Today we will listen to two sounds in a listening game. When we listen we pay close attention to what we hear.

Are you ready to use your listening ears? Okay!

[Choose two high contrast sounds for each pair of sounds.]

I have a stapler and a bell. Let’s listen carefully to the sounds each of these items makes. We will keep our eyes open.

[Demonstrate the use of a stapler and then a bell.]

Now let’s listen to clapping hands and stomping feet with our eyes open.

[Demonstrate clapping hands and then stomping feet.]

Now we will close our eyes and guess two sounds we hear.

I will ask one person to guess the two sounds after we open our eyes. Please do not say the name of the sounds out loud unless I say your name.

Are you ready to use your listening ears again? Okay! Let’s close our eyes.

[Once all children have closed their eyes, make two of the paired sounds introduced previously (example: stapler and bell). After you’ve made the sounds, hide the sound-making items in the box (if appropriate) and invite a child to guess the sounds. Ensure that different children have an opportunity to respond.]

What were the two sounds?

That’s right! First we heard a _____, and then we heard a _____.

We work harder to listen for two sounds and to remember the two sounds. It is easier to listen to one sound only. Let’s close our eyes and listen to two more sounds.

[Make the two remaining sounds that were introduced previously. After both sounds, encourage children to open their eyes. Ask a child to identify the sounds, using the plan suggested above.

Introduce four more sounds in two pairs as done previously (example: whistling and water running; cutting with scissors and turning pages of a book). Then ask children to close their eyes. Again, present a pair of sounds and invite a child to guess the two sounds. Continue until several children get a turn. After a child correctly guesses both sounds, be sure to say, “There were two sounds. First we heard a _____, and then we heard a _____.”

If time and children’s interests permit, engage children in a second listening game that involves listening to and identifying the sound of each other’s voice. Invite children to close their eyes and then tap a child on the shoulder. The child whose shoulder is tapped is to say the name of a favorite animal. Then all children open their eyes and try to guess whose voice they heard. You may wish to demonstrate with another adult.

Continue the game as you tap different children on the shoulder and then encourage the other children to guess who was talking.]

Today we closed our eyes and listened to two sounds. Then we guessed both sounds.

[Add a quick summary of the “who was talking” game if it was offered.]

Let’s count the number of girls in our small group. Remember, when we count we say our numbers to find out how many.

[Point to each girl as you say a number. When you finish, repeat the final number.]

We counted to find out how many girls are in our small group. We have ___ girls in our small group today.

Now let’s count the number of boys in our small group.

[Point to each boy as you say a number. When you finish, repeat the final number.]

We counted to find out how many boys are in our small group. We have ___ boys in our small group today.

We are learning how to find groups of two things. We can find groups of two in the classroom, in a book, and many other places. We also are learning how to make groups of two things. We can make groups of two with parts of our bodies and with things around us.

• Where do we see a group of two things in our classroom?
• How can we make a group of two with our fingers?
• How do we know it is a group of two? (we can count them, we know what two items look like)

Today we will find and make groups of two outside.

• What do you think we can find outside that is in a group of two? (two swings, two tricycles)
• What do you think we can use outside to make groups of two? (rocks, sticks, leaves)

[Take children outside. Organize children in pairs to find and make groups of two.]

We will work in groups of two today to look for groups of two and make groups of two! You and your partner will look for groups of two together. You may also make groups of two with things we find outside.

I have a piece of paper on a clipboard for writing down the groups of two that we find and make outside. Please tell me what you find or show me what you find so I can write it down. Also, please tell me what you use to make a group of two.

[As children show you or tell you about their groups of two, ask them how they know it is a group of two. Encourage them to find and make more groups of two.]

Today we looked for groups of two outside. We also made groups of two with things outside. I am going to read the list of the groups of two we found today.

[Children will enjoy hearing their names mentioned with the group of two they found.]

We are learning how we are the same and different. What does it mean when things are the same? (they are alike) What does it mean when things are different? (they are not alike)

We know that we can have different clothes, hair, eye color, and things we like.

• How are you the same as the person sitting next to you? (both have hair, eyes, clothes, etc.)
• How are you different from the person sitting next to you? (different hair color, different clothes, etc.)
• What is your favorite thing to eat?

[After each child has an opportunity to tell his/her favorite food:]

• Did all of us say the same favorite food?
• Why? (we are different, we like to eat different things)

Now, let’s stand in a circle and hold our hands out in the middle so we can see how our hands are the same and different!

[Arrange children in a circle with one hand in the middle. You may wish to do this activity with two smaller groups of children.

Encourage children to discuss how their hands are the same and different (size, freckles, etc.).

If possible, take a photo of children’s hands in a circle to use on Day 5.]

Today we talked about how we are the same and different. Some things about us are the same. Some things about us are different. No one is exactly the same as someone else!

[Display book cover.]

Last week we learned some things about germs by reading this book. We know that germs can live in many different places.

[Display pp. 16–17 of book.]

• What are some of the places where germs hang out?
  [Help children describe pictures of interest, if necessary.]
• Can we see any of the germs in the places where germs hang out? (no, germs cannot be seen)

Germs can get to places in different ways. Germs can travel through the air when we cough or sneeze. Germs can travel on our hands. Germs on our hands can move to things that we touch. The things we touch can leave germs on our hands.

Germs can spread. When something spreads, it covers (or moves to) a larger area. A germ that moves from our hand to something we touch is no longer on our hand only. The germ can spread to whatever we touch.

[Display the glitter.]

Let’s pretend our pieces of glitter are germs. I am going to put a little bit of glitter on my hand. Then I am going to touch someone’s hand. Let’s find out if some of the glitter moves from my hand to someone else’s hand. Remember, we are pretending that the glitter is germs.

[Put a little bit of glitter on your hands and then shake or touch the hand of one or two volunteer children who then display their shaken or touched hand to children.]

• What happened when I touched (or shook) (children’s names) hands?
• Where are the germs now? (on hands of children who touched your hand)

Let’s see what happens when (children’s names) touch (or shake) the hands of two other people.

[Invite each child to touch or shake the hand of one other child.]

• Did our pretend germs spread?
• How did our pretend germs spread?
• Where did our germs start? (in your hand)

[Continue this process until everyone who wants to have a turn gets his/her hand touched or shaken by someone with “germs” on their hands. You may need to add a little more glitter to your hand (the original germ source) and then shake the hands of several others.]

Our glitter helped us understand how germs can spread. The germs were in one place (on my hand) and then they moved to other hands. When something spreads, it moves to (or covers) a larger area. Our pretend germs traveled from one hand to another hand. How do we get rid of germs on our hands? (wash them) Let’s wash our hands now!

[The handwashing part of today’s activity is an important end point.]