For this lesson you will need:
Dry erase marker or window marker
Stickers or other item for counting
N items (placed around the house)
Newspapers
Magazines
Paper
Scissors
Glue
Pens, markers or crayons
Recipe from newspaper or magazine
Ingredients for chosen recipe (for snack)
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: What kind of things do you enjoy learning about? Allow each child to share their answers. Share your answer with the children as well.
Number of the Day ‘14’: Using a dry erase marker or a window marker display the number 14 on the window and tell children that you want to see if they know how to count all the way to 14! Have each child take a turn drawing 14 of a designated item on the window with the marker (while counting aloud)
For instance: “John, will you please draw 14 dots on the window?”
“Jane, can you draw 14 triangles?”
Allow each child at least one turn to draw something on the window. After each child has had a turn, ask them what they would like you to draw. Draw 14 of whatever item they choose, while counting aloud with the children.
If sticker chart has not yet been filled, have children count 14 stickers to place on the sticker chart. If chart has been filled, you may want to start having them count a new item (colored pom poms, pennies, candies, etc.) and put them into a jar. Explain that when the jar is full, they will get another reward for all their counting practice!
Letter of the Day ‘N’: Display the letter N and ask children if they know what sound it makes. Tell children they must go on a quest to find 5 items in your house that begin with the letter N. Walk with them throughout the house and tell them to keep their eyes open wide, because N words are hard to find! You may need to point them in the general direction of the N items .
Possible N items include: Nuts, net, nail polish, nose, nest, nickel, nightgown, ‘Nerds’ and nightlight. Collect the N items in a bag and bring them back to the circle. Congratulate them for fulfilling their quest.
Demonstrate how to write the letter N and allow children to practice in their writing notebooks. Teach the ASL sign for the letter N as well as the signs for No, Nice, and Newspaper.
Introduction of Topic: Distribute portions of a Newspaper to each child. Have them look through the newspaper (make sure pictures are appropriate!).
Ask: “What kind of things do we see in Newspapers?”
Answers:
Coupons: tell us where we can buy food that doesn’t cost too much
Sports: tells how teams work together
News/Stories: Tells us what is going on in our town and in our country
Games: For Fun
Events: tells us about places we can go and things we can do to have fun
Recipes: tells how to make great food to eat
Advice: Gives us some ideas of ways to fix our problems
“Newspapers tell us about all kinds of things that are going on around us. Many of these things are very good to know about.”
“Can you think of some other ways we can learn about new things and find out what’s going on in the world?” (TV, Radio, Computer, Magazines.) Each of these can be a good way to learn about new things, but not all programs on TV are good to watch, and not everything on the computer and in magazines are good to look at. We must be careful and always ask Moms and Dads before we watch or look at any of these things so they can help us make sure that what they are teaching is good for our minds.”
Activity: Show and discuss some good examples of media sources (Family Fun and, kids magazines, pet/animal/cooking magazines, and appropriate radio and tv programs approved by parents) Give examples of the interesting information we can learn from each of these resources.
Reading: Choose a short article, letter, or comic that might interest the children, and read aloud or summarize. Discuss what you read.
Activity/Craft: Children will create their own newspapers. Give each child a piece of paper (you may choose to make a newspaper-like template on it first.) Have them give the newspaper a title and choose which things they would like to include in their newspapers. (Cut-out pictures from magazines, jokes, comics, upcoming birthdays, favorite snack recipes, etc. Provide children with crayons, pencils, safe scissors and glue sticks and let them go to work!)
Service: Roll up the ‘newspapers’ and wrap a rubber band around them. Have children deliver their newspapers to some of your neighbors (on bikes if they have them, to add effect)
Snack: Choose recipe (ahead of time) from magazine or newspaper that the children would enjoy, and ask them to help you prepare it.
Additional Activity: Lead children to your computer, and allow them to view some of your favorite kid friendly sites. Here are two that we enjoy:
www.totlol.com
www.kids.nationalgeographic.com
Teach children how to use the computer mouse properly, and allow them to play a game or two with your assistance.
(pbskids.org is a fun interactive site as well)
Good bye 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 N), 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.)
