ATTENTION GETTERS & TRANSITIONS
** Tootsie roll (roll hands around each other), lollypop (lick a lollypop), we were talking
let's stop (karate chop down into other hand)"
(open & close hands),
now
** GIVE ME FIVE - hand goes up, voice goes off (Each finger stands for something – EYES
watching, EARS listening, MOUTH quiet, HANDS folded, BODY still) I usually whisper, “eyes,
ears, mouth, hands, body” - if it takes a little extra to quiet after the “Give me Five” but mostly
the kids are quiet with just the Give me Five
** COUNT DOWN: “Quiet when I get to zero: 5,4,3,2,1, 0 ZIP.”
** COUNT UP: “Quiet when I say 3: 1, 2, 3!”
***SAY: Freeze 1, 2, 3. Students stop and do the motions after each number.
Freeze 1 - hands on your head
Freeze 2 - hands on your shoulders
Freeze 3 - hands in your lap
***SING: I am waiting for eyes and ears, eyes and ears, eyes and ears, I am waiting for eyes
and ears, ready to listen. (TUNE of London Bridges)
***SING: Oh dear what can the matter be, oh dear what can the matter be, oh dear what can
the matter be...it's way too noisy in here.
***SING: "Na Na Na Na, Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey, Good Job. OR Na Na Na Na, Na
Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey, Sit Down."
**ASK a wiggly child to “show you his/her space” – gives them ownership of their “area”
**GREETING: “Thumb Kiss” – Put thumbs together; make kiss sound
STARTING A LESSON
** SONG (tune: “Are you Sleeping?”):
Eyes are watching
Ears are listening
Lips are closed
Hands are very quiet
You should really try it.
Listening well. Listening well.
(as you are singing, point to each body part mentioned)
**SAY, “If you are ready, touch your nose…if you are ready, touch your head…, etc. End with,
“If you are ready, put your eyes on me and lips zipped.”
Shake My Hands
TUNE: “Farmer in the Dell”
A New School Day
Tune: “Farmer in the Dell”
I’ll shake my hands up high.
I’ll shake my hands down low.
I’ll turn around and then sit down
And fold my hands just so.
A new school day is here.
Let’s greet it with good cheer.
We say hello to everyone,
A new school day is here!
Are You Ready?
TUNE: “Are you sleeping?”
Let’s Begin!
TUNE: “Are you Sleeping?”
Are you ready, are you ready?
For circle time, for circle time?
It is time to gather,
It is time to gather,
Now lets’ begin, now let’s begin.
Are you listening? Are you listening?
Yes I am! Yes I am!
Now it’s time for circle (or story, learning, etc.)
Now it’s time for circle
Let’s begin. Let’s begin.
Good Morning Song
TUNE: “The More We Get Together”
Listen and Do
One, two, listen and do.
Three, four, listen some more!
Five, six, fingers on lips.
Seven, eight, sit up straight.
Nine, ten, let’s begin!
Good morning everybody
Good morning, good morning.
Good morning everybody,
And how do you do?
Our day’s just beginning
With fun things to do.
Good morning everybody,
Good morning to you!
Hands in Lap
Put your hands
Put your hands
Put your hands
Put your hands
in your
in your
in your
in your
lap, in your lap, lap, lap.
lap, in your lap, lap, lap.
lap and give a little tap.
lap, in your lap, lap, lap.
We Wish You… (good at calendar time)
TUNE: "We Wish You A Merry Christmas"
Good Morning
Tune: “Happy Birthday”
We wish you a happy Monday,
We wish you a happy Monday,
We wish you a happy Monday all day long.
Good morning to you, good morning to you.
Good morning everybody, good morning to you.
I’m so glad you’re here, I’m so glad you’re here.
Come sit in our circle, I’m so glad you’re here.
Start the Day with a Smile
TUNE: "The Mulberry Bush”
This is the way we start the day,
Start the day, start the day.
This the way we start the day,
So early in the morning.
First we smile and shake a hand,
Shake a hand, shake a hand.
First we smile and shake a hand,
So early in the morning.
Then we sit down quietly,
Quietly, Quietly
Then we sit down quietly,
So early in the morning.
We listen very Carefully,
Carefully, Carefully.
We listen very carefully,
So early in the morning.
** NOISE MAKERS:
- Wind Chimes
- Cowbell
- Train Whistle
- Tambourine
- Rattle
- Jingle Bells
- Clap a Rhythm
- Rain Stick
- Kazoo
- Harmonica
- Wooden “croaker” frog
- Maracas
** CLAP A RHYTHM - thigh, clap, thigh, clap and say to the beat "I'm looking to see who's
ready with me" then say children's names to the beat..."Shanisha's ready, yay, Shanisha!"
** SNAP your fingers – start very quiet & steady. Children should join in quietly at first and
then (teacher leads) start getting louder. When everyone is snapping, make a very dramatic
“cut off” signal and everyone stops.
** Teacher claps twice; students respond with two claps and a “swoosh” (say swoosh and do the
hand motion.)
** Tune of "Shave and a haircut...two bits" but sing "Da, da, da, duh, duh" and the children
respond with "Hands up." They say "hands up" and put their hands up and stop talking, moving,
working, etc. and immediately look at me.
*** Same tune: Say, “Shh, shh, shh, shh.” Children respond with, “Shh, shh.”
** SAY (quietly), “If you can hear me, stop talking and put your thumb in the air.” Walk around
and repeat it a couple times until everyone is participating.
**FOR OLDER STUDENTS (2nd and up):SAY, "Give me 12" Teacher holds up 6 fingers and
students put up 6 fingers because 6+6= 12. Change to multiplication by saying "Give me 30" and
teacher holds up 10 fingers and students hold up 3 fingers because 10X3=30.
** CALL & RESPONSE:
T: Macaroni and Cheese
S: Everybody Freeze!
T: Hocus Pocus
S: Let's Focus (or Everybody Focus)
T: 123 eyes on me
S: 1 2 eyes on you
T: Marco!
S: Polo!
T: Ba Da Ba Ba Ba (McnD)
S: I’m lovin’ it
T: Pea-nut, peanut butter
S: Jelly, Jelly!
T: Hands on Top! (Hands on head)
S: Everybody Stop!
T: Scooby Doo
S: Where are you?
T: Scooby, dooby doo, Where are you?
S: We've got some work to do now!
T: Spongebob
S: Squarepants
T: Heads down
S: Voices off
T: Everybody's Listening (or sitting, looking)
S: Right now!
T: Stop, Look, and Listen!
S: OK!
T: STOP!
S: Collaborate and Listen!
T: (Spell) Q-U-I-E-T
S: Quiet, Quiet that's what I'll be!
In a sing-song voice T: Are you ready?
S: All set!
T: (low voice) Are you quiet?
S: (whisper) You bet!
Before the hallway T: Marshmallow cheeks! (make fat cheeks)
S: Marshmallow feet! (pretend to put marshmallows on feet)
My favorite
T: Which road are you on?
S: I'm on the road to college!
T: Chicka, Chicka
S: Boom Boom!
T: Blow Train Whistle
S: All Aboard
T: No bees, no honey
S: No work, no money
T: I expect nothing less than your very
S: Best
T: Lions and Tigers and Bears
S: Oh my
T: A hush fell over the room
S: Shhhh
T: Hey Hey
S: Ho Ho
T: To Infinity
S: And beyond
T: Clap, clap, clap
S: Hands in your lap
T: Wave them in the air
S: Like you just don’t care
T: If you see a bird (flap arms)
S: Don’t say a word (Shhh)
T: If you see some bees (thumb and index finger together)
S: Put them on your knees
T: Stop, Look, and Listen (sing-song voice)
S: Yes Ma'am
T: SALAMI (Stop and Look At Me Immediately!)
S: Everybody Freeze!
T: Class or Classity Class or Hey Class! Or Ooooooh Class! (from WBT)
S: Yes or Yessity Yes or Hey Yes! or Ooooooh Yes!
T: Ring! Ring!
S: Hello!
T: Kindergarten!
S: Super stars!
T: Spaghetti and
S: Meatballs!
T: Rock and
S: Roll!
** COMPOUND WORDS: “I say pop, you say corn. T: Pop, S: Corn, (T): Altogether…(everyone)
POPCORN!” Use with any other compound word.
** LINING UP:
1,2 I want you
3,4 At the Door
5.6 Hips and Lips (1 hand on hips; 1 finger on lips)
7.8 Stand up Straight
9,10 Off we go again
** Walk, walk, walk (repeat)
Do not talk (repeat)
or
Walk, Walk (repeat)
Please don't talk (repeat)
** TURTLE:
Say, “TURTLE!” Children put their heads down with arms crossed on top of their heads. I
explain that it looks like a turtle going into his shell. Use this when another adult comes into
the room or you need everyone to be quiet quickly.
** Start singing any song (“I’m a Little Teapot,” or “Itsy Bitsy Spider”) and have the children
join in.
** FLICK THE LIGHTS on & off
** CLEAN UP SONG:
Twinkle, twinkle little star
Time to clean up where you are
Put your work back in its place
With a smile upon your face
Twinkle, twinkle little star
Time to clean up where you are
** CATCH A BUBBLE: Students take a breath and hold it
** SNAIL or RABBIT: Place middle finger and ring finger together, press down to thumb. Pinky
and pointer go up (antennae of the snail.) Or bunny ears up, other fingers mean mouths quiet.
** SEASONAL SAYINGS:
(SEPTEMBER)
One Apple (hold up fingers)
Two Apple
Three Apple
Pies (clap once)!
(OCTOBER)
One Jack o lantern
Two Jack o lantern
Three Jack o lantern
Boo!
(NOVEMBER)
One Turkey
Two Turkey
Three Turkey
FOUR – Gobble, Gobble!
** RULES FOR THE TEACHER: 1) I listen to one student at a time. 2) I listen to kids that raise
their hands. 3) I teach when there are no distractions.
**Morning Transition Playlist (from Dr. Jean):
(make a CD of the songs in order they are used)
1. Have a Seat
2. Give Me a Clap
3. Wiggle Them
4. (Theme related song)
5. Tidy Up
6. Lunchtime Round Up
**SING “Tooty Ta” replacing the T with different sounds
** Create a Letter/Word Supervisor. (Attach the letter or word to a visor.) This student can
high five the letter sound with others as they walk out the door, or on the way to line up, or
everyone can wear one and call each other by their letter or word.