Letter knowledge
Children will use finger paint to write their first name.
Review:
Provide each child with one piece of paper and access to shared finger paints for writing his/her first name. Also provide each child with his/her name card. Invite children to write their first name or as many letters in their first name as they can. Some children may wish to write their last name, too. Display children’s work after it dries.
Another activity option for today is to encourage children to trace their first name on finger paint that you place (in advance of the activity) in clear resealable gallonsize plastic bags. There needs to be enough finger paint in a bag so that all the letters of a child’s name can be written. Squeeze the extra air out of the bag before sealing it. Demonstrate how to trace your name on a bag. After children write their first name, they can slide their hand back and forth over the bag to erase their name and then write their names again.
Number knowledge
Children will form groups equal to a given quantity.
Review:
Offer the Week 12, Day 3 activity to review forming a group of a given quantity.
Engage children in forming a group of items equal to a randomly-selected quantity.
Arrange children in a circle. Display the small numeral cards one at a time in random order. For each card, invite children to say the number and count aloud the dots.
Give each child 15 counters. Encourage children to count their counters to make sure they received 15. Place small numeral cards in random order face down. Select the top card from the stack of small numeral cards. Display the selected card and say its number. Invite children to make a group of their counters that is equal to the numeral shown on the card. Encourage children to count their group of counters aloud together. Remind children that the last number counted is the total number of items in a group. Then ask children to return their group of counters to their larger collection of 15 counters. Set aside the card you pulled.
Pass the stack of numeral cards (still face down) to the child sitting next to you and invite the child to select the top card, show it to all children, and say its number. Invite children to make a group of counters equal to the numeral on the card. Encourage children to count their group of counters aloud together. Then ask children to return their group of counters to their larger collection of 15 counters. Ask the child who pulled the card to return the card to you.
Repeat the process described above until all children have an opportunity to pull and display a card, and say its number.
Motor development
Children will strengthen their locomotor skills by moving under, over, and around obstacles.
Review:
Offer the Week 29, Day 4 activity to practice moving different ways around obstacles.
Engage children in going around obstacles, over an obstacle, and under an obstacle.
Be Prepared: Consider offering this activity outdoors, weather permitting, if indoor space is limited. Use a piece of tape to designate a starting point. Place the table (or an item children can go under) about four feet from the starting point. Within close proximity to the table, place the traffic cones in a line that provides about two feet between each cone. Place two stacks of three wooden blocks near the end of the line of cones. Secure the assistance of another adult for the activity.
Explain that in today’s activity we can go under a table, around some cones, and over a small stack of blocks. Describe and demonstrate how to move around, under, or over each obstacle. Include the following information:
Invite children to participate one at a time, using a management system that indicates where children should wait before and after their turn. Some children may prefer to watch rather than engage with some or all of the obstacles.
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Understanding Feelings
Social-Emotional
Skill and Goal
Emotion knowledge, Perspective-taking
Children will practice considering another person’s perspective.
Materials
Needed
Key
Concepts
Review:
Offer the Week 28, Day 3 activity to review how to consider another person’s perspective.
Engage children in a discussion of how a child might respond to a situation, including possibilities for cooperating with another child.
Open the session by reminding children that we can get along better with people when we think about how someone else might be feeling or thinking. Explain that today we will talk about some situations involving two children. We will talk about what a child might be thinking or feeling.
Describe each of the following situations (or as many situations as time permits). Repeat your description of a situation if children seem unclear about what happened. Provide time for children to think about the questions you ask about a situation. Restate a question if children seem unclear about what you are asking.
Situation #1: Kenneth and Christian worked together to build a house. The house was almost done. Kenneth said “I think I want it to be a fire station.” Christian shook his head and said “No.”
What do you think Kenneth thought when Christian said he did not want the house to be a fire station? What do you think the boys could do so they can continue to work together?
Situation #2: Chantel and Desiree are painting a picture together on a large piece of paper. They talk about the colors they want to use. Desiree accidentally knocks over the bowl of water. It spills on the paper. Chantel says “Oh no!”
What do you think Desiree thought when Chantel said “Oh no!”? What might the children do they can continue to paint a picture together?
Situation #3: Diego is making a castle in the sandbox during outside time. Camila kicks a ball and it knocks into Diego’s sand castle. Diego folds his arms across his chest and looks frustrated.
What do you think Camila thought when her ball hit Diego’s sand castle and she saw Diego look frustrated? What should Camila do? What should Diego do?