By Subject
By Theme
Subjects
Literacy
Skill: Auditory discrimination
Objective: To be able to identify sounds and to distinguish between sounds.
Materials: Keys, coins, crayons, paper clips, dry macaroni, packing peanuts, small opaque box (metal, plastic or wooden) with a lid, and a large box.
Activity:
Place items on the table or floor in front of the children.
Allow the children to touch the items and identify the names of the items.
Discuss the feel, hardness, softness, and size of each item.
Remove all items and hide them behind a small screen or in a large box so the children can’t see them.
Place several of one item (keys or coins or macaroni) in the small box and put a lid on it.
Hand the small box to one child and ask them to guess what is inside the box by shaking it and listening to the noise it makes.
Pass the box to the next child and ask the same question.
When each child has had a chance, open the box to reveal what’s inside.
Ask the children what they guessed, and what characteristics of the item helped them to identify the sound it made.
Continue with all the objects.
Ask the children to suggest other items to put in the “shaking box.”
Skill: Auditory Association
Objective: To identify objects whose name starts with a particular letter sound.
Materials: Digital camera and a computer.
Activity: This activity can be repeated over time as the children learn increasingly more letters of the alphabet.
Introduce a letter sound to the children. Show them the letter, say the sound,
use the sound in a simple word the child knows.
Ask the children to name other things that begin with the same sound.
Divide the children into pairs.
Give a pair of children a digital camera and ask them to go around the classroom and take pictures of those items that begin with the letter sound you have just introduced.
Example: The letter Bb might have the following items found in the classroom
Book Ball Bunny
Bag Button Bowl
Download the pictures onto the classroom computer.
With the children gathered around the computer, show them the pictures that were taken and discuss their relationship to the letter sound.
Skill: Phonemic awareness
Objective: To identify identify the sound of ‘Bb.’
Materials: 2 or 3 blue balls the size of a basketball, large container such as a plastic laundry basket, and a permanent marker.
Activity:
Demonstrate writing a large ‘ ‘Bb’ on the blue ball and the basket with the
permanent marker.
Demonstrate bouncing the blue ball. As you demonstrate, emphasize the sound of ‘Bb’: “ I am bbbbbouncing a bbbbig bbbbblue bbbbball.”
Give the children turns bouncing the blue ball to each other. As they bounce it ask them to also say: “I am bbbbouncing a bbbbig bbbbblue bbbball.”
Demonstrate bouncing the blue ball (one bounce) to make “a basket” (as in basketball).
As you try to make a basket say “I am bbbbouncing the bbbbig bbbblue bbbball into the bbbbasket.”
Give the children turns bouncing the blue ball into the basket. As the they try to make a basket ask them to also say “I am bbbbouncing the bbbbig bbbblue bbbball into the bbbasket.”
Tips:
Itisveryimportanttorememberthesoundtoteachaquick‘b’soundnot‘bah.’
Can use masking tape to make a ‘Bb’ on ball and basket.
Young children have an easier time bouncing an Excellerations Premium ball versus a basketball. Order from www.DiscountSchoolSupply.com.
Vary the game by:
Standing further away from the basket. Allowing more than one bounce.
Skill: Auditory association
Objective: To identify pictures of objects whose name starts with a particular letter sound.
Materials: Large poster board, old magazines, drawing paper, crayons, markers, child’s scissors, and glue sticks.
Activity: This activity can be repeated for each letter of the alphabet.
Cut out a very large letter out of poster board. Try to make the letter at least
three feet tall.
Tape the letter to the wall or an easel at an easy height for the children to reach. Or lay it on the floor so that the children can access it.
Ask the children to find pictures of objects in old magazines that begin with the letter. Cut out the pictures and paste them onto the large letter.
Children could also draw objects that start with the letter and paste them on to the larger letter.
Display the letter collage in the classroom.
Skill: Listening
Objective: To enhance listening skills.
Materials: Blankets
Introduction: Practice listening skills to prepare children to speak more clearly, write and read. Children will practice listening to sounds outside.
Activity:
Spread blanket outdoors on the ground.
Ask children to lie down on the blanket, close their eyes and be quiet.
Listen to sounds for one minute.
Ask children what sounds they heard.
Tips:
Play the activity indoors as well. Children can fold arms, lay head down on
arms and close eyes, while sitting at a table.
During various times of the day ask children to stop, be quiet and listen. Example: “Do you hear the clock ticking?”“Do you hear the woodpecker pecking?”“Do you hear the helicopter?”
Skill: Comprehension
Objective: To be able to retell a story after listening and observing story illustrations.
Materials: Book: The Three Little Pigs
Introduction: Retelling stories give children the opportunity to organize their thoughts into what happens in a story at the beginning, middle and end. It also gives them the opportunity to use new vocabulary and interpret the story in their own words. Children’s self-esteem is also boosted whenever they ‘perform’ in front of an audience.
In this activity, children will listen to the story The Three Little Pigs, and then they will take in turns retelling the story.
Activity:
Read the story The Three Little Pigs.
Children will take turns retelling the story.
Ask a child to stand next to you.
Ask the child what is happening in the illustrations.
Tips:
Be sure to explain the vocabulary and concepts as you read the story. For
instance, hay and sticks are weak and flimsy material for building a house. If possible bring an actual brick, hay and sticks in order to let the children observe the weight, size and texture for each item.
Puppets or flannel boards are a great way to retell the story.
Ask the children to act the story out in a drama activity.
Help the child tell the story if he/she doesn’t remember the story well.
Children will want an opportunity to retell the story more than once. During “free play” ask one child at a time to sit next to the teacher and retell the story as he/ she looks at the illustration.
Skill: Print and book awareness
Objective: To understand the components of a book. Materials: Book
Introduction: Children love a story well read. “Students who have been read to regularly develop a rich concept of how stories are structured and told and they listen carefully” (Morrow 1993).
Activity:
1. Select an appropriate level book.
2. Young children do best with books that have a few sentences, short, to the point, and are enjoyable. Picture books are acceptable.
3. Identify topics of discussion prior to reading to the children.
4. Prepare predictive questions. Be sure the students can see the book.
5. Discuss the front of the book.
– Title
– Author
– llustrator
– What is going on in the picture, on the front, of the book? Ask children
what they think the book is going to be about.
6. Introduce the book without giving too much away.
7. After you read a page, ask the children what they think is going on and what they think is going to happen. Example questions:
– “Who is the story about?”
– “Where are they – country, city, beach, forest, mountains or lake?”
– “Why are they scared, happy, sad, confused or surprised?”
– “What do you think is going to happen?”
8. Ask the children what their favorite part is and why it is their favorite part.
Tips:
1. At first, groups of young children do best reading to them while sitting in
chairs.
2. The teacher should select a book that she enjoys to read.
3. Read the story and practice reading aloud prior to reading it to the children.
4. Take time to decide how to present the story.
5. Be sure to read expressively and fluently.
6. Children have favorite books and like to reread them many times.
7. Sticky notes work great for placing prepared questions right on the page.
8. A good sign of a story being well read is that the children are engaged, their eyes are looking at the pages being read, they are eager to ask questions, discuss their experiences and are excited to know what is going to happen next.
9. The teacher can continue the story the next day if the children seem to lose attention the first day.
Skill: Print awareness
Objective: To understand the concept of writing a word.
Materials: Book – Sesame Street I Can Do It Myself by Emily Perl Kingsley, large piece of lined paper (poster size), and a marker.
Introduction: Letters make words; we write from left to right and back again.
Activity:
1. Discuss that the story is about a boy named Ernie who is very proud of himself
because he can do so many things by himself.
2. Point to the words as you read the title, I Can.
3. As you read the story, ask the children to raise their hand if they can do what Ernie can do. Example: “Raise your hand if you can brush your teeth by yourself.”
4. After reading the story, place the large sheet on a surface where all the children can see.
5. The teacher will say to the children slowly, “I am writing I Can,” spelling it out loud, as you write it: I c-a-n, on the top center of the page.
6. The teacher will say to the children, “Think about what you can do by yourself. I am going to ask each one of you what you can do by yourself. I will write what you can do by yourself on this page. I will then hang it up so your parents can read it.”
7. The teacher will ask each child, one at a time, what the child can do and write their name first. Be sure to spell their name slowly, out loud. Slowly sound out each word as you write. Explain as you write the upper case and the period at the sentence. Example: I c-a-n d-o a s-o-m-e-r-s-a-u-l-t.
8. After all the children have told the teacher what they can do, the teacher shall read all their responses and points to each word as he/she reads each child’s response.
9. Display in the classroom.
Tips:
Point to the words ‘I Can.’ Ask the children if they can find other ‘I can’ words
on the page. Give each child the opportunity to point to the ‘I can’ words. It is okay to point out the same ‘I can’ another child pointed out.
Read the names of the author and illustrator. Discuss the ‘job’ of the author and illustrator.
Skill: Letter recognition
Objective: Writing the alphabet letters – write the letter ‘a.’
Materials: Two sheets of 8.5” X 11” plain white pieces of paper and colored markers.
Introduction: Children will practice writing the letter ‘a.’
Activity:
1. Seat children at table with feet in front of them.
2. Demonstrate how to hold marker and “helper” hand to hold paper.
3. Demonstrate “writing” a circle.
4. Demonstrate placing a line to the right of the circle.
5. Hand out paper with the child’s name and date.
6. Ask children to select marker.
7. Ask children to practice making circles.
8. Ask children to practice making an ‘a.’
9. Hand out second sheet of paper with child’s name and date.
10. Ask children to make one large ‘a’ in the center of the page.
11. Set timer for thirty seconds. Ask children to make as many images of the letter ‘a’ as possible in the thirty-second time period.
Tips:
1. Make as many circles as they like, any size or color.
2. Place hand over child’s hand, guide the child if the child is having difficulty.
3. Remember many children will have difficulty. Do not expect perfection after one lesson. The lesson will need to be repeated many times before the child will be able to write the letter ‘a.’
4. Repeat for other letters.
Skill: Auditory recognition
Objective: Learning to identify words that rhyme.
Introduction: It is important for children to be able to identify rhyming sounds prior to learning how to read. In the following activity, children will listen to words that rhyme, as they sing along and move to “Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes” song.
Activity:
1. Ask children to listen to many different groups of words and ask them which
words sound the same. For example:
– Hat, bat, dog
– Can, fan, pig
– Rug, bug, rat
2. Last set of words to identify rhyming words should be: nose, toes, and knees.
3. Point to body parts as the teacher and children sing the song “Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes.”
– Head, shoulders, knees and toes
– Knees and toes
– Head, shoulders, knees and toes
– Knees and toes
– Eyes and ears and mouth and nose
– Head, shoulders, knees and toes
– Knees and toes
Tips:
1. Do not expect children to get the concept of rhyming immediately.
2. This activity can be repeated many times using different words groups before
singing the song “Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes.” For example:
– Run, fun, rat
– Bump, jump, hop
3. Vary the game by:
– Asking the children to sing it low and slow
– Asking the children to sing it fast and high
– Asking the children to sing it in a whisper
Skill: Phonemic awareness
Objective: Identify the short sound of ‘Aa’
Materials: My ‘a’ Sound Box by Jane Belk Moncure, ABC flip chart, the CD ABC Sing Along, and sandpaper alphabet letter ‘a.’
Introduction: Children will be learning the short sound of ‘a’ through the use of books, songs and play.
Activity:
1. Pass the sandpaper ‘a’ around to all children.
2. Ask them to trace it with their finger and say the short letter sound of ‘a’ as they examine it.
3. Read book My ‘a’ Sound Box by Jane Belk Moncure.
4. Engage children by asking questions as you read the story. Example: “Can you find any pictures that start with ‘a’?”
5. Play the first song of the flip chart.
6. Play song again and sing along.
Tips:
1. Repeat activity for all alphabet letters.
2. It is very important to teach children the correct pronunciation of the alphabet. For instance, it is a ‘b’ not bah.
3. Ask children to use a “wand” to point to as many ‘a’s as the child can find in the flip chart song.
4. Ask children to find objects in the classroom that start with the short letter sound ‘a.’
5. Ask children to bring in two objects from home. Be sure to let parents know that the child will need their help with “homework.”
6. Do craft with letter ‘Aa.’ Example: Apple print done with sliced apples and tempera paint.
Skill: Listening, auditory discrimination
Objective: To distinguish and identify different sounds, to match sounds to objects.
Materials: 8 film canisters, paper clips, popcorn kernels, coins, beads, and dry macaroni.
Introduction: Practice listening skills to prepare children to speak more clearly, write and read. Children will practice a game that focuses on listening and matching different sounds.
Activity:
1. Place one object in one canister. Shake and listen.
2. Give each child an opportunity to shake and listen.
3. Continue placing objects, shaking and listening.
4. Make matching canisters.
– Example: Paper clip in 2 canisters; coins in 2 canisters; beans in 2 canisters; and beads in 2 canisters.
5. Ask children to shake and find its match.
Tips:
1. Start with 2 sets of matching canisters.
2. Variation of game: Use four canisters with the same item and one different, and have child identify the different item.
3. Play Listening Lotto: Wild Animals Sounds by Key Education.
Math
Skill: Number recognition
Objective: To identify numbers by name.
Materials: Paved outdoor area, colored sidewalk chalk (or use large numbers written on individual sheets of paper that can be placed on the ground), each child’s name on a separate piece of paper, each number on a separate piece of paper, two containers to hold the names, and the numbers.
Activity:
1. Write the number 1-6 with chalk on the pavement. Space the numbers far
enough apart that three or four children can stand at each number without touching another number.
2. Draw a name out of the name container and say it out loud.
3. Draw a number out of the number container and say it out loud. The child whose name was drawn must run to the number called and stand on it.
4. Repeat until all names are called.
Alternatively, all children can race to the same number called and the element of a foot race can be introduced to the game. You could also trade out the numbers for colors or shapes.
Skill: Identifying patterns
Objective: To understand the concept of patterns and to be able to identify what comes next.
Materials: Sample illustrations with patterns, the book “What Comes Next?” (if available), and manipulative blocks in multiple colors and shapes.
Activity:
1. Read the story “What Comes Next?” if available.
2. Discuss the patterns in the book, or those you have made as illustrations, with the children. Ask them to tell you how to complete a given pattern.
3. Next, use the children themselves to create patterns:
– boy, girl, boy, girl, boy, girl,…
– sitting, standing, sitting, standing…
– facing front, facing back, facing front, facing back…
4. Ask the children to answer “What comes next?”
5. Do the same activity with manipulative blocks in color patterns and shape patterns. Ask each child to predict what comes next.
6. Give the blocks to the children and have them create patterns themselves.
Skill: Shape identification
Objective: To identify square shapes.
Materials: Square blocks, the book The Shapes Game by Paul Rogers, multi- colored construction paper with a variety of pre-drawn squares, scissors, and glue.
Activity:
1. Read about the square shape in The Shapes Game.
2. Ask children if they can find a square in the story.
3. Show the square block shape to the children.
4. Count the sides.
5. Count the points at each corner.
6. Explain that the square’s sides are all the same size.
7. Ask children to find more squares in the blocks center.
8. Ask the children to examine the square by passing square blocks around.
9. Ask the children if they can find squares in the classroom – windows, tables, chairs, etc.
10. Give children construction paper with pre-drawn squares of various sizes.
11. Ask them to cut out squares.
12. Glue squares on a page of 9X12 construction paper.
Extended Activity 1: Hide and seek shape game
1. Using three colorful, plastic squares hide them in the room for the children to
find.
2. Children can take turns hiding the shapes for their classmates to find.
Extended Activity 2: Shapes Book
1. Create title page: My Shapes Book, by (Child’s name)
2. After repeating the first activity for the shapes square, circle, triangle and rectangle, staple their pages together to create a book.
Tips:
1. Activity can be repeated for other shapes (circle, rectangle and triangle).
2. Help or teach children cut out squares if not able to cut by themselves.
3. Allow the child to choose the color of paper, the number of squares, and the placement of square on the paper.
4. Feel free to decorate the page with glitter, crayons, marker etc.
5. Ask them if they think the construction paper 9X12 is a square.
Skill: Shape identification
Objective: To be able to identify various shapes and distinguish one shape from another.
Materials: 10 pieces of construction paper, all the same color, scissors, and tape.
Activity:
1. Cut out squares, circles, triangles, and rectangles from the construction paper
(about 6 of each shape). Use only one color of construction paper for this activity so that the shape becomes the focus of attention and not the color. Each shape may be in different sizes.
2. Before the children arrive for school, tape the shapes in various locations around the classroom.
3. When ready for this activity, ask one child to locate the “square shapes.” If the child doesn’t find all of the specified shapes, ask another child to help.
4. When all of one shape is collected, move on to the next shape.
5. While hunting for the shapes, ask questions like, “How many sides does a triangle have?” or “Why is a rectangle different than a square?”
6. You might also change up the hunting request from “Can you find all the squares?” to “I’m thinking of a shape that has four equal sides. Can you find it for me?”
Skill: Compare properties (size, weight, height and color) Objective: To understand the concepts of physical characteristics.
Materials: Scale, mirror, 1 large sheet of paper for each child, 1 index card for each child, markers or crayons, and scraps of cloth.
Introduction: Explain that the teacher is going to measure and weigh each child. In addition, the children are going to look into a mirror to observe the color of their hair and eyes.
Activity:
1. Record the following information onto a plain white piece of paper or index
card.
2. Measure (and compare) the children’s height and weight at the beginning of
the year, middle and then again at the end of the year.
– Date:
– Height:
– Weight:
– Hair color:
– Eye color:
3. Ask the child to lie on top of the large piece of paper on the floor and trace the outline of the child on the paper.
4. Ask each child to observe their eyes and hair color in a mirror. The child can then draw a face with their eye color and hair color. Use scraps of cloth to cut out and glue clothing on their “body.”
Tips:
1. Explain to the children that “height” is a measurement that measures the
length of their whole body, starting from the top of their head to their toes.
2. If the child is not capable of drawing, the teacher can do it for him/her. Remember not to expect perfection. Use a pencil to allow for mistakes.
3. Write and spell out loud each word as you record.
– “I am writing your name, Julia. J-u-l-i-a.”
– “I am writing height, h-e-i-g-h-t. Now I am going to measure you.”
4. Ask the child as they look in the mirror. “What color is your hair?”
– “What color are your eyes?”
– “What else do you see?”
5. Be sure to save the sheet of information for creating a book “All About Me.”
Skill: Awareness of length and weight
Objective: To be able to compare sizes (length and weight) of objects. Materials: Bag (plastic, paper or cloth)
Introduction: Explain to the children that they are going on a nature walk to collect 3 rocks, 3 sticks and 3 leaves. Afterwards the children will examine and arrange the rocks according to size.
Activity:
1. Go on a nature walk. As children explore ask them to collect 3 rocks, 3 leaves,
3 sticks.
2. Upon return from the nature walk, dump your own collection on the ground.
3. Line up teacher’s leaves in “big, bigger and biggest” order. As you line them up say “This leaf is big. This leaf is bigger. This leaf is the biggest.”
4. Ask children to line their leaves up in a similar manner – big, bigger and biggest.
5. Let the child examine the teachers’ rocks.
6. Line up the teacher’s rocks in order of weight – heavy, heavier and heaviest.
7. Say as you place your rocks down: “This rock is heavy. This rock is heavier. This rock is the heaviest.”
8. Ask children to line up their own rocks in order of weight – heavy, heavier and heaviest.
9. Line your teacher’s sticks in order of length – long, longer and longest.
10. Say as you place the sticks in order: “This stick is long. This stick is longer. This stick is the longest.”
11. Ask the children to line up their own sticks in the order of length – long, longer and longest.
Tips:
1. If you cannot go on a nature walk, feel free to use any objects in the
classroom.
Extended Activity:
– Play a game taking different size steps to reach the leader (start with the teacher as leader).
– Leader stands 30 feet away from children.
– Ask the children to stand at the opposite end of the yard as the teacher.
– Ask them to take little, big and giant steps until they reach the teacher.
– Vary the steps. For example, say to the children: Take five little steps, take five big steps, take two enormous steps, and so on until they reach the teacher. Whoever reaches the teacher first, gets to take the teachers place.
Skill: Number identification
Objective: To be able to identify and name numbers zero to ten. Materials: 3” X 3” laminated number cards, zero through ten
Introduction: “Blast Off”is a math game designed to be played daily. It can be used to teach many math concepts including number identification, more, less, subtraction, addition and “what comes next” number conservation.
Activity:
1. Children sit in a row right before going out to recess.
2. Teacher sits facing the children, leaving space between the teacher and children.
3. Place number cards down; cards should be facing the children.
4. Hold up a number card.
5. Ask a child to identify the number. Example: “Reiko, can you tell me what number this is?” Reiko answers. Then ask him, “Can you tell me what number comes next?”
6. Place the cards down on the floor, facing the children and in numerical order.
7. Continue asking (#5) different children until you reach number ten.
8. Upon reaching number ten, begin to count backwards. When the children reach zero, they shout, “BLAST OFF!”
9. Children stand up, form a line and walk out to the playground.
Tips:
1. Ask children to repeat the name of the number out loud after you say it.
2. Remember it is okay if the child does not know the number.
3. It is important to not criticize the child if they do not know the number. Tell them what the number is in a matter of fact manner.
4. Ask the child to touch each number as you count along with them if they do not know the answer.
5. Vary the questions according to the child’s abilities. Example: If Reiko can already identify the numbers one through ten, ask him, “Reiko, what comes next?” after you lay down the number.
6. Activity can be used to teach other mathematical concepts (addition/ subtraction). Example: Place numbers one through six down then ask a child, “What would be two more than six?” or “What is one less than six?”
Skill: Position awareness
Objective: At the end of the lesson the children will be able to identify a position (under, over and through) and direction (up, down and around).
Materials: The book We’re Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury, 4 balance beams (or a large wooden block), a “tunnel,” and a chair.
Introduction: The children will act out the story of We’re Going On A Bear Hunt. They will learn about position and direction.
Day 1:
Read the story We’re Going On A Bear Hunt.
Day 2:
1. Go online and play the video We’re Going On A Bear Hunt with Michael Rosen
acting out the story. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gyI6ykDwds).
2. After watching, ask the children to “read” with you and imitate with their bodies the same actions that the author Michael Rosen was doing in the video.
Day 3:
1. Place the tunnel in the center of the classroom.
2. Ask the children to line up along the wall, facing the teacher.
3. Reread the book with the children (children should be “reading” along with you).
4. Each time the sentence “Oh no, we’ve got to go through it” is read, the children will crawl through the tunnel (one at a time) and come back to their place in line.
Preparation for Day 4 Activity (Setting up the “obstacle course”):
1. Place beams on the floor, about a foot apart from each other, in a row.
2. Put a chair a few feet away from the row of beams.
3. Put a table a few feet away from the chair.
4. Put a tunnel a few feet away from the table.
Day 4:
1. Have the children line up.
2. Teacher will demonstrate the activity to the children. Go through the obstacle course demonstrating each step:
– One child will go through the obstacle course at a time.
– First, the child will be asked to jump over the beams.
– Second, the child will walk around the chair.
– Third, the child will go under the table.
– Fourth, the child will crawl through the tunnel.
– Last, the child will go to the end of the line of children.
Tips:
1. Practice going through the tunnel, one at a time (otherwise it may get very
chaotic).
2. Place masking tape on the floor so the children know where they are supposed to stay.
3. This activity may take a lot of practicing, so feel free to do it a little bit every day (the children love to act it out and crawl through the tunnel).
Skill: Understanding more and less
Objective: To understand the concepts of more and less and to be able to identify when a group of objects is more or less than another group.
Materials: Small snack food such as blueberries, mini carrots, strawberries, mini marshmallows or small crackers.
Activity:
1. Ask the children to count the blueberries as you lay them down in a line. Use
five the first time, and work up to ten.
2. Each time you place a blueberry down say what number it is and ask what one more would be. For example, “One blueberry, what would one more blueberry be? Two blueberries, what would one more blueberry be?”
3. Upon laying down all 5 blueberries, pretend to eat the last one placed down and say, “I have eaten one blueberry. There is one less. How many are left?”
4. Change the wording after the children get the idea of what you are doing to. For example, “If I eat one blueberry, what would one less blueberry be?”
5. Continue until there are zero blueberries left.
Tips:
1. Remember that it is okay if the children cannot tell you the correct numbers. It
is very important to tell them what the number is without criticism.
2. Do the activity before snack is served.
3. Get the children ready for snack and activity by singing with the children the hand movement song:
– Open shut them, open shut them (open and close hands)
– Give a little clap (clap hands)
– Open shut them, open shut them (open and close hands)
– Lay them on your lap (fold hands and place hands on lap)
4. Explain to the children, “Please keep your hands on your lap until I say you may eat. You will keep them there until I am finished with the activity and everyone has been served a snack.”
Skill: Number identification
Objective: To be able to identify numbers correctly.
Materials: 3 small plastic cups (same color and opaque), numbers – plastic, sand paper or wooden (from a puzzle).
Introduction: Explain to the children that they are going to play a Number Guessing game.
Activity:
1. Hold up the number to show the children and say, “This is the number 1.”
2. Pass the number around so the children can examine it.
3. Repeat with the other numbers.
4. Place the number 1 under one of the cups.
5. Shuffle the cups around.
6. Ask the children to guess which cup the number 1 is under.
7. Repeat using the other numbers.
Tips:
1. Vary the game by adding a number under each cup.
2. Play as long as the children show interest in the game.
3. Vary numbers according to the child’s abilities.
Skill: Number relationships
Objective: To understand the relationship of a number to corresponding objects (1 to one button, 2 to two buttons, etc.).
Materials: Six 9”X6” sheets of paper, fifteen buttons, stickers (same design), beans or small feathers, tacky glue, markers, and the book Five Little Ducks.
Introduction: Children will practice counting objects.
Preparation of the Activity:
1. Teacher will model and sing/finger play Five Little Ducks.
2. Ask the children to sing along and count the ducks on each page.
Activity:
1. Discuss with the children that they are going to make a “counting book “of
their own.
2. On the center of the first page, write in pencil “Five Little Buttons” (or Stickers or Beans or Feathers).
3. Write “By” in pencil along with the child’s first name at the bottom of the first page.
4. Ask the child to trace with markers the words on the first page.
5. The child will glue one button (or sticker and so on) on the first page.
6. The teacher writes “1” at the center of the bottom of the page.
7. Repeat for each page up through the number 5.
Tips:
1. Place your hand over the child’s hand to assist him/her if he/she is unable to
write on his/her own.
2. Be sure to say to the child on Page 1, “Glue 1 button on the page.” And on Page 2 say, “One more button makes two. Count the buttons with me. One. Two.” Repeat for each page up through the number 5.
3. The teacher speaks to the child as she writes. For instance, say, “I am writing the number one. I am writing your name.”
4. The teacher says the name of each letter as she writes.
Skill: Awareness of symmetry
Objective: By the end of the lesson, the students will explore and understand symmetry.
Materials: Variety of nonfiction books on butterflies, mirror, pipe cleaners (one for each child), coffee filters (one for each child), tongue depressors (one for each child), glue, and watercolor paint.
Introduction:
1. Ask the children to look at themselves in the mirror.
2. Ask them to notice that they have two eyes, two eyebrows, two ears and two cheeks.
3. Draw an imaginary line in the middle of your face. Explain to the children that both halves of our faces are exactly the same. That means that our face is symmetrical.
Activity:
1. Show the children the butterflies in the book.
2. Point to the wings and ask if they look the same.
3. Give the children a tongue depressor, a pipe cleaner, and a coffee filter.
4. Fold the coffee filter in half.
5. Ask the children to color one side of the coffee filter using the watercolors. They can choose the colors.
6. Dry the coffee filters. Do not open until they are completely dry.
7. Once dry, open the colored filters and show the children that now both sides are exactly the same (symmetry).
8. Let the children glue the tongue depressor in the middle of the coffee filter.
9. Fold the pipe cleaner in half and ask the children glue it on to form an antennae for the butterfly they have just created.
Tips:
1. The children can color the tongue depressors using markers.
2. Use only two watercolors to paint the coffee filter (otherwise it turns to one color).
Skill: Size differentiation, sorting
Objective: Sorting objects based on similarities and differences (small, medium and large).
Materials: Plastic manipulative bears (small, medium and large), and 3 pieces of colored construction paper.
Activity:
1. Show the children a large, plastic bear.
2. Place it on one of the pieces of paper.
3. Ask children to find other large bears and place them on the piece of paper with the large bear on it.
4. Show the children a small, plastic bear.
5. Place it on another piece of paper.
6. Ask children to find other small bears and place them on the piece of paper that has the small bear on it.
7. Show the children the medium, plastic bear. Explain it is neither small nor large, but it is medium.
8. Ask children to find other medium bears and place the medium bears on the paper with the medium sized bear on it.
9. Place all the bears in a pile and ask the child to sort them into small, medium and large groups.
Tips:
1. Activity works best in a group of four to six children.
2. Use same color bears. For instance, use all blue bears.
3. Use other objects to sort. Example: spoons, bowls, cups, etc.
4. For younger children sort bears according to color, not size.
5. Goldilocks and the Three Bears is a great story for introducing the concept of small, medium and large.
Science
Skill: Mammal identification
Objective: At the end of the lesson unit, the students will be able to identify the characteristics of mammals.
Materials: A non-fiction book on mammals What Is A Mammal? by Robert Snedden.
Activity:
1. Discuss the main characteristics of mammals.
– Have hair
– Feed their young with milk
– Lungs to breath
– Most babies are born alive
2. Read the book What Is A Mammal?
3. While reading to the children, ask them to make different observations and predictions about mammals.
– Examples:
What is a mammal?
Are humans mammals?
Which mammals do you know?
Activity:
Sing: “Sally the Camel”
Lyrics: www.kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/sally.htm
Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3X5mWR80qA
Extension Activity:
1. Prepare three boxes.
2. Cut the top so a hand can go in (but nothing can be seen).
3. Place a feather in the 1st box, fur/hair in the 2nd and scales in the 3rd.
4. Ask the students to come up one by one and touch each one and guess what
covering it is.
5. Once they guess ask them to come up with an animal that has that covering.
Place this activity in your science center.
Tips:
1. Remember not to expect the children to make correct observations and
predictions as they are just learning about mammals.
2. Always encourage a lot of questions and predictions (right or wrong).
3. Use any non-fiction book about mammals.
4. This song helps with counting, and counting backwards. Show your fingers
while singing (five, four, three, two, one). The Children can stand in a circle and dance with their hips left and right when singing “boom, boom, boom.”
Skill: Discovery
Objective: To understand how water comes from the earth and the concept of pollution.
Materials: Large coffee can or similar container, sand, gravel, round tube such as a paper towel tube or PVC tube, water, and food coloring.
Activity:
1. Place the tube upright in the center of the coffee can.
2. Hold the tube steady and pour a layer of gravel around the bottom outside edge of the tube. Make the gravel layer about two inches deep. Be careful not to pour any gravel inside the tube.
3. Pour sand on top of the gravel to form a second layer. Make the sand layer about 11⁄2 – 2 inches deep. Be careful not to pour any sand inside the tube.
4. Explain to the children that the gravel and sand are representative of the earth’s soil.
5. Ask the children what they think will happen if you add water on top of the sand.
6. Pour water onto the sand and gravel, continuing until the water level reaches the very top of the sand layer.
7. Have the children observe what happens inside the tube. Water should begin to rise in the tube.
8. Discuss with the children what they think is going on.
9. Add a little food coloring to the water and discuss how the food coloring represents dirty water from pollutants.
10. Have the children observe the water in the tube to see if the “polluted water” also enters into the “well.”
11. Discuss questions such as “Where is the water in the well coming from?”
“How is the miniature well related to real-life wells?” “Why is it important to be aware of what we put in our soil?”
Skill: Awareness of earth and sun
Objective: To understand the role of the sun in creating daytime and nighttime.
Materials: Flashlight, basketball sized ball (or globe), and masking tape.
Preparation Before the Activity: A dark room is needed for the activity.
Activity:
1. Make an X using masking tape on a ball.
2. Explain to the children that the X represents where the children live on the Earth.
3. Ask one child (child #1) to hold the ball above their head.
4. Ask another child (child #2) to point the flashlight at the X on the ball, standing about 6-10 feet away (depending on the power of the flashlight).
5. Turn off the lights.
6. Turn the flashlight ON.
7. The light shown on the X will represent the daytime.
8. Ask child #1 to slowly turn around so that the X is now not in the light, representing nighttime.
Tips:
1. Divide children in groups, or make sure other children have the opportunity to
participate in the activity.
Skill: Predictions and observations
Objective: To understand the concept that some objects float and others sink.
Materials: A collection of objects (rock, ping pong ball, rubber ball, apple), large bucket or plastic storage bin, water, and two empty boxes or plastic containers.
Activity:
1. Discuss the concept of density. Pass around an apple and a potato of
approximately the same size. Discuss how one is heavier than the other. Do this with other same-sized objects.
2. Fill a container with water and place on a towel or rug on the floor, or do this experiment outdoors.
3. Demonstrate to the children how some objects float and others sink. Relate this concept to the weight and density of the objects.
4. Give the children pairs of objects of roughly the same size in each pair. Ask them to predict if the object will sink or float.
5. Have the children place (or drop from a few inches) the objects into the water to see if their prediction is right.
6. Label the two empty containers with the words “floaters” and “sinkers.”
7. Have the children place the objects into the correct container – floater or sinker – according to the results of their experiments.
Skill: Observation and experimentation
Objective: To understand the basic effects of light and shadow.
Materials: Colored construction paper (use less expensive paper that is prone to fading), solid objects and shapes, and sunshine.
Activity:
1. Take the children outdoors on a sunny day. Point out shadows and encourage
them to observe the shadows cast by the sun.
2. Move in and out of sunny and shady locations and encourage the children to talk about the differences they felt in each of the locations.
3. Place a piece of construction paper on a flat surface in the direct sunlight (if you are unable to go outdoors, this experiment can be done near a window that lets in direct sunlight).
4. Place a solid object on top of the construction paper. Allow the paper and object to sit in the direct sunlight for a considerable amount of time—perhaps an hour. (You can engage the children in other activities during this time.)
5. Take the solid objects off the paper to reveal a sun print. Use different shapes to create different patterns on the construction paper.
Skill: Observation and awareness
Objective: At the end of the lesson the students will be able to describe the life cycle of an apple tree.
Materials: Apple, computer with Internet access, 6 pages of white construction paper (6 for each child), crayons or markers, stapler or hole puncher, and yarn.
Introduction: Show this video to the children – www.youtube.com/watch?v=chNwmpqSa78
Activity:
1. Cut an apple in half.
2. Point out the seeds to the students and let them touch, smell and look at the seeds.
3. Explain that from this little seed, the whole apple tree grows.
4. Show the students the video of the apple tree life cycle.
5. Explain what is needed for a tree or plants to grow (water and sun).
6. Give each student 6 pieces of paper.
7. Write their name on the first page and below the title “Life Cycle of an Apple.”
8. On the second page ask the students to color the bottom of the paper brown to form the ground.
9. Glue the apple seed on the ground.
10. On the third page show the students how to draw a (green) stem and a leaf protruding from the ground.
11. On Page 4 draw a tree.
12. On the Page 5 draw a tree with flowers blooming.
13. On Page 6 draw a tree with apples.
14. Finally the book is done. Staple the pages together or punch 2 holes and bind with a piece of yarn.
Tips:
1. Feel free to use any other video or a book that shows the life cycle of your fruit
or plant.
2. Pick a tree or fruit that is local in your environment.
3. Teach the basic life cycle, using basic terminology.
4. Model how to draw each stage.
5. Each paper of the book can take a day.
6. Do another art project for this lesson.
Materials needed for this activity:
– Pieces of a bark (from the tree)
– Plain paper (one for each child)
– Tempera paint (yellow, red and green)
– Brown crayon
Activity:
– Give each student a piece of construction paper.
– If you do not have a large piece of bark from a tree, take the children
outside.
– Make an outline using the brown crayon where the tree trunk should be.
– Place each paper against the tree and let each child color with the brown
crayon over the bark so that it creates a “stamp” that looks like a bark.
Ask the children to color only within the outline you made for the trunk.
– Once inside, give each child a half of an apple.
– Place some tempera paint (yellow, green and red) on a paper plate.
– Let the children pick a color for their apple tree.
– Ask the children to stamp their apple on top of the tree. They can also
stamp “apples” on the ground.
– Ask the children, “How did the apple tree grow?”
Skill: Identification of physical properties
Objective: At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to identify different states of water: solid, liquid and gas.
Materials: Bowl with water and access to a freezer.
Introduction: The students will be experimenting with the different states of water: solid, liquid and gas.
Preparation for the Activity: The teacher will discuss different states of water: solid, liquid and gas after viewing the poster of the water cycle.
Activity:
Day 1:
1. Put some water in a bowl and ask the children to touch it.
2. Ask the children, “How does it feel (cold, warm, wet)?”
3. Ask the children to “predict” what will happen when we place this bowl in a freezer (cold temperature)?
4. Write on a board their predictions.
5. Place the bowl in the freezer.
Day 2:
1. Remove the bowl.
2. Ask the students to touch the ice and ask them, “How does it feel (temperature, texture)?”
3. Ask them what do they predict will happen to the ice if we leave the bowl of ice by the window.
4. Write their predictions.
5. Leave the bowl by the window.
6. Occasionally ask the children to check on the ice.
7. As the ice melts ask the students what is happening. Why did the ice melt? The students may not know the answer; ask questions and tell them about the effect of temperature.
Days 3-5:
1. Place the melted ice in a smaller cup and place it by the window (preferably where you have the most sun during the day).
2. Mark on a cup the water level and leave it by the window for a couple of days. Ask the children to predict what might happen if we leave this water in the sun for a couple of days?
3. Write their predictions.
4. Each day ask the children to take a look at it and mark the new water level.
5. Ask them, “Where is the water disappearing?”
6. Explain about the evaporation process (use basic terminology). The water is lifted into the air and goes up into the clouds.
Tips:
1. Another activity to show the children the evaporation process is to take the water from the bowl, place it in the pan and heat it on the stove. The children will see the vapor as the water boils.
2. This lesson unit can take a couple of days.
Skill: Sensory awareness
Objective: Five senses – At the end of the lesson unit, the students will be able to identify their five senses.
Materials: Day 1 – The book Five Senses by Margaret Miller, picture of a donkey
(or any animal of your choice, 1 paper tail per child (to be taped on the animal), tape or glue dots (to tape the tail on the animal), and a scarf (to use as a blindfold); Day 2 – The Listening Walk by Paul Showers, 8 film canisters, paper clips, popcorn kernels, coins, beads, dry macaroni; Day 3 – 8 socks or small cloth bags (in
different colors), shapes (square, circle, triangle, star and heart); Day 4 – The book Sniff, Sniff by Dana Meachen Rau, 8 socks or small cloth bags (in different colors), lavender seeds, lemon peel, and vanilla stick; Day 5 – The book Five Senses, by Scholastic, 3 colored boxes (for the foods), strawberries, popcorn, and an apple.
Activity:
Day 1 – Sense of Sight:
1. Read the book Five Senses.
2. Discuss our five senses with the children.
3. Let the children follow the book and touch each part of their body—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and fingers—correlated with the story as you are reading.
4. Play “Pin The Tail On The Donkey.”
a. A picture of a donkey with a missing tail is tacked to a wall within easy reach
of the children.
b. One at a time, each child is blindfolded and handed a paper “tail” with tape
or a glue dot.
c. The child walks forward and tries to pin the tail on the donkey.
d. The player who tapes his/her tail closest to the target (the donkey’s rear) wins.
Tip:
1. If a child does not like to be blindfolded ask him/her to close his/her eyes and guide him/her towards the picture.
Day 2 – Sense of sound:
1. Read the book The Listening Walk by Paul Showers.
2. Place one object (paper clip, coin, bean or bead) in a canister. Shake and listen.
3. Give each child an opportunity to shake and listen.
4. Repeat the same process for the remaining objects, one at a time. As with the first, ask children to shake and listen.
5. Make matching canisters. Example: paper clips in two canisters,
coins in two canisters, beans in two canisters, beads in two canisters
6. Ask children to shake and find its match.
Tips:
1. Start with 2 sets of matching canisters.
2. Try a variation of the game. Use four canisters with the same item and one different item. Have the children identify the different item.
3. Play listening Bingo games. Listening Lotto: Wild Animal Sounds by Key Education KE 846028.
Day 3 – Sense of touch:
1. Remind children about different senses they have been learning about.
2. Show all the objects (shapes) to the children.
3. Let the children touch and observe each object.
4. Explain that you will place each object in a separate sock.
5. Place each object in a sock or small cloth bag (do not let the children see where each one goes).
6. Have the children close their eyes and, one at a time, let them touch the object and guess what it is.
Day 4 – Sense of smell:
1. Read the book Sniff, Sniff. A book about smell by Dana Meachen Rau.
2. Let the children smell the lavender, lemon peel, and vanilla stick.
3. Place the lavender, lemon peel and vanilla stick in separate small cloth bags or socks (do not let the children see where you place each one).
5. Have the children close their eyes and let one child at a time smell inside of the bag and guess what it is.
Day 5 – Sense of taste:
1. Remind children of the five senses. Read the book Five Senses, by Scholastic. This time place emphasis on “taste.”
2. Let the children see the popcorn, strawberries and apple.
3. Make sure everyone is familiar and have tried each one of these before.
4. Place popcorn, strawberries and an apple slice in separate boxes (make sure the children do not see where each one goes).
5. Have the children close their eyes, one at a time. Place one of the foods on their tongue and have them guess what food it is.
Tips:
1. Feel free to use any other objects/foods for touching, smelling and tasting.
2. Be careful in choosing foods for different dietary needs and make sure all the children are familiar with those foods (i.e., have tasted them before).
Social Studies
Skill: Family awareness
Objective: To gain self-awareness, self-esteem, and confidence as an individual. Materials: Prepared note for parents.
Activity:
1. Prepare a note for each child to take home to their parents asking them to
gather photos for their child’s timeline. Sample note:
Dear Mommy and Daddy,
Using a poster board (or something similar) and photos, please help me create a timeline, “My Family and Me,” of my life with you. I will be sharing my timeline with my classmates on ( date ). Please include dates and brief explanations written under each photo. For example:
Photo #1: Date. My family and me on the day I was born.
Photo #2: Date. My pet dog and me on the day we brought him home. Photo #3: Date. My grandfather holding me on my first birthday.
My teacher said it is okay if you want to come and help me share my project with the class.
Love,
[Child’s name] (Ask children to trace their name with a marker or crayon, or write it themselves if they already know how.)
2. On presentation day the child will stand in front of the class and share their timeline.
3. Allow classmates to ask questions.
4. Alternate strategies:
– Ask the children to bring their photos to school and create their posters at
school.
– Have the children decorate their timelines with drawings and colors.
– Anticipate alternate strategies for children who do not have two parents or
whose parents may not be able to provide photographs.
– Give parents enough lead-time to gather the photos, but not so much time
that they will forget.
Skill: Understanding that people come from different places
Objective: Learn to find their country on the map/globe.
Preparation: The day before the lesson, the teacher should ask students to bring to school a picture/photo of their family (mom, dad, siblings, pets and a student). Ask the parents to tell you where they are from and write each answer.
Materials: The book Me On The Map by Joan Sweeney, poster of a map of the world, sticker, children’s pictures, and one piece of yarn (or a string) per a child.
Preparation:
1. Read the book Me On The Map.
2. Discuss with the students that there are many other countries and many other
languages in the world.
Activity:
1. Show a map of the world to the students.
2. Place a sticker on the country where you are/the classroom is.
3. Ask each student (one at a time) to come up and tell you where they are from
and let them glue their picture on to the country they (or their parents) are from.
4. Using a yarn/string let each child glue it from the country where they are from
to your country (where the school is).
5. Place this map on the wall in your classroom.
Tips:
1. If all the students are from the same country, ask the students what is their
favorite animal and do this lesson by marking, placing a picture of each animal
on the map.
2. If a child doesn’t know where their parents are from, use the answers you got
from each family and point out and show on the map.
A rain stick is a long, hallow tube partially filled with small pebbles, beans or seeds. When the tube is upended, the pebbles fall to the other end of the tube, making
a sound reminiscent of rain falling. The rain stick is believed to be invented by the Aztecs and was played in the belief that its sound could bring rain.
Skill: Cultural awareness, folklore Objective: To explore folklore and cultures.
Materials: Long cardboard tubes—from gift wrap or poster shipping tubes, dried beans or pebbles, cardboard or poster board, packing tape, markers or crayons, ribbon, and nails or aluminum foil.
Activity:
1. Seal off the end of each tube with cardboard or poster board and tape.
2. Give each child their own tube to decorate with markers and ribbon.
3. Have each child add a handful of beans to their tube.
4. Seal the open end of the tube with cardboard or poster board. Make certain that the tape doesn’t create a sticky surface inside the tube.
5. Encourage the children to experiment with their rain sticks. What does it sound like when it is turned over slowly? How about quickly? Listen carefully and find ways to make different sounds.
6. If you stick a few nails into the tube they will adjust the way in which the pebbles move from one end to the other and, in turn, change the sound. Demonstrate for the children how this works.
7. Have the children explore other ways in which they might modify the sound of the rain stick.
Skill: Role playing, community awareness, job identification
Objective: By the end of the lesson the unit the children will be able to identify community helpers in their community.
Materials: Blank envelopes, writing paper, old catalogs and magazines, blank adhesive labels, a few small boxes, pencils and crayons, tape, and stickers that can be used as stamps.
Activity:
1. Pretend play is all about imagination and letting the children role-play in their
own way. However, you can first set up the space to guide the role-playing activity.
2. Designate an area of the classroom to be a post office. Discuss the various activities that take place in a post office – receiving mail, distributing mail, putting stamps on envelopes
3. Supply the area with envelopes, writing paper, old catalogs, etc.
4. Discuss the cycle of a letter – someone writes it, puts it in an envelope, puts
a stamp on it, drops it in the mailbox. It is then collected by a mail carrier and taken to a post office where it is sorted and picked up by another mail carrier who delivers it to the correct house.
5. Let the children’s imagination take over as they play with mail, stamps, and stickers.
6. Interact with the children on occasion to ask questions about the process or to encourage one to assume a particular role.
7. Ask the children to explain, in their words, how a post office works, how a letter gets delivered, and so on.
Skill: Recycling
Objective: By the end of the lesson unit the students will be able to understand the importance of recycling and its importance to the environment.
Materials: The book Grover’s 10 Terrific Ways to Help Our Wonderful World by Sesame Street.
Preparation:
1. Read the story.
2. Discuss the different ways we can help take care of our environment.
Activity:
Sing the recycle song “The More That We Recycle” to the tune “Did you ever see a Lassie go this way and that?”
– Oh, the more that we recycle, recycle, recycle,
– Oh, the more that we recycle,
– The happier we’ll be.
– Cause your earth is my earth,
– And my earth is your earth.
– So the more that we recycle
– The happier we’ll be.
Tips:
You can go around your school and clean up the yard by picking up trash left by others. This teaches children not to throw trash on the ground.
Skill: Cultural awareness
Objective: To build cultural awareness through exploring practices of different countries.
Materials: The book Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park, a globe or a world map, Arhous musical instruments (buy or make: www.incultureparent.com), utensils and ingredients for attached recipe, chop sticks, file folder, crayons, scissors, and glue.
Introduction: Children will gain an awareness that there are people in the world that have a different way of life, customs and traditions from their own. May 5th is Children’s Day in South Korea. This might be a good date to celebrate their culture. A similar activity can be done for other countries, as well.
Activity:
Day 1:
1. Help children find their own country on the globe.
2. Discuss some of their own traditional customs, holidays and foods.
Day 2:
1. Find South Korea on the globe.
2. View videos online that show South Korea, its clothing, houses (traditional house with unique roof ), music, musical instruments (arhous), foods, eating utensils (metal spoon and chopsticks), furniture (low tables and pillows to sit on (instead of a chair), etc.
3. Discuss similarities and differences in South Korea’s culture compared to their own culture.
4. Children practice playing the arhous as they listen to some traditional South Korean music (go to www.youtube.com).
Day 3:
Make the San Taeguk Fan (go to www.incultureparent.com)
Day 4:
1. Read Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park
2. Ask the children to observe the chopsticks, bowls, rice cooker, clothing and slippers in the illustrations.
3. Make the recipe on the back of book.
4. Enjoy your meal!
5. Celebrate Children’s Day!
6. Play arhous instruments and dance while listening to Korean music.
Skill: Community awareness
Objective: By the end of the lesson unit the children will be able to identify community helpers in their community.
Materials: Pictures of different helpers such as policeman/woman, firefighter, post office clerk, doctor, grocer, teacher, etc.
Activity:
1. Show pictures of different community helpers.
2. Ask children to tell you who they think these helpers are and what their jobs are.
3. Ask children to tell you what jobs their parents, family members and neighbors have.
4. Talk about how the jobs help others. For example, when you are sick a doctor helps you to feel better; if you want to learn a teacher helps you learn; and if you are hungry a grocer sells you food.
5. Finger Play: “Helpers”
– This helper builds our houses. (Hold up thumb)
– This helper brings our mail. (Hold up pointer)
– This helper teaches the children. (Hold up middle finger)
– And this one has groceries to sell. (Hold up ring finger)
– And this little helper, yes, it’s me! (Hold up and wiggle pinky finger)
– When I grow up, (Stretch arms above head)
– Which will I be? (Pointer finger tapping on chin)
The Arts
Skill: Rhythm, music expression
Objective: To gain an appreciation of music through self-expression and creativity.
Materials: Paper plates, dried beans, stapler, markers, crayons, ribbons, poster board, bottle caps, and glue (super glue).
Activity:
1. Give each child two paper plates of the same size.
2. Lay out a variety of art supplies – crayons, markers, ribbons, and others if available – and have the children decorate the back of both paper plates.
3. When they have finished with the decorating, turn one plate face side up, and have the child place a good handful of dried beans on the plate.
4. The teacher should then place the other plate, face side down, on top of the plate with the beans and staple the edges of the plates together. Make certain that the staples are close enough together that no beans can escape!
5. Tambourines are now ready for use in musical numbers!
6. Castanets: Teachers should flatten bottle caps with a hammer before starting this activity.
7. Draw oblong shapes approximately .75” x 4” on heavy poster board and cut out two for each child. If children are able, they might cut out the oblong shapes using child’s safety scissors.
8. Have the children decorate one side of the oblong shapes using markers,
crayons, or other supplies like glitter or stickers.
9. The teacher should then glue two flattened bottle caps to the backside of the decorated oblong shape—one on each end. Fold the strip in half so the bottle caps meet.
10. Hand each child their castanets and show them how to press the upper and lower pieces of cardboard together so the bottle caps meet and click. Have the children position one castanet in each hand.
11. Choose songs that the children know and have them perform the songs using their tambourines and castanets.
Skill: Art exploration, color, creative expression
Objective: Exposure to a kinetic method of painting and appreciation of color and art.
Materials: Marbles, tempera paint, large cylindrical container with a lid (coffee can), white paper, paper plates, and disposable spoons.
Activity:
1. Measure the height and diameter of the cylindrical container and cut sheets of
white paper so that they fit inside the container.
2. Have a child put the paper inside the container, leaving the lid off.
3. Pour a small amount of a few different colors of tempera paint onto a paper plate.
4. Encourage the child to dip a marble into one of the paint colors. Use a spoon to pick up the paint-covered marble and carefully drop it into the container.
5. Repeat this for each color of paint that the child would like to use.
6. Secure the lid on the container.
7. Have the child shake or roll the container until they feel the painting is done.
8. Carefully remove the painting and set it aside to dry.
9. Ask the child if the painting turned out the way he thought it would—what could he do differently to get a different effect? Allow children to experiment with different colors, more or few marbles, more or less paint, larger or smaller marbles—and discuss the results.
POPSICLE PUPPETS
Skill: Communication and conflict resolution
Objective: To encourage a practice of “use your words, not your hands.”
Materials: Popsicle sticks, glue, safety scissors, white and colored construction paper, paper plates, crayons and markers
Activity:
1. Copy the following three images (below) onto heavier paper and
in sizes that are at least 6” wide. Attach each image to a popsicle stick so that it can be held up like a sign.
2. Discuss with the children the importance of communication and the need to sometimes “stop” and listen to others, “share” so that others are included, and to “speak” instead of hitting when they want to be heard. Show them each sign and explain that they are to represent the need to stop, share, and speak.
3. Now have each child make a paper plate and popsicle stick puppet to be used in role play scenarios.
4. Each child should draw a face on a paper plate. They can add hair, hats,
or other features using the colored construction paper, yarn or ribbon, glue, crayons or markers.
5. When they finish with the face, attach it to a popsicle stick so they can hold it.
6. Have the children role play one or more of the following situations, using
the puppets. Ask one child to use the communication signs—stop, share, speak—to show how the puppets should deal with the situation. After one or two rounds, ask another child to use the communication signs.
– Two children trying to play with the same toy car and arguing.
– Three children wanting to read the same book at the same time. – A child is frightened to go down an outdoor slide.
– One child said something to hurt another child’s feelings.
7. Communication and conflict negotiation takes practice, so allow children enough time to visit and revisit various situations.
Skill: Color recognition and identification
Objective: At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to identify the primary and secondary colors.
Preparation:
1. Show primary colors to the students and ask them to identify each (they might
need help; ask another child to help).
2. Ask students to try to predict which two colors we can mix in order to make a green.
Activity 1 – “Let’s Make A Rainbow”:
Materials: White construction paper (one for each child), tempera paint (blue, yellow, red), and tempera brushes (one for each child).
Day 1:
1. Give each child a piece of construction paper.
2. Create a triangle in the middle of each paper using the three primary colors
– red, blue and yellow. Leave a space in between each color. Place red paint color at the top of the triangle, blue in one bottom corner, and yellow in the other bottom corner of the triangle.
3. Ask the students to predict what colors they will get if they mix these colors together.
4. Have each child use a small brush and mix colors with each other (blue and yellow, blue and red, red and yellow).
5. Ask the children what color did they get.
Tips:
1. Model mixing of the colors before the students do step #4.
2. It is best if this activity is done with few children at a time (3 or 4 in a group).
Activity 2 – “Fish in the Ocean”:
Materials: White construction paper (one for each child), tempera paint (blue, red, yellow, black, and white), paper plates (2 for each child), black marker, and 3 large oval stencils.
Day 2:
1. Give a white construction paper to each child.
2. Put a little blue and white tempera paint on a paper and have the children mix it over the whole page.
3. Ask them what color did they get (light blue for the ocean).
4. Place that paper to dry for a day.
Day 3:
1. Give each child blue paper.
2. Draw 3 large oval shapes and 3 little oval shapes over the light blue paper (students who are capable of tracing can be instructed to trace these ovals on their paper by themselves).
3. Show how to make fins.
4. Place blue, red, and yellow on a paper plate (one paper plate for 2 or 3 children can be used).
5. Let the students paint 3 large fish (one blue, one red, and one yellow).
6. Next, have the students mix on a different paper plate red and blue, red and yellow, and yellow and blue (give each child their own paper plate to mix these colors).
7. Use the secondary color to paint each of the three little fish.
8. Give each child black tempera paint and a tiny brush.
9. Model how to paint over marker lines and, if desired, add details to fish (scales using lines, eyes, mouth, fins)
10. Use green to paint seaweed.
11. Let dry for a day before hanging on a wall or sending home.
Skill: Auditory recognition
Objective: At the end of the lesson unit, the children will be able to identify percussion instruments while listening to a classical piece of music.
Materials: Computer with Internet access, different percussion instruments
and their sounds (www.nyphilkids.org/lockerroom/main.phtml), and the song by Dmitri Shostakovich “The Nose” – Percussion Interlude – (www.youtube.com/ watch?v=kovgWxcMB1U).
Preparation:
1. Ask the students to sit in front of the computer. Introduce the students to
the percussion family, describing the basic facts about these instruments – instruments that are played by being struck or shaken.
2. Play a short video of the introduction to a few percussion instruments and their sounds.
Activity:
1. Play the song “The Nose” – Percussion Interlude.
2. Ask the students to raise their hand if they can hear percussion instruments.
3. Ask the students to name them.
Tips:
1. Do the same activity for wind and string instruments.
2. Feel free to use any other classical piece to introduce these instruments.
3. This unit might take up to three weeks in order for children to recognize these instruments in different songs.
4. Play a variety of songs from different genres of music.
5. Always show a few instruments and have the children observe and use them.
Skill: Auditory recognition, rhythm
Objective: Children will learn to follow a beat.
Materials: Rhythm sticks
Preparation:
1. Children sit in a semi-circle facing the teacher.
2. Model clapping out tick-tock, tick-tock in a slow steady beat.
3. Ask the children to join in clapping to “tick-tock, tick-tock, goes the clock.”
4. Model clapping out the beat to the nursery rhyme Hickory Dickory Dock.
5. Model clapping out the beat to the first line in the nursery rhyme.
6. Ask the children to clap out the beat along with the teacher to the first line of the nursery rhyme.
7. Continue steps 3 and 4 for each line of the nursery rhyme.
8. Practice until the children can clap it out readily. Hickory Dickory Dock
– The mouse ran up the clock
– The clock struck one
– The mouse came down
– Hickory Dickory Dock
Activity:
1. Demonstrate the use of sticks.
2. Model tapping out the beat to the Hickory Dickory Dock nursery rhyme.
3. Hand out the sticks to the children.
4. Ask the children, using the rhythm sticks, to tap out the beat along with the teacher.
5. Ask the children to tap out the beat alone as the teacher recites the nursery rhyme.
Tips:
1. Children love playing with rhythm sticks. Be sure to give them time to experiment with
the sticks prior to tapping out the beat. Ask them to demonstrate different ways to tap the sticks – end-to-end, above their head, behind their backs, and on the floor.
2. March around the room tapping the sticks as they listen to music.
3. Play Follow the Leader – the teacher taps two slow beats, the children tap two slow beats; teacher taps three quick beats above her head, children tap three quick beats above their heads; teacher taps once behind her back and once in front of her body, children repeat the same action, and so on.
4. Tap out on rhythm sticks or clap to other nursery rhymes.
Skill: Music expression
Objective: To move expressively to music. The children will be able to move to a classical music piece using a growing range of movements.
Materials: The song William Tell Overture By Gioachino Rossini (www.youtube. com/watch?v=c7O91GDWGPU) and a CD player/tape player.
Activity:
1. Have the students seated in a semi-circle in front of the teacher.
2. Play William Tell Overture for the students.
3. Ask different questions:
– What instruments do you hear?
– Is the rhythm slow or fast?
– Does it remind you of any animals?
– What does it sound like?
4. Ask the students to move their hands as the music is playing.
5. Model to the students how to gallop like a horse in a circle. Have your hands holding the “reins” and pretend to ride a horse. Make sure to use the appropriate facial expression – serious with your head up.
6. Ask the students to stand up and form a circle.
7. Instruct the students to listen to the music and follow the rhythm.
8. Whenever there is a change in the song, ask the students to pause, turn to the other side, and gallop the other way in a circle.
Tips:
1. You can play this song on any device that is available to you.
2. “Reins” are leather straps fastened to the bridle that is placed on the horse’s head. It is used for leading the horse.
Skill: Artistic representation
Objective: The students will be able to manipulate clay and create objects.
Materials: Clay or playdough (or Play-doh) in different colors, and a variety of fruits and vegetables (student must have at least one).
Preparation:
1. Show the students a variety of fruits and vegetables.
2. Ask them which one is their favorite.
3. Let them look at the one that they chose and have them observe it.
4. Ask the students what is the texture of the fruit or vegetable.
5. Ask them what is its color.
6. Ask them what is its shape. Give them clues such as “round like a moon or ball.”
Activity:
1. Give each student a little more than a hand full of playdough or clay.
2. Let them explore it, rolling it and kneading it for few minutes.
3. Then ask them to observe their fruit/vegetable again.
4. Model how to make one of the fruits and vegetables.
5. Instruct them to make the fruit/vegetable of their choice.
Tips:
1. The students can pick the size they want for their fruit/vegetable.
2. Use any fruits or vegetables that are local in your community.
3. Show them this video if they show interest in creating more fruits and vegetables (www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFfA5TNseaI).
Skill: Eye hand coordination, fine motor skills Objective: To properly use scissors and glue skills.
Materials: Scissors, glue and/or glue sticks, colored paper, gift wrapping paper, magazine pages, tissue paper, stencils, ruler, and markers.
Introduction: Children will use their fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination as they cut and glue paper to create a piece of art.
Activity:
1. Using markers, rulers and/or stencils the child will trace out the shapes on a
piece of paper.
2. Cut out the shapes.
3. Glue the shapes on a larger piece of colored paper.
4. Ask the children questions about their piece of artwork. For example:
– What did you like best while creating your piece of art?
– What does your piece of art remind you of as you look at it?
5. Be sure to discuss with child what you like best about their artwork. Make sincere, specific comments. For example:
– “I like the yellow stars you placed on the black piece of paper because it reminds me of the stars at night.”
6. Let dry for a few hours or overnight before displaying or sending home.
Tips:
1. Draw straight lines on the paper for the child who has no experience in cutting.
2. Guide the child who has difficulty using scissors. Sit in front of him/her, and demonstrate how to hold the scissors and paper.
3. Tear or wad paper to make it 3-dimensional.
4. Use one color paper at a time for a lesson on “My Favorite Color.”
5. Make a grid on a calendar picture to cut out and put together as a puzzle.
Skill: Emotion recognition
Objective: Drama – act out a range of emotions.
Materials: The books Lena and Leopold translated by Elizabeth D. Crawford
and The Feelings Book by Todd Parr, and the Key Education Feelings poster from Carson Dellosa.
Introduction: The story Lena and Leopold is about a naughty kitten named Bobo. Throughout the entire story, Bobo, along with his brothers and sisters, press the reader to examine their own feelings.
Preparation for the Activity Day 1:
1. Read the book The Feelings Book.
2. Discuss the pictures and feelings presented in the story.
Preparation for the Activity Day 2:
1. Ask the children to examine the different pictures on the poster.
2. Point out the way the eyebrows, mouth and eyes look.
3. Point to different pictures and ask the children how the child in the picture is feeling.
Preparation for the Activity Day 3:
1. Read the story Lena and Leopold and identify emotions to be acted out prior
to reading the story to the children.
2. Prepare predictive questions. Sticky notes work great for attaching the question directly on the page. Pull the sticky note off prior to reading the page.
Activity:
1. Introduce the book without giving too much away.
2. Read the story and stop at each page to ask the children questions pertaining to how they would feel if they were the kittens. “How would you feel if you were in the kittens place?” Happy, sad, frightened, anger, shame, and even how one might feel while suffering an illness. Sample questions:
– “Have you ever been sick?”
– “Can you show me what your face would look like if you had a
stomach ache?”
– “How would you feel if your older brother ate all of the dessert
by himself?”
– “Can you show me a sad face?”
– “How would you feel if your brother started making a huge
mess and you know that your mother is going to be mad?”
– “Can you show me a frightened face?”
– “How would you feel if your mother went out and left you all
alone?”
– “Can you make a scared face?”
– “Have you ever felt this way before?”
Tips:
1. Be sure to read expressively and fluently.
2. Use a hand mirror so the child can see his own face as he acts out the different emotions.
3. Be sure to give each child an opportunity to act out, in front of the class, one or more of the emotions.
4. You can practice acting out the emotions as a group.
5. You can use props such as a doll, toy dishes and a blanket to represent the bed.
Skill: Language skills, memory, story retelling Objective: Drama – promote language skills.
Materials: The book Three Billy Goats Gruff, rhythmic sticks, and 18 two-foot long rectangular blocks (bridge should cover approximately four feet).
Introduction: The children will act out the story Three Billy Goats Gruff. Retelling the story will promote their language skills and increase their vocabulary. Children will also develop social skills such as taking turns, sharing, self-control, following instructions and cooperation as they practice and perform the “play.” Drama also boosts the students’ self-esteem and confidence as they perform in front of an audience.
Activity:
Day 1:
1. Read the story.
Day 2:
1. Repeat reading the story. Ask the children to “read along” by echoing the parts
of the goats and the troll’s response.
Day 3: (Note: Only practice crossing the “bridge” and tapping the rhythmic sticks.)
1. Place the rectangular blocks side by side on the floor to represent the bridge.
2. Allow each child to cross the bridge several times.
3. Hand out rhythmic sticks to children.
4. Ask children to tap sticks in a rhythm that sounds like a horse clip clopping over the bridge.
Day 4: (Note: Teacher will paraphrase the story. Story is not read on this day. The only lines that is practiced is the troll saying “Stop” and “You may go.”)
1. Select children to be the goats and the troll.
2. Ask the children to “build” the bridge.
3. Practice having the different goats cross the bridge as the other children tap the rhythmic sticks.
4. The teacher will ask the troll to say in a loud, gruff voice “STOP!” when the
goat reaches the middle of the bridge. Remember the children should also stop tapping their sticks. The troll approaches the goat on the bridge.
5. The troll says to the goat, “You may go.” The goat continues off the “bridge,” stops and waits for the other goats to join him, as the other children tap the sticks.
Days 5 & 6:
Repeat day four activity.
Days 7 through 10:
Repeat day four activities and add the rest of the lines of the goats and troll. As the troll approaches the goat, the goat pretends to “butt” him off the bridge. The troll
pretends to fall to his demise.
Troll: “Stop, who is that on my bridge?”
Goat: “It is I, the small Billy goat gruff.”
Troll: “I am going to eat you up!”
Goat: “Oh no, I am the smallest. Just wait for my brother; he is a much bigger and tastier Billy goat gruff.”
Troll: “Very well, you may go.”
Troll: “Stop, who is that on my bridge?”
Goat: “It is I, the medium Billy goat gruff.”
Troll: “I am going to eat you up!
Goat: “Oh no, I am the medium Billy goat. Just wait for my brother; he is a much bigger and tastier Billy goat gruff.”
Troll: “Very well, you may go.”
Troll: “Stop, who is that on my bridge?”
Goat: “It is I, the biggest Billy goat gruff.”
Troll: “I am going to eat you up!”
Goat: “Oh no, I am going to eat you up!”
Troll: “Very well, you may go.”
Tips:
1. Practice, practice.
2. You can have two goats of each size. Adjust script. For example: “It is only the smallest Billy goats.”
3. Give other children the opportunity to be the goats and trolls.
4. “Shy, quiet” children should be encouraged to participate; they are often some of the best performers.
5. Ask children to adjust their voices according to their parts. The smallest goat speaks in a high-pitched voice. The largest goat speaks in a loud, low gruff voice. The medium goat speaks in a normal voice. The troll speaks in a growly, loud and low voice.
6. Make masks out of paper plates attaching a Popsicle stick or tongue
depressor on it in order for the child to be able to hold the mask in front of him.
7. Children can cut green construction paper to represent the grass.
8. Blue construction paper can be placed under the “bridge” to represent a stream.
9. Children can make invitations to be sent out to the families.
Nutrition
Skill: Body awareness
Objective: What is body awareness? Why is food important? At the end of the lesson unit, the children will be able to identify some healthy foods that are needed to keep our bodies healthy. The children will be able to identify bones and muscles.
Materials: A poster of our body inside and outside (showing the muscles, bones, organs and skin), poster paper (to record the discussion), marker (for the teacher), and the book Me and My Amazing Body by Joan Sweeney.
Introduction:
1. Read the book Me and My Amazing Body.
2. Ask questions throughout the book about our body.
3. Show our bones and muscles.
4. Explain, using basic terminology, how each part of our body is important and how we need to take care of it so that it can function properly.
Activity:
1. Show the poster of our body.
2. Ask the students questions:
a. What do our bodies need to stay healthy? (eat, exercise, sleep, brush teeth, take a shower, wash hands)
b. What kinds of food keep us healthy? (meats, vegetables, fruits, dairy, seafood)
c. Should we eat lots of sweet food? Why or Why not? (cavities are not good for us)
3. Record their answers on a chart. As you are writing, tell children what you are writing: “I am going to write that Ann said ‘We need to brush our teeth everyday.’”
4. Place the chart on the wall.
Tips:
Pick any other book on bodies or just show a poster of our body.
You can find a variety of posters of our bodies online.
If the book is too wordy feel free to just discuss a few facts or read a few pages.
Skill: Naming the different food categories
Objective: What are the different food categories? At the end of the lesson the students will be able to name the different food categories.
Materials: The book Eating The Alphabet by Lois Ehlert, magazines (with pictures of different food), glue, scissors, and construction paper (for the plate).
Preparation: The teacher should draw a large circle to represent a large plate (approximately 2 feet in diameter) on the construction paper. The students will be gluing foods onto that “plate.”
Introduction:
1. Read the book Eating The Alphabet.
2. Ask the student if they know any of the foods in the book.
3. Ask the students to tell you which one is their favorite.
4. Discuss about the food categories, explaining which ones are fruits, vegetables, meats, grains and so on.
Day 1 Activity:
1. Pass around the pages from the magazines that have a variety of foods in
them.
2. Give each student a pair of scissors.
3. Ask the students to cut out their favorite ones (or the foods of their choice).
4. The students will glue their foods onto the large “plate.”
5. Once everyone had a chance to cut out and glue the foods, tape the “plate” onto the wall of the classroom.
Day 2 Activity:
1. Have the students cut out more foods.
2. Give each student a paper plate.
3. Glue “foods” onto it.
4. They can take their project home.
Tips:
1. During the introduction the students can be seated on the floor while you are
reading.
2. During the activity, it is preferred that students are seated at the table. You can choose to do the activity with few children at the time.
3. Feel free to use any magazines that have pictures of food, unused books or printed pictures of foods from the internet.
4. Prepare only pictures of fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood and grains.
5. For the younger students, or students who have difficulty with cutting, draw a large square/rectangle around the foods they choose and have the children cut on the line.
Skill: Dental hygiene
Objective: At the end of the lesson the students will be able to name some foods that are good and bad for our teeth.
Materials: The book Open Wide by Laurie Keller, a poster of a “Happy Tooth,”
a poster of a “Sad Tooth,” pictures of a toothbrush and toothpaste, and different kinds of food and beverage such as chocolates, candies, soda, lollipop, ice cream, cookies, apples, carrots, strawberries, milk, water, etc.
Introduction:
1. Read the book Open Wide.
2. Ask the students when they think they should brush their teeth.
3. Ask the students what food they think is good for our teeth, and which ones are bad for them.
4. Discuss with the students the importance of drinking water for our teeth.
Activity:
1. Place the posters of a “Happy Tooth” and a “Sad Tooth” in front of the
students.
2. Show them all the food and drinks.
3. Ask one student at a time to come up and pick a food or drink and place it on top of the “Happy Tooth” or “Sad Tooth.”
4. Once all the children have had a turn, and ask them if everything is in the correct place.
Tips:
1. This activity can be done in small groups or large groups.
2. The students can use this activity during “free play” once the lesson has been done.
3. The teacher can create the “Happy” and “Sad” posters.
Skill: Benefits of exercise
Objective: At the end of the lesson the students will learn the benefits of exercise to our bodies.
Materials: A poster of a human body (inside and outside), stuffed animal, and a poem (see below).
Introduction:
1. Show the poster of the human body to the students.
2. Point out the bones and muscles.
3. Ask the students what would happen if we didn’t have bones and muscles.
4. Show the stuffed animal.
5. Explain how our bodies would be like the stuffed animal (floppy, not able to stand) without bones and muscles.
6. Ask the students what we need to do to have muscles and healthy bones (e.g., food, exercise, water).
Activity:
1. Recite the following poem to the students:
– Jump to the right and stand if you please
– Touch your elbows and now your knees.
– Touch both heels, now your nose,
– Hands on your hips, and now on your toes.
– Hands on shoulders, and on your shoes,
– Turn to the left and read the news.
– Hands on heads, also on hair,
– Hands on hips, now in the air.
– Touch your face, now your feet,
– Clap your hands and take your seat.
2. Ask the students to act out the instructions in the poem.
3. Ask them listen to each other’s hearts once they have acted it out.
4. Explain to them that the faster their hearts beat, the stronger they get.
Skill: Identification of vegetables
Objective: At the end of the lesson the students will be able to identify different vegetables. You can repeat the same activity with fruits or other healthy food groups. The point of this lesson is for the children to learn about the different food groups (meats, vegetables, fruits, fish, grains, dairy, nuts).
Materials: The book The Vegetables We Eat by Gail Gibbons, poster paper (for the teacher), marker (for the teacher), paper plates (one for each child), carrots, broccoli, cucumber, tomato, and celery sticks.
Preparation:
1. Read the book The Vegetables We Eat.
2. Ask students if they ever tried any of those vegetables?
3. Which ones were their favorite, and least favorite?
Activity:
1. Explain to the students that they will now taste a few different vegetables.
2. Ask students (one at a time) to tell you which vegetables are we eating (the ones that are to be tasted).
3. Write the name of each vegetable on the poster paper.
4. Let the students try one vegetable at a time (have them try a bite of each).
5. Once they have tried them all ask them one at a time which one was their favorite (make a tally).
6. Next, ask them which one was their least favorite (make a tally).
7. At the end, read which vegetables children liked the most and which vegetables they liked the least.
Tips:
1. The students can try local vegetables.
2. Be aware of any diets and allergies the students might have.
3. You can repeat the same activity with fruits or other healthy food groups. The point of this lesson is for the children to learn about the different food groups (meats, vegetables, fruits, fish, grains, dairy, nuts).
Skill: Food identification
Objective: To increase knowledge of various fruits and vegetables.
Materials: Various fruits and vegetables (apples, oranges, pears, cucumbers, banana, carrots, green beans, peas), large box, opaque bag (cloth or paper), flip chart, markers, pictures of each fruit and vegetable.
Activity:
1. On a large flip chart page (or similar). Make a grid to fill the paper, placing the
pictures vertically down the left-hand side of the page. This will serve as a tally sheet for the Guess the Food activity.
2. Place items on the table or floor in front of the children.
3. Allow the children to touch the items and identify the names of the items. Talk about each of the food items, sharing with the children information about nutritional information, how the food item grows, what time of year they taste best. Let the children ask questions and gain a familiarity with each of the items.
4. Discuss the feel, hardness, softness, and size of each item.
5. Remove all items and hide them behind a small screen or in a large box so the children can’t see them.
6. Place one food item in the opaque bag.
7. Ask one child to reach into the bag and feel the item (don’t let them see inside the bag) and ask them to guess what food item is in the bag. Place a check mark next to the picture of the child’s guess.
8. Pass the bag to the next child and ask the same question. Again, place a check mark next to the picture of the child’s guess. Continue until every child has had a guess.
9. Tally up the guesses and reveal the item. Repeat until all items have been guessed.
Skill: Healthy food identification
Objective: To learn fun songs to help remember which foods are good to eat.
Materials: No special materials are needed for this activity. However, it could be combined with other activities such as making simple instruments like tambourines and castanets.
Activity:
1. This activity requires knowing the tunes to the songs Are You Sleeping?;
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star; and Merrily We Roll Along.
2. Sing the following songs to the children and teach them these “alternative” words. Are You Eating? (Tune: Are You Sleeping?)
– Are you eating?
– Are you eating?
– Healthy foods?
– Healthy foods?
– For your body needs them,
For your body needs them
– Everyday,
– Everyday.
Carrots, Peas, and Broccoli (Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
– Vegetables are good for me,
– For my snack and in my lunch,
– Vegetables are great to munch.
– Carrots, peas, and broccoli,
– Vegetables are good for me.
Happily We Eat Our Food (Tune: Merrily We Roll Along)
– Happily we eat our foods, eat our foods, eat our foods.
– Happily we eat our foods, to grow big and strong.
– Happily we drink our milk, drink our milk, drink our milk.
– Happily we drink our milk, to grow big and strong.
Other verses:
Happily we eat our fruits…
Happily we eat our beans…
3. The songs could be sung before snack time or before each meal.
4. Songs do not need to be taught all at one time, they can be introduced over time.
Skill: Food identification, art exploration
Objective: To identify and create prints using cross-sectional shapes of sliced fruits and vegetables.
Materials: Onions, apples, celery, mushrooms, and bell peppers; tempera paints; small paper bowls for each paint color; variety of white and colored paper.
Activity:
1. Show the children the whole foods they will be using for this activity. Discuss
each and then carefully slice the food with the children watching. Briefly discuss what the inside of each looks like; talk about colors; seeds, and texture.
2. Tape the letter to the wall or an easel at an easy height for the children to reach. Or lay it on the floor so that the children can access it.
3. Pour paint into small paper bowls; one for each color. Depending upon how many children will be doing this activity at one time, you may choose to have more than one bowl for each color.
4. Show the children how to dip the cut fruit into paint and then stamp it gently on a piece of paper to create an image. More images will create their final print.
5. Step back and let the children explore their creativity.
Themes
Family
Skills: Awareness of self within the context of family Identification of people’s similarities and differences
Objective: The children will be able to create puppets through self-expression.
Materials: Paper plates (1 for each child), popsicle sticks (1 for each child), paints (different shades of brown for a variety of skin colors), yarn (in different shades depending on children’s hair color in your classroom), markers, glue and a mirror.
Preparation: Based on children’s hair color in your classroom, cut the yarn into strips of different colors (e.g., black, brown, yellow). If yarn is not available, cut strips of paper in these colors. You will need about 10 pieces of yarn per child. Create a puppet of yourself in advance.
Activity:
Day 1:
1. Discuss the concepts that we all belong to a family. Encourage the children to discuss about their families. Ask the children, who is part of their family, what do family members do together, what is their role in the family? Explain that they are an important part of the family.
2. Discuss that the children should love themselves, but they should also respect and love their family members.
3. Explain that today they will be observing themselves and creating a puppet of themselves.
4. Divide children into groups and have them sit at the table.
5. Work with one group at a time.
6. Explain to the children that they all belong to a family.
7. Pass the mirror around the table.
8. Ask each child, “Look in the mirror and tell us what do you see?”
9. Ask the children a variety of questions: “What do you see on your face? What is the color of your skin? What color are your eyes? 9. Who in your family has the same color eyes? What color is your hair? Do your siblings have the same hair color? Do you have teeth? What else do you see on your face?”
10. Show your puppet to the children. Explain that you made a puppet of your- yourself.
11. Point to the color of your skin, your hair, your two eyes, eyebrows, nose, and mouth.
12. Help them mix a few colors to create the right shade for their skin tone. Or you can premix these colors prior to the activity.
13. Encourage children to help you decide if you should add more white or brown into the mix to create darker or lighter tones.
14. Next, write each child’s name on the back of the paper plate.
15. Let the children paint their paper plate.
16. Let the paper plate dry overnight.
Day 2:
17. Help children pick the correct yarn color for their hair.
18. Next, ask them to cut the yarn into the length of their own hair (short, medium, long).
19. Help them glue the yarn onto the paper plate (face).
20. Ask the children what else does their puppet need on its face?
21. Let the children pick the correct colored marker to draw their eyes. If they are unsure what color are their eyes, hand them a mirror to look.
22. Next, have the children draw the mouth and nose.
23. Give children a popsicle stick and have them glue it towards the bottom of the paper plate to hold up the puppet.
Tips:
1. Some children might need your help with drawing and picking the correct skin and hair color.
2. Encourage the children to discuss among each other and compare the similarities and differences of their puppets.
3. Preschool children are at the stage where they are learning who they are and are forming a sense of identity and belonging. Family is a big part of who they are.
4. If a child wants to draw its teeth, ears, eyebrows and eyelashes you should encourage them.
Skills: Fine motor skills Phonological awareness
Objective: The children will be able to identify the letter F and the sound it makes. Materials: Construction paper, pictures for the word wall, markers and tape.
Preparation: Prior to this lesson, ask the children to bring different pictures of their family (parents, siblings, cousins, grandparents, etc.). On the day of the lesson, grab a large piece of paper and write in large letters Ff..For word wall, write on the top of another piece of paper the following: mom, dad, sister, brother.
Activity:
1. The teacher will introduce the letter of the week Ff for Family.
2. Ask the children to repeat the sound it makes /f/.
3. Write the letter F on a piece of paper and have the children trace it using their index finger.
4. Show the children pictures of their families and ask if they can name different people in their family. Ask them to guess which role they play in the family.
5. Next, introduce them to the word wall. The word wall will consist of pictures and names of the family members (mom, dad, sister, brother, etc.).
6. Have a child place a picture(s) on the word wall as they give an answer.
Tips:
1. The word wall can be used with different themes so the children can have a visual understanding of the theme.
2. Be cautious about the children who do not have a mom, dad, etc. Explain that they have other family members, such as grandparents, uncles, aunts, etc.
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