Today we are going to work again with compound words. We will put two words together to make a compound word. We will also decide which two words make up a compound word.

Let’s first practice putting two words together to make a compound word.

[Display word cards “cup” and “cake.”]

The first card has a picture of a cup.

[Point to the word “cup” below the picture as you read it.]

What is the picture on the second card?

It is a picture of a cake.

We have a “cup” card and we have a “cake” card.

I am going to put the “cup” and “cake” cards together. When the two cards are put together they make the new word “cupcake”!

[Display and point to the two cards put together. Encourage children to say “cupcake” as you point to the combined cards.]

Now it’s your turn to try! Each of you will have a chance to make a compound word. All of us need to be quiet so the person making a compound word can concentrate. Remember, when we concentrate on something we pay close attention to it.

[Assess children individually with the following procedure: 

• Lay in front of the child two component word cards that together make a compound word. 
• Ask the child to name each picture. Name one or both pictures if the child is uncertain. Ask the child to repeat the name you offer. 
• Ask the child to put the two word cards together and say the compound word. If the child clearly communicates uncertainty about how to form the compound word, offer assistance: Name each picture again and ask, “Which word (card) would come first?” 
• Praise each child’s effort. Refrain from indicating “right” or “wrong.” 
• Repeat the above procedure until all children have been assessed on their understanding of forming a compound word.]

Now we are going to begin with a compound word and decide which two words make up the compound word. Let’s first practice together.

[Display the compound word card “sunflower.” Draw children’s attention to the picture.]

What is the compound word on my card?

Yes! My compound word is “sunflower.”

We need to decide which two words make up the compound word “sunflower.” I’ll say the word again. Listen carefully for two different words when I say the compound word “sunflower.”

[Enunciate clearly when you say the word “sunflower.” Emphasize each component word.]

What is the first word you hear in the word “sunflower”?

Yes. The first word is “sun.”

Now listen carefully as I say the compound word again.

[Enunciate clearly when you say the compound word again. Emphasize each component word.]

What is the other word you hear in the word “sunflower”?

Yes. The last word is “flower.”

When we put “sun” and “flower” together we make the word “sunflower.”

Now it’s your turn to try!

[Assess children individually with the following procedure: 

• Lay in front of the child one compound word card. 
• Ask the child to name the picture. Name the picture (say the compound word) if the child is uncertain. 
• Ask the child to say the two words that make up the compound word. If the child clearly communicates uncertainty about the two words, offer assistance: Say the compound word slowly and ask, “What word do you hear first?” 
• Praise each child’s effort. Refrain from indicating “right” or “wrong.”
• Repeat the procedures until all children have been assessed on their understanding of segmenting compound words.]

Today we put two words together to make a compound word. We also decided which two words made up a compound word.

Blends/Segments compound words independently (with no assistance or with your assistance in naming a picture only)

Blends/Segments compound words with the following assistance:

Blending: You asked the child which word (card) comes first

Segmenting: You asked the child which word he/she hears first

Child does not blend/segment compound words at this time

Children in our classroom are learning that some words can be put together to make a new word. Children’s understanding of compound words is part of a foundation skill for later reading success. Recently I assessed Yvonne’s progress in understanding a compound word. Yvonne successfully formed (blended) and took apart (segmented) the compound word “sunflower.” I provided the word as part of the assessment. I offered some follow-up learning opportunities to reinforce Yvonne’s understanding of compound words.

Children are learning that some words can be put together to make a new word. Children’s understanding of compound words is part of a foundation skill for later reading success. Recently I assessed Joey’s progress in understanding a compound word. Joey formed (blended) and took apart (segmented) the compound word “sandbox” with some assistance from me. I provided the word as part of the assessment. I am offering some follow-up learning opportunities to support Joey’s emerging understanding of compound words.

Children in our classroom are learning that some words can be put together to make a new word. Children’s understanding of compound words is part of a foundation skill for later reading success. Recently I assessed Tyrone’s progress in understanding a compound word. Tyrone successfully formed (blended) the compound word “birdbath.” He took apart (segmented) the word with some assistance from me. I provided the word as part of the assessment. I am offering some follow-up learning opportunities to support Tyrone’s emerging understanding of how to take apart (segment) compound words, and to reinforce his understanding of how to form (blend) compound words.

Children are learning that some words can be put together to make a new word. Children’s understanding of compound words is part of a foundation skill for later reading success. Recently I assessed Samantha’s progress in understanding a compound word. Samantha was interested in working with the word cards I provided. She also paid attention to the assistance I provided as part of the progress assessment. It seems that Samantha was not yet ready to form (blend) or take apart (segment) the compound word “raincoat” that I provided as part of the assessment. I am offering follow-up learning opportunities to reintroduce Samantha to compound words and will again assess her progress after she has had more time to learn about compound words.

I am going to hold up a group of fingers. I’d like you to hold up the same number of fingers on your hand. Our groups will be equal. What does it mean for things to be equal? (each has the same amount)

[Lead children by holding up a group of fingers. Observe as children try to create an equal group of fingers on their own hands.

Lay 10 circle cutouts or hula hoops on the floor in a line.]

Today we are going to play another counting game. I have 10 circles on the floor. Let’s count them together to make sure we have 10.

[Lead children in counting the circles in unison. Point to each circle as you count.]

We have 10 circles. We know this because when we counted them, the last number counted was 10.

Let’s each take turns with our game. We know that when we take turns, we do something one at a time. When it is your turn, I will say a number. Please walk on/in the circles. Count each circle as you take one step until you reach the number I said. Let me show you.

[Demonstrate by inviting a child to say a number. Step on/in the given number of circles, counting each one as you step. Stop when you have reached the number given. Say, “I have counted ___ circles.”]

Now let’s take turns playing our counting game.

[Select a number from 1–10 and ask a child to step on/in the given number of circles. Ask the child to count out loud as he/she steps on each circle. Remind each child to stop when he/she has reached the number you said. Ask: “How many circles did you count?”]

Today we played a counting game. I said a number and each of you stepped on/in the circles until you counted that many circles. When we count, the last number we count tells how many we have. I am going to say a number, and let’s clap the number of times I say.

We are learning about different emotions. Remember, an emotion is the way we feel inside.

[Display a smile on your face.]

• What do you think I might be feeling right now? (happy!)
  [Display a silly face.]
• What do you think I might be feeling right now? (silly)
  [Display a frown on your face.]
• What do you think I might be feeling now? (sad)

Sad is an emotion (feeling). People sometimes have a frown on their face or they may cry when they feel sad. Let’s take a look at our poster and see if we can find a child who is feeling sad.

[Discuss facial features that children associate with being sad.]

Who can make a sad face?

There are many reasons why people can feel sad. I feel sad when _____.

Can you think of something that might make you sad?

Let’s look at three pages in the book we read last week. The pages show happy, silly, and sad feelings.

[Display The Way I Feel book.

For each of the happy, silly, and sad pages, ask the following question:]

What about the child’s face tells us the child in this picture may be feeling ______ (happy, silly, sad)?

Happy, silly, and sad faces can look very different.

[Display a sad Feeling Face you made prior to the activity.]

• This is a Feeling Face. Can you guess the emotion a person with this face might be feeling?

[Display a happy Feeling Face and a silly Feeling Face, one at a time, and invite children to guess the feeling.

Display the three Feeling Faces at the same time.]

• What does the mouth look like on each face?

We are going to make Feeling Faces to help us think about different emotions.

Each of us can make a happy face, a silly face, and a sad face. We will use paper circles to make each face.

[As children draw the features on their papers, write the name of the emotion at the bottom of the Feeling Face. Write the child’s name on the back of each face.]

I am going to say some things that might happen to us. Please hold up the Feeling Face that shows how you might feel if this happened to you.

• We get to play with our favorite toy.
• We fell off the swing.
• We are pretending we are a clown!

[Please keep children’s Feeling Faces for use in other activities.]

Yesterday we practiced forward movements, backward movements, and stopping a movement.

[Lead children in the movements described below, taking 2–3 steps for each.]

Let’s show what we remember. Let’s all do a forward movement. Stop. And then do a backward movement.

Today we are going to learn some other movements that can be a part of dance.

I need to move in a certain way if I want to pick up something from the floor. Watch as I move.

[Bend down as you pretend to pick up something from the floor.]

How did I move when I pretended to pick up something from the floor? (bent down)

My body needs to bend forward when I pick up something from the floor. Remember, bend means to move our body so it is not straight. When I bend forward, I bend toward what is in front of me. Watch me bend again.

[Demonstrate bending forward.]

Now I will move in another way.

[Stretch as you pretend to reach for something up high.]

How did I move when I pretended to reach for something up high? (stretch)

We need to stretch to get something or reach up high. Stretch means to make something longer. We stretch our body to get longer so we can reach something up high. Watch me stretch again.

[Demonstrate stretching.]

Let’s practice bending and then stretching.

[Lead children in several rounds of bending and stretching.]

[Help children spread out so each has personal space.]

We are going to listen to a song. Please try to do the movements that I say. We will stay in our own space. We will begin by standing up. Please listen carefully as I say the movements.

[Play Track three from My First Classical Music Album CD and say the four movements of forward, backward, bend, and stretch. Provide more practice with bend and stretch than with forward and backward movements. Use logical places in the song to bend and stretch.]

We have one more movement to learn today. Please watch what I do.

[Demonstrate a bow. Then invite children to bow with you.]

That is called a bow! When we bow, we bend our bodies forward. Then we stand up tall. Dancers and artists sometimes bow at the end of dancing or performing.

Today we learned more movements that can be used in dance. We learned to bend, stretch, and bow. Let’s all bow!