Preschool and Kindergarten Math

MATH WORKSHEETS
Free Math Worksheets
Our philosophy has been more focused on providing hands-on learning experiences but sometimes worksheets do come in handy. In the link below you will find free math worksheets that you can use in your classroom.

Free Math Worksheets

MATH CURRICULUM BEING DEVELOPED
Currently at kinderplans.com we are working on completing a full math program that can be used in conjunction with current themes or used on its own. It will cover all the math strands outlined below:

Pre Kindergarten Math

Matching, Sorting and Classifying
1. Identify, sort and classify objects by a specific attribute.
2. Patterning

Number Sense
1. Compare sets of objects if equal, more than, or less than (up to 10).
2. Print numbers 1-10
3. Count, recognize, represent, name, and order a number of objects (up to 30)
4. Use concrete objects to describe simple addition and subtraction to 10.

Measuring and Comparing
Geometry(Shapes)
1. Compare the length, weight and capacity of objects (e.g., longer, shorter, taller, lighter, heavier or holds more).
2. Demonstrate and understanding of time (e.g., morning, afternoon, evening, today, yesterday, tomorrow, week, year).
3. Identify time to the nearest hour.
4. Identify and describe common geometric objects (e.g. circle, triangle, square, rectangle, cube, sphere and cone).

Statistics, Data Analysis and Probability
Activities for graphing, collecting data and probability will be spread throughout the lessons.

Preschool and Kindergarten Math Activities

Click on Video to View Activities to Meet the Curriculum Outlines



MATH OUTCOMES
Outlined below are math outcomes for Kindergarten, however, this does differ according to the country or state. It does cover a broad spectrum so this can be adjusted to your situation. Also below is a link to free activities that cover these various strands. The video outlines these activities.

Matching, Sorting and Classifying 1. Identify, sort and classify objects by a specific attribute. 2. Patterning Number Sense 1. Compare sets of objects if equal, more than, or less than (up to 10). 2. Print numbers 1-10 3. Count, recognize, represent, name, and order a number of objects (up to 30) 4. Use concrete objects describe simple addition and subtraction to 10. Measuring and Comparing Geometry(Shapes) 1. Compare the length, weight and capacity of objects (e.g., longer, shorter, taller, lighter, heavier or holds more). 2. Demonstrate and understanding of time (e.g., morning, afternoon, evening, today, yesterday, tomorrow, week, year). 3. Identify time to the nearest hour. 4. Identify and describe common geometric objects (e.g. circle, triangle, square, rectangle, cube, sphere and cone). Statistics, Data Analysis and Probability Activities for graphing, collecting data and probability will be spread throughout the lessons. Preschool and Kindergarten Math Activities

Learning Centers

CENTER SUGGESTIONS FOR A PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM
Listed below are center suggestions:
1. Literacy
2. Reading
3. Writing
4. Listening
5. Math
6. Science
7. Social Studies
8. Computer
9. Crafts
10. Playdough
11. Easel
12. Blocks
13. Puzzles
14. Puppets
15. Housekeeping
16. Dressup

In the link below you will find signs that can be used to identify these centers.

Sign for the Learning Centers

Pre Kindergarten Reading - Literacy Centers

In this blog I have posted ideas for your reading Literacy Centers. The Kinderplans website has more ideas and the resources to complete the activities.
1. Match letters to picture cards
2. Matching upper-case letters to lower-case letters
3. The letters of the alphabet can be typed in different types of fonts and sorted accordingly
4. Write each student's name on a card. Write the names on another set of cards and glue their picture to the back. The children must locate the name/picture match.
5. Children match words cards (visual discrimination). This can be used with color words.
6. Children can build words using stamps, cut-up letters or magnetic letters.
7. Individual words can be cut and the children build sentences with these. For younger children they would need a model to follow.
8. Children match rhyming picture cards
9. Children can read CVC picture cards or match the words to the correct picture.

The Kinderplans website has many ideas and resources for building your Literacy Centers. The video above demonstrates some of the activities that can be included in your Literacy Centers. Click in the link below for more ideas and resources.

Literacy Centers and Reading Activities

Preschool and Kindergarten Lesson Plan for Reading

Printable emergent readers are a very cost effective method in teaching beginning reading to young learners. In the video on the left you will view how printable readers can be used. If you wish to access this reader and more ideas on how to use it, click on the link below.

Preschool and Kindergarten Lesson Plan for Reading

Preschool and Kindergarten Lesson Plan for Teaching Phonics

PHONICS CENTER
As with any center activity, a considerable amount of work would have been done prior to the children going to the center. The center is meant as a means for children to practice previous skills taught. These activities should be hands-on.

MATERIALS FOR THE CENTER
Magnetic or wooden letters
Alphabet charts
Alphabet Stamps
PVC P-Trap from a hardware store
Pictures with words
Learning games

Activities for the Center
1. PVC P-Trap (phonics phone) would be used for the children to hear beginning and ending sounds.
2. Match word cards to pictures with the words printed on them.
3. Match upper and lower case letters.
4. Match beginning sound toys to letters or pictures (the member's area contains 156 picture cards related to all the alphabet letters with and without the words printed on them).
5. All the letters of the alphabet are printed in different fonts and sorted.
6. Make words using stamps or magnetic letters using a model (picture with the word on it).
7. Word family and sight word practice.

GAMES, GAMES AND GAMES
Interactive learning games to reinforce skills taught in the classroom are the most effective method of children retaining what they have learned. In the link below you will be able to view videos on effective games that can be used.

Preschool and Kindergarten Games for Reading

Preschool and Kindergarten Reading Video

In this video you will learn how a literature book like the "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" can be made into a simpler emergent reader for Preschool and Kindergarten children to successfully read on their own after it is introduced as a shared reading experience. You will also be introduced to a number recognition learning game.

Click on the video to preview it.



Click Here for More Preschool and Kindergarten Reading Strategies

Kindergarten and Reading Activities

In this video you will be able to view a game where children are required to use their knowledge of letter sounds and blend them together. If you have been following the Kinderplans.com "Alphabet Program" where children learn their letter sounds and word families they can now begin blending these together to read words. This game offers a fun way of practicing this skill.

In the video you will also learn how fairy tales can be transformed into a reading activity for young children and combine this with a character virtue.

Note: The game board templates will be available in the "Fairy Tale" theme unit on May 5th in the Kinderplans.com member's area.

More Preschool and Kindergarten Reading Strategies

Preschool and Kindergarten Reading Activities Video

In the video you can view how the interactive component in one of the readers found in the Community Helpers theme is used, as well, a game incorporating identification of final consonant sounds is demonstrated.

More Preschool and Kindergarten Reading Strategies

Online Games for Kindergarten and Preschool

In the link below is a great online game site for Kindergarten and Preschool children.

Online Games

Building a Community

It is my hope that we begin to share our ideas with each other. Many of you have wonderful ideas that you can contribute. Post your ideas below where it says "comments". They will not be displayed immediately as I edit them first. Unfortunately, people like to spam blogs so this allows me to choose valuable information that will contribute to this blog.

I recently received an e-mail from a member (sorry I accidentally deleted it) about how he /she uses the Smart Board to display the readers. They can be displayed using the notebook software. This allows you to easily highlight and cover words using the toolbar. I will give you the steps I use to transfer the pdf. into notebook.
1. open the pdf.
2. File then press "Print"
3. Scroll down to where it says "print capture". Follow the steps outlined. The reader will be displayed on your Smart Board and transferred into notebook.

Again, I encourage you to contribute your valuable ideas below in the "comments" area.

Preschool and Kindergarten Reading Video

Preschool and Kindergarten Reading Video

Click on the video below to view how interactive readers can be used as an engaging reading experience for Preschool and Kindergarten Reading. How to create another alphabet review game will also be shown and demonstrated.

More ideas for reading strategies can be found in the link below:
Preschool and Kindergarten Reading

Preschool and Kindergarten Worksheets - An Alternative

Personally, I am not found of using worksheets. There are times when they are necessary, however, I find games are far more effective in encouraging more engaging learning opportunities for the children. View the video below on how games can be used for practicing skills.

Preschool and Kindergarten Reading

WHAT IS SUPPORTIVE READING?

PURPOSE
To give as much support as is necessary to make reading a successful experience for students.

PROCEDURE
1. Text is read with the students using s shared reading procedure. See procedures in the link below. AFTER, PRESS YOUR BACK BUTTON TO RETURN TO THIS PAGE.

Preschool and Kindergarten Reading

Text may be in a big book, written on chart paper, displayed on an overhead or smartboard. The alphabet readers have been specifically designed to use for this purpose. Many of them have enlarged pictures that can be made into a big book.

2. Teacher and students reread the text several times as in the shared reading procedure until the text is very familiar to the students.

3. The teacher undertakes a series of activities to help students move from reading from memory to
-transfer the knowledge of the sight and sounds of alphabet letters
-transferring this knowledge of letters and how they blend together to make words
-recognizing individual words in the text
-acquiring some basic word recognition skills
-transfer the recognition of familiar words to other contexts

4. A sample set of procedures might look like the following:

DAY ONE
Teacher reads, students listen.
Teacher reads and tracks, students join in as they are able.
Teacher reads and pauses, students fill in and continue reading.
Teacher resumes reading with students.
Teacher introduces the new letter and its related sound within the context of the story.
The students pick out that letter(s) and its related sound used within the text.

The link from the site below has good link on how to introduce a new letter and its related sound. AFTER, PRESS YOUR BACK BUTTON TO RETURN TO THIS PAGE.

Introducing a New Alphabet Letter

NOTE: If you are using the alphabet readers from the Kinderplans.com site, these readers already have a focus letters and specific sight words built into them (from Dolch and Fry's word lists).

Students complete an activity on the text, e.g., draw in illustration and print something about it (using invented spelling).

NOTE: Many of the readers have an interactive component built into them.

DAY TWO
Teacher and students reread the text.
Students share their independent work completed on the previous day.
The focus alphabet letter is reviewed. The picture mnemonic activity would be introduced at this time.

The link below also gives ideas on how letters and their related sounds can be reviewed. The alphabet pictures on the Kinderplans.com membership site could be used for this purpose. AFTER, PRESS YOUR BACK BUTTON TO RETURN TO THIS PAGE.

Reviewing the Alphabet

DAY THREE
Teacher presents text with selected words masked. The marked 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. Once found, the student is asked "How do you know what the word are your cards is ...? The text is used for verification as masked words are uncovered.

At the end, students read the word cards they held.

Students can underline these words in their individual readers that have been copied off for them.

DAY FOUR
1. Particular word patterns are selected from the text for a lesson on word structure e.g., if the word "sat" is in the text, students might have a simple lesson on the "at" word family and other words that rhyme.

NOTE: If you follow the "Alphabet Program" on the Kinderplans.com site, each theme sequence and the suggested emergent readers to use to develop these reading skills already have suggested word family activities incorporated into the lessons. If you wish to learn more about the "Alphabet Program".

Preschool and Kindergarten Reading - Alphabet Program

2. Individual word which have become sight words for any student are written on word cards and the student can place these in his/her word bank. Several times each week students take out their word banks to read their words and to engage in activities using these words.

NOTE: Within the "Alphabet Program" themes you will find engaging suggested games that can be used for this purpose.

3. If the text is appropriate, teachers can use the frame of the original to help students create their own books. They can brainstorm for superstitions, and read the text putting in the substitutions they suggested.

Preschool and Kindergarten Reading Literacy

Suggestions from Members for Preschool and Kindergarten Reading and Literacy Activities

I would suggest the morning message, it gets the children ready for what's happening during the day, and its a great way to develop reading and writing skills.
by Michelle

We make a Classmate book designed like the Brown Bear book. We use our kid's names instead of the animals and include a picture of each kid. They love it and we take turns taking it home for the night the first few weeks of school so that families can get to know the kids in our class.
Jane Ayers

I do the Kissing Hand the first day of school. I paint the students' hands white, post on black paper, and put a red heart in the middle. Then I paste a poem about the first day of school underneath. As a parent, I like to send something home right away!

More Preschool and Kindergarten Reading Literacy Activities

More Literacy Activities for Centers

Preschool and Kindergarten Reading

How to Display Predictable/Emergent Reader Books for Whole Class Reading

It is important that during shared reading time that all the students are able to see the print and pictures. The following methods could be used for this purpose.

1. The readers are copied onto an overhead transparency and shared in this manner.

2. Made into a predictable chart.

3. Many schools are now investing in smartboards or other whiteboard software. If the books are in downloadable formats you can share them directly from the computer to the board.

Shared Reading Procedures

1. Relate the story to the student's background experiences. Have students talk about their own experiences related to the book topic.

2. Ask students to predict what the story will be about based on the title and cover picture of the emergent/predictable book.

3. Read the story to the students, pointing to the words as you are reading (modeling the reading process).

4. As you read, encourage the students to begin to "chime in" on the sentences, phrases or words that repeat themselves. Complete the interactive components of the readers together (if the reader has one).

5. You may want to pause as you read in order to encourage students to predict the word(s) that comes next. This is especially valuable if you are working with rhyming words.

6. Discuss any new or unusual vocabulary with students as you read those words in the story.

7. After or during reading, encourage students to confirm or disconfirm predictions.

8. Read the story again. Encourage students to read the repetitive parts of the story with you or alone.

9. Pause for students to predict words - give a glue by saying the initial sound of the word.

10. Extend the presentation by acting out the text.

11. Have children complete the interactive component (if there is one) of the reader and share it with other students.

Click on the link below for more information on shared reading:

Preschool and Kindergarten Reading

Below you will find suggested game activities for reinforcing the alphabet and sight words.

Please Participate!

Please feel free to add your ideas, just click on the comments button at the end of this posting, type your comment. I will add your suggestion when I receive notification that a comment has been added.

1. Alphabet and Sight Word Bingo
Children really enjoy playing alphabet or sight word bingo. This is a really worthwhile activity in reinforcing letters or words they have previously learned. The link below provides a free software to make bingo cards. It allows you to shuffle the letters and words to different locations.

Bingo Card Software

2. Alphabet or Sight Word Musical Chairs
This would be a great activity to do during gym time. Post letters or words on chairs or just taped to the floor. Play music and once the music stops children must find a letter or word. They must say the name of the letter or identify an object that begins with the same letter sound or sight word.

3. Easter Egg Hunt
Purchase a large container of different colored plastic eggs. Place letters or words in each egg. Hide them around the classroom or in a center. Children must hunt and find them. Once they find the egg they open it and say the name of the letter or something that begins with that letter sound or the focus sight word. If they are correct they can keep the egg. The one with the most eggs wins the game.

4. The Prize Egg (played similar to hot potato). Have different colored plastic eggs (enough for each child). Again, put a letter or word in each egg. The children assemble in a circle. As music is playing the eggs are being passed around in a circle. When the music stops, the children discontinue passing the eggs. Call out a certain color of egg as being the "prize egg". The children holding the prize eggs must open it and say the name of the letter or an object that begins with that letter sound or focus sight word(s).

5. Rolling the Dice
Make your own dice or purchase wooden ones. Print the alphabet letters or words you would like the children to practice. Children roll the dice and say the letter or word printed on it.

6. Alphabet or Sight Word Concentration
Display a few alphabet letters or sight words for all the children view. Have children practice identifying them. Have children close their eyes and take one away. The children determine which one was taken away. This would be a good game to place in a center.

7. Alphabet or Sight Word Board Game
Make a game board (chart) with the words or alphabet letters you have been working on. Make cards with these letters or words and extra cards that do not contain these. Children pick a card. If they have one that is on the game board they can color it (the board can be laminated and the children can use washable markers). The child that has the game board completed will be the winner.

Another Version - More Difficult
You can use alphabet picture cards and the children eliminate the letter that the picture begins with. They must not only identify the letter but they must also be familiar with the sound it makes. The alphabet pictures found in the members area of our sister site could be used (sister site)

8. Alphabet or Sight Word Race
Place the alphabet letters or sight words you wish the children to identify on the floor at the end of the room (this would work even better in the gym). Line children up in two rows. Call out a letter or sight word. The first two children race to find it. The one who picks it up first takes it back to his/her group. The race continues until all the children have had a chance to race. The group that has the most, wins the game.

9. Playdough and Glitter Sight Words
When I was teaching, I had my students form the sight words out of Play Dough. They loved, it, of course. It is also very effective for tactile learners or very active kids.

My son, age 5, and I are making a sight word game right now. I write a sight word with pencil, and he writes over it with glitter glue pens. I am going to have him trace over his finished cards with his finger once dry, while he says the word out loud.
THANKS CARRIE!

More Sight Word Activities
1. Children make the focus sight words by using alphabet stamps.
2. Give children the sight word with the letters cut out. They must rearrange the letters to make the focus sight word(s).

More ideas can be found in the follow links:

Literacy Center Ideas

More Literacy Center Ideas

Five Senses Theme 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