CAST A SPELL
Name of Activity:. Cast A Spell
Category:.Magical Mystery Time
Props: Story book that portray magical transformations like Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Aladdin, or Jack and the Beanstalk may also wish to have the actual prop that sparked the magical transformation, like magic beans or magical lamp. If the magical transformation was sparked by a series of words, you may write the words down on a card, and, at the very least, know the words by heart.
Your Role: model, coach
Directions: Read together with your child segments of books in which a magical transformation takes place. You may even wish to play the Disney video of Cinderella in which they sing the song Bippity, Boppity, Boo. Focus on the nature of the magic word. Say the word and have the child repeat it. Then say the word again in a scary way and have the child memorize the word and try to imitate the tone and intended affect that you used. Say the word again with a different intonation (eg. enthusiastically.) Suggest to your child that it is possible to create magic words that can either make him do things quicker, like stack blocks higher, or color within lines better etc. Ask your child to tell you what he would like to be able to do better. Then encourage him to make up a magic word or a magic phrase and try to do the activity better.
Goals for You: putting sounds together in interesting and unusual patterns; developing humorous or spooky sound patterns
Goals for Children: retrieving sounds that are personally appealing; manipulating sounds in the mind's ear
Possible Strategy:
What to say Let's look at these books. See how the magic words changed what happened. These are story magic words. Story magic words can make things happen that can=t happen in real life. Let's try to think of some things that you can do that you would like to do even better.
What to do Tell the child that in stories, magic words can make things happen that can't happen in real life. But in real life you can create magic words that can make things really happen, but maybe a little different than they usually do.
Possible Shaping:
What to say Let me start. I can read a book but I would like to read it faster. Let me try to think of a magic phrase that will help me read faster. Can you help me? I=ve got it! Zippity read. I think if I say that a few times I=ll be able toi read this book a little faster. Let me try. Zippity read. Zippity Read. Yep, I think I read it faster that time. Now, tell me what you would like to do better. OK, let=s try to make up a magic phrase that can help you. OK. Now say that phrase. Good. Now try to do that activity.
What to do:
Possible Ending:
What to say: How did it go? Did the magic phrase help?
What to do:
Material on this site created by Helane S. Rosenberg, Ph.D. and Yakov M. Epstein, Ph.D. in conjunction with their forthcoming book titled
Play for Success. All material on this site is copyrighted and may not be reproduced or cited without written permission of Helane S. Rosenberg, Ph.D.. Dr. Rosenberg is Associate Professor of Education at the Graduate School of Education of Rutgers-The State University, New Brunswick, NJ. Dr. Epstein is Professor of Psychology in the Faculty of Arts and Science of Rutgers-The State University, New Brunswick, NJ. He is also Director of the Center for Mathematics, Science, and Computer Education of Rutgers University.
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