Moving Our Bodies

Curriculum Area: Science – Physical Sciences

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Time: 30 minutes

Class Size: 4 students

Lesson Objective

Students will explore different ways of producing movement using their bodies. They will experiment with twisting, stretching, bending, and squeezing to understand how movement happens in the world around them.

This lesson aligns with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):

• K-PS2-1: Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths or directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object.

Materials Needed

• Soft foam balls or sponges (one per student)
• Stretchy bands (or scarves)
• Small clay or playdough pieces
• Picture cards showing different body movements
• Large open space for movement

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Lesson Breakdown (30 minutes)

1. Introduction – Get Moving! (5 minutes)

Objective: Introduce different types of movement through an interactive warm-up.

• Teacher says:
  “Today, we are going to explore how our bodies can move in many different ways! Can you follow me as we try some movements?”
• Have students bend, twist, stretch, and squeeze their bodies while calling out the movement names. Encourage them to exaggerate their motions.
• Ask students:
  “Which part of your body moves when you bend? What about when you twist?”
• Show picture cards of animals or objects in different movement positions (e.g., a cat stretching, a snake twisting) and ask students to imitate them.

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2. Hands-On Movement Exploration (10 minutes)

Objective: Students actively experiment with movement using their hands and bodies.

Station 1: Twisting and Bending (5 minutes)

• Give students stretchy bands or scarves.
• Challenge them to twist the bands in different ways (e.g., twist tight vs. loose).
• Have them bend forward, sideways, and backward with their whole bodies.
• Ask: “Can you bend your arms? Your legs? What about twisting like a tornado?”

Station 2: Stretching and Squeezing (5 minutes)

• Provide soft foam balls or sponges.
• Have students stretch their arms and legs as far as they can reach.
• Ask: “What happens when you squeeze the sponge? Does it change shape?”
• Let them try squeezing small clay pieces and notice how they change.

Encourage verbal observations: “How does squeezing feel different from stretching?”

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3. Group Discussion & Movement Challenge (10 minutes)

Objective: Reinforce learning by applying movement to real-world actions.

• Gather students in a circle and ask them:
  “Can we think of times when we twist, bend, stretch, or squeeze every day?”
  (Examples: Twisting a doorknob, bending down to tie shoes, stretching in the morning, squeezing a tube of toothpaste.)

• Movement Challenge:

  • The teacher calls out types of movement (twisting, stretching, bending, squeezing).
  • Students must react quickly by performing that movement.
  • Challenge them by adding speed variations (e.g., “stretch really slow” or “twist as fast as you can!”).

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Conclusion & Wrap-Up (5 minutes)

• Quick reflection:
  “Which movement was your favorite? Why?”

• Summarize:

  • Twisting helps turn things.
  • Stretching makes things longer.
  • Bending changes shape without breaking.
  • Squeezing makes things smaller or different in form.

• Have students strike a fun “movement pose” before ending the lesson!

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Assessment & Extension Activities

✅ Informal Assessment: Observe if students correctly identify and perform movements when prompted.

✅ Extension Idea: Give students a piece of clay for free exploration—can they squeeze, twist, stretch, and bend it in new ways?

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Teacher Notes:

This lesson keeps students engaged through full-body movement, hands-on materials, and interactive questioning. The pacing allows for exploration while maintaining focus for a young age group.

Consider playing soft background music during movement exercises to enhance engagement.

Have fun moving! 🎉