October Week 2

Month: October	Week 2
Gentlemen Training:
Being gentle and kind to babies and animals Talk about how we need to be gentle with babies and animals to show them that we love them and to keep them safe from getting hurt. Demonstrate how to touch an arm gently and then guide their hand to touch your arm gently. Repeat softly, “Gentle.” Read one (or more) of these books: Be Gentle—Virginia Miller Hands Are Not for Hitting—Martine Agassi Tails are Not for Pulling—Elizabeth Verdick Be Gentle with the Dog Dear—Matthew Baek Practice playing gently with a stuffed animal, giving lots of praise when they are being extra careful and gentle. Here’s a website for books about welcoming a new baby in the home: http://www.readthatagain.com/by_topic/siblings_02.html
Day One
Literacy: The Letter F Sing the Alphabet Song. Look at the letter F. What does it look like? Practice tracing it with our fingers. What does it sound like? Glue leaves to an F. Read a Scarecrow book. Scarecrows—Lola M. Schaefer The Scarecrow’s Hat—Ken Brown The Little Scarecrow Boy—Margaret Wise Brown Scarecrow—Cynthia Rylant The Scarecrow’s Dance—Jane Yolen
Math: Do math activities from: http://ateachingmommy.com/2011/10/scarecrows/ --How many crows? --Number order puzzle --Roll and graph scarecrows --Scarecrow graph cards --Scarecrow size sort
Snack
Science/Social Studies: Seasons Talk about the four seasons we have each year. Use the seasons spinner and seasons booklet to explain. Do the What Do You Wear in_______________________ activity. We could either have the kids dress up in different clothes for each season (a coat, shorts, etc.) or sort some clothes by season, or we could do a simple magnet board dress-up activity. The Four Seasons booklet print-out: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Four-Seasons-Reader-208707 Make season trees. http://www.123homeschool4me.com/2012/03/learning-about-4-seasons-free-printable.html More ideas for making a season tree: http://kindertastic.blogspot.com/2012/01/seasons.html
Art: Make a scarecrow focusing on shapes: Either the shape scarecrow or paper plate scarecrow from: http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2013/08/books-for-fall-with-crafts.html
Movement: Scarecrow rhymes and dance Five Crows All Shiny Black (Five Green and Speckled Frogs) Five crows all shiny black, Sat on a scarecrow’s back, Eating some most delicious corn. Yum, yum! Scarecrow winked and shouted, “Boo!” Scared a crow and away he flew; Now there are four black shiny crows. Caw! Caw! Flippy-Floppy Scarecrow I’m a flippy-floppy scarecrow. (flap in the wind like a scarecrow) I’m stuffed with lots of hay (nod head yes) I take a stand out in the field, (stand still with arms out) And scare all the crows away. (make a scary face, flap arms, shout boo) One Little Scarecrow One little scarecrow (hold up one finger) To chase off the crows. When the wind blows (blow) This is how he goes: He flops to the left (flop body to the left) He flaps to the right (flap arms to the right) He spins all around (spin in a circle) Oh, what a silly sight! Old Black Crow (Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush) The old black crow is flying around, Flying around, flying around. (flap arms and fly around) The old black crow is flying around, Flying around my garden. So then I put my scarecrow up, My scarecrow up, my scarecrow up. (Put arms out to the side like a scarecrow) So then I put my scarecrow up, To scare the old black crow. It’s working now, ‘cause he’s on the run, On the run, on the run. It’s working now ‘cause he’s on the run, Goodbye, you old black crow! (Wave goodbye) *Play Scarecrow Says (Simon Says).
Day Two
Literacy: The letter f. Try to think of as many words as you can that start with the letter f. Do the F worksheet from: http://supersimplelearning.com/resource-center/wp-content/plugins/s2member-files/letter-recognition-phonics-f-lowercase-bw.pdf Do the pumpkin patch letter order game from: http://www.filefolderfun.com/SubjectPumpkins.html. Read a pumpkin book. Where is Baby’s Pumpkin—Karen Katz Pumpkin Eye—Denise Fleming Spookley the Square Pumpkin—Jim Troiano The Runaway Pumpkin—Kevin Lewis Pumpkin Soup—Helen Cooper Pumpkin Heads!—Wendell Minor It’s Pumpkin Time—Zoe Hall The Biggest Pumpkin Ever—Steven Kroll The Pumpkin Patch—Elizabeth King Pumpkin Day!—Nancy Elizabeth Wallace Too Many Pumpkins—Linda White The Pumpkin Fair—Eve Bunting The Bumpy Little Pumpkin—Margery Cuyler The Pumpkin Circle—George Levenson Pumpkin Town—Katie McKay Pumpkin Hill—Elizabeth Spurr The Littlest Pumpkin—R.A. Herman 5 Little Pumpkins rhyme Watch video: http://youtu.be/G2lLByjoU4U?list=PLgHYzoPcokjDsFlwiypGDRRupTioYOqf6 Make a pumpkin glove or finger puppets beforehand and do the rhyme together. We could also use the free printable little book from: http://www.prekinders.com/halloween-theme/ Finger puppet ideas: http://funhandprintartblog.com/2012/10/halloween-finger-hand-puppets-for-kids-round-up.html
Math: Pumpkin Seed Counting Create circles out of orange paper or use orange paper plates as “pumpkins.” Write numerals on each pumpkin, and ask child to match the correct number of pumpkin seeds to each pumpkin. (Example: Match 5 seeds to the pumpkin with the numeral 5 written on it.) From: http://www.oopseydaisyblog.com/2010/10/h-is-for-halloween-packet.html
Snack
Science/Social Studies: All about pumpkins from: http://www.oopseydaisyblog.com/2010/10/h-is-for-halloween-packet.html Pumpkin Investigations Explore a pumpkin with some of the following investigations: •   Ask children to guess how much yarn it will take to measure around the pumpkin.’s circumference They can cut the yarn they believe will be the right amount. Then perform actual measurements with yarn and compare real circumference yarn to your guess. •   Weigh the pumpkin. What else do you think would be a similar weight? •   Guess if the pumpkin will sink or float and see if you’re right! Grow Pumpkin Seeds Save one of your pumpkin seeds and let it sprout in a ziplock bag with a wet paper towel. You could also plant your pumpkin seed!
Art: Read Yellow Pumpkin, Yellow Pumpkin (focus is on colors) from: http://www.oopseydaisyblog.com/2010/10/h-is-for-halloween-packet.html Make 5 Little Pumpkins craft stick puppets from: http://www.sotomorrowblog.com/2012/10/five-little-pumpkins-with-craft-stick.html Pumpkin outlines from: http://www.u-createcrafts.com/2013/10/blank-pumpkin-faces-free-download.html
Movement: Rhyme: Pumpkin, Pumpkin Pumpkin, pumpkin Sitting on a wall. (children sit down) Pumpkin, pumpkin, Tip and fall.  (children fall over) Pumpkin, pumpkin, Rolling down the street. (children roll on floor) Pumpkin, pumpkin, Trick or treat! (shout "Trick or treat!") ~ Author Unknown From: http://www.thevirtualvine.com/pumpkins.html Pumpkin bowling From: http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2012/09/ghost-bottle-bowling-halloween-game-for-kids.html Or: http://www.seventeen.com/parties/ideas/pinterest-diy-halloween-party#slide-9

September Week 4

Month: September	Week 4
Gentlemen Training:
Doing Kind Things for Others (Service) Watch the movie Charlotte’s Web. (We might also read the book as our bedtime story during this month). Talk about how when we do kind things for other people, we feel good and others feel good too. We can do kind things at home, like helping clean up or cook dinner. We can do kind things for our friends, like sharing a toy or making them a treat. We can do kind things for everyone around us. Write a story about barnyard animals doing nice things for each other. Use prompts such as the following to develop the story. Cow is sick with a cold. What can do pig do? Pig is sad. What can horse do? Horse hurt her leg. What can dog do? Write the story and then have the kids draw pictures (or color pictures that you draw) to go along with the story.
Day One
Literacy: Color pictures for the letter D. Focus on recognizing the letter and the sound it makes. Read a book that a child chooses. Rhymes and songs: B-I-N-G-O Then we can review some of their favorite songs and rhymes.
Math: Size Sequencing with Tractors From: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5rA1Pr6EkStZ29RZFNoTl9xNXc/edit Size sorting from: http://ateachingmommy.com/preschool-printables/
Snack
Science/Social Studies: Weather Talk about the basic weather patterns: sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy, windy. Sing some weather songs: Eensy Weensy Raindrops (Tune: Eensy, Weensy Spider) Some eensy, weensy raindrops Are falling from the sky. They're filling up the puddles And dropping in my eye. Drip, drip and drop, drop, I love to hear them fall, For the eensy, weensy raindrops Mean wet fun for us all. What's the weather? (Tune: Clementine) What's the weather? What's the weather? What's the weather like today? Tell me children what's the weather? What's the weather like today? Is it sunny, is it rainy, is it windy out today? Tell me children, what's the weather, what's the weather like today? From: http://www.childcarelounge.com/general-themes/weather.php Rain is falling* all around, On the housetops, on the ground. Rain is falling on my nose, On my head and hands and toes. *Alternate phrases: Sun is shining Wind is blowing Leaves are falling Snow is falling Words and music: Moiselle Renstrom, 1889-1956 From Merrily We Sing, (c) 1948, 1975 Pioneer Music Press, Inc. Used by permission. Falling down, gently down, See the softly falling snow Falling down, gently down, Covering the ground below. Words and music: Lois Lunt Metz; alt. (c) 1956 IRI Once there was a snowman, snowman, snowman, Once there was a snowman, tall, tall, tall. In the sun he melted, melted, melted. In the sun he melted, small, small, small. Words and music: Moiselle Renstrom, 1889-1956 From Tune Time, (c) 1955, 1981 Pioneer Music Press, Inc. Used by permission. From: https://www.lds.org/music/library/childrens-songbook?lang=eng Make a weather wheel with a paper plate. Go outside and determine what kind of weather it is. I also have a poster calendar that has little weather pictures that they can stick on each day to show what the weather is like. Talk about how we wear certain clothes depending on the weather. Have a few items of clothing  (a rain boot, a scarf or snow glove, a t-shirt, etc.) and have kids guess what kind of weather you would wear it for.
Art: Shapes Color and make shape tractors. From: http://ateachingmommy.com/preschool-printables/
Movement: The Farmer Says (like Simon Says but with the farmer instead).
Day Two
Literacy: Color pictures for the letter d. Think of things on the farm that start with d. Read a book that a child chooses. Rhymes and songs: Review their favorite songs and rhymes. Horse songs and rhymes: 10 Wild Horses 10 wild horses came galloping through town. Five were white, 5 were brown. Some galloped up And some galloped down. They galloped away and out of town. Horsie, Horsie Horsie, horsie, don’t you stop. (Clip-clop hands on legs) Just let your feet go clippety-clop; Your tail goes swish, (swish hands back and forth) And the wheels go round—(roll hands) Giddy-up, take us homeward bound. (Clap three times)
Math:  Sorting I plan on purchasing the farm sorting game from Lakeshore Learning. If I don’t though, we’ll just do a sorting activity with the toys and pictures that we already have. Sorting ideas: Animal/plant Things that move/don’t move Things that fly/things that don’t fly By colors
Snack
Science/Social Studies: Weather Talk briefly about the water cycle. Using cotton balls and a cup of water, show how clouds fill with drops of water and then it rains. Water cycle chart can be found here: http://ateachingmommy.com/2012/03/spring-rain-color-count-and-water-cycle/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+2teachingmommies/yGHl+2+Teaching+Mommies Snow happens when the weather gets really cold and the rain freezes into snow. Talk about wind and do wind experiment: Will the Wind Blow It? Have a collection of items to show children (such as feather, straw, piece of paper, rock, marker, seashell, etc.). Ask children to predict which items will blow when it is windy. Turn on a fan and place each item in front of the fan to see if their predictions were correct. From: http://www.childcarelounge.com/general-themes/weather.php
Art: Handprint horses and other animals from: http://mrskarensclass.blogspot.com/2012/03/old-mrs-karen-had-farm.html
Movement: Dance and play to our favorite farm music. Here’s some of the music on my playlist: Mairzy Doats (Best of Silly Songs) Bill Grogan’s Goat (Best of Silly Songs) The Bunny Hop (Dance Along Volume 1) The Chicken Dance (Dance Along Volume 1) The Farmer in the Dell (Disney 6) The Hokey Pokey (Disney 6) Old MacDonald (Mother Goose Rocks) Bingo (Mother Goose Rocks) I’m Proud to be a Cow (Sesame Street Silly Songs) The Boogie-Woogie Piggies (Sesame Street Silly Songs) I Know a Chicken (The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band)