Objective:
The students will participate in a sheep counting game of movement.

Materials

• A wide open space allowing for movement

• A small hurdle for jumping (this can be a box, a low bench, etc.)

Procedure

1. Discuss how people "count sheep" in order to fall asleep.  Point out that sheep in this circumstance are often depicted as jumping over a fence.  Point to the hurdle and tell the students to picture it as a fence.

2. Have the students line up and jump the hurdle one at a time.  As the students jump, they should call out to number themselves.  For example, "1, 2, 3, ..."

3. The teacher should turn his/her back to the students and randomly call out the words "I'm asleep!"  Whichever student is next in line is "out" and should pretend to be asleep next to the teacher.

4. Continue the game until all the "sheep" have been put to sleep.

Other Lesson Ideas

1. Put the students in 4 groups.  Give each group one of the following rhymes: Baa Baa Black Sheep, Little Bo Peep, Little Boy Blue, and Mary Had a Little Lamb.  Have the students work together to act out the given rhyme.