Oral language
Children will strengthen their comprehension of information presented in a book read aloud and increase the number of novel words they understand.
New:
Review:
Be Prepared: This is the second of three repeated readings of a book with children. Today’s session focuses on children’s comprehension of information presented in the book, especially connections to children’s experiences. The session also helps children understand more novel words. From the list of novel words you identified prior to your first reading of the book, select 4–6 words to define for children today. Remember, it is okay to select words that a few children may know if you anticipate most children do not understand the word’s meaning. See the Language/ Literacy section of the ELM Curriculum User Guide: 3–5 Years for additional information on how to select and define novel words.
Now let’s spend some time with our book.
[See Week 3, Day 3 of Language/Literacy for a description and examples of how to approach today’s book reading. Key aspects are summarized below:
Geometric and spatial knowledge
Children will strengthen their understanding of basic characteristics of a circle, triangle, square, and rectangle.
Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert
Review:
Repeat Week 5, Day 1 if a majority of children would benefit from a review of shapes.
Support children in identifying shapes shown as part of animal illustrations in a book read with children.
Open the session by introducing the book and explaining that the author and illustrator (Lois Ehlert) used her imagination to arrange shapes to look like an animal. Invite children to share their ideas of what animal is shown on the front cover. Encourage children to point out shapes used on the book’s front cover. (square, triangle, different sizes of circles)
Invite children to be shape hunters as we read the book together. Encourage children to tap their knees if they know the name of a shape shown on a page.
As you read the book, pause on each page that shows an animal. Remind children to tap their knees if they know the shape in the picture. Invite children to name and describe the shape shown on the page. Repeat children’s shape descriptions.
Children may not be familiar with a diamond shape. When you reach the page that shows a diamond, point to the diamond, say its name clearly, and describe its characteristics. Trace the diamond with your fingers as you describe it. Example: “A diamond is a type of shape. A diamond has four sides that are the same. A diamond has four corners. My finger is going around the corners.”
Knowledge of earth and space
Children will strengthen their understanding of recycling.
Review:
Creative Expression
Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel
Be Prepared: Make a trash collage on cardstock as a sample for children’s creative efforts in today’s activity. The collage may be made by gluing clean trash items to cardstock. Include a used bottle lid in your creation. Also, collect used items for children to use. Examples: pieces of used paper, thin cardboard, used magazines, newspapers, plastic bottle lids. Make sure all items are fully clean, including thoroughly washing used paper cups, plastic bottle lids, and other items previously used to store food or consumable liquids, such as milk and juice.
[Display sample collage.]
Here is an art piece that I made. What did I use to make this creation?
[Encourage children to name items glued to the piece of cardstock.]
This art piece was made with things that were no longer needed. The things in this creation were recycled. Remember, when we recycle, we make a new item from something, or we use the item again.
[Display picture of a bird feeder.]
Here is a picture of a bird feeder that was made from something that was no longer needed.
What was used again to make this bird feeder? (plastic bottle)
Sometimes when we recycle something, we use it again. Think about going to a store with a family member to buy something. The store probably gives your family a bag for taking home what you buy. There are different things your family could do with the bag after you get home. The bag could be thrown away or recycled. If your family recycles the bag, it could be taken or sent to a recycling center to be made into something new. Or your family could use the bag again.
We also can use things again in a different way. A bottle lid is used to keep milk or juice from splashing out of a bottle. After a bottle is empty, we can put the bottle lid in a recycling bin to be taken to a recycling center or we can use the lid for something else. I used a bottle lid again in creating an art piece.
[Point to bottle lid on your collage.]
We learned from our book on Day 1 that used cans can be made into new things like bikes and scooters. The bottle lid was not changed into something new for my art piece. I used the lid again. It is still a bottle lid.
Today each of us will recycle some items by using them again to make a collage. Remember, a collage is a piece of art that is made with different kinds of things. We can put things on our paper any way we wish.
[Provide various clean trash items (see Be Prepared) and pieces of cardstock. Encourage children to make a trash collage by gluing the pieces of trash to a piece of cardstock. As children create, ask what items they are using again. Hang the artwork after it dries.]
Today we found a way to use some items again by making a trash collage. Using something again is a way to recycle.
Extra support
Enrichment
Invite children to make “recycled” crayons out of their old, broken crayon pieces. Invite children to remove the paper from their old crayons and break the crayons into small pieces. Use yogurt cups or other microwaveable cups and add one inch of water to the bottom of the cup. Then add the crayon pieces. Microwave the cups for 1–2 minutes, checking every 30 seconds. Pour the melted crayon liquid into candy molds or paper cups. Allow to cool completely. After they have cooled, pop them out of the molds or peel the paper off of the cups. Now children have new “recycled” crayons!
With leftover items, encourage children to make a 3-D art piece, such as a robot or toy.
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Exploring Where We Live
Social Studies
Skill and Goal
Knowledge of social and physical environments
Children will understand that multiple types of transportation move items from their point of origin to their final destination.
Materials
Needed
*Printables provided
Key
Concepts
New:
[Display a Lego™ or other popular toy.]
I am holding a toy we can play with in our room. Some of us may have this toy at our house.
How do toys get from where they are made to your house or to our program? (transportation)
After something is made, it is packed in a box and moved from the factory to a warehouse. A warehouse is a large building used for storing things. Large boxes of items are stored on shelves.
Things stored in a warehouse then move to a store. Things for sale are displayed on shelves in a store so people can decide what they might want to buy. Things bought in a store then go to a house or to a place like our program.
A delivery truck usually takes something to the place that will use the item. Delivery trucks bring things to our center. Maybe a delivery truck has taken something to your home. Delivery trucks are much smaller than a semi-truck.
[Continue to display all five transportation pictures.]
Many different types of transportation help move something made in a factory to our house or to a place like our center. We talked about different ways items can move from one place to another place and then move again to another place. Something might move three or four times after it is made in a factory. A different type of transportation moves the item each time.
Scaffolding Tips
Extra support
Enrichment
Center Activity
In the block center, provide different-sized boxes and large wooden vehicles (if available). Encourage children to pretend they are moving goods from the factory to a warehouse, warehouse to a store, or from a store to a home.
Family Child Care
While on a walk, encourage children to look for delivery trucks or semi-trucks. Ask children to think about what might be in the truck and if they think it is coming from a warehouse to a store or from a store to a home.