Oral language
Children will understand basic information, including the meaning of several novel words, presented in a book read aloud.
New:
Review:
Be Prepared: This is the first of three repeated readings of a book with children. Today’s reading focuses on children’s understanding of basic information presented in the book. In advance of the session, identify all novel words in the book you intend to define for children across three days of reading the book. Select one or two important words to define for children today, especially
words that are essential to understanding the book. See the Language/Literacy section of the ELM User Guide: 3–5 Years for additional information. Write the following at the top of the chart paper: Words We Understand.
Let’s all get ready to listen to a book. Who would like to remind us what it means to listen? (to pay close attention to what we hear)
Books use some words we may not know. Reading a book is a good way to learn new words. We will talk about words each time we read a book.
I will write the words we learn today on our chart. Our chart has a title just like a book has a title. The title of our chart is: Words We Understand.
[Point to each word as you say it.]
“Understand” is a big word. Let’s say the word “understand” together: un-der-stand.
What do you think it means to understand something?
When we understand something, we know what something means or how something works.
Our schedule helps us understand what happens in our classroom.
We know what it means to understand something.
Should I write the word “understand” on our chart?
[Display cover of book.]
This is the cover of our book.
What do you think this book might be about?
[Follow-up prompt, if needed: “What do you see on the cover of the book?”]
The title of this book is _____.
[Point to words as you say them. If the book title includes one of today’s novel words, provide a definition now. Example: “Our book today is about a very small seed. It is a tiny seed. Tiny means very small or little.”]
The author of the book is _____.
[Point to author’s name.]
What does an author do? (writes the words in the book)
The illustrator of the book is _____.
[Point to illustrator’s name.]
What does an illustrator do? (creates the pictures)
Today let’s talk about two words that are in our book. One word is _____. The word _____ means _____. Another word in our book is _____. The word _____ means _____.
I will write these two words on our chart.
[Point to and say each word as you write it.]
Now we will read our book. We will begin reading right here.
[Point to first text word.]
This is the first word in our book. Remember, words tell us important information about something. There are lines of words in our book. We will read the lines of words like this:
[Use left-to-right motion across print.]
Be sure to use your ears and your eyes while we read. We will talk about the book after we read it.
[Read the book without inviting talk until you have finished reading. Point to and describe illustrations directly related to the text. Remind children that words tell us things. Elaborate on words, events, or characters that seem confusing to children.]
[Focus discussion of the book on recall and novel words introduced earlier in the session.]
[Point to and read each word on the chart.]
[Promote children’s understanding of novel words introduced today by elaborating on children’s comments about a word’s meaning or again defining the word. Reread the book’s sentence with the novel word. Example: “We learned about the word ‘department.’ Remember, a department is a section of a large store. Corduroy once lived in the toy department.” Point to and describe any pictures in the book directly related to the novel word.]
Today we read a book about _____. We talked about the words _____ and _____. Remember, when we understand a word we know what the word means.
Extra support
Enrichment
Provide the book used in today’s reading plus any figures or manipulatives related to the book that children could use as props in retelling the book. Ask children what they remember about the book or to describe how they are using items related to the book.
Preschool-age children in your setting will enjoy having you read an age-appropriate book with them. Invite preschool-age children to help you describe pictures in the book. Provide age-appropriate books for younger children in your setting to look at while preschool-age children pursue the center activity. Children may enjoy pointing to the place on the page where you begin reading the book and the direction in which you read the line of words (see Enrichment tip).
Number knowledge
Children will connect number words to the amount of items they represent, and count small groups verbally.
None
Review:
We are learning to count! We can count our fingers, we can count our feet, and we can count things all around us.
When we count, we say numbers to know how many. Please help me count some things.
[Encourage children to join you in counting groups of five or fewer items in your classroom. Examples: paintbrushes, dolls, trucks.]
Now I will tell you how many of something I have. Please tell me if I am correct.
[If children say that you are incorrect, ask how many you have and how they know.]
Let’s all hold up three fingers and count them together to be sure we have the correct number of fingers.
Who can hold up one finger? Let’s count together to be sure.
[Encourage children to practice holding up and counting 1, 2, and 3 fingers at a time. Count together to be sure.]
We are getting so good at counting! Let’s count from one to five and stomp our feet once for each number we say together.
Today we practiced counting. We also figured out if I was correct when I counted things on my body. When we count, we say numbers to know how many.
Extra support
Enrichment
Provide empty egg cartons and small counting manipulatives. Encourage children to make small groups of two or three in each section of the egg carton. As children make their groups, ask how many are in each group.
At snack time, ask preschool-age children if they’d like 1, 2, or 3 crackers (or other snack item). Give them an amount different from what they requested and ask, “Am I correct?” Ask children to tell you how many you gave them. Strengthen school-age children’s counting abilities by giving them several crackers and asking how many more they would need to have __ crackers. Then, encourage children to count the new group of crackers.
Self-control
Children will understand classroom rules.
New:
Be Prepared: This activity introduces or reviews your classroom’s rules for behavior. Examples of typical rules are included in the activity. Pictures in the sample chart (see below) are provided. Each child will need a picture of a rule used on your chart.
Today we will talk about rules. A rule tells us how to behave. Rules at home or in our classroom keep us safe and help us to get along with each other. Rules also help us pay attention.
We could get hurt or not get along well with others without rules. We also may not know what is happening or what we are expected to do.
Today we will talk about rules in our classroom and also practice what they look like.
First, let’s talk about each classroom rule. We will practice each rule after we talk about it. We will show each other what the rule looks like when we practice it.
[Give each child a copy of one of the pictures on the chart and/or a picture of other rules you may have in your classroom. Go through each rule, pointing to the rule on the chart as it is discussed. Encourage children to show how each rule should look. Then ask children to hold up a picture of the rule discussed, if they have it.]
Invite children to demonstrate listening ears. Why do we need listening ears? (to hear the speaker) Who has a picture of listening ears?[Display pictures of “Inside” and “Outside” voices. Point to words on each picture as you say them.]
This is a picture of a mouse. The words above the picture say “Inside Voice.”
This is a picture of a lion. The words above the picture say “Outside Voice.”
When people speak in an inside voice, they speak so only those around them can hear. I am speaking in an inside voice right now.
[Encourage children to speak to each other in an inside voice. Then, encourage them to use the inside voice needed during naptime or in the library (whisper).]
When someone speaks in an outside voice, their voice can be heard by everyone. When I speak very loudly or yell, I am using an outside voice. The picture of the lion on our chart helps remind us that outside voices are loud. Let’s practice our outside voices.
[Encourage children to use an outside voice briefly. Discuss why an outside voice should not be used inside (cannot hear others, hurts your ears in a small space).]
[Point to the appropriate animal when each voice is discussed.]
Today we talked about rules in our classroom. Remember, a rule tells us how to behave. Our rules keep us safe and help us get along with each other. Rules also help us pay attention.
Extra support
Enrichment
Supply puppets. Invite children to use the puppets to act out getting praised for following a rule. Using the puppets, demonstrate what it looks like when a rule isn’t followed. Example: Use a puppet to illustrate what could happen if someone ran in the classroom. Also, with a puppet, model how to use praise when a rule is followed.
Discuss with all children in your setting the importance of rules specific to your setting. Some rules in your setting may be similar to rules in their homes. Example: Do not touch the stovetop because it may be hot. Invite school-age children to help write additional rules on chart paper.
Appreciation of dance, drama, and music
Children will strengthen their understanding of dance, drama, and music as forms of creative expression.
Review:
Be Prepared: Select a CD with upbeat music that is familiar to most children. Avoid music that children in your classroom may be accustomed to dancing to in the same way. For the final segment of today’s activity, secure two or more of the same type of musical instrument (such as drums). Omit this final segment if time and/or instruments are not available. Today’s activity emphasizes differences in how we do creative things.
[Play a brief segment of music and invite children to dance any way they wish. Remind children that we move our bodies when we dance. Encourage children to sit when you turn off the music.]
Each of us had an idea about how to dance. We know that when we dance we move our body to the music. Remember, an idea is a thought we have. We had different ideas about how to dance.
Last week we talked about the trees that Alishia and Samuel drew. Their drawings of a tree were different. Alishia and Samuel had different ideas about what a tree looks like.
We were being creative when we danced to our music. We know that we use our ideas to make or do something new when we are creative.
Last week we learned that drama is another way we can be creative. Remember, in drama we pretend to be someone or something else.
Let’s stand and think of some ways to pretend we are someone or something else.
Here is an idea. Two of us can pretend to be friendly dogs (or animals of interest to children in your classroom). One dog can ask the other dog to play (or “talk” back and forth with different barking sounds).
How could a dog try to get another dog to play? (or: How could two dogs “talk” with one another?)
[You and a volunteer child or two volunteer children can act out a scene of one dog inviting another dog to play or two dogs talking with one another. Barks or whines or playful jumping actions are some options for pretending to play like a dog. Example: “Have fun jumping with me!”]
What are some other ideas of how we can pretend to be someone or something else?
[Encourage children to act out their ideas based on their interests. Examples: Two children pretending to play in the sand, some or all children pretending to fly like butterflies, some or all children pretending to get dressed.
At the conclusion of children pretending to be someone or something else, engage children in a brief discussion of differences. Example: “Do you think Sam and Angel have the same idea about how a dog barks?”]
Last week, we also learned that we can be creative by singing or playing instruments to make music.
[If there is sufficient time and two or more of the same musical instrument, give one instrument to two or more volunteer children. Invite children to create their own music with the instrument as they play their instruments together.]
Did everyone play the instrument in the same way?
Today we used our own ideas to be creative with dance, drama, and music. Why didn’t we all do the same thing? (because we have different ideas)
Extra support
Enrichment
Provide many different open-ended art materials. Examples: paper, crayons, markers, glue. Invite children to think of an idea and then create something from their idea. Encourage children to discuss their idea about what they are creating.
When reading a book in your setting, talk about ideas the author and/or illustrator might have thought about when writing or illustrating the book. Invite preschool-age children to think of ways the author or illustrator was creative. School-age children may enjoy being creative as they make the cover of a book on a topic of interest to them.
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