First Stop: Mexico
Materials: a globe, two pictures of animals, the song "La Raspa"
Using a globe (we had a beach ball globe) show the toads where you live. We then played "Pass the World" to music in a circle (pass the ball to the person next to you to the beat). Show where Mexico is on the globe. Compare where you are to where Mexico is.
Dance small and BIG:
Two animals you will find in Mexico (although never on my excursions there...I looked it up on Google).
The Bean Beetle...same family as the ladybug....likes to eat...you guessed it, beans. Like the bean beetle moves very small, we explored moving small with our hands, heads, feet, shoulders, etc. We moved around the room galloping, skipping, rolling and jumping small.
I taught the toads how to skitter...fast baby steps.
The crocodile...not an alligator...the toads will be confused...(I had to look this one up as well). Alligators have short noses, crocodiles have long noses. Once that was cleared up, we used our arms to show how wide the crocodile can open it's jaws. Then we stretched our arms and legs moving very BIG around the room. Big gallops, giant steps, huge crawling, big high jumps, etc.
Teach the dance "La Raspa". (I believe it's the same song as the Mexican Hat Dance)
There are many variations of this. This is the one I know.
*Hands on hips
Tap rt. heel, lf. heel, rt. heel
Tap lf. heel, rt. heel, lf. heel
(repeat 6 more times)
Grab a partner and doe-see-doe (4 counts of 8)
Repeat heel taps 8 times
Instead of doe-see-doeing again we danced small throughout the room
Repeat heel taps 8 times
Dance BIG
Repeat heel taps 8 times
Doe-see-doe
Que bueno. Adios!
