DOUBLE TAB TO ZOOM ON PHONE OR TABLET
Chanting Names
Sit in a circle with the children and begin to slowly beat your hands on the floor, asking the
children to join in. Starting with your own name, go around the circle chanting everyone’s
name four times, fitting the name to the rhythm of the beating.

Extending the Activity: Once children have mastered the above, pick up the tempo,
chanting each name only twice.

Observation and Evaluation: Does the child maintain a steady, unhurried beat? Is the
child able to rhythmically chant the names?
Adding Equipment: Instead of beating hands on the floor, the children can each hold one
or two rhythm sticks.

Curriculum Connectors: Rhythm is an essential component of music and language arts,
the latter because words have rhythm and individuals must develop an inner sense of
rhythm when reading and writing.

38 COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL




DOUBLE TAB TO ZOOM ON PHONE OR TABLET
Physical Education / Early Elementary
A complete movement curriculum
for early elementary children
Physical education is a critical part of early learning. Movement experiences
exercise the whole body—including the mind—and can help children develop
a lifetime desire for health and fitness and success in all areas of academic
learning. With more than 100 developmentally appropriate physical activities,
this curriculum promotes children’s participation in and enjoyment of creative
movement that is inclusive, active, and fun.

Everything you need to get started is here, including:
• An introduction to implementing physical education into your curriculum
• An explanation of the ways creative movement supports children’s
physical, social/emotional, cognitive, and creative development
• Tips to create a positive learning environment, suggestions for adding
Rae Pica has been an
educational consultant
specializing in children’s
equipment to activities, simple questions to evaluate whether or not the
physical activity since 1980.

children are meeting the activity’s objective, and information on how the
She is the author of many
activities meet early learning standards outlined by NAEYC and AAHPERD
books and known for her lively
• A wide variety of activities—plus extensions and adaptations for children
with special needs—falling under five categories: openers and closers,
basic movement, cooperative activities, educational gymnastics, and
rhythm and dance
• Curriculum Connectors that identify each activity’s correlation with
content learning areas
and informative workshops
and keynote presentations.

Rae is founder of Moving &
Learning (www.raepica.com)
and cofounder of BAM! Radio
(www.bamradionetwork.com), the world’s largest online
• A CD filled with original music to add joy and energy to the activities
education radio network.

“The secret is out of the vault! This groundbreaking book shows us the exact
brain, mind, and body activities that develop the brain. No one has ever broken
these down into simple, thoughtful steps like Rae Pica. A must for every parent
and caregiver!”
—Eric Jensen, leader in the brain-based movement and author of
Enriching the Brain and Teaching with the Brain in Mind
ISBN 978-1-60554-269-0
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
$24.95