Index 2 Introduction: Why 6 Bricks? 3-40 Perceptual Skills Development 41-66 Literacy Skills Development 67-100 Numeracy Skills Development 101-114 Physical Skills Development 115-126 Social-Emotional Skills Development 127-144 Groups and Games "If you never did you should. These things are fun and fun is good. It is fun to have fun But you have to know how." From Dr Seuss - "The Cat in the Hat" To download templates or support material and for more information and support documents on each of the developmental skills above, go to our link: www.handsontech.co.za/6 Bricks.html
Why 6 BRICKS? Back to Basics with 6 Bricks is a concept designed to excite and motivate young children in the classroom to attain the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary for success in later life. To help the formation of a young learner s brain, developmentally appropriate early experiences and relationships are vital. In order to grasp concepts, children must be given time to manipulate concrete tools. They need opportunities to use their whole body to explore and aid their development of ideas, curiosity and imagination. The 6 Bricks activities are short, simple exercises or games designed to wake up the brain and get the child moving, thinking and remembering. They are not intended to be a curriculum, but they do support all areas of development in the curriculum. Every child has a set of six 2x4 stud bricks, one of each colour, on his / her desk or readily available throughout each school day. The teacher can then easily facilitate any activity at any time. Repetition brings about better organization of the brain and the secret of the success of these activities lies in their regular repetition which will enable children to consolidate new knowledge. In play, children develop their most important basic brain function - the ability to control their own behaviour in order to reach a goal. The 6 Bricks activities in this book give plenty of opportunity for the child to practise and improve self-control, which is fundamental to all other learning in life. In this book, you will find 6 Bricks activities to develop sensory, speech & language, cognitive, motor, social and emotional skills in the young child. In Back to Basics with 6 Bricks, an attempt has been made to include activities which: are open-ended will allow the child to create will provide an opportunity for the child to co-operate with others, whilst keeping a sense of self the teacher can scale up or down, according to the level of the child will be fun and inspire laughter and a love of learning stud 2x4 or 8 stud brick Children want the same things we want: To laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained and delighted. Dr Seuss 2
Perceptual Skills Development Perception develops through information which is gathered from the senses, allowing children to understand the environment. The 6 Bricks activities in this section can be practised to develop these sensory and perceptual skills in children: visual-spatial perception: visual memory & discrimination; figure-ground perception; visual form constancy; visual closure; proprioception; spatial orientation & relationships auditory discrimination & memory; tactile discrimination & memory gross & fine motor skills: eye-hand co-ordination; body image; bilateral integration; crossing the midline; differentiation; laterality; dominance Visual, auditory & tactile discrimination and memory skills are a vital necessity in the readiness to formal reading, mathematics and writing instruction. Children need to confirm their discoveries repeatedly before moving on to the next challenge, so have some daily DUPLO 6 Bricks fun whilst mastering these skills and laying the foundation for cognitive development and intellect! Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try. From Dr Seuss - Oh, The Thinks you can Think
CAN YOUR FINGERS SEE? Children place 6 bricks randomly in front of them. Close eyes, pick up any 1 brick. Describe it while your eyes are still closed. Teacher can ask the following questions to encourage the description: Q: What shapes can you feel? Q: Is it rough / smooth? Q: How many studs can you feel? Q: Is it round / square? Q: Do you feel any empty spaces? Think of some of your own questions. DISCOVER 6 BRICKS 1 Children place their 6 bricks, in random order, one next to each other, on their desk - from left to right. (The teacher can mark the desk with LEFT and RIGHT using stickers.) Ask the children to see how quickly they can arrange their bricks. Ask the children to pick up the third brick (from the left); look at it carefully. Q: Can you describe it in detail? (shape; size; colour; texture; etc.) Teacher asks the children to replace the brick. Now use your left hand to pick up the yellow brick; describe it; replace it. Use your right hand - pick up the last brick; describe it; replace it. See if the children can pick up the 2nd brick, by holding one of the studs only; describe it; replace it, etc. Use both hands at the same time to pick up the 4th and 5th brick. 4 Q: What colour is in your left hand / right hand? Q: Are these bricks the same / different? Q: In what ways are they the same / different?
TRANSLATION, ROTATION AND REFLECTION Ask the children to build the following shapes and then state whether the shapes have been translated, rotated or reflected. 1. (translation) 4. (rotation) 2. (rotation) 5. (reflection) 3. (rotation) ROTATION Rotation means turning around a centre point. Working in groups of 4, the children work with their 6 bricks. The first child uses 2 bricks to create a structure. The 2nd child then rotates the structure and uses his / her own bricks to build the rotation. The 3rd and 4th child then rotate the structure a further 90 degrees each - thus showing a full rotation. This exercise can be done in a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation. Similar activities can be done using more than 2 bricks. 95
A GOOD FRIEND Children work in a group of 6-8 to build a friend. Discuss the qualities of a good friend before you start to build. Work together to decide how you will build the model. Q: What is your friend s name? Q: Will your friend be tall / short; happy / sad? Q: Does your friend play sports / enjoy reading / have interesting hobbies? Each group takes a turn to describe their model and to tell the other groups what qualities of friendship they have built into their friend. TELL ME Children work in a team of 4; each member in the team has their 6 bricks. Teacher builds a main model of 6 bricks and hides it behind a screen. Each member of the team takes a turn to come up, look at the model for ten seconds, then return to the team and tell them about one part of the build. The members then build according to what they heard from this child. Then the next child in the team takes a turn to go and look at the model, again only for ten seconds. That child then relays information to the team, who build on accordingly. This process is repeated until each child has had a turn to explain a part of the build. The Teacher reveals the main model and children compare their builds to see who got the closest resemblance. 120
MASTER MIND 2 children sit opposite each other, with a screen between them; their 6 bricks are randomly placed in front of them. Child No. 1 selects any 2 bricks and joins them and says to Child No. 2, I have 2 bricks, one connected directly on top of the other - Can you build the same? Child No. 2 selects any 2 bricks that he thinks might be the same, connects them and holds them above the screen for Child No. 1 to see. Child No. 1 then compares it to his / her model and comments, e.g. One colour is correct, but it is in the wrong position. Child No. 2 then changes, perhaps, the positioning and shows it to Child No. 1 again. (May only make one change at a time) Child No. 1 - Yes, now you have 1 colour correct and it is in the correct position. Child No. 2 then knows that the bottom colour is incorrect and then replaces it with another colour until he / she gets the correct colour - when Child No. 1 will tell him Yes! Compare and check models. Variations: Repeat the activity with 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 bricks according to the children s ability. The same activity can be done with 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 bricks, where the bricks are arranged differently - not just one on top of the other. 140