We are learning more about letter sounds at the beginning of words. Remember, we call the first sound we hear the beginning sound of a word. Today we are going to play the same letter sound game we played on Day 2.

Remember, I will show you three picture cards. Two of the cards, begin with the same sound, and one of the cards will begin with a different sound. We will figure out which two cards begin with the same sound.

[Display picture cards for pig, pan, and hill. Point to each picture as you say its name. Enunciate the beginning sound of each word clearly.]

I have pictures of a pig, pan, and hill. Pig and pan both begin with the /p/ sound. Hill begins with the /h/ sound.

I am going to write the words “pig” and “pan” on this chart. The words “pig” and “pan” begin with the same sound.

Let’s say the words “pig” and “pan” together.

[Encourage children to emphasize the initial sounds as they say pig and pan.]

Now let’s say the word “hill” together.

[Encourage children to emphasize the initial sound as they say the word “hill.”]

I want to write the letter that makes the /p/ sound above these two words. Which letter should we write above the words pig and pan? Yes! We will write the letter P. Now let’s find something in our classroom that begins with the /p/ sound. (play dough, people, picture, etc.)

[Write the name of the item found in the classroom under the words “pig” and “pan” on the chart.

Continue playing the game with groups of three cards (see Be Prepared), using the same procedure. Give priority to cards used on Day 2 if it appears children would benefit from a review of initial sounds rather than practice with different words. Continue as time permits.]

Let’s learn more about the letter M.

[Display letter M card.

If a child(ren) whose name begins with the letter M 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 M when you say the name.]

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

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

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

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

What are our words that begin with the letter M? (music, musician)

The letter M says /m/, just like at the beginning of the words “music” and “musician.” /m/, /m/, music, musician. Let’s say that together: /m/, /m/, music, musician.

I have two pictures of things that begin with the letter M. 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 mouse. The letter m 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 M and write them on our chart. Remember, the letter M says /m/, /m/.

[Help children by suggesting other words that begin with m. Examples: macaroni, mom, move, match.

Invite one or more volunteer children to find the letter m 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 M on your chart paper.]

We use four lines to make an uppercase M. We begin by making a straight line up, then a line down, then another line up, and then another line down.

[Give each child his/her letter journal.]

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

Today we looked again at pictures of items and figured out which two of the three pictures began with the same sound. We wrote the names of the items that began with the same sound on our chart.

We also learned that the letter M says /m/, just like at the beginning of the words “music” and “musician.” We made the uppercase (big) letter M in our letter journal. Let’s say together the sound the letter M makes (/m/).

Today we will make movement patterns. We use our bodies to make a movement pattern. Remember, moving our body or part of our body from one place to another place is called a movement. Taking a step with our foot is a movement. Raising our arm from the side of our body to above our heads is a movement.

Let’s first try a simple movement pattern together: clap, stomp, clap, stomp.

[Demonstrate the pattern. Then lead children in a clap, stomp, clap, stomp pattern. Say the corresponding word each time you make a movement. Encourage children to do the action and say its corresponding word in unison so they can easily hear the pattern.]

Let’s think of another movement pattern.

[Encourage children to think of a movement pattern for the group to try. Examples: clapping and jumping, stomping and jumping. Unison action helps children see a pattern. Use ABAB patterns only.]

Now let’s form a circle. We are going to do a movement pattern with a ball.

[Arrange children in a circle with all children facing inward.]

Our pattern is going to be a high, low, high, low pattern. We will stand side by side and pass the ball to each other. The first person will pass the ball high, and the second person will pass the ball low. Let’s say high, low, high, low while we do the pattern. This will help us remember what comes next.

[Demonstrate how to hand the ball to the person next to you by putting it high above your head. Then demonstrate how to pass the ball by putting it low by your feet.]

Let’s try it.

[Say high, low, high, low in unison as children do the pattern.

If time permits:]

Let’s think of some other movement patterns we can do with the ball. We can do the patterns standing up or sitting down.

[Encourage children to think of additional movement patterns to do with the ball. Encourage simple ABAB movement patterns. Try each idea.]

Today we did movement patterns by moving our bodies and by passing a ball. We are learning to do so many kinds of patterns!

We are learning about some characteristics of a community’s geography. We know that geography includes things like hills, ponds, bridges, streets, and railroad tracks.

Today we are going to learn more about railroad tracks.

[Display picture of train.]

What do we see in this picture?

A train carries things like food, cars, and wood. Some trains carry people from place to place. A train moves along railroad tracks.

Have you ever seen or ridden on a train? What was it like?

Remember, trains use railroad tracks to travel from one place to another place. Let’s look at some pictures of railroad tracks.

[Display two pictures of railroad tracks. Emphasize the following:

• Locations of the railroad tracks (one is on land, the other is on a bridge)
• What the tracks are made of (steel with wooden railroad ties)]

Trains could not get from one place to another place without railroad tracks.

Let’s pretend we are a train moving on railroad tracks! Each of us can be a part of the train. Parts of a train travel in a straight line, one behind the other. We can pretend the string/tape on our floor is our railroad tracks. We need to stay on our railroad tracks when we pretend to be a train!

[Lead children as they pretend to be a train following the “railroad tracks.” Encourage children to make the sound of a train as they move around the classroom. Example: “We are getting ready to stop our train on our railroad tracks. Let’s say ‘choo, choo’!”]

Today we learned more about railroad tracks. Why do people build railroad tracks? (to help trains get from one place to another place) We also pretended to be a train following our railroad tracks!

Let’s think about the food we eat. What is your favorite food?

Now let’s think about what it would be like if our favorite food was the only food we ate. Would you like to eat only your favorite food for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks every day?

I want to tell you a story about Frances. Her favorite thing to eat was bread and jam. She ate bread and jam with a glass of milk for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and for a snack for many days. After a while, Frances got tired of eating only bread and jam. She worried that she might get sick if she did not eat other things that are good for us to eat.

Our bodies need different types of food. We are healthier when we eat different things. Today we will talk about types of food that are good for us.

[Display picture of fruits.]

Which of the foods shown in our picture do you know?

[Point to items identified by children and repeat the food item’s name. Then point to and name fruits in the picture that are not identified by children.]

Our picture shows some fruit. A fruit grows on a bush or a tree. Fruits are good for us to eat.

Fruit is served a lot at our center. What kinds of fruit do we eat at our center

[Display picture of vegetables.]

This picture shows some more things that are good to eat. Our picture shows some vegetables. Let’s say together the big word vegetables: vegetables.

• Sometimes vegetables are called veggies. Do you know the word “veggies”?
• Which of the vegetables in our picture do you know?

[Point to items identified by children, and repeat the food item’s name. Then point to and name vegetables in the picture that are not identified by children.]

A vegetable is the part of a plant that we can eat. Potatoes, carrots, and some other types of vegetables grow in the ground. Farmers dig up the vegetables and wash them carefully so they are clean to eat. Broccoli, lettuce, and some other types of vegetables grow on plants above the ground.

[Display picture of dairy foods.]

Many of us drink milk or eat cheese or yogurt every day. These are called dairy foods.

Last week we talked about a dairy farm.

We know that most dairy foods are made of milk that comes from cows.

What dairy foods are shown in our picture? (cheese, milk, yogurt)

[Display picture of foods made of grain.]

Another type of food that is good for us to eat is made with grains. Grain comes from the seeds of plants. Many healthy foods can be made from grains. Our picture shows some foods made with grains.

Which of the foods shown in our picture do you know?

[Point to and repeat the name of foods identified by children. Then point to and say the name of pictured foods not identified by children.

Display picture of foods high in protein.]

The foods in this picture have something called protein. Protein is a nutrient that helps our muscles, bones, and other parts of our body grow and stay strong.

Which of the foods shown in our picture do you know?

[Point to and repeat the names of foods identified by children. Then point to and say the name of pictured foods not identified by children.]

We talked about five different kinds of foods today. We talked about fruits, vegetables, dairy foods, food made from grain, and food that has a lot of a good thing called protein. Can our bodies stay strong and healthy if we eat only one type of food all of the time? (no! healthy bodies need different kinds of food)