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10 “Grand” Activities For Classrooms Grandparents are important people in the lives of their grandchildren. Formerly in the business of “spoiling,” many grandparents are taking on additional responsibilities that involve raising their grandchildren. But whatever the relationship between them, grandparents and grandchildren can learn a lot from each other. Following are several suggestions for fun activities about grandparents that relate to many subjects, including math, writing, reading, social studies and art. If you have any questions or would like more information or materials, please contact the Children’s Hospital Community Relations department at (865) 541-8166. 1. Grandparents Go Back to School - If your school has a Grandparents Day, this is a fun activity that students and grandparents will enjoy together. Create two quizzes -- one for the grandparents and one for your students. On the students' quiz, include questions about terminology from the past. Have your students help you make the grandparents’ quiz about terminology from today. Pass out the quizzes and discuss the differences in the language and words used by the age groups. 2. Grandparent Interview - Put your newshounds to work on a great story — an interview with a grandparent or older relative or friend. Brainstorm a list of questions with the class and have your students ask the questions to the person they choose to interview. If your students are too young to write the answers on paper, have them tape their interviews. 3. Grand Greeting Cards - Have your students send a personalized message to their grandparents or other seniors. If a card is simply not enough, take the assignment a step further and have your students write letters expressing their appreciation for the support of their grandparents or other people in their lives. 4. Mapping Nonna and Opa - Can you say grandma and grandpa in Italian? Use this list of words that kids use for grandparents in other countries as a mapping activity with your class. Print out the world map, and have your students find the countries and label them on their sheets. These words refer to grandma and grandpa in the following countries:
You can also use this exercise for a class discussion by asking your students what names they call their grandparents. You might even have someone in your class who calls his or her grandparents by one of these names. 5. Visit an Assisted Living Center or Nursing Home - Did you know that 60 percent of nursing home residents never have a visitor? Schedule a field trip to a local nursing home, and have your students adopt “grandparents” to cheer. Students and residents can teach one another about hobbies they enjoy or read books and stories together. Be advised that visiting a nursing home may not be appropriate for all students, but visiting an assisted living center is appropriate for all children. It is important to remind students that though some seniors require care, many do not, and many seniors lead happy, healthy lives. 6. Recipe Recital - Have your students write a “recipe” for a favorite food their grandparents make. Tell them to list the ingredients and steps they think are used in preparing the dish. Then have them recite their recipes to the rest of the class. Their creative culinary approaches will keep you in stitches! 7. Poems for Grandma and Grandpa - Invite your students to share their thoughts about grandparents poetically. Their work may be serious, humorous, or fanciful. 8. Bag of Fun - Gather a few materials and put them in bags for students to take with them and share with their grandparents or a senior friend. You might use paper lunch bags and have your students decorate them with crayons or markers. Possible items for the bags might be student-made stories or books, cards, tea bags or hot chocolate mix, cookies you have made or decorated in class, a favorite classroom song, and any other items that encourage students to share. Grandparents will love going through the “bag of fun” with their grandchildren. 9. Vaudeville Performance - Read Song and Dance Man, by Karen Ackerman, to your class or click here for more books about grandparents.) This is the story of a grandpa who entertains his grandchildren with an impromptu Vaudeville show using props stored in an old trunk. Talk about the various types of performers — dancers, comedians, magicians and singers — and have your students separate into groups and orchestrate their own short skits. You, or an especially outgoing student, may serve as the master of ceremonies. Hold a dress rehearsal after a few days of practice, and invite grandparents to attend a performance in the classroom. 10. Blast from the Past - Devote an entire recess or PE period to playing games that were popular when your students’ grandparents were kids. |
