Boys will have just as much fun as girls with this one.....and don't worry, the tp is all reusable :)
Friday, May 29, 2009
Lookin for another weekend activity??
Here's a great one to try! Buy a cheap pack of TP and split up into teams. See who can make the best outfit for their 'model.'
Boys will have just as much fun as girls with this one.....and don't worry, the tp is all reusable :)
Boys will have just as much fun as girls with this one.....and don't worry, the tp is all reusable :)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Field Trip #9: Healthy Eaters
I just found this on www.fieldtripfactory.com:
"The Healthy Eaters™ field trip is designed to reinforce the nutrition and healthy living curricula taught in schools. At your local Albertsons and Acme or Giant food stores, children will have a fun experience in a real life environment that will help prepare them to make healthy choices each day of their lives.
The FREE Healthy Eaters field trip will help children in grades Pre-K - 6 develop and enhance skills in:
* Healthy living and nutrition
* Good oral healthcare practices
* Physical fitness
* Decision making
Trained tour leaders modify the field trips to be grade appropriate. The field trips are 60-90 minutes in length and are limited to 30 participants per tour – although this number may vary by location.
Trip amenities include:
* Free samples of healthy foods and beverages.
* Free student goodie bags with souvenirs from their trip."
I booked a tour online this morning for my daughters and their preschool aged friends. It's easy to do, just go to www.fieldtripfactory.com and register.
If you try this let us know how it goes!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Lesson 27: Camping
Learning the basics of camping
For this lesson you will need
Alphabet (capital and lowercase) on piece of paper
Letter squares (see letter of day)
Word strips (see letter of day)
Counting worksheet (see below)
Camping items such as: sleeping bag, lantern, wood, newspaper, flashlight, water and bugspray
Blankets (a few)
Pan
Paper towel tubes
Can of beans (optional)
Bowl and strainer
Stuff for s’mores (NOT optional )
Books: Arthur's Camp-Out - Lillian Hoban
The Berenstein Bears Go Camping - Jan Berenstein
Welcome Song: To the tune of “I’m a Little Tea Pot”
Mornin’ everybody
How are you?
It’s time for us to learn a little something new!
Turn around in circles
shout ‘HOORAY!’
Glad you’re here with us (clap) to(clap)day! (High five!)
Question of the Day: If you were stuck in the woods for a few days and had no food left in your back pack, what would you eat? Allow children to share their answers. Share your answer with the children as well.
Letters:
Before class:
1: Write the entire alphabet (capital and lowercase letters) on a piece of paper.
2: On several small square pieces of paper, write a different letter. Make some of them capital letters, and some of them lower case letters.
3: Cut a piece of paper in half. On one of the pieces write ‘CAPITAL’, and on the other, write ‘lower case.’
Explain to children that they are going to get a lot of practice with capital and lower case letters today. Hold up the piece of paper with the alphabet and point to several of the big letters. Explain that the big letters are called capital letters.
Ask each child to circle a specified capital letter…for example: “Lisa, can you circle the capital letter G?”
Explain that the smaller letters are called lower case letters. Have children take turns circling a specified lower case letter. Point out that we use both capital and lower case words when we read and write.
Place the word strip that says CAPITAL on your right side, and the word strip that says lower case on your left.
Lay all of the letter squares of paper on the ground, letter side down. Have children take turns choosing one letter and deciding whether that letter is a capital or lower case letter. Have them put it under the appropriate word strip. After it has been placed, ask them to tell you the name, sound, and ASL sign for that letter. (This is a great time to review signs and sounds!!)
If you have older children, you may want to explain when it is appropriate to use capital letters (at the beginning of a sentence, when you’re using names of people and places, etc.) and when lower case letters should be used. Allow children to practice using a mixture of capital and lower case letters by having them write their name and the names of some of their friends in their writing notebooks.
Counting: Create a worksheet following the example below.
Have children count the different groups of shapes, then draw a line from the shapes to the corresponding number in the middle.
This will give them practice with counting as well as number recognition. Try to use numbers that the children have a particularly difficult time remembering (For my girls it’s the numbers 12-16.) Practice makes perfect!
Topic: Before Class: Gather some camping items together and hide them under a blanket. Items could include a sleeping bag, lantern, flashlight, matches, water, piece of wood or whatever else you can think of.
Gather the children in a circle on the floor and say “Is everyone looking forward to summer time? One of the very best things about the summer season is that we get to go camping!” Ask children if they’ve ever been camping and allow them to share a story from their experience.
Ask children to think of all the things needed for a successful camping trip, and write the items down as they list them.
Read the list back to the children and as you do so, pull the camping items out from underneath the blanket, one by one. “I think we have everything we need for a camping trip. Shall we go?”
Activity: Lead children to the kitchen table and explain that the first thing we need to do when we find the perfect camp site is to create a shelter (something to cover our heads and keep us safe from wind and rain). What do people usually use as a shelter when they go camping? (A TENT!) Point at the table, and say “ I think we’ve found a perfect place to set up our tent. Drape a few blankets over the table and some chairs to create a tent big enough for everyone to sit in.
“Now that we have our tent up, I’m starting to feel a little hungry. We don’t have a stove or an oven out here in the woods! How are we supposed to cook our food?” (Build a FIRE) “Is it safe for children to build a fire? Fires can be very dangerous if we get too close, so it’s best if we stand back and watch the grownups do it. BUT there are a lot of things we can do to help the grown ups get ready to build a fire. What do you need to start a fire? (Wood, Sticks, Paper,)”
Have children gather some sticks from outside and some old newspapers from around the house and bring it back to the camp site. (You may also use paper towel tubes as ‘logs’. Show children how to place the wood and the paper to make a teepee or log cabin fire (see pictures below) Explain that the wood needs to be placed so that the air can get through the logs and the fire can spread to all of the wood.
If you have them, pour a can of beans into a pan and hold it over the fire like you’re warming it (Obviously this is not proper technique, but considering the lack of real camping resources, I think the kids will understand) Serve up the beans when they’re ‘warmed’ and ready.
Explain that water is probably the most important thing to take with you when you go camping. A person can live without food for a while, but they cannot live without water. If you run out of water that you brought from home, you need to find more!
Ask children where they might find more water when they are camping (streams, rivers, lakes). Explain that the water that comes from each of these sources is great, but it must be cleaned before we can drink it
Demonstrate how this is done. (See below)
Science: Lead the children to the kitchen and fill a bowl with water. Place a few objects in the water such as leaves and sticks and explain that this might be what the water looks like when you first collect it from the stream. The first thing to do would be to get the bigger objects out. Run the water through a strainer (sitting over a pan)
Turn the stove on to high and have the children gather around (making sure to keep their distance from the hot burner) Explain that the water needs to be brought to a boil (Lots of bubbles on top of the water) to kill all the little bugs and bacteria that are too small for us to see, but that could make us sick if we drank them. When camping, this is done over the fire.
Once it has been brought to a boil, it needs to boil for one minute. After a minute, the water should be clean enough to drink or to use for cooking! Pour it into glasses and into the refrigerator for drinking later
Songs: Point out that it’s getting dark…. and when it gets dark campers like to sit around the campfire and sing camp songs. Teach children any camp song you remember from your youth.
Don’t remember any? Here’s one for you to use.
Bear Song
The other day (echo)
I met a bear (echo)
Out in the woods (echo)
A-way out there(echo)
Altogether:
The other day I met a bear
out in the woods a-way out there.
(Continue in a similar manner)
He said to me
“Why don’t you run?
I see you ain’t
Got any gun”
And so I ran
Away from there
But right behind
Me was that bear
Ahead of me
I saw a tree
A great big tree
Oh glory be
The nearest branch
Was 10 feet up
I’d have to jump
And trust my luck
And so I jumped
Into the air
But I missed that branch
Away up there
Now don’t you fret
Now don’t you frown
Cause I caught that branch
On the way back down
The moral of
This story is
Don’t talk to bears
In tennis shoes
That’s all there is
There ain’t no more
So what the heck
You singing for
Reading: Huddle together in the dark tent and use only a flashlight as your light source while you read and discuss the following stories.
Arthur's Camp-Out - Lillian Hoban
The Berenstein Bears Go Camping - Jan Berenstein
You may choose to pass the flashlight around and make up your own ‘ghost’ stories instead.
Snack: Explain that no camping trip is complete without S’mores! Have children place a big marshmallow on a skewer, then watch as you hold the marshmallow over the burner on your stove (turned to medium high). Roast the mallows until golden brown. Place some chocolate on a graham cracker, put the roasted marshmallow on top, then top it with another graham cracker square.
Have a wash cloth handy for messy hands and faces.
Service: Explain that one of the most important things to remember about camping is that you always need to leave the campsite cleaner than you found it. Have children help each other clean up the campsite.
Physical Activity: Teach the children some camp games from your youth.
Capture the Flag
Keep away
Skunk Tag:
Played like regular tag but the only way to stay safe is for the chasee to place the right arm under the right leg and hold the nose. If tagged while not in the position then that person will become ‘it’.
Closing Song: To tune of The Hokey Pokey
Put your right hand in
Put your right hand out
Put your right hand in, and wave it all about
Thanks for joining with us and for all your friendly smiles
We'll see you all in a while! (clap)
For this lesson you will need
Alphabet (capital and lowercase) on piece of paper
Letter squares (see letter of day)
Word strips (see letter of day)
Counting worksheet (see below)
Camping items such as: sleeping bag, lantern, wood, newspaper, flashlight, water and bugspray
Blankets (a few)
Pan
Paper towel tubes
Can of beans (optional)
Bowl and strainer
Stuff for s’mores (NOT optional )
Books: Arthur's Camp-Out - Lillian Hoban
The Berenstein Bears Go Camping - Jan Berenstein
Welcome Song: To the tune of “I’m a Little Tea Pot”
Mornin’ everybody
How are you?
It’s time for us to learn a little something new!
Turn around in circles
shout ‘HOORAY!’
Glad you’re here with us (clap) to(clap)day! (High five!)
Question of the Day: If you were stuck in the woods for a few days and had no food left in your back pack, what would you eat? Allow children to share their answers. Share your answer with the children as well.
Letters:
Before class:
1: Write the entire alphabet (capital and lowercase letters) on a piece of paper.
2: On several small square pieces of paper, write a different letter. Make some of them capital letters, and some of them lower case letters.
3: Cut a piece of paper in half. On one of the pieces write ‘CAPITAL’, and on the other, write ‘lower case.’
Explain to children that they are going to get a lot of practice with capital and lower case letters today. Hold up the piece of paper with the alphabet and point to several of the big letters. Explain that the big letters are called capital letters.
Ask each child to circle a specified capital letter…for example: “Lisa, can you circle the capital letter G?”
Explain that the smaller letters are called lower case letters. Have children take turns circling a specified lower case letter. Point out that we use both capital and lower case words when we read and write.
Place the word strip that says CAPITAL on your right side, and the word strip that says lower case on your left.
Lay all of the letter squares of paper on the ground, letter side down. Have children take turns choosing one letter and deciding whether that letter is a capital or lower case letter. Have them put it under the appropriate word strip. After it has been placed, ask them to tell you the name, sound, and ASL sign for that letter. (This is a great time to review signs and sounds!!)
If you have older children, you may want to explain when it is appropriate to use capital letters (at the beginning of a sentence, when you’re using names of people and places, etc.) and when lower case letters should be used. Allow children to practice using a mixture of capital and lower case letters by having them write their name and the names of some of their friends in their writing notebooks.
Counting: Create a worksheet following the example below.
Have children count the different groups of shapes, then draw a line from the shapes to the corresponding number in the middle.
This will give them practice with counting as well as number recognition. Try to use numbers that the children have a particularly difficult time remembering (For my girls it’s the numbers 12-16.) Practice makes perfect!
Topic: Before Class: Gather some camping items together and hide them under a blanket. Items could include a sleeping bag, lantern, flashlight, matches, water, piece of wood or whatever else you can think of.
Gather the children in a circle on the floor and say “Is everyone looking forward to summer time? One of the very best things about the summer season is that we get to go camping!” Ask children if they’ve ever been camping and allow them to share a story from their experience.
Ask children to think of all the things needed for a successful camping trip, and write the items down as they list them.
Read the list back to the children and as you do so, pull the camping items out from underneath the blanket, one by one. “I think we have everything we need for a camping trip. Shall we go?”
Activity: Lead children to the kitchen table and explain that the first thing we need to do when we find the perfect camp site is to create a shelter (something to cover our heads and keep us safe from wind and rain). What do people usually use as a shelter when they go camping? (A TENT!) Point at the table, and say “ I think we’ve found a perfect place to set up our tent. Drape a few blankets over the table and some chairs to create a tent big enough for everyone to sit in.
“Now that we have our tent up, I’m starting to feel a little hungry. We don’t have a stove or an oven out here in the woods! How are we supposed to cook our food?” (Build a FIRE) “Is it safe for children to build a fire? Fires can be very dangerous if we get too close, so it’s best if we stand back and watch the grownups do it. BUT there are a lot of things we can do to help the grown ups get ready to build a fire. What do you need to start a fire? (Wood, Sticks, Paper,)”
Have children gather some sticks from outside and some old newspapers from around the house and bring it back to the camp site. (You may also use paper towel tubes as ‘logs’. Show children how to place the wood and the paper to make a teepee or log cabin fire (see pictures below) Explain that the wood needs to be placed so that the air can get through the logs and the fire can spread to all of the wood.
If you have them, pour a can of beans into a pan and hold it over the fire like you’re warming it (Obviously this is not proper technique, but considering the lack of real camping resources, I think the kids will understand) Serve up the beans when they’re ‘warmed’ and ready.
Explain that water is probably the most important thing to take with you when you go camping. A person can live without food for a while, but they cannot live without water. If you run out of water that you brought from home, you need to find more!
Ask children where they might find more water when they are camping (streams, rivers, lakes). Explain that the water that comes from each of these sources is great, but it must be cleaned before we can drink it
Demonstrate how this is done. (See below)
Science: Lead the children to the kitchen and fill a bowl with water. Place a few objects in the water such as leaves and sticks and explain that this might be what the water looks like when you first collect it from the stream. The first thing to do would be to get the bigger objects out. Run the water through a strainer (sitting over a pan)
Turn the stove on to high and have the children gather around (making sure to keep their distance from the hot burner) Explain that the water needs to be brought to a boil (Lots of bubbles on top of the water) to kill all the little bugs and bacteria that are too small for us to see, but that could make us sick if we drank them. When camping, this is done over the fire.
Once it has been brought to a boil, it needs to boil for one minute. After a minute, the water should be clean enough to drink or to use for cooking! Pour it into glasses and into the refrigerator for drinking later
Songs: Point out that it’s getting dark…. and when it gets dark campers like to sit around the campfire and sing camp songs. Teach children any camp song you remember from your youth.
Don’t remember any? Here’s one for you to use.
Bear Song
The other day (echo)
I met a bear (echo)
Out in the woods (echo)
A-way out there(echo)
Altogether:
The other day I met a bear
out in the woods a-way out there.
(Continue in a similar manner)
He said to me
“Why don’t you run?
I see you ain’t
Got any gun”
And so I ran
Away from there
But right behind
Me was that bear
Ahead of me
I saw a tree
A great big tree
Oh glory be
The nearest branch
Was 10 feet up
I’d have to jump
And trust my luck
And so I jumped
Into the air
But I missed that branch
Away up there
Now don’t you fret
Now don’t you frown
Cause I caught that branch
On the way back down
The moral of
This story is
Don’t talk to bears
In tennis shoes
That’s all there is
There ain’t no more
So what the heck
You singing for
Reading: Huddle together in the dark tent and use only a flashlight as your light source while you read and discuss the following stories.
Arthur's Camp-Out - Lillian Hoban
The Berenstein Bears Go Camping - Jan Berenstein
You may choose to pass the flashlight around and make up your own ‘ghost’ stories instead.
Snack: Explain that no camping trip is complete without S’mores! Have children place a big marshmallow on a skewer, then watch as you hold the marshmallow over the burner on your stove (turned to medium high). Roast the mallows until golden brown. Place some chocolate on a graham cracker, put the roasted marshmallow on top, then top it with another graham cracker square.
Have a wash cloth handy for messy hands and faces.
Service: Explain that one of the most important things to remember about camping is that you always need to leave the campsite cleaner than you found it. Have children help each other clean up the campsite.
Physical Activity: Teach the children some camp games from your youth.
Capture the Flag
Keep away
Skunk Tag:
Played like regular tag but the only way to stay safe is for the chasee to place the right arm under the right leg and hold the nose. If tagged while not in the position then that person will become ‘it’.
Closing Song: To tune of The Hokey Pokey
Put your right hand in
Put your right hand out
Put your right hand in, and wave it all about
Thanks for joining with us and for all your friendly smiles
We'll see you all in a while! (clap)
Monday, May 25, 2009
Chinny Chin Chins
Here's something else your kids will love to try!
Don't forget to check back Wednesday for a new lesson plan!
Don't forget to check back Wednesday for a new lesson plan!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Report on weekend fun..
The sleepover party went marvelously.
Here's a sample of the "ghost stories" my girls entertained me with Friday night:
And here is a fantastic book I checked out from the library, to educate me on all things 'sleepover-ish'.
We made our own fruity lip gloss from a recipe found in this book.
Lip Gloss
2 Tablespoons of shortening
1 Tablespoon of Fruit drink mix
Mix it up together in a microwave safe bowl and heat it on High in the microwave for about 35 seconds or until it's melted. Stir, and pour into a small plastic container, (water bottle lids work well for this) Refrigerate for 1/2 hour.
I tell ya what, these girls sure know how to party :)
Check back Wednesday for new lesson plan!
Here's a sample of the "ghost stories" my girls entertained me with Friday night:
And here is a fantastic book I checked out from the library, to educate me on all things 'sleepover-ish'.
We made our own fruity lip gloss from a recipe found in this book.
Lip Gloss
2 Tablespoons of shortening
1 Tablespoon of Fruit drink mix
Mix it up together in a microwave safe bowl and heat it on High in the microwave for about 35 seconds or until it's melted. Stir, and pour into a small plastic container, (water bottle lids work well for this) Refrigerate for 1/2 hour.
I tell ya what, these girls sure know how to party :)
Check back Wednesday for new lesson plan!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Weekend fun..
Shhh, don't tell, but this is what my girls and I will be doing tomorrow night. I plan to deliver their invitations with breakfast :)
And here is the official 'sleepover' agenda:
1: Blow up air mattress
2: Pillow fight (essential)
3: Read Stories
4: Sneaky bed-time snack (popcorn)
5: Finger animals on the wall
6: Girl talk
I can't wait to see their faces when they get their invitations.
I'll let you know how it all goes!
And here is the official 'sleepover' agenda:
1: Blow up air mattress
2: Pillow fight (essential)
3: Read Stories
4: Sneaky bed-time snack (popcorn)
5: Finger animals on the wall
6: Girl talk
I can't wait to see their faces when they get their invitations.
I'll let you know how it all goes!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
STORY TIME!
It's always fun to go to the library for story time, but story time at home can be just as exciting.
Have your child invite a friend over, lay a big blanket on the floor, gather a stack of books and just read. Keep it simple or add props (puppets, stuffed animals, paper cut-outs etc.) to help tell your stories. You may also choose to plan a craft around one of the books you read.
The one rule of story time, however, is that it MUST be followed by a yummy snack!
To spice things up a little bit, invite a friend or neighbor over to be the guest reader. It's always fun to hear from someone new.
***We went to a friend's house for a special story time last week and my girls LOVED it. The combination of the new environment, new books, and someone new reading to them,(not to mention the yummy cake she fed them afterward) made it extra exciting for them. I think they would've let her read to them all day.***
Try it! They'll love it.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Write it Down!
Help your child develop their writing skills by giving them a journal. It can be store bought or homemade. (My girls love the kinds with the locks.)
At the end of every week (or day) have them write a few words about what they've been up to! This is a great way to have them practice their upper and lower case letters, and to recognize the uses for different types of punctuation! Don't forget to date their entries for them. These journals will be a treasure for us moms forever.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Family "Actibity" (as my girls say)
72 Hour Kits
Explain to your children the importance of being prepared just in case there's ever an emergency. Ask them to think of things that they might need to keep their families warm, safe and healthy for three days if they ever had to be away from their homes. Write their ideas down and circle the most important items.
List should include:
Food
Water
Candles
Flashlight
Matches
Clothes
Blanket
Batteries
First Aid Kit
(You may also add toys/magazines)
Find a duffel bag and have children work together to gather the items on the list and pack them into the bag. (Let them choose their own food and entertainment items) Explain the important uses for each of the items in the 72 hour kit.
They'll love being involved in the process and will gain a better understanding of the importance of being prepared!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Makin' some changes
Since we've completed the alphabet, I'm taking this opportunity to change the lesson plans around a little bit.......so this week, no lessons, but there will be a new post every morning so keep on checkin' in!!
Today's idea was inspired by my wonderful father in law... who, in addition to being wonderful is also charming, intelligent, strong and very distinguished (had to add that since I'm sure he checks this blog all the time)
On occasion, when my husband was young, his father would take each of his children aside for a one on one interview. It was a time where he could get an idea of their goals for the future and what was going on in their lives at the time. We loved this idea and have adopted it into our own family.
Every month or so, we announce to the girls that it's time for Daddy-Daughter interviews! He goes into a bedroom and sets it up with a couple of chairs to make it look official. He grabs a notebook and a pen and waits for them to come in.
My job is to be the secretary in the other room. They come to my desk where they 'check in' and are required to fill out some paper work,(name and age) and then I escort one of them to the room where Daddy is waiting. She closes the door behind her to keep things confidential of course :) and then the questioning begins.
(I admit sometimes I put my ear to the door to listen in)
The girls love this one on one time with their daddy...They sit and chat about their day and what they're up to while he's away at work. They tell about their friends and about the fights they had with their sister, and about what kind of things they'd like to do when they're bigger...
When each one is finished, they swing by the secretary's desk again where they make an appointment for their next interview in a month.
Try it! They'll love the attention and the official feel of the interview, and you will learn a lot about them in the process!
Today's idea was inspired by my wonderful father in law... who, in addition to being wonderful is also charming, intelligent, strong and very distinguished (had to add that since I'm sure he checks this blog all the time)
On occasion, when my husband was young, his father would take each of his children aside for a one on one interview. It was a time where he could get an idea of their goals for the future and what was going on in their lives at the time. We loved this idea and have adopted it into our own family.
Every month or so, we announce to the girls that it's time for Daddy-Daughter interviews! He goes into a bedroom and sets it up with a couple of chairs to make it look official. He grabs a notebook and a pen and waits for them to come in.
My job is to be the secretary in the other room. They come to my desk where they 'check in' and are required to fill out some paper work,(name and age) and then I escort one of them to the room where Daddy is waiting. She closes the door behind her to keep things confidential of course :) and then the questioning begins.
(I admit sometimes I put my ear to the door to listen in)
The girls love this one on one time with their daddy...They sit and chat about their day and what they're up to while he's away at work. They tell about their friends and about the fights they had with their sister, and about what kind of things they'd like to do when they're bigger...
When each one is finished, they swing by the secretary's desk again where they make an appointment for their next interview in a month.
Try it! They'll love the attention and the official feel of the interview, and you will learn a lot about them in the process!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Field Trip #9: The ZOO
Enough talk about zoo animals....
Pack up a lunch and take the kids out to see a real zoo!
Point out the different animals they learned about in preschool and ask them questions to test their memory. "What do tigers eat? Are they carnivores or herbivores? Where do penguins usually live? etc."
Often there will be scheduled feedings for different animals throughout the day, which are always interesting to watch.
Take lots of pictures and allow children to take a few pictures too.
On the ride home, have them talk about their favorite animals and some interesting things they observed.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Lesson 26: Zoo
Learning the important duties of a zookeeper and about the lifestyles of different animals found in the zoo!
For this lesson you will need:
Pictures for story (see number of the day)
Bottle of lotion
Counting item/counting jar
Letter Z (on piece of paper)
Hat and/or fake mustache
Stuffed Animals or pictures that resemble zoo animals (tiger, chimp, elephant,
snake,penguin)
Cut-outs of: Insect, Plant, Fish, Steak, and Mouse (drawn on piece of paper and cut
out)
Bowl
Cardstock (1 piece per child)
Scissors
Brad
Markers or crayons
Banana
Chocolate chips
Books: The Day Before Zoo Day: by Catherine Ipcizade
Zoo by Gail Gibbons
Never Ever Shout in a Zoo by Karma Wilson
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: If you could be any animal for a day, what would you choose to be?
Number of the Day ‘26’: Gather 4 pieces of white paper and a bottle of lotion. On 2 pieces of white paper, draw a picture of a girl’s face (big enough to take up most of the page) On one of the faces, draw 26 red dots. Leave the other face as it is. On the third piece of paper, draw 26 balloons and 26 presents. On the fourth piece write the number 26.
Tell the following story:
“Once there was a woman named Dottie (hold up the face without the dots). Dottie was very excited because tomorrow was her birthday. She was going to turn 26! (hold up the number 26) Her family and friends were going to come to her house for a big birthday party. She was so excited for the party, she could barely sleep that night!
In the morning when she got out of bed, she looked in the mirror and realized she was covered in spots! Red spots all over her face!! (Hold up picture of face with spots.) She couldn’t celebrate her birthday looking like this! “The doctor will know what to do,” she thought
She called the doctor right away and told him about the red spots on her face
“Well, Dottie,” the doctor said, “The first thing I need to know is how many spots you have.” So she counted. (Ask children to count aloud with you as you point to each of the spots on Dottie’s face)
“I have 26 spots!” Dottie told the Doctor.
“Twenty Six!! Wow, that’s a big number. Let’s see if I can get some medicine to help you with your spots!”
(Present the bottle of lotion to the children) “ ‘This is a very special kind of medicine called Dottie Spotty Cream!” the doctor said, “Put a little bit of it on each of your 26 spots and they will disappear in no time at all!”
“So Dottie Did.”
Allow each child to dip the tip of their finger in the ‘medicine’ and take turns putting it on Dottie’s spots while counting aloud to 26.
“After Dottie put the Dottie Spotty Cream on, she closed her eyes. (Have children close their eyes.) When she opened her eyes and looked in the mirror, the spots were all gone! (hold up the picture of face without the spots) She was so glad she didn’t have to go to her birthday party with red spots all over her face! She had a wonderful time with her friends and family and had an evening full of music, dancing, laughter, treats and presents!”
(Hold up picture of balloons and presents.)
“Can you count the number of balloons at Dottie’s party?”
“Can you count the number of presents Dottie was given for her birthday?”
For further counting practice have children count 26of a designated item and place it in the counting jar. Hopefully the jar has been filled by now in which case they are due for their reward!!!
Letter of the Day ‘Z’:
Display the letter Z and demonstrate the sound that it makes.
Have each child take turns coming up and saying a word that you whisper into their ear. If they say a word that begins with the letter Z the other children will clap their hands. If they say a word that does not begin with the letter Z, the children will put their thumbs down and say boooooooo (think boo-ing at a football game :)
Here are some Z words you may choose to use: Zinnia (flower), Zebra, Zig-zag, Zucchini, Zipper.
Demonstrate how the letter Z is written and allow them to practice in their writing notebooks. Teach ASL sign for letter Z as well as the signs for Zebra and Zoo!
Introduction to Topic: If you have toys or stuffed animals that resemble zoo animals, place them in different locations around the house. You may also print and use the animal pictures below….
ALSO: on a piece of paper, draw the following : Insect, Plant, fish, steak, mouse
Cut the pictures out and put them in a bowl
Tell children to close their eyes, and proceed to put on a hat (and/or fake mustache) and introduce yourself as _________ the zookeeper.
“Does anyone know what a zookeeper does?”
“A zookeeper has a very important job because they are in charge of all the animals at the zoo! (a zoo is a place where people can come see and learn about many different kinds of animals,) It is the zookeeper’s job to know all about the animals, and what they need to eat to keep healthy! Zookeepers also help to keep the animal homes clean and take care of the animals when they’re sick! Would you like to learn about some of my favorite animals at the zoo?”
Lead children around the house where you have placed each animal. Introduce the animals and give a few facts about each one. Allow them to ask questions, then ask children if they would like to help you feed the animal. Show them the bowl of food
options (paper cut-outs) and have them choose which one would be the best choice for each animal.
Tiger: Largest cat in the world! How many of you would like to have this cat for a pet? It is a carnivore, which means that it eats other animals. This is why they have such sharp teeth and claws. In the zoo, they can’t hunt other animals, so we bring them lots of meat to eat. They come from the forests of Asia.
What kind of food should we give the tiger today?
Chimpanzee: Chimpanzees have short legs and long arms. They eat insects, leaves, fruit, stems, buds, and bark.. They use small sticks to get termites or ants from the ground. They push the stick into the ant or termite nest and the insects climb on to it. The chimps then pick the insect off the twig with their lips. They talk to each other using lots of different sounds. (Demonstrate what a monkey sounds like. Allow children to practice their monkey sounds too!) Lots of times you’ll see chimpanzees picking things out of another chimp’s fur. Since they don’t get to take baths like we do, this is their way of cleaning each other!
Time to feed the chimps! What do you think they would like?
Elephant: Comes from Africa! They eat 200-300 lbs of food (plants) EVERY DAY and drink more than 100 gallons of water. When an animal only eats plants, we call it an ‘herbivore!’ Elephants like to stay in groups, called ‘herds’ (which is kind of like a big family) They love to take dust and mud baths! Can anyone guess what they use their trunks for? (Picking things up, sucking up water to put into their mouths, bathing themselves)
The elephants look hungry! What shall we feed them?
Penguin: They’re birds, but they don’t fly! They don’t walk very fast either, but they are very excellent swimmers. They spend about half of their life on land and half in the oceans. They love to eat small sea animals like krill, fish, and squid. Some penguins come from very cold places and live on the ice. Others come from warmer places. Can you walk like a penguin?
What do you think we should feed them today?
Anacondas: They come in lots of different colors, but all of them have black patches on their backs to help hide them from their enemies. They live in South America and eat fish, reptiles, birds, small animals and even big animals. Their mouth is different than a lot of other animals because it can open VERY wide which lets them fit large animals in their mouths. Show me how wide you can open your mouths! They don’t chew their food like we do, they just swallow! What would happen if we tried that? We’d probably choke! Anacondas have long, very strong bodies. Sometimes they wrap their bodies around other animals and squeeze really hard. This is one way they catch their food!
What should we feed the Anaconda today?
Lead children back to the circle and have them tell you about the different animals they’ve seen at the zoo. You may want to expound on the lifestyle of different animals and explain the difference between mammals and reptiles (There’s obviously too much information to fit into this lesson plan!) Explain that all animals have a different way of living, and all animals are very important. Ask how they think these animals should be treated and how we can do our part to keep them safe.
Stories: Read and discuss the following stories:
The Day Before Zoo Day: by Catherine Ipcizade
Zoo by Gail Gibbons
Never Ever Shout in a Zoo by Karma Wilson
Activity: Play animal charades. Take turns acting out an animal and see if the others can guess which animal you’re trying to be!
OR
Play “I’m thinking of an animal”: Have one person think of an animal while the others ask questions about it to help them guess what it is. “Does it live on land? Does it have four legs?” Etc.
Craft: click herefor snake craft
Snack: Animal crackers or frozen bananas dipped in melted chocolate (you can call it monkey food )
Service: Surprise the birds with a treat today! Make a bird feeder by spreading peanut butter over a pine cone, then rolling the pinecone in bird seed.
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 Z), 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.)
For this lesson you will need:
Pictures for story (see number of the day)
Bottle of lotion
Counting item/counting jar
Letter Z (on piece of paper)
Hat and/or fake mustache
Stuffed Animals or pictures that resemble zoo animals (tiger, chimp, elephant,
snake,penguin)
Cut-outs of: Insect, Plant, Fish, Steak, and Mouse (drawn on piece of paper and cut
out)
Bowl
Cardstock (1 piece per child)
Scissors
Brad
Markers or crayons
Banana
Chocolate chips
Books: The Day Before Zoo Day: by Catherine Ipcizade
Zoo by Gail Gibbons
Never Ever Shout in a Zoo by Karma Wilson
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: If you could be any animal for a day, what would you choose to be?
Number of the Day ‘26’: Gather 4 pieces of white paper and a bottle of lotion. On 2 pieces of white paper, draw a picture of a girl’s face (big enough to take up most of the page) On one of the faces, draw 26 red dots. Leave the other face as it is. On the third piece of paper, draw 26 balloons and 26 presents. On the fourth piece write the number 26.
Tell the following story:
“Once there was a woman named Dottie (hold up the face without the dots). Dottie was very excited because tomorrow was her birthday. She was going to turn 26! (hold up the number 26) Her family and friends were going to come to her house for a big birthday party. She was so excited for the party, she could barely sleep that night!
In the morning when she got out of bed, she looked in the mirror and realized she was covered in spots! Red spots all over her face!! (Hold up picture of face with spots.) She couldn’t celebrate her birthday looking like this! “The doctor will know what to do,” she thought
She called the doctor right away and told him about the red spots on her face
“Well, Dottie,” the doctor said, “The first thing I need to know is how many spots you have.” So she counted. (Ask children to count aloud with you as you point to each of the spots on Dottie’s face)
“I have 26 spots!” Dottie told the Doctor.
“Twenty Six!! Wow, that’s a big number. Let’s see if I can get some medicine to help you with your spots!”
(Present the bottle of lotion to the children) “ ‘This is a very special kind of medicine called Dottie Spotty Cream!” the doctor said, “Put a little bit of it on each of your 26 spots and they will disappear in no time at all!”
“So Dottie Did.”
Allow each child to dip the tip of their finger in the ‘medicine’ and take turns putting it on Dottie’s spots while counting aloud to 26.
“After Dottie put the Dottie Spotty Cream on, she closed her eyes. (Have children close their eyes.) When she opened her eyes and looked in the mirror, the spots were all gone! (hold up the picture of face without the spots) She was so glad she didn’t have to go to her birthday party with red spots all over her face! She had a wonderful time with her friends and family and had an evening full of music, dancing, laughter, treats and presents!”
(Hold up picture of balloons and presents.)
“Can you count the number of balloons at Dottie’s party?”
“Can you count the number of presents Dottie was given for her birthday?”
For further counting practice have children count 26of a designated item and place it in the counting jar. Hopefully the jar has been filled by now in which case they are due for their reward!!!
Letter of the Day ‘Z’:
Display the letter Z and demonstrate the sound that it makes.
Have each child take turns coming up and saying a word that you whisper into their ear. If they say a word that begins with the letter Z the other children will clap their hands. If they say a word that does not begin with the letter Z, the children will put their thumbs down and say boooooooo (think boo-ing at a football game :)
Here are some Z words you may choose to use: Zinnia (flower), Zebra, Zig-zag, Zucchini, Zipper.
Demonstrate how the letter Z is written and allow them to practice in their writing notebooks. Teach ASL sign for letter Z as well as the signs for Zebra and Zoo!
Introduction to Topic: If you have toys or stuffed animals that resemble zoo animals, place them in different locations around the house. You may also print and use the animal pictures below….
ALSO: on a piece of paper, draw the following : Insect, Plant, fish, steak, mouse
Cut the pictures out and put them in a bowl
Tell children to close their eyes, and proceed to put on a hat (and/or fake mustache) and introduce yourself as _________ the zookeeper.
“Does anyone know what a zookeeper does?”
“A zookeeper has a very important job because they are in charge of all the animals at the zoo! (a zoo is a place where people can come see and learn about many different kinds of animals,) It is the zookeeper’s job to know all about the animals, and what they need to eat to keep healthy! Zookeepers also help to keep the animal homes clean and take care of the animals when they’re sick! Would you like to learn about some of my favorite animals at the zoo?”
Lead children around the house where you have placed each animal. Introduce the animals and give a few facts about each one. Allow them to ask questions, then ask children if they would like to help you feed the animal. Show them the bowl of food
options (paper cut-outs) and have them choose which one would be the best choice for each animal.
Tiger: Largest cat in the world! How many of you would like to have this cat for a pet? It is a carnivore, which means that it eats other animals. This is why they have such sharp teeth and claws. In the zoo, they can’t hunt other animals, so we bring them lots of meat to eat. They come from the forests of Asia.
What kind of food should we give the tiger today?
Chimpanzee: Chimpanzees have short legs and long arms. They eat insects, leaves, fruit, stems, buds, and bark.. They use small sticks to get termites or ants from the ground. They push the stick into the ant or termite nest and the insects climb on to it. The chimps then pick the insect off the twig with their lips. They talk to each other using lots of different sounds. (Demonstrate what a monkey sounds like. Allow children to practice their monkey sounds too!) Lots of times you’ll see chimpanzees picking things out of another chimp’s fur. Since they don’t get to take baths like we do, this is their way of cleaning each other!
Time to feed the chimps! What do you think they would like?
Elephant: Comes from Africa! They eat 200-300 lbs of food (plants) EVERY DAY and drink more than 100 gallons of water. When an animal only eats plants, we call it an ‘herbivore!’ Elephants like to stay in groups, called ‘herds’ (which is kind of like a big family) They love to take dust and mud baths! Can anyone guess what they use their trunks for? (Picking things up, sucking up water to put into their mouths, bathing themselves)
The elephants look hungry! What shall we feed them?
Penguin: They’re birds, but they don’t fly! They don’t walk very fast either, but they are very excellent swimmers. They spend about half of their life on land and half in the oceans. They love to eat small sea animals like krill, fish, and squid. Some penguins come from very cold places and live on the ice. Others come from warmer places. Can you walk like a penguin?
What do you think we should feed them today?
Anacondas: They come in lots of different colors, but all of them have black patches on their backs to help hide them from their enemies. They live in South America and eat fish, reptiles, birds, small animals and even big animals. Their mouth is different than a lot of other animals because it can open VERY wide which lets them fit large animals in their mouths. Show me how wide you can open your mouths! They don’t chew their food like we do, they just swallow! What would happen if we tried that? We’d probably choke! Anacondas have long, very strong bodies. Sometimes they wrap their bodies around other animals and squeeze really hard. This is one way they catch their food!
What should we feed the Anaconda today?
Lead children back to the circle and have them tell you about the different animals they’ve seen at the zoo. You may want to expound on the lifestyle of different animals and explain the difference between mammals and reptiles (There’s obviously too much information to fit into this lesson plan!) Explain that all animals have a different way of living, and all animals are very important. Ask how they think these animals should be treated and how we can do our part to keep them safe.
Stories: Read and discuss the following stories:
The Day Before Zoo Day: by Catherine Ipcizade
Zoo by Gail Gibbons
Never Ever Shout in a Zoo by Karma Wilson
Activity: Play animal charades. Take turns acting out an animal and see if the others can guess which animal you’re trying to be!
OR
Play “I’m thinking of an animal”: Have one person think of an animal while the others ask questions about it to help them guess what it is. “Does it live on land? Does it have four legs?” Etc.
Craft: click herefor snake craft
Snack: Animal crackers or frozen bananas dipped in melted chocolate (you can call it monkey food )
Service: Surprise the birds with a treat today! Make a bird feeder by spreading peanut butter over a pine cone, then rolling the pinecone in bird seed.
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 Z), 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.)
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Cooking Day #9: It's a Fiesta!
Have children scrub those hands and put on those sombreros! Here’s a fun and colorful Mexican dish for the kids to assemble. (If you have Spanish/Mexican music available, have it playing in the background for extra effect. Food always tastes better when it’s made to a good beat….Wouldn’t you agree?)
Mexican Nachos
4 cups Tortilla chips
2 cups Mexican style shredded cheese, divided
1 cup shredded, cooked chicken
1 cup salsa
1 small tomato, chopped
½ cup sliced black olives
2 green onions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chips in bottom of a 9x 13 inch baking pan (or a few small baking dishes if you want each child to assemble their own.) Sprinkle 1 ¾ cups cheese over tortilla chips.
Combine chicken and salsa in separate dish. Spoon mixture over chips and cheese. Top with tomato, black olives and green onions. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cups cheese. Bake for 10-14 minutes until cheese is melted.
Pina Colada
Thanks to gourmetsleuth.com
6 fluid ounces pineapple juice or fresh pineapple chunks
2 fluid ounces Coconut cream
3 to 4 cups of Ice
Cherries (decoration)
Slices of pineapple, orange or lime (decoration)
Paper umbrellas (optional)
In a blender, crush ice while gradually adding the pineapple and the coconut cream. The ice should be thick enough to hold a cherry on top without sinking into the drink. Serve in a tall glass with a straw. Garnish with one cherry and a slice of pineapple. Insert a paper umbrella for that tropical, exotic touch.
After Lunch...
Have children decorate a paper lunch sack, then fill it 1/3 full with candy. Use yarn to tie it to a tree (or in our case, a broom stick) and give everyone a few turns to break the candy free.
Note: There are much more sophisticated ways of making a pinata, but when you don't have the supplies (or the patience) this has proven to be a fun alternative.
And here are a couple of books that will help children gain a better understanding of Mexican culture:
Mexico ABC's: A Book about the People and Places of Mexico by Sarah Heiman
Off we go to Mexico by Laurie Krebs
Monday, May 11, 2009
Lesson 25: Year
Understanding the unique characteristics of the 12 months that make up a year
For this lesson you will need:
Quarter
25 Pennies
Piggy bank or jar
Counting item/Counting jar
Yarn
Grass
Dandelion
Egg
Bowl
Yogurt
Newspaper or tissue paper
Bag
Paper 12 pieces (with names of months on them) See intro to topic.
Tape
Music (anything goes)
Items that correspond with each month (See ‘Game’ below)
Cookie sheet
Ingredients for yogurt cupcakes or other snack (recipe below)
Birthday Candles
Construction paper (yellow and green)
Egg carton
Scissors
Yellow paint optional (see craft)
Books: Chicken Soup with Rice: A Book of Months by Maurice Sendak
Four Seasons Make a Year by Anne Rockwell and Megan Halsey
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 remember your last birthday? How old did you turn and what did you like best about that special day?
Number of the Day ‘25’: Display the number 25 on a piece of paper. Hold up a quarter and ask children if they can tell you the name of the coin. Explain that a quarter is worth 25 cents, which means that it is the same as 25 pennies.
Put 25 pennies on the ground and ask them to help you count the number of pennies needed to make up 1 quarter. Have children take turns picking up one penny at a time and placing it in a piggy bank or jar while counting aloud together to 25. Compliment their great counting skills and ask what they think you could by with 25 whole cents!
Have children count 25 of another designated item (for more practice) and place the items in the counting jar. Remind children of the reward they will receive once the jar has been filled.
Letter of the Day ‘Y’: Before Preschool, wrap up a few Y items in tissue/newspaper and place them in a paper bag: Yarn, Yard (grass and a rock), Yellow dandelion, Egg (which you’ll break open in front of them to show the yolk), and a container of Yogurt.
Have child choose a wrapped item and pass it to each of the other children to feel. Give hints about the item to help them guess what it is. For example: “Cats like to play with this, and it’s used to make hats and sweaters” (yarn) or “We play in this during the summer when it’s warm outside. It is where we find flowers and bugs! (yard)”
When they’ve guessed it (or given up), have them unwrap the item and see the Y object inside. When all items have been unwrapped, say the names of each item and emphasize the Y sound at the beginning. Ask what is the same about each of these items. (all begin with Y!!!)
Demonstrate how the letter Yy is written and allow children to practice in their writing notebooks. If they are well practiced in letter writing, have them write 3 words that begin with the letter Y. Teach the ASL sign for the letter Y as well as the signs for Yes and Year.
Introduction to topic: Before class, write the names of each month on 12 separate pieces of paper. Make them colorful and add pictures that go along with each month. For example:
January: Draw party hats, confetti, and a snowman (for New Years Day, and snow!)
February: Hearts
March: Green clover
April: Rain and Easter eggs
May: Flowers and a picture of a mom (for Mother’s Day)
June: Sunshine and picture of a father (for Father’s Day)
July: Flag
August: Sandals/Beach
September: School Bus
October: Pumpkins and brown leaves
November: Turkey
December: Christmas Tree
Pick a room that is not normally used as the preschool room, and hide the months all around it. Tell children they need to work together to find the 12 pieces of paper with writing and pictures on them, and bring them back to the circle.
When they’re back in the circle, say “Today we’re going to talk about different things that happen in a YEAR. Can anyone tell me what a year is? A year is a long amount of time."
You may want to break it down like this:
“This is Monday. Monday is one day. We can get a lot of things done in a day can’t we?
“A month is made up of lots of days like this one! Can anyone guess how many days are in one month? (Around 30)
“A year is made up of lots of months, can anyone guess how many months are in a year? (12!) There are twelve months in a year. A year sounds like a long time doesn’t it?
We’re going to learn about the 12 months that make up a year and what makes each one of them special.”
Hold up each month, one at a time. Introduce it by name and discuss the important events that occur in that month. Talk about seasons, holidays and anything else that might help them remember each one. After each month has been presented have them repeat all 12 of the months after you in the correct order. Stick tape on the back of each one and place them in a big circle on the ground for a game of musical months!
Game: ‘Musical Months.’ Before preschool gather at least 12 items that are each associated with a different month, and place them on a cookie sheet. For example:
Balloons and/or ice cube (January)
Something shaped like a heart (February)
Clovers/Gold pieces/Something Green (March)
Easter candy (April)
Flowers (May)
Neck Tie (June)
Flag/something patriotic (July)
Sandals (August)
School supplies (September)
Dead leaves/pumpkin/Halloween costume (October)
Indian corn/pictures of pilgrims/turkey (November)
Christmas Ornaments/Nativity (December)
Have children walk around the circle as you play some music. When the music stops, have them stand on the month closest to them. Shout out the name of one of the months. Whoever is standing on that month will pick the item from the cookie sheet that best fits that month. Once they’ve picked the correct item to go along with their month, remove that month from the circle, and begin the music again.
Do this for all 12 months.
Stories: Chicken Soup with Rice: A Book of Months by Maurice Sendak
Four Seasons Make a Year by Anne Rockwell and Megan Halsey
Craft: Since now is the time of year for SPRING, click here to view instructions for a fun spring flower craft. Thanks to DLTK.
Snack: Yogurt (B-day) CupCakes Explain that one of the best things that happens every year is your birthday! Ask each child if they know which month their birthday is in. Tell them to close their eyes and think of their birthday wishes, while you go get their surprise snack. Place one candle in each ‘cupcake’ and light them. Have children join you in singing the birthday song then have them blow out their candles.
Over cupcakes, talk about some of the fun things you’ve done this year. Also discuss the things you’d like to do before the year is over!
YOGURT CUPCAKES
2 c. Bisquick
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 c. coconut
8 oz. vanilla yogurt
2 tbsp. salad oil
Mix until moist and bake 15 to 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
Service: Remind the children that the letter of the day is Y, and that you are going to make someone so happy by giving them a beautiful bouquet of yellow flowers. Let them roam free in the grass to pick all the yellow dandelions they can. Arrange them into a bouquet, tie it together with a ribbon, and deliver it to a neighbor or friend.
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 Y), 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.)
For this lesson you will need:
Quarter
25 Pennies
Piggy bank or jar
Counting item/Counting jar
Yarn
Grass
Dandelion
Egg
Bowl
Yogurt
Newspaper or tissue paper
Bag
Paper 12 pieces (with names of months on them) See intro to topic.
Tape
Music (anything goes)
Items that correspond with each month (See ‘Game’ below)
Cookie sheet
Ingredients for yogurt cupcakes or other snack (recipe below)
Birthday Candles
Construction paper (yellow and green)
Egg carton
Scissors
Yellow paint optional (see craft)
Books: Chicken Soup with Rice: A Book of Months by Maurice Sendak
Four Seasons Make a Year by Anne Rockwell and Megan Halsey
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 remember your last birthday? How old did you turn and what did you like best about that special day?
Number of the Day ‘25’: Display the number 25 on a piece of paper. Hold up a quarter and ask children if they can tell you the name of the coin. Explain that a quarter is worth 25 cents, which means that it is the same as 25 pennies.
Put 25 pennies on the ground and ask them to help you count the number of pennies needed to make up 1 quarter. Have children take turns picking up one penny at a time and placing it in a piggy bank or jar while counting aloud together to 25. Compliment their great counting skills and ask what they think you could by with 25 whole cents!
Have children count 25 of another designated item (for more practice) and place the items in the counting jar. Remind children of the reward they will receive once the jar has been filled.
Letter of the Day ‘Y’: Before Preschool, wrap up a few Y items in tissue/newspaper and place them in a paper bag: Yarn, Yard (grass and a rock), Yellow dandelion, Egg (which you’ll break open in front of them to show the yolk), and a container of Yogurt.
Have child choose a wrapped item and pass it to each of the other children to feel. Give hints about the item to help them guess what it is. For example: “Cats like to play with this, and it’s used to make hats and sweaters” (yarn) or “We play in this during the summer when it’s warm outside. It is where we find flowers and bugs! (yard)”
When they’ve guessed it (or given up), have them unwrap the item and see the Y object inside. When all items have been unwrapped, say the names of each item and emphasize the Y sound at the beginning. Ask what is the same about each of these items. (all begin with Y!!!)
Demonstrate how the letter Yy is written and allow children to practice in their writing notebooks. If they are well practiced in letter writing, have them write 3 words that begin with the letter Y. Teach the ASL sign for the letter Y as well as the signs for Yes and Year.
Introduction to topic: Before class, write the names of each month on 12 separate pieces of paper. Make them colorful and add pictures that go along with each month. For example:
January: Draw party hats, confetti, and a snowman (for New Years Day, and snow!)
February: Hearts
March: Green clover
April: Rain and Easter eggs
May: Flowers and a picture of a mom (for Mother’s Day)
June: Sunshine and picture of a father (for Father’s Day)
July: Flag
August: Sandals/Beach
September: School Bus
October: Pumpkins and brown leaves
November: Turkey
December: Christmas Tree
Pick a room that is not normally used as the preschool room, and hide the months all around it. Tell children they need to work together to find the 12 pieces of paper with writing and pictures on them, and bring them back to the circle.
When they’re back in the circle, say “Today we’re going to talk about different things that happen in a YEAR. Can anyone tell me what a year is? A year is a long amount of time."
You may want to break it down like this:
“This is Monday. Monday is one day. We can get a lot of things done in a day can’t we?
“A month is made up of lots of days like this one! Can anyone guess how many days are in one month? (Around 30)
“A year is made up of lots of months, can anyone guess how many months are in a year? (12!) There are twelve months in a year. A year sounds like a long time doesn’t it?
We’re going to learn about the 12 months that make up a year and what makes each one of them special.”
Hold up each month, one at a time. Introduce it by name and discuss the important events that occur in that month. Talk about seasons, holidays and anything else that might help them remember each one. After each month has been presented have them repeat all 12 of the months after you in the correct order. Stick tape on the back of each one and place them in a big circle on the ground for a game of musical months!
Game: ‘Musical Months.’ Before preschool gather at least 12 items that are each associated with a different month, and place them on a cookie sheet. For example:
Balloons and/or ice cube (January)
Something shaped like a heart (February)
Clovers/Gold pieces/Something Green (March)
Easter candy (April)
Flowers (May)
Neck Tie (June)
Flag/something patriotic (July)
Sandals (August)
School supplies (September)
Dead leaves/pumpkin/Halloween costume (October)
Indian corn/pictures of pilgrims/turkey (November)
Christmas Ornaments/Nativity (December)
Have children walk around the circle as you play some music. When the music stops, have them stand on the month closest to them. Shout out the name of one of the months. Whoever is standing on that month will pick the item from the cookie sheet that best fits that month. Once they’ve picked the correct item to go along with their month, remove that month from the circle, and begin the music again.
Do this for all 12 months.
Stories: Chicken Soup with Rice: A Book of Months by Maurice Sendak
Four Seasons Make a Year by Anne Rockwell and Megan Halsey
Craft: Since now is the time of year for SPRING, click here to view instructions for a fun spring flower craft. Thanks to DLTK.
Snack: Yogurt (B-day) CupCakes Explain that one of the best things that happens every year is your birthday! Ask each child if they know which month their birthday is in. Tell them to close their eyes and think of their birthday wishes, while you go get their surprise snack. Place one candle in each ‘cupcake’ and light them. Have children join you in singing the birthday song then have them blow out their candles.
Over cupcakes, talk about some of the fun things you’ve done this year. Also discuss the things you’d like to do before the year is over!
YOGURT CUPCAKES
2 c. Bisquick
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 c. coconut
8 oz. vanilla yogurt
2 tbsp. salad oil
Mix until moist and bake 15 to 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
Service: Remind the children that the letter of the day is Y, and that you are going to make someone so happy by giving them a beautiful bouquet of yellow flowers. Let them roam free in the grass to pick all the yellow dandelions they can. Arrange them into a bouquet, tie it together with a ribbon, and deliver it to a neighbor or friend.
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 Y), 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.)
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Field Trip #8: Hiking!
Pack a picnic and a camera and take the kiddos on a hike. Make a list of things for the kids to collect and/or take pictures of on their hike.
For example:
Things to Collect:
Cool rock
Pine cone
Leaf
Stick
Things to take pictures of:
Black Bird
Blue Bird
stream
footprint
insect
mushrooms
Etc.
You can even assign yourselves new names and pretend that you're explorers (My girls like to be Dora and Boots...and then they assign my husband and I the names 'Swiper' and 'Diego')
Find a nice spot to sit and eat your lunch, and talk about the interesting things you've discovered.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Lesson 24: X-rays (and Doctor Visits)
Preparing for visits to the doctor's office and understanding the important role x-rays play in keeping our bodies strong and healthy
For this lesson you will need:
Cereal Bowl
Spoon
Flour
Popcorn kernels or dried beans
Counting item/Counting jar
Music
Scrubs or other Doctor-like clothes
Toy Stethescope
Measuring Tape
Bathroom Scale
Notebook/Pen (for recording results)
Flashlight
Tongue Depressor
Pillow
Real X-rays from doctor or dentist office, if possible
Black Construction Paper (1 piece per child)
White Chalk
Cardboard Box (the bigger the better)
Jell-o
Fruit (to go inside Jell-o)
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 ‘24’: Have you ever gotten a really big owie? How did you get it and what did you do to make it feel better?
Number of the day: Before preschool, fill a cereal bowl with flour and place it on top of newspaper or paper towels (for easy clean up). Bury 24 popcorn kernels or dried beans in the flour. When it’s time, have children take turns using a spoon to find a kernel and dig it out. When all kernels have been found, line them up and point to each one as the children count aloud to 24. Display the number 24 so they can see what the number looks like.
Have children work together to count 24 of a designated item and place it in the counting jar. Remind them of the reward they will get once the jar is filled.
Letter of the Day ‘X’: Display the letter X . Tell children you are going to play some music. Whenever the music stops, they must make their bodies into the shape of the letter X. (Demonstrate if necessary, with arms above your head, spread diagonally, and legs spread far apart….Think cheerleader!) Switch it up a bit and say “This time when the music stops, make your fingers into the letter X!” Continue with this, having them also create X’s out of their arms, legs and feet.
Discuss the sound that an X makes and have them repeat a few X words after you just to get the hang of it: Xylophone, and Xerox
Point out that we don’t use too many words that begin with the letter X.
Demonstrate how the capital and lowercase forms of the letter X are written, and allow children to practice in their writing notebooks.
Teach the ASL sign for ‘X’ as well as the signs for Xerox (copy) and X-ray!
Introduction of Topic: Put on scrubs if you have them, or any other clothes that might resemble a doctor’s outfit. Hang a toy stethoscope around your neck and say
“Good Morning Kiddos! My name is Doctor __________ (insert fun fake name here). Have any of you ever been to a Doctor’s office before? What do you remember about it?” Allow children to share their answers.
“Going to the Doctor can be a little bit scary sometimes, especially when we don’t know what’s going to happen! Doctors are people who went to school for many years to learn all about our bodies and how to take care of them and keep them healthy! They also learned all about how to fix our bodies when something goes wrong. What are some things that could go wrong with our bodies?” Stomachaches, headaches, bloody noses, cuts, rashes, sore throats and broken bones.
“Doctors and nurses are here to help us, so we don’t need to be afraid. Let’s talk about what goes on at the doctor’s office.” Have everyone stand up and lead them to another area of the house where you have set it up like a waiting room with chairs, a couple of toys and a few magazines. Explain that when you first walk in to the office, you will see the waiting room, a place where we sit and wait for our turn to go see the doctor. Show them some pieces of paper and explain that Moms and Dads have to fill out some papers when they get there, to help the doctor know if the child is sick or has had any problems with their body. Doctors use these papers to help them figure out what might be wrong, and how they can help.
"When it is our turn to see the doctor, a nurse will call your name out loud. When we hear your name, we follow the nurse to a room where she will ask you questions about how you’ve been feeling and if any thing hurts. The nurse will then measure you to see how tall you’ve gotten, and how much you weigh. They do this to make sure your body is growing well." Lead them to your living room where you have set up a doctor’s bed with a pillow and a chair for you to sit in, along with some medical supplies: tongue depressor, a flashlight, pen (or something else that could look like a shot).
Measure children with a measuring tape and record their heights in your ‘doctor notebook’. If you have a bathroom scale, measure their weight, and record it as well. Give each child a turn to sit on the doctor bed and proceed to check their eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and reflexes with your special tools. Jot some things down in your doctor notebook after each examination. Explain why it is important for a doctor to check each of these things.
You may want to point out that sometimes when they go to the doctor, they will need to be given a shot. A shot is actually a special kind of medicine that doctors give children so they will not get sick. Sometimes it may hurt for a minute, and it's okay to cry when it hurts, but after a minute it will feel much better. Make sure they understand that when shots are given, its not because we want to hurt them, its because we love them and want them to be healthy.
"Sometimes children come to the doctors office when they’re feeling good, just for a check up to make sure their bodies are healthy. Others come in when they are feeling sick….and then there are some that come to the doctor because they’ve been hurt and they need to see if they have any broken bones!
“Doctors can see cuts and rashes because they’re on top of our skin, but they can’t see our bones, because bones are on the inside of our bodies!! How do you think Doctors can know if we have broken bones?” Introduce the X-ray machine. Explain that this machine is a very special type of camera that is able to see through our skin to the inside of our bodies. Doctors use these machines to find out if there’s anything wrong with our bones or other parts of the body.” Ask if any one has been to the dentist. Explain that the dentist will often take x-rays of the teeth to make sure they are healthy and strong and to make sure they don’t have any cavities. Without x-rays, we would never know what is going on inside of our bodies. X-rays are pretty spectacular machines! (Have kids say the word ‘spectacular’ just for kicks)
If you were able to obtain any x-rays from a doctor or dentist office, present them to the children. Ask them how an x-ray picture is different from a regular picture. Point out the different body parts you see in the x-ray and allow them to ask any questions they may have.
Explain what will happen if the doctor looks at an x-ray and sees a broken bone. The doctor will wrap it in a hard cast for a few weeks until the bone can grow back together. (Point out how incredible our bodies are, that they are able to heal themselves.)
Stories: Jessica’s X-ray by Pat Zonta
The Skeleton Inside You by Philip Balestrino
The X-ray Picture Book of Amazing Animals by Gerald Legg
Craft: Help children trace their hands onto a black piece of construction paper, and go over the outline with a white piece of chalk. Have them use the chalk to draw bones inside of their hands, just like an x-ray.
Then…..Use a big box to create an X-ray machine (complete with an ‘on’ button)
Activity: Have the children take turns stepping (or laying) inside of the x-ray machine..push the button, and pretend to examine their bones. After they step out, present them with the x-ray picture they made and tell them about any broken bones you might have found. Bandage them up with a dish towel, then allow children to examine you in the x-ray machine!
Snack: Prepare Jell-o with fruit in it. Explain that this is much like the way an x-ray works, because you can see the fruit even though it’s inside the jell-o, just like an x-ray helps you to see your bones, even though they’re inside your body! (thanks to EverythingPreschool.com for this idea!)
Service: Give someone an X-tra big hug today
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 X), 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.)
For this lesson you will need:
Cereal Bowl
Spoon
Flour
Popcorn kernels or dried beans
Counting item/Counting jar
Music
Scrubs or other Doctor-like clothes
Toy Stethescope
Measuring Tape
Bathroom Scale
Notebook/Pen (for recording results)
Flashlight
Tongue Depressor
Pillow
Real X-rays from doctor or dentist office, if possible
Black Construction Paper (1 piece per child)
White Chalk
Cardboard Box (the bigger the better)
Jell-o
Fruit (to go inside Jell-o)
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 ‘24’: Have you ever gotten a really big owie? How did you get it and what did you do to make it feel better?
Number of the day: Before preschool, fill a cereal bowl with flour and place it on top of newspaper or paper towels (for easy clean up). Bury 24 popcorn kernels or dried beans in the flour. When it’s time, have children take turns using a spoon to find a kernel and dig it out. When all kernels have been found, line them up and point to each one as the children count aloud to 24. Display the number 24 so they can see what the number looks like.
Have children work together to count 24 of a designated item and place it in the counting jar. Remind them of the reward they will get once the jar is filled.
Letter of the Day ‘X’: Display the letter X . Tell children you are going to play some music. Whenever the music stops, they must make their bodies into the shape of the letter X. (Demonstrate if necessary, with arms above your head, spread diagonally, and legs spread far apart….Think cheerleader!) Switch it up a bit and say “This time when the music stops, make your fingers into the letter X!” Continue with this, having them also create X’s out of their arms, legs and feet.
Discuss the sound that an X makes and have them repeat a few X words after you just to get the hang of it: Xylophone, and Xerox
Point out that we don’t use too many words that begin with the letter X.
Demonstrate how the capital and lowercase forms of the letter X are written, and allow children to practice in their writing notebooks.
Teach the ASL sign for ‘X’ as well as the signs for Xerox (copy) and X-ray!
Introduction of Topic: Put on scrubs if you have them, or any other clothes that might resemble a doctor’s outfit. Hang a toy stethoscope around your neck and say
“Good Morning Kiddos! My name is Doctor __________ (insert fun fake name here). Have any of you ever been to a Doctor’s office before? What do you remember about it?” Allow children to share their answers.
“Going to the Doctor can be a little bit scary sometimes, especially when we don’t know what’s going to happen! Doctors are people who went to school for many years to learn all about our bodies and how to take care of them and keep them healthy! They also learned all about how to fix our bodies when something goes wrong. What are some things that could go wrong with our bodies?” Stomachaches, headaches, bloody noses, cuts, rashes, sore throats and broken bones.
“Doctors and nurses are here to help us, so we don’t need to be afraid. Let’s talk about what goes on at the doctor’s office.” Have everyone stand up and lead them to another area of the house where you have set it up like a waiting room with chairs, a couple of toys and a few magazines. Explain that when you first walk in to the office, you will see the waiting room, a place where we sit and wait for our turn to go see the doctor. Show them some pieces of paper and explain that Moms and Dads have to fill out some papers when they get there, to help the doctor know if the child is sick or has had any problems with their body. Doctors use these papers to help them figure out what might be wrong, and how they can help.
"When it is our turn to see the doctor, a nurse will call your name out loud. When we hear your name, we follow the nurse to a room where she will ask you questions about how you’ve been feeling and if any thing hurts. The nurse will then measure you to see how tall you’ve gotten, and how much you weigh. They do this to make sure your body is growing well." Lead them to your living room where you have set up a doctor’s bed with a pillow and a chair for you to sit in, along with some medical supplies: tongue depressor, a flashlight, pen (or something else that could look like a shot).
Measure children with a measuring tape and record their heights in your ‘doctor notebook’. If you have a bathroom scale, measure their weight, and record it as well. Give each child a turn to sit on the doctor bed and proceed to check their eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and reflexes with your special tools. Jot some things down in your doctor notebook after each examination. Explain why it is important for a doctor to check each of these things.
You may want to point out that sometimes when they go to the doctor, they will need to be given a shot. A shot is actually a special kind of medicine that doctors give children so they will not get sick. Sometimes it may hurt for a minute, and it's okay to cry when it hurts, but after a minute it will feel much better. Make sure they understand that when shots are given, its not because we want to hurt them, its because we love them and want them to be healthy.
"Sometimes children come to the doctors office when they’re feeling good, just for a check up to make sure their bodies are healthy. Others come in when they are feeling sick….and then there are some that come to the doctor because they’ve been hurt and they need to see if they have any broken bones!
“Doctors can see cuts and rashes because they’re on top of our skin, but they can’t see our bones, because bones are on the inside of our bodies!! How do you think Doctors can know if we have broken bones?” Introduce the X-ray machine. Explain that this machine is a very special type of camera that is able to see through our skin to the inside of our bodies. Doctors use these machines to find out if there’s anything wrong with our bones or other parts of the body.” Ask if any one has been to the dentist. Explain that the dentist will often take x-rays of the teeth to make sure they are healthy and strong and to make sure they don’t have any cavities. Without x-rays, we would never know what is going on inside of our bodies. X-rays are pretty spectacular machines! (Have kids say the word ‘spectacular’ just for kicks)
If you were able to obtain any x-rays from a doctor or dentist office, present them to the children. Ask them how an x-ray picture is different from a regular picture. Point out the different body parts you see in the x-ray and allow them to ask any questions they may have.
Explain what will happen if the doctor looks at an x-ray and sees a broken bone. The doctor will wrap it in a hard cast for a few weeks until the bone can grow back together. (Point out how incredible our bodies are, that they are able to heal themselves.)
Stories: Jessica’s X-ray by Pat Zonta
The Skeleton Inside You by Philip Balestrino
The X-ray Picture Book of Amazing Animals by Gerald Legg
Craft: Help children trace their hands onto a black piece of construction paper, and go over the outline with a white piece of chalk. Have them use the chalk to draw bones inside of their hands, just like an x-ray.
Then…..Use a big box to create an X-ray machine (complete with an ‘on’ button)
Activity: Have the children take turns stepping (or laying) inside of the x-ray machine..push the button, and pretend to examine their bones. After they step out, present them with the x-ray picture they made and tell them about any broken bones you might have found. Bandage them up with a dish towel, then allow children to examine you in the x-ray machine!
Snack: Prepare Jell-o with fruit in it. Explain that this is much like the way an x-ray works, because you can see the fruit even though it’s inside the jell-o, just like an x-ray helps you to see your bones, even though they’re inside your body! (thanks to EverythingPreschool.com for this idea!)
Service: Give someone an X-tra big hug today
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 X), 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.)
Monday, May 4, 2009
Cooking Day #8: Hot Tortilla Pinwheels....and Lemonade :)
Try all of the following variations…but if you must choose only one, I would definitely recommend the Cinnamon Roll Pinwheels (A quick and fantastic alternative to real cinnamon rolls) Eat them while they’re hot!!
Ingredients:
Six 8-inch flour tortillas @ room temp.
3 T meatless spaghetti sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
1 small package sliced pepperoni
4 thin slices of deli ham
¼ c. sugar
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Ingredients for Icing:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 T margarine, room temp
enough milk for desired consistency (start with a couple teaspoons and add more as you necessary)
2 drops almond extract
Lay out flour tortillas.
Pizza Pinwheels:
Over two tortillas, spread a light layer of meatless spaghetti sauce.
Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Place pepperoni slices side by side on top of cheese to cover tortilla. Roll prepared tortillas in jelly roll fashion, and with a sharp (serrated) knife slice the tortilla cross ways into ½-1 inch slices to form pinwheels. Place a toothpick through each pinwheel to hold it together and transfer to prepared cookie sheet, ½ inch apart.
Classic Hot Ham and Cheese Pinwheels:
Sprinkle two other tortillas with mozzarella (or cheddar) cheese. Place deli ham slices on top of cheese to cover the whole tortilla. Roll in jelly roll fashion and slice the rolled tortilla cross ways into ½-1 inch slices with a sharp or serrated knife. Place toothpick in each pinwheel to hold it together and place on prepared cookie sheet, ½ inch apart.
Cinnamon Roll Pinwheels****favorite****
Cover last two tortillas with a light layer of margarine (room temp) Sprinkle tortillas with cinnamon sugar. Cut tortilla into strips about 1 inch wide. Place a few chocolate chips on each strip and roll it up to look like a pinwheel. Place a toothpick through the pinwheels to hold them together and put them on a prepared cookie sheet side by side.
Spray pinwheels with non-stick cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until tortillas are crisp.
After cooked, Mix icing ingredients together (see above) and dribble it over the cinnamon roll pinwheels. Serve all pinwheels warm!
Thirsty?? Have kiddos help you make some yummy lemonade with REAL lemons. They’re sure to have fun with this one!
Ingredients:
6 lemons
1 cup sugar
2 quarts cold water
1. Slice the lemons in half and squeeze each of them into a large measuring cup. This should yield about 1 1/2 cups of juice. Remove any seeds.
2. In a large pitcher or mason jar, combine the juice and the sugar. Stir in 2 quarts of cold water. Serve over ice. (For a nice touch, place mint leaves in the ice cube trays before freezing.) Serves 8 to 10.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Lesson 23: Weather
Understanding the importance of different types of weather
For this lesson you will need:
Paper or whiteboard
Hand Towel
Counting item/jar
Dried Beans
Bowl
Clothing from your closet: pants, t-shirt, sweater, jacket, hat, mittens, boots,
sandals, tennis shoes, shorts, swimsuit, and sunglasses.
Sunscreen
Portable heater
Pillow
Cotton balls (1 per child)
Bowl of water
Scissors
Card Stock/Construction paper (1 per child)
Markers/Crayons
Glue or tape
Cellophane (optional)
Stories: Kippers Book of Weather by Mick Inkpen
What Will the Weather Be? By Lynda Dewitt and Carolyn Croll
Wild Weather Soup by Caroline Formby
The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins
Little Cloud by Eric Carle
Rice Cakes
Cream Cheese
Pretzel sticks (mini)
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: When you’re hot, what are some ways you like to cool off?
Allow each child to share their answer. Share your answer with the children as well.
Number of the Day ‘23’: Display the number 23. Explain that before you start preschool, you need to burn off a little bit of energy! Have children choose an exercise for you to do and do it, while they count a loud to 23. Ask them if they’d like to join you for the next exercise. Choose an exercise (jumping jacks, lifting ‘weights’ etc.) and have children count aloud with you as you perform the exercise together. Pass a hand towel around to wipe off their faces and give everyone a big high five!
Have children work together to count out 23 of the designated counting item (coins, marshmallows, candies, etc) and place them in the counting jar. Remind them of the reward they’ll get when the counting jar has been filled!
Letter of the Day ‘W’: Display the letter W on a piece of paper or whiteboard and demonstrate the sound a W makes. Place a bowl on the floor and gather the children around it. Give everyone a few dried beans and explain the game:
Each person in the circle must think of a word that begins with W. One at a time they will say a word that begins with a W after which they will place one of their beans into the bowl in the center. Go around the circle until someone runs out of beans, or until nobody can think of anymore W words!
Demonstrate how the letter Ww is written and allow children to practice in their writing notebooks. Teach the ASL sign for the letter W as well as the signs for Wind and Weather.
Introduction to Topic: Gather the following items of clothing from your closet and place them in a bag: pants, t-shirt, sweater, jacket, hat, mittens, boots, sandals, tennis shoes, shorts, swimsuit, and sunglasses.
Ask children to look outside to see what the weather is like today. Have children take turns pulling one item of clothing out of the bag. Hold it up and ask children if they think the item of clothing is a good thing to be wearing today. If they say ‘no’, throw it on the ground. If they say ‘yes’ have them watch while you put the item of clothing on yourself. Do this until you are wearing a complete ‘weather’ appropriate outfit and the children are satisfied. Keep the clothes on, for the following discussion about weather.
Discussion: Hold up a piece of paper and ask children to name all the different types of weather they can think of. Draw a picture that represents each type of weather as they list them. (Rain cloud, sun, Snow, etc) Ask which type of weather each of them like the best.
Explain that weather is a funny thing, because one day it could be one way, and the next day it could be totally different! Sometimes we even see sunshine, rain AND snow all in the same day! It sure keeps life interesting. Each type of weather is important for different reasons.
SUNNY: Point to the picture you drew of the sun and ask why sunny days are so important to have. Explain that the sun is necessary for plants to grow in the summer time. Ask if any of them plan to have a garden in the summer. “The seeds that we plant in the ground can’t grow up to be big healthy plants unless they get lots of sunshine. And if we don’t have big healthy vegetable plants to eat, what are we going to feed our hungry bellies?”
Explain that sunny days are also great for playing outside! Ask each child to tell you about their favorite things to do on sunny days. Explain that when we play out in the sun, our bodies are able to make an important vitamin called vitamin D, which helps our bones grow strong. Too much sun will give us a sun burn, which can really hurt, so when we’re going to be outside in the sun for a long time we need to be sure to wear SUNSCREEN! (show bottle of sunscreen, and allow each child to apply a small amount to their arms if they’d like.)
CLOUDY: Cloudy days are nice to have when it’s been really hot outside and you need to cool off. The clouds get in front of the sun, making it so the air feels a little cooler. Demonstrate this by turning on a portable space heater if you have one, and point it towards the children so they feel the heat blowing their way. Then take a pillow and put it between the children and the heater, so they are no longer able to feel the heat. This is how clouds work!
Ask children if they’ve ever wondered what clouds are made of. Allow them to come up with their own ideas of what they’re made of.
“There is lot of water in the air around us, but the water is so small we can’t see it! When sun shines on the air, it makes the air warm, and the tiny droplets of water starts to rise up higher in the air. When the water gets really high, it starts to cool off. When millions of cool water droplets gather together high in the air it makes a cloud.”
Have children look outside for any clouds in the sky. Tell them there are many different types of clouds, and sometimes they even look like animals in the sky. Do you see any animals in the clouds today?
RAINY: Ask if anyone likes to play outside when it’s raining. Discuss some of the fun things to do in the rain.
How is rain made? Explain that if the clouds are big enough and have enough water droplets, the droplets bang together and form even bigger drops. When the drops get heavy, they fall and make us all wet! That’s what we call rain!
Explain that rain is important for helping our plants and trees to grow. Without rain, our plants would be very thirsty and would die. When a place doesn’t get rain for a long time it is called a drought! (have children repeat the word drought) Explain that a desert is a place that doesn’t get any rain and because of this, there are no plants or trees, just hot sand and cactuses.
Demonstration: Have each child hold a cotton ball and explain that it is the cloud. Ask them how it feels (light and fluffy) Have them dip it slowly in the water. As they dip it explain that this is like the tiny water droplets gathering together high in the air to make a cloud. After the cotton ball has been completely submerged, have children hold up the cotton ball and describe how it feels now (wet and heavy). Explain that this is how rain clouds are when they are ready to send rain. Have children squeeze the cotton ball to make rain.
STORMY: Thunder and lightening happen when clouds rub together. When two things rub together it makes something we call electricity. Ask children if they’ve ever been shocked. Have children rub their socks along the carpet and then touch a metal doorknob…it should give a slight shock. Explain that when their feet rubbed against the carpet it made electricity, which made you feel a little shock when you touched something else. That’s what happens when two clouds rub against each other.
Storms are fun to listen to and watch, but when we hear thunder and lightening, we need to make sure we go inside because lightening is very dangerous to be around!
SNOWY: Ask children what they like to do in the snow. Explain that snow is another way that we get water. After snow melts, it waters the ground, and adds water to our streams, lakes and rivers. Streams, lakes and rivers provide homes for many fish and other animals. Snow helps us to have enough water to drink when we’re thirsty.
Explain that snow is formed when tiny drops in the air freeze!
WINDY: What is the wind good for? (KITES!!) Explain that wind happens when the warm air rises up and cool air moves in to where the warm air used to be. Wind is great for cooling us off when we’re hot! Wind can be a light breeze, and it can also be a very strong BLOW. Ask children if they can imitate what sound the wind makes.
“Isn’t it great that we have all types of weather? Life would be kind of boring if we only had one type of weather every single day!”
Explain that there are people called weathermen/women who use neat tools to figure out what the weather will be like the next day, and even the next week! We watch these weather people on tv so that we can know what to wear and what kind of activities to plan for the day.
Stories: Kippers Book of Weather by Mick Inkpen
What Will the Weather Be? By Lynda Dewitt and Carolyn Croll
Wild Weather Soup by Caroline Formby
The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins
Little Cloud by Eric Carle
Craft: Help children make their own sunglasses. Use one of these templates (add longer handles to the sides to make them fit around child’s ears) Decorate and enjoy!
You will need:
cardstock (1 piece per child)
Stickers, crayons, markers and other decorating items
Scissors
Glue
Cellophane (for eye holes) optional
Thanks to the bestkidsbooksite.com for the templates!
Snack: Rice Cake Suns
Use yellow food coloring to color some cream cheese. Have children spread it on a rice cake and use small pretzel sticks as the sun ‘beams’ sticking out from the sides.
You may also have them use raisins or other objects to create faces on their suns.
Service: Choose one of the following for the children to do, depending on the weather in your area. If it's
Sunny: Invite a neighbor or friend out to play, or volunteer to walk a neighbor’s dog
Cloudy/Rainy: Move toys or other objects from the yard to a safe dry place, offer to share your umbrella with someone who doesn’t have one.
Snowy: Shovel the sidewalk or help brush the snow off the car
Windy: Move outside items to a secure place where they won’t be blown away!
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 W), 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.)
For this lesson you will need:
Paper or whiteboard
Hand Towel
Counting item/jar
Dried Beans
Bowl
Clothing from your closet: pants, t-shirt, sweater, jacket, hat, mittens, boots,
sandals, tennis shoes, shorts, swimsuit, and sunglasses.
Sunscreen
Portable heater
Pillow
Cotton balls (1 per child)
Bowl of water
Scissors
Card Stock/Construction paper (1 per child)
Markers/Crayons
Glue or tape
Cellophane (optional)
Stories: Kippers Book of Weather by Mick Inkpen
What Will the Weather Be? By Lynda Dewitt and Carolyn Croll
Wild Weather Soup by Caroline Formby
The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins
Little Cloud by Eric Carle
Rice Cakes
Cream Cheese
Pretzel sticks (mini)
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: When you’re hot, what are some ways you like to cool off?
Allow each child to share their answer. Share your answer with the children as well.
Number of the Day ‘23’: Display the number 23. Explain that before you start preschool, you need to burn off a little bit of energy! Have children choose an exercise for you to do and do it, while they count a loud to 23. Ask them if they’d like to join you for the next exercise. Choose an exercise (jumping jacks, lifting ‘weights’ etc.) and have children count aloud with you as you perform the exercise together. Pass a hand towel around to wipe off their faces and give everyone a big high five!
Have children work together to count out 23 of the designated counting item (coins, marshmallows, candies, etc) and place them in the counting jar. Remind them of the reward they’ll get when the counting jar has been filled!
Letter of the Day ‘W’: Display the letter W on a piece of paper or whiteboard and demonstrate the sound a W makes. Place a bowl on the floor and gather the children around it. Give everyone a few dried beans and explain the game:
Each person in the circle must think of a word that begins with W. One at a time they will say a word that begins with a W after which they will place one of their beans into the bowl in the center. Go around the circle until someone runs out of beans, or until nobody can think of anymore W words!
Demonstrate how the letter Ww is written and allow children to practice in their writing notebooks. Teach the ASL sign for the letter W as well as the signs for Wind and Weather.
Introduction to Topic: Gather the following items of clothing from your closet and place them in a bag: pants, t-shirt, sweater, jacket, hat, mittens, boots, sandals, tennis shoes, shorts, swimsuit, and sunglasses.
Ask children to look outside to see what the weather is like today. Have children take turns pulling one item of clothing out of the bag. Hold it up and ask children if they think the item of clothing is a good thing to be wearing today. If they say ‘no’, throw it on the ground. If they say ‘yes’ have them watch while you put the item of clothing on yourself. Do this until you are wearing a complete ‘weather’ appropriate outfit and the children are satisfied. Keep the clothes on, for the following discussion about weather.
Discussion: Hold up a piece of paper and ask children to name all the different types of weather they can think of. Draw a picture that represents each type of weather as they list them. (Rain cloud, sun, Snow, etc) Ask which type of weather each of them like the best.
Explain that weather is a funny thing, because one day it could be one way, and the next day it could be totally different! Sometimes we even see sunshine, rain AND snow all in the same day! It sure keeps life interesting. Each type of weather is important for different reasons.
SUNNY: Point to the picture you drew of the sun and ask why sunny days are so important to have. Explain that the sun is necessary for plants to grow in the summer time. Ask if any of them plan to have a garden in the summer. “The seeds that we plant in the ground can’t grow up to be big healthy plants unless they get lots of sunshine. And if we don’t have big healthy vegetable plants to eat, what are we going to feed our hungry bellies?”
Explain that sunny days are also great for playing outside! Ask each child to tell you about their favorite things to do on sunny days. Explain that when we play out in the sun, our bodies are able to make an important vitamin called vitamin D, which helps our bones grow strong. Too much sun will give us a sun burn, which can really hurt, so when we’re going to be outside in the sun for a long time we need to be sure to wear SUNSCREEN! (show bottle of sunscreen, and allow each child to apply a small amount to their arms if they’d like.)
CLOUDY: Cloudy days are nice to have when it’s been really hot outside and you need to cool off. The clouds get in front of the sun, making it so the air feels a little cooler. Demonstrate this by turning on a portable space heater if you have one, and point it towards the children so they feel the heat blowing their way. Then take a pillow and put it between the children and the heater, so they are no longer able to feel the heat. This is how clouds work!
Ask children if they’ve ever wondered what clouds are made of. Allow them to come up with their own ideas of what they’re made of.
“There is lot of water in the air around us, but the water is so small we can’t see it! When sun shines on the air, it makes the air warm, and the tiny droplets of water starts to rise up higher in the air. When the water gets really high, it starts to cool off. When millions of cool water droplets gather together high in the air it makes a cloud.”
Have children look outside for any clouds in the sky. Tell them there are many different types of clouds, and sometimes they even look like animals in the sky. Do you see any animals in the clouds today?
RAINY: Ask if anyone likes to play outside when it’s raining. Discuss some of the fun things to do in the rain.
How is rain made? Explain that if the clouds are big enough and have enough water droplets, the droplets bang together and form even bigger drops. When the drops get heavy, they fall and make us all wet! That’s what we call rain!
Explain that rain is important for helping our plants and trees to grow. Without rain, our plants would be very thirsty and would die. When a place doesn’t get rain for a long time it is called a drought! (have children repeat the word drought) Explain that a desert is a place that doesn’t get any rain and because of this, there are no plants or trees, just hot sand and cactuses.
Demonstration: Have each child hold a cotton ball and explain that it is the cloud. Ask them how it feels (light and fluffy) Have them dip it slowly in the water. As they dip it explain that this is like the tiny water droplets gathering together high in the air to make a cloud. After the cotton ball has been completely submerged, have children hold up the cotton ball and describe how it feels now (wet and heavy). Explain that this is how rain clouds are when they are ready to send rain. Have children squeeze the cotton ball to make rain.
STORMY: Thunder and lightening happen when clouds rub together. When two things rub together it makes something we call electricity. Ask children if they’ve ever been shocked. Have children rub their socks along the carpet and then touch a metal doorknob…it should give a slight shock. Explain that when their feet rubbed against the carpet it made electricity, which made you feel a little shock when you touched something else. That’s what happens when two clouds rub against each other.
Storms are fun to listen to and watch, but when we hear thunder and lightening, we need to make sure we go inside because lightening is very dangerous to be around!
SNOWY: Ask children what they like to do in the snow. Explain that snow is another way that we get water. After snow melts, it waters the ground, and adds water to our streams, lakes and rivers. Streams, lakes and rivers provide homes for many fish and other animals. Snow helps us to have enough water to drink when we’re thirsty.
Explain that snow is formed when tiny drops in the air freeze!
WINDY: What is the wind good for? (KITES!!) Explain that wind happens when the warm air rises up and cool air moves in to where the warm air used to be. Wind is great for cooling us off when we’re hot! Wind can be a light breeze, and it can also be a very strong BLOW. Ask children if they can imitate what sound the wind makes.
“Isn’t it great that we have all types of weather? Life would be kind of boring if we only had one type of weather every single day!”
Explain that there are people called weathermen/women who use neat tools to figure out what the weather will be like the next day, and even the next week! We watch these weather people on tv so that we can know what to wear and what kind of activities to plan for the day.
Stories: Kippers Book of Weather by Mick Inkpen
What Will the Weather Be? By Lynda Dewitt and Carolyn Croll
Wild Weather Soup by Caroline Formby
The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins
Little Cloud by Eric Carle
Craft: Help children make their own sunglasses. Use one of these templates (add longer handles to the sides to make them fit around child’s ears) Decorate and enjoy!
You will need:
cardstock (1 piece per child)
Stickers, crayons, markers and other decorating items
Scissors
Glue
Cellophane (for eye holes) optional
Thanks to the bestkidsbooksite.com for the templates!
Snack: Rice Cake Suns
Use yellow food coloring to color some cream cheese. Have children spread it on a rice cake and use small pretzel sticks as the sun ‘beams’ sticking out from the sides.
You may also have them use raisins or other objects to create faces on their suns.
Service: Choose one of the following for the children to do, depending on the weather in your area. If it's
Sunny: Invite a neighbor or friend out to play, or volunteer to walk a neighbor’s dog
Cloudy/Rainy: Move toys or other objects from the yard to a safe dry place, offer to share your umbrella with someone who doesn’t have one.
Snowy: Shovel the sidewalk or help brush the snow off the car
Windy: Move outside items to a secure place where they won’t be blown away!
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 W), 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.)
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