Sunday, August 27, 2006

I know I don't have to do this, but I type out every step of my lesson plans, every song we sing, every project we do in class, etc. so I'll have it all in one place and all I have to do is grab the folder marked "Weekly Lesson Plan" and go. Those of you with kids, feel free to do any of these activities with your kiddos. Be sure to let me know if they like them! :)

Those of you who don't have kids or who might not be just totally fascinated with the minute details of my lesson plan, just skip right over this post because it's going to be a LONG one!

Here's a typical lesson plan for my preschool class (3-4 year olds)

I Like Bugs Theme
Daily Lesson Plan

Monday


Props, Supplies, Etc.: supplies for Antenna Art Project (paper, scissors, pom-poms, pipe cleaners, glue, markers, crayons, glitter), I Like Bugs book
Special Snack: none

1. Begin circle time discussion by talking about characteristics of insects.
There are many different kinds of insects (bugs. Who can name a kind of bug?
Do you like bugs? Why or why not?

2. Briefly discuss antennae and their function.

3. Read "I Like Bugs".

4. Sing "5 Little Flies".

5 Little Flies
5 little flies buzzing through a hive,
One took some honey, and took a deep dive.
4 little flies buzzing through a door,
One slipped and fell, Crash! On the floor.
3 little flies buzzing through the trees,
One bumped the bark and skinned his knees.
2 little flies buzzing through a shoe,
One held his nose and said "Pee-eww!"
One little fly buzzing though a bun,
The swatter goes SPLAT! Now there are none.

5. Sing "Can You Wiggle With Me?"

Can You Wiggle With Me? (To the tune of "Do Your Ears Hang Low?")
Can you wiggle like a worm?
Can you squiggle? Can you squirm?
Can you flutter? Can you fly like a gentle butterfly?
Can you crawl upon the ground
Like a beetle that is round?
Can you move with me?

Can you flip? Can you flop?
Can you give a little hop?
Can you slither like a snake?
Can you give a little shake?
Can you dance like a bee
Who is buzzing 'round a tree?
Can you move with me?

6. Choose daily jobs, calendar, weather, etc.

7. Grandfriends or split up into center groups. (Our class visits the older adults in the adult care center. We call them our Grandfriends.)
Centers: Puzzles at small table
Kitchen
Art: Making insect antennas.
Note: If not enough time to do centers after grandfriends, do this art project on Thursday and then just prepare dirt cups for Thurs. p.m. snack for them during their nap time.

Tuesday

Props, Supplies, Etc.: flannel board and story pieces, C is for Caterpillar sheet (9 copies), pom-poms, glue, The Very Hungry Caterpillar book
Special Snack: none

1.Begin circle time discussion by talking about our caterpillar. (Or caterpillars in general if ours classroom caterpillar is gone.) Use butterfly info sheet from Stacey to tell about life cycle and change from caterpillar to butterfly.

2.Show students "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and ask how many have read it. Open the book and show pictures of the fruits until the oranges page. Stop there!
Ask the following questions:
Is this really what caterpillars eat? Is this food healthy or not healthy?
Do you think a tiny caterpillar could eat this much food? Why or why not?
Next, read "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and use flannel board pieces to illustrate.
Finally, ask if students think this is what will happen to our class caterpillar "Fuzzy."

3.Read "Sitting on a Fencepost."

Sitting on a Fencepost
Sitting on a fence post
Chewing on my bubble gum, Yum, Yum
Playing with my yo-yo, Whew, Whew
When along came Herman the worm,
And he was This Big. (Use hands to show how small he was.)
And I said "Herman, what happened?"
"I ate my breakfast."

Sitting on a fence post
Chewing on my bubble gum, Yum, Yum
Playing with my yo-yo, Whew, Whew
When along came Herman the worm,
And he was This Big. (Use arms to show bigger size.)
And I said "Herman, what happened?"
"I ate my lunch."

Sitting on a fence post
Chewing on my bubble gum, Yum, Yum
Playing with my yo-yo, Whew, Whew
When along came Herman the worm,
And he was THIS BIG! (Open arms as wide as you can.)
And I said "Herman, what happened?"
"I ate my dinner."

4.Sing "1,2,3,4,5. I Caught a Butterfly"
1,2,3,4,5 I caught a butterfly! (Use hands to catch a butterfly.)
6, 7, 8, 9, 10 I let him go again. (Use hands to let him go.)

5. Choose daily jobs, calendar, weather, etc.

6. Split up into center groups.
Centers: Large blocks
Butterfly sort and count
Art: C is for Caterpillar gluing activity.

Wednesday

Props, Supplies, Etc.: Flannel board and pieces, yellow and black paint, bee finger puppets, Bee Nice book
Special Snack: none

1. Begin circle time discussion with information about bees and why they are important to flowers.

2. Read "Bee Nice."

3. Read "The Flower and the Bee."

The Flower and the Bee
Here is a great big flower. (Hold open left hand with fingers spread.)
Here is a tiny bee. (Press thumb and index finger of right hand together.)
The bee flies with a buzz, buzz, buzz. (Move right hand around like a bee.)
The flower says, "Visit me!" (Move open left hand from side to side.)
The bee lands on the flower (Set right hand (bee) on open palm of left hand.)
And does a dance so neat. (Dance in place.)
He wiggles his wings and turns around (Flap arms and turn around.)
And stomps his little bee feet. (Stomp feet.)
The flower waves its petals (Sway and wave arms.)
The bee hums a good-bye tune. (Wave goodbye and hum.)
He flies away with a buzz, buzz, buzz. (Move right hand around to show bee’s flight.)
The flower says, "Come back soon!" (Wave goodbye with open left hand.)

4. Sing "A Bee is On Me."

A Bee is On Me
A bee is on my bonnet
A bee is on my nose,
A bee is on my shoulder
A bee is even on my toes!
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
This bee is bugging me.
Help me! Help me!
How can I be free?

A bee is in my hair
A bee is in my pants
A bee is in my ears
A bee is making me dance!
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
This bee is bugging me.
Help me! Help me!
How can I be free?

What do you suppose
A bee sat upon my nose.
What do you think
He gave me a wink
He said, "I beg your pardon
I thought you were the garden!"
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
This bee is bugging me.
Help me! Help me!
How can I be free?

A bee is near my socks
A bee is near my shoes
S P L A T !!!
Bee, I know how to take care of you!

5. Discuss how even things are small (like bees), we are all somebody special to God.

6. Choose daily jobs, calendar, weather, etc.

7. Split up into center groups.
Centers: Stackable people at small table
Dress-up center
Art: Bee thumb-body with Jesus thumbprint activity

Thursday

Props, Supplies, Etc.: Ugh! A Bug! book, supplies for "dirt cup snack".
Special Snack: Dirt cups

1. Review all we have learned about this week.
Monday: We read "I Like Bugs" and found out about the many different types of bugs. We also learned that another name for "bug" is "insect" and that some insects have antennas to help them smell and taste.
Tuesday: We learned about caterpillars and butterflies and learned that caterpillar starts with the letter C.
Wednesday: We learned about bees and how even though they are small, they are still very important. And we are all important to God, no matter what size we are.

2. Read "Ugh! A Bug!"

3 Discuss how we should react when we see an insect. Talk about bug safety.
(Look, do not touch. Insects live happily outside, not in jars. Insects are God’s creatures and we should not hurt them.)

4. Sing "When the Bugs go Marching In"
When the Bugs Go Marching In (Tune of "When the Saints Go Marching In")
Oh, when the bugs go marching in,
Oh, when the bugs go marching in,
Oh, how I'll see the ants and the beetles,
Oh, when the bugs go marching in.

Oh, when the bugs begin to crawl,
Oh, when the bugs begin to crawl,
Oh, how I'll see the roaches and termites,
Oh, when the bugs begin to crawl.

Oh, when the bugs come flying in,
Oh, when the bugs come flying in,
Oh, how I'll see the moths and mosquitoes,
Oh, when the bugs come flying in.

Oh, when the bugs begin to leap,
Oh, when the bugs begin to leap,
Oh, how I'll see the fleas and the crickets,
Oh, when the bugs begin to leap

5. Choose daily jobs, calendar, weather, etc.

6. Split up into center groups.
Centers: Cars and garage on large rug
Art: coloring insects
Cooking: Make "dirt cups" (Jello, Oreos and gummy worms)

Friday

Prepare for last day of water play. Or if not doing water play, read Ants! Ants! Ants! or The Very Quiet Cricket. Or use the following activities.

Songs about insects:
The Ants Go Marching
The ants go marching one by one,
Hurrah, hurrah.
The ants go marching one by one,
Hurrah, hurrah.
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb,
And they all go marching down
Into the ground to get out of the rain
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Additional verses:
Two...tie his shoe
Three...climb a tree
Four...shut the door
Five...take a dive
Six...pick up sticks
Seven...pray to heaven
Eight...shut the gate
Nine...check the time
Ten...say "The END"

Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee
I’m bringing home a baby bumblebee
Won’t my mommy be so proud of me?
I’m bringing home a baby bumblebee
Ouch! He stung me!

I’m smashing up my baby bumblebee
Won’t my mommy be so proud of me?
I’m smashing up my baby bumblebee
Yuck! It’s all over me!

I’m sweeping up my baby bumblebee
Won’t my mommy be so proud of me?
I’m sweeping up my baby bumblebee
Look! There goes another one!

Game about insects:

Bug in a Rug (need sheet, towel or blanket for prop)
Lay sheet, towel or blanket on the floor and have children sit around edge (Not ON it.) Have one child move away from the group, turn and face opposite direction and close their eyes. Teacher taps one child on the shoulder and he or she gets under the "rug". The child that was away comes back and the rest of the children chant:
Bug in the rug,
Bug in the rug,
Who’s that bug in the rug?
The child who was hiding their eyes has to guess who is under the rug by looking to see who is missing from the group.

OK, so now if any of you are still reading this, now can you see why I never seem to have any spare time?! :) Typing out all those notes, songs and activities takes forever! But it is such a help to have it all right there in one place. Good thing I love what I do, because it sure takes up ALL of my time. At least for now anyway. But I plan to get some lesson plans written up ahead of time so that all I have to do is just coast for a while. Ms. Amy needs a break!
But good news! I'm getting a new co-teacher! Hopefully she feels as strongly as I do about preparing quality lesson plans and she can help share some of the responsibility.

0 comments: