Preschool Lessons Plans |
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Below is a small sample of Lesson Plans thejuniris@hotmail.com Lesson ideas for Teaching small groups of Preschoolers aged 3-6 years These ideas were taught during the early 1990s, and using video and computers for pre-schoolers was 'cutting edge' back then Use the sturdiest technology you have access to and is familiar to parents and children. Also, see if you can convince a reliable University student or similar to bring in the 'latest gadget' and have an extra parent helper rostered on that day, so everyone can have a turn while activities proceed at the same time.
Information For Parents: Have a pre-prepared 'theme' for each lesson, as children and parents like to feel a part of what they are being taught. Have the term's 'themes' photocopied and given to each parent, with name and phone number of each day's parent helper, so they can organise their own swapping, if ill. Remind all of next week's themes as they collect children. This gives parents a basis to prepare and question the child over their learning and ability to recall and apply learning. Depending on time of class, have parents give their children a healthy snack and drink for morning or afternoon tea. Have a defined space preferably out of sight, where these snacks are left, until after toilet trip. Basic equipment : Cut a 2-3 metre strip, 10 cm wide, of yellow or other brightly colored stretchy fabric and sew ends to make a circle. Stretch it out on the carpet to make a defined area for children to sit around and talk and listen. Don't expect them to sit still for more than 5-10 mins and put fabric circle away when done, so no one trips over it. Make playdough and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Don't worry about lumps as they will eventually blend in. Cook over low to medium heat for 10 - 15 mins Keep stirring til you can't any more and you can lift the lump out in one go. Allow to cool slightly, then knead to blend in any lumps. Cool completely then store in an airtight container, for example an icecream tub, in the fridge. Lasts for months. Chuck out when it becomes sticky or crusty. Make a new batch in a different color for a surprise. Finger Paint Into a large saucepan - dissolve half a cup of cornflour in 1 cup of cold water Add 3 cups of boiling water, turn on the heat and boil til it 'plops' - approximately 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons of 'Lux flakes' (pure soap grated) and 2 tablespoons of child friendly paint, preferably one of the primary colors - red, yellow or blue. Spoon a small amount onto plastic covered table, tray or plastic place mat. Allow plenty of squiggling time before placing a clean sheet of paper over the top of the child's creative patterns and wipe the top side gently to gain a print to dry out and keep for grandma. Can make up other colors and allow child to discover what color is made by mixing a little blob of blue and 2 blobs of yellow, or blue and red, or red and yellow. Have a coffee table with rounded edges or other sturdy, low table for all to kneel around and examine brought items. Plastic shower curtain or clear plastic from a mattress shop to cover table for sand / 'mercury' / painting activities. Plan a toilet trip after messy activities and before snack eating, so hands can be washed. Have a video or DVD of nursery rhymes set up ready to play at the end of each class. This will subtly announce to children that it is time to go home and parents will be able to collect children when they hear the music play. Sturdy computer set up with children's games, for in between activities. If all children already have access to laptop computers or tablets, consider limiting computer activities to the first activity or until all arrive. Learning Themes: Here are some themes to try at appropriate times of the year Cats and kittens Best held late Spring at kitten season Playdough Roll out whiskers to put on a 'cats face' circle of playdough. How many whiskers does a cat have? Why does it need whiskers? Where are its whiskers? What about the ones above its eyes? Discussion table Pictures of cats and kittens. If One parent can bring along One very placid cat and keep control of it, and no one has allergies, then have a patting session just before going to toilet and washing hands. Yellow Circle - Talking points Things from home. Talk about own or neighbour’s / relative’s cats. How to treat cats. Noises they make and why. Instinct versus tamed behavior. She cats and Tom cats. Food they eat. Mother cats feeding babies, eyes closed at first. Activity Color in sheet 'Cat and the Fiddle'. Cat whiskers / fur material Draw another cat and kittens on large folded cardboard- cereal packet. Glue fur onto cardboard, folded with cut out 'feely' space. Pre cut a small hole in the centre of a well defined - texta - circle or square. Encourage slight enlargement by those able to handle scissors. DVD Record a cat walking along inside house to door. Licking itself. Sleeping in front of heater. Being patted, scratched. Stories Three little kittens The kitten book - Golden book Find a reference book with large pictures of big cats and domestic cats to show and have children help you make up a possible story... There was a big stripey tiger sitting in a tree (turn page) when he saw a little lion playing with his sister lion.... (turn page) and they decided to visit their little tabby cousin in the city... Top of page Cold Things Best held on a hot day Welcoming activity Blue Playdough - cold from being in fridge Talk about cool colors, Use Playdough to make ice blocks shapes, snowmen, flat circles for puddles of water. Discussion table Collection of smooth stones, Poster of Polar bear with icecream, Penguin post cards, junior sized snow suit DVD Have a recording of a day when it snowed or the closest snow fields Activity Making snow flakes from crepe paper & glue onto black cardboard Making fruit juice ice blocks Playing with pre-frozen ice blocks - putting into water, in a large see through container to view iceburg effect. Toilet Wash hands Morning tea Stories Story telling - show pictures and tell story: The little kittens who lost their mittens (Remind children they have heard the story in Cats and Kittens week. Encourage help with retelling story) Song This is the way we shake our hands blow on our hands tuck our hands under our arms put our mittens on on a cold and frosty morning Photocopy a recipe for making icecream to give out to parents or suggest parents freeze a couple of small margarine tubs of ice for their own iceberg activities in the bath. Top of page Football Welcoming Playdough activity : Make goal posts, numbers for players, footballs Show and Tell kneeling around coffee table : Bring football posters, programs, footy boots, football - best if slightly deflated and rather undesirable. Song : sitting around yellow circle You pass it to me and I pass it to you x 3 and we'll all play football. Yes, we'll all play football. Stand around yellow circle Stand up and draw a number on your friend's back. Guess what it is. Video Show a short clip of your local football with both female and male teams Glueing activity : Jumpers, shorts, socks, boots onto a photocopy of a person. Sticky tape activity : making Floggers- tubes & crepe paper Textas or colored pencils activity : Football shapes, Numbers, Stencilling numbers Mural activity: Glueing pictures onto a poster Toilet trip Washing hands Morning tea Read story while children eat . Choose book about local football Song I can run as fast as you End of class, as parents arrive, watch video of football match with sound down. For parents Remind - drawing numbers on back especially with soap at bath time Give out copy of draw for local football games. Suggest families meet at next week's match. Top of page Toys and Games Playdough Make a playdough teddy Discussion table Twister game, Tunnel of sewn strips of stretchy material, Parachute or piece of lightweight silky material Dutch picture of children playing games. Australian picture of marbles. Yellow circle Show toys brought from home. Talk about games we like to play. If talk is computer-centred keep leading discussion to things we do outside or safe games inside the house 'Round and round the garden' tickle hand game Drop the hanky. Duck, duck goose. Activities Paint - Mural as a group on long strip of newsprint of games we like to play. Texta - individual pictures, take home or cut around and glue onto mural Make puppet and sticky tape it to an icecream stick or straw Cut up Toy Catalogues, glue on favorite 'current fad.' Talk about ads and catalogues and how they make us want things that turn out to be boring. Talk about collecting items from Take away food chains and how it makes us go back until we have the full set. Toilet wash hands Morning tea Talk about healthy food Stories Big book designed for floor play Cardboard box stories - little books designed for travel Video Nursery rhymes to act out Top of page Excursion to an Art Gallery Playdough welcoming activity (Timed according to whether you are walking, taking bus or meeting at Art Gallery. If you are meeting there, arrange to meet in a quiet defined area where everyone feel comfortable.) Sculpture - Tiger, Statue, talk about terms - rough, smooth, freestanding, wooden, metal Drawing activity Look at Art books first for 'inspiration' Frame stapled around edge, or do later when dry. Talk about 'most artists don't paint over the frame' but some do! Discussion table Van Gough framed print Yellow circle Art Books, point out different colors, people, animals, the frame. Toilet first If walking to Gallery remind children and parents 'Teacher goes first. No-one goes in front of the teacher.' Nominate a parent helper to bring up the rear. Look at the shops along the way eg Carpet shop - has lots of colours and patterns, but it is not the Art Gallery. When you arrive, stand back and look at big front door to remember it for next time. Remind all. We can look as much as we like. No one touches the paintings. The paintings would get all dirty if everyone touched them. Take a sheet to sit on. It is easy to wash and gives a defined space, you can even call it the 'Magic Art Carpet' Have three art works already picked out in different areas of the Gallery. Children will enjoy a little walk in between sitting down on sheet. Choose ones with animals, bright colours, children or families. Focus children's attention on paintings. Look for Yellow, Hats, Feelings etc Look at freestanding sculptures. Morning tea. Walk back to class for morning tea and a big talk about what they saw. If going by bus, make sure the driver allows food and drink, or eat at an appropriate spot, before getting on the bus. Stories Check local Library for books where a child visits an Art Gallery Song This is the way we walk to the Gallery Video If you had time to take a video before the class, show that, or, if a parent took a video camera with you, watch that footage. Don't try to do all that yourself on the day, as you will be too busy. Top of page Rainbows A rainbow is a spectrum of sunlight Photocopy and give out 'hose activity' - how to make a rainbow, for home Playdough Roll 8 long strips and place under each other a little curved, to create 7 spaces. Make a group playdough rainbow Discussion table Reference books on weather, rainbows and colours multi- coloured pencil, multi coloured lollies. Discuss the words indigo and violet. Activities Creating rainbows - water in big clear tubs, plastic or safety edged little Mirrors, Light or torch (only allow adult to handle) white card or wall. Crayons & textas - Making Rainbow books. Have sets of the correct colours ready Group - Paint large rainbow onto big sheet of plastic - a mattress cover from a bedshop Computer - Red - Infa red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet - Ultra violet Yellow Circle Show and tell about rainbows. Do you think there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Toilet wash hands Morning tea Slides - show The Rainbow Serpent story projected onto a wall Stories There are many stories to choose from featuring rainbows or children not being able to choose their favorite colour Songs Somewhere over the rainbow Red and yellow and pink and blue, I can sing a rainbow and so can you Rainbow connection Video tape of a rainbow, if you have been lucky enough to capture one. Mid morning or mid afternoon during a break in rain, is when the sun's rays should be on the right angle. Top of page Lost and Found Objects Make sure nothing is small enough to be swallowed Playdough Find shells, stones, large coins hidden in the playdough, swap, hide again and find again, eyes closed. Discussion table Collection of stones, feathers, old bottles, sea horse, sea shells. Cut out items from lost and found column, photocopy and enlarge. Point to each word as you read one out loud. Ask if anyone has lost a pet? Did they draw a picture and put it in the window of the shop? Has mum ever lost any money? Does your local radio station have a Lost and Found segment? Why do lots of dogs go missing after a fireworks display? Books Reference books on dinosaurs, fossils, coins and shells. May find a book on Art with found materials Yellow circle Talk about 'found things' What is it like to find a special stone / feather etc? What interesting big seed pods are in your street? Have you found acorns, bristly round pods of the plane tree, horse chestnuts (not edible) or real chestnuts which can be eaten, gumnuts? What would it be like to find gold or treasure? Videos Goldilocks and the three bears. What would you do if you found a house with no-one at home? Activities Crayon or white candle picture with paint wash - 'find' the picture coming through Paint a face on a rock Spray paint / print feathers Paint / texta a picture of someone finding something. Make an Art mural or Statue of found items or parts of a clock, nothing sharp. Play pass the parcel with plenty of 'surprises' to go around, in each layer. Play the game 'Bear hunt' We're going on a bear hunt, we're going to find a big one Toilet, Wash hands, Morning tea Stories There are many stories about lost items of clothing or lost children, also stories of found treasure Tell the story of Cinderella and the found glass shoe Goldilocks and the three bears or, again, The three little kittens who lost their mittens and see who can stand beside you to help tell the story. Sayings / Beliefs / Morals / Honesty Finders Keepers, Loosers Weepers Eureka! I've found it If you find something important, take it to the Lost and Found Rewards. What is valuable to you? What would you pay a reward for if you lost it? Is a hug a good reward? Top of page Smelly Day Playdough perfumed playdough - add rose water Make flowers Discussion table perfumed soaps, pot-pourri, gum leaves, pine needles Yellow circle discuss things bought by children How do we smell things? What things smell good / bad? Why do things smell bad? What are rotten foods and smells? What do we do with our garbage? What is Mould? Why do we have a bath or shower? Activities Sew a smelly bag. Children can easily manage this if big blunt needles are pre threaded and double knotted with colored cotton. Have a box of patterned thin material squares or odd shapes ready for them to take time choosing a piece. Have some sticks of rosemary, lavender, lemon verbena or whatever herbs are available ready for the stuffing. They don't need to be dried and probably are easier to handle if green and not spikey or brittle. Draw picture of flowers, garden Help children scribble a big drawing of a garbage dump with black textas. Have them draw in the little spaces between the scribbles with colored pencil, or glue on little pictures of the things we throw away. Toilet wash hands Why do we wash our hands? Look at fingernails. Check any scratches. Why do we need to wash scrapes and sores? Lavender and rosemary used to be used to keep things clean and smelling nice. Sometimes it smells when we go to the toilet, that is normal. Talk about 'passing wind' as being normal rather than naughty. It is only rude if we make ourselves 'burp' at other people. Books on Flowers, Gardens, Perfumes, soap making, garbage collection, washing out containers for recycling Songs Make up a song about garbage collection day... I am the driver in the big truck...mime movements Here is the lever that moves the arm Here is the big arm that picks the bin up Up, up up and into the truck Shake it all out and down it gently goes. Oh no. I've dropped the bin. Top of page |
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