Hobbies And Interests
Shout Out Those Names
Start off the school year playing "Shout Out Those Names" and enable new peers to quickly get to know one another. You'll need a soft, squishy ball. Step outside or clear an area in the middle of the classroom large enough for every student to step into the circle. Hand the ball to the first player and instruct him to shout out his name then throw it to someone else. Play continues until all students have caught the ball, shouted their names, heard their classmates repeat it back to them and thrown the ball off.
My Electric Guitar
Satiate any young music lover's taste for stringed instruments with the PC game "My Electric Guitar." Players learn how to play the guitar at their own pace as they move through different levels in the game, mastering applicable skills and information. Participants enjoy learning the basics of chord manipulation, fingerings and its notation. Notes are highlighted while appearing on screen for use and tutorial videos show trained professionals effectively completing each task.
Find Someone Who
Encourage kids to play "Find Someone Who" and help them learn how to communicate and make new friends. Participants learn fun facts and information about each other. Prior to starting this activity, print copies of the worksheet and hand out one to every person. Instruct players that their goal is to circulate the room until filling in every statement on their sheet. Questions asked include, "Find someone who is wearing the same color as you, has a brother or sister at home and has a birthday the same month as you. For a copy of the handout, go to the fourth link under "References" below.
Reading Detective Beginning
"Reading Detective Beginning" is a PC software game that helps children learn and practice reading comprehension skills. It enables them to learn how to read and improve critical thinking aptitude while having fun pretending to be a detective and solving puzzles, mysteries and rhymes. Upon completion of educational activities, players earn points and tokens that open up arcade-style entertainment games for them to play. Facts versus inferences, parts of a story, cause and effect and prediction are all part of the fun.