We know that letters make sounds. We also know that many words have the same beginning letter sound.

We are going to play another letter sound game today.

[Spread out the 15 picture cards on the floor or a table (see Be Prepared).]

I am going to say a letter sound to each of you, one at a time. When I say a letter sound, please try to find a picture that begins with the same letter sound. Let me show you.

I am going to look for a picture that begins with the /m/ sound. Let me say the sound again: /m-m-m/. Now let’s say the sound together: /m-m-m/.

• [Pick up a picture that does not begin with the /m/ sound, and say the name of the picture as you clearly enunciate the beginning sound. Example: “This is a picture of a bee. I hear a /b/-/b/-/b/ sound at the beginning of bee. Bee does not begin with an /m/ sound.”
• Repeat the explanation with one more picture that does not begin with the /m/ sound.
• Then choose a picture that does begin with the /m/ sound. Example: “This is a picture of a man. I hear a /m-m-m/ sound at the beginning of man!”]

Now we will each have a turn to look for a picture.

[Ask each child, one at a time, to find a picture card that begins with a sound you say aloud. Be sure to clearly enunciate one of the five letter sounds (/k/, /b/, /p/, /h/, /m/). Continue until all children have had a turn.]

Now let’s play our game another way. I will give each of you a picture card. Please try to find another picture card that begins with the same sound. Let me show you.

Here is a picture of a hat. Hat begins with the /h/ sound. I want to find another picture of something that begins with the /h/ sound.

[As you look for a picture that begins with the /h/ sound, say the beginning sound of 1–2 pictures that do not have the /h/ sound at the beginning of the word. Then choose a picture that begins with the /h/ sound. Example: “This is a picture of a hen. I hear a /h/-/h/-/h/ sound at the beginning of hen!”]

Now everyone can have a turn to look for a picture.

[Ask each child, one at a time, to find a picture card that begins with the same sound as the picture you provide. Select cards after each child’s turn. Continue until all children have had a turn.]

Now we are going to learn a different letter of the alphabet.

[Display letter R card.]

Does anyone know the name of this letter?

This is the letter R. We can write the letter R in two ways. We can write the letter R like this.

[Demonstrate writing an uppercase R at the top of a chart paper.]

This is an uppercase R.

We can also write the letter R like this.

[Demonstrate writing a lowercase r at the top of a chart paper.]

This is a lowercase r.

The word “relaxed” begins with the letter r. We are learning how to help our bodies feel relaxed. Remember, our body feels calm when we are relaxed. We know how to concentrate on our breathing to help us feel relaxed.

I will write the word “relaxed” on our chart. I am going to write the word “relaxed” with a lowercase (small letter) r.

[Say each letter as you write the word. Emphasize r.]

Let’s all say the word “relaxed.”

[Invite a volunteer child to point to the letter r in the word “relaxed.”]

Let’s look at the very first letter of our name. Pop up if you have the letter R at the beginning of your name. Remember, names begin with an uppercase (big) letter.

[Encourage children to look at their name cards. Say the first names of children who have an R at the beginning of their name. If there are children whose name begins with the letter R who do not stand, point to the letter R on their name card. Compare the letter R in their name as you hold the letter R card next to their name card.

If no one in the group has a first name beginning with the letter R, say “No one popped up because no one has a name that starts with the letter R.” Encourage children to look at the list of children’s first names. Point to some first letters of names. Explain that no one’s name begins with the letter R.

If a child indicates there is a letter R in his/her name, but not at the beginning of the name, fully recognize the name and invite the child to pop up. Day 4 gives attention to the letter r that appears somewhere else in a child’s name.]

Today we played a game with pictures. We found a picture that began with the same beginning sound as a sound I said. Then we found a picture with the same beginning sound as another picture.

We also learned about the letter R. What is a word that begins with the letter r? (relaxed)

Yesterday we learned the number that comes after another number is one more. Today we will use a number list to talk more about numbers. Please put your number list in front of you.

[Give each child a number list.]

We know that a number list has numbers from 1–10. Let’s point to the numbers on our number list as we count them together.

[Lead children in counting to 10 as you point to each numeral on a number list. Encourage children to point to each numeral as they say it.]

Please point to number two on our number list.

[Make sure all children are pointing to numeral two on their number list before asking the following question.]

What number comes after number two?

Let’s line up circles (counters) above each number. We will put down the same number of circles as the number on our list.

• How many circles should we put above number one?
• How about number two?

[Continue until children have placed counters vertically above numbers 1–10 on their number list. See Extra Support tip.]

Now let’s look at our circles. Two is one more than one. We know this because we can count the circles above the number. Each number has one more circle above it as we go from 1–10 in our number list.

• What is one more than four? It’s five.
  We know this because there is one more circle above five than there is above number four.
• What is one more than number five?
  Six is one more than five! Number six is the number after five.

[Continue asking children to find the numeral that is one more than another numeral on the number list.]

Today we practiced finding the number on our number list that is one more than another number. We know that each number on a number list is one more than the number before it.

[Arrange children so they are sitting in a circle on the floor.]

We are learning about many different emotions. We know what it means to feel silly. Remember, we feel happy and playful when we feel silly. Let’s all show our silly faces!

Today we are going to sing a song we’ve sung before. It’s the “Silly Faces Song.”

What do we do when we sing the “Silly Faces Song”?

Each of us will get a turn to make a silly face while we sing the “Silly Faces Song.” We know there are many different types of silly faces we can make!

Now (adult helper) and I are going to sing the song first to remind you of what to do.

[The “Silly Faces Song” is sung to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Sing the following song using the adult helper’s name:]

“_____ make a silly face, silly face, silly face. _____ make a silly face, watch and copy her!”

[Invite children to imitate the adult helper’s silly face.]

Remember, each time we sing the song, we will use the name of a different child in our circle. The child we name will make a silly face, and then the rest of us will copy the silly face. We need to make sure we are paying attention so we know what kind of silly face to make. Remember, we need to wait patiently for our turn. If you do not wish to make a silly face when it is your turn, just say “no thank you.”

Let’s try it together!

[Lead children in singing the song as you move around the circle from child to child. As each child takes his/her turn making a silly face, encourage the other children to imitate the silly face.

If a child chooses not to make a silly face, that is okay. Move to the next child in the circle. Continue until you have sung each child’s name. If children who did not initially want to make a silly face wish to do so after all other children have had a turn, invite them to do so.]

Today we practiced paying attention to other children and copying someone else’s silly face!

[Display chart from Day 1.]

We are learning about frogs. Yesterday we recorded on a chart what we know about frogs. Let’s look at our chart to help us remember what we already know about frogs.

[Read the title and items listed in the first column of the chart.]

Today we will learn about the stages of the life cycle of a frog. We know that a stage in a life cycle has its own characteristics.

[Display picture of frog eggs.]

What do you think is shown in this picture?

Frogs lay eggs. This is a picture of frog eggs. The eggs are the first stage in the life cycle of a frog. A frog begins its life in an egg.

[Display picture of tadpoles.]

What do you see in this picture? (tails, head, eyes, etc.)

These are tadpoles. A tadpole is a small animal that has a rounded body and tail. Tadpoles hatch from frog eggs. A tadpole is the second stage of a frog’s life cycle.

[Display picture of a froglet.]

Over time, a tadpole begins to slowly grow legs and becomes a froglet. This is a picture of a froglet. A froglet is a young frog that still lives in the water and has a tail.

[Display picture of adult frog.]

This picture shows the last stage in the life cycle of a frog. It is an adult frog.

Let’s look at the picture of the adult frog next to the picture of the froglet.

What does the froglet have that makes it different from the adult frog? (tail)

An adult frog does not have a tail.

We know that many animals look like their parents when they are born or hatched. A kitten looks like its parents when it is born. It has a head, body, and legs just like its parents.

Let’s look at the picture of an adult frog next to the picture of tadpoles.

Do the tadpoles look like the adult frog?

Tadpoles that hatch from frog eggs do not look like their parents when they are born. A tadpole does not have legs like its parents when it is born. It has a long tail. A tadpole does not look like an adult frog.

Some animals change from one thing to a completely different thing as they grow. We call this metamorphosis. Let’s say together this big word: met-a-mor-pho-sis.

Animals that go through metamorphosis look very different from their parents when they are born.

Did we look like our parents when we were born? (yes)

We had a head and body just like our parents. We also had eyes, a mouth, and a nose just like our parents.

A frog goes through metamorphosis when it begins its life as a tadpole and then grows into an adult frog.

Today we learned about the life cycle of a frog. A frog begins its life cycle in an egg. A frog goes through metamorphosis as it changes from a tadpole to an adult frog. Let’s record on our chart new things we are learning about frogs.

[Write new information introduced today about frogs in the second column of the chart used in Day 1:

• Egg
• Tadpole: tail, no legs
• Froglet: tail, four legs
• Adult frog: no tail, four legs
• Tadpole changes into a completely different thing (metamorphosis)]