The Body Curriculum

Practices

How a teacher works with the body, moment by moment through the school day.

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  1. Arriving and greeting

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    1. 01The threshold: how children cross into the classroomComing
    2. 02The greeting circle: ten minutes that set the dayComing
    3. 03Reading the arriving body: what a teacher can see in thirty secondsComing
    4. 04Greeting each child by name, with the eyesComing
    5. 05The weather inside: a morning check-in without wordsComing

  2. Breath and settling

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    1. 01Three breaths before beginningComing
    2. 02Counting breaths: settling a restless groupComing
    3. 03Humming together: settling a room through soundComing
    4. 04From noise to quiet: a two-minute transitionComing
    5. 05Coming back from play: settling a heated bodyComing

  3. Sitting and posture

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    1. 01Sitting on the floor and on chairs: what each does to attentionComing
    2. 02Changing position every twenty minutesComing
    3. 03The stretch break that teaches anatomyComing
    4. 04Standing to think: when to let children learn on their feetComing
    5. 05Rows, circles and clusters: arranging the room for the lessonComing

  4. The hands

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    1. 01Clay before letters: preparing the hand to writeComing
    2. 02Finger games for small handsComing
    3. 03Air, sand, then paper: three stages of writing a letterComing
    4. 04Making one small thing with a purposeComing
    5. 05Soil and seeds: a classroom garden as hand learningComing

  5. Voice and language

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    1. 01Chanting and recitation done wellComing
    2. 02Call and response: language through rhythmComing
    3. 03Reading aloud with the whole bodyComing
    4. 04Sound play and tongue twisters for early readingComing
    5. 05Wait time: giving children room to speakComing

  6. Moving and walking

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    1. 01The learning walk: taking a lesson outsideComing
    2. 02Mapping the school with your feetComing
    3. 03Movement breaks that carry contentComing
    4. 04Balance games and the attending childComing
    5. 05Mirror and shadow: learning by imitationComing

  7. Number through the body

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    1. 01Counting with steps, claps and jumpsComing
    2. 02Measuring with hands, feet and stridesComing
    3. 03Shapes on the ground: geometry you can walkComing
    4. 04Number lines children stand onComing
    5. 05Sharing food to learn fractionsComing

  8. Story and drama

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    1. 01Telling a story with the bodyComing
    2. 02Freeze frames: acting out a sceneComing
    3. 03Puppets for the shy childComing
    4. 04Role play for history and social studiesComing
    5. 05The story circle: building a tale togetherComing

  9. Silence and attention

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    1. 01One minute of listeningComing
    2. 02Watching closely: observation as a practiceComing
    3. 03Looking at one thing for one minuteComing
    4. 04Chosen silence versus imposed silenceComing
    5. 05A body scan for childrenComing

  10. Eating and caring

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    1. 01The shared meal as a lessonComing
    2. 02Washing and cleaning up: care as curriculumComing
    3. 03Tasting and naming: the senses at mealtimeComing
    4. 04Caring for a living thingComing
    5. 05Small roles of responsibilityComing

  11. Play

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    1. 01Free play: what the teacher does while children playComing
    2. 02Old games, deep learning: hopscotch, tag and skippingComing
    3. 03Rough-and-tumble play: when to step in and when not toComing
    4. 04Loose parts: sticks, stones and open-ended playComing
    5. 05Games with rules: learning fairness in the bodyComing

  12. Rest, reflection and leaving

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    1. 01Rest after effortComing
    2. 02"What did your body learn today?"Coming
    3. 03Drawing the day: reflection without writingComing
    4. 04The closing circleComing
    5. 05The parting: sending each child home seenComing

Why these work: Roots, the foundations of embodied education →