Play Lesson Plan
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PLAY LESSON PLAN
This page is a free-shared lesson plan archive for teaching all educational subjects within the context and theme of “Play”. It is purposed for use in community education environments, homeschool environments, traditional schooling environments, or as a supplemental and fun addition to any education program. As part of the complete Education for Life Program, this lesson plan is specifically designed to work in conjunction with the other components: Foundations of Teaching, Curriculum, Teaching Strategies, Learning Tools and Toys, Evaluation Model, and The Ultimate Classroom. If you’d like to learn how all these components work together, click here. Click here for the specifics focused on just using the lesson plans:
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NOTE: The colors are provided as a possible linear progression (red/easiest to violet/most challenging) for people that might prefer a more linear structure. Our core philosophy, however, is that through creativity every color can be made easy or challenging for any learning level.
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A NOTE ABOUT ALL ONE COMMUNITY LESSON PLANS
The One Community lesson plans are intentionally designed for use in ANY educational environment and with ALL educational, cultural, religious/spiritual, and philosophical approaches to teaching and learning. They are designed without an ideological approach and specifically so they can be adapted to include the views, preferences, methodologies, and/or ideologies preferred by different parents and teachers.
For maximum flexibility and adaptation, they are also designed to be combined to teach multiple subjects at the same time. Doing this increases the creativity, effectiveness, and fun of your learning environment. Once we are on the property and operating our version of the complete school and Education for Life program, we will be adding video examples of how to combine the lessons. In the meantime, visit the Teaching Strategies page for a list of suggestions.
ARTS AND TRADES
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TEACHING ARTS AND TRADES WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF PLAY
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The Arts
- Create a picture* of yourself playing.
- Create and perform a puppet show* based on friends playing together.
- Create a photography project* that includes at least 10 different pictures representing people playing.
- Paint a picture* of an activity people do for fun.
- Write and perform a song* about the importance of play in people’s lives.
- Create a series of 3-5 art piece* that gives the people who see the piece a feeling of playfulness.
- Carefully construct a purpose driven concept for and then perform an art piece* that encourages the public to get up and have fun during and after the performance.
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Trades
- Play a game* that involves pretending to go to work and describe what you think that experience means.
- Write and perform a public speech* about the level of importance you believe ‘being an enjoyable fun activity’ has on work.
- While learning introductory printmaking* participate in the learning of this skill and and keep a journal* reflecting your experience as it relates to your level of fun and enjoyment.
- Visit 3 different areas of trade in your community and observe and document* how the people involved seem to experience various levels of enjoyment and positivity in their work. Have a follow up meeting with the workers to discuss your experience and what you observed and what their actual levels are from their perspective, and create and share a display* of the results.
- Find 3 experts in trades listed in the blue bullets of the trades portion of the molecule and interview them about play and those trades. Write a synopsis* of these interviews.
- Research at least 5 of the trades listed in the indigo bullets of the trades portion of the molecule and create a presentation* on play within these 5 industries. Include sections on how people in these trades use play during work and how the use of play at work benefits the community as a whole. Record and open source your presentation.
- Develop a system* that is a prototype for industries to incorporate play in the daily work lives of the individuals in the trade of your choice. Test your prototype on at least 3 different trades in your community and open source your results.
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* Please note that anything with an asterisk is just a suggestion. The diversity of options with asterisks are interchangeable and purposed to stimulate your own ideas. Any one of these suggestions could be replaced with a written paper, any form of art project (drawing, painting, music, paper mache, clay, wood, knitting/embroidery, metals, etc. etc.), an experiment, a presentation, a mindmap, a computer program, a web design project, a piece of poetry or a song, an interpretive dance or play, a group project, or anything else. What we feel is most important is that both the Learner and the Teacher agree on an exercise/activity they both feel would be maximally engaging, fun, and effective. If you come up with an idea we haven’t already thought of, please share it with us.
ENGLISH
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Note: Any language can be substituted for English. The subject is listed here as “English” because that is the primary language of most of the people on the team, and the official language of the country we’re building our initial location in.
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TEACHING ENGLISH WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF PLAY
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- Learn 3 different fun alphabet songs* that you feel are fun and playful and sing them with at least one other person.
- Find 3 storybooks that portray people having fun and enjoying life. Explain* the stories to someone in your community and talk about what you feel is fun in the story.
- Write a 2 to 3 page paper* on the importance of play in your life. Give at least 3 examples of how you feel playing does/does not contribute to your life being positive and enjoyable.
- Find 10 poems that have a playful theme and perform an exciting reading* of them to an audience.
- Design a word game* and include a rules book that explains how to play the game.
- Write a published article* about the definitions of play in literature. Have at least 20 references in the bibliography.
- Make a “TedTalks” type presentation* about the benefits and/ or repercussions of the use of playful vocabulary in making speeches. Include 20+ examples on audience response and on comprehension of material. Record your presentation and share it* on social media.
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* Please note that anything with an asterisk is just a suggestion. The diversity of options with asterisks are interchangeable and purposed to stimulate your own ideas. Any one of these suggestions could be replaced with a written paper, any form of art project (drawing, painting, music, paper mache, clay, wood, knitting/embroidery, metals, etc. etc.), an experiment, a presentation, a mindmap, a computer program, a web design project, a piece of poetry or a song, an interpretive dance or play, a group project, or anything else. What we feel is most important is that both the Learner and the Teacher agree on an exercise/activity they both feel would be maximally engaging, fun, and effective. If you come up with an idea we haven’t already thought of, please share it with us.
HEALTH
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TEACHING HEALTH WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF PLAY
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- Find and play a game like twister* that you feel enhances your physical health.
- Create a fun activity* that helps you learn about nutritional health. (An example is a bean bag toss game with food names on the bean bags and food groups on the openings. You have to throw the bean bag food into the correct food group slot.)
- Explore and test* at least 3 activities from the yellow bullets in the physical portion of the health molecule. Keep an enjoyment activity journal* of important factors relating to play, that you experienced in each activity. Be sure to include rankings on levels of pleasure, positivity, conditioning and 5 other factors.
- Develop 5 methods of positive, non offensive encouragement that can be used during games. Video record yourself performing* these methods. Share* your results using the internet.
- Find at least 10 articles on the importance of play in each of the 4 categories of health. Write a comparative report* on the levels of importance and benefits of play in each area, referencing/citing the information you read.
- Create a template for a half day workshop* using playful activities to enhance spiritual and/ or emotional health for your community. Conduct the workshop and then open source the template for other communities to use.
- Choose a violet bullet from the health molecule and organize a retreat* for people to learn about this health area in a fun, positive and satisfying way. The retreat should benefit the individual and the community in an extreme a highest good for all way, and be recorded* and shared.
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* Please note that anything with an asterisk is just a suggestion. The diversity of options with asterisks are interchangeable and purposed to stimulate your own ideas. Any one of these suggestions could be replaced with a written paper, any form of art project (drawing, painting, music, paper mache, clay, wood, knitting/embroidery, metals, etc. etc.), an experiment, a presentation, a mindmap, a computer program, a web design project, a piece of poetry or a song, an interpretive dance or play, a group project, or anything else. What we feel is most important is that both the Learner and the Teacher agree on an exercise/activity they both feel would be maximally engaging, fun, and effective. If you come up with an idea we haven’t already thought of, please share it with us.
MATH
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TEACHING MATH WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF PLAY
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- Play a board game* that has addition and subtraction involved in the action of the game. Talk about your level of enjoyment of doing math in this context.
- With several friends of different heights, find and try a fun way to estimate and then measure* 20 parts of each other’s bodies. Talk about your experience.
- Create a fun activity* that can solve real world problems involving area, surface area and volume. Open source this activity on the internet.
- In what you feel will be a fun, fulfilling way, draw, construct and describe geometrical figures and describe relationships between them. Summarize* how ‘fun’ it was.
- Create a lesson plan* based on creative and fun ways* to make geometric constructions.
- Choose a bullet from the indigo section of the math molecule. Draw, construct, and describe* complex geometrical / mathematical figures and describe relationships between them. Open source present your creation in an exciting, fun to watch powerpoint*.
- Lead a discussion in several communities* about the role and impact of play in learning mathematics. Come up with at least 5 tools for instructors, teachers, parents and learners and use to make learning mathematical concepts a fun and engaging activity.
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* Please note that anything with an asterisk is just a suggestion. The diversity of options with asterisks are interchangeable and purposed to stimulate your own ideas. Any one of these suggestions could be replaced with a written paper, any form of art project (drawing, painting, music, paper mache, clay, wood, knitting/embroidery, metals, etc. etc.), an experiment, a presentation, a mindmap, a computer program, a web design project, a piece of poetry or a song, an interpretive dance or play, a group project, or anything else. What we feel is most important is that both the Learner and the Teacher agree on an exercise/activity they both feel would be maximally engaging, fun, and effective. If you come up with an idea we haven’t already thought of, please share it with us.
SCIENCE
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TEACHING SCIENCE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF PLAY
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Life Sciences
- Play a freeze tag game* pretending to be animals and whenever you freeze make a real life shape the animal you are pretending to be might make.
- Read 3 interesting books about exploring life in diverse environments. Write a paragraph* each on how reading each of these interesting books made the learning an enjoyable activity.
- Find at least 2 sources that teach food chains and webs in a fun way. Write a 1 to 2 page report* about how these sources make learning the material fun. Be specific in describing the information you learned and how you learned it.
- Study natural resources that are enjoyable to you. Share* your learning experience with others in a youtube presentation.
- Design a fun game* that practices the classification of living things. Play the game with at least 4 people and record their enjoyment response and their new understanding of the subject.
- Write a hypothesis* about play and biodiversity. Design and conduct an experiment* to prove your theory. Open share your results.
- Choose a violet bullet from the life science portion of the molecule and write a comprehensive action plan* about how playfulness can be incorporated into the study of that field. Create interactive experiences for the general public and explain how these fun activities teach the subject.
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Physical Sciences
- Play a game* that involves motion.
- Speak with an expert on electricity* and find out if there are safe ways to play with the energy source.
- Playing with chemicals and elements can lead to the development of new information. Choose 2 to 4 chemicals and /or elements and come up with a fun experiment* that could lead to new information. Open share your results.
- Develop a fun board game* that teaches about the definition and use of forces*
- Choose 3 of the blue bullets in the physical science portion of the science molecule and find past experiments in each of these fields that sound fun to perform. Choose one that is safe for you to perform and conduct* the experiment. Record your results and include a paragraph on your personal enjoyment level in doing this experiment.
- Create a fun way* for beginning students to learn the concept and definition of solutions. Lead 3 different sample groups in your lesson and write a summarizing paper* explaining the success of learning the students had and the level of fun they had while learning. Open share your results.
- Choose a violet bullet from physical sciences and create a curriculum to teach this subject that is interactive, fun and playful. Videotape yourself teaching the curriculum* and include interviews with the students on the level of enjoyment that had participating in your class.
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Earth Sciences
- Play pretend* being the weather, and acting like you are experiencing at least 5 different weather types. Include tornadoes, hurricanes, sunny days, snowy days and any weather patterns you are learning about*
- Find a spot in your community where you can play* with and inspect the rocks, minerals and soil. Talk to 3 people* about the similarities and differences you learned about these elements.
- Choose a yellow bullet from earth sciences and create a playful interactive learning activity*. Complete the activity with at least 3 other people and record the results of what they learned and how much fun they had learning.
- Research 5 fun ways scientists study the rock cycle. Choose your favorite way and lead a group* of your peers in learning about the rock cycle in your favorite fun way.
- Choose a blue bullet from earth science and design a 6 week curriculum* for younger learners that is playful and fun.
- Design a fun experiment* about volcanoes that will be interesting and informative to all ages. Videotape your experiment being done by at least 3 different age groups. Open share your video.
- Choose a violet bullet from earth science. Create a live presentation on social media* about this subject that is fun and interesting for all viewers.
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* Please note that anything with an asterisk is just a suggestion. The diversity of options with asterisks are interchangeable and purposed to stimulate your own ideas. Any one of these suggestions could be replaced with a written paper, any form of art project (drawing, painting, music, paper mache, clay, wood, knitting/embroidery, metals, etc. etc.), an experiment, a presentation, a mindmap, a computer program, a web design project, a piece of poetry or a song, an interpretive dance or play, a group project, or anything else. What we feel is most important is that both the Learner and the Teacher agree on an exercise/activity they both feel would be maximally engaging, fun, and effective. If you come up with an idea we haven’t already thought of, please share it with us.
SOCIAL SCIENCES
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TEACHING SOCIAL SCIENCES WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF PLAY
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- Talk with a group of at least 3 others* about games you like to play and why.
- Make a list* of 5 sports you like and three reasons why you find each enjoyable.
- Learn all the rules of a complicated board game. Teach at least 4 people the rules and then play the game together. Discuss with each other the importance of the rules and how the game might be different with different rules.
- Do a research paper* on play in different cultures. Choose one of the new activities you studied and lead a group in playing that new game. Hold a session at the end for everyone to discuss their level of enjoyment and reasoning behind how they feel.
- Design a game* based on world geography. Have at least 10 people play and review your game according to how much fun it was and how much information they learned and/or applied. Make any change to your game as needed.
- Choose 5 areas in the blue section of the social science molecule and make a presentation* about how play is part of these important areas.
- Create and run a social experiment* that hypothesizes your opinion on the importance of social skills and play in at least 3 areas of life of your culture. Open share your results.*
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Foreign Languages
- Learn and use* 10+ words for different play related concepts.
- Read & write sentences* with 20+ words for play related concepts.
- Read* about ‘play’ in fiction.
- Explore & create 3+ different types of literature* in relation to play.
- Compose a new piece of literature* about play.
- Research and recap in a 3 page report* the complete history of and writings about play words.
- Write a dissertation level paper* on play.
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* Please note that anything with an asterisk is just a suggestion. The diversity of options with asterisks are interchangeable and purposed to stimulate your own ideas. Any one of these suggestions could be replaced with a written paper, any form of art project (drawing, painting, music, paper mache, clay, wood, knitting/embroidery, metals, etc. etc.), an experiment, a presentation, a mindmap, a computer program, a web design project, a piece of poetry or a song, an interpretive dance or play, a group project, or anything else. What we feel is most important is that both the Learner and the Teacher agree on an exercise/activity they both feel would be maximally engaging, fun, and effective. If you come up with an idea we haven’t already thought of, please share it with us.
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
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TEACHING TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF PLAY
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Technology
- Experiment and discover an app on the internet that you really enjoy playing. Talk* to 3 people about this app and how it is enjoyable to you.
- Play games that teach you the basics of coding for a week. Share aloud* what you learned and ask the person you share with for 2 more ideas for you to try, and try* them.
- Talk to 3 typing experts about how to practice your typing skills in a fun and enjoyable way. Try* their ways for a week and report back* to them on the extent to which your practice felt like fun/play.
- Find 5 examples on the internet for learning based websites that can be playful and fun for you and your peers. Try them all and write a 3 page article* about these sites and how they bring joy or other positive emotions to the users and to what extent you feel it is like playing.
- Create a fun application* for collecting data/ information management systems. Have a business system in your community try your app for a week and then report to you to what extent the level of enjoyment of work improved because of using the app and provide a final report* on your data.
- Choose 3 technology leaders from the indigo bullets in the technology portion of the molecule and define ways they incorporated play into their work. Incorporate these ways of play in your work for a week and keep a journal* about the affects this playfulness has on both your attitude and work. Open share your results on the internet.
- Conduct and publish an investigative study* on websites on the internet with consistent long term success. Specifically look at the sites level of playfulness for the user and if this component of fun enhances their experience; and thus becomes a factor in the company’s success.
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Innovation
- Play several rounds* of a focus game like concentration. Discuss your experience.
- Come up with a game* that is unique and interesting to you and lead at least 3 others in playing this game.
- Find what you feel will be an enjoyable way to learn about identity, values and belief construct, and try it out. Write a 1 to 2 page essay* about the fun and playfulness of the strategies you tried and how much you learned using them.
- Research brain and memory building exercises. Choose at least 3 exercises that seem fun/ appeal to you and perform them* every day for a week. Record *your level of enjoyment and level of improvement from each activity.
- Choose a system from the blue bullets in the innovation portion of the molecule. Research that system and specifically find ways that system incorporates play. Create a list and report* of the playful ways and open share them with leaders in your community who are experts in that system, giving relevant suggestions on how they can incorporate them.
- Write a thesis* on how 3 or more of the innovators listed in the indigo bullets of the innovation portion of the molecule utilized the idea of play into their creations.
- Investigate employee satisfaction at several multinational corporations. Create a survey* for the employees to fill out that measure their feelings of satisfaction, peace of mind, fun and enjoyment. Include questions regarding playfulness in the workplace. Open share your results.
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* Please note that anything with an asterisk is just a suggestion. The diversity of options with asterisks are interchangeable and purposed to stimulate your own ideas. Any one of these suggestions could be replaced with a written paper, any form of art project (drawing, painting, music, paper mache, clay, wood, knitting/embroidery, metals, etc. etc.), an experiment, a presentation, a mindmap, a computer program, a web design project, a piece of poetry or a song, an interpretive dance or play, a group project, or anything else. What we feel is most important is that both the Learner and the Teacher agree on an exercise/activity they both feel would be maximally engaging, fun, and effective. If you come up with an idea we haven’t already thought of, please share it with us.
VALUES
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TEACHING VALUES WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF PLAY
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- Have a group discussion* with some peers and older people of varying ages. Discuss what play is and why you feel it is or is not important in life.
- Play at least 2 games where one of the participants deliberately displays unethical behavior. Create a piece of art* that represents how you felt playing a game with someone who did not portray ethics.
- Think about what you feel the connection between happiness and play is. Read at least 3 reference books that describe a connection between happiness and play. Then write a 2 to 3 page repor*t of your own ideas combined with the thoughts you read.
- Create a presentation* that demonstrates the connections of play to well-being. Video and open share your presentation on the internet.
- Find several reference books that discuss the connections of play to holistic being. Review these books from a personal angle, and write a self-help guide*specifically for you, making inferences on how play relates to your own holistic being.
- Choose 5 indigo bullets in values. Hold an interactive workshop* for your community that incorporates play with these 5 values in a fun and exciting way.
- Present a talk online* about the relationship between play and self actualization. Include examples of how important this is in your life, in your community, in your culture and in the world.
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* Please note that anything with an asterisk is just a suggestion. The diversity of options with asterisks are interchangeable and purposed to stimulate your own ideas. Any one of these suggestions could be replaced with a written paper, any form of art project (drawing, painting, music, paper mache, clay, wood, knitting/embroidery, metals, etc. etc.), an experiment, a presentation, a mindmap, a computer program, a web design project, a piece of poetry or a song, an interpretive dance or play, a group project, or anything else. What we feel is most important is that both the Learner and the Teacher agree on an exercise/activity they both feel would be maximally engaging, fun, and effective. If you come up with an idea we haven’t already thought of, please share it with us.
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