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.

  • 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.  

  • 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: Media Arts, Theater, Music, Dance

    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: Theater, Music, 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…

  • Gripe into Glow Orchestra

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

    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: Dance, Theater

    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…

  • Human Machine

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

    This community-building physical activity helps your students develop collaboration, communication, and creative skills as they work together as a team to comp…