Oral language, Letter knowledge
Children will interpret information presented in a book read aloud and increase the number of novel words they understand. Children will also identify and say the sound of the letter P.
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 letter P card.]
What is the name of this letter? What sound does the letter P make?
Letter P says /p/, just like in the word “pattern.” /p/, /p/, pattern. Let’s together say /p/, /p/, pattern.
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:
Pattern knowledge
Children will strengthen their understanding of an ABAB pattern.
Review:
Beep Beep Vroom Vroom by Stuart J. Murphy
This week we made different kinds of simple patterns. We know that a pattern is something that repeats itself.
Let’s look at our chart from Day 1.
[Point to elements of each pattern as you discuss each of the three patterns.]
Now let’s make a pattern with triangle and square shapes we can move.
[Use paper shapes to create a simple pattern on a board all children can see. Begin with the first four shapes and then invite volunteer children to help extend the pattern.]
Let’s say the pattern together as I point to each shape!
Let’s make one more pattern.
[Make an ABAB pattern with Unifix® cubes of two different colors. Encourage children to help extend the pattern. Offer support with questions such as the following:
This week we learned more about how to make simple patterns. We made patterns from different kinds of things. We are becoming pattern experts!
Extra support
Enrichment
Provide various manipulatives and invite children to make simple patterns. Encourage children to plan out their pattern before beginning. This may reduce an urge to add something new in the middle of the pattern.
Celebrate children’s knowledge of patterns by having a “Pattern Day” in your setting! Encourage children to wear clothing with simple patterns and bring something to share from home that has a pattern. Supply a lunch and snack that children can arrange into simple patterns. Example: berry, cheese cube, berry, cheese cube. Invite children to find patterns during the day by arranging toys and manipulatives into patterns, painting in patterns, or playing music and encouraging children to move in patterns. You may wish to invite family members to share in the fun by wearing patterned clothing!
Motor development
Children will alternate jogging and walking as part of carrying a scoop of easy-to-spill material.
Review:
Be Prepared: Today’s activity is a non-competitive game involving pairs of children. Children will carry an item of your choice from a large container (such as a tub) to their bucket, taking turns with a partner to fill their bucket. Select an item for children to carry and place in their buckets that requires some care in transporting in a scoop while walking. Options include cotton balls, wood chips, or similar material that is easy to clean up when spilled. Place the tub of filling in a central location and spread the bases around the activity area. The game works best with a small group to reduce chances of bumping into each other. Several large tubs of filling can be used if necessary. Arrange for an adult to help you demonstrate the game.
Yesterday we practiced our jogging skills to feed a hungry hippo. We jogged from our base to the hippo and then jogged back to our base.
Today we are going to play a game called Fill the Bucket.
We will each have a partner. We will both jog and walk.
How is jogging different from walking? (move faster when we jog)
Listen carefully to see how the game works:
[With another adult, demonstrate how the game works. Then form pairs of children at their bases. Encourage children to focus on doing their part of the game and not on how quickly they fill their bucket. This is not a race.]
Today we practiced our jogging and walking skills again. We played a new game called Fill the Bucket where we had to scoop up _____ and fill up a bucket. We did this with our partner.
We used our bodies in different ways to play our Fill the Bucket game. We jogged, we walked, we used a scoop, and we tried hard to carry a scoop of (filling) without spilling it. What was the hardest thing to do? Why?
Extra support
Enrichment
Offer more experience with the game by providing a large container with a different type of filler for children to carry in a scoop to their bucket. See the Enrichment tip for variations to consider using.
Adapt this game for younger children by using a laundry basket and large toys, such as stuffed animals, to fill a bucket.
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Exploring Where We Live
Social Studies
Skill and Goal
Knowledge of physical environments
Children will understand a map shows the locations of places in a neighborhood.
Materials
Needed
Key
Concepts
New:
Also
Promotes
Optional
Reading
Last week we worked in groups and used boxes to make places found in our center neighborhood. Each group worked on one place.
Today we are going to look at a map of our center’s neighborhood. A map is a picture that shows where things are located. Our map will show where places in our center’s neighborhood are located.
What do you think the word location means?
A location is a specific area where something is found.
[Point to sink location.]
The sink in our classroom is found in this location. Let’s all point to the location of our art easels
Now let’s look at the map of our center’s neighborhood.
This map shows our center’s neighborhood. Let’s first find the location of our center on the map.
[Point out the location of the center on the map. If a group of children made a box version of your center, invite them to place it in it’s proper location on the map.]
Now let’s find the location on our map for each of our neighborhood places.
[Encourage group members to point to where their place is located on the map, one group at a time. Help if necessary. Invite group members to place their box place on its proper location on the map.]
Today we found where our center and our center’s neighborhood places are located on our map. We will be able to play with our places and map at center time!
Scaffolding Tips
Extra support
To help children better understand the location of a place in relation to your center, discuss its distance from the center. Example: “The fire station is very close to our center. The hospital is farther away. It takes longer to drive to the hospital than it does to the fire station.”
Enrichment
Center Activity
Make the map of your center neighborhood and children’s box places available for play. Invite children to add cars and toy figure people and pretend they are moving about their center neighborhood.
Family Child Care
Encourage children to share their neighborhood map and places with families at pickup time. Invite children to describe the neighborhood and the places you can find in it!