Kindergarten Lesson 3: The Witch's House

As I began to teach this lesson, I quickly realized that the rules would be way too complicated to explain. Instead of making a separate sound for hot vs. cold in the step 2 game, I discussed with the students what sounds they heard in the story or they might hear from the Witch's House story. Starting out, I had one student choose what sound we should make, and we would make that sound louder if they were close to the hidden prize and quieter if they were far away. Later on, when the students were more familiar with and comfortable with the sounds, I had the students choose whatever sound they wanted to make as the "trick-or-treaters" searched. Unfortunately I forgot to bring candy, so instead I drew the "Witch's house" on a sheet of paper and hid that, but I don't think the kids were any less engaged in the lesson because of that.

I was shocked at how much easier and clearer my instruction was in the afternoon class vs. the morning class. So I suppose that I often have to learn the hard way when it comes to giving clear instructions, especially for kindergarteners.

One of our goals for the semester was to get the students collaborating and working in groups, so I attempted to have students hide the "Witch's house" together while the "trick-or-treaters" closed their eyes, but this turned out to be a matter of who could grab the paper and run first. And since I realized that I don't really know how to solve arguments without taking a side, maybe collaboration wasn't going to be as easy as I thought it would be.


Students cover their eyes during the hunt for the witch's house activity.

Students were really creative with where they wanted to hide the witch's house!

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Casey Greenwood

BYU Arts Bridge

Kindergarten

Lesson: The Witch’s House

Strand: Create, Perform

Standards:

• CR.1: Develop imagination to create artistic ideas and work.
• P.5: Use voice to communicate meaning through volume, pitch, tone, rate, and clarity.
• P.6: Use imagination to support artistic choices.

Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to create an environment and create meaning with their voices by selecting and imitating their own sounds for the witch’s house in a “Hot and Cold” trick-or-treating game.

Materials needed: We’re Off to Find the Witch’s House by Mr. Krieb, candy or other treat

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Hook: Read We’re Off to Find the Witch’s House by Mr. Krieb to the students, up until the witch comes to the door. As you read through the story, have the students make the sounds of the witch’s house along with you so that they can become familiar with what kind of sounds there are on the way to the witch’s house.

Step 1: Assessment. Ask the students for suggestions of what other sounds might be on the way to the witch’s house. Do them as a class.

Step 2: Group practice.  Split the students into four groups. Have one group be the trick-or-treaters, and have the other groups participate in making the sounds that are in the witch’s house. Have the trick-or-treaters close their eyes or leave the room while the teacher hides a treat or other object somewhere in the room (a different spot for each group). While you are hiding the treat, tell the groups that when the trick-or-treaters get close to the treat the class will laugh like a witch or say “We’re not afraid.” Then have each non-trick-or-treater group decide and what sound should mean “you are too far away (cold)” (it’s okay if they are all different sounds to create the atmosphere of going to the witch’s house). Make these sounds as the trick-or-treaters try to find the hidden object, determining how far or close they are to the hiding spot. Have the trick-or-treaters hold hands or something so they don’t separate from one another. If they separate from each other, then everyone has to scream because the witch will get them and they have to switch jobs with another group! Once they find the treat, switch roles if there is time. Don’t give them the treat until the end of class.

Step 3: Transition. Finish the story.