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.

  • Creating Community Agreements

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

    In this activity, students and Classroom Professionals co-create community guidelines, fostering a liberated learning environment, and building community and a…

  • Creative License

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

    For students to understand the idea of “creative license” and to feel comfortable taking risks during the residency. In this activity, students will generate c…

  • Creativity Key

    Ages: Early Childhood (PK-2), Upper Elementary (3-5)
    Art Forms: All Art Forms, Visual Arts, Theater, Music, Media Arts, Literary Arts, Dance

    This playful warm-up activity introduces the word creativity and the concept of unlocking it. Students will use their imagination and artist’s tools to unlock …

  • Crescendo

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

    In this playful activity, students will warm up their bodies and voices and get to know each other, building skills centered on dynamics and crescendo.  

  • Draw That Sound

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

    In this activity, students will work in small groups to draw along to music, creating a visual response. 

  • 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.