Oral language, Letter knowledge
Children will understand basic information, including the meaning of several novel words, presented in a book read aloud. Children will also identify the name of the letter A.
New:
Review:
Be Prepared: This is the third of three repeated readings of a book with children. Today’s session focuses on children’s interpretation (explanations, reasoning) of information presented in the book. The session also will help children understand more novel words. From the list of novel words you identified prior to your first reading of the book, select 2–3 words to define for children today. See the Language/Literacy section of the ELM User Guide: 3–5 Years for additional information on how to select and define novel words.
[Display the letter A card.]
Now let’s spend some time with our book.
[See Week 3, Day 5 of Language/Literacy for a description and examples of how to approach today’s book reading. Key aspects are summarized below:
Number knowledge
Children will deepen their understanding of how to find the number of items in a group.
Review:
This week we are practicing how to find out how many items are in a group.
We practiced counting the number of stars on different cards. We know that when we count a group of items, the last number we count tells how many we have. Let’s practice with the cards again. I will hold up a card and you say how many stars are on the card.
[Practice with several star cards. Display card and point to each star as children count in unison. Do not say the numbers unless children need this assistance. Once children have counted the stars correctly, ask, “How many stars are on the card? How do you know?” Emphasize that the last number counted is the number of stars on the card.]
We also played a game with circles on the floor. I said a number and you stepped on/in the circles while counting to the number I said. You stopped counting when you got to the number I said.
Let’s stomp five times.
How did we know when to stop stomping? (when we got to five)
Let’s clap our hands three times.
How did we know when to stop clapping? (when we got to three)
[Display a group of 2–10 blocks.]
Let’s count this group of blocks to see how many there are.
[Point to each block as children count out loud. Do not say the numbers unless children need this assistance.]
Now I’m going to change the number of blocks.
[Display a different group of 2–10 blocks.]
Let’s count this group of blocks to see how many are in the group.
I have a group of 10 blocks.
This week we learned more about counting. We know that when we count a group of items, the last number we count tells how many we have.
[If time permits, invite children to join you in singing the “Ten Butterflies” song.]
Extra support
Enrichment
Provide children with a board game to play. Many board games for preschool children help them learn how to count items. Examples include Hi Ho Cherry-O®, Chutes and Ladders®, Sorry®, and Count Your Chickens®.
Provide children with a snack that can be counted, such as crackers or cereal. Invite them to make groups of 1–10 with their snack.
Good health practices
Children will understand how to keep teeth healthy by brushing.
New:
Review:
Be Prepared: You may wish to arrange for a dental professional to visit your classroom today, or in the near future, to demonstrate how to brush teeth. In addition to receiving expert information, children will benefit from positive contact with a community helper devoted to good dental care. The activity plan offered below provides an overview of key parts of toothbrushing. It assumes adults (center staff or family members) place toothpaste on a young child’s brush.
Do you like to eat? What important part of our body helps us eat? (teeth)
[Display picture of child’s teeth.]
Yesterday we talked about how our teeth help us eat. Today we will learn how to keep our teeth healthy.
Our teeth get dirty when we eat. Some types of food stick to our teeth when we bite and chew. Sometimes parts of the food get stuck between our teeth. We cannot see all of the dirt that gets on our teeth. There are germs in our mouth and on our teeth. Remember, germs are very small things that can make our bodies sick. We cannot see germs.
[Display toothbrush.]
We use a toothbrush to keep our teeth clean. There is a certain way to use a toothbrush.
[Display the pertinent picture when you describe each of the steps.]
When do we brush our teeth in our classroom?
We should brush our teeth after we eat. Brushing keeps our teeth healthy. If we do not get the dirt off our teeth, the germs on our teeth may make a little hole in a tooth. This little hole is called a cavity. A cavity will make a tooth weaker. Sometimes a cavity makes our tooth hurt. We go to a dentist to get a cavity filled.
Brushing our teeth is a routine. We know that a routine is the order in which we do things. We do things in a certain order when we sneeze. We do things in a certain order when we wash our hands. Today we talked about a routine we can use for brushing our teeth.
[Display the four pictures of toothbrushing in the wrong order.]
Are these pictures of how we brush our teeth in the correct order? (no) What pictures need to be moved so the routine of brushing our teeth is in the right order?
Extra support
Enrichment
Provide the *three pictures of steps in brushing our teeth. Encourage children to put the pictures in the correct order. Also, if you describe dental floss as part of the activity (see Enrichment tip), provide a few large Duplo® blocks, play dough, and some yarn for children to create a flossing simulation. Place small amounts of play dough in spaces between the “studs” of the Duplo®. Encourage children to use the yarn to remove the pieces of “food.”
*Printables provided
Consider taking children to a dental clinic for a visit that includes a talk with a dental hygienist about care of teeth.
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Exploring Where We Live
Social Studies
Skill and Goal
Knowledge of physical environments
Children will strengthen their understanding that homes are unique.
Materials
Needed
*Printables provided
Key
Concepts
Review:
Yesterday each of us began making a shoebox home. Who would like to tell us something you’ve included in your shoebox home? (door, windows, roof, etc.)
Today we will continue working on our shoebox homes. If you finished your home yesterday, today you can add some more items to the outside of your home. You may want to add a tree or bushes or maybe a porch to the front of your home.
What are some things you could add to your shoebox home? (curtains in the windows, a chimney, grass in the front, mailbox, flowers, etc.)
[Provide materials available on Day 4. This activity will continue to require adult help.]
Our homes will be put on display in our classroom and next week we will share our shoebox homes!
[Put children’s names on their homes and display them in the room. The homes will be used again in Week 12.]
Scaffolding Tips
Extra support
Enrichment
Center Activity
Provide materials used to make shoebox homes so children may continue to work on their home.
Family Child Care
Take children outside to look at the details of your own home. What things do they see when they look at the front of your home? (flowerboxes, sidewalk, window in the front door, etc.) This may help children think of additional details to add to their shoebox home. Older children may enjoy making a home from clay or play dough as younger children make “homes” with sheets or blankets.