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 of the letters D.
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 the letter D card.]
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, Geometric and spatial knowledge
Children will collect and organize shape information for a chart.
New:
Review:
Be Prepared: Prepare a chart with a large piece of paper. Draw lines to create three columns and 12 rows. Shapes will be placed in the bottom row, which will need to be wide enough to accommodate the shapes. See picture in activity plan. Add additional rows to accommodate shapes, if necessary.
Last week we began learning how we can put information on a chart, so we can learn about something.
Today we will use a chart that tells us about our favorite shapes.
[Display a circle, square, and triangle. Encourage children to name and briefly describe each shape as you point to it.]
When I call your name, please tell us which one of the three shapes is your favorite. Then you may choose your favorite shape from the basket.
[Ask each child, one at a time, to name their favorite shape. Then invite them to choose the shape from the basket.]
Now we will sort ourselves by our favorite shape.
[Arrange children into favorite shape groups. Ensure groups are not in close proximity of each other.]
Now let’s count together how many people are in each group. We are collecting information about favorite shapes when we count. When we collect information, we gather it together. Remember, last week we collected information about the number of pom-poms when we counted pom-poms on our chart.
[Lead children as they count together the number of children in each group. Invite children to sit down while remaining in their groups.]
We will use a chart to organize information about favorite shapes.
[Display shape chart.]
We will begin with the group that has the fewest children.
Which of our shape groups has the fewest children?
I will place the shape that is the favorite of the group with the fewest children at the bottom of the chart first.
[Use sticky tack to affix the (shape with fewest children) to the bottom left side of the chart.]
Now each person in the (shape with fewest children) group will place a dot above the shape on our chart.
[Invite children in this group, one at a time, to place a dot above the shape on the chart. Dots are to be placed vertically on the chart. The first child should place his/her dot in the space directly above the shape. The second child should place his/her dot in the space directly above the first dot, etc. No space should have more than one dot.]
There were ___ children in the group that picked the (shape) as a favorite shape. There should be ___ dots in a line above the (shape) on our chart. Let’s count each dot in the line to make sure.
[Lead children as they count together the number of dots while you or a volunteer child points to each dot.]
Which of our shape groups has the most children?
I will place the shape that is the favorite of the group with the most children at the bottom of the chart.
[Use sticky tack to affix the (shape with the most children) on the bottom right side of the chart.]
Now each person in the (shape with the most children) group will place a dot above the (shape) on our chart.
[Invite children in this group, one at a time, to place a dot above the shape on the chart. Follow procedures used with the first group.]
There were ___ children in the group that picked the (shape) as a favorite shape. There should be ___ dots in a line above the (shape) on our chart. Let’s count each dot in the line to make sure.
[Lead children as they count together the number of dots while you or a volunteer child points to each dot.]
We have one more shape group. This shape group has fewer children than the group that just placed their dots on the chart.
I will place the shape that is the favorite of the remaining group at the bottom of the chart.
[Use sticky tack to affix the (favorite shape of the remaining group) at the bottom middle of the chart.]
Now each person in this group will place a dot above the shape on our chart.
[Invite children in this group, one at a time, to place a dot above the shape on the chart. Follow procedures used with the first group.]
There were ___ children in the group that picked the (shape) as a favorite shape. There should be ___ dots in a line above the (shape) on our chart. Let’s count each dot in the line to make sure.
[Lead children as they count together the number of dots while you or a volunteer child points to each dot.]
Now we have each placed a dot above our favorite shape on our chart. Let’s talk about what our chart tells us.
Let’s look carefully at our chart. Our chart begins with the shape that was the favorite of the fewest children.
[Point to far left column.]
Our chart ends with the shape that was the favorite of the most children.
[Point to far right column.]
Each line of dots gets taller and taller as we move across our chart.
[If two or more lines are equal in height, emphasize that they are equal. The same number of children liked each of the shapes represented by the lines.]
Today we made a shape chart. We collected information about our favorite shapes, and then we used our chart to organize our information. What information did we learn by looking closely at our chart? (how many people chose each shape as their favorite, which shape was the favorite of the most people)
Extra support
Enrichment
Supply *individual charts. Fill a bowl with different numbers of each of three colors of Legos®. Invite children to sort the Legos® into groups by color, count the number of Legos® in each group, and organize the number of Legos® in each group on a chart, from fewest to most.
*Printables provided
Invite children to share the chart with family members at pickup time. Encourage children to explain how the information is organized. (begins with the shape liked the least, ends with the shape liked the most)
Executive function
Children will regulate their behaviors in response to changes in visual, oral, and aural prompts.
Review:
Be Prepared: If time permits, offer Music Marks from Week 28, Day 1 as a second game. If the game described below is too challenging for a majority of children, stop at an appropriate place and offer Music Marks from Week 28, Day 1. 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. We will play Orange Circle, Purple Circle. This game helps us learn how to focus our attention on what we are expected to do. We know that when we focus on something, we concentrate on it.
[Display an orange circle and a purple circle.]
Let’s clap when we see the orange circle and stomp when we see the purple circle. Let’s practice.
[Hold up the orange circle for a few seconds and encourage children to clap their hands. Then hold up the purple circle and encourage children to stomp.]
We know how to change the game and do different movements for each colored circle.
Let’s try clapping when we see the purple circle, and stomping when we see the orange circle. We will stop when I put both circles behind my back.
[Hold up the purple circle for a few seconds and encourage children to clap their hands. Then hold up the orange circle and encourage children to stomp. Do this several times. If children readily follow the changes, vary the timing of holding up the action circle (example: hold up orange circle for 10 seconds, then hold it up for five seconds, etc.).]
What did we do when I put both circles behind my back? (stopped)
We just clapped when we saw the purple circle and stomped when we saw the orange circle.
Let’s play our game one more time. This time we will use four different colored circles and change the rules of the game.
[Hold up each circle and demonstrate the body movement that corresponds with each.]
Let’s see if we remember what we need to do for each circle.
Let’s practice!
[Continue playing the game as you hold up each circle. Be sure to clearly say, “Orange Circle!,” “Purple Circle!,” “Blue Circle!,” and “Yellow Circle!” when you hold up the circles for all to see. Hold up each one for several seconds. Then put the circles behind your back.
If children follow the prompts without much difficulty, then choose two colors and do the opposite motions for each. Example: Tap knees with a yellow circle and tap nose with a blue circle. Be sure to review the game changes before you begin a new version.]
Today we played Orange Circle, Purple Circle again. We paid close attention to what we were expected to do and remembered new rules.
Extra support
Enrichment
Provide the colored circles used during today’s activity. Invite children to continue playing Orange Circle, Purple Circle. Encourage children to take turns holding the circles and naming the action to be done each time.
Send the new game rules home with children and encourage them to explain the new rules to family members at pickup time. Invite families to play at home.
Knowledge of creative processes, Skills that support creative expression
Children will pretend to be another person.
Review:
Be Prepared: Place the seven pictures of people inside the cloth bag.
Last week we imitated someone else’s voice, facial expressions, and body movements. We know that imitate means to sound like or look like someone or something else.
Today we will practice imitating all three at the same time by pretending to be another person. Remember, when we pretend, we act as if something is true or real when it is not.
[Display cloth bag.]
In my bag, I have pictures of seven different people. We will pretend to be the person in each picture I pull from the bag. Let’s try one.
[Pull out and display the picture of a baby.]
[Ask for a volunteer to pretend to be a baby. Encourage children to join the volunteer in pretending to be a baby. Encourage the child to use a baby’s voice/sound, facial expressions, and body movements.]
Let’s do some more pretending.
[Pull one picture at a time from the bag. For each picture, ask the questions listed above. Then encourage children (all at the same time) to pretend to be the pictured person. The pictures show a grandfather, police officer, dad, veterinarian, military member, and mom. Encourage children to pretend to be as many of the pictured people as time and child interest allow.]
Today we pretended to be different people. We thought about how each person’s voice might sound, what facial expressions each person may make, and how each person may move his/her body. It’s fun to pretend to be someone other than ourselves!
Extra support
Enrichment
Provide a range of props in the housekeeping center for children to use in pretending to be different people.
Encourage children to pretend they are talking with the pictured person. Examples: child pretends to interact with pretend veterinarian or mom or dad.
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