Welcome back! We are on our second exciting day of school. We can review our first song together: “Rise and Shine – Welcome to School Today” by Dr. Jean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyAD2OoFuoY
At the beginning of each day, I would get down on my knees and greet every child coming through the door. I would ask: would you like to be greeted with a hug, a handshake, a high-five or a fist bump? With the pandemic, people around the world have found different ways to greet like an elbow bump, A foot bump, a bow,… This song can be another way for children to greet each other safely without contact. It is called “Hello to all the children of the world”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nYjGy_ZUG8
After I greet children, I show them the question of the day on my board:
How do you feel today?
Happy Sad
I give the child a crayon so that he/she can put a tally mark Or a straight line starting up and going down under the word he/she chooses. I can evaluate pencil grip, letter recognition and readiness. The results will be part of our circle time and daily counting.
Let’s review with your child the rules for a positive and safe learning environment:
- Quiet voices
- Listening hears
- Helping hands
- Walking feet
I often explain to children that outside time has a different set of rules. The most important is “Listening hears“ to keep children safe.
Science
I brainstorm with children the different types of weather: sunny, snowy, windy,… Then we read What will the Weather Be like today? by Paul Rogers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgvbpxTX0rM
As a project, have your child look at the weather outside and make a drawing with colored pencils and crayons on paper.
I usually recommend the everyday use of broken crayons and Colored pencils to teach children how to properly develop pencil grip instead of the use of markers. Their thickness tend to encourage children with small hands to use their fists.
Language Arts
At circle time, we review the question and ask: what makes you happy or sad? Then read The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPUW1t9Gu4s
After viewing the book, ask your child what happened in the story and focus on how Chester felt before and after the kiss.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Song
Twinkle, twinkle little star, (Open and close both hands)
How I wonder what you are. (Move your hands up)
Up above the world so high, (Form a diamond with both hands)
Like a diamond in the sky!
Twinkle, twinkle little star how I wonder what you are!
Here is a song about Chester on the same tune “Kiss Goes On” https://www.themailbox.com/magazines/song-the-kiss-goes-on/the-kiss-goes-on
Open, Shut Them Rhyme (with both hands)
Open, shut them, open, shut them,
Give a little clap, clap, clap.
Open, shut them, open, shut them,
Put them on your lap, lap, lap.
Creep them, crawl them, creep them, crawl them, right up to your chin.
Open wide your little month, but do not let them in.
Walk them, walk them, Walk them, walk them, up unto the top.
Here is a cleaning song after playtime (“The Farmer in the Dell” tune)
It’s time to clean up. It’s time to clean up. Heigh ho the Derry-o! It’s time to clean up!
Let’s put the toys away! Let’s put the toys away! Heigh ho the Derry-o! Let’s put the toys away!
Let’s put the blocks away! ……
Math
We will be counting a lot this year with different counters. To start, have a plastic container with lid and put a number of counters in it from 1-10. It can be milk bottle caps, rocks, beans, etc. Then, have your child count the content of the container.
Art
For art projects, allow your child to discover the supplies you put together. I always had the easel with watercolor/acrylic paint available in the classroom, as well as paper/scissors/crayons/tape/glue on a table.
For this Art project, you need your child’s hand and (1) blue paint, (2) cut-out little red heart, (3) poem below to glue, (4) paper plate.
Poem: The Kissing Hand
“This special heart I give to you,
Because you love me and I love you.
The heart is you, the hand is me,
It shows we are a family!“
Directions:
- Paint your child’s hand with blue paint
- Print on the paper plate
- Glue the Small red paper heart in the center of the hand
- Print the poem on different color paper
- Glue the Poem on the back or front of the paper plate
Small Motor Skills
The Kissing Hand Activity Sheet https://www.themailbox.com/magazines/student-activity-sheet/chesters-day
Blowing Kisses https://www.themailbox.com/magazines/blowing-kisses/blowing-kisses
I Like School! Book https://twistynoodle.com/i-like-school-minibook/
Gross Motor Skills
“The More We Get Together” Song with movement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lldmkrJXQ-E
Outside time with climbing, jumping, bicycling, running, walking are great ways to develop the whole child.