Let’s say the “Humpty Dumpty” nursery rhyme together. Nursery rhymes help us learn about rhyming words.

[Lead children in reciting “Humpty Dumpty” in unison as you display the Humpty Dumpty poster. Emphasize the rhyming words.]

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?]

We are learning about shapes. Last week we learned about circles and squares.

What did we learn about circles?

We know that a circle is round with a curved line. Let’s make a circle with our finger in the air.

[Use a large arm movement to lead children in making a circle in the air.]

We also learned about squares.

What did we learn about squares?

We know that a square has four straight sides that are the same size. A square also has four corners. Let’s make a square with our finger in the air.

[Use a large arm movement to lead children in making a square in the air.]

• Where is a circle in our room?
• How do we describe a circle? (curved line, round)
• Where is a square in our room?
• How do we describe a square? (four straight sides, four corners, four equal sides)

[Display triangle cutout.]

This shape has three straight sides. It also has three corners.

Do you remember the name of this shape?

It is a triangle. Let’s together say the word triangle: tri-an-gle.

Let’s pass around the triangle so we can feel the outside edges.

[Encourage children to describe the triangle (sides, corners) as they feel its outline.]

Let’s see if we can find a triangle in our room. Remember, a triangle has three sides and three corners. (Examples: play food pizza slice, block, triangles in pattern blocks collection)

Our new shape for today has four straight sides and four corners.

[Display rectangle cutout.]

Does anyone know the name of this shape?

This shape is called a rectangle. A rectangle has four straight sides and four corners. Let’s together say the word rectangle: rec-tan-gle.

Let’s pass around the rectangle so we can feel its outside edges.

[Encourage children to describe the rectangle (sides, corners) as they feel its outline.

Display rectangle and square cutouts. Point to features of each as you describe them.]

Last week we learned about squares. Squares and rectangles both have four straight sides and four corners. A square is a special rectangle because all four sides are equal! Remember, equal means they are the same.

If a shape has four sides and four corners like this rectangle, then we call it a rectangle. If a shape has four sides and four corners and the sides are equal, then we call it a square.

Let’s look at our classroom door.

• What shape is it?
• How do we know?

Our door is a rectangle. It has four straight sides and four corners.

[Point to the sides of the door and the corners as you describe them.]

• How do we know our door is not a square? (the sides are not equal)
• Where is another rectangle in our room?

Let’s use our finger to make a rectangle in the air.

[Use a large arm movement to lead children in making a rectangle in the air.]

Now let’s make a triangle with our finger in the air.

[Use a large arm movement to lead children in making a triangle in the air.]

[Display rectangle and triangle cutouts.]

Today we learned that a rectangle has four straight sides and four corners. We also learned that a square is a special kind of rectangle that has four equal sides. Which shape has three straight sides and three corners? (triangle) Are either of these shapes curved like a circle? (no)

[Display picture of Katie.]

I want to tell you a story about a little girl named Katie. This is a picture of Katie. She loves to play with friends and things in her classroom.

Sometimes Katie does things that upset her friends and get her in trouble. Katie does not want to upset other children or get in trouble. But sometimes she forgets to do what is right.

[Display picture of Chen with block tower.]

One day Katie was playing in the block center. Her friend Chen was building the biggest block tower Katie had ever seen! Katie liked Chen’s block tower a lot. She wanted to hear the sound of all of the blocks falling to the floor.

Katie walked up to Chen’s block tower and knocked it over. Katie smiled when all of the blocks fell to the floor. Chen was sad that his block tower fell down. He told Katie that he did not want to play with her.

Katie was sorry that Chen was upset. She did not want him to feel sad. Katie did not do the right thing when she knocked over Chen’s tall tower of blocks.

• What should Katie have done instead of knock down Chen’s tower? (played in another center, built her own tower to knock down, asked Chen if she could help him knock down his tower when he was ready)
• What was Katie thinking before she knocked over Chen’s tall tower? (how much she liked to hear the sound of blocks falling down)
• Did Katie think about what Chen might feel if she knocked over his tower? (no)

Katie forgot to use self-control. Self-control helps us do the right things. When we use self-control, we think about things before we do anything. Self-control helps us make good choices so that we don’t hurt or upset others. We use self-control when we wait for our turn. We use self-control when we do not interrupt others who are talking. We use self-control when we walk but really want to use our running feet. Using self-control helps us do what is right.

[Continue if time permits.]

I want to tell you what happened when it was time for Katie and other children to leave their classroom for the day. Everyone was getting their backpacks out of their cubbies. Katie was excited about what was happening next. She was going to go swimming with children who live in her neighborhood. Katie loved to swim.

Katie started dancing with her backpack. She swung her backpack in circles above her head and sang, “It’s time to swim, it’s time to swim!” She thought about splashing in the water while swimming. Suddenly, Katie’s backpack hit Najla in the head.

[Display picture of Najla.]

Najla said, “Ouch! Your backpack hit me hard.”

Katie felt bad inside. She did not mean for her backpack to hit Najla.

• What was Katie thinking about while she spun her backpack around her head? (going swimming, splashing in the water)
• Did Katie think about the children around her while she danced and moved her backpack in circles? (no)
• What would be a better way for Katie to show she is excited about going swimming? (talk or sing about swimming, put backpack on her back or carry to her side)

Katie upset or hurt her friends by doing what she wanted to do. She did not stop to think about what Chen would feel if she knocked down his tall tower. She did not stop to think about whether other children might be hurt while she danced and spun her backpack over her head. We talked about ways Katie could use self-control. What is the first thing we need to do when we use self-control? (stop and think)

We are learning ways we can be creative. Remember, when we are creative we use an idea to make or do something new. One way we can be creative is to draw or paint a picture. Who can tell us another way we can be creative? (music, drama, dance) Today we are going to learn about what it means to be an artist.

An artist is a person who creates art, music, drama, or dance. There are many ways to be an artist.

[Display book. Point to words in title as you say them.]

This book will tell us what it means to be an artist. The book is called, To Be an Artist. It was written by Maya Ajmera and John Ivanko.

[After reading the book, use questions, such as the following, to encourage children to reflect on what an artist does:]

• How were the artists in the book being creative with music? (danced, played instruments, sang)
• What other creative things did the artists in the book do? (draw, color, paint)

Let’s pretend we are artists like the people described in our book!

[Invite children to stand. Encourage children to briefly pretend being creative in different ways. Show pertinent book pictures as a reference:]

• Let’s pretend we are an artist painting a picture.
• Let’s pretend we are an artist playing a musical instrument.
• Let’s pretend we are an artist singing a song.
• Let’s pretend we are an artist dancing.
• Let’s pretend we are an artist using clay to make something with our hands.

Our book today helped us learn what it means to be an artist. Artists can be creative in many different ways. Artists can be creative with music, dance, drama, and different objects. All of us can be artists!