PHONICS FOR KINDERGARTEN
Concepts Taught: phonics
I introduce a letter/sound per week. One activity is a letter museum – where children bring an object from home starting with a letter/sound to be put on display. Each child tells about their object, and on Friday we play a game using all objects brought in.
Humpty Dumpty
Materials Required: 1 egg
Activity Time: 15–20 min
Concepts Taught: Problem Solving
Recite nursery rhyme for Humpty Dumpty. Put plastic on floor and have students use blocks to build a wall. Have a fresh, raw egg decorated like Humpty Dumpty. Recite nursery rhyme using the egg as Humpty Dumpty. During the second or third recitation, “accidentally” drop Humpty Dumpty. When he falls and breaks, be surprised and ask how we will repair him.
Explain that all the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again. Then allow each child an opportunity to try to repair the egg.
The children will learn that not all things can be fixed. But, problem solving skills will be practiced, and the kids will have a lot of fun in the process.
MONTHS OF THE YEAR
(tune: Ten Little Indians)
January, February, March, and April,
May, and June, and July, and August,
September, October, November, December.
These are the months of the year!
MONTH RAP
(have the children “patch” on their knees)
There are 12 months in a year, it’s true.
Listen now, I’ll say’em for you:
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August,
September, October, November, December.
These 12 months make up a year!
Let’s say’em again, loud and clear . . .
Apples, peaches, pears, and plums,
Stand on the month your birthday comes!
(Teacher holds up month cards and children stand when they see their special month.)
The Four Seasons
Materials Required: How creative do you want to be?
Activity Time: 2 weeks; 30 min/day. Can be shortened
Concepts Taught: Weather: effects on animals, plants, people
Winter is COLD! What does tree look like? (bare)
Animals hibernate, fly south, stay (some change color, i.e. rabbit).
What do we wear? Holidays we celebrate, etc. Answer these questions for each month.
Students can make pictures of each season and visually see the differences. One page can be child dressed for season and seasonal weather. One page with tree and tree dwelling animal(s). One page with months and holidays. Be creative (fabric, cotton balls, tissue paper, fur, etc. or simple-coloring). This project can be as involved or simple as you need.
EVERY WEEK
(tune: Are you Sleeping)
Every week has 7 days,
See how many you can say.
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
Saturday. What’s today?
DAYS OF THE WEEK
(Tune: If You’re Happy and You Know It)
We (or person’s name) know our days of the week.
We (or person’s name) know our days of the week.
There’s Sunday, Monday, Tuesday
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Then there’s only one more day to go
SATURDAY!!!
Other option (same tune)
There’re 7 days of the week.
There’re 7 days of the week.
There’s Sunday, Monday, Tuesday
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Then there’s only one more day to go
SATURDAY!
Calendar Language
Materials Required: color markers, large lined paper
Activity Time: 10 min
Concepts Taught: To recognize the days of the week and sounds
I do this while doing calendar. One student is the calendar person, and everyday they will take the days of the week and write on the large paper, “Today is ______.” Then as the third quarter comes I make it more thought provoking, “Today is ___ April ___, 1998.” This helps them learn the days of the week and practice writing words. The teacher always does Mondays so that the students will have something to copy of. Then we have the calendar person do the news for Monday. The children all help to spell the words. The teacher helps them by doing the sounds. Then whatever is the letter of the week you write it on Monday, and then have students pick out words that begin with the letter for the week. Then we read the news and the students clap when we read a word with the letter of the week and circle the letter. Then the students go back and count the number of circles that are made and write that number on the left side. Do this everyday, and all the children will learn the days of the week, and you will have
a lot of fun doing this.We go to school on Monday,
And Tuesday,
And Wednesday,
We go to school on Thursday,
And Friday, too.
On Saturday and Sunday
We stay at home to play.
We go to school for 5 days
And stay at home for 2.
Activity Time: varied
Concepts Taught: Teaching the days of the week through song
To the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
Every week has 7 days, 7 days, 7 days,
Every week has 7 days, 7 days, 7 days,
Can you name them?
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wed. etc.
(Repeat twice)
To the tune of “Clementine”
There are 7 days,
There are 7 days,
There are 7 days in a week,
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
To the tune of “Are You Sleeping?”
Every week has 7 days,
See how many you can say.
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
Saturday. What’s today?
Tune “We Wish you a Merry Christmas”
Day 1 of the week is Sunday,
Day 2 of the week is Monday,
Day 3 of the week is Tuesday,
Day 4 is Wednesday,
Day 5 of the Week is Thursday,
Day 6 of the Week is Friday,
Day 7 of the Week is Saturday.
Let’s all shout HOORAY.