Oral language, Letter knowledge
Children will understand basic information, including the meaning of several novel words, presented in a book read aloud. Children will also identify the name and sound of the letter M.
New:
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.
[Display letter M card.]
The words “music” and “musician” begin with this letter. What is the name of this letter?
Letter M says /m/, just like in the words “music” and “musician.” /m/, /m/, music and musician. Let’s together say /m/, /m/, music and musician.
Who would like to tell us another word that begins with the letter M?
Now let’s read a book!
[See Week 3, Day 1 of Language/Literacy for a description and examples of how to approach today’s book reading. Key aspects are summarized below:
Number knowledge
Children will understand that each number in a number list is one more than the number before it.
New:
Review:
Let’s sing a new song. The song is called “Ten Little Frogs.” I will sing it first, and then we can sing it together.
[As you sing, hold up one finger for each number/frog.]
Let’s sing the song again. This time let’s use our large number cards when we sing. We need 10 children to be the 10 little frogs!
[Sing the song with 10 children holding the numeral cards as you sing (one card per child). Point to the numeral cards as you sing the song together. When you have finished, display the numeral cards in order where all children can see them.]
Let’s look at our number cards again. Our numbers are lined up in order. We can find the number after another number when we look at numbers lined up in order. The next number on the number list is one more than the number before it. If a number comes after another number, it is the next number on the number list. Remember, the word after means something happens (or comes) later than something else. It follows something else.
[As you explain how to find the number after another number, point to large numeral cards three and four. Say “See, we have three here. The next number is four. Four is one more than three.” Point to and count dots on large numeral cards three and four to illustrate.]
[As you ask children to find the “number after” in the following questions, point to the numeral you mention.]
Let’s try to find the number that comes after another number.
Let’s look at our number cards again. This time we are going to put cubes in front of each number card. The number of cubes we stack in front of each number card needs to be the same amount as the number on the card. I am going to put one cube in front of our card with number one on it. Now I am going to stack two cubes in front of our card with number two on it.
[Stack cubes in front of each numeral so children can see how the height of each stack increases as you move down the line. Count out each cube as you stack it.]
Our stacks of cubes get taller as we move down the number line. The number that comes after another number is one more. This means that each stack of cubes has one more cube than the one before it.
Today we learned that the number that comes after another number is one more. Each number in a number list is one more than the number before it.
[If time permits:]
Let’s sing our frog song one more time. I’ll point to the numbers as we sing. We can use one of our fingers for each of the 10 little frogs!
Extra support
Enrichment
Provide cookie sheets and a basket of magnetic numerals. Invite children to find numerals 1–10 and put them in the correct order, from one to ten. Children may also wish to line up beads under each numeral to represent the amount of each numeral. Example: Numeral two would have two beads lined up under it. Encourage children to use a number list, if appropriate.
Encourage school-age children to make a book that shows one more. Invite children to draw one more item on each page. Example: Page one may have one bird, and page two may have two snakes. Encourage school-age children to share the book with younger children in your setting.
Executive function
Children will remember and carry out actions in response to aural and oral prompts.
None
Review:
Be Prepared: If time permits, offer Drum Beats from Week 19, Day 2 as a second game. If the game described below is too challenging for a majority of children, stop at an appropriate place and offer Drum Beats from Week 19, Day 2. The game for today may be less challenging when offered again at a later point.
Today we will play a game we’ve played before called It’s Raining, It’s Pouring. Remember, we will use our hands and voices for this game.
How do we play It’s Raining, It’s Pouring?
We will make different noises for our pretend rainstorm. Before we make a new rainstorm, let’s practice the sounds and actions we’ve done before. Remember, when we practice something, we do it many times so we can get better at it.
[As you demonstrate each sound and the action that produces the sound, invite children to copy you. Practice each sound for several seconds before moving to the next one.]
Let’s make a rainstorm together.
Now we will make a rainstorm with different sounds. Watch and listen carefully as I show you the new movements and sounds.
[As you demonstrate each sound and the action that produces the sound, invite children to copy you. Practice each sound for several seconds before moving to the next one. Omit one of the sounds if you anticipate four consecutive sounds will be too challenging for children.]
Now let’s make a new rainstorm together.
[Repeat the sequence if time permits and children remain appropriately engaged.]
Today we practiced listening carefully so we would know what to do. We also practiced remembering what to do.
In our game we made the different sounds of a rainstorm. We listened carefully when we practiced making each sound. We also listened carefully for the name of the sound we were to make.
Extra support
Enrichment
Encourage children to continue to make the various sounds of a rainstorm. Guide children in playing It’s Raining, It’s Pouring by giving them cues, if necessary. Children may wish to focus on one or two of the sounds.
Help children gain a better understanding of the sounds associated with a rainstorm by listening to one or more on the Internet. As children listen to the sounds of the rainstorm, encourage them to think of noises and motions they can use to make the same sounds they hear.
Knowledge of life cycles
Children will understand how a chart can be used to record what they know about frogs.
New:
Review:
Be Prepared: Activity plans for Days 1 and 2, exploration of a frog, introduce two of the three parts of a K-W-L chart (see the Science section of the ELM User Guide: 3–5 Years). The chart is a teaching strategy for helping children organize what they know (K), what they want to know (W), and what they have learned (L). ELM uses the first and third parts of the chart (K and L). Goals are to: (1) promote children’s cognitive skills in organizing information, (2) introduce children to a tool they are likely to use often in elementary school and beyond, and (3) demonstrate how print works. The chart terminology is not used in the activities, and there is no expectation that children will be able to read the words written on the chart.
Today we will learn about the life cycle of another living thing. We know that a life cycle is how living things grow and change over time.
[Display adjacent picture of a frog.]
This is a picture of a frog. Have you ever seen a frog? What was it like?
A frog is a small animal that lives in or near water.
We are going to use a chart to record what we know about frogs and the new things we learn about frogs. Remember, when we record something we write it down.
[Display chart similar to the one pictured. Point to the words as you read the title and each section.]
The title of our chart is Information About Frogs. Our chart has two sections. The first section says “What we know about frogs.” We will record things we already know about frogs in this section of the chart. The second section of the chart says “What we’ve learned about frogs.” We will record new things we learn about frogs in this section of the chart.
Let’s look at two pictures of frogs and think of some things we might already know about frogs.
[Display two pictures of frogs side by side.]
What does a frog’s body look like? (bumpy or smooth, wet, different colors)
[Encourage children’s discussion of frogs. Write children’s descriptions of a frog’s body in the first section of the chart.]
Our chart can remind us of what we already know about frogs. Let’s read the things we have listed on our chart that we know about frogs.
[Point to each item on the chart as you read it.]
Today we recorded on our chart things we know about frogs. Tomorrow we will use our chart to write what we learn about frogs.
Extra support
Enrichment
Invite children to make frog headbands. Provide two-inch strips of green paper for the headband. Encourage children to cut out two circles from white paper and two smaller circles from black paper. Invite them to glue the black circles on top of the white circles and then glue them to the green paper to make frog eyes. Measure and staple strips to form a headband!
If you live in an area where you can easily keep a frog in a safe and appropriate place, consider holding the frog for a day (or less) for children to observe. Encourage children to draw their observations in their science journals.
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