Go Bananas
27
G R A D E L E V E L
K–3
S K I L L S
P R A C T I C E D
Rhyming,
oral language,
rhythm, self-control,
left and right,
creativity
M AT E R I A L S
N E E D E D
Optional:
Chart with words
P R
E
P
A
R
I
N
G
S
T
U
D
E
N
T
S
F O
R
S
U
C
C
E
S
S
■
P
r
a
c
t
i
c
e
s
a
y
i
n
g
t
h
e
c
h
a
n
t
t
o
g
e
t
h
e
r
.
■
Mo
d
e
l
a
n
d
p
r
a
c
t
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c
e
a
c
t
i
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n
s
f
o
r
e
a
c
h
mo
v
e
me
n
t
; s
p
e
c
i
f
i
-
c
a
l
l
y
, ma
k
e
s
u
r
e
e
a
c
h
c
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i
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d
h
a
s
r
o
o
m t
o
d
o
a
s
t
a
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d
i
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g
split at the end.
■
Share w
ays to maintain self-control while staying in
one place.
W O
R D
S
A
N D A C
T I
O
N S
Ban
an
as
B
an
anas…
Unite
!
While standing,
extend
arms
upward,
palms
together
over
head
Peel ban
an
as
Peel-peel ban
an
as
Wiggle left arm dow
n along left side of body
Peel ban
an
as
Peel-peel bananas
Wiggle right arm down along right side of body
Peel them to the left
Swing left arm up and behind head
Peel them to the right
Swing right arm up and behind head
Peel them down the middle
Swing both arms down in front and then out to sides
And Unh! Take a bite
Pull both fists down hard at sides while bending knees
And Unh! Take a bite
A
f
a
v
o
r
i
t
e
a
mo
n
g
s
t
u
d
e
n
t
s
a
n
d
t
e
a
c
h
e
r
s
a
l
i
k
e
. U
s
e
t
o
a
c
c
o
mp
a
n
y
a
u
n
i
t
o
n
n
u
t
r
i
t
i
o
n
,
o
r
w
h
e
n
y
o
u
j
u
s
t
f
e
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d
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o
b
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s
i
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l
y
.
Energizers! 88 Quick Movement Activities that Refresh and Refocus, K-6. ©2009 Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher.
Pul
l
b
o
t
h
f
i
st
s
d
o
wn
ha
rd
a
t
si
d
e
s
whi
l
e
b
e
nd
i
ng
k
ne
e
s
Go
bananas
Po
i
nt
b
o
t
h
i
nd
e
x
f
i
ng
e
rs
up
a
nd
d
o
wn
a
b
o
v
e
he
a
d
whi
l
e
sl
o
wl
y
t
wi
rl
i
ng
i
n
a
c
i
rc
l
e
Go
-g
o
bananas
Co
nt
i
nue
p
o
i
nt
i
ng
a
nd
t
wi
rl
i
ng
Go
bananas
Co
nt
i
nue
p
o
i
nt
i
ng
a
nd
t
wi
rl
i
ng
Go
-g
o
bananas
Co
nt
i
nue
p
o
i
nt
i
ng
a
nd
t
wi
rl
i
ng
Bananas
…
Spl
i
t
!
Ra
i
se
a
rms
st
ra
i
g
ht
up
a
nd
t
he
n
d
o
a
st
a
nd
i
ng
sp
l
i
t
—
o
ne
a
rm
a
nd
l
e
g
st
re
t
c
he
d
f
o
rwa
rd
,
t
he
o
t
he
r
a
rm
a
nd
l
e
g
st
re
t
c
he
d
backward—FREEZE!
V A R I A T I O N S
Use during transitions, such as from circle to group areas. When you get to Bananas …
Split! at the end, replace the word “bananas” with four to five children’s names that will
be moving out of the group to their next area. Then repeat the chant with those remaining
in the circle until all children have been dismissed.
Popcorn
Form the corn
Form-form the corn
Stand up straight, raise
arms, and clasp hands
above head
Shuck the corn
Shuck-shuck the corn
Wiggle and lower arms
slowly down one at a
time
Pop the corn
Pop-pop the corn
Jump up and down
Potato
Form the potato
Form-form the potato
Start standing and
slowly squat down low,
curling into a round
potato-like figure
Grate the potato
Grate-grate the potato
Scrape right hand twice
against left arm and
then left hand twice
against right arm
Mash the potato
Mash-mash the potato
Stamp feet while
slowly standing and
tapping one fist atop
the other
Orange
Form the orange
Form-form the orange
While standing, hold
arms out in front,
rounded as if encir-
cling a giant orange
Peel the orange
Peel-peel the orange
Pull one arm and then
the other slowly back
Squeeze the orange
Squeeze-squeeze the
orange
Hug yourself
O T H E R
V E R S I O N S
These
versions are
rhythmically
similar to the
banana
version but
omit the
movements to
the right, left,
and middle.
Energizers! 88 Quick Movement Activities that Refresh and Refocus, K-6. ©2009 Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher.
