[Arrange children so they are sitting in a circle.]

We know that parts of a word are called syllables. Let’s think about the syllables in the word “di-no-saur.”

[Say di-no-saur slowly while clapping once for each syllable. Then lead children in first saying the word and then clapping once for each syllable. Ensure that your claps are slow and deliberate to help children understand that each syllable gets one clap.]

[Alter your voice so that it sounds like a robot. Speak in short, choppy sentences while separating multiple-syllable words into syllables.]

I am a robot. Can you help me?

[Display the demonstration card. Enunciate each syllable slowly in “robot talk.” Pause briefly between syllables.]

I see a last name of someone we know. The name is _____.

What name do I see?

[Say the following in your regular voice so that you no longer sound like a robot.]

Now each of us will have a turn to say the last name I see. I will pretend to be a robot and ask each of you to help me. I will say a last name in “robot talk” and then the person whose last name I am saying can help by telling me what last name I see!

[Hold up each child’s last name card. One at a time, say the last name in “robot talk,” and then ask the child to say the last name by blending the syllables in the word.]

Let’s learn more about the letter P.

[Display letter P card.

If a child(ren) whose name begins with the letter P was identified on Day 2, invite the child(ren) to again pop up. Say the first name of the child(ren). Emphasize the sound of the letter P when you say the name.]

Maybe someone in our group has the letter p somewhere else in their name. The letter might be in the middle or at the end of their name. It will be a lowercase p and it will look like this.

[Point to the lowercase p on the letter card.]

Pop up if you have the letter p somewhere else in your name (not at beginning).

[If a child has the letter p somewhere else in his/her name, point to the name and to the letter p on the list of children’s first names so all children can see the name and the letter p.]

What is our word that begins with the letter P? (pattern)

The letter P says /p/, just like at the beginning of the word “pattern.” /p/, /p/, pattern. Let’s say that together: /p/, /p/, pattern.

I have two pictures of things that begin with the letter P. I wonder what they could be?

[Hold up one picture card and invite children to identify the animal/item in each picture. After children have an opportunity to guess or say the pictured animal/item, point to and say the word written at the bottom of the card. Example: “This word says pig. The letter p is at the beginning of the word.” Repeat this procedure with a second picture card.]

Let’s think of some other words that begin with the letter P and write them on our chart. Remember, the letter P says /p/, /p/.

[Help children by suggesting other words that begin with p. Examples: pin, pants, pop, past.

Invite one or more volunteer children to find the letter p in words on the chart. Children may point to the letter at the top of the chart and then find it in one of the words below.

Demonstrate and describe how to mark the uppercase letter P on your chart paper.]

We use two lines to make an uppercase P. One line is straight and tall and the other line is curved.

[Give each child his/her letter journal.]

Now we are going to write the letter P in our letter journal. Please write the uppercase (big) letter P in your journal. Write as much of the letter as you can.

Today we listened to the syllables in our last names in “robot talk.” Then we put the syllables together to say someone’s last name.

We also learned that the letter P says /p/, just like at the beginning of the word “pattern.” We made the uppercase (big) letter P in our letter journal. Let’s say together the sound the letter P makes (/p/).

We are practicing how to make a simple pattern. What is a pattern? (something that repeats itself ) Yesterday we used shapes to make a pattern on a crown.

Today we will use bingo dotters to practice making a pattern.

[Give each child two different-colored bingo dotters and a piece of paper.]

We are going to make a pattern with two different colors of bingo dotters. Please watch as I show you.

I have a (color) bingo dotter and a (color) bingo dotter. I will start the pattern with the (color) bingo dotter. What color bingo dotter should come next in the pattern?

[Demonstrate by using the two bingo dotters to make a simple ABAB pattern.

Invite children to recreate the pattern you made on their own paper.

Encourage children to extend the pattern by adding 6–8 more dots. When they have finished, say the pattern together as children point to the colored dots.

If time permits, encourage children to make a different simple pattern using two different colors of bingo dotters.]

Today we practiced making a simple pattern with bingo dotters. Who would like to tell us your pattern?

We are learning about neighborhoods and the places we might find in a neighborhood. Remember, our neighborhood includes all of the places near our home. Last week we used boxes to make some of the places in our center’s neighborhood.

Today we are going to describe the places we made. Each group will take a turn. We know that when we describe something we tell others about it. When our group describes the place we made, we will take turns describing parts of our place.

Which group would like to describe their place first?

• [Invite groups to describe their box place. Encourage group members to take turns describing the characteristics of their place. Also, encourage group members to describe how the place helps the neighborhood. Example: “A fire station helps the neighborhood because the firefighters keep people safe when there is a fire.”
• Invite other children to ask questions about the place. Remind children to be good listeners when someone is describing. If children seem nervous or reluctant to describe their box place, indicate that it is okay to feel this way. See Extra support tip for children who do not wish to participate in describing their place.]

Today we described our neighborhood box places. We took turns with other people in our group to describe the characteristics of our place and how our place helps the neighborhood.

Last week we jogged in different directions when we played the Zig Zag game. Remember, jogging is when we run slowly.

Today we are going to jog as we play a game called Hungry Hippo.

[Display hippo.]

Our pretend hippo is very, very hungry. We are going to try to feed him as quickly as we can.

Listen carefully as I describe how the game works.

• Each of us will have a base where we will place our pretend hippo food.
  [Point to base and beanbags.]
  Our bases will be in different parts of the room.
• We will start at our base and pick up one beanbag (hippo food) and jog to our hippo.
• We want to jog slower when we get near the tape that is around our hippo. We do not want to bump into the hippo or other children.
• We will stop when we get to the hippo and drop the hippo food into his mouth. We want to drop the pretend food, not throw the food.
• We jog back to our base and pick up another piece of hippo food and jog back to the hippo to feed him some more food. Our hippo is very hungry!

We will keep feeding our hippo until all of our food is gone.

I will show you how to play the game.

[Describe each step as you demonstrate how the game works. Emphasize slowing down as you near the tape and then stopping when you reach the hippo.]

Let’s find our bases and our hippo food.

[Start the game. See Be Prepared for options.]

Today we practiced jogging faster and slower, bending, stopping, and changing direction by feeding a hungry hippo. We can use our jogging skills to play lots of games!