I am going to hold up two items and say each item’s name. Tell us if the names of these items rhyme.

[Display the following pairs of items, one pair at a time: a bell and shell, hat and pear, and car and jar. Engage children in a brief discussion (reminder) of why the word pairs rhyme or do not rhyme.]

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 learned more about shapes. We learned that a rectangle has four straight sides and four corners that always look like the corners of a door.

• How many sides does a triangle have?
• How many corners does a triangle have?

This week we also learned about triangles and rectangles.

• Where is there a triangle in our classroom?
• How about a rectangle?

[Allow time for children to find each shape in the room.]

We are also learning about the corners in shapes.

Does a rectangle have corners that look like the corners in a door? (yes)

Let’s make a corner that can be found in a square or rectangle with these blocks.

[Provide each child with two blocks. Encourage children to make a corner that can be found in a square or rectangle. Demonstrate first, if necessary.]

Now let’s make a triangle with our hands. The corners in a triangle can be different sizes.

Does a circle have corners? (no)

Yesterday we described shapes that were in a bag. We described the sides and corners of the shapes. I have a shape in this bag and I am going to describe it. Let’s see if we can guess the shape!

[Describe the shape placed in the bag.]

• Which shape is in the bag?
• How do you know?

Now we are going to have some fun making shapes with our bodies. We will get into groups of four to make our shapes.

Let’s show a group of four on our fingers.

[Divide children into groups of four. Demonstrate with a group before you begin. As you name a shape, encourage children to lie on the floor and make the shape. When you ask the children to make a triangle, invite the fourth child to point to the triangle and say its name. Try this with all four shapes children have learned.

Take pictures of children as they complete each shape. Display pictures in the room with labels.]

Today we talked about what we are learning about shapes. We even made shapes with our bodies. Shapes are fun!

We are learning that each family is unique. Remember, a family is a group of people. There is no other family like your family.

Being with our family can be fun.

I have a ball that we will use as we talk about something we like to do with our family. Playing with a ball is something that some people like to do with their family. We will each get a turn to say something we like to do with our family or someone in our family. Maybe you will say, “We like to go to the park!” or “I like to read a book with my grandpa.”

Let’s find out if each of us has different things we like to do with our families or someone in our families.

[Encourage children to stand one at a time as they hold the ball and describe something they like to do with their family or a family member. It is okay if some children do not wish to share. You could say, “Maybe you’ll want to tell us later about something you like to do with your family.”]

Today we held a ball as we described something we like to do with our family or someone in our family. Do we all like to do the same things? We do different things because we are unique and our families are unique.

We are learning how to pay attention to different things when we move our bodies. We pay attention to how we move our feet, legs, knees, and arms.

• Do parts of our body move the same way when we walk and when we march? (no
  [Children may wish to offer a demonstration as part of responding to the following questions:]
• How do our legs and arms move when we march?
• How do our legs and arms move when we walk?

• There are other things we pay attention to when we move our bodies. We look over our shoulder if we are walking backwards. If we are following a line when we walk or march, we need to pay attention to where the line is going.

What do we need to pay attention to when we walk or march along a line with other people? (the person in front of us and other people around us, so we do not bump into others)

Today we will practice paying attention to other people when we walk and march. We will have a partner.

[Assign each child a partner. If there is an odd number of children in attendance, pair a child with an adult. Space out children on the perimeter of one side of your activity space so all children can watch the demonstrations described below.

Invite one pair of children to demonstrate standing side by side. Use their first names; Child A and Child B designations are for clarification purposes only.]

Let’s talk about standing next to someone. Please look at (Child A) and (Child B).

One way to be next to someone is to be by his/her side. (Child A) and (Child B) are standing side by side.

[Help the volunteer pair to do a 180-degree turn while staying in approximately the same personal space.]

We can turn around and still be next to someone. (Child A) and (Child B) just turned around. They are still next to each other.

Please stand by the side of your partner. We will walk around our activity space as partners.

We want to walk next to (side-by-side with) our partner. We want to pay attention to our partner while we walk. We do not want to get ahead of our partner. We do not want to get behind our partner.

We also want to pay attention to the people in front of us. We do not want to bump into the people in front of us while we walk.

There is a lot for us to watch! Let’s try it. We will walk like we normally walk. We do not need to take steps or move our legs at the same time our partner does. But we want to try to stay beside our partner (not get ahead or get behind).

Listen carefully for our “start” signal. We will walk around our activity space until we hear the “stop” signal.

[Offer a “start” signal and guide children in walking in pairs around the perimeter of your activity space. Provide a follow-the-leader pair if necessary. Encourage children to watch the pair in front of them and their own partner so they walk side by side.

At the point children seem accustomed to the arrangement, offer a “stop” signal. Ask children to turn around (180 degrees). Point out that children are still with a partner but now a different partner is on the outside and the other partner is on the inside. Offer a “start” signal for children to walk in the opposite direction with their partner. Offer a “stop” signal at the point children seem accustomed to the reverse arrangement.]

We just practiced walking side by side with a partner. We are next to a partner.

Do you think we can march with a partner?

Let’s try.

[Repeat the above activity, including the reverse in direction, with children marching at a reasonable pace. Use “start” and “stop” signals. Encourage children to watch their partner, so they do not get ahead or behind, and to watch the people in front of them so they do not bump into others. It is not necessary for children to march in unison.]

[At the conclusion of marching, with children standing in their original pairs:]

• Was it harder to walk next to someone or to march next to someone?
• Why?

[Encourage children to talk about the ease or difficulty of not getting ahead or behind their partner, and not walking too close to the pair in front of them.]

Let’s try something a little different. Let’s use another way to walk next to someone.

[Invite one pair of volunteer children to demonstrate the following:]

Another way to be next to someone is for one person to be in front and the other person to be in back. Look, (Child A) is in front of (Child B). (Child B) is in back of (Child A).

[Help the volunteer pair to do a 180-degree turn while staying in approximately the same space.]

We can turn around and still be next to someone. (Child A) and (Child B) just turned around. They are still next to each other. But now (Child B) is in front of (Child A). (Child A) is in back of (Child B).

Let’s walk around our activity space with our partner again. This time, one person will walk in front and the other person will walk in back. We need to watch the person in front of us so we do not get too close and bump into someone. Listen carefully for our signals.

[Offer a “start” signal. As each pair starts walking, you may want to help create some distance between pairs so a long line does not form as children walk behind (in front of) their partner.

At the point children seem accustomed to the arrangement, offer a “stop” signal. Ask children to turn around (180 degrees). Point out that children are still with a partner, but now a different partner is in front (and the other partner is in back). Offer a “start” signal for children to walk in the opposite direction with their partner. Offer a “stop” signal at the point children seem accustomed to the reverse arrangement.]

• Is it easier to walk side by side or with one person in front and the other person in back?
• Why?

[Offer the following variation if time and child interest permit:]

Let’s add one more thing to watch while walking with our partner. We will follow our lines while we walk with our partner. This time the line will be between you and your partner. Remember, yesterday we followed a line by trying to walk on the line. Today we will walk with our partner with the line between the two of us.

[Invite a volunteer pair to stand with the line between each partner. Describe how the line is between the pair.]

We will walk our lines like we did yesterday. First we will follow the straight line. Then we will follow the curved line. Yesterday we walked alone. Today we will walk with a partner. We need to watch our partner to make sure we walk together. We also need to watch the line so we know where the line is going. Please work hard to keep the line between you and your partner, and not put your feet on the line as you walk. We will not use our “start” and “stop” signals because we will start and stop walking at different times.

[Invite children to walk the straight line and then the curved line, using the Day 4 arrangement. If time permits and children remain engaged, invite children to reverse the direction of walking in pairs along the line.]

We practiced moving our bodies next to a partner. We moved around our activity space with a partner in different ways. We also followed our lines by walking with a partner. Following lines next to a partner is different than following a line by ourself. Which way is harder to do?