The Activity Bank

The GIVE Activity Bank is a resource bank of short activities or skill-based tasks that already include supports and accommodations to meet a range of students’ needs. These activities can be easily added to your lesson—with small adjustments for your unique students and classroom—to make it more inclusive.

These activities have been submitted as is by New York City Teaching Artists from New Victory Theater, ArtsConnection, and Community-Word Project.

  • Exploring Movement Opposites

    Ages: Early Childhood (PK-2), Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle School (6-8)
    Art Forms: Dance

    This activity will introduce and explore the concept of opposites through movement. 

  • Finding a Partner or Small Group

    Ages: Early Childhood (PK-2), Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle School (6-8), High School (9-12)
    Art Forms: Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theater

    This transition or skill-building activity provides strategies and techniques to create pairs/small groups in intentional and fun ways that build classroom com…

  • Form a Circle

    Ages: Early Childhood (PK-2), Upper Elementary (3-5)
    Art Forms: Theater, Music, Dance

    This transition and skill-building activity offers strategies to teach students the skill of creating a circle in intentional and playful ways.

  • Give Peace a Chance

    Ages: Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle School (6-8), High School (9-12)
    Art Forms: Music, Theater, Dance

    This brain-break activity will help students to center their focus, and encourage them to express their feelings, as you set out to build your community inspir…

  • Going on a Trip

    Ages: Early Childhood (PK-2), Upper Elementary (3-5)
    Art Forms: Music, Literary Arts

    In this collaborative songwriting activity, students create rhymes and pack for an imaginary trip, developing creativity and rhyming skills.

  • Gripe into Glow Orchestra

    Ages: Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle School (6-8), High School (9-12)
    Art Forms: Theater, Music

    This music and movement activity invites students to use volume, sound, and reflection to represent their feelings. The activity can be an energy or mood chang…

  • Group Mirror

    Ages: Early Childhood (PK-2), Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle School (6-8), High School (9-12)
    Art Forms: Theater, Dance

    This physical warm-up activity invites students to practice being a leader and a follower while simultaneously teaching parts of the body and actions. It’s a g…

  • Headline Of The Day

    Ages: Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle School (6-8), High School (9-12)
    Art Forms: Media Arts, Literary Arts

    In this short and fun closing activity, students collectively reflect on the session by creating headlines.