[Display the letter N card.]

• What is the name of this letter?
• Pop up if you have the letter N in your name!

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:

• Display book cover. Explain that we have read our book two times this week. Each time we read the book we learn something new. Point to and say title of book. Engage children in describing what they remember about the book: 
  • What is our book about?
  • Who were the main characters in our book? 
  • What happened first? What happened next?
• Point to and say the names of author and illustrator. Point to where to begin reading.
• During the reading, pause on pages that include a word defined in the prior two readings of the book. Ask or remind children what the word means. Also pause during the reading to define the 2–3 words identified for today’s session, using the following approach: 
  • Read the sentence with the novel word. Identify the novel word. 
  • Repeat the sentence in which the word is used.
  • Define the novel word and connect the definition to the book.
• After the book reading, write the 2–3 words targeted for today on the chart and engage children in a discussion of each word, using one or more of the following strategies:
  • Ask children to describe a picture related to the word.
  • Define a word without naming it and ask children to identify the word.
  • Encourage children to think about a novel word or phrase in another context.
• Explain that different types of things happened in our book. Facilitate a discussion of children’s interpretations of events and/or characters in the book, especially events or characters related to one or more words defined this week. See Week 3, Day 5 for examples.]

This week we worked together on charts and we also worked on our own charts. We are learning how to use a chart to organize and present information.

We made charts about shapes, colored beads, string, and our height. Let’s take a look at our chart about shapes. Remember, we collected information about our favorite shapes.

[Display chart from Day 1.]

• We know that when a group has the most of something, it has more than any other group. Which shape was the favorite of the most people? How do we know? (most sections with a dot)
• Remember, when a group has the fewest of something, it has the smallest amount. Which shape was the favorite of the fewest people? How do we know? (fewest sections with a dot)

We also worked with a partner to make a chart about the number of different-colored beads in a cup.

How did we collect information about our beads? (we counted each color group)

Now let’s look at our chart that shows the length of three different strings. We know that the length of something is how long it is.

[Display chart from Day 3.]

Our string chart has three parts. Let’s describe each part as I point to it.

[Point to: strings hanging on the chart, sections colored in, card that says the length of the string.]

• What did we learn when we organized our information about the three strings? (1. which string was the longest—bigger than the others, 2. which string was the shortest—smaller than the others, 3. the length of each string)
• Let’s look closely at the sections we colored in. Why is each section a different size? (because each section shows the length of the string hanging below it)

Yesterday we collected information about our height and organized our information on a chart. Remember, height means how tall something is. Let’s look at our height chart.

[Display chart from yesterday.]

• We know the word tallest means the biggest height. Who is the tallest person in our group?
• How can we tell? (the card with the biggest number is the tallest person in our group)
• Were any people in our group the same height?
• How can we tell if some people in our group are the same height? (cards that have the same number are equal)

There are many things we can learn by using a chart. First we need to collect our information. Next we organize our information on the chart. Our charts present what we learned. We are becoming chart experts!

Yesterday we voted on a name for our teddy bear. Which name got the most votes?

Today we are going to practice voting again. We are going to vote on one toy we will have on a table during center time for today (or tomorrow).

[Display each possible item for table activity as you name it.]

There are four different items we can have on a table for center time. They are toy animals, cars, trucks, and toy people figures. I will write the names of the items on this chart to help us remember.

[Say each item name as you write it. Leave room for adding marks under each name.]

We will each get to vote on one toy to have on a table to play with at center time. Whichever toy gets the most votes will be the winner.

We are going to use a ballot again. Remember, a ballot is a piece of paper that lists our choices. Our ballot shows each of the four toys we could play with on a table at center time. We will put a sticker under the toy we would like. Remember, we need to think carefully about our choices before we vote on something. Then we will put our ballot in the box.

[Display a ballot. Point to and say the four toy options. Emphasize the pictures to help children remember each toy. Point to the boxes on the ballot. Then demonstrate how to vote by placing a sticker in one box.

Help children mark their ballot with a sticker. Then invite children to place their ballot in the ballot box.]

Now we are going to count the number of votes for each toy. I will take each ballot out of the box and look at which toy is marked. Then I will put a mark under the toy on our chart. When I have finished putting a mark for each ballot, we can count how many votes there are for each toy. The toy with the most votes is the winner.

[Describe your steps with several ballots. When all ballots have been recorded, encourage children to help you count the number of marks under each name. Write the number of marks next to each toy name.]

Which toy has the most votes?

Remember, the toy with the most votes is the winner. (Toy) had the most votes. During center time today (tomorrow) we will be able to play with ____.

Today we practiced voting again with a ballot. Together we decided which toy to add to play with on a table at center time.

Yesterday we learned how to skip. Let’s look again at how we skip.

[Invite volunteer child or adult to demonstrate skipping.]

What is (name of skipper) doing to skip? (hopping and landing on one foot, then hopping and landing on other foot; body moves forward)

[Adapt the explanation below to reflect your plan. See Be Prepared. Point to where skipping begins. You may wish for children to keep skipping around the circle as you offer variations suggested in the Enrichment tips.]

Today we will practice skipping in a circle. I am standing at the place where we will begin skipping in our circle. I will tell you when to begin skipping. Each of us needs to wait for the person ahead of us to begin skipping before we start skipping.

Please remember to look ahead of yourself so you do not bump into the person ahead of you.

[Encourage children to skip around the circle or whatever arrangement(s) you have created. Regulate the starting point of each child. Continue to practice skipping as time and child interest permit.]

Today we skipped in a circle. Yesterday we skipped in a straight line. Is it harder to skip in a circle or to skip in a straight line? Why?