This is something you might very possibly want to okay with your principal beforehand :-) oops...

Objectives :
Dynamic Balance
Different locomotor movements
Using levels, pathways and directions

Grade Level : K-5

Materials :
Tempera Paints of various colors. I used red, yellow, blue and green.
Roller brush (sponge kind)
It does wash off. I promise.....

Prerequisites :
Students should have previous experience with different kinds of animal walks.
Students should know some basic locomotor movements, ie. skipping, galloping, sliding, etc.
Students should have some knowledge of dynamic and static balance.
Students should have some knowledge of levels, pathways and directions

Set-up :
We painted a large grid pattern in yellow for straight lines. Then we painted a Zig-zag line, a curved line, and a circular set of lines over it.

Lesson :
The opportunities for this are endless.
Have the children chasse', gallop or skip on the straight lines. They may change directions at any intersection. Have them do the same with the other patterns.
Have the children walk the lines like a tightrope. Do this forward, backwards and sideways. Use different levels.
Have the children get on the color of their choice. Then have them do a particular animal walk for each color and pathway.
Examples:
Frog jump on the yellow
Bear walk on the blue
Crab walk on the green
3 legged dog walk on the red
If they get to another color and pattern from the one they are doing they change to the one for that color and pattern. They may choose to stay on one color and pattern or change as may times as they wish.
You may do the same thing with locomotor skills such as skipping, galloping, hopping and jumping.
Children may try to tag each other, if successful they change colors with each other.
Choose a number from 1 - 5. The children must travel on the lines using that number for points of balance. You will get many varieties of the same number on this one
Have children do a locomotor skill and when they get to another color they may jump, hop or leap to it. They then continue with the locomotor skill named. They may repeat as often as they wish.
Have the children move on the lines, if they come to another person where they cannot move they have to get around each other without getting off of the line.

These are just a few of the many things you can do with this. Use your imagination. You can also use floor tape rather than tempera paints.

P.S. - You might not want to have the children sit on the colors . It could ..sorta,..maybe,..kinda,..probably come off on the clothes. ...oops again :-)

If you have comments or suggestions, email me at pijewill@eastnet.educ.ecu.edu

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