I invented these on the spot this morning, but I think they work alright:

Sentence - point your right index finger forward in a jabbing motion (calls to mind the period).

Command - point your index finger again, but this time wag it almost like you are scolding someone.

Exclamation - both arms out like you're doing the "Y" in the YMCA dance in an exuberant fashion; excitement on your face.

Question - Shrug shoulders with hands in the air with a confused look on your face; say "question" in a questioning tone.

Anyone have any improvements they can offer on those?

I use the following for what a good sentence should have in my first grade class. i tell my students to use it to check their sentences when they are writing.

A good sentence (hands wide apart in front of you) has a capital letter at the beginning(hands in a vertical postion, one up and one down, on the left side of your body) and punctuation at the end ( make a fist with both hands together and punch them forward on the right side of your body. A good sentence (hands wide apart in front of you)also has a who ( point to yourself) or a what (point to the desk) doing something (run in place). A good sentence (hands wide apart in front of you) has order (chop your hands in front of your body). A telling sentence (point forward and shake finger) has a period ( make a fist with both hands together and punch them forward) an asking sentence (hands up by your shoulders palms up like you don't understand something) has a question mark (make a question mark symbol in the air with your finger).

I like that! That's a complicated sets of gestures. Do you repeat it often? Also, what is the "order" part about?

We started off with only the first part (capital letter and punctuation) and then added each subsequent part as we talked about them in our curriculum. So we were adding to the original part weekly with each new skill. We would repeat it daily when we did our daily writing practice. Now we only say it about once a week, but you would be surprised at how well they remember it. Now when we write I don't even have to speak the rule... I can say "remember" and show them the gesture and they know what they are missing in their work. The order of a sentence for first graders is recognizing that "Sam a cat is" is not a good sentence but "Sam is a cat." is in proper order.

As a music teacher, I taught "This Land Is Your Land" to my second grade classes with gestures. They have three verses memorized. Their response to the movement is automatic. They have taught other kids the gestures and THEY have memorized the song as well. Happy to share any if you need them. They may not work for you, since I am a different kind of music teacher! I have also used some gestures in teaching them "Fifty Nifty United States" -- the second graders have fifty states memorized in alphabetical order and I have two of them that can recite them in twenty seconds.

Ha! Fifty Nifty! I have NEVER forgotten that and I learned it in 4th grade. When I was a kid, my favorite 'showoff talent' was that I could say allll the 50 states in alphabetical order....wait for it..... IN ONE BREATH!!!

Ha...brought back memories when you mentioned that....

Mister_T wrote:


PLEASE share your gestures! My partner teacher and I are having our kids do "This Land is Your Land" this Friday for an assembly (first three verses), and we have yet to add any gestures. Yours would be immensely helpful!

I began by showing them a map of the United States (I have a large one mounted on the back of my piano). I established the concept of North, South, East, West. Here is the chorus -- let me know if this works for you. You'll probably figure out your own with your kids.

This land is your (pointing two hands at them) land, this land is my (two thumbs to my chest)land
From California (two hands pointing to their left), to the New York Island (two hands pointing to their right)
From the redwood forest (two hands pointing over their left shoulder), to the gulf stream waters (two hands pointing in front of their right)
This (two hands pointing straight down)land was made for you (at them)and me (at me)

Sorry if this is confusing -- I'll try to make it clearer if you need me to!

I'd love to have the song and gestures for "Fifty Nifty" United States.