Topic of Study – I Am a Unique Person

A child’s world begins with self and family and gradually extends to the community in which he or she lives.

Preschool teachers often include in their curriculum a topic of study focusing on self. As children explore the topic, they become aware of their unique characteristics as well as those characteristics they share with other children.

By involving children in the topic of study, “I Am a Unique Person,” they will learn more about Introduction themselves and about the other children in their classroom.

Teacher Note: This topic of study is important to include in the curriculum you plan. However, each child’s uniqueness and developing strengths and capabilities should be a daily focus in all preschool classrooms. Everyday, each child in your care should be made to feel that “I am uniquely me.”

Here are three big ideas about the topic “I Am a Unique Person”

 There are some things about me that are unique: birthday, name, gender, color of skin, hair and eyes, and abilities.

 I am learning to do many things that I couldn’t do before.

Big Ideas  I can make choices.

• Pictures of children that reflect diversity, including abilities. Laminate or cover the pictures with clear, self-adhesive paper. Place strips of felt, Velcro or magnetic tape on the back of each picture. • Sequence cards with pictures that reflect different ages of people: baby, toddler, preschool, school age (8 to 10), and adult • Photos of each child at different ages (baby, toddler and current, for example) • Children’s books about the uniqueness of children : Materials to A My Name Is Alice by Jane Bayer, illustrated by Steven Kellogg Collect and You Are Special, Little One by Nancy Tafuri Whoever You Are by Mem Fox, illustrated by Leslie Staub Make Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae, illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees • Felt or Magnetic Board • Crayons that represent skin tones • Photo and name cards for each child • Name and photo puzzle for each child • Unbreakable mirror in the bottom of a box with cover • Full length safety mirror attached to wall or free standing • Dressing boards that snap, button, zip and shoes for lacing and tying. (Purchased or teacher-made) • Lacing people shapes. (See Attachment: Boy and Girl Shape for Lacing.) Lacing cards can easily be made from vinyl place mats cut out in shapes and holes can be punched with hand hole-punch. Use shoe laces for lacing.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 1 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

• Check with your local library for the availability of children’s books.

• Children’s books can be purchased online, from school supply catalogs or local bookstores.

• Dressing boards can be purchased from school supply catalogs. Resources Introduction: Finding out what Children Know about the Uniqueness of Each Child

Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 5.8 Participates in group discussion

To introduce the topic of “I Am a Unique Person” you need to find out what children already know about the topic. This allows you to build on your children’s experiences. It also helps create an interest in the topic. Here’s how to begin. Introducing and • Gather the children in a group. Concluding • Bring to the group area an unbreakable mirror safely attached to the bottom of a box which has a lid. Explain to children that there is something unique in the box. Help the Topic children understand that unique means there is only one like it in the whole world. • Look in the box and say,”I see something very unique in this box. I am going to pass the box around and let each of you look in the box and pass it to your neighbor. Do not say what is in the box”. • Allow each child a turn to look in the mirror in the box. • Ask children, “Did each of you see the same thing in the box or did each of you see something unique?” • Discuss with children that each one saw his or her unique self in the mirror and that each of us is different. • Say, “For the next few days we’re going to be learning about our unique selves.” • Write on chart paper, chalkboard or marker board the words “I Am a Unique Person.” • Invite children to tell you things they already know about how each is a unique person. Suggest that children look at each other and name some ways they are different. Guide children to notice and describe physical characteristics rather than their clothing. • Review the list with them and say, “You already know a lot of things about how each of you is unique and we’ll learn even more.” • Keep the list until you have completed the topic of study.

Teacher Note: If there is a child in your group with a disability, discuss that this is something that is unique to the child. ______Conclusion: Finding out What Children Have Learned about the Uniqueness of Each Child • Gather the children in a group at the conclusion of the study about the uniqueness of each child. • Write on chart paper, chalkboard or marker board, “Things We Learned about I Am a Unique Person.” • Invite children to tell you some things they have learned. You may have to ask prompt questions such as “What are some things about each of you that is unique?” “How are you also alike?” “What are some things that you can now do that you couldn’t do when you were a baby or a toddler?” • Make a list of all the things children learned about the uniqueness of each child. • Read the first list you made with the children. Then say, “Here are some new things you found out about I Am a Unique Person” and read today’s list with the children.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 2 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

Benchmark: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them

Book #1: A My Name Is Alice by Jane Bayer, illustrated by Steven Kellogg

First Reading of A My Name Is Alice • Prepare to read the book, A My Name Is Alice. • Show the cover, give title, and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the words and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures) Reading • Repeat the title and ask each child to say his or her name. Books with • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. Children • Follow up by showing each page and involving children in discussing names in the story that are familiar to them and names that they have never heard before.

Teacher Note: While reading to the whole group consider not reading the names of the animals at the bottom of the page. Save this for a small group reading. Learn the correct pronunciation for each of the unfamiliar animals. See the last page of the book for facts about less familiar creatures in the story. ______Second Reading of A My Name Is Alice • Show the cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Invite children to recall the names of some of the animals in the book. For example, Barbara and Bob. • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading of the story by distributing individual name cards. • Review each child’s name card and call attention to the letter the name begins with. • Reread each page and invite children to look at their name cards to see if their name begins with the letter on the page. Run your hand under the letter as you say it. • Help each child be successful with this activity. Acknowledge children’s successes by stating, “Yes, Benjamin, your name begins with a B, just like Barbara and Bob,” as you run your finger under the names in the book.

Additional Benchmark: 3.7 Identifies letters and signs in the environment

Teacher Note: Repeat this reading and follow up activity at a later time if children appear interested. This is also appropriate as a small group activity. ______Third Reading of A My Name Is Alice (Small Group) • Gather a small group of children, three to five. • Show the cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Review this small group reading by inviting children to name the animals that they know on each page. • Introduce the unfamiliar animals to the children and invite them to say the names with you.

Additional Benchmark: 5.3 Expands vocabulary

Teacher Note: Allow each child in the classroom an opportunity to participate in this small group activity. ______Fourth Reading of A My Name Is Alice (Small Group) • Gather a small group of children, three to five • Show the cover, give title, author and illustrator • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 3 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

• Review this small group reading by showing pages, especially those that represent the first letter in the name of each child that is in the group. • Call attention to the featured letter and say, “This is a D. Daniel, can you find another letter that looks like this one?” Help the child locate the D in Doris, Dave and Denmark. • Help each child be successful with this activity.

Additional Benchmark: 3.7 Identifies letters and signs in the environment

Teacher Note: Allow each child in the classroom an opportunity to participate in this small group activity. ______

Book #2 You Are Special, Little One by Nancy Tafuri

First Reading of You Are Special, Little One • Prepare to read the book, You Are Special, Little One • Show the cover, give the title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the words and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Invite children to look at the cover and predict what the story is about. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Introduce unfamiliar words to children as you are reading the story. For example, a savannah is a place with lots of grass and a few trees, a burrow is a hole in the ground dug by an animal, an icy floe is a piece of floating ice, a lodge is where beavers live, and a thicket is a thick growth of shrubs or bushes. • Follow up by showing the pages and inviting children to name animals that are featured.

Additional Benchmark: 5.3 Expands vocabulary ______

Second Reading of You Are Special, Little One • Show the cover, give the title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading of the story by showing the pages where the baby animal asks, “How am I Special?” Read the question, then turn the page and invite children to discuss how the Mamma and Papa animal say their little one is special. • Conclude each discussion by reading with children the words, “You are so special, and we will love you forever and ever and always.” ______

Third Reading of You Are Special, Little One (Small Group) • Become familiar with the names of the additional animals found in the book. See the copyright page for the names of the animals. • Gather a small group, three to five children. • Show the cover, give the title, author and illustrator. Invite children to say what the author and the illustrator do. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the third reading by showing the pages with the additional animals and introducing the names of the animals. For example, the bird on the page with the lions is a “weaver bird.” • Invite the children to discuss all of the animals in the book and what they know about them.

Additional Benchmark: 5.3 Expands vocabulary

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 4 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

Book #3: Whoever You Are by Mem Fox, illustrated by Leslie Staub

First Reading of Whoever You Are • Prepare to read the book, Whoever You Are. • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Ask children to look at the children on the cover and discuss how they are alike (all have same body parts, for example) and how they are different (different color of skin, eyes and hair, for example). • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by showing the pages that present differences (skin, homes, schools, land, lives, words). • Invite children to look at illustrations and discuss the differences they can see.

Additional Benchmark: 1.15 Understands and respects differences ______

Second Reading of Whoever You Are • Prepare to read the book, Whoever You Are. • Show cover, invite children to recall the title, give author and illustrator. • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by showing the pages where likenesses are presented (hearts, smiles, laughs, hurts, cry, joys, love, pain, blood) • Invite children to look at the illustrations and discuss the likenesses. Encourage them to discuss that they all smile, laugh, hurt and cry, for example. ______Book #4: Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae, illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees

First Reading of Giraffes Can’t Dance • Prepare to read the book, Giraffes Can’t Dance • Invite children to tell you what they know about giraffes. Ask questions such as, “Have you ever seen a giraffe?” Where did you see a giraffe?” “What are some things you noticed about the giraffe?” “How tall do you think a giraffe might be?” • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that author is person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures) • Ask children if they think giraffes can or can’t dance and to explain their answers. • Read book with children sitting so all can see the pictures. • Follow up with questions such as, “Were you right?” “Could Gerald the giraffe dance?” “What music did Gerald dance to?” “How do you think Gerald felt when the other animals called him clumsy and weird?” “How do you think Gerald felt when he danced and the animals said, ‘Gerald’s the best dancer that we’ve ever seen’?”

Additional Benchmarks: 1.6 Demonstrates confidence in growing abilities 1.27 Identifies and understands other’s emotions and intentions ______

Second Reading of Giraffes Can’t Dance • Prepare to read the book, Giraffes Can’t Dance. • Show cover and ask children to recall the title. Give the author and illustrator. • Follow up the second reading by showing each page and having children tell the story by looking at the pictures.

Additional Benchmark: 3.2 Uses picture cues to tell a story in sequence

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 5 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

Third Reading of Giraffes Can’t Dance (Small Group) • Gather a small group, three to five children • Prepare to read the book, Giraffes Can’t Dance • Invite children to recall the title. Give author and illustrator. • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the third reading by pausing at the end of a line and inviting children to fill in the missing word. For example, read, “Gerald was a tall giraffe whose neck was long and ______(slim). But his knees were awfully crooked and his legs were rather _____ (thin). Run your hands under the words as you read the story.

Additional Benchmark: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message

Teacher Note: The process of pausing and allowing children to fill in the missing word is called the cloze technique.

ABC I Like Me! by Nancy Carlson

All By Myself by Aliki

I Like Me! by Nancy Carlson

People by Peter Spier Additional Books Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood

Titch by Pat Hutchins

Benchmarks: 5.1 Demonstrates phonological awareness (hearing and recognizing the sounds of language) 5.5 Participates in songs, finger plays, rhyming activities and games

The Giraffe

I went walking one sunny day Language And guess what I saw coming my way? Materials and I saw an animal walking toward me Eating the leaves off the top of a tree. Activities He had the longest neck I’ve ever seen As he ate the leaves that were so very green.

This animal I saw was really quite tall With legs so thin I thought he might fall.

This strange looking animal was a sight to behold. This very tall animal was a giraffe, I’m told. -Dot Brown

Teacher Note: Say this poem with the children as an introduction to a reading of the story, Giraffes Can’t Dance.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 6 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

I Am Special (Sing to tune of “Are You Sleeping?)

I am special, I am special, Yes, I am. Yes, I am. I’m so very special, I’m so very special. Yes, I am. Yes, I am.

I Am Mary (Sing to tune of “Are You Sleeping?”)

I am Mary, I am Mary. Yes, I am. Yes, I am. Yes, my name is Mary, Yes, my name is Mary. Here I am. Here I am.

Teacher Note: Substitute each child’s name for Mary as you sing the song.

Hicky Picky Bumblebee

Hicky picky bumblebee (clap in rhythm) Won’t you say your name to me? (point to a child) Eduardo (child says name) Eduardo (teacher repeats the name) Let’s say it. Eduardo. (teacher and children say name)

Teacher Note: Repeat this rhyme for each child in the group. Vary the rhyme on other days by changing the request and response. Suggestions follow and you are invited to add other variations. Hicky picky bumblebee (clap in rhythm) Won’t you say your name to me? (point to a child) Melody (child says name) Melody (teacher repeats the name) Let’s clap it. Mel-o-dy (clap the syllables in Melody)

Hicky picky bumble (clap in rhythm) Won’t you say your name to me? (point to a child) Trey (child says name) Trey (teacher repeats the name) Let’s stomp it. (stomp the syllables in Trey) ______

Did You Ever See Our Ryan? (Sing to tune of, “Did You Ever See a Lassie?)

Did you ever see our Ryan, Our Ryan, our Ryan? Did you ever see our Ryan, Our Ryan, our friend?

Teacher Note: Continue the song until everyone’s name has been included.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 7 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

Growing (Suit actions to words)

When I was a baby, I was so small. I could not speak a word at all. I could not sing, I could not talk. I could not crawl, I could not walk.

Now look at me, I grew and grew. Now that I’m (age), here’s some things I can do, I learned to crawl, and then to walk. I learned to sing and learned to talk.

When I was a baby, I was so small, Now that I’m (age) I am so tall. I’ll keep on growing and learning things new. What exciting things I’ll learn to do.

Teacher Note: Involve children in discussing the new things they think they will learn and do as they reach the next age; five for example. ______

All By Myself (Suit actions to words)

There are many things that I can do All by myself! I can comb my hair and brush my teeth All by myself. I can wash my hands and wash my face All by myself. I can pick up my toys and put them away All by myself.

Teacher Note: Invite children to add lines to the poem about things they can do “All by myself.” Include things they do in the classroom. ______Benchmarks: 1.1 Demonstrates ability to make choices 1.2 Demonstrates independence in personal care 1.6 Demonstrates confidence in growing abilities 1.19 Works cooperatively with others 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing)

Activity: A Story about Me • Create a book for each child. (See Attachment: “A Story About Me”) • Involve children in developing their books during the following topics of study: I Am a Unique Person, I Have an Amazing Body, I Use my Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment, and I Have Feelings and Emotions. • Involve children in adding to the book as different activities are completed during the four topics of study that are identified. • Add to the “I Can Do It” page as children accomplish the different tasks. Include dates that child accomplishes each task, either with help or independently.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 8 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 3.7 Identifies letters and signs in the environment

Activity: Class Birthday Book • Create a class birthday book. Allow one page for each child. Suggested page size is 8½ X 11”. • Involve each child in completing his or her page. • Make a cover for the book. • Consider using rings to put the cover and the pages together. • Read the book with the children at least once per week.

Our Class Sarah’s Birthday is Birthday Book

August 11. ______Benchmarks: 3.10 Classifies objects by physical features such as shape or color 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing) 3.31 Identifies self as a boy or girl

Activity: I Spy a Unique Person • Include this activity with either a small or large group of children. • Begin to describe a child in the group by saying: “I spy a very special person. I want you to listen as I describe that person and guess who it is.” • Describe characteristics such as gender, age, color and length of hair and how it is styled, color of eyes, things the child likes to do, and other characteristics that are unique to that child. Encourage the children to look at each other as the person is being described.

Teacher Note: Describe clothing only if children are unable to guess who it is by the characteristics you describe. The purpose of the activity is to focus on the child. ______Benchmarks: 3.4 Demonstrates visual discrimination and visual memory skills 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 4.6 Coordinates eye and hand movements to complete tasks

Activity: Photo and Name Puzzle (Small Group Activity) • Gather a small group, from four to six children. • Place on the table the two piece photo and name puzzle pieces for the children in the group. • Invite children to match their photo to their name. • Allow the children to play with the puzzles independently. Observe to see if they match other children’s names and photos.

Teacher Note: Make a photo name puzzle for each child using card stock or a large index card. Make the puzzles self-correcting by making each cut different for each child’s puzzle. Cut between the name and the photo. Store four to six puzzles in a clear, self-closing bag and allow children to use on their own. Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 9 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

Benchmark: 3.7 Identifies letters and signs in the environment

Activity: My Name Is • Have alphabet cards that represent the first letters of each child's name. • Provide each child with his or her name card. • Hold up a card and say, "B my name is..." and invite children to look at their name cards to see if the first letter in their name matches the letter you are holding up. • Help each child be successful with this activity. • Acknowledge their efforts and successes. For example, say "Yes, Benjamin. B your name is Benjamin."

Benchmark: 3.15 Demonstrates an understanding of number (how many) and numeral (3 is a numeral) relationship

Activity: What Color Are My Eyes? • Create a chart to graph eye color of the children in the classroom. • Bring a hand-held mirror to group time and have each child look in the mirror and say Science / color of eyes. Discovery and Math Our Eye Color

7 6 5 Jonathan 4 James Miguel 3 Kennedi Trude Juan 2 Sam Maria Sarah 1 Ashley Elizabeth Jackson

Brown Green Blue

• Write a summary story.

Our Eye Color

Five children have brown eyes. Three children have green eyes. Four children have blue eyes.

• Insert the information about each child’s eye color into that child’s “A Story About Me” book.

______

Activity: What Color Is My Hair? • Create a chart to graph hair color of the children in the classroom. • Bring a hand-held mirror to group time and have each child look in the mirror and say color of hair.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 10 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

Our Hair Color

7 6 5 Jonathan 4 James Miguel 3 Kennedy Trude Juan 2 Sam Maria Sarah 1 Ashley Elizabeth Jackson

Brown Black Blonde

. • Write a summary story

Our Hair Color

Five children have brown hair. Three children have black hair. Four children have blonde hair.

• Insert the information about each child’s eye color into that child’s “A Story About Me” book. ______Activity: How Many Boys and How Many Girls? • Ask a boy to start one line and a girl to start another line. State that this line is for boys and this one is for girls. • Invite children to stand in correct line. • Involve children in counting the number of boys in one line and the number of girls in the other. • Discuss with children which line has the most and which has the least. • Write a summary story of the experience

Our Class

We have eight girls in our class. We have twelve boys in our class. There are more boys than girls in our class.

Additional Benchmark: 3.31Identifies self as boy or girl. Benchmarks: 4.3 Tries new foods before deciding whether he/she likes them 4.6 Coordinates eye-hand movements to complete task

Activity: Spreading Butter • Introduce food/nutrition experiences with a simple task such as spreading butter on toast or on crackers. • Provide each child with a table knife, a small plate, a piece of toast or crackers, and a small amount of butter. Food/ • Invite children to spread the butter on the toast or crackers. Nutrition • Serve with milk or juice.

Experience Teacher Note: Allow the children to do as much of these food experiences as possible. Teacher Note: Teachers and children should always wash hands before participating in a food experience. Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 11 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

Benchmark: 4.10 Throws, kicks, bounces and catches

Activity: Beanbag Name Game • Invite children to hold hands and form a circle, drop hands and sit down. • Sit in the circle with the children holding a beanbag in your hand. • Say, “Hello, my name is (teacher’s name),” and hand the beanbag to the child on your right. • Invite the child with the beanbag to say his or her name and hand the beanbag to the Movement/ next child. Physical • Continue around the circle until the beanbag gets back to you. ______Education Activity: Beanbag Toss • Follow up the Beanbag Name Game with Beanbag Toss. • Place a basket on the floor. • Create a line on the floor with masking tape or a piece of rope or yarn. • Allow each child a turn to toss two or three beanbags into the basket. • Help each child be successful.

Benchmarks: 2.10 Explores and manipulates art media 2.12 Prepares art project and then works with care

Art Center Activity: Skin Tone Crayons • Add crayons that are skin tone. • Call children’s attention to the crayons and suggest that they locate a crayon that best Learning matches the color of their skin. Centers Activity: Body Drawing • Provide strips of paper that are large enough to trace around each child’s body. • Place paper on floor and have children, one at a time, lie on their backs on the paper. • Trace around each child’s body outline. • Provide a full length mirror and encourage children to look at themselves. Suggest that they look at the color of their skin, hair and eyes, and at the clothing they are wearing. • Suggest that children fill in their features and clothing using markers, crayons, and tempera paint. Be sure to include skin colors. • Provide yarn, large buttons and fabric scraps for children who have had experience with making collages. • Allow this project to take place over several days. • Suggest that children write their name or you can write it on their body drawing. • Invite children to dictate something about themselves as you write it under their body drawing. • Display the body drawings in the classroom. • Invite families to view the displays.

Teacher Note: Consider adding this body drawing to the child’s portfolio. Repeat the process in six months and allow children to compare their body drawings and notice the changes in their size. Their creative art ability may have also changed.

Activity: Self-portrait • Invite children to draw a self-portrait for their book, A Story about Me. • Involve children in adding the self-portrait to their book.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 12 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

Activity: People Mural • Post a large sheet of butcher paper on the wall. • Divide the paper into three sections. Label each section as follows: Babies, Children and Adults. • Involve children in selecting one picture to represent each section of the paper and glue it to the appropriate section of the paper. • Provide magazines that include pictures of people of different ages. • Suggest that children cut pictures from the magazines and add them to the appropriate section of the mural. • Allow children to add to this mural for the entire week.

Benchmark: 3.11 Classifies objects conceptually (things that go together) ______Block Center • Add to the block center small people figures that reflect diversity. • Add animals that are featured in the book, You Are Special, Little One. ______Library/Book Corner • Add books about the uniqueness of each child. • Add pictures of children that reflect diversity; pictures that have been laminated or covered with clear, self-adhesive paper and to which Velcro, felt or magnet strips have been added to the back. • Add a felt or magnetic board. ______Home Living/Dramatic Play • Add both male and female dress up clothes and accessories. Provide clothes that children can put on by themselves and that have large buttons. • Allow children to dress up in the clothes of their choice . Teacher Note: Add only enough clothes to accommodate the number of children allowed in the center. Demonstrate for children the proper way to put away the items when they have finished playing with them. This means that there must be adequate storage for the clothing items. Rotate items as children’s interests change.

Teacher Note: Provide dress up clothes that are safe. For example, make sure dresses are a length to not cause tripping and shoes have low heels. ______Benchmark: 4.7 Uses small muscles for self-help skills

Manipulatives • Add the dressing boards. Demonstrate skills such as snapping and describe what you are doing. Observe children as they use them and make notes of the skills that children accomplish. Help children to be successful. Encourage children to focus on one skill at a time.

• Add the lacing people shapes and shoe laces. Introduce the children to the shapes and laces. Demonstrate how to lace around the cards.

Teacher Note: Children may lace in many different ways and directions. Accept all efforts. The process is more important than the product.

Teacher Note: Encourage children to pull the laces out when they have completed lacing around the shape so it will be ready for the next person.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 13 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

Science/Discovery • Add the sequence cards, from baby to adult, to the science/discovery center. • Invite children to put the cards in order and discuss why they sequenced the cards as they did. ______Quiet Corner • Create a quiet corner in your classroom; a place where children can go to be alone and to get away from the stresses of group living. • Place soft items in the quiet corner. Carpet on the floor, soft pillows, and soft and cuddly stuffed animals or dolls are examples. • Discuss with children when they might want to go to the quiet corner. When they are angry and need to get away from the source of their anger? When they are sad and need to be alone? When the room gets too noisy and they need a quiet spot? • Explain to children that the quiet corner is for one child at a time.

Jack Be Nimble • Place a block in the middle of the circle. • Chant the following: (Child’s name) be nimble, (Child’s name) be quick. (Child’ name) jump over the candlestick. • Child transitions to next activity. ______Transition Name Cards with Photos Activities • Have name cards with photos • Show a name card and ask children to identify the child by name. • Child transitions to next activity ______Benchmark: 3.18 Shows an awareness of time concepts

Five More Minutes Till Clean Up Time (Sing to tune of Mary Had A Little Lamb) • Give children advance notice of clean up time so that they can begin to complete their play activities. • Sing this song as a way to give children notice: “ Five more minutes till clean up time, Clean up time, clean up time. Five more minutes till clean up time. Then we’ll clean up our room.” ______This Is the Way We Clean Up Our Room (Sing to tune of Mulberry Bush) • Begin to sing, ”This is the way we clean up our room” when it is time for children to put away toys. • Include specific directions in the song. For example, sing, “This is the way we put blocks on the shelf.” “This is the way we fold/hang up the clothes.” “This is the way we put up the puzzles.” “This is the way we put books on the shelf.” • Create words for the song that fit the situation. ______Who’ll Clean Up for Me? • Use the rhyme, “Hicky Picky Bumblebee” as a transition. • Say, “Hicky Picky Bumblebee, who’ll put up the blocks for me? Hicky Picky Bumblebee, Erica, James and Selena will put up the blocks for me.” (Say names of children who are playing in the area.

Teacher Note: Give children advance notice prior to clean up time; five minutes, for example.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 14 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

Learning Center Cards

• Make a set of cards representing each of the learning centers you have available for children during the time they select where to play. For example, make a card on which you write “Art Center” and add a picture of crayons and markers, a card on which you write “Block Center” and add a picture of one of the types of blocks you have available On each card write the number of children who can be in that center. For example, if four children can play in the block center, write the numeral 4 on that card. • Show each card to the children, discuss with them the name of the center and some of the materials they will find there, and the number of children who can play in that center at one time. • Turn the cards face up on the floor as children are preparing to go from group time to learning center time. • Show a child’s name card and help the child recognize his or her name card. Invite the child to select a center card. Help the child name the center and discuss what he or she might do in the center. • Ask the child to go to the selected center. • Remove a learning center card when the designated number of children have selected that center.

Sabrina

Block Center - 4

Teacher Note: Have a fair system for allowing children to select a center. For example, have the children’s name cards in the same order each day. When the first child has selected a learning center, put that child’s name card last in the stack.

Send home a note to parents stating for the next few days the children will be learning about themselves and how they are unique. Suggest some ways families can be involved in the topic of study: • Send photos of their child as an infant, a toddler (18 months to 36 months), and a current photo. • Include the titles and authors of some of the children’s books about the uniqueness of children. Suggest that they look for these books in the local library, check them out and read them with their child. Family • Ask families to share with you how they chose the name they did for their child. Activities • Share with families their child’s book, “A Story About Me”. • Invite families to look at their child’s body drawing. Explain to them that you will keep the drawing in their child’s portfolio and add another one in six months that will show how much child has grown. • Send home The Family Connection Activity #1B sheet, page 16, and ask that families complete and return it to you.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 15 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

THE FAMILY CONNECTION Activity #1B “I Can Do It”

Dear Families,

In our classroom, children can do many things for themselves. We say the children are “acting independently.” We thought you might like to know some of the things your child does in our classroom, either with help or independently. No ______can: With help Independently opportunity to observe -----wash hands -----use the toilet -----zip and unzip -----snap -----button -----put on coat -----tie shoe laces -----help set table for snack and meals -----rest quietly on cot/mat -----fold covers after rest time -----use tissue to blow nose -----help put away toys -----other (list) ______Join us in helping your child “act independently.” It sometimes takes a little more time for children to be independent and it takes a lot of patience. It’s worth it. The children are so proud when they can say “I did it all by myself!”

We’d like to hear from you. What are some things your child does at home that we do not know about?

Sincerely, ______Date:______signature

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 16 I Am a Unique Person - Revised

Weekly Plan Sheet Week of Topic of Study I Am A Unique Person Teacher(s) Day Group Time #1 Group Time #2 Small Group Activities Transition Activities Special Activities Monday FP: Hicky Picky Bumblebee FP: I Am Mary – p. 7 – p. 7 First Reading of A My Name Introduction: Finding out Is Alice – p.3 what children know about I Photo and Name Puzzle Learning Center Cards – My Name Is – p. 10 Am A Unique Person – p.2 FP or Song: Did You Ever See Our Ryan? – p.7 – p. 9 p. 15 FP or Song: I Am Special – p. 6 Tuesday FP: Growing – p. 8 FP: Hicky Picky Bumblebee – p. 7 First Reading of You Are Special, Little One – p.4 Second Reading of A My AStory About Me –p.8 NameCards with Photos Beanbag Name Game – Name Is Alice –p. 3 – p. 14 p. 12 FP or Song: I Am Special – p.7 FP or Song: I Am Mary – p.7 Wednesday FP: All By Myself – p. 8 FP: Growing – p.8

First Reading of Whoever Second Reading of You Are You Are –p. 5 Special, Little One – p. 4 What Color Are My Five More Minutes Till How Many Boys and Eyes? – p.10 Clean Up Time – p. 14 How Many Girls? – p. 11 FP or Song: I Am Special – FP or Song: I Spy a Unique p. 7 Person – p.9 Thursday FP: The Giraffe – p.6 FP: All By Myself – p.8

First Reading of Giraffes Second Reading of Can’t Dance – p.5 Whoever You Are – p. 5 Class Birthday Book – This Is the Way We Beanbag Toss – p. 12 p. 9 Clean Up Our Room – FP or Song: I Am Mary – FP or Song: Did You Ever p.7 See Our Ryan? – p.7 p. 14 Friday FP: The Giraffe – p.6 FP: Growing – p.8

Second Reading of Giraffes Conclusion: Finding out What Color Is My Hair? – Can’t Dance – p. 5 what children have learned p.10 Jack Be Nimble – p. 14 Spreading Butter – p. 11 about I Am a Unique Person- FP or Song: I Am Special – p.2 p.7 FP or Song: I Am Mary – p.7 Changes to the Environment (Props, materials added to Centers) Art Blocks Books Dramatic Play / Manipulatives Sand / Water Science / Discovery Home Living Skin Tone Crayons, Add small people Add books and Add male and female Add dressing boards, Water Sequence cards – Body Drawing, figures that reflect pictures and a felt or dress up clothes and lacing people shapes p. 14 Self-Portrait – p. 12 diversity, and small magnetic board accessories and shoe laces People Mural – p. 13 animals featured in Sand book You Are Special, Little One Girl Shape for Lacing

Boy Shape far Lacing

A Story About Me

Place child’s photo here

by

(child’s name)

(date) This is a very special book because it is about someone who is a very unique person. This story is about me!

My name is ______

My family named me this because .

I ama ______(girl/boy)

I’m a very special person because nobody else looks, thinks, or acts just like me.

I kind of look like this:

My Self-Portrait My birthday is ______This is what I looked like when I was a baby.

Place child’s baby picture here

This is what I looked like when I was a toddler.

Place child’s toddler picture here

People say I look like .

I’m ______years and ______months old.

I’m ______inches tall. I weigh ______pounds.

My eyes are ______.

My hair is______.

2 I have very special eyes to see very special things. My favorite color is ______. One of the most beautiful things I ever saw was

.

I have a special nose on my face that is good for breathing and smelling. I like the smell of ______, but don’t like the smell of ______.

Under my nose I have a special mouth that is good for eating and in my mouth is a tongue that is good for tasting. My favorite things to eat are ______,

and ______. I have special ears to hear all kinds of things. I like to hear ,but I don’t like to hear .

I also have very special hands. Hands can feel things that are soft and things that are rough. Some of my favorite things I like to feel with my hands are .

Hands can be especially nice when they are holding someone else’ s hand. I like to hold hands with .

3 I also like to help with my hands. I especially like to help .

4 I have lots of different feelings. I feel love for others. I feel happiness. Sometimes I feel sadness, anger and fear.

Some people I love are

.

I’m happy when

.

I’m sad when .

Sometimes I get mad when

. Sometimes I am afraid when .

Here is a picture of someone I love.

5 There are many things I am learning to do. Some things I can do by myself. Some things I can do with help from others.

I can do it all by I can do it with help myself

------wash hands

------use the toilet

------zip and unzip

------snap

------button

------put on coat

------tie shoe laces

------help set table for snack and meals ------rest quietly on cot/mat

------fold covers after rest time

------use tissue to blow nose

------help put away toys

6

Topic of Study – I Have an Amazing Body

Three and four year old children are fascinated by their bodies and what they can do. They never tire of commanding adults to “Watch me” as they acquire and practice new physical skills such as climbing, running fast, completing a puzzle or snapping their fingers for the first time. Their increasing ability to control both large and small muscles allows them to do more and more things for themselves.

In planning with children activities related to their bodies, be sensitive to anyone in the group with a disability. Keep activities flexible and open-ended and concentrate on things children can do rather Introduction than things they are not able to do. This applies to all the children in the group.

Children’s bodies are an integral part of who they are – their “self.” When children are given opportunities to enjoy and be successful in experiences involving their bodies, they feel good about themselves and what they can do. Know your children well and use the suggested activities in ways that will help them know and take pride in their bodies.

Here are three big ideas about their bodies you can help children explore:

 My body has many parts

 My body grows and changes

Big Ideas  My body can move

• Pictures of people involved in physical activities such as walking, running, playing sports and using their hands to perform tasks • Children’s books about bodies: Here Are My Hands by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Ted Rand From Head to Toe by Eric Carle My Hands by Aliki • Storytelling figures (felt or magnetic) for the book, From Head to Toe. Locate at Materials to B.A.M.M.M.! – Books and Movement - A Magical Mix, Learning Activity #1 – I Can Move Collect and My Body in Many Ways, on the Arkansas Better Beginnings website. • Felt or Magnetic Board Make • Body parts cards: Make 10 to 12 pairs of matching picture cards with body parts such as nose, mouth, face, feet, fingers, toes, elbows. Label each card with the name of the body part. Laminate or cover the cards with clear self-adhesive paper for durability. • Hoops 18” in diameter • Beanbags • Bean Bag Activities CD or Cassette • Scales for weighing children • Adding machine tape for measuring children • Lacing cards in the shape of hands and feet and shoelaces • Sponges cut in the shape of hands and feet • Photos of children using their hands in different learning centers • Signs that state how children use their hands in different learning centers Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 1 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

• Cotton balls • Ice tongs • Gloves • “Brain Sprinkles” can: Cover a can such as a Pringles can with self-adhesive paper in either a color or pattern (not clear). Put ¼ cup rice in the can and glue or tape on the lid. Label the can, “Brain Sprinkles.”

• Check with your local library for the availability of children’s books.

• Children’s books can be purchased online, from school supply catalogs or local bookstores.

• Contact the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education for the following materials or locate at B.A.M.M.M.! – Books and Movement - A Magical Mix, on the Resources Arkansas Better Beginnings website.

 B.A.M.M.M.! – Books and Movement - A Magical Mix, Learning Activity #1 – I Can Move My Body in Many Ways. Patterns for making storytelling figures for the book, From Head to Toe

Introduction: Finding out What Children Know about Their Amazing Bodies

Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 5.8 Participates in group discussion

To introduce the topic of “I have an amazing body” you need to find out what children already know about the topic. This allows you to build on your children’s experiences. It also helps create an Introducing interest in the topic. Here’s how to begin. and • Gather the children in a group. Say, “For the next few days we’re going to be learning Concluding about our bodies.” the Topic • Write on chart paper, chalk board or marker board the words “Our Amazing Bodies.” • Invite children to tell you things they already know about their bodies. You may have to point to several body parts and ask children to name them, and then state that “These are all parts of our bodies. What are some things these body parts can do?” Make a list of all of the things children know about their bodies.” • Review the list with them and say, “You already know a lot of things about your bodies and we’ll find out even more.” • Keep the list until you have completed the topic of study. ______

Conclusion: Finding out What Children Have Learned about Their Amazing Bodies

• Gather the children in a group at the conclusion of the study about their bodies. • Write on chart paper, chalk board or marker board, “Things We Learned about Our Amazing Bodies.” • Invite children to tell you some things they have learned about their bodies. You may have to ask prompt questions such as “What are some things we learned our bodies can do?” and “How has your body changed from the time you were a baby until now?” • Make a list of all the things children learned about their bodies. • Read the first list you made with the children. Then say, “Here are some new things you found out about your amazing bodies” and read today’s list with the children.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 2 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

Benchmarks: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them 4.1 Identifies body parts and understands their functions

Book #1: Here Are My Hands by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Ted Rand

First Reading of Here Are My Hands • Prepare to read the book, Here Are My Hands. • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who Reading writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) Books with • Ask children to look at hands shown on the cover and identify how they are different (color, Children size, some have mittens, gloves and a baseball glove). • Show title page (double spread) and invite children to describe what is happening with hands on this page. • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by showing each page and inviting children to name the body part shown on that page. ______Second Reading of Here Are My Hands • Prepare to read the book, Here Are My Hands. • Show the cover, give the title, author and illustrator • Read the book so all children can see the pictures. • Follow up the second reading by showing each page and inviting children to point to that part on their own bodies, name the body part, and discuss what that part is doing in the book. ______Third Reading of Here Are My Hands • Prepare to read the book, Here Are My Hands. • Show the cover. Invite children to recall the title. Give name of author and illustrator. • Read the book so all children can see the pictures. • Follow up the third reading by showing the different body parts included in the book and inviting children to discuss additional things that each body part can do. ______Book #2: From Head to Toe by Eric Carle, author and illustrator

First Reading of From Head to Toe • Prepare to read the book, From Head to Toe. • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Ask children to look at the cover and predict what the book is about. • Read the book so all children can see the pictures. • Follow up with questions such as, “Were your predictions about the story correct?” “Which was your favorite animal in the story?” “Why was it your favorite?” ______Second Reading of From Head to Toe • Prepare to read the book, From Head to Toe. • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Follow up the second reading by involving children in the movement activities that are featured in the book. The procedures for this activity follow. • Invite children to stand and make a circle by holding hands. Ask that they drop hands and move back one step to expand the circle so each child has self space (room to move without touching others). • Explain to children that you will read the story again and they can move like the animals in the book. • Stand in the middle of the circle and read the story while children do the movements.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 3 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

Book #3: My Hands by Aliki, author and illustrator

First Reading of My Hands • Prepare to read the book, My Hands • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.). • Write on a chart sheet or chalk or marker board, the following: Things My Hands Can Do. Invite children to tell you all the things their hands can do and write on a chart sheet what they say. • Say to the children, “Let’s read and find out how your list compares to what the story tells us.” • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Pause on page 21, after reading about people who are ambidextrous and what this means. Invite children to repeat the word with you. • Continue reading the story to the end. • Review the list that children dictated to you. • Review each page of the book and compare it to the children’s list. If an activity is in the book that is not on the list, add it to the list. • Read the revised list with the children. Run your fingers under the words as you read them. Additional Benchmark: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message

Things My Hands Can Do

Draw a picture

Throw a ball

______Second Reading of My Hands • Prepare to read the book, My Hands. • Show cover. Invite children to recall the name of the book. Give the author and illustrator. • Read the book so all children can see the pictures. • Review the second reading by inviting children to stand and imitate the actions that the words and pictures suggest. Read or summarize each page to guide the children’s actions.

Third Reading of My Hands (Small Group) • Prepare to read the book, My Hands. • Bring to the group pencils for each child and items that are rough (bark), smooth (a river pebble or piece of fabric that is smooth), and prickly (dry pine cone). Keep items out of sight of children until the end of the story. • Gather a small group of children, from three to five. • Show cover. Invite children to recall the name of the book and to say the name of the author/illustrator with you. • Read the book so all children can see the pictures. • Follow up the third reading by showing children page 18 and reading about things to touch. • Invite children to name things that they have felt that are rough, smooth, prickly, hot and cold.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 4 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

• Show children the items that are rough, smooth and prickly. • Allow children to examine and discuss how the items feel. • Read page 19 about handedness. • Give each child a pencil and ask children to pretend to write with it. • Observe which hand children use to hold their pencil. Discuss with children whether they are left-handed or right-handed.

Additional Benchmarks: 3.10 Classifies objects by physical features such as shape or color 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing)

Teacher Note: Consider reading the book, My Feet by Aliki, with the children and including follow up experiences similar to the ones suggested for My Hands by Aliki.

My Feet by Aliki

Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood

Wee Sing & Learn My Body (book and cassette) by Pamela Conn Beall and Susan Hagen Nipp, illustrated by Winky Adam, published by Price Stern, a division of Penguin Young Readers Additional Choice (2003) Books

Benchmark: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them

Storytelling Figures: From Head to Toe • Make either felt or magnetic storytelling figures for the story • Read the book, From Head to Toe, to the children. • Use the storytelling figures to tell the story. • Explain to the children that the storytelling figures will be in the library/book area for them to use. Language • Demonstrate and discuss with the children the correct way to use the storytelling figures. Materials ______and Benchmarks: 5.1 Demonstrates phonological awareness (hearing and recognizing Activities the sounds of language) 5.5 Participates in songs, finger plays, rhyming activities and games

Looby Loo

Here we go looby loo Here we go looby light Here we go looby loo All on a Saturday night You put your right hand in You take your right hand out You give your hand a shake, shake, shake And turn yourself about

Here we go looby loo Here we go looby light Here we go looby loo

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 5 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

All on a Saturday night You put your left hand in You take your left hand out You give your left hand a shake, shake, shake And turn yourself about

Here we go looby loo Here we go looby light Here we go looby loo All on a Saturday night You put your right foot in You take your right foot out You give your right foot a shake, shake, shake And turn yourself about

Here we go looby loo Here we go looby light Here we go looby loo All on a Saturday night You put your left foot in You take your left foot out You give your left foot a shake, shake, shake And turn yourself about

Here we go looby loo Here we go looby light Here we go looby loo All on a Saturday night You put your head in You take your head out You give your head a shake, shake, shake And turn yourself about

Here we go looby loo Here we go looby light Here we go looby loo All on a Saturday night You put your whole self in You take your whole self out You give your whole self a shake, shake, shake And turn yourself about ______All Together (Sing to tune of The Wheels on the Bus. Suit actions to words)

My hands on my body go clap, clap, clap, Clap, clap clap, Clap, clap, clap. My hands on my body go clap, clap, clap, As we all clap together.

My eyes on my body go blink, blink, blink, Blink, blink, blink, Blink, blink, blink.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 6 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

My eyes on my body go blink, blink, blink, As we all blink together.

My feet on my body go stomp, stomp, stomp, Stomp, stomp, stomp, Stomp, stomp, stomp. My feet on my body go stomp, stomp, stomp, As we all stomp together.

My ears on my body go wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, My ears on my body go wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. As we all wiggle together.

My waist on my body goes twist, twist, twist, Twist, twist, twist, Twist, twist, twist. My waist on my body goes twist, twist, twist, As we all twist together.

My whole body goes shake, shake, shake, Shake, shake, shake, Shake, shake, shake. My whole body goes shake, shake, shake, As we all shake together.

Body Wiggle (Sing to tune of The Bear Went over the Mountain. Suit actions to words.)

My fingers are starting to wiggle, My fingers are starting to wiggle, My fingers are starting to wiggle, Wiggle all around.

My hands are starting to wiggle, My hands are starting to wiggle, My hands are starting to wiggle, Wiggle all around.

My arms are starting to wiggle, My arms are starting to wiggle, My arms are starting to wiggle, Wiggle all round.

My head is starting to wiggle, My head is starting to wiggle, My head is starting to wiggle, Wiggle all around.

My whole body’s starting to wiggle, My whole body’s starting to wiggle, My whole body’s starting to wiggle. I guess I’ll just sit down.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 7 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

Where Is Thumbkin? (Sing to the tune of Are You Sleeping?)

Where is thumbkin? (hands behind back) Where is thumbkin: Here I am. Here I am. (bring out right thumb, then left) How are you today, sir? (bend right thumb) Very well, I thank you. (bend left thumb) Run away. (put right thumb behind back) Run away. (put left thump back)

Other verses: Use similar motions, changing fingers as the words indicate.

Where is pointer? Where is middle one? Where is ring finger? Where is pinky? Where are all of them? ______

Busy Fingers (Sing to tune of Mulberry Bush and suit actions to words)

This is the way my fingers stand, Fingers stand, fingers stand. This is the way my fingers stand, So early in the morning. This is the way they dance about, Dance about, dance about. This is the way they dance about, So early in the morning.

This is the way I fold my hands, Fold my hands, fold my hands. This is the way I fold my hands, So early in the morning.

This is the way they go to rest, Go to rest, go to rest. This is the way they go to rest, So early in the morning. ______

Open, Shut Them (Suit actions to words)

Open, shut them, open, shut them, Give a little clap. Open, shut them, open, shut them, Put them in your lap.

Walk them, walk them, walk them, walk them Right up to your chin. Open up your little mouth, But do not let them in.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 8 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

Walk them, walk them, walk them, walk them Right down to your toes. Let them fly up in the air and Tap you on the nose.

Open, shut them, open, shut them, Give a little clap. Open, shut them, open, shut them, Put them in your lap.

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (Suit actions to words)

My head, my shoulders, my knees, my toes, My head, my shoulders, my knees, my toes, My head, my shoulders, my knees, my toes, Let’s all clap hands together.

Teacher Note: Consider using this finger play as a transition during group time. Repeat the words and change the last line as follows: We all sit down together.

Hands on Shoulders (Suit actions to words)

Hands on shoulders, hands on knees, Hands behind you, if you please. Touch your shoulders, now your nose, Now your chin and now your toes. Hands up high in the air, Down at your side, then touch your hair. Now clap your hands, One two, three, four.

Touch (Suit action to words)

Touch your nose, touch your chin. That’s the way this game begins. Touch your eyes, touch your knees. Now pretend you’re going to sneeze. Touch your hair, touch your ear. Touch your two red lips right here. Touch your elbows where they bend. That’s how this touch game will end. ______

Ten Little Fingers

I have ten fingers and they all belong to me (hold hands up) I can make them do things. Would you like to see? I can shut them up tight (form fist) Or open them wide (hold fingers out)

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 9 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

I can put them together or make them all hide (close both fists) I can make them jump high (put hands over head) I can make them go low (put hands down) I can fold them quietly and hold them just so (put hands in lap)

Teacher Note: Consider using this finger play as a transition to reading a story to the children. ______

Animal Moves (Move in place)

Can you hop like a rabbit? Can you jump like a frog? Can you waddle like a duck? Can you run like a dog? Can you fly like a bird? Can you swim like a fish? Can you be very, very still? As still as this? ______

Here Are My Ears (Suit actions to words)

Here are my ears, Here is my nose. Here are my fingers, Here are my toes. Here are my eyes, Both open wide. Here is my mouth With white teeth inside. Here is my tongue That helps me speak. Here is my chin. And here is my cheek, Here are my hands That help me play. Here are my feet For walking today. ______

I Have Two Eyes (Suit actions to words)

I have two eyes to see with, I have two feet to run. I have two hands to wave with, And nose I have but one. I have two ears to hear with, And tongue to say “good day.” And two red cheeks for you to kiss, And now I’ll run away.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 10 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

Me (Suit actions to words)

My hands upon my head I place, On my shoulders, on my face, On my knees and at my side, Then behind me they will hide. Then I raise my hands so high, ‘Till they almost reach the sky, Quickly count them – 1 and 2. So many things hands can do. ______Benchmarks: 1.1 Demonstrates ability to make choices 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message

Activity: We Can Move Book Begin a class “We Can Move” book. Use a photo album or scrapbook with adhesive pages. • Include one page per child in the group. Label that page with the child’s name. • Take photos of individual children as they participate in movement activities. Allow children to select the photos to include on their individual pages. • Invite children to dictate what he or she is doing in the activity. For example, “Aaron is jumping.” Or “Jamie is dancing.” • Add photos over a period of time. • Place the photo album in the library area where children can look at and “read” it.

Benchmarks: 1.1 Demonstrates ability to make choices 1.2 Demonstrates independence in personal care 1.6 Demonstrates confidence in growing abilities 1.19 Works cooperatively with others 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing)

Activity: A Story about Me • Create a book for each child. (See Attachment: “A Story About Me”) • Involve children in developing their books during the following topics of study: I Am a Unique Person, I Have an Amazing Body, I Use my Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment, and I Have Feelings and Emotions. • Involve children in adding to the book as different activities are completed during the four topics of study that are identified. • Add to the “I Can Do It” page as children accomplish the different tasks. Include dates that child accomplishes each task, either with help or independently. ______Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 4.1 Identifies body parts and understands their functions 4.6 Coordinates eye and hand movements to complete tasks

Activity: Make a Body Book • Discuss with the children that each will make a picture book about bodies, and that it will take several days to complete the book. • With the children, select a specific body part for the first page (eyes, nose, legs, or hands). • Help the children find and cut out pictures from catalogs and magazines of the specified body part and glue to a sheet of paper, or they may draw the picture. • Ask each child if you may write a dictated comment or caption on the page. • Continue this activity over several days, following the same steps, until all selected body parts are covered. Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 11 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

• Suggest that children do a page or two of whole bodies. • Help children make a cover for their book with the child’s name as author. • Staple the cover and pages together.

Teacher Note: Let the children share their books with each other in the classroom and then send books home with the children. Attach a note suggesting that parents and children "read" the book together and that parents invite their child to tell them about making the book. ______Activity: Our Hands Book • Make a class book entitled “Our Hands.” • Trace around each child’s hands and invite them to dictate their thoughts to you to finish this statement: My hands can…. • Suggest that children illustrate their individual page. • Create a title page for the book. List the title, Our Hands, and author as Ms. Yvette’s (teacher’s name) class. • Put the pages together to make a book. • Read the book with the children. • Place the book in the library area for children to look at independently.

Teacher Note: Consider creating a book entitled “Our Feet”, following the same procedures. ______Benchmarks: 3.4 Demonstrates visual discrimination and visual memory skills 4.1 Identifies body parts and understands their functions 5.4 Recognizes and identifies by name most common objects and pictures

Activity: Body Parts Concentration (Small Group) • Gather a small group of children, four to six • Explain to children that they will play a concentration game • Show body parts cards to children and ask them to name each body part. • Shuffle the cards and lay them face down in rows. • Invite each child, in turn up two cards to try and find a match (refer to as a pair, or two alike.) If cards match, they are set aside. If cards don’t match, the child replaces them in the same place. • Encourage children to remember where the cards are when no match is found. • Continue the game until all pairs have been matched.

Teacher Note: The ability of the children in the group will determine the number of pairs to use. Avoid having winners or losers. Remember that the primary objective of the game is for children to demonstrate visual discrimination and visual memory skills. ______Benchmarks: 4.1 Identifies body parts and understands their functions 5.9 Uses language to problem solve

Activity: What Can It Do? (Small Group) • Gather a small of group of children, four to six • Show a body part card to a child and invite that child to name the body part and tell something that body part can do. For example, an elbow bends and eyes see or blink. • Allow each child in the group a turn.

Teacher Note: Consider simply asking younger children to name the body parts and touch their own corresponding body part.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 12 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

Activity: Parts of the Body Guessing Game • Begin the following sentences and invite children to finish each one. I can see with my ______(eyes) I can smell with my ______(nose). I can chew with my ______(teeth). I can hear with my ______(ears) I can clap with my ______(hands). I can run with my ______(feet). I can crawl with my ______(hands and knees) • Invite children to add additional sentences.

Teacher Note: Consider this variation of the activity: • Write four or six of the sentences on chart paper, chalk or marker board, omitting the final word. • Read each sentence and allow the children to finish it. • Write the word in the blank. • Read the sentences back with the children, running your hand under the words.

Additional Benchmark: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message ______Benchmarks: 1.16 Helps others in need 1.19 Works cooperatively with others 5.9 Uses language to problem solve

Activity: Helping Hands/Hurting Hands • Divide a chart into 2 columns with the title Helping Hands / Hurting Hands. • Ask the children to name "good things or helping things hands can do" and some things "Hands should not do". Write their dictated comments in the appropriate column. Add simple illustrations when needed. • Invite the children to read their dictated comments. Helping Hands Hurting Hands Pick up my toys Throw paper on the floor

Make a card for a friend Hit someone

______Activity: Helping Hands Chart • Post a chart labeled “Helping Hands” in the room at children’s eye level. • Cut out hand-shaped cards, one per child. • Involve children in helping you write their name on their card. • Explain to children that when you observe them using their hands to help someone, you will record this on their card and ask them to add it to the chart. • Record something positive about each child. For example, “Raymond used his hands to help Myron work a puzzle.” • Send the card home with the child at the end of the week to share with his or her family. ______Benchmark: 5.10 Follows directions in sequence

Activity: Simon Says • Play the "Simon Says" game in which Simon (teacher) tells children to move different parts of their body in sequence. For example: o Blink your eyes and wiggle your nose o Smack your lips and touch your ears o Swing your arms and bend your elbows Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 13 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

o Slap your knees and stomp your foot o Shrug your shoulders and scratch your back • Allow children to be Simon if they are able to do this. • Add 3 commands in sequence as children are ready.

Teacher Note: With 3 and 4 year old children always say "Simon Says" because most of them are not ready to understand they are not to move unless "Simon Says" Benchmarks: 3.15 Demonstrates an understanding of number (how many) and numeral (3 is a numeral) relationship 4.1 Identifies body parts and understands their functions 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message

Activity: Body Parts Chart • Make a Body Parts Chart by writing the numerals as illustrated. • Ask the children to name as many parts as they can that fit in each category on the chart. Science/ Suggest some parts children might not think of such as lips, fingernails, toenails, and Discovery shoulders. and Math • Write the name of the body part on the chart. Pictures to illustrate the chart would also be good.

Body Parts Chart 1 2 5 10 Nose Eyes Right hand fingers Fingers Mouth Ears Left hand fingers Toes Head Hands Right foot toes Elbows Left foot toes

Teacher Note: Stress number of body parts rather than "right" and "left" ______Benchmark: 3.22 Makes comparisons (scientific process: comparing)

Activity: Finger Prints • Give each child 2 (3x5) unlined index cards. • Help the children write their names on each card and turn the card over to the blank side. • Help the children make one index-finger print on the blank side of each card, using the same finger each time. • Ask the children if they know why their fingers made designs on the paper. Explain that everyone has a special design in the skin of his/her fingers, and that everyone’s design is different. • Ask the children to put one of their 2 cards in the middle of the table. • Collect the remaining cards mix them up and demonstrate how to use a magnifying glass to match up the fingerprint cards. • Help the children to try and match the fingerprints. • Suggest that they turn the cards over and check the names to see if they made correct matches. ______Benchmark: 3.15 Demonstrates an understanding of number (how many) and numeral (3 is a numeral) relationship

Activity: How Much Do I Weigh? • Weigh each child. • Involve children in adding their weight to their individual book, “A Book About Me”.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 14 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

Activity: How Tall Am I? • Prepare strips of adding machine tape approximately 6” longer than the child is tall (one strip per child) • Tape the strip of tape vertically to the wall. • Involve the child in writing his or her name and the date on the tape. As the child stands next to the wall, make a mark on the tape indicating the child’s height. • Use a measuring tape and help child measure his or her height. Record the child’s height next to the mark. • Repeat the procedure for each child. • Display the tapes in the classroom for a few days, then store in the child’s portfolio or folder. • Involve children in adding their height to their individual book, “A Book About Me”.. • Measure the children every 4 to 5 months to show how much each child has grown. With the child, compare the two tapes.

Teacher Note: Do not compare the children’s heights. ______Activity: My How I Have Grown! • Ask families to let you know the height of their child at birth. • Invite children to show with their hands how tall they think they were when they were born. • Involve children in using a measuring tape to measure their height at birth and mark the height on their individual strips of adding machine tape. • Show on the tape and discuss with children how much they have grown since birth. • Invite children to talk about why they think they have grown. Guide them to include nutritious foods (name some), rest/sleep, exercise, play, people who take care of them, and medical care. • Send home a note to each family with the following information: (Child’s name) was _____” long at birth. He/she is now ______” tall. My, how he/she has grown!

Additional Benchmark: 3.22 Makes comparisons (scientific process: comparing)

Benchmarks: 1.22 Shares, takes turns 4.3 Tries new foods before deciding whether he/she likes them 4.6 Coordinates eye-hand movements to complete task 4.7 Uses small muscles for self-help skills

Activity: Making Fruit Salad • Gather for each child a small bowl, plate, spoon, plastic knife and napkin. • Provide ½ a banana for each child. Food/ • Ask children to peel and slice their banana and place the slices in their bowl. Nutrition • Place mandarin orange slices and pineapple tidbits in individual serving bowls with a slotted spoon. Experience • Provide vanilla yogurt and a spoon for serving. • Sit at the table with children and serve yourself a spoon of one of the fruits and pass it on to the child on your right and say, “(Child’s name), please serve yourself some mandarin oranges and pass it to your friend (child’s name on right).” Guide each child to pass the fruit to the child on his or her right. • Continue with the other fruit and the yogurt. • Mix your fruit and yogurt. • Enjoy the fruit with wheat crackers and a glass of milk. • Talk with children about the ways they use their hands as they prepare and as they eat their snack.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 15 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

Teacher Note: Allow the children to do as much of this food experience as possible.

Teacher Note: Teachers and children should always wash hands before participating in a food experience.

Benchmarks: 4.6 Coordinates eye and hand movements to complete tasks 4.10 Throws, kicks, bounces, and catches

Activity: Sports Arms • Invite children to name and discuss the sports that are familiar to them. Examples might include baseball, football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, tennis, bowling, soccer, gymnastics, and golf. Movement/ • Ask children to demonstrate how they use their arms in the sports activities they name. • Physical Involve other children in the arm movements demonstrated. • Invite children to discuss other items needed in the sports with which they are familiar. For Education example: baseball/bat and glove, golf/ball and golf clubs, tennis/ball and racket, basketball/ball and hoop, soccer/ball and feet.

Teacher Note: Demonstrate or have an individual child demonstrate an arm movement of a sport and other children attempt to identify the sport. Show pictures of different sports and invite children to name the sport and demonstrate the movements. ______

Benchmarks: 4.9 Freely participates in gross motor activities 3.24 Finds more than one solution to a problem

Activity: How Can You Move? • Explain to the children that they are to move in different ways according to the situation described. They are to move in place. • Describe a situation and ask the children to show how they would move. • Examples: o The baby is sleeping and you don’t want to wake her o You’re in a hurry to get some ice cream o You’ve come to a river with no bridge and you need to get to the other side. You see a canoe with paddles in it o A lion is after you. You see a tree. o You’ve hurt one foot and can’t walk on it. You need to get home. o You fall in the lake and want to get to shore. o You are in a parade.

Teacher Note: Be creative. Make up additional movement situations. ______Benchmarks: 3.17 Shows understanding of different relationships of objects in space (spatial relations) 4.11 Runs, jumps, hops and skips

Activity: Circle Fun • Provide each child a hoop to place on the floor and stand beside. • Give directions related to the children’s bodies and space. For example o “Walk around the circle.” o “Jump inside the circle.” (Jump with both feet) o “Hop inside the circle.” (Hop on one foot) Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 16 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

o “Stand inside the circle.” o “Skip around the circle.” (Most children will not be able to skip, but may try) • Invite children to suggest additional ideas for moving their bodies in relationship to the circle. ______Benchmarks: 4.1 Identifies body parts and understands their functions 4.12 Shows balance and coordination

Activity: Beanbag Balance • Invite children to hold hands and make a circle, then drop hands and move back one step so each child has self space (space to move without touching others). • Provide each child with a beanbag. • Begin by inviting children to touch different parts of their body with the beanbag. • Give directions such as the following: “Hold the beanbag on your head.” “Hold the beanbag on your knee.” “Hold the beanbag on your tummy.” “Hold the beanbag way down low.” “Hold the beanbag way up high.” “Hold the beanbag on your elbow.” “Hold the beanbag on your toes.” “Hold the beanbag on your ear.” “Hold the beanbag behind your back.” • Invite children to suggest other body parts or activities for the beanbags.

Teacher Note: Consider ordering a Bean Bag Activities CD or cassette by Kimbo. Use the song, Bean Bag Rock, for this activity. Benchmarks: 2.10 Explores and manipulates art media 2.12 Preplans art project and then works with care Art Activity: Fingerpainting • Cover the art table with newspapers for easy cleanup. • Provide children with large pieces of fingerpaint paper. • Allow children to choose two different colors of fingerpaint and place small amounts of each on the paper. Learning • Encourage children to use their hands and fingers to move the paint to make a design. Centers Activity: Hands Are for Helping Mural • Cut a large piece of butcher paper from a roll. • Write across the top, “Hands Are for Helping” • Provide three colors of tempera paint: red, blue and yellow. Pour paint on folded paper towels in pie pans. • Invite each child to press his or hand in the paint soaked towels in the color of his or her choice and make a handprint on the paper. • Label each handprint with that child’s name. • Invite children to tell you some ways that hands can help and write their comments on the mural. For example, children may say, “Hands can pick up toys.” “Hands can hug someone.” • Post the mural on the wall at children’s eye level. • Help children locate their handprint and the handprints of other children in the group. Activity: Sponge Painting • Cut sponges into hand and foot shapes (approximately 2 ½ x 3” • Provide paper and tempera paint in a container such as a pie tin. • Suggest that children use the sponges to paint with.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 17 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

Teacher Note: Have a way for children to wash and dry their hands when they have completed their painting.

Block Center • Provide different sizes of blocks for children to use as they build. • Post in the area a picture of children building with blocks. • Make a sign that says, “Hands are used for building with blocks.” Read the sign with the children and post it under the picture.

Teacher Note: Take pictures of children building with blocks or cut out pictures from school supply catalogs to make the sign. ______

Library/Book Corner • Add books about children’s bodies. • Add a felt or magnetic board and the felt or magnetic storytelling figures for the story, From Head to Toe. • Add the books that the children have made: We Can Move, My Body, and Our Hands ______

Home Living/Dramatic Play • Add a full length mirror (safety) so children can see all of themselves. • Add plastic mixing bowls and wooden spoons to encourage children to use their hands for mixing and stirring. • Post a picture of children/people using spoons to mix and stir.

Teacher Note: Take pictures of the children mixing and stirring or cut pictures from school supply catalogs or magazines and post them. ______Benchmark: 4.6 Coordinates eye and hand movements to complete tasks

Manipulatives Activity: Finger Pick Up • Discuss with the children how we are able to pick up objects with our fingers. • Provide an assortment of small objects such as small wood blocks, Lego pieces, cotton balls, crayons and unit blocks • Allow each child to pick up one of the objects and state if it was easy or hard to pick up. • Cut 2 craft sticks to the length of the child’s first 2 fingers and tape the fingers and sticks in place. • Invite each child to try and pick up the same object as before and talk about the difference. • Discuss with the children that some people have hands that don’t work as well as most hands do. They have to learn to compensate. • Allow the children to share their own experiences, such as a grandparent with arthritis, a cousin with cerebral palsy, or someone with a broken finger.

Teacher Note: Be sensitive to a child in your group with a disability affecting the hands and adjust the activity as needed.

Activity: Picking up Objects • Place objects such as cotton balls in a plastic bowl. • Invite children to pick up the cotton balls using their fingers, then wearing glove. • Provide tongs (ice tongs, for example), and invite children to pick up the cotton balls with Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 18 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

them. • Discuss with children which was easiest way to pick up cotton balls and which was the hardest.

Activity: Feet and Hand Lacing Cards • Create lacing cards in the shape of feet and hands from vinyl place mats. • Punch holes in the cards with hand hole-punch. • Provide shoe laces for lacing. • Introduce children to the lacing cards and laces. Demonstrate as you tell the children how to lace around the cards. • Allow and accept each child’s attempts at lacing. • Encourage children to pull out the laces when they have completed lacing around the shape so it will be ready for the next person. ______

Water table or tub • Add small plastic pitchers, bowls and cups to the water table or tub. • Post in the area a picture that shows children using their hands for pouring. • Make a sign that says, “Hands are used for pouring.” Read the sign with the children and post it under the picture

Teacher Note: Take pictures of the children pouring water or cut pictures from school supply catalogs for the sign. ______

Sand table or tub • Add small plastic bowls and cups and a sifter to the sand table or tub. • Post in the area a picture that shows children using their hands for pouring and sifting. • Make a sign that says, “Hands are used for pouring and sifting.” Read the sign with the children and post the sign under the picture.

Teacher Note: Take pictures of the children pouring and sifting sand or cut pictures from school supply catalogs for the sign. ______

Science/Discovery • Body Parts Chart • Finger Prints • How Much Do I Weigh? • How Tall Am I? • My How I Have Grown! ______Quiet Corner • Create a quiet corner in your classroom; a place where children can go to be alone and to get away from the stresses of group living. • Place soft items in the quiet corner. Carpet on the floor, soft pillows, and soft and cuddly stuffed animals or dolls are examples. • Discuss with children when they might want to go to the quiet corner. When they are angry and need to get away from the source of their anger? When they are sad and need to be alone? When the room gets too noisy and they need a quiet spot? • Explain to children that the quiet corner is for one child at a time.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 19 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

Activity: Name It • Show each child a body parts card. • Invite the child to name the body part and transition to the next activity.

Teacher Note: Use this same activity in different ways. For example, ask the child to name the body part and touch that part on their body, or tell something the body part can do. ______Activity: Brain Sprinkles Transition • Begin the day by telling children you’re going to give them “brain sprinkles” that will help Activities them think better. • Walk around the room and gently shake the can labeled “Brain Sprinkles” over each child’s head. • Invite children to tell you at the end of a learning experience or at the end of the day if the “brain sprinkles” worked. What did they learn?

Teacher Note: Remind children that their brain is a part of their body even though they cannot see it and that it is working all of the time.

Teacher Note: Label a can “quiet sprinkles” and shake it over their heads as they are walking down the hall, for example. ______Activity: Finger Plays • Involve the children in the following finger plays as a way to get children’s attention and/or prepare them for another activity such as story time:

I Wiggle (Suit action to words)

I wiggle my fingers, I wiggle my toes. I wiggle my shoulders, I wiggle my nose. No more wiggles are left in me. Now I’m just as still as I can be.

Two Little Feet (Suit actions to words)

Two little feet go tap, tap, tap. Two little hands go clap, clap, clap. Two little feet go jump, jump, jump. Two little fists go thump, thump, thump. One little body goes round, round, round, And one little child sits quietly down.

Busy Hands (Suit actions to words)

Hands on shoulders, hands on knees, Put them behind you, if you please. Raise your hands high up in the air. Down at your sides, now touch your hair. Hands at side now you may place, Touch your elbows, now your face. Raise hands high up as before.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 20 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

Now you may clap 1, 2, 3, 4. Now sit down, hands quiet as can be. What happens next? Let’s wait and see.

Ready to Listen (Suit actions to words)

Let your hands go clap, clap, clap. Let your fingers go snap, snap, snap. Let your lips go oh so round, But do not let them make a sound. Fold your hands and close your eye. Take a breath and softly sign. Ah!

Teacher Note: Memorize these finger plays and use them with the children throughout the year. Consider starting a finger play file for easy reference.

Send home a note to parents stating for the next few days, the children will be learning about their amazing bodies. Suggest some ways families can be involved in the topic of study: • Include the titles and authors of some of the children’s books about children’s bodies Suggest that they look for these books in the local library, check them out and read them with their child. • Send home a couple of the finger plays that you have used with the children. Suggest that families say the finger plays with their children. Family • Ask families to let you know their child’s length at birth. • Activities Send home a note to families showing their child’s length at birth and their child’s current height.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 21 I Have an Amazing Body - Revised

Weekly Plan Sheet Week of Topic of Study I Have An Amazing Body Teacher(s) Day Group Time #1 Group Time #2 Small Group Activities Transition Activities Special Activities Monday FP: Hands on Shoulders – FP: Touch – p. 9 p. 9 First Reading of Here Are Introduction: Finding out My Hands – p. 3 We Can Move Book – Name It – p. 20 Sports Arms – p. 16 what children know about I p. 11 Have an Amazing Body – p.2 FP or Song: All Together – p. 6 How Tall Am I? – p. 15 FP or Song: Looby Loo – p.5 Tuesday FP: Ten Little Fingers – p. 9 FP: Animal Moves – p. 10

First Reading of From Head Second Reading of Here How Can You Move? – to Toe – p. 3 Are My Hands – p. 3 A Story About Me – Brain Sprinkles – p. 20 p. 16 p. 11 FP or Song: Body Wiggle – FP or Song: Where Is p. 7 Thumbkin? – p. 8 My How I Have Grown!– p. 15 Wednesday FP: Here Are My Ears – p. 10 FP: I Have Two Eyes – p. 10

First Reading of My Hands Second Reading of From Our Hands Book – p. 12 Circle Fun - p. 16 – p. 4 Head to Toe – p. 3 I Wiggle – p. 20 FP or Song: Busy Fingers – FP or Song: Open, Shut Our Helping Hands p. 8 Them – p. 8 Chart – p. 13 Finger Prints – p. 14 Thursday FP: Me – p. 11 FP: I Wiggle– p. 20

Second Reading of My Storytelling Figures: From Make A Body Book – Beanbag Balance – p. 17 Hands – p. 4 Head to Toe – p. 5 p. 11 Two Little Feet – p. 20 Body Parts Chart – p. 14 FP or Song: Head, FP or Song: Looby Loo – Shoulders, Knees and Toes – p. 5 Parts of the Body p. 9 Guessing Game – p. 13 Simon Says – p. 13 Friday FP: Two Little Feet –p. 20 FP: Busy Hands – p.20

Third Reading of Here Are Conclusion: Finding out Making Fruit Salad – My Hands – p. 3 what children have learned Helping Hands/Hurting Ready to Listen – p. 21 p. 15 about I Have an Amazing Hands – p. 13 FP or Song: All Together – Body – p. 2 p. 6 FP or Song: Body Wiggle – What Can It Do? – p. 12 p. 7 Changes to the Environment (Props, materials added to Centers) Art Blocks Books Dramatic Play / Manipulatives Sand / Water Science / Discovery Home Living Finger Painting, Add different sizes of Add books and Add full length safety Body Parts Concentration Water – Add small plastic Body Parts Chart , Finger Hands Are for Helping blocks, pictures of pictures and a felt or mirror, plastic mixing – p. 12 pitchers, bowls & cups, Prints, How Much Do I Mural, Sponge children building with magnetic board bowls and wooden Finger Pick up, Picking Sign “Hands are used …” Weigh? –p. 14 How Tall Painting – p. 17 blocks, sign “Hands are spoons, pictures of up Objects, – p. 18 – p. 19 Am I?, My How I Have used for building with children/people using Feet and Hand Lacing Sand – Add small plastic Grown! – p. 15 blocks” – p. 18 spoons to mix and stir – Cards – p. 19 bowls, cups, and sifter, p. 18 sign “Hands are used …” – p. 19 Topic of Study – I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment

Children learn about their environment through their senses. They come to understand concepts through their sense of sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. Children understand “soft” when they touch a kitten’s fur. They notice colors when they see a beautiful rainbow. They know what “loud” means when they hear a clap of thunder. They understand “sour” when they first taste a lemon. They sniff with delight when they smell bacon cooking. These sensory experiences are a natural way for children to learn about the world around them.

Introduction During this topic of study, children will discover many ways to use their five senses to explore and experience their environment.

Here are five big ideas about their senses that you can help children explore:

 I touch with my fingers

 I see with my eyes

 I smell with my nose Big Ideas  I hear with my ears

 I taste with my tongue

• Pictures that show people using their senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell • Children’s books about their senses: My Five Senses by Aliki Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle The Listening Walk by Paul Showers, illustrated by Aliki The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle • Wallpaper books with textured and patterned wallpaper Materials to • Wallpaper Lotto Game Collect and Storytelling figures (felt or magnetic) for the book, The Very Busy Spider. Locate at A Story a Month on the Arkansas Better Beginnings website. Make • Magnifying glass, kaleidoscope, binoculars, glasses frames without lenses, old camera • Ticking clock, timer, conch shell, stethoscope, whistle, musical instruments • Shoebox and cheesecloth • Bubble wrap, sandpaper, corrugated cardboard, fake fur, fabric scraps, feathers, sponges, • Smell containers • Sound eggs • CD or tape such as Dance Party Fun or All Time Favorite Dances or CDs or tapes that have music such as waltz, boogie, Latin music, reggae and Irish jig • Sorting boards/charts for Rough/Smooth and Hard/Soft • Sandpaper letters

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 1 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

• Check with your local library for the availability of children’s books.

• Children’s books can be purchased online, from school supply catalogs or local bookstores.

Contact the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education for the following materials or locate at A Story a Month on the Arkansas Better Beginnings website.

Resources A Story a Month for The Very Busy Spider (patterns for storytelling figures)

Introduction: Finding out what Children Know about Their Senses

Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 5.8 Participates in group discussion

To introduce the topic of “Our Senses” you need to find out what children already know about the topic. This allows you to build on your children’s experiences. It also helps create an interest in the topic. Here’s how to begin. Introducing • Gather the children in a group. Say, “For the next few days we’re going to be learning and about our senses.” • Concluding Write on chart paper, chalk board or marker board the words “Our Senses.” • Invite children to tell you things they already know about their senses. You may have the Topic to ask prompt questions and give responses as follows: “How do you know what color crayon you are using?” When children respond that they see the color, reply, “You used your sense of sight.” “How can you tell if the radio is on?” When children respond that they hear the radio, reply, “You used your sense of hearing.” “How can you tell if you like a new food or not?” When children respond that they can taste it, reply, “You are using your sense of taste.” “How can you tell if something is hard or soft?” When children respond that they feel or touch it, reply, “You are using your sense of touch.” “How can you tell if someone is wearing perfume?” When children respond that they can smell it, reply, “You are using your sense of smell.” • Make a list of the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell. Title the chart, “Our Senses”. • Review the list with them and say, “You already know a lot of things about your senses and we’ll find out even more.” • Keep the list until you have completed the topic of study. ______

Conclusion: Finding out what Children Have Learned about Their Senses • Gather the children in a group at the conclusion of the study about our senses. • Write on chart paper, chalk board or marker board, “Things We Learned about Our Senses.” • Invite children to tell you some things they have learned about their senses. You may have to ask prompt questions such as “What are some things you have learned about your sense of sight? Your sense of hearing? Your sense of touch? Your sense of taste? Your sense of smell?” • Make a list of all the things children learned about their senses. • Read the first list you made with the children. Then say, “Here are some new things you found out about their senses” and read today’s list with the children.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 2 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

Benchmarks: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect date (scientific process: observing)

Book #1: My Five Senses by Aliki, author and illustrator

First Reading of My Five Senses • Prepare to read the book, My Five Senses. Reading • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person Books with who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Children Invite children to discuss what they think their five senses are. Accept all answers. • Say, “Let’s read and find out about our five senses.” • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by showing each page that introduces a sense, read the page and invite children to discuss the sense the child is using. Say, “The child is seeing. He is using his sense of sight.” “The child is hearing. He is using his sense of hearing.” “The child is smelling. He is using his sense of smell.” “The child is tasting. He is using his sense of taste.” “The child is touching. He is using his sense of touch.”

Teacher Note: Consider reading this book on different days as a way to introduce the sense that will be the focus for that day; especially when discussing smell and taste since there is not a feature book for these senses. Follow up the reading by discussing in depth the sense that is the focus for the day. ______Second Reading of My Five Senses • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Invite children to recall the five senses that we have. Suggest that they show the body part that relates to that sense (sight/eye, hearing/ear, smell/nose, taste/tongue, touch/fingers) • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by showing the pages that introduce each sense. Read the page and invite children to share favorite things they like to see, hear, smell, taste and touch. ______Third Reading of My Five Senses (Small Group) • Prepare to read the book, My Five Senses. • Gather a small group of children, three to five. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Review the third reading by showing children the title page, which is the page opposite the insider cover page. • Invite children to look at what the child is doing in each of the 5 pictures and discuss the sense that each picture represents: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. • Invite children to point to the body part that relates to that sense. • Turn the page and show children the My Five Senses chart. • Say, this says, “I see. Can you name the things he sees?” Run your fingers down the column and help children name each item. • Repeat this for each column.

Teacher Note: Make sure children know the names of all of items. Some may be unfamiliar to them; for example in the “I hear” column, there is a picture of a phonograph record, in the “I taste” column, the last picture is a pepper mill, and in the “I touch” column is a picture of a porcupine.

Additional Benchmark: 5.3 Expands vocabulary

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 3 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

Book #2: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle

First Reading of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? • Prepare to read the book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Ask children to predict what they think Brown Bear will see. Say, “Let’s read and find out what Brown Bear sees.” • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by asking, “Were your predictions correct? Did Brown Bear see what you thought he would see?” • Show the page and invite children to name the animal that Brown Bear saw (a red bird). Ask, “Did you think he would see a red bird?” • Show the pages and invite children to name the animals they see and to include the color of each animal.

Additional Benchmark: 3:10 Classifies objects by physical features such as shape or color ______Second Reading of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? • Prepare to read the book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Invite children to recall some of the animals in the book. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by inviting children to help you read the story. • Conclude the reading by thanking children for helping you read the story.

Teacher Note: Notice if children join in even before you invite them to help you read the story. This type of book is called a “pattern’ book and children will often join in without an invitation. ______Third Reading of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (Small Group) • Prepare to read the book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? • Gather a small group of children, three to five. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Invite children to read along with you. • Review the third reading by showing the last two pages which include all of the animals. • Invite children to help you read the words under each animal. Run your fingers under the words as you and the children read them together. • Invite children to discuss what they would do if they saw a blue horse or a purple cat.

Additional Benchmark: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 5.8 Participates in group discussion ______Book #3: The Listening Walk by Paul Showers, illustrated by Aliki

First Reading of The Listening Walk • Prepare to read the book, The Listening Walk. • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Ask children to look at cover and say who they think is going on a listening walk with the girl. If children say, “dog”, ask why they say this.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 4 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

• Show front and back cover together so that children can see the dog at the end of the leash. • Invite children to predict what they think they would hear if they went on a listening walk. • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by involving children in the activity on the last page of the book where children listen and identify the sounds they can hear. • Ask children, “Did the girl in the story hear some of the same things you said you would hear if you went on a listening walk?” • Involve children in discussing some of the things the girl heard on her listening walk. Ask them, “When you go on a listening walk, which of your senses are you using?” (hearing and also sight/seeing)

Second Reading of The Listening Walk • Prepare to read the book, The Listening Walk. • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Remind children that when the girl in the story went on a listening walk, she and her father did not talk. • Invite children to be quiet and do not talk. What sounds do they hear? • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by showing children the pages and inviting children to look at the pictures and tell the story. ______Third Reading of The Listening Walk (Small Group) • Prepare to read the book, The Listening Walk. • Gather a small group of children, three to five. • Ask children to recall the title. Give author and illustrator. • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the third reading by showing pages where different sounds are discussed. • Read that page and invite children to help you make those sounds. ______Book #4: The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle, author and illustrator

First Reading of The Very Busy Spider • Prepare to read the book, The Very Busy Spider. • Show cover, give title, author an illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Ask children what they think the spider is busy doing. Accept all answers. • Say, “Let’s read and find out why the spider is so busy.” • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Ask children if their predictions were correct about why the spider was so busy. • Follow up by showing each page and inviting children to discuss what is happening with the web. • Invite children to feel the spider’s web on each page and describe how it feels. ______Second Reading of The Very Busy Spider (Small Group) • Prepare to read the book, The Very Busy Spider. • Gather a small group of children (three to six) • Invite children to help you read the title and the name of the author and illustrator. Run your fingers under the words as you and the children read them together. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by reading each page and inviting children to read along with you the words each animal says. For example, show the page with the picture of the horse and invite children to help you read what the horse says to the Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 5 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

spider. Run your fingers under the words as you and the children read together. • Invite children to feel the spider web on each page and describe how it feels.

Teacher Note: As you involve children in this type of reading activity, you are helping them begin to see themselves as readers.

Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, illustrated by Robert Lawson

Is It Rough? Is It Smooth? Is It Shiny? By Tana Hoban

I Went Walking by Sue Williams

Listen to the Rain by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by James Endicott Additional Books Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kumhardt

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle

Benchmark: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them

Storytelling Figures: The Very Busy Spider • Make either felt or magnetic storytelling figures for the story. • Use glue to create the spider web so that it can be felt by the children. • Read the book, The Very Busy Spider, to the children. • Use the storytelling figures to tell the story.

• Explain to the children that the storytelling figures will be in the library/book area for Language them to use. Materials • Demonstrate and discuss with the children the correct way to use the storytelling and figures. Activities ______Benchmarks: 5.1 Demonstrates phonological awareness (hearing and recognizing the sounds of language) 5.5 Participates in songs, finger plays, rhyming activities and games

Eyes to See With (Point to body parts as each is mentioned)

Eyes to see with, Ears to hear with, Nose to smell with, Teeth to chew. Tongue to taste with, Hands to touch with. I have a wonderful body, How about you? ______Here Are My Ears (Point to body parts as each is mentioned)

Here are my ears, Here is my nose. Here are my fingers, Here are my toes. Here are my eyes,

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 6 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

Both open wide. Here is my mouth With white teeth inside. Here is my tongue That helps me speak. Here is my chin, And here is my cheek. Here are my hands That help me play. Here are my feet For walking today. ______I Have Two Eyes (Point to body parts as each is mentioned)

I have two eyes to see with, I have two feet to run. I have two hands to wave with, And nose I have but one. I have two ears to hear with, And tongue to taste a treat. And two red cheeks for you to kiss, Now won’t that be so neat? ______Five Senses Song (Sing to tune of “If You’re Happy” and suit motions to words)

If you’re happy and you know it, sniff your nose. If you’re happy and you know it, sniff your nose. If you’re happy and you know it, Then your nose will surely show it. If you’re happy and you know it, sniff your nose.

If you’re happy and you know it, pull your ears. If you’re happy and you know it, pull your ears. If you’re happy and you know it, Then your ears will surely know it. If you’re happy and you know it, pull your ears.

If you’re happy and you know it, touch a friend. If you’re happy and you know it, touch a friend. If you’re happy and you know it, Then your hands will surely show it. If you’re happy and you know it, touch a friend.

If you’re happy and you know it, wink your eye. If you’re happy and you know it, wink your eye. If you’re happy and you know it, Then your eyes will surely show it. If you’re happy and you know it, wink your eye.

If you’re happy and you know it, lick your lips. If you’re happy and you know it, lick your lips. If you’re happy and you know it, Then your tongue will surely show it. If you’re happy and you know it, lick your lips. Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 7 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

If you’re happy and you know it, do all five. If you’re happy and you know it, do all five. If you’re happy and you know it, Your five senses will surely know it. If you’re happy and you know it, do all five.

My Eyes (Suit actions to words)

Here are my eyes, One and two. I give a wink, So can you. When they’re open, I see the light. When they’re closed, It’s dark like night. ______Hear the Thunder (Sing to tune of “Are You Sleeping?”)

Hear the thunder, hear the thunder, Here it roar, hear it roar. Hear the roaring thunder, Hear the roaring thunder. It’s so loud! It’s so loud! (cover ears with hands) ______My Tongue

There’s something small inside my mouth, It has a special job. It helps me taste an apple pie, Or sweet corn on the cob.

Can you tell me what it is? Do you need a clue? Look at me, and soon you’ll see It’s looking back at you! (stick out tongue) ______Touch

I love soft things so very much, Soft things to feel, Soft things to touch, A cushioned chair, A furry muff, A baby’s cheek, A powder puff. A bedtime kiss, A gentle breeze, My puppy’s ear. I love all these.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 8 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

Touch Your Nose (Suit actions to words)

Touch your nose, Touch your chin; That’s the way this game begins, Touch your eyes, Touch your knees, Now pretend you’re going to sneeze. Touch your hair, Touch one ear, Touch your two red lips right here. Touch your elbows Where they bend. That’s the way this touch game ends. ______The Touch Song (Sing to tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and touch items in song)

Touch, touch, touch your hair, Touch it one, two, three. Is it hard or is it soft? Can you tell me please?

Touch, touch, touch the floor, Touch it one, two, three. Is it hard or is it soft? Can you tell me please? (Add additional verses such as rug/carpet, shoe, cheek) ______Benchmarks: 1.1 Demonstrates ability to make choices 1.2 Demonstrates independence in personal care 1.6 Demonstrates confidence in growing abilities 1.19 Works cooperatively with others 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing)

Activity: A Story about Me • Create a book for each child. (See Attachment: “A Story About Me”) • Involve children in developing their books during the following topics of study: I Am a Unique Person, I Have an Amazing Body, I Use my Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment, and I Have Feelings and Emotions. • Involve children in adding to the book as different activities are completed during the four topics of study that are identified. ______Benchmarks: 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing) 5.9 Uses language to problem solve

Activity: Five Senses Game • Gather children in a circle. • Invite children to complete these sentences: “We see with our _____. We hear with our _____. We smell with our _____. We taste with our _____. We touch with our ______.”

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 9 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

• Read aloud the situations below. Invite children to point to the body part or parts, and name the sense or senses they would use to evaluate each situation. How can you tell….. a. your dinner is burning? b. your telephone is ringing? c. your soup needs more salt? d. your friend has a new haircut? e. the oven is warm? f. it is sunny outside? g. there is a pizza nearby? h. your ice cream is chocolate? i. a radio is on? j. a snowball is cold? k. we are having a fire drill? l. it is raining outside?

Teacher Note: You and the children can be creative. Think of other situations in which they use one or more of their senses to discover what is happening.

Teacher Note: Consider using this as a transition activity. ______Activity: What’s in the Bag? • Collect objects that are familiar to the children. For example, small block, small vinyl animal, cotton ball and a crayon. • Place one object at a time in a paper bag out of sight of the children. • Invite one child at a time to place his or her hand in the bag to feel the object without seeing it. • Ask the child to name the object. ______Activity: I Spy • Play “I Spy” with the children by describing something that children can easily see. • Say, for example, “I spy something that is green. It is sitting on a shelf. It has leaves.” (plant). “I spy something that has a cover. It is stored on a shelf. We read it during story time.” (book). • Be creative in describing objects for the children to spy. • Allow children to spy objects if they are ready for this. ______Benchmarks: 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect date (scientific process: observing) 3.4 Demonstrates visual discrimination and visual memory skills

Activity: What Is Missing? (Small Group) • Place four objects on a table and ask the children to name them. • Ask children to cover their eyes while you remove one and rearrange the order of the remaining objects. • Invite children to open their eyes and tell which object is missing. ______Activity: I Can Remember (Small Group) • Place four or five objects of various sizes and shapes on a table. • Invite children to look at the objects and name them. • Cover the objects with a cloth so that none are visible. • Ask children to recall the objects that are under the cloth. • Remove the cloth to determine if children were correct in what they remembered seeing.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 10 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

Benchmarks: 2.8 Identifies the source of a variety of sounds 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing)

Activity: Do You Hear What I Hear? • Bring to group time several objects that make a sound: musical instruments such as a triangle and bells, horn, whistle. • Show children the objects and make the sounds for each. Make sure children know the names of each object. • Say this rhyme: Use your ears, use your ears. Listen now and hear! What kind of sound Do you think you’ll hear?

• Turn your back to the children and make the sound with each object one at a time. • Invite children to guess each object by the sound.

Teacher Note: Try this variation of the activity. Have children close their eyes. Have one child hide in the room and make a sound with one of the objects. Can the other children listen to find out where the child making the sound is hiding and what the sound is? ______Activity: Take a Listening Walk • Read the book, The Listening Walk, to children and discuss the things the girl in the story heard on her listening walk. • Explain to children that they will go on a listening walk. • Invite children to predict the things they think they will hear on their listening walk. Write their predictions on a chart sheet, marker or chalk board. • Ask children what sense they will be using as they go on a listening walk. (Hearing) • Remind children that they will be listening to sounds around them, so they must be quiet. • Take the children for a walk on the playground, on the school grounds, to a nearby park, or in the neighborhood. • Return to the classroom and look at the list the children made before their walk. Ask, “Which sounds on your list did you hear? Which sounds need to be added to the list?” • Add new sounds to the list. • Suggest that children draw a picture of some of the things they heard on their listening walk.

Teacher Note: Select the site for the listening walk based on the location and guidelines of your program.

Benchmarks: 3.11 Classifies objects conceptually (things that go together) 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: Observing)

Activity: Texture Sorting • Set out two sheets of paper to be used for sorting. On one sheet write the word Rough and on the other write Smooth. • Read the words with the children and ask them to think of objects that are rough and Science / objects that are smooth. Discovery • Have two objects on the table, one smooth and one rough. Invite children to decide and Math which object to place on which sheet of paper. Guide them to be successful. • Have an assortment of objects in mystery bag; some that are rough and some that Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 11 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

are smooth. Examples include sea shell, pine cone, sandpaper, corrugated cardboard, aluminum foil, smooth river rock, piece of satin fabric, piece of fur fabric, piece of corduroy fabric, piece of tree bark, flower petal • Invite children to remove a textured object from the bag and place it on the correct sheet of paper.

Teacher Note: Plan this same type of activity with objects that are soft and objects that are hard. Examples include rock, large wooden bead, small block, pencil, feather, fur, piece of velvet fabric, cotton ball. ______

Benchmarks: 3.11 Classifies objects conceptually (things that go together) 3.41 Independently applies technology and tools to address a variety of tasks and problems 3.42 Shows awareness of technology and tools and their impact on how people live 3.44 Demonstrates the safe and cooperative use of technology and tools 3.45 Communicates about technology and tools using developmentally appropriate and accurate terminology 5.3 Expands vocabulary

Activity: Which Item Would You Use? • Set out on a table items that represent the five senses. For example: Seeing – magnifying glass, binoculars, flashlight Hearing – CD, cell phone, whistle Touching – electronic game, cotton ball, sandpaper Smelling – apple, onion Tasting – crackers in a clear food storage bag • Gather a small group of (3-4) for this activity. • Invite children, one at a time, to find something on the table that you would use for seeing and name it. • Follow up by asking the child to tell what she/he would use it for. • Ask other children, “Can you find something else for seeing?” • Continue this activity with other children in the group and the different senses. • Explain to children that the items will be in the Science/Discovery area for a sorting game.

Teacher Note: Involve all children in this activity.

Extension: Ask children to select an item, identify it by name and tell how it is used.

Extension: Use pictures or photos of items after children have had hands-on experiences with real items. This will allow you to include a wider variety of items. For example, you can include a photo or picture of a TV that represents both seeing and hearing or a picture of a skunk for smelling and seeing. ______Benchmark: 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing)

Activity: Outdoor Exploration • Use either hoops or make a circle with yarn in both a grassy and a dirt area on the playground. • Involve children in using a magnifying glass to explore the areas within the circles. • Discuss with children what they see in the circles. Do they see different things in the Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 12 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

grass and in the soil? • Return to the classroom and follow up on the discussion you had outdoors. • Make a list of what the children saw through the magnifying glass. If they saw different things in the grass than in the dirt, make two columns; one that is headed Grass and one headed Dirt. List what children say in the appropriate columns.

Additional Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 3.11 Classifies objects conceptually (things that go together) 5.8 Participates in group discussion

______Activity: Bubble Colors • Involve children in make bubble soap mix. Allow them to measure and mix the following ingredients: Bubble Soap 1 teaspoon glycerin ½ cup liquid detergent ½ cup water • Provide bubble wands or plastic rings from a six-pack of drinks. • Go outdoors with the children and invite them to make bubbles and notice the colors they see. • Observe as children chase the bubbles. Listen to see if they name the colors. ______Activity: Sound Eggs • Collect plastic eggs that you can fill. • Create pairs of sound eggs by placing identical items in two eggs. • Use things such as rice, beans, cotton balls, small bells, and small rocks. • Glue the two halves to secure the materials in the eggs. • Invite the children to shake the eggs to find the two that match. • Consider placing matching numbers on the bottom of each set of eggs for it to be a self-checking activity. ______Activity: Smell Containers • Collect small plastic food storage containers or plastic baby food containers with lid • Create pairs of smell containers by placing identical items in two containers. • Use various materials that will maintain their odor on a cotton ball. Use items such as cinnamon, vinegar, lemon juice, orange juice, vanilla, peppermint oil. • Put a lid on the containers so the odor will be maintained. • Invite the children to smell the containers to find the two that match. • Consider placing a colored dot on the bottom of each set of containers for it to be a self-checking activity. ______Activity: What’s in the Shoebox? • Cut a medium sized rectangle in the lid of a shoebox. • Tape a piece of cheesecloth over the rectangle on the inside of the shoebox lid. The cheesecloth will block the child’s view of the object while allowing the smell of the object to come through the lid. • Place one of the following items inside the box: an orange, coffee beans or grounds, a scented candle, onion, or other “smelly” items. • Put the lid on the box and place it on the table. • Add a piece of paper and marker. • Invite the children to smell the contents of the box and ask them to guess what they smell. • Write their predictions on the paper.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 13 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

• Share the list with the group at the end of the program day or activity time and then show them what is inside the box. Ask children if there were any correct predictions. • Put something different inside the shoebox and repeat the activity the next day. ______Activity: Guess What I’m Eating? • Describe a food, including its taste and color. • Invite children to guess what food you are describing • Consider these descriptions. Be creative. Add your own descriptions. “It is yellow, smaller than an orange, and tastes sour. What is it?” (lemon) “It is something that you can smell when it is brewing. Adults drink it in a cup. It is hot. Sometimes they drink it with cream and sugar. What is it?” (coffee) “It has a shell on the outside and is white and yellow when you crack it open. You can eat it scrambled or fried. It tastes good with bacon on the side.” (eggs) “It is cold and sweet. You can eat it in a bowl or in a cone. It comes in lots of different flavors.” (ice cream)

Benchmarks: 4.3 Tries new foods before deciding whether he/she likes them 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect date (scientific process: observing)

Activity: Fruit Surprise • Place a fresh whole cantaloupe or fresh whole honeydew melon in a pillowcase or paper bag. • Carry the bag around to each child and ask him or her to put one hand inside the Food/ bag and tell you what he or she feels. Allow each child an opportunity to feel, Nutrition describe and guess what is in the bag. • Take the fruit out of the bag and invite children to tell you what it is. Give them Experience the name if they do not know it. • Pass the fruit around and invite each child to feel it with their fingers, smell it with their nose, look at it with their eyes, and give it a gentle shake and listen to it with their ears. • Invite children to describe the fruit. Write their descriptive words on a chart sheet, chalk or marker board. Read children’s dictated comments back to them. • Cut the fruit open and invite children to look at the inside of it and discuss how it is different from the outside. • Serve each child a sample of the fruit for snack. • Discuss with children that they used all of their senses to learn about the fruit.

Activity: What’s for Snack? • Plan this activity on a day when the snack has a specific, identifiable aroma (cinnamon toast or banana, for example). • Bring the snack to the room on a tray covered with a cloth. Sit the tray on the table. • Invite the children to take turns smelling through the cloth and whispering their predictions in your ear. • Remove the cover and verify if their predictions were correct. • Enjoy the snack.

Teacher Note: Allow the children to do as much of this food experience as possible.

Teacher Note: Teachers and children should always wash hands before participating in a food experience.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 14 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

Benchmarks: 4.12 Shows balance and coordination 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect date (scientific process: observing) 3.21 Uses words to describe the characteristics of objects (scientific process: communicating) 3.22 Makes comparisons (scientific process: comparing)

Activity: Take a Textured Walk Movement/ • Cut out large feet (adult size) from textured materials such as bubble wrap, sandpaper, corrugated cardboard, aluminum foil, fake fur. Physical • Attach feet securely to the floor in a path that children can easily follow. Education • Invite children to take off their shoes and socks and follow the path. • Listen to their comments about how the different items feel on their feet. • Ask questions such as “Which did you like the best and how did it feel? Which did you like the least and how did it feel?” ______

Benchmarks: 2.5 Enjoys singing games, dramatizing songs and moving to music 2.6 Expresses through movement what is felt and heard in various musical tempos and styles 2.9 Moves in time to the beat 4.12 Shows balance and coordination

Activity: Listen and Move to the Music • Gather children in a group. • Ask them to hold hands and make a circle. Then drop hands. • Explain to children that you’re going to play some music and invite them to listen to it and move like the music tells them to move. Say, for example, “This is a waltz.” • Play one dance tune and observe the children. Do they seem to be responding to the tempo they are hearing? • Tell the children you’re going to play a different tune and invite them to listen to this one and move like the music tells them to move. Say, for example, “This is reggae.” • Observe the children to see if they respond differently to the second tune than they did the first one.

Teacher Note: Play different types of music on different days. Observe to see if the children respond to the different musical tempos and styles. Invite children to identify their favorite tunes.

Benchmarks: 2.10 Explores and manipulates art media 2.12 Preplans art project and then works with care 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing)

Art Activity: Textured Collage Materials • Provide collage items that have different textures: corrugated cardboard, fabric Learning scraps, textured and patterned wallpaper scraps, yarn, aluminum foil, felt and bubble wrap. Centers • Allow the children to use the materials as they choose.

Activity: Scented Paint • Add peppermint, lemon or vanilla extract to the paint that children use for painting at the easel or for fingerpainting. • Observe and listen to children to see if they notice and comment about the scent. Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 15 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

Teacher Note: Provide only one scent at a time.

Activity: Fingerpainting • Cover the art table with newspapers for easy cleanup. • Provide children with large pieces of fingerpaint paper. • Allow children to choose two different colors of fingerpaint and place small amounts of each on the paper. • Encourage children to use their hands and fingers to move the paint to make a design.

Activity: Slime, Goop, Gak, Silly Putty (See page 18, Favorite Art Recipes) • Use these different art recipes during this topic of study and throughout the year. • Add the items to the art center. • Observe and listen to children to see if they talk about how the different items feel.

Activity: Scented Playdough (See page 19, Favorite Art Recipes) ______Block Center • Add sheets of corrugated cardboard and bubble wrap to the block center. • Invite children to discuss what kind of ride they would have if their cars and trucks went over these surfaces. ______Library/Book Corner • Add books about the senses • Add felt or magnetic board and felt or magnetic storytelling figures for The Very Busy Spider. • Add sandpaper letters of the alphabet which have been backed with either felt or magnetic strips. ______Home Living/Dramatic Play • Add clothing of different textures: fake fur, terrycloth, velvet, corduroy, leather wallet and gloves, silk tie, dance costume with net skirt • Add stethoscope. • Add timer. Discuss with children that they can set the timer so they will know how long to cook a food item. ______Manipulatives

Activity: Texture Lotto • Cut 18 different patterns and textures of wallpaper, textured scrapbook paper, sandpaper and/or textured fabrics into duplicate 2” squares. • Create two lotto boards by cutting out two 6” squares of cardboard. Section them into nine 2” squares. • Glue 9 of the 2” textured squares on the lotto boards. Keep the duplicate squares for playing cards. • Invite two children to play the game. • Provide each child with one of the lotto boards. • Place the lotto playing cards face down in a stack. • Allow each child a turn drawing a card and attempting to match the squares on his or her lotto board. Matches are placed on the board. Non-matches are turned face down and used when the first stack of cards runs out. • Continue the game until both children cover their lotto boards completely.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 16 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

Teacher Note: Make additional lotto boards with duplicate squares if children seem to enjoy this activity. Allow children to play the game independently.

• Add sandpaper letters for children to explore

Water table or tub • Add clear plastic containers and bottles and funnels to the water table or tub. • Involve children in adding a little food coloring to the water. • Observe to see if children notice the colored water as they pour it in and out of the clear containers. ______

Sand table or tub • Place aquarium rock or smooth river rocks in the sand table or tub. Add small containers, scoops, measuring cups. • Place shredded paper in the sand table or tub. Ask businesses to donate paper that has been run through their shredders. • Add deer corn, cups, scoops, funnels, and containers to the sand table or tub. ______

Science/Discovery

Benchmarks: 3.11 Classifies objects conceptually (things that go together) 3.41 Independently applies technology and tools to address a variety of tasks and problems 3.42 Shows awareness of technology and tools and their impact on how people live 3.44 Demonstrates the safe and cooperative use of technology and tools 3.45 Communicates about technology and tools using developmentally appropriate and accurate terminology 5.3 Expands vocabulary

• Prepare five sorting mats labeled as follows: seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, tasting. Next to each label, add a picture that represents the senses. For example: Seeing – eye glasses Hearing – CD Touching – feather Smelling – skunk Tasting – cookie • Place on the table an array of items representing the five senses. For example: Seeing – magnifying glass, kaleidoscope, binoculars, flashlight, old camera and glasses frames without lenses Hearing – CD, whistle, cell phone, stethoscope, ticking clock, timer, conch shell Touching – electronic game, cotton balls, sandpaper, feathers, piece of fake fur, piece of tree bark Tasting – cookies and crackers in clear food storage bags Smelling – apple, onion • Invite children to place the items on the appropriate mats

Teacher Note: Add pictures or photos after children have had hands-on experiences with real items. This will allow you to include a wider variety of items.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 17 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

Quiet Corner • Create a quiet corner in your classroom; a place where children can go to be alone and to get away from the stresses of group living. • Place soft items in the quiet corner. Carpet on the floor, soft pillows, and soft and cuddly stuffed animals or dolls are examples. • Discuss with children when they might want to go to the quiet corner. When they are angry and need to get away from the source of their anger? When they are sad and need to be alone? When the room gets too noisy and they need a quiet spot? • Explain to children that the quiet corner is for one child at a time.

I Use My Eyes • Say the following rhyme to move children from a group to a certain area or activity:

I Use My Eyes You have two eyes, you have two eyes. Take a look and see. If you have on a green shirt. Come and stand by me. Transition (or go wash your hands for me) Activities (get your coat and come back to circle for me) • Repeat this rhyme substituting different colors and articles of clothing • Change the last line to suit the transition time. ______Use some of these previously listed activities to transition children from one activity to another: • Five Senses Game • I Spy • What Is Missing? • I Can Remember

Send home a note to parents stating for the next few days, the children will be learning about using their senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Suggest some ways families can be involved in the topic of study. • Include the titles and authors of some of the children’s books about the senses. Suggest that they look for these books in the local library, check them out and read them with their child. • Send home some of the fingerplays and suggest that families say them with their Family children. Activities • Send home recipe for playdough. Include information on how to store. Suggest that families provide a vinyl placemat for their child to use when he or she plays with the playdough.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 18 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

Favorite Art Recipes

Goop 2 cups water ½ cup cornstarch food coloring

• Pour water into saucepan • Bring water to boiling on high heat • Stir in cornstarch • Stir in food coloring • Keep stirring until smooth • Cool before using

Teacher Note: Provide a plastic-covered surface such as a vinyl placemat for children to play with the goop.

Teacher Note: Goop can be reused. Store in an airtight container. ______

Gak 1 cup liquid starch 1 cup white glue food coloring (optional)

• Pour glue and food coloring (optional) into bowl • Mix thoroughly • Add starch slowly and mix in • Knead

Teacher Note: Gak will feel like smooth leather. It can be reused. Store in an airtight container. ______

Slime 1 cup liquid starch 2 cups white glue food coloring

• Pour glue and food coloring into bowl • Mix thoroughly • Add starch slowly and mix

Teacher Note: Slime can be reused. Store it in an airtight container. ______

Silly Putty 1 cup white glue 1 cup cornstarch

• Combine ingredients in bowl

Teacher Note: Silly putty can be reused. Store in an airtight container.

Teacher Note: Elmer’s Glue-All (not Elmer’s School Glue) is recommended

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 19 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

Scented Playdough 1 Cup flour ½ Cup salt 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1 tablespoons cooking oil 1 small package unsweetened flavored drink mix 1 cup boiling water

• Mix together flour, salt, oil and unsweetened flavored drink mix • Add the cup of boiling water. Mix well • Knead the mixture until it forms a soft dough. • Store in a sealed container.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 20 I Use My Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment - Revised

Weekly Plan Sheet Week of ______Topic of Study _I Use My Senses to Learn About My Environment____ Teacher(s)______Revised Day Group Time #1 Group Time #2 Small Group Activities Transition Activities Special Activities Monday FP: Touch – p. 8 FP: My Eyes – p. 8

Introduction: Finding out First Reading of The Very what children know about our Busy Spider - p. 5 What’s In the Bag? – I Use My Eyes – p. 18 Take A Textured Walk – senses– p. 2 FP or Song: The Touch p. 10 p. 15 FP or Song: Five Senses Song – p. 9 Song – p. 7 Tuesday FP: Eyes to See With – p. 6 FP: I Have Two Eyes – p. 7

First Reading of My Five First Reading of Brown I Spy – p. 10 Senses – p. 2 Bear, Brown Bear - p.4 What Is Missing? – p. 10 Outdoor Exploration – p.

FP or Song: Five Senses FP or Song: Eyes to See I Can Remember – p. 10 12 Song – p. 7 With – p. 6 Bubble Colors – p. 13 Wednesday FP: Touch Your Nose – p. 9 FP: Touch – p. 8

Second Reading of My Five Smell Containers – p. 13 What’s For Snack – p. 14 Senses – p. 3 Second Reading of Brown I Spy – p. 10 Bear, Brown Bear – p. 4 FP or Song: Five Senses What’s in the Shoebox – Listen and Move to the Song – p. 7 FP or Song: The Touch p. 13 Music – p. 15 Song – p. 9 Thursday FP: Here Are My Ears – p. 6 FP: Touch Your Nose – p.9

First Reading of The Storytelling The Very Busy Sound Eggs – p. 13 Listening Walk – p. 4 Spider – p. 6 I Use My Eyes – p. 18 Take A Listening Walk –

FP or Song: Five Senses FP or Song: Hear the Do You Hear What I p. 11 Song – p. 7 Thunder – p. 8 Hear? – p. 11 Friday FP: My Tongue – p. 8 FP: Here Are My Ears – p. 6 Third Reading of My Conclusion: Finding out Five Senses – p. 3 Second Reading of The what children have learned Listening Walk – p. 5 about our senses – p. 2 Which Item Would You Five Senses Game – p. 9 Fruit Surprise – p. 14

Use? – p.12 FP or Song: Five Senses FP or Song: Hear the Song – p. 7 Thunder – p. 8 A Story About Me – p. 9 Changes to the Environment (Props, materials added to Centers) Dramatic Play / Art Blocks Books Manipulatives Sand / Water Science / Discovery Home Living Textured Collage Add – corrugated Add books, pictures, Add clothing of texture lotto, Water – Add plastic Add groups of items Materials, scented paint, cardboard and bubble storytelling figures different textures, sandpaper letters – containers, bottles, depicting these senses – fingerpainting, Slime, wrap – p. 16 Add felt/magnetic stethoscope, timer – p. 16 funnels, food coloring seeing, listening, and Goop, Gak, Silly Putty, board p. 16 Sand – Add aquarium touching, smelling, and Scented playdough – p. rock or smooth river hearing – p. 17 15 -16 rocks, shredded paper, deer corn, cups, scoops, funnels, and containers

Topic of Study – I Have Feelings and Emotions

Children have feelings and emotions. They may feel happy, sad, disappointed, excited, angry, jealous or proud, for example. However, they are not always able to express their feelings in words. Children need to learn the language for their feelings and emotions. They need to be able to understand and express their feelings. During this Topic of Study children will have opportunities to learn more about their feelings and how to express them in appropriate ways.

Learning cannot be separated from feelings and emotions. In order for children to learn, they need to feel emotionally safe. Even if you plan a special topic of study on feelings, it is important to remember that a child's feelings are a part of who that child is and therefore should be considered Introduction by you at all times.

To evaluate the social and emotional environment you provide for the children, refer page 19, Social/Emotional Environment Rating Scale. Complete the scale. Involve coworkers if this is appropriate. Work on some of the items that you rated either Seldom or Sometimes to bring them to a rating of Consistently. Here are six big ideas about feelings and emotions you can help children explore:

 I need to feel emotionally safe in my classroom

 I experience many different feelings

 Some feelings, like happiness and love, are positive and feel good

Big Ideas  Some feelings, like anger and jealousy, are negative, and feel bad

 I can express my feelings in different ways

 I can learn healthy ways to express negative feelings

• Pictures of people expressing different feelings and emotions • Children’s books about feelings and emotions The Way I Feel by Janan Cain Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, illustrated by Anita Jeram When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang Let’s Go Home, Little Bear by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Barbara Firth • Felt/magnetic figures for the rhyme, “Three Little Kittens” • Illustrated rhyme chart for “I Love Little Kitty” • Locate at A Story a Month on the Arkansas Better Beginnings website: Materials to Storytelling figures (felt or magnetic) for the book, Corduroy. Storytelling figures (felt or magnetic) for the book, Peter’s Chair. Collect and Storytelling figures (felt or magnetic) for the book, The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Make • Felt or Magnetic Board • Match the Feelings Cards (See Attachment: Match the Feelings) • Feelings Puppets • Taking Care of Baby Prop Box: soft, cuddly dolls (representing diversity), doll blankets, washcloth and hand towel, empty baby powder can, empty formula can, small basket for carrying dolls

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 1 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

• Check with your local library for the availability of children’s books. • Children’s books can be purchased online, from school supply catalogs or local bookstores. Contact the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education for the following materials or locate at A Story a Month on the Arkansas Better Beginnings website.

 A Story a Month – Corduroy (patterns for storytelling figures)  A Story a Month – Peter’s Chair (patterns for storytelling figures) Resources  A Story a Month – The Three Billy Goats Gruff (patterns for storytelling figures)

Introduction: Finding out what Children Know about Feelings and Emotions

Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 5.8 Participates in group discussion

To introduce the topic of “Feelings and Emotions” you need to find out what children already know about the topic. This allows you to build on your children’s experiences. It also helps create an interest in the topic. Here’s how to begin. Introducing and • Gather the children in a group. Say, “For the next few days we’re going to be learning Concluding about our feelings and emotions.” • Write on chart paper, chalk board or marker board the words “Feelings and Emotions.” the Topic • Invite children to tell you things they already know about their feelings. You may have to ask questions to stimulate their thinking, questions such as, “How would you feel if your family was late to pick you up from the center/school?” “How do you feel when you wake up at night and its dark in your room:” “What do you do when you hurt yourself?” • Make a list of all of the things children know about feelings and emotions. • Review the list with them and say, “You already know a lot of things about feelings and emotions and we’ll find out even more.” • Keep the list until you have completed the topic of study. ______Conclusion: Finding out what Children Have Learned about Feelings and Emotions • Gather the children in a group at the conclusion of the study about feelings and emotions. • Write on chart paper, chalk board or marker board, “Things We Learned about Our Feelings and Emotions.” • Invite children to tell you some things they have learned about feelings and emotions. You may have to ask prompt questions such as “What are some feelings that we have?” “What are some things you can do when you get angry?” • Make a list of all the things children learned about feelings and emotions. • Read the first list you made with the children. Then say, “Here are some new things you found out about feelings and emotions” and read today’s list with the children.

Benchmark: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them 1.25 Identifies one’s own feelings 1.26 Expresses thoughts and feelings in words 1.27 Identifies and understands others’ emotions and intentions

Book #1: The Way I Feel by Janan Cain, author and illustrator

First Reading of The Way I Feel Reading • Prepare to read the book, The Way I Feel. Books with • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) Children • Invite children to look at the child on the cover and predict how that child is feeling. Accept all answers. Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 2 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

• Say, “Let’s read and find out how the child in the story is feeling.” • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up with questions such as “Were you correct in your predictions? What were some of the child’s feelings?” • Show each double-page spread where a feeling is expressed and invite children to name the feeling introduced and why the child is feeling that way. ______Second Reading of The Way I Feel • Prepare to read the book, The Way I Feel. • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by showing the double-page spread where a feeling is expressed. Invite children to name the feeling. • Involve children in discussing some times when they have had these same feelings and why.

Teacher Note: Be sensitive to children and their personal situations. ______Third Reading of The Way I Feel (Small Group) • Prepare to read the book, The Way I Feel. • Show cover and invite children to recall the title. Give the author and illustrator. • Follow up the third reading by selecting some of the feelings that your children have been most vocal about; those that they seem most able to understand and express themselves about. Happy, scared, sad and angry are examples. • Involve children in discussing these feelings and when they feel this way. • Say to the children, “We’re going to write a story about feelings and you will get to help write it.” • Write on a chart pad, marker or chalk board the title, Our Feelings. • Name the feelings you have selected and invite each child in the group to choose one of the feelings and tell you when he or she felt that way. • Record on a chart pad each child’s comments. Here is an example:

Our Feelings

Malek felt sad when his Grandfather went home.

Samantha felt excited when she got a puppy.

• Read the story with the child, inviting each child to read his or her statement. Run your fingers under the words as you and the child read the statement together.

Teacher Note: Let the dictation of a statement about feelings be a child’s choice. Be sensitive to children and their personal situations.

Teacher Note: Involve all children in this small group activity.

Additional Benchmark: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message ______Book #2: Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, illustrated by Anita Jeram

First Reading of Guess How Much I Love You • Prepare to read the book, Guess How Much I Love You. • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 3 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Invite children to identify the animals on the cover of the book. They will probably say “rabbits.” Explain that the two animals are hares, which are very much like rabbits. • Ask children to predict what they think the story is about. What do they think the hares will do? • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by inviting children to discuss some of the ways Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare showed how big their love for each other was. Show the pages to give children visual clues. • Invite children to discuss how they show how big their love is for other people. ______Second Reading of Guess How Much I Love You • Prepare to read the book, Guess How Much I Love You. • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading of the story by inviting children to name a person they love and how they and that person show their love to each other. ______Book #3: When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang, author and illustrator

First Reading of When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry • Prepare to read the book, When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Ask children to look at cover and predict what Sophie does when she gets really, really angry. • Say, “Let’s read and find out what Sophie does when she gets really, really angry.” • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by asking children to recall what made Sophie really, really angry. Show the appropriate pages. Were children’s predictions correct? • Invite children to discuss what Sophie did when she got really, really angry. (kicks, screams, runs, cries). Again, show appropriate pages. • Involve children in discussing how Sophie got over being angry. Show appropriate pages.

Second Reading of When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry (Small Group) • Prepare to read the book, When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry • Gather a small group of children, three to five. • Show cover. Invite children to recall the title. State author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by inviting children to discuss what they do when they get really, really angry. Compare what they do with what Sophie did. • Recall with children what Sophie did that helped her get over her anger. • Involve children in discussing things that they might do when they get angry; things that are not destructive or hurtful to others. Guide them to come up with constructive ideas. You may have to help them to generate ideas by giving examples of what you do. • Record children’s ideas on chart paper, chalk or marker board. Consider giving the list a title such as: When We Get Angry • Read the children’s ideas back with them. • Invite children to illustrate the list. • Post the list of ideas where children can refer to them.

Teacher Note: Here are some ideas that you and the children may come up with together: • Stop, take a deep breath and count to 10. Have children try this. • Go to a quiet place in the classroom or at home. Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 4 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

• Go outdoors and look and listen to the beautiful things in nature such as birds, clouds, flowers and trees. • Tell the person you’re angry with that you are angry and why.

Teacher Note: Provide a quiet place in the classroom where children can go to get away from the stresses of group living; a place they can go when they become angry and need to get away from the person or situation that has made them angry.

Teacher Note: Involve all children in this small group activity.

Additional Benchmarks: 1.29 Expresses strong emotions constructively 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message ______Book #4: Let’s Go Home, Little Bear by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Barbara Firth

First Reading of Let’s Go Home, Little Bear • Prepare to read the book, Let’s Go Home, Little Bear. • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Show the first two pages of the book and ask children what time of the year it is. How can they tell? (winter/snow) • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by sharing a time when you were frightened by something and someone reassured and protected you. • Invite children to share a time they were frightened and someone reassured and protected them. ______Second Reading of Let’s Go Home, Little Bear • Prepare to read the book, Let’s Go Home, Little Bear. • Show cover, give author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by inviting children to recall what caused Little Bear to be frightened. Show appropriate pages. • Invite children to discuss what Big Bear did to help Little Bear not be afraid. • Ask children how they think Little Bear felt when he and Big Bear got back home. ______Third Reading of Let’s Go Home, Little Bear • Prepare to read the book, Let’s Go Home, Little Bear • Show cover, give author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the third reading by showing pages with sounds that Little Bear hears. • Involve children in making the sounds and discussing what made the sounds. • Invite children to share times when something scared them and they discovered that it really was not scary at all. Share a personal story to help stimulate discussion.

A Pocket Full of Kisses by Audrey Penn, illustrated by Barbara Leonard Gibson

How Are You Peeling? by Saxton Freymann, Joost Elffers

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, illustrated by Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak

L is for Loving : An ABC for the Way You Feel by Ken Wilson-Max Additional Books Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus, illustrated by Jose Aruego

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 5 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse, illustrated by Barbara Lavallee

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Patrick Benson

Sassafras by Audrey Penn

Time for Bed by Mem Fox, illustrated by Jane Dyer

There’s A Nightmare in My Closet by Mercer Meyer

The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle

You Are Special, Little One by Nancy Tafuri

Benchmarks: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them 5.6 Uses words to communicate ideas and feelings

Storytelling Figures for The Three Billy Goats Gruff • Make either felt or magnetic storytelling figures for the story, The Three Billy Goats Gruff. • Read the book, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, or tell the story to the children. • Tell the story using the storytelling figures. • Discuss with children the feelings of the characters in the story. For example: Language How did the Billy Goats Gruff feel about going over the bridge? (afraid of the Troll) Materials How did the Troll feel when he heard the Billy Goats Gruff going over his bridge? and (angry) What did he do to show his anger? Activities How did the Billy Goats Gruff feel when they finally got to the other side of the bridge and had green grass to eat? (happy) ______Storytelling Figures for Peter’s Chair • Make either felt or magnetic storytelling figures for the story, Peter’s Chair. • Read the book, Peter’s Chair, by Ezra Jack Keats, to the children. • Tell the story using the storytelling figures. • Follow up by discussing with the children how the different characters in the story felt. For example: How did Peter feel when he saw his furniture being painted pink for his sister? (jealous) Introduce the word “jealous” if children do not say the word. Explain that jealous means when we are afraid that someone is taking our place. What did Peter do when he saw his father painting his furniture? (He took his chair and he and his dog ran away) How did Peter’s mother feel when Peter came back home (happy) How do you think Peter felt when he helped his father paint his chair for his baby sister? (proud) ______Storytelling Figures: Corduroy • Make either felt or magnetic figures for the story, Corduroy. • Read the book, Corduroy by Don Freeman, to the children. • Tell the story using the storytelling figures. • Follow up by discussing with the children how the different characters in the story felt. For example: How do you think Corduroy felt when Lisa’s mother said she could not have him? (sad) How do you think Lisa felt? (sad, disappointed) How do you think Corduroy felt when the night watchman came looking for him? (frightened) How do you think Corduroy and Lisa felt when Lisa came back to the store and bought Corduroy and took him home with her. (happy) Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 6 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

Benchmarks: 5.1 Demonstrates phonological awareness (hearing and recognizing the sounds of language) 5.5 Participates in songs, finger plays, rhyming activities and games

Storytelling Figures: Mother Goose Rhyme, “Three Little Kittens” • Make felt or magnet figures of three little kittens, a larger cat (Mother), and three mittens for the rhyme, “Three Little Kittens.” Make each kitten and each mitten different. • Use the figures to say the following rhyme:

Three Little Kittens

The three little kittens They lost their mittens, And they began to cry.

Oh, Mother dear, We sadly fear Our mittens we have lost.

What? Lost your mittens, You naughty kittens! Then you shall have no pie. Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.

No, you shall have no pie.

The three little kittens They found their mittens, And they began to cry.

Oh, Mother, dear, See here, see here, Our mittens we have found.

Put on your mittens, You silly kittens, And you shall have some pie.

Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r, Oh let us have some pie.

• Make illustrated rhyme chart for the following nursery rhyme: I Love Little Kitty

I love little kitty, Her coat is so warm, And if I don’t hurt her She’ll do me no harm. So I’ll not pull her tail Nor drive her away; But kitty and I Very gently will play. She shall sit by my side, And I’ll give her some food; And kitty will love me Even when I’m in a bad mood. Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 7 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

• Say the rhyme with the children while showing the appropriate chart. • Post the chart on the wall at child’s eye level. Observe to see if the children look at the chart and say the words. ______

If You’re Happy

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap, clap) If you’re happy and you know it, clap you hands (clap, clap) If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it (smile) If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap, clap)

If you’re sad and you know it, cry boo hoo (rub eyes) If you’re sad and you know it, cry boo hoo (rub eyes) If you’re sad and you know, then your face will surely show it (rub eyes) If you’re sad and you know it, cry boo hoo. (rub eyes)

If you’re scared and you know it, look like this (make frightened face) If you’re scared and you know it, look like this (make frightened face) If you’re scared and you know it, then your face will surely show it (make frightened face) If you’re scared and you know, look like this (make frightened face)

If you’ve had a good time today, shout hooray. (“Hooray!”) If you’ve had a good time today, shout hooray. (“Hooray!”) If you’ve had a good time today, and you want to come back and play, (Thumbs up) If you’ve had a good time today, shout hooray. (“Hooray!”)

If you’re leaving us today, say goodbye. (wave) If you’re leaving us today, say goodbye. (wave) If you’re leaving us today, and you won’t be back to play (shake head no) If you’re leaving us today, say goodbye. (wave)

If you’re moving far away, say goodbye.(wave) If you’re moving far away, say goodbye. (wave) If you’re moving far away, and won’t be back to play, (shake head no) If you’re moving far away, say goodbye. (wave)

Teacher Note: Select and sing with the children the verses that are appropriate for them. Make up new verses for different situations.

______

The More We Get Together

The more we get together, together, together, The more we get together, the happier we’ll be. For your friends are my friends, And my friends are your friends. The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 8 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

Little Miss Muffet

Little Miss Muffet Sat on a tuffet, Eating her curds and whey; Along came a spider, Who sat down beside her And frightened Miss Muffet away. ______The People on the Bus (Children match facial expressions to words in the song)

The people on the bus feel happy, happy, happy, Happy, happy, happy. Happy, happy happy. The people on the bus feel happy, happy, happy, All through the town.

The people on the bus feel sad, sad, sad, Sad, sad, sad. Sad, sad, sad. The people on the bus feel sad, sad, sad. All through the town.

The people on the bus feel scared, scared, scared, Scared, scared, scared. Scared, scared, scared. The people on the bus feel scared, scared, scared, All through the town.

The people on the bus feel angry, angry, angry, Angry, angry, angry. Angry, angry, angry. The people on the bus feel angry, angry, angry, All through the town.

(Repeat the first verse to end on a happy note!)

Teacher Note: Try this after the children are familiar with the song. Introduce each verse by showing one of the round faces from the Match the Feelings cards. Ask children to sing the verse that matches the face. ______Benchmarks: 1.1 Demonstrates ability to make choices 1.2 Demonstrates independence in personal care 1.6 Demonstrates confidence in growing abilities 1.19 Works cooperatively with others 1.25 Identifies one’s own feelings 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing)

Activity: A Story about Me • Create a book for each child. (See Attachment: “A Story About Me”) • Involve children in developing their books during the following topics of study: I Am a Unique Person, I Have an Amazing Body, I Use my Senses to Learn about Things in My Environment, and I Have Feelings and Emotions. • Involve children in adding to the book as different activities are completed during the four topics of study that are identified. • Help children complete the page about feelings.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 9 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

Benchmarks: 1.25 Identifies one’s own feelings 1.26 Expresses thoughts and feelings in words 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message

Activity: What Bugs You? • Draw a large ladybug on butcher paper, a chart sheet or a marker or chalk board. • Provide a small ladybug for each child. • Invite children to tell you something that bugs them; something that makes then unhappy with someone else. For example, a child might say, “It bugs me when my friends don’t listen to me.” “It bugs me when someone takes my toy.” “It bugs me to have to take a nap.” • Model a statement if children seem unsure how to begin. • Write each child’s statement on his or her individual ladybug. Children can write their own name or ask for your assistance in writing their name on their ladybug. • Allow children to tape their individual ladybug to the large one. • Read the children’s comments with the group.

Teacher Note: Prevent children from making personal comments about a child or children in the group. State at the beginning that they cannot use another child’s name. ______

Activity: Top Ten Things That Make Us Happy • Label a chart sheet, marker or chalk board as follows: Top Ten Things That Make Us Happy. • Invite children to help decide on ten items to add to the chart. • Record on the chart what the children say. • Read the chart back with the children. • Invite children to decorate the chart with “happy” pictures. Teacher Note: Create Top Ten charts to go with other feelings such as sad and angry. ______

Activity: Ten Ways to Show Someone You Love Them • Label a chart sheet, marker or chalk board as follows: Ten Ways to Show Someone You Love them. • Invite children to help decide on ten items to add to the chart. • Record on the chart what the children say. • Read the chart back with the children. • Invite children to decorate the chart with pictures that show love. ______

Activity: How Do I Feel? • Cut out 3 circles, 6” in diameter. • Draw a happy face on one circle, a sad face on one, and a scared/afraid face on the other. • Attach the faces to a craft stick. • Bring the face puppets to group time. • Show each puppet and invite children to discuss how the puppet is feeling and why the puppet is feeling that way. • Invite children who want a turn to select one of the puppets that represent how they are feeling and tell why he or she is feeling that way. • Model if children seem to need help getting started. For example, say, “I am so happy that the firefighters came to visit us today. I enjoyed seeing their fire truck.”

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 10 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

______Benchmarks: 1.10 Trust adults for help and comfort 1.17 Stands up for rights 1.18 Respects the rights of others 1.21 Becomes involved in solving social problems (conflicts) 3.36 Shows awareness of safe behavior

Activity: Rights of Each Child (Chart) Establish with children the rights that each child in the classroom has. Discuss these rights with the children as follows: • Each child has the right to be safe from harm. Explain to children that you are there to protect them and keep them safe. Lead children to discuss how they can help keep themselves and each other safe. For example, they will follow the safety rules for play. They will keep their hands and feet to themselves and not hit or kick other children. They will be safe with toys such as blocks which they will use for building, not hitting or throwing. They will be safe with scissors by using them to cut only paper (or things the teacher says they can cut) and by staying seated when using them. They will keep the sand in the sand table and not throw it at someone because the sand could get in a person’s eyes and hurt them. They will help pick up toys and put them away so they will not get broken or so that no one will trip and fall over them. They will participate in storm and fire drills so that they can be prepared for an emergency. • Each child has the right to be treated with respect. Explain to children that this means calling each other by name (no name-calling), helping each other with tasks, allowing others to finish their turn with toys such as tricycles, asking for a turn with a toy rather than grabbing it, listening when another person is talking. • Each child has the right to have personal possessions protected. Provide each child with a cubbie or locker labeled with the child’s name and picture or symbol. Explain to children that each of them has a locker or cubbie which belongs only to them. Things in each child’s locker or cubbie are not to be bothered by other children. • Each child has the right to play with all toys and materials in all areas of the classroom. For example, a boy has the right to wear an apron, carry a purse and play in the home living area and a girl has the right to be a truck driver and play in the block area. • Each child has the right to privacy. Provide a quiet, private space where a child can go to be by himself/herself. Explain to children that this is a “quiet” space for only one person. Help children understand that sometimes a person just likes to be alone.

Give children the words to use when standing up for their rights. Examples include: • “Girls can play with blocks too.” • “I don’t like it when you hit me. It hurts. Don’t do it anymore.” • “Don’t call me a baby. My name is ______.”

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 11 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

Teacher Note: Consider discussing these rights with children during group time as a way to help them feel emotionally safe in your classroom. Give them examples of situations and invite them to discuss how the situation could be handled. For example, if a child takes something from another child’s locker, what might the owner of the locker say, If a child grabs a toy from another child, what can the child say to the “grabber”?

Teacher Note: Consider creating a chart with the rights of each child written on it. Review the chart with the children. Post the chart where children can see it. Consider copying the rights on an 8 ½ x 11” sheet of paper to send home for each family.

The Rights of Each Child

 Each child has the right to be safe from harm.  Each child has the right to be treated with respect.  Each child has the right to have personal possessions protected.  Each child has the right to play with all toys and materials in all areas of the classroom.  Each child has the right to privacy

Benchmarks: 1.1 Demonstrates ability to make choices 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 3.15 Demonstrates an understanding of number (how many) and numeral (3 is a numeral) relationship

Activity: Where We Feel Happy Graph • Provide a choice of three learning centers that children seem to enjoy the most: sand, dramatic play, and blocks for example. Science / • Prepare a graph with columns for each activity. Use a picture or drawing of the center Discovery • Make name cards for each child in a size that will fit on the graph. and Math • Explain to children that they will choose a center that makes them feel happy. • Invite each child to choose a center that makes them feel happy and tape his or her name card in the correct column on the graph. • Involve the children in counting the number of children who feel happy in each center.

Where We Feel Happy

7 6 5 Jonathan 4 James Miguel 3 Kennedi Trude Juan 2 Sam Maria Sarah 1 Ashley Elizabeth Jackson

Sand Table Dramatic Play Blocks

• Write a summary story.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 12 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

Where We Feel Happy

Five children feel happy at the sand table. Three children feel happy in the dramatic play center. Four children feel happy in the block center.

Benchmarks: 4.3 Tries new foods before deciding whether he or she likes them 4.7 Uses small muscles for self-help skills

Activity: Happy Times Trail Mix

• Gather the following: toasted oat cereal, pretzel sticks, and different kinds of whole grain cereal squares. Food/ • Allow each child to put a scoop of each food item into his or her bowl. • Nutrition Serve the Happy Times Trail Mix with Juice

Experience Teacher Note: Allow the children to do as much of these food experiences as possible.

Teacher Note: Teachers and children should always wash hands before participating in a food experience.

Benchmarks: 4.9 Freely participates in gross motor activities 4.12 Shows balance and coordination

Activity: Show Me Your Feelings • Involve children in doing the movement you state as follows: Jump 5 times for joy (jump up and down 5 times and count each jump) Clap three times for happiness (clap three times and count each clap) Movement/ Twist at your waist four times for love (twist four times and count each twist) Stretch up high six times for excitement (stretch six times and count) Physical Touch your toes five times for jealousy (touch toes five times and count each touch) Education Turn around 2 times for disappointment (turn around two times and count each turn) Take a deep breath and count to 10 for anger (take a deep breath and count to ten)

Additional Benchmark: 3.15 Demonstrates an understanding of number (how many) and numeral (3 is a numeral) relationship) ______

Activity: Feelings Freeze • Explain to children that they are going to play a game called “Feelings Freeze”. You will play music and children will move around the room. When you stop the music and say a feeling, they will stop and make their faces and bodies look like that feeling. • Involve children in discussing some of the feelings they can express with their bodies. • Play music as children move around the room. • Stop the music and state a feeling such as, Angry Freeze, Happy Freeze, Frightened Freeze, Disappointed Freeze, Excited Freeze. • Continue the activity, stating different feelings when you stop the music.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 13 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

Benchmarks: 1.27 Identifies and understands others’ emotions and intentions 2.10 Explores and manipulates art media Art Activity: Playdough Pounding • Provide playdough. • Encourage children to roll and pound the playdough.

Teacher Note: Have playdough available in art each day for children to choose as an activity. Learning Sometimes children will use playdough as a way to work out their feelings of anger or frustration. Centers Activity: Feelings Mural • Post a large sheet of butcher paper to the wall at eye level. • Provide magazines with lots of pictures of people expressing different feelings and emotions. • Involve children in writing across the top of the paper the following: How People Feel. • Invite children to look through magazines and find pictures that show people expressing different feelings and emotions. Encourage them to cut out the pictures and glue them to the paper. • Suggest that children may want to draw pictures of different feelings, cut them out and glue them to the paper. • Invite children to dictate a “feelings” statement about some of the pictures they have added to the mural. Teacher Note: Allow children to add to the Feelings Mural over several days.

Activity: Creating to Music • Place a CD or cassette player near the art center. • Play music with different tempos and beats. • Observe children to see if they draw or paint in time to the music.

Teacher Note: Play music loud enough for children in the Art Center to hear it, but not so loud that it creates a noise problem in the room. ______Block Center • Add softness to the block center. • Consider adding foam blocks, a piece of soft carpet and soft and cuddly animals. ______Library/Book Corner • Add books about feelings and emotions • Add felt or magnetic storytelling figures for the following stories: Corduroy Peter’s Chair The Three Billy Goats Gruff • Add a felt or magnetic board • Add softness such as pillows and soft and cuddly animals. ______Home Living/Dramatic Play • Add a Taking Care of Baby prop box • Invite children to take out the items in the prop box and discuss how to care for a baby. • Model for the children holding and cuddling the baby and talking to the baby in a soft and loving voice. ______Manipulatives • Use the attached patterns to create the “Match the Feelings” Cards. Use cardstock and laminate or cover with clear self-adhesive paper for durability.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 14 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

• Place the cards on the table and invite children to find the two that match and name the feeling that each pair represents. ______Water table or tub • Have water play available each day as a choice for children. • Remember, while it may seem messy, that playing in water is soothing and can calm a child who is agitated or upset. • Change the props for variety, but keep the water play. ______Sand table or tub • Have sand play available each day as a choice for children. Provide sand play both indoors and outdoors if possible. • Remember, while it may seem messy, that playing in sand is soothing and can calm a child who is agitated or upset. • Change the props for variety, but keep the sand play. ______Quiet Corner • Create a quiet corner in your classroom; a place where children can go to be alone and to get away from the stresses of group living. • Place soft items in the quiet corner. Carpet on the floor, soft pillows, and soft and cuddly stuffed animals or dolls are examples. • Discuss with children when they might want to go to the quiet corner. When they are angry and need to get away from the source of their anger? When they are sad and need to be alone? When the room gets too noisy and they need a quiet spot? • Explain to children that the quiet corner is for one child at a time.

What Am I Feeling? • Use the Match the Feelings cards for a transition activity. • Show a card and ask a child to name the feeling and make a face to match the one on the card. • Child transitions to next activity.

Teacher Note: Consider this alternative. Show a card and ask a child to identify the feeling and say when someone would feel that way, then transition to the next activity. Transition ______Activities How Would You Feel If….. • Have a list of situations that suggest a certain feeling. • Call a child by name and say, “Jeremiah, how would you feel if….” and state the situation. • Child answers and transitions to the next activity

Examples of situations: How would you feel if you got a new puppy? How would you feel if your ice cream fell on the floor? How would you feel if you were supposed to go to the park and it rained? How would you feel if your (name a family member) gave you a big hug? How would you feel if you fell down and skinned your knee? How would you feel if (name a family member) got sick and had to go the hospital? How would you feel if you got lost in the store? How would you feel if your family was going on a trip to the zoo?

Teacher Note: Make up other situations to use with the children.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 15 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

Send home a note to parents stating for the next few days, the children will be learning about their feelings and emotion . Suggest some ways families can be involved in the topic of study: • Collect pictures of people expressing different feelings. • Include the titles and authors of some of the children’s books about feelings and emotions. Suggest that they look for these books in the local library, check them out and read them with their child. Family • Send home a list of some of the ways children came up with that they can do when they get angry. Activities • Share with families their child’s book, “A Story About Me”.

Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 16 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

Name______Date______

Social / Emotional Environment Rating Scale Directions: Evaluate the social/emotional environment provided in your classroom by completing the following scale. Practices/Strategies Seldom Sometimes Consistently

Provide consistent routines that children understand

Follow through with commitments to children

Treat families with respect

Treat co-workers with respect View each child as an individual with own strengths and needs

Listen attentively to each child

Talk frequently with individual children at their eye level Give physical cues of encouragement: smiles, nods and pats for example Plan activities/games that are non-competitive so that no child is ever a loser Notice and make authentic comments to children about their work.

Allow opportunities for children to talk and ask questions Allow children to explore their environment and try things on their own Provide an orderly classroom that is organized to give children a sense of security (children have space for personal belongings, they know where things belong)

Provide soft furnishings and cozy spaces that are accessible to children

Provide private space where a child can go to be alone Provide an environment that reflects culture and ethnicity of enrolled families Provide dramatic play materials that allow children to act out feelings and emotions; for example, dolls and dress-up clothes Provide sensory materials that are soothing (such as sand and water), and that allow children to work out feelings (such as playdough) Provide literacy experiences that allow children to express feelings and emotions Check those provided: ______books ______songs ______puppets ______discussion pictures ______other (list)______From Pre-K Early Literacy Learning in Arkansas Trainer Manual by Dot Brown and Beverly C. Wright, Fayetteville, AR: UA Early Care & Education Projects, pp. 65-66, copyright 2006, reprinted with permission. Adventures in Learning - #2 Begin with Me 17 I Have Feelings and Emotions - Revised

Weekly Plan Sheet Week of Topic of Study I Have Feelings and Emotions Teacher(s) Day Group Time #1 Group Time #2 Small Group Activities Transition Activities Special Activities Monday FP: I Love Little Kitty– p. 7 FP: Little Miss Muffett – p.9

Introduction: Finding out First Reading of The Way I what children know about my Feel – p. 2 Top Ten Things That What Am I Feeling? – Show Me Your Feelings feelings and emotions – p. 2 Make Us Happy – p. 10 p. 15 – p. 13 FP or Song: The More We FP or Song: If You’re Happy Get Together – p. 8 – p. 8 Tuesday FP: How Do I Feel? –p. 10 FP: The Three Little Kittens – p. 7 First Reading of Guess How Much I Love You – p. 3 Second Reading of The What Bugs You? – p. 10 How Would You Feel If Feelings Freeze – p. 13 Way I Feel – p. 3 … -p. 15 FP or Song: The People on the Bus – p. 9 FP or Song If You’re Happy – p. 8 Wednesday FP: How Do I Feel? – p.10 FP: I Love Little Kitty – p. 7 Where We Feel Happy First Reading of When Second Reading of Guess Graph – p. 12 Sophie Gets Angry - p. 4 How Much I Love You – p. 4 What Am I Feeling? – The Rights of Each Child FP or Song: If You’re Happy FP or Song: The More We Ten Ways to Show p. 15 – (review) – p. 11 – p. 8 Get Together – p.8 Someone You Love Them – p. 10 Thursday FP: The Three Little Kittens – FP: Little Miss Muffett – p. 9 p. 7 Storytelling Peter’s Chair – Happy Times Trail Mix – First Reading of Let’s Go p. 6 Feelings Mural – p. 14 How Would You Feel If p. 13 Home Little Bear – p. 5 FP or Song: If You’re Happy … - p. 15 FP or Song: The People on – p. 8 Show Me Your Feelings the Bus – p. 9 – p. 13 Friday FP: I Love Little Kitty – p.7 FP: The People On the Bus – p. 9 Storytelling Corduroy – p. 6 Conclusion: Finding out what children have learned AStory AboutMe –p. 9 What AmIFeeling?– Feelings Freeze – p. 13 FP or Song: If You’re Happy my feelings and emotions – p. 15 – p. 8 p. 2 FP or Song: The More We Get Together – p.8 Changes to the Environment (Props, materials added to Centers) Dramatic Play / Art Blocks Books Home Living Manipulatives Sand / Water Science / Discovery Playdough Pounding, Add softness, foam Add books, pictures, Add Taking Care of Match the Feelings Water – add props – Feelings Mural, blocks, soft carpet, storytelling figures, Baby prop box – p. 14 Cards – p. 14. p. 15 Creating to Music – p. soft and cuddly add felt/magnetic 14 animals – p. 14 board, softness such as pillows, soft & Sand - add props – cuddly animals – p.14 p.15 Match the Feelings

Happy Happy

Sad Sad

Adventures in Learning: #2 Begin with Me I Have Feelings & Emotions Angry Angry

Scared Scared

Adventures in Learning: #2 Begin with Me I Have Feelings & Emotions Weekly Plan Sheet Week of ______Topic of Study __Begin With Me Review Week ______Teacher(s)______Revised Day Group Time #1 Group Time #2 Small Group Activities Transition Activities Special Activities Monday FP: Hicky Picky Bumblebee FP: The Giraffe – p. 6 – p.7 I Am A First Reading of Giraffes Unique First Reading of Whoever Can’t Dance – p. 5 Third Reading of A My Name Cards with Photos Bean Bag Name Game – Person You Are – p. 5 Name Is Alice – p. 3 FP or Song: I Am Mary – – p. 14 p. 12 FP or Song: I Am Special – p. 7 p. 7 Tuesday FP: Open, Shut Them – p. 8 FP: Ten Little Fingers – p. 9

I Have An Storytelling Figures: From First Reading of Here Are Amazing Head to Toe – p. 5 My Hands – p. 3 Third Reading of My Name It – p. 20 Bean Bag Balance – Body Hands –p. 4 FP or Song: Looby Loo –p.5 FP or Song – Body Wiggle – p. 17 p. 7 Wednesday FP: Here Are My Ears – p. 6 FP: I Have Two Eyes – p. 7

I Use My First Reading of My Five Senses Senses – p. 3 Second Reading of The Guess What I’m Eating – I Use My Eyes – p. 17 Listen and Move to the Listening Walk – p. 5 FP or Song: Five Senses p. 14 Music – p. 15 Song – p. 7 FP or Song: Hear the Thunder – p. 8 Thursday FP: Eyes To See With – p. 6 FP: Touch – p. 8

Second Reading of Brown Storytelling The Very Busy Bear, Brown Bear – p. 4 Spider – p. 6 I Use My Texture Sorting – p. 11 Five Senses Game – p. 9 Take A Textured Walk –

Senses p. 15 FP or Song: Five Senses FP or Song: The Touch Song – p. 7 Song – p. 9 Friday FP: I Love Little Kitty – p.7 FP: The Three Little Kittens – p. 7 I Have Storytelling: The Three Billy Second Reading of What Am I Feeling? – Show Me Your Feelings Feeling and Goats Gruff – p. 6 Second Reading of The When Sophie Gets p. 15 – p. 13 Emotions Way I Feel – p. 3 FP or Song: If You’re Happy FP or Song: The More We Angry – p. 4 – p. 8 Get Together – p.8 Changes to the Environment (Props, materials added to Centers) Dramatic Play / Art Blocks Books Manipulatives Sand / Water Science / Discovery Home Living Add the things the Add small figures, Add books, pictures, Add male and female Add dressing boards, Water – Add plastic Add sequence cards, children seem to have various sizes of and storytelling figures dress up clothes, lacing people shapes, containers, scoops, groups of items for the enjoyed the most from blocks, signs, Felt/magnetic board Taking care of baby Body parts and funnels various senses to the Topic of Study corrugated cardboard, prop box, full length concentration, texture Sand – Add plastic explore listed for the day bubble wrap, softness safety mirror, mixing lotto containers, scoops, bowl, wooden spoons and funnels