I know for myself that summertime is associated with having fun, and what better way to do so then to incorporate songs and interesting activities into the day.
Painting is always a favorite of students (although it might not be for teachers),
so one of the activities that I always enjoy brining into the classroom is a summertime vocabulary lesson which is followed by an artistic touch. I like to begin by going over words that children associate with summer such as:
- beach
- picnic
- butterfly
- sunshine
- shorts
- ice cream
- sunglasses
- bees
The list will vary from country to country, and will depend on the experiences of each child. With this in mind, it might be best to make the list as a class, or to get some ideas before presenting it to the class. I normally choose ten words or so and then either draw them on the board, show a picture of them, or when possible bring the item in (sunglasses is an easy one.) After going over the list I always like incorporating the new vocabulary into an easy song. For example:
I like pools! I like pools!
What about you? What about you?
I do too! I do too!
This is a fun, easy and catchy song (feel free to sing it to any tune you prefer) that will allow the teacher to go through the vocabulary list and include each new word in the song. Then once this is done you can begin the “fun” part.
Now that the children have a few summertime words up their sleeves you can allow them to show you what they have learned by creating a masterpiece.
Spray Art:
Fill a spray bottle 3/4 full with water. Place a small amount of paint (powdered or liquid) into the water. Be careful, since if you use too much or do not shake it well the paint will clog up the spray bottle. Do this for at least three different bottles, with three different colors (the amount of bottles that you have will depend on your class size.) Then place a large piece of paper on the floor, on an easel, on a wall or on a fence outside and have the children spray the colored water on the paper creating pictures based on their new vocabulary. Don’t worry, if you don’t have spray bottles, just regular painting will work too (although it may not be as fun!) When the pictures are complete lay out or hang to dry. Now you’re done!
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