We are learning a lot about words! We know that words have letters, words can rhyme, and we can put two words together to make a new word. Today we are going to learn another thing about words!

[Display demonstration card with name not divided into syllables. Point to the name as you read it.]

This is a name. A name is a word. This name is _____. Let’s listen to the name again as I say it slowly.

[Say the name again as you speak slowly while dividing it and emphasizing syllables. Example: “This name is Dai-sy.”]

The second time I said the name, I divided the name into two parts. The word divide means to separate or break up something into smaller parts. I broke up the name “Dai-sy” into its parts. Let’s listen again.

[Say the name again as you speak slowly while dividing it and emphasizing syllables. Pause slightly between the syllables. Clap once for each syllable.]

This is what the name looks like when it is divided into parts.

[Display demonstration card with name divided into syllables. Point to each syllable on the card as you say the name slowly.]

Let’s clap for each part as we say the name slowly.

[Lead children in saying the name slowly and clapping for each syllable.]

Each part of a word is called a syllable. Let’s together say the word syllable: syl-la-ble. All words have syllables. Some words have one syllable. The name Sam has one syllable. Other words have more syllables.

Today we are going to say each of our names and clap for each syllable in our name.

Let’s look at the first name.

[Select a two-syllable first name. Display the child’s two-syllable name card for all children to see.]

Whose name is this? This is (child)’s name. I am going to say the name by dividing it into its parts, into syllables. Remember, when we divide something we break it into parts. Let’s use our listening ears so we can pay close attention to what we hear.

[Say the name again as you speak slowly and divide it into syllables. Clap once for each syllable. Ensure that your claps are slow and deliberate to help children understand that each syllable gets one clap.]

Now let’s clap together as we say the name slowly and divide it into syllables.

[Lead children in saying the name slowly and clapping for each syllable. Again, ensure that your claps are slow and deliberate to help children understand that each syllable gets one clap. Then say the name as you point to each syllable on the card.]

Let’s try another name.

[Select a one-syllable first name, if available, or another two-syllable first name. Continue with one name at a time, using three- and four-syllable names later in the process. Use all names.

For each name, begin by displaying the name card and saying the name slowly as you divide it into syllables. Then slowly say the name again as you demonstrate clapping once for each syllable. After you have clapped the syllables in the name, encourage children to say the name with you as you clap the syllables together. Remember to use slow and deliberate claps to help children understand that each syllable gets one clap.]

Now we are going to learn a different letter of the alphabet.

[Display letter X card.]

Does anyone know the name of this letter?

This is the letter X. We can write the letter X in two ways. We can write the letter X like this.

[Demonstrate writing an uppercase X at the top of a chart paper.]

This is an uppercase X.

We can also write the letter X like this.

[Demonstrate writing a lowercase x at the top of a chart paper.]

This is a lowercase x.

There is an animal on our Things That Make Us Feel Better poster that has an X in its name.

[Display Things That Make Us Feel Better poster.]

What is this animal? It is a fox! The fox on our poster shows us things to do to make us feel better when we are sad.

The word “fox” ends with the letter x. The letter X is most often found at the end of words instead of at the beginning of words. I will write this word on our chart. I am going to write the word “fox” with a lowercase (small letter) x.

[Say each letter as you write the word. Emphasize x.]

Let’s all say the word “fox.”

[Invite a volunteer child to point to the letter x in the word “fox.”]

Let’s look at the letters in our name. Pop up if you have the letter X anywhere in your name. The letter X might be at the beginning of your name or at the end of your name or maybe somewhere else in your name.

[Encourage children to look at their name cards. Say the names of children who have an X in their name. If there are children whose name includes the letter X who do not stand, point to the letter X in their name card. Compare the letter X in their name as you hold the letter X card next to their name card.

If no one in the group has a first name with the letter X, say “No one popped up because no one has a name that has the letter X. There are not many names that have the letter X.” Encourage children to look at the displayed list of children’s first names. Point to some names. Explain that no one’s name has the letter X.]

Today we learned something new about words. A word has one or more parts. What are the parts called? (syllables) Some words have one syllable. Other words have two or three or more syllables.

We also learned about the letter X. What is a word that ends with the letter x? (fox)

Today we are going to look at some groups of circles (counters). I am going to lay the circles in a straight line on the table. After I put the circles on the table, please tell us how many circles we have.

[Place a set of five identical counters in a line on the table.]

How many circles are there? How do we know?

Now let’s move the circles around.

[Put counters in a different configuration, such as a circle, two lines (two on top, three on bottom), etc.]

How many circles are there? How do we know?

Was there a different amount after we moved the circles?

A group of items will have the same amount even if we move the items around.

Let’s try it with our group of children. First, let’s count how many children are in our group today.

• [Lead children in counting how many are present, touching each child as you count. When you finish say, “There are ___ children in our group today.”
• Then arrange children in a straight line.
• Count each child, touching each child as you count in the straight line. Repeat the final number.
• Explain that the number of children is the same.]

Now let’s look at two groups of circles.

[Place a group of three counters in a line on the table. Next to this group, place a second group of three counters in a triangle shape.]

Here is one group of circles (point to first group). Here is a second group of circles (point to second group).

• How many circles are in the first group? (three) How do we know?
• How many circles are in the second group? (three) How do we know?

Both groups have three circles. Neither group has more. They each have the same amount. Remember, when groups have the same amount, they are equal.

[Repeat this activity with two groups of the same amount arranged differently. Each time you move the counters, place them in a different configuration. They can be in a triangle, two lines, etc. Use the terms “same” and “equal” frequently as you compare the groups.]

Now let’s talk about numbers we know. Yesterday we learned what numbers zero and one look like.

[Display large numeral cards “zero” and “one.”]

• How many fingers do we hold up for zero? (We don’t hold up any fingers!)
• How many fingers do we hold up for one?
  [Hold up two fingers.]
• How many fingers am I holding up?

I am holding up two fingers. Let’s count them together.

[Point to each finger as you encourage children to count with you.]

Number two looks like this.

[Hold up a large numeral two card.]

The number two means there are two of something. Let’s count the dots on the number card.

[Point to each dot on the numeral card as you count. Encourage children to count with you.]

The number two means there are two things! Please hold up two fingers. Let’s count them together.

[Display a group of two identical blocks and invite children to count with you as you point to each block.]

How many blocks are in our group? (two)

[Display a large numeral one card next to a large numeral two card.]

Let’s compare the number one to the number two. Remember, when we compare things, we look for ways they are similar or different.

• How is the number one similar to the number two? (both have a straight line)
• How is the number one different from the number two? (number two has a curved line)

Today we learned that we do not change the amount of items in a group when we move the items. We also learned what the number two looks like.

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 stop clapping 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 stop clapping their hands.]

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 we stomped when we saw the orange circle.

Let’s play our game one more time. This time we are going to change the rules of the game. We will clap when we see the orange circle and stomp when we see the purple circle.

• What do we do when we see the purple circle? (stomp)
• What do we do when we see the orange circle? (clap)
• What do we do when I put both circles behind my back? (stop)

Let’s practice!

[Continue playing the game as you hold up the orange circle and purple circle. Be sure to clearly say, “Orange Circle!” and “Purple Circle!” when you hold up the circles for all to see. Hold up each one for several seconds. Then put both circles behind your back.]

Today we played Orange Circle, Purple Circle again. We paid close attention to what we were expected to do and remembered new rules.

• How did we know what to do during the games? (looked at circles)
• Why did we need to pay close attention? (because the circle colors changed)
• Was it difficult to focus on the changing circles?

We are learning how animals can be similar and different. Yesterday we learned about fur, feathers, and scales. Today we will talk about some other parts of animals’ bodies.

• What are some other parts of our bodies? (nose, hand, foot, etc.)
• What do these parts of our body help us do? (to smell, to hold things, to walk, etc.)

We are going to look at pictures of different animals and talk about parts of their bodies. I will record what we discuss on this chart. Remember, when we record something we write it down.

[Display chart paper.]

I will write “Parts of Animals’ Bodies” at the top of our chart. I will write on our chart the names of the parts we discuss.

[Display one at a time the pictures of parrots, turtles, tiger, shark, and monkeys. Use the following format for each picture:]

This is a picture of _____.

What parts of the _____’s body/bodies do you see in this picture?

[Invite child(ren) to point to the part of the body identified in the picture. Restate the name of each part as you write it on the chart.]

We have listed many parts of animals’ bodies. I am going to say and point to each name of a body part on our chart.

[Read again and point to each body part listed.]

Now let’s talk about how the animals use some parts of their body.

[Read and discuss one part at a time. Example: “This word says ‘wings.’ How might an animal use wings?” Point to the part in one or more animal pictures when you describe each part. Discuss as many parts of animals’ bodies as time permits.]

We are learning how animals can be similar and different. Let’s think about the five animals and the parts of their bodies we talked about today.

[Display photos of five animals. Focus discussion on parts of bodies written on the chart and the five animals considered today.]

• What parts of a body do all of the animals have? (eyes, tails, mouths, etc.)
• What parts of a body do only some of the animals have? (turtle has a hard shell, shark has fins, parrot has wings, etc.)

Today we looked at pictures of five different animals and named some of the parts of their bodies. We also talked about how animals use different parts of their bodies. Do all animals have the same parts? (no)