For this lesson you will need:
One Side of cardboard box or large piece of poster board
Tape
Bowl of mixed food items (crackers, marshmallows, carrot sticks, etc)
Counting item + counting jar
White Paper or white board (for pictionary)
Marker
Pajamas
Wall Clock
12 Pieces of paper with large #’s 1-12
2 good sized sticks (one will be shorter than the other)
Story: Telling Time with Big Mama Cat by Dan Harper
Bunny Day: Telling Time from Breakfast to Bedtime by Rick Walton
Flour tortilla
Cheese, grated
Veggies or pepperoni, and thinly sliced carrots
Paper plate
Brass Brad
Construction paper
Glue
Scissors
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 is your favorite time of the day? Why? Allow each child to answer the question. Share your answer with the children as well.
Number of the Day ‘20’: Before Preschool, use the side of a cardboard box or a piece of poster board to create ‘Mr. Munchie’. Draw a face on the cardboard and cut out the mouth (it should leave a big enough hole for an object to be thrown through it)
Cut out 2 eyebrows from a piece of paper and place tape on the back of each eyebrow. Tape the eyebrows on Mr. Munchie to make him look grumpy.
Hold up the face for the children to see and say
“I want to introduce you to Mr. Munchie. Usually, Mr. Munchie is a really nice guy, but when he gets hungry, he gets really grumpy. When Mr. Munchie gets grumpy, he’s not a very nice face to be around.”
Ask children if they think Mr. Munchie looks happy or grumpy.
Ask children if they will help you make Mr. Munchie happy again by giving him a little snack.
Display the number 20 on a piece of paper and explain that in order to fill Mr. Munchie’s belly, they will need to give him 20 snacks. Present them with a bowl filled with different food items: animal crackers, marshmallows, candies, shredded wheat pieces, cheerios or whatever you have on hand.
Have each child take a turn choosing one item from the bowl and throwing the food through Mr. Munchies mouth. Have them count aloud each time the food goes through the mouth, until you reach the number 20. When Mr. Munchie has eaten 20 pieces of food, reposition the eyebrows to make Mr. Munchie look happy. Congratulate children on a counting job well done.
Have children work together to count 20 of a designated item to put into the counting jar. Remind children of the fun reward they will receive once the counting jar has been filled.
Letter of the Day ‘T’: Play a simple game of pictionary, using T items as the pictures. Draw only a little bit of the picture at a time. After each addition to the picture, allow children to guess what you are drawing. After you’ve drawn a few pictures, you may want to give the children a turn to draw as well. Examples of T words: Tiger, Telephone, Tennis shoe, Turkey, Tarantula, Top, and Tree.
Explain that all the things you drew started with the same letter. Review the words and ask if they know which letter it is. Demonstrate how to write the letter Tt and allow children to practice in their writing notebooks. If children are already well practiced in their letter writing, have them write 2 words that begin with the letter T.
Teach the ASL sign for the letter T as well as the signs for Tree and Time.
Introduction to Topic: With very exaggerated movements, feel around on your wrist for a watch that is not there. Act confused and say “Where in the world did I put my watch? Without my watch, I won’t know what time it is. I’ll just have to guess!”
Make an exaggerated yawn and start dressing in your pajamas. “Well, I’m very tired, so that must mean it’s late, and it’s time for bed, right?” After your pajamas are on, sit down and ask why everyone else isn’t putting their pajamas on. “Isn’t it bedtime?”
Go to the window and open the curtains, acting confused. “It’s so bright! It can’t be bed time yet! How am I ever going to really know what time it is?”
Hopefully (maybe with a little more prompting) the children will point at the clock on the wall. Act relieved and take the clock down from the wall so the children can see it up close. “What a fantastic tool! All I have to do is look at this, and I’ll always know what time it is!” Show the children the clock and ask if they can tell you what time it is.
Explain that you will be learning a little bit about telling time today.
Activity: Before preschool write the numbers 1-12, each on 12 different pieces of paper. Place the numbers on the floor in a large circle to resemble a clock. In the middle of the circle, place 2 sticks, one longer than the other, to resemble the hands on a clock.
Point at each number with your finger and have the children count to twelve with you.
Explain that whatever number the little hand is pointing to, we’ll say the number out loud. (Demonstrate this by pointing it at a number and having everyone say the number aloud. Do this a few times so they get the hang of identifying the numbers.) Explain that every time it’s pointing at a new number, it means another hour has gone by.
Explain that when the big hand is pointing straight up at the 12, we say “O’clock”
Practice this a few times by pointing the big hand at the 12 and the little hand at various numbers. Have them identify which number the little hand is pointing at, and then follow that with “O’clock” each time.
Game: Explain that different things happen at different times of the day. Tell children that you will point the big and little hands at different places on the clock, and see if they can tell you what time it is. You will also give them hints about what goes on at that time of day.
For instance:
Keep the big hand pointed at the 12 position and move the little hand to point at the 7.
Say “This is the time of day that you wake up from a long night’s sleep. Do you know what time it is?” Have child look at the position of the hands and identify the time.
You may also use these phrases:
“This is the time of day we eat breakfast.”
“This is the time of day that we do preschool.”
"This is the time of day that the mail comes."
“This is the time of day that Daddy comes home from work!”
“This is the time of day you kiddos go to bed!”
And so on.
If they catch on quickly, you may want to introduce the half-hour as well (9:30, 12:30 etc) Draw a dot on the white board every time the children answer the time correctly without your help. Play this until you think they’ve had enough!
(You may give the children a few turns to move the hands of the clock as well.)
Song: Hickory Dickory Dock
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down!
Hickory Dickory Dock.
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The bird looked at the clock,
The clock struck two 2,
Away she flew,
Hickory Dickory Dock
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The dog barked at the clock,
The clock struck three 3,
Fiddle-de-dee,
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The bear slept by the clock,
The clock struck four 4,
He ran out the door,
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The bee buzzed round the clock,
The clock struck five 5,
She went to her hive,
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Hickory Dickory Dock,
The hen pecked at the clock,
The clock struck six 6,
Oh, fiddle-sticks,
Hickory Dickory Dock!
Story: Telling Time with Big Mama Cat by Dan Harper
Bunny Day: Telling Time from Breakfast to Bedtime by Rick Walton
Craft: Make your own clock. Go to this site for instructions.
Color and cut out a little mouse to go along with it.
Snack: Tortilla clocks. Sprinkle a flour tortilla with a light layer of grated cheese. Place 12 veggies or pepperoni slices around the tortilla. Use thinly sliced carrots for the hands. Heat for 20 seconds, then……..TIME to eat!
Service: Explain that since the letter of the day is T, they get to help you Take out the TRASH. Allow each child to take a part in trash collection and ‘take out’ process.
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 T), 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.)
