Family Traditions Unit November 4-8

Books This Week:
Apples and Pumpkins
Full, Full, Full of Love

Concept Questions For This Week:
-What is a family?
-Who are the people in your family?
-Begin discussion of family tree project

Handwriting:
-Finishing our color and shape books.  We will also be reviewing Mat Man materials
- Big Line Activities-
1. using big and little lines to see if we can make letters in our names
2. using chalk boards to write big lines then wiping with sponges
3. using dry erase boards to write big lines and little lines

Small Groups This Week:
1. Pumpkin sorting- We will sort 5 different pumpkins in size order from smallest to biggest. Then we will use non-standard unit of measure to see how tall each pumpkin is.  Then we will trace or write the number. then cut and glue a set of pumpkins to put them in order from smallest to biggest and/or biggest to smallest
2.Pumpkin Sequence- We will color then sequence the order of how to make a jack-o-lantern.  In the story Apples and Pumpkins the family picks a pumpkin then creates a jack-o-lantern as a family tradition.
3. Pumpkin and Vine Math Books- First we will draw vines on each page of our books. Then we will use 1:1 correspondence to place the correct number of pumpkins(our thumbprints) on each page. We will focus on numbers 6-10.
1. Memory Game- Using vocabulary from unit books, we will play a memory game. Then we will discuss which vocabulary comes from which book.
2.Beginning Letter Feast Book- We will listen to the sounds in the beginning sound in each picture. Then we will watch a model of how to form each letter with HWT boards. Then we will write the initial sound for each picture.
3. Setting a table- We will discuss how the family in the unit book "set the table" for a feast.  Then we will cut and glue pictures, a cup, and a napkin to show how to set a proper table.

Centers

Art Table:Apple prints

Block Area:blocks pumpkins to make rows

Sensory Table:water and fish (like in the story Full, Full of Love)

Book Area: books about families

Easel: pumpkins and orange and green paints

Writing Table: family words to copy

Dramatic Play: tools

Puzzles and Manipulatives: Ipads

Science Table: Tally sheets for activity of gerbils

Preschool Life Skills

Every week we will be reinforcing previous skills and introducing new skills. Some weeks we will spend more time with a previous skill before moving to a new skill.
New Life Skill: 
"When I give you an instructions, do them right away." (2-3 step directions)

Previous Life Skills:

"When a teacher calls your name, you stop, look at the speaker, and say "yes".

 "When I give you an instruction, do it right away."

Social Thinking:

We have begun reading books about our thoughts and feelings to go along with our new curriculum.  I will be sending home information about our new social thinking program.