Unit - Off to School

Up | Down

Swinging

PRE-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES Teachers greet children as they arrive and if necessary use name tags again today. The tables should be pre-set with the same basic items as on previous days. Provide a few magazines and three or four pairs of scissors at the end of one table for the children to cut additional pictures. The teacher must circulate among the children helping them to share, complete a puzzle, to handle books correctly, etc. During pick up time, make sure all children are helping and putting items away correctly. Do not start class until everything is in its place.

OPENING EXERCISES & REFRESHMENTS Sing the “Good Morning” song followed by roll call using first and last names. Give the children an opportunity to talk about what they did last night or what they saw on the way to school this morning. This helps the children learn to take turns and to listen to others. Tape the discussion on a tape recorder. Play it back during LANGUAGE AND LISTENING. The children will enjoy hearing their voices. Keep a record of helpers. Remind all children about good bathroom manners and hand washing.

MATH Demonstrate the number concept of one-half to children. Fold a piece of paper in half. Show the children that now the paper is one-half the size it was before we folded it. Cut the paper in half and they will see that there are two equal halves. Cut a piece of yarn, paper plate, pipe cleaner, etc., in half. Ask volunteers to make the pieces whole again.

MUSIC Play "London Bridge." Emphasize the bridge is up and down.

TWO AND THREE YEAR OLDS Teachers need to pre-cut animals to paste on today's activity. Use several examples of up and down in the classroom. Ask volunteer children to help pick up and put down a crayon, chair, window shade, toy, etc. Ask the children to look up, then down. Move their arms up and down. Jump up and down. Stand up; sit down.  Then hold up the example of up and down activity paper. Use several volunteers to point to the seesaw in the up and then the down position. Teacher demonstrates completing the activity paper using the pointer finger and pasting on one of the animals in the up position and one in the down position. Pass the papers to the children. Circulate and assist them with their pasting of the animals, reminding them to use their index fingers only.

FOUR AND FIVE YEAR OLDS Show the children a finished example of the activity paper of the girl on a swing. Where should we stand when our classmates are swinging? Remember to stand back! Gather the children in a circle and join hands and swing hands high and low as if we are on a swing on the playground. As we swing we say this rhyme:

Hold on tightly as we go, Swinging high and swinging low.

Use the terms forward and backward as the arms are swung.  Review the opposite concepts of forward and backward. Pass the papers to the children and demonstrate that we are going to cut the paper on the dotted line and then attach the two halves together with a paper fastener (brad) so our girl can swing. Pass out the scissors and assist wherever necessary. The children may color the girl on the swing while the teacher helps them add a paper fastener. Let’s swing our little girl. Ask volunteers to demonstrate swinging forward and backward using the completed activity paper.

DISCUSSION - Safety Safety begins by planning a safe environment for the children. Adequate space and staff are important but a few basic rules established early in the year will help. Remind the children to ask - not grab; walk - not run; talk at talking time; be quiet at quiet time; etc. Outside activities have rules, too! Experience teaches the teacher what these rules should be in his/her playground. Taking turns and watching out for the more active child becomes routine.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES Introduce the game of “Follow the Leader” with the teacher being the leader. Walk around a table, step over a small block and go around the teacher’s chair, etc. Keep the actions simple. This helps the children to learn how to form a line, walk in a line, and stay in their place in line. This line could then become a train with sound effects, a snake by holding hands, or a parade with march music. Continue to stress one behind the other and keeping up with the person ahead of you. Lead the line into an open space area to do simple exercises - touch your toes, bend your knees, open and close your hands, wiggle your fingers, stretch up high, jump like a kangaroo, hop on one foot, clap your hands, stomp your feet, etc. Teacher demonstrates and children follow directions. This sharpens the listening skills and provides big muscle activity so necessary at this age.

LANGUAGE AND LISTENING Replay the discussion you recorded during OPENING EXERCISES. The children will enjoy hearing their voices and may want to continue the discussion. Optional - After listening to the recording, ask for volunteers to tell about their experiences during the first week of school. Encourage as many children as will to participate. Record these experiences and save the tape for a later time. The children will have fun hearing these recollections later in the school year.