking, equation practice, problem solving.
Art Thief
What is needed: a variety of objects from site, small or large, small slips of
paper with a P or T written on them (read instructions below)
How to play:
1. Objects are strewn about the gym. These objects represent great
works of art, and the gym represents the world’s finest museum.
2. Everyone, save the two security guards, gets a slip. The slip either has
a P or a T on it. No one may show anyone else what is on their slip. If
they do, they are eliminated.
3. Those with Ps on their slip are patrons. Their job is to walk around the
gym and admire the objects.
4. The one with a T on his/her paper is the art thief.
5. The art thief’s job is to get one of the items to the side of the gym
furthest from where it was placed without getting tagged by a security
guard.
6. The patrons who do the best job admiring the art get promoted to
security guard during the next round.
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: RUNNING CLUB
Goal
To develop skills in running and build excitement for the annual Spring Run hosted by the South
Sound Y every May.
Prep
Introduce the club during community time. Explain to the kids that running is like walking except
there is a period of suspension when both feet are off the ground at the same time. The skill of
running includes jogging, sprinting, chasing, dodging and evading. All of these are important to
many games (e.g. tag), sports (e.g. athletics) and everyday activities (e.g. running to get to
school on time). Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday the club will meet to play a running
game or run laps around a designated track. Incentives for the “Fastest Feet” or greatest
endurance runner are encouraged!
Applying Movement Principles
Momentum: In running, the greater the force produced from the drive off the back leg, the
greater the forward acceleration. That is, the more you push off the ground with your legs, the
faster you will go.
Direction of force: In running, the direction of force is achieved through a forwards lean of the
body. Knees move forwards, and arms move forwards and back, to minimize any lateral
movements of the body. That is, you lean your body in the direction of the run.
Levers: If you shorten your lever arm, the movement will be faster. That is, bending your knees
and elbows shortens the lever to increase running speed.
Learning cues
 hold head up, look ahead
 lean body slightly forward
 lift knees
 bend arms at the elbows, swing arms backwards and forwards from shoulders
 move arms in opposition to leg action
 land on heels
 push off with the balls of the feet
 as running speed is increased, body lean and arm action increases
 in a fast run, the balls of the feet contact the ground first
Learning phases
Discovering phase: Activities in this phase involve children discovering different ways of running:
in space, through different pathways and levels, and at varying speeds. The following are some
characteristics of running for this phase:
 leg swing is limited, with a stiff, uneven stride
 no obvious flight phase
 arms are stiff and swing out from the body
 legs and feet swing out from the body
 running pattern features a wide base of support.
Developing phase: Practicing running efficiently, at different speeds and in varying directions is a
focus for learning in this phase. Children in the developing phase of the running skill exhibit the
following characteristics:
 running stride is more even
 a limited flight phase is evident
 back leg extends to push off and give more momentum
 arm swing increases and occurs closer to the body.
Consolidating phase: Children at this level apply the skill of running in different contexts,
including sustained running and sprint activities, evading opponents (e.g. in tag games) and
running with others. A mature running pattern includes the following characteristics:
 stride is a good length, has an even rhythm and includes a definite flight phase
 supporting leg extends fully
 arms are bent and swing backwards and forwards in opposition to legs.
Instilling Leadership Competencies
Allow time for “Youth Voice and Choice” whenever possible. Encourage children to take turns
leading the club, nominate chair members, track laps, etc.