Tuesday, November 24, 2009

CHRISTMAS CENTER IDEAS

Christmas Center Ideas
These center ideas are related to the kinderplans.com website. Photographs of these suggestions can be found on that site under the heading "Christmas Theme" and "Christmas Crafts".

Literacy Center Ideas
1. The children will be completing the interactive component in the chosen emergent reader
(related to using their five senses).

2. Match the lower-case letter Christmas trees to the upper-case letters. Younger children can match the letters that are the same. Templates found on the "Christmas" theme website page in the member's area.

3. Play "Alphabet Review" game, "Vowel Fun" game, "What's Missing" game found in the ALL ABOUT ME theme unit found in the link below:

All About Me

4. Sort alphabet pictures beginning with the same sounds. Alphabet pictures found in the member's area under the heading "Alphabet Pictures".

Writing Center
Children can be writing a letter to Santa or how they experience Christmas using their five senses. This activity will vary according to the age of the children you are working with. They will likely need to dictate what they want printed and an adult assistant scribes it for them. A writing template (children print on Santa's beard) can be found in the theme unit.

Math Center
1. Children can be working in their number booklet found on page 23 in Week 2 Plans in the theme unit. They will be adding the correct amount of stars (sticky stars) to correspond with the number.

2. The children can add the correct amount of decorations to the number tree templates found on the theme unit web page.

3. Children can be counting and sorting Christmas tree decorations according to common characteristics.

Science Center
Children can test small musical instruments and experience sound and vibrations.

Craft Center
Activities displayed on the website.

Dramatic Play Center
Santa's Workshop as outlined in the theme unit.

Listening Center
A copy of the suggested Christmas books would be placed at this center.

Library
Below you will find suggested books for the "Christmas" theme. You can click on the name of the book to find where the book can be ordered. Press back button to return back to this page.

1. If You Take A Mouse To The Movies by Laura Numeroff
2. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Sueuss
4. The Mouse Before Christmas by Michael Garland
5. The Jolly Christmas Postman by Allan Ahlberg
6. Dream Snow by Eric Carle
7. The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
8. Mrs. Wishy Washy's Christmas by Joy Cowley and Elizabeth Fuller
9. Christmas Trolls Eve by Jan Brett
10. The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett

Other Centers
1. Painting (easels)
2. Blocks (big and small)
3. Sand or Water
4. Puzzles
5. Overhead transparency (a copy of the emergent reader could be placed here and the children would model read the story).
6. Playdough center

Click on the link below to take a tour of of more Preschool and Kindergarten Activities related to the Christmas theme.

Preschool and Kindergarten Activities - Christmas


More Preschool and Kindergarten Activities - Christmas

Monday, November 9, 2009

CENTER ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILY AND PETS THEME

The activities below compliment the "FAMILY AND PETS" theme on the Kinderplans.com website.

Note: You will have to press the "back button" if you wish to return back to this page.

Family and Pets Theme

Literacy Centers
1. The reproducible emergent reader "The Perfect Pet" would be compiled, colored and the children would draw their perfect pet on the last page of the book. They could practice reading it together with a friend.

2. Sorting pictures that begin with the "i" sound (pictures found in the member's area under the heading "Alphabet Pictures).

3. Matching rhyming picture cards (found in the theme unit).

4. Practice printing the letter "i" using different methods (painting, salt tray,white eraser board, magnetic board, stamping it out with bingo markers or using the printing book found on the site).

5. Visual Discrimination - children could be matching the pet words with those on the picture cards (found in theme unit).

6. Children are reviewing previous sounds introduced by matching the clothespin with the letter printed on it to the corresponding picture. This activity is displayed on the website and the picture templates found in the theme unit

7. Word family activity - have two dice, the word families that have been previously introduced are printed on one and the initial consonants on the other. The children shake the dice and determine what word is made. This could be further extended to determine if it makes a real or nonsense word. A photograph of this activity can be found on the web site.

7. Practice sight words (new ones and previously introduced words) using game outlined on the website.

Writing Center
The children will be completing the activity displayed on the website. How this is completed would vary according to ability. The teacher might need to scribe what the child dictates to them or another child can complete this independently using a model. The children can print what their favorite pet is or information on what they have learned about pets.

Math Center - Introduction to Money
1. Children could be sorting, estimating, counting and making money patterns.
2. Matching the correct number with the number of spots displayed on the dogs (found in the theme unit).

Craft Center
1. The letter "i" picture mnemonic activity outlined on the website.

2. Activities displayed on the website,

Note: You will have to press the "back button" if you wish to return back to this page.

Family and Pets Theme

Science
Simple information books about pets could be placed in this center.

Dramatic Play Center
Pet Store - place a cash register and stuffed pet supplies in here. Each item could have small stickers or numbers placed on them. This is how many pennies it will take to purchase the item.

Listening Center
A copy of the book "I Wanna Iguana" (or another pet book) would be placed at this center along with the reading to listen to).

Library
Below you will find suggested books for the "Family and Pets" theme. You can click on the name of the book to find where the book can be ordered. Press back button to return back to this page.
1. I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff
2. The Perfect Pet by Margie Palatini
3. Clifford the Big Red Dog series by Norman Bridwell
4. Oh, The Pets you Can Get: All About Our Animal Friends by Tish Rabe
5. The Best Pet of All by David Larochelle
6. Cats, Cats, Cats by Leslea Newman
7. Dogs, Dogs, Dogs by Leslea Newman
8. My Family Book by Todd Parr
9. The Mommy Book by Todd Parr
10. The Daddy Book by Todd Parr
11. My Family is Forever by Nancy Carlson


Other Centers
1. Painting (easels)
2. Blocks (big and small)
3. Sand or Water
4. Puzzles
5. Overhead transparency (a copy of the emergent reader could be placed here and the children would model read the story).
6. Playdough center
7. Read Around the Room - Pictures of pets with their names are posted and children point to them using a special pointing tool. They read the name posted on the picture. Other print in the classroom could also be read. (there are pictures found on the theme page)

Click on the link below to take a tour of of more Preschool and Kindergarten Activities
Preschool and Kindergarten Activities

Friday, October 16, 2009

CENTER ACTIVITIES
All the activities below relate to the ALL ABOUT ME theme found on the kinderplans.com website.

Literacy Centers

1. The reproducible emergent reader retelling of the "Queen's Feet" would be compiled and colored. The children could practice reading it together with a friend.

2. Picture sorting - the children can sort the pictures that begin with the "qu" sound (pictures found in the member's area under the heading "Alphabet Pictures).

3. Playing the games "Vowel Fun" or "Alphabet Review" games displayed in the link below.

Literacy Games


4. Practice printing the letter "q" using different methods (painting, salt tray,white eraser board, magnetic board, stamping it out with bingo markers or using the printing book found on the site).

5. Word family activity - displayed on the website.

6. Each child has an envelope with the letters of their name in it. These letters are in mixed-up order in boxes. They must cut the boxes and place the letters in order to make their name on a strip of construction paper (their picture could also be placed here). They can use the name printed on the envelope to guide them. Older students can also print the name below it.

7. The children could practice stamping their name using alphabet stamp letters.

8. The children could be making their name using alphabet magnetic letters.

9. As a review of letters previously learned, the children could be making letter patterns using the alphabet stamps or magnetic letters. Example: c, a, q c,a,q c,a,q. Older children could print this pattern.

10. Practice sight words (new ones and previously introduced ones) using game displayed on the site.

These are just a few suggestions. You would not use all of them. Pick a few that would be suitable for your class. They can be placed in bins and the children can choose which one they would like to work with. I would have all the children complete the reader as one should go home every 3-5 days.

Writing Center
The children would be drawing a picture of themselves and writing a sentence. They can use the sentence that was modeled in class time as a guide. Note: There will be a wide range of ability with completing this activity. Some children will be only scribbling, others making a few letters to a few able to print the complete full sentence.

Math Center
Traced and cut foot outlines will be placed in this center. The children will arrange them from smallest to biggest or shortest to longest. They must estimate how long each foot is using an assigned measurement tool (I like using snap cubes because they are easier to work with). They would measure the foot to see how close their estimation was. This would be demonstrated in class prior to going to the center.

Craft Center
1. The letter "q" picture mnemonic activity outlined on the website.

2. Choose one of the activities displayed on the site.

Note: You will have to press the "back button" if you wish to return back to this page.

All About Me Theme


Social Studies
Simple board games where children learn about cooperation and taking turns.

Dramatic Play Center
The children will be preparing for "About Me" party as outlined in the theme unit. You could also place dress-up clothes in this center.

Listening Center
A copy of the book "The Queen's Feet" (or another book on self-control) would be placed at this center along with the reading to listen to).

Library
Below you will find suggested books for the "About Me" theme. You can click on the name of the book to find where the book can be ordered. Press back button to return back to this page.
1. Queen's Feet by Sarah Ellis
2. The Nose Book Al Perkins
3. My Hands by Aliki
4. I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont
5. My Two Hands, My Two Feet by Rick Walton
6. Adventures of a Nose by Viviane Schwartz
7. Eyes, Nose, Fingers and Toes by Judy Hindley
8. The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss
9. I Like Me by Nancy Carlson
10. My Feet by Aliki
11. On the Day You Were Born by Debra Frasier
12. This is My Body by Mercer Mayer

Other Centers
1. Painting (easels)
2. Blocks (big and small)
3. Sand or Water
4. Puzzles
5. Overhead transparency (a copy of the emergent reader could be placed here and the children would model read the story).
6. Playdough center (could be making their names).

Monday, October 5, 2009

Literature Books

Literature Connections
In the links below you will find where you can purchase and read reviews on the literature books that are suggested to be used for the "Colors" and "Pumpkins" themes on the companion website http://www.kinderplans.com. These are only suggestions but other books can be used that relate to these themes. Libraries are an inexpensive means of attaining books.

Colors Theme
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh
My Crayons Talk by Patricia Hubbard
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

Pumpkin Theme
The Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden by George Levenson
Pumpkin, Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington
Pumpkin Faces by Judith Moffat
Pumpkin People by Sandra and Ron Lightburn
Pumpkin Day, Pumpkin Night by Anne Rockwell
How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Margaret McNamara

Teaching Printing in Preschool??
In the previous blog I was asked about teaching printing in Preschool. Personally, I believe this is too young to formally teach printing. The alphabet can be introduced but I would not be teaching printing. The children can attempt to print the letters but this would be without formal instruction.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Shared Reading

Providing support for the children during shared reading time give the children the greatest sense of success. The teacher's job is to move the children from reading from memory to recognizing letters and their related sounds, recognizing patterns and wording families to recognizing chosen sight words and relaying this to new reading situations.

The emergent readers provided on the sister site http://www.kinderplans.com have been specifically designed to use for the purpose of introducing beginning reading skills in this supportive environment. Below you will find a weekly plan on how you can use one of the readers for the duration of a week.

DAY ONE
  • Relate to student's background experiences - children talk about their own experiences related to the book topic. Example, prior to reading the reader "Jiggle Worms" the students would talk about how they felt the first day of school or trying something new.
  • Predict what the story will be about
  • Teacher reads and students listen. If this is an interactive reader the teacher may have the children predict what will go on the page and he/she demonstrates how to complete the interactive page(s)
  • Teacher reads again, this time he/she tracks, students join in if they are able
  • Students complete an activity related to the text. They may illustrate, color or complete an interactive page related to the story.
DAY TWO
  • Teacher and students reread the text.
  • Students can share a page or other related activity from the previous day.
  • Teacher has text prepared on sentence strips
  • The strips are distributed to the students. The children use the master copy to reconstruct the text in a pocket chart or by lining up the strips on a bulletin board appropriately
  • The teacher practices removing individual lines and students identify what has been removed.
  • Students can complete this similar activity at the literacy center (cut out, rearrange and glue strips in the correct order). The master copy is always available for reference purposes.
YOUNGER STUDENTS: You will likely want to read the story again focusing on tracking each word and demonstrating the left to right movement. Some students may want to use a pointer and try tracking the words and model this to their peers.

DAY THREE - SPECIFIC SKILLS RELATED TO THE TEXT ARE INTRODUCED
  • The children are now familiar with the text and the focus is on more specific skills such as learning the alphabet letter related to the text or sight word.
  • The teacher presents the text with selected words masked (beginning with the focus sound or sight word). The masked words are written on individual word cards. these word cards are distributed to the students.
  • Teacher and students read the text together, stopping to identify each masked word. As the masked word is identified by the students, they search their cards for the appropriate word card.
  • Students are given a copy of the omitted words and complete this at the literacy center. A master copy is available for verification. Students put their copy in a special book and illustrate it. Other sight word activities could be employed. For example, unscramble the focus sight words, play sight word bingo or do a word search where the children locate the focus sight word.
YOUNGER STUDENTS
  • I would focus on the words within the text that use the letter focus sound. Determine words within the text that begin with that sound. Brainstorm for other words that begin with that sound. Act out the sound. For example for the letter "c" pretend to climb saying the sound as you do so.
  • Distribute the alphabet picture cards. The children say the name of the picture and determine if it begins with this sound. Place all the picture cards that begin with that sound under the correct letter corresponding to that sound. These could be used for review purposes frequently. The children could do this independently at the literacy center, sorting picture cards that begin with that sound.

DAY FOUR
  • Particular word patterns are selected from the text. For example, if there is a word within the text that contains the "at" word family this would be the focus of the lesson. Students might have simple spelling lesson printing or identifying words as they think of examples. Some of these words can be put in simple sentences for reading and for sentence dictation.
  • Individual words which have become sight words for any student are written on word cards and students can place these in his/her word bank. Several times each week student take out their word banks to read their words and to engage in activities such as sentence construction using their words.
YOUNGER CHILDREN - Again this would not be appropriate for younger children. I would just focus on hearing rhyming words. This would be in the form of reading books with rhyme (Dr. Seuss) and distributing rhyming picture cards to determine if they rhyme or not.

More shared reading activities can be found at:

Shared Reading in Kindergarten and Preschool

Monday, September 7, 2009

Teaching Printing

Teaching printing to kindergarten can be a challenging task . Introducing letters in the sequence below can assist at making this task less of a problem.
Begin with the letter "c"
"c" turns into
d, a, g, q, o, s, f, e

Next letters would be the down letters like in "l"
"l" turns into
t, i, , k and u

Next letters would be the down, back up and around letters starting with "r"
"r" turns into
n, m, h, b, and p

Next letters would be the slanted letters starting with "v"
"v" turns into
y, w. x and z

The Kinderplans.com alphabet program tries to follow this letter sequence of introducing the letters, however, it does deviate slightly from this because it incorporates sound blending (word families) and themes so following the exact sequence was more challenging. More ideas and a printing book can be found in the link below:

Preschool and Kindergarten Activities for Printing

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Hand Washing

With the outbreak of the swine flu, it might be a good time to review proper hand washing. In the links below you will find a video and books that could be used in teaching children this concept.
Video
Proper Hand Washing Video

Books About Proper Hand Washing

Wash Your Hands!
by Tony Ross

Germs Are Not for Sharing by Elizbeth Verdick

Germs
by Judy Oetting

Literacy and Reading
I just stumbled on an excellent site that can be used in conjunction with your Computers Centers.

Good Literacy and Reading Site


Visit our Sister Site
Click Here for More Preschool and Kindergarten lesson plans, activities and worksheets

Sunday, April 12, 2009

CHANGES IN THE CURRICULUM

I often get requests for hard copy versions of the theme resources, however, I think the trend is moving towards new curriculum development becoming delivered online. I have seen this move within my school. Last year we implemented a new Social Studies curriculum and the majority of it is delivered online. Teachers (especially in my age range) have been very slow at becoming familiar with it because they are not accustomed to this new format. It takes time to browse, navigate and retrieve the information. One of the positive features of having the resources online is the use of video. I was able to take the children to a live version of children that live in another country. Pictures in a book could not immerse them like the video did. Whether we like it or not, I believe this will become the trend.

It would be impossible to offer the resources found on kinderplans.com for the current price, if it were presented in a hard copy format. Initially that was the plan, until we learned of the costs involved in producing it in hard copy. Shipping costs alone (depending where the resources were shipped to) were the price of the membership (because there is over 2,000 pages of materials). My web development company suggested that I offer them as e-books. To be honest, I didn't even know what an e-book was. I needed some educating in this area. It has been a growing and learning process for me but I can see an increasing trend in this direction and I do see the benefits. One of the biggest benefits is the ability to add and revise materials and keep them current.

Yes, teaching methods are changing. This can be a very positive move. I have seen many changes in my many years of teaching. I tend to allow the children dictate to me if it is a positive move. For example, I rarely use worksheets. I prefer hands-on type activities such as learning games. I have increasingly used the computer as a valuable learning tool. This has been a positive move because the children are far more involved in their learning and this makes me excited. Let me know your thoughts on this issue by commenting below.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Literature for the Weather Theme

In the links below you will find literature suggestions for the Weather theme. Click on the title of the book to read the review
1. It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw
1. Maisy's Wonderful Weather Book by Lucy Cousins
2. What Will the Weather Be? by Linda Dewitt and Carolyn Croll
3. Oh Can You Say What's the Weather Like Today: All About Weather by Tish Rabe and Aristides Ruiz
4. Emma's Cold Day by Margriet Ruurs
5. Who Likes the Rain by Wong Herbert Yee
6. The Umbrella Party by Janet Lunn
7. The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins
8. A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman
9. Caps, Hats, Socks and Mittens: A Book About the Four Seasons by Louise Borden
10. The Cloud Book by Tomie DePaola
11. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
12. Come on Rain! by Karen Hesse

Weather theme activities can be found in the link below:

Preschool and Kindergarten Activities

Friday, March 13, 2009

Preschool Kindergarten Activities - Transportation Theme

Transportation Theme Literature Connection
Listed below are a few suggested books that can be used with the "Transportation Theme". If you click on the title of the book, it will give you a review of the book and where you can purchase it.

1. One Yak Called Jack by Darcia LaBrosse
2. The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
3. Airport by Byron Barton
4. All Aboard ABC by Doug Magee and Robert Newman
5. The Big Red Bus by Judy Hindley
6. Car Wash by Sandra Steen and Susan Steen
7. Cars by Anne Rockwell
8. Freight Train by Donald Crews
9. I Love Trains by Philemon Sturges
10. Lisa's Airplane Trip by Anne Gutman and George Hallensleben
11. Nest Stop Grand Central by Maira Kalman
12. Planes by Anne Rockwell
13. Round Trip by Ann Jonas
14. School Buses by Dee Ready
15. Trains by Ann Rockwell

More activities related to the transportation theme can be found in the link below:

More Preschool and Kindergarten Activities - Transportation Theme

Friday, February 13, 2009

Ocean Theme Literature Books

Below is a list of books that can be used for the Ocean theme. If you click on the titles you will find reviews of the books.

1. Rainbow Fish and the Big Blue Whale by Marcus Pfister
2. The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister

The Ocean and Other Sea Creatures

3. Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andreae
4. Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef by Marianne Berkes
5. A Swim Through the Sea by Kristin Joy Pratt
6. The Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry
7. Clumsy Crab by Ruth Galloway

Fish
8. Swimmy by Leo Lionni
9. Fish is Fish by Leo Lionni
10. Fidgety Fish by Ruth Galloway
11. Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark by Will Grace

Sharks
12. Smiley Shark by Ruth Galloway
13. Surprising Shark: Read and Wonder by Nicola Davies
14. Shark in the Park by Phil Roxbee Cox

Octopus
15. How to Hide an Octopus and Other Sea Creatures by Ruth Heller
16. Good Thing You're Not an Octopus by Julie Markes
17. My Very Own Octopus by Bernard Most
18. Tickly Octopus by Ruth Galloway

Whales
19. Humphrey and the Lost Whale by Wendy Tokuda, Richard Hall and Hanako Wakiyama
20. Whale of a Tale: All About Porpoises, Dolphins and Whales by Bonnie Worth and Aristides Ruiz

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Phonemic Awareness

In the past, educators took for granted that children had the ability to distinguish sounds. Over the past few years there has been a better understanding that not all children have this ability. These children greatly benefit in being given assistance in this area and the push towards phonemic instruction was adapted. Phonemic awareness does not relate to identifying letters but a child's ability to distinguish sounds. I attended a session where a school gave a presentation on how they have included phonemic awareness instruction daily with their kindergarten class. They devoted 10-15 minutes every day to this. They noticed an increase in the children within their school being more successful in learning to read.

I often refer to the site that you will find in the link below because it provides you with a wealth of information on this topic and a video demonstrating instruction in this area. However, in the session I attended the children were given little hand mirrors to observe how their lips and tongue moved when they made the different sounds. They would also hold their hand close to their lips and feel the air movement as they made different sounds. This gave the children an understanding of how and why different sounds are produced.

I have included the link below for more information on this topic. Maybe you can start thinking about using little mirrors in your own phonemic instructional period.


Phonemic Awareness

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Five Senses Literature Books

Below you will find a list of books that can be used in conjunction with introducing the theme "Five Senses". Click on the titles if you wish to read the reviews and purchase.
Library - Some Suggested Books:

1. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Eric Carle
2. Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr.
3. Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young
4. My Five Senses by Aliki
5. You Can’t Taste a Pickle With Your Ear by Harriet Ziefert
6. You Can’t Smell a Flower With Your Ear by Joanna Cole
7. The 5 Senses by Nuria Roca
8. Smell by Maria Rius
9. Touch by Maria Rius
10. Hearing by Maria Rius
11. Taste by Maria Rius
12. Sight by Maria Rius
13. The Listening Walk by Paul Showers