For this lesson you will need:
Small objects (paper clips, marbles etc) see # of day
Paper
Crayons or markers
Tape
Stickers
King’s Crown (homemade)
Small box or other container
Story: Duck for President
Snack items to choose from
Welcome Song: (To tune of Old MacDonald):
Welcome, welcome everyone
So glad that you are here.
Today we’re gonna have some fun
So let’s give out a cheer
Woo hoo!!
Clap clap clap clap
Slap(legs) slap slap slap
Clap clap clap let’s go! (when you shout “let’s go!”, do a group high five in the center)
Question of the Day: Do you have any rules in your home? If you could change one of those rules, which one would it be?
Allow each child to answer and share your answer as well.
Number of the Day ‘11’: Use any small object that you have a lot of. It may be paper clips, erasers, marbles, blocks, candies etc. Display the number 11 on a piece of paper or dry-erase board and ask children if they can arrange the small objects into the shape of the number that is being displayed. Allow them to use as many objects as they need.
Hold up all of your fingers and wiggle them around. Have children touch each of your fingers while counting aloud. When they get to the tenth finger ask “What do we do next? We don’t have any fingers left to count!!” Show children how to close their fists then open them again to indicate that there are more fingers to count. Have them practice counting to 11 on their own fingers.
For more counting practice (or for older children): Draw numbers 1-11 on 11 small squares of paper (a different number on each). Put tape on the back of them and put them on the floor, number side down. Have children take turns picking one and saying aloud what the number is (without help) and sticking it on the window or other surface where they think the number falls in the lineup (left to right). Do not correct any mistakes until the end. When all numbers have been lined up on the window, point to each of the numbers in the order they placed them and say the numbers aloud. They will most likely recognize if a number has been placed out of order. Have them make any corrections that are necessary and congratulate them on a counting job well done!
Have children count 11 stickers from sticker basket and place on the sticker chart.
Letter of the Day ‘K’: Before preschool, write the following K words on pieces of paper. When it’s time for the letter of the day, use stickers or tape to stick these pieces of paper all over your body and clothes. Tell children they will each get a turn to choose a paper from your clothes and act it out for the rest of the class. You may use the following:
Kangaroo
Kiss
Key
Kite
King
Kick
Koala Bear (explain that it likes to climb trees and hug the branches while it sleeps)
Kiwi (bird) (Chances are nobody will guess this one, so when they give up, you may want to show a picture of a kiwi, and explain that that word can mean both a bird and a green fuzzy fruit!)
After each child has a had a couple of turns acting, review the words and ask if they noticed any similarities between them.
Explain that the letter K and the letter C sound the same a lot of times. With more practice we’ll learn which words begin with the letter K and which words begin with C.
Demonstrate how the letter Kk is written and allow children to practice in their writing notebooks. Teach them the ASL sign for K as well as Kiss, Key, and King
Introduction to Topic: “Who decides what the rules are in your family? Who decides what to make for dinner? Who decides when you need to go to bed? Who decides what fun things you will do as a family?”
Allow children to share their answers.
Point out that some decisions are made by the parents, and some of the decisions are made together as a family, with everyone sharing their ideas.
“Who decides what the rules are in our country?” Put on homemade King’s crown.
“Is it a king? Many countries have a King as their leader. A King makes all of the decisions for the country and tells their people what they must do.”
Activity: Do a little role play. “John, stand up and reach to the sky. Now touch your nose. I’m the king, so you must do what I say. I’ve decided all of you must wear garbage sacks instead of clothes from now on! (Tear holes in the bottom and sides of a few grocery sacks and put them on each child.) That’s better. Now I’d like for you to give me your shoes. And no smiling either !”
Ask if they like being told what to do without being able to make their own decisions. “Many Kings have been good kings and have tried hard to help their people and keep them safe and happy, but many Kings have also made some bad decisions which made their people very sad and angry.
Here in our country, the United States of America, we do things a little bit differently. Just as we help make the decisions in our family, we can also help make the decisions for our country.”
Hold up a picture of the President of the United States. Ask children if they remember who it is. Introduce him as the President/Leader of our country and the man who helps to make very big decisions.
“Every four years, the people in the United States, get a chance to choose who will be the leader of our country. This is the person who was chosen.” Share some facts about the President’s family, where he’s from, etc. (Born in Hawaii, has 2 little girls, Doesn’t like Ice Cream, loves basketball etc)
“After we choose our President, he moves into a big house called the White House. (Show picture if you wish)
We also get to choose other men and women to help the President make big decisions."
“These people work together and think of different ideas that might help our country to be a better place to live. They think of ways to make us safe, and to help us learn better at school, and to help us to stay healthy.
They tell us what their ideas are, then ask us what we think about them. We get to tell them if we like their ideas or if we don’t like their ideas. Would you like to see how this is done?
Activity: On several pieces of paper write the following sentences:
1: Children will eat chocolate chip pancakes every Saturday morning.
2: Children will take 4 naps every day
3: Children will do all the chores in the house: cooking, dusting, washing dishes, vacuuming, laundry and sweeping.
4: Children will go the park and play on the playground every day.
(Create as many sentences as you wish)
Give each child 4 small squares of paper and a crayon. Read one of the sentences (bills) to the children and tell them that if they like this rule, they will draw a smiley face on the paper. If they don’t like the rule, they will draw a frowny face on the picture, and then put the paper or “vote” in a box.
After each child has placed their vote, review them. Have children count the number of smiley faces and the number of frowny faces in the box, and decide whether the bill should be made into a rule.
Go through the same process with each bill.
When all bills have been voted on, summarize the results to the children.
The President and his helpers try to do what is best for us, and listen to what we think of their ideas. If most people like their ideas, then they’ll make it a rule. If most people don’t like their ideas then they won’t make it a rule, just like we did with our rules.
Story: Duck for President by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin
Discuss what things duck wanted to change.
Activity: If I were President……..
Ask children to imagine that they are the President of the United States and in charge of thinking of ideas to make their country a better place. What would they do?
Come up with a few ideas of your own.
Have children draw some of their ideas, and share them with the rest of the class.
Service: Help children write a letter to a local leader thanking them for their hard work in helping to make your town a great place to live.
Snack: Take a vote! List a few different items that they may choose for a snack. Have them vote. Whichever item gets the most votes is the snack for the day.
Goodbye song: To the tune of “If You’re Happy and you Know it”
If you’ve learned a lot today, clap your hands (clap clap)
Here’s the letter of the day (sign the letter K), clap your hands (clap clap)
Oh, we’ve had a lot of fun,
Now our preschool time is done (tap index finger to wrist)
See you next time (wave) and we’ll do it all again! (Clap clap.)
