Barnyard Dance

• A copy of the book, Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boyton
  • If unavailable, use one of these online read-alouds: 
    • Barnyard Dance ~ Read Aloud
    • Barnyard Dance – Dance Along
• Vocabulary word booklet (images from Open Symbols). For easiest use, print and compile them into a booklet.
• The video Barnyard dance! Sandra Boynton| Sing along | Read aloud by Little Book Melodies
• Video player (phone, tablet, computer, etc.)
• Toy farm animals (cow, pig, chicken, etc.)
• Barn coloring page
• Crayons, colored pencils, or markers
• Copies of extension activities you will use
• Vocabulary list (Share with school staff to help reinforce words throughout the day/week.)

PRE-READING ACTIVITIES
Barnyard Dance

1. Invite the children to stand up and stand in an open space.
2. Begin the video Barnyard Dance by Little Book Melodies. Follow the dance moves in the song, but do not require the children to do the exact dance moves. 
3. Model movements and name actions aloud while doing them. 
4. Encourage students to move freely, copying large motions such as clapping, stomping, jumping, or swaying.
5. At the end of the song, instruct the children to take a deep breath and stand still and quiet like the donkey in the book did.

Vocabulary Introduction
Using the vocabulary booklet:

1. Show a picture and ask the children to name the English word.
2. Encourage them to create an action, dance move, or animal sound that represents that animal. 
3. Choose one of the children’s representative actions, dance moves, or animal sounds and repeat it as a group.
4. Repeat for each vocabulary word, inviting participation from several children.
   1. Note: If you use animal sounds to teach vocabulary words, make sure to use animal sounds in the children’s native language.

READ THE BOOK
Consider how your students will most enjoy the story: Will you read the book without stopping or will you stop and ask questions or point things out.
Will you read all the words on the page or briefly summarize?

1. Read each page aloud.
2. Point to the picture of each vocabulary word and say its name clearly.
3. Emphasize vocabulary words with your voice and if they make a noise, their sounds. Prompt children to respond physically:
   • “Show me the horse!” (gallop in place)
   • “Dance like the pig!”
   • “Freeze like the donkey!”
4. Encourage children to repeat movements and sounds throughout the story.

5. Use the children’s actions for vocabulary words to reinforce meaning.

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POST-READING DISCUSSION

1. Which animal stood still instead of dancing? (Answer: donkey, children may show response by freezing their body like the donkey)
2. What animal leaps (demonstrate “leap”)? (Answer: frog)

3. Will you show me your favorite animal from the story? (Answer: student response, moves like the animal, or makes the animal sound)

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POST-READING ACTIVITIES
Animal Charades

1. Explain to the children that they will take turns acting like an animal from the book. They can choose to dance, move, or make sounds like the animal.
2. Demonstrate by choosing a toy animal from a box or a bag, then act or make sounds of that animal. Ask, “What am I?” Continue acting until the class guesses correctly.

3. Invite one child to take a turn. 

    

Continue giving children turns. If the game seems too easy or too hard, adjust the rules—for example, allow or restrict animal sounds or give visual clues such as showing part of the toy animal.

Barnyard Dance Coloring Pages

1. Children may color the pages with the animals, or they can draw animals on a scratch piece of paper.  
2. Optional: Sit in a circle afterward, show each drawing, and guess who made it. Have the artist name the animals.

Closure
Review the vocabulary words learned today using the vocabulary booklet or by having the children state each word. If time allows, finish the lesson with one or more of the extension activities appropriate for the children’s age and ability level.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
Level 1: Print the vocabulary pages or the coloring page in black-and-white and have the children color them.
Level 2:  Cut vocabulary pages so words and pictures are separate.
For younger children: Cut in puzzle-like shapes so the pieces fit together easily.

For older children: Cut straight for a more challenging match.

Level 3: Print the flash card pages. Cut out the cards and use them to play a matching memory game. Children take turns turning over two cards at a time, trying to find pairs with the same picture. All the cards start face down, so players must remember where pictures are to make matches. The goal is to find the most matching pairs by using your memory. Encourage them to say the English word when they get a match. 
 

For all levels: Encourage use of vocabulary words throughout the day with examples such as:

• Point to pictures of animals in the room and name them in English.
• Do a farm animal dance for a fun break.
• Incorporate the vocabulary words in activities planned for the day.