Unit 6 Week 4 Earth and Sky March 28-April 1

Earth and Sky Unit Week 3

Unit Book: Think Green

Weekly Question and Vocabulary Words:
How can we take care of the Earth?
(plastic, aluminum, recycle, paper, seperate, harm, bin)

Literacy Small Groups

Letter/Sound Correspondence- We will practice matching vowels with their sounds.  These letters (a,e,i,o,u) are often the most difficult to master for young learners.  Using magnetic letters, we will pull a vowel from our cup.  Beginning by placing our marker or crayon on the matching vowel, we will stretch out the vowel sound to reach the picture that makes that sound while tracing the line.  We will continue pulling vowels from our cup until all vowel sounds have been practiced three times each.

Handwriting-We will begin formal instruction on how to form lowercase letters.  Since lowercase letter formations  are new to most of us, we will learn these at a slower pace and use a variety of mediums to practice each letter.  This may be in the form of magna doodles, chalkboards, salt trays, etc.  We will rainbow write and pencil practice each letter  well.  This week, we will practice letters c & o.  These are magic C letters- Once we know how to make the lowercase c, we will learn to make many other letters that also begin that way.

Segmenting & Blending Sounds- We will continue our practice segmenting and blending sounds heard in words. Using three sounds words, we will color and cut out pictures puzzles.  We will use those puzzles to practice blending words together and then taking them apart.  Repeat this activity at home to help your child build this skill.

Journals- We will continue our practice writing in our journals.  This week, we will write about taking care of our earth.  We will slowly sound out words to write a sentence about one way we can help keep our planet a great place to live.

Math Small Groups

Duplo Sharing -We will learn what it means for quantities to be equal.  Equal quantities have the same amount.  Starting with a set number of Duplo blocks we will take turns adding blocks to make two towers.  When all the blocks have been used we will compare the towers to be sure they look the same and then count them to be sure they have the same amount of blocks in each tower.

Sharing Fairly- We will learn how to divide items equally into two groups.  Using a number dice, we will roll a number.  Using that number of bottles, we will sort the bottles fairly among the two recycling bins.  Each bin must have an equal number of bottles.  We will also learn that any leftover bottles can’t be placed into a group since it would make the group not equal.

Two Tree Sharing -We will continue our practice dividing quantities equally with a springtime tree sort.  Using a set number of spring objects we will sort them equally among the trees.

Sharing Fairly with Leftovers- After learning how to divide items equally into two groups, we will learn how to divide leftovers fairly.  Using an odd number dice, we will roll an odd number.  Using that number of paper sheets,  we will sort the sheets fairly among the two recycling bins.  Each bin must have an equal amount. When we come across the leftover sheet, we will cut it in half to be sure we have the same (or an equal) amount in each bin.  

Number Formation Practice- Using the Handwriting Without Tears program as a guide, we will continue to practice forming numbers 1-10.  This week, we will practice numbers 1 & 2 using wooden sticks, chalkboards or magna doodles and in our letter formation books.

Centers

Art Table-Recycled collages

Block Area- Recycling Center

Sensory Table- soil and tools for the soil
Book Area- Exploring Books about sky and earth
Easel-Markers and paper
Writing Table-Paper and words to trace
Dramatic Play-Flower Shop
Math, Puzzles, and Manipulatives-Spring Trees
Rug- Legos
Science/Social Studies/Math Circle Concepts
-Sharing Equally
-Sharing Leftovers
-Reusing our things from our house
-Recycle
Preschool Life Skills 
- We will be focusing on our curriculum of Preschool Life Skills during this time to help us transition into our new classroom.

1. When I call your name, stop what you are doing, look at me, and say,"Yes".
2. When I give you an instruction, do it "right away"
(Ask your child what do you do when your teacher tells you to do something.  They should reply "I do it right away." You can reinforce this at home too.  "Put your legos away and do it "right away""
3. When I give you  instructions, do them "right away" (multi-step directions)
4. When something is too hard say "Help me please"
5. When you want something from a teacher or friend, say "Excuse Me" to get their attention
6. When you want something from a teacher or friend, say "Excuse Me" to get their attention and then use your asking words(ie. May I have a turn?)

Songs, Word Plays, and Language

-Our Good Morning Chant

-Pick up the Litter Game (using letters on "trash")
-Let's Go Green
-Letter Sounds

Classroom Motivational System
We will be learning classroom routines and expectations within our new classroom.  In order to create a successful and rewarding environment, each child will have a motivational system. Our classroom system promotes positive classroom behavior through positive peer modeling and teachers providing positive reinforcement for desired behaviors.