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Abracadabra
Introduction
We are going to play a game called Abracadabra. In this game, I will make a series of movements - your job is to notice when I repeat the first movement and call out “Abracadabra!” when you see me do it. As we play, you will need to concentrate on my movements. When we concentrate on something small, we can focus our attention on the present moment so we can calm down in times of stress.
Steps of the Activity
- Tell students you are going to make a series of movements for example:
- Claps his hands three times;
- Waves hello;
- Turn around and so on.
- Tell students to copy your movements as you go. When students recognize the first movement (i.e., three claps), they should say “Abracadabra!” If online, students can do movement instead of shouting “Abracadabra”. For example, students can turn on a flashlight, wave an imaginary magic wand, or clap.
- Before each round, tell students you are going to start with a new movement, and they should look for only the new first movement; they can forget or “erase” the old movement.
- Encourage students to take a deep breath and as they breathe out, have them pretend they are erasing a white board or chalkboard in their mind.
Reflection
- What about this game was easy or hard for you?
- What strategies did you use? What might you do differently next time?
- When do you need to focus your attention (in or out of school)?
Ideas For Expansion
For primary school students:
- If you notice students beginning to lose focus throughout lessons, play a quick round of Abracadabra to re-energize and refocus attention.
- Start slow with just a few movements (e.g., one hand clap, one foot stomp, one jump). As students get used to the game you can add in more movements and more complexity.
- Invite the students to become the leaders of the game. Students can demonstrate their own movements, increasing the complexity and number of movements each time.
For students in grades 5-6:
- Make this game more challenging over time by adding more movements, inviting students to lead, or inviting students to share ideas of different movements to include.