[Display letter T card.]

The words “take turns” begin with this letter. What is the name of this letter?

Letter T says /t/, just like in the words “take turns.” /t/, /t/, take turns. Let’s together say /t/, /t/, take turns.

Who would like to tell us another word that begins with the letter T?

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:

• Display book cover and encourage children to discuss what the book might be about.
• Explain that reading a book is a good way to learn new words. We will talk about some words each time we read the book this week. Remind children of the Words We Understand chart.
• Read title of book as you point to each word. Point to and say the names of the author and illustrator.
• Introduce and provide child-friendly descriptions of two novel words included in today’s book. Write words on the chart as you point to and say each again.
• Point to the first text word and explain this is where we begin reading the book. Read the book verbatim. Pause to discuss words, events, or characters that seem confusing to children. Point to and describe illustrations directly related to book text.
• After reading the book, engage children in recalling main parts of the book and novel words emphasized today:
  • What is our book about?
  • Who were the main characters?
  • What happened first? What happened next?
• Engage children in a brief discussion of novel words emphasized today. Display and discuss book pictures that pertain to each word.
  • What does each word mean?
  • How was each word used in today’s book?]

Last week we measured some things with our hands and with cubes. What does it mean to measure? (to find the size of something)

We learned the size of things by counting the number of “hands long” and the number of cubes. Things were different sizes.

Today we are going to measure a shelf with our hands. First I will measure the shelf with my hands. Let’s see how many hands long the shelf is from one side to the other. I am going to count each time I put a hand on the shelf. I want to know how many hands I can put in a line on the shelf. Please count with me.

[Demonstrate by laying one hand on the edge of the top of the shelf and putting your other hand at the fingertips of your hand on the shelf. Move your hands across the shelf, fingertips to palm, as you count together how many “hands long” the shelf is. Invite children to join you in counting each hand as you move your hands across the shelf.]

How many hands did we count?

The shelf is ___ hands long! I put a hand on the shelf ___ times. I put my hands on the edge (side) of the shelf, one at a time. The shelf is as long as ___ of my hands.

Now let’s measure the shelf again by using someone else’s hands.

[Invite a child to measure the shelf with his/her hand. Encourage children to count along. Help as appropriate.]

• How many hands did we count with (child’s name) hands?
• How many hands did we count with my hands?
• Why was the number of hands different for each person? (different sized hands)

Remember, our hands are different sizes. If your hand is a different size than your neighbor’s hand, then each of you will have a different number of hands for the length of the shelf.

Let’s measure something else with our hands!

[Demonstrate with your hands how to measure another item in your room (rug, chair, etc.). Use the same procedure as described above. Invite a different child volunteer to measure the item with his/her hands after your demonstration.]

Today we practiced measuring. We used our hands to measure a shelf and a _____. What happened when we measured with my hands and then someone else’s hands? (the number of “hands long” was different) Why was the number of “hands long” different? (our hands are different sizes)

Today we will play a game with music called Music Marks. We will draw marks on a piece of paper while we listen to music. When the music moves quickly, we will draw quickly. Quickly means fast. When the music moves slowly, we will draw slowly.

Let me show you first.

[Play a small excerpt from the music that demonstrates both a slow and a fast tempo. Point out to children which music segment is slow and which is fast. Then draw a continuous line or scribbles on chart paper, depending on the tempo of the music. When the tempo is slow, draw smooth, straighter lines in a slow manner. When the tempo is fast, draw quick scribbles in a faster manner.]

Now we will try it together. As we draw, we will listen carefully to the music. When the music moves slowly, we will move our marker/crayon in a slow motion to draw our line. When the music moves quickly, we will move our marker/crayon in a fast motion to make scribbles. Let’s try to keep our marker/crayon on the paper the entire time we draw.

[Play the music. Observe as children draw marks. Discuss the tempo of the music and how it gets fast in different parts. Encourage children to continue for about one minute, and then discuss their marks by asking the following questions:]

• Where on your paper did the music begin to move slowly?
• Where on your paper did the music begin to move quickly?
• How can you tell? (smooth, straighter lines compared to quick scribbles)

[If time permits, play the game again.]

Today we played a game with music. What did we do when the music played during the Music Marks game?

We are learning some different ways to dance. We know that the person who creates dance movements is called a choreographer. Let’s together say that big word: chor-e-o-gra-pher.

This week we can be choreographers. Each of us will make up dance movements with our bodies. We will be creative in making up dance movements. Each of us can imagine and try different types of dance movements.

Today each of us will create dance movements using one part of our body. We will use our arms to dance. We will make up arm movements.

Let’s practice some movements we can make with our arms.

[Demonstrate and encourage children to try the movements listed below. Move your arms in ways that will be simple for children to try. For each movement, demonstrate and draw children’s attention to several different ways to move your arms. Example: extend your arms fully forward and also partially forward.]

• Let’s try moving our arms forward.
• Let’s try moving our arms backward.
• Let’s try stretching our arms to the sides of our bodies.
• Now let’s try bending our arms (at the elbow, up and down when in front of and at the sides of body).
• Let’s try to move our arms in circles at the sides of our bodies (large, small circles).

We can put our different movements together to create a dance with our arms.

[Describe and demonstrate putting several movements together. Example: “We can move our arms forward and then backward and then stretch our arms to our side while making circles.”]

Now I will play some music, and we can create a dance using only our arms. Remember to stay in your personal space. Our dance does not need to look like anyone else’s dance.

[Play part of Track six on the My First Classical Music Album CD. Encourage children to join in dancing with their arms.]

Today we created some dance movements using our arms only. What was it like to dance with your arms only?