Instant Activity

This warm-up activity uses a story to help students practice their locomotor movements. The teacher tells the story of movements involved in a bear search and the students will respond to the teacher directions.

When the students come into the classroom gather them in front of you in a circle or a bunch formation. It is best to put them on a mat and call this mat "home base". Then tell them to be very quiet because they are going to go on a trip today. They are going to go on a search for a BEAR! Next, ask them what they would bring if they were going to go on a bear search. Students may tell you to bring tents, first-aid kits, sleeping bags, flashlight, matches, food, etc.

Tell them those items are great.  Now you would like them to put all of those things into their imaginary backpack.  Let them actually act out putting the items in their packpack.  Now tell them to put it over their shoulders and it is time to start the story and the search.

Teacher states and the class repeats like below:

1. "We're going on a bear hunt". Class repeats
2. "and we've got our backpacks". Class repeats
3. "and we've pack some treats inside". Class repeats (students point to their backpacks)
4. "and we've also got..(your choice)". Class repeats.
5. "our trusy flashlight by our side". Class repeats (class taps their hips) 

Next, tell the students that when you go searching for the bear, they will do things such as climb hills, swim through rivers, climb in trees, go through tunnels, swing from vines, etc. When the students start the search, the teacher will say  "You are now searching through a tunnel."  Students will act like they are crawling on the floor.  Let them do this for 30 seconds.  Next state,  "now your swimming though the river."  The students will act like they are swimming. 

Let each search go about 30-60 seconds doing 3-4 locomotor movements, then the teacher will state that they have come upon a cave, end of a tunnel, top of a hill, etc.  One of these choices will have the bear present. 

Part of the trick of this activity is to keep the suspense of finding the bear alive after doing some of the locomotor movements. For example:

"We have come to the end of the tunnel...Bear? -class responds, "BEAR?" teacher states "Are you there?"..class responds, "Are you there?"  if no, state "Nope!" and continue search...if yes, yell "ROAR" and chase kids to their base (please be careful of this as kids may get knocked over).