Space -Day 1

Reading Core Standard Reading # 4, 5, 6
Preparation
Write the following words on 3x5 cards or strips of paper:
Galaxy, milky way, planet, constellations, Solar System, universe, orbit, rotate, Earth
Materials
Stars, Stars, Stars by Bob Barner
Me and My Place in Space by Joan Sweeney
Words

Teaching
1. Read the books, point to the words that you have written on the paper strips.
2. After reading ask your child what each of the words means.
3. Define the words together.  You can review what the book said about the words if you need to.
4.  Hold up each word, and have your child define it.

Phonics Core Standard Phonics 2b
Preparation
Use same word strips from last activity
Divide a piece of paper into 4 sections.  Number each section 1-4.
Materials
Strips used in Reading activity

Teaching
1. Segment each word into their syllables ("ga-la-xy").
2. Count the syllables in the word ("ga-la-xy" - three syllables)
3. Place the word in the corresponding column on your segmented paper (galaxy goes under 3 because it has 3 syllables)

4. Cover all but the first syllable in the word.  Sound it out together ("ga")
5. Repeat for other syllables.("la," "ksy")
6.  Blend syllables together (Galaxy)
7.  Repeat for remaining words.

Writing Core Standard 1.a.
Preparation
Materials
Computer

Teaching
1. As you read books this week keep an ABC book of words that you learned about space.
2. Help your child type words into computer to form an ABC book.
3.  Have your child find pictures on Internet, or print out pages and have your child draw pictures for each letter.
**You'll be working on this book a little each day, don't try to finish in one day, in fact it may take other sessions through out the day to complete the book.**

Our ABC List:

A- Astronomer
B - Bright
C- Constellation
D - Distance
E- Earth
F - Far
G- Galaxy, gravity, Ganymede
H - Hot, huge
I - Io, iron
J - Jupiter
K - Kirkwood Gap (we needed help on this one!)
L - Light, life
M - Milky way, Mars, Mercury, Moon
N - Neptune
O - Orbit
P - Planet
Q - Quick
R - Rotate, rings
S - Solar System, sun, stars, Saturn
T - Titon, telescope
U - Universe, Uranus
V - Venus
W - Water
X - X Marks the spot (I know , we had to stretch it for X! What did you use?)
Y - Years
Z - Zero, Zenith

Math Core Standard - Operations and Algebraic Thinking 1, 3,5
Preparation
Cut out two sets of 8 circles out of paper and label them with the name of each planet and the number distance from the sun (Mercury - 1, Venus -2 , Earth -3, Mars - 4, etc)
Materials
Paper Planets
2 Dice
Teaching
1. Place one set of planets in front of each player (probably you and your child).
2.  Have someone roll the dice.  They use the roll to take a planet out of their solar system.  So, if they get a six and a five.  They can take planet six and five out of their solar system.  If they roll a one and a four they can take planets one and four out of their solar system or planet five out of their solar system.
3.  Take turns.
4.  If a player roll a number that they cannot use, it is the other player's turn.
5.  If all numbers are rolled except one, that player can roll both dice, one at a time to try to get the number one.
You can watch how we play here

Exploration
Preparation
Make a black mark on the ball
Materials
Small ball (size of a baseball)
Flashlight

Teaching
1.  Shine the flashlight on the ball.
2.  Point out the flashlight is the sun, the ball is earth.
3. Point the flashlight at the ball.
4. Half the ball will be in the light of the flashlight, half in dark.  This is like the day and the night.  Rotate the ball.
5. Show your child the spot going from the light (day) to the dark (night).

Three Little Pigs - Day 3

Reading Core Standard  Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 9
Preparation
Materials
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
Three Little Pigs
Teaching
1. Show your child the book Three Little Pigs. Ask, "Is the wolf a good guy or bad guy?"
2. Show your child the book The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and say, "The wolf wrote his own story about what happened. This is what the wolf said."
3. Read The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.
4. Ask, "Does this story make the wolf seem nicer? What do you think of the wolf in this story? Did he still eat the pigs?  What happened to him at the end of the three pigs? What happened to him at the end of this story? Who do you believe?  Do you believe the wolf's story about getting sugar, or do you think he wanted to just eat the pigs? Is the wolf a good guy or bad guy?"


Phonics Core Standard Phonological Awareness 2.c.,d.,e
Preparation
Make a small flip book with 27 sheets of paper (see my video here of how I did it)
Cut book in half from bottom to fold at top
Write one of each of the following letters on each page of the first half of the book: b,c,d,f,g,h,j,k,l,m,n,p,qu,r,s,t,v,w,x,y,z, bl, st, sp, tr, gl, sn
Write one of each of the following rimes on each page of the second half of the book:
ack, ad, ag, am, an, ap, at, ed, ell, en, et, ick, id, ig, ill, in, ip, it, ock, og, op, ot, ub, ug, um, un, ut
Materials
book
Teaching
1. Using the book flip to any beginning sound (first half of book) and any rime (second half of book) have your child sound it out to create a word.
2. Keep this with other books and continue practicing sounding out the new words.

Writing Core Standard - Text Types and Purposes 1.
Preparation
Write on a piece of paper "The wolf is..."
Materials
Paper
Markers
Teaching
1.Ask your child whether they think the wolf  is good or bad and why.
2. Write, or help your child to write, their opinion on the piece of paper. 
3. Have your child illustrate their opinion.

Math Core Standard - Operations and Algebraic Thinking 3
Preparation
I have boxes of small items that I use for teaching this: stamps, beads, fake leaves, fake flowers, colored blocks, etc.
Materials
Small items
Teaching
1. Tell your child to make the number 7 (or chose a smaller number if 7 is too large) with the items.
2.Ask them to explain each time they create the number 7. For example, "I made three bunny stamps and four giraffe stamps." or "I have five blue beads and two red beads" or "I have one circle and six rectangles."
3. Write their creation as an equation.  Examples:
"I made three bunny stamps and four giraffe stamps."  Write 3+4=7
or "I have five blue beads and two red beads" Write 5+2=7
 or "I have one circle and six rectangles." Write 1+6=7
4. Say, "Just like words  say a story.  These numbers tell us what you made." Go through step by step how you created the equation.  ("You stamped five bunnies, so I wrote this five.  This '+' means you added more.  This two says you added the two giraffes."

Exploration
Preparation
Get some Legos or other interlocking blocks
Materials
Legos
Teaching
1. Have your child create a house made out of bricks with you.  Have fun making the sides and roof of the pig's house.  Talk about the colors you are using, the size of the house, how many bricks.  Make it a great learning and doing together experience.

Art
Preparation
Materials
Paper
Art Supplies (your choice of paint, crayon, marker, colored pencil, etc)
Teaching
1. Have your child draw (paint, etc) a picture of his house.

Three Little Pigs - Day One

Reading Core Standard Key Ideas & Details 3 - Characters, setting, Major events; Craft & Structure 5 - Recognize common types of text & 6 - Author and illustrator and role of each
Preparation
Divide four pieces of paper into five sections each
On Top of first section write: Who, second section: Where/When third section: What, Fifth section: Why.
On first piece of paper write Pig One with a picture of Pig One

Second piece of paper write pig 2 with picture of pig 2
Third piece of paper write Pig 3, with picture of Pig 3
Fourth Piece of Paper write Wolf with picture of wolf
Materials
Book: Three Little Pigs, I used the books by James Marchall and Margot Zemach, but there are dozens to choose from
Divided sheets
Markers
Teaching
1. Read The Three Little Pigs. Before opening the book, point out the title, author and illustrator.  Tell your child this is a storybook.
Here is how I pointed out author, title, etc:

2. Fill out a  divided paper for each character.
3. Tell your child who the character is. Make sure to use proper terms (character)
4. Ask where the pig was (city, forest, etc). Have your child draw a picture or write a word describing where the story takes place
5. Ask when the story happened (night, spring, look at details in pictures for clues).  Have your child draw or write in the column to summarize when the story takes place.Say, "This is the setting; when and where the story happens is the setting."
6.  Ask What pig 1 did. Have child draw or write in the "What" column what Pig 1 did.
7.  Ask why Pig 1 did what he did.  Have child draw or write in last column why Pig one did what he did.
8.  Repeat for remaining characters. 
**Learning takes place on a spectrum from teacher directed (you telling, doing, child listening) to teacher-child (doing project together) to independent (Child doing learning all on his own).  You can do this project, and any lesson, for that matter, along this spectrum.  If you need to direct more, then you fill out the papers.  I set up this lesson as a teacher/child to be done together, but gauge your child's abilities and teach accordingly**

Phonics Core Standard Print Concepts, Common High Frequency words
Preparation
On computer write your own, very simple, short Three Little Pigs story, or use mine (email me amyiswrite@gmail.com)
Materials
Book
Highlighters ( I use light colored markers)

Teaching

1. Starting on page one, word one, say, "This is the first letter of the first word we are going to read.  We always start here,on the left side of the page when we read or write.  This letter makes a sound.  We put it together with the other letters next to it and it tells us a word! 
2. Have your child tell you the sound of each letter. Put the sounds together to form the word. Underline the word in green.  Read the word.
3. Say, "This space next to the word tells us the word is done." Color the space red.

4. Repeat for each word on the page.
5. Say, "We read a sentence!" Underline the sentence in green.
6. For the word "the" tell them "This is the word 'the.'  We use this word often, but it doesn't look the way it sounds, so we just memorize t-h-e is the." Highlight "the" in blue.
7. Repeat this for each sentence.

Writing Core Standard Text Types & Purposes 3
Preparation
Write dotted lines on the bottom of a blank sheet of paper. Write "My favorite part is..." followed by enough space for child to answer question.
Materials
Paper
Markers, crayons, etc
Teaching
1. Talk about story.  Share your favorite parts with each other.

2. Have child write his favorite part on the paper.

3.Have him illustrate it..

Math Core Standard - Counting and cardinality 2, 4.a., Operations and Algebraic Thinking 1&2
Preparation

Materials
stacking (not interlocking) blocks
Die (one dice)
Teaching
1. Person 1 rolls die, then stacks that number of blocks up on top of each other.
2. Person 2 rolls die, then stacks their blocks on top of blocks person one made.  Have person 2 count on to person one's blocks to find out how many blocks there are altogether.
3. Person 1 rolls die again.  This number indicates how many "puffs" this person has to blow the "piggie blocks" down.
4. Restack blocks (if necessary).  Have person 2 roll die and "puff."
5. The person who can blow down stack in allotted puffs win (which means both people can win).
**I had no trouble blowing down the stacks, but my son did, so we ended up throwing a small block at the stacks**

Exploration
Preparation

Materials
pipe cleaners
Teaching
1.Not having straw readily available, we used pipe cleanersto create our straw house. Talk with your child about how you might put the house together, how to walls, the roof, etc. 
2.  This doesn't have to be perfect.  It's an exercise in building and problem solving.

Art
Preparation
Circle cut out of pink paper for pig nose
two triangles cut out of pink paper for ears
Materials
Pink paint
paper plate
circle, triangles
glue
black marker

Teaching
1. Have child paint paper plate.
2. Have child glue nose and ears of plate.
3.Have child draw mouth.
4.  Have child draw eyes for pig.

Frogs - Day 2

Reading Core Standard - Craft & Structure 6, Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity 10, Preparation
Materials
Paper
Marker
Book: Frogs by Gail Saunders-Smith (or, if you can't find this at your local library, another good easy reader Frog book)
Teaching
1. Before reading ask, "How does a frog become a frog?"
2. Your child might remember from yesterday's book, Frogs By Gail Gibbons, a few details.  Tell child that you are going to find out how a frog becomes a frog in the book for today.
3. Show child book.  Point out title, see if child can read it.  Point out picture of frog.  Point out the author's name at the bottom.  Open the book and begin reading.
4. As you read document on the paper each part of life cycle of frog with a word and a very simple illustration.

5. Review chart with child.  See if they can tell you the life cycle.

Phonics Core Standard - Phonological Awareness 2.d.
Preparation
Write "Og" on paper
write on small pieces of paper each consonant of the alphabet.  Also "st," "sl," "sp," "tr," "pr," "pl,"
On a piece of paper write "Word" on one side, "Jail" on the other
Materials
Papers with "og," etc.
Word/Jail Paper
Teaching
1. Place a consonant or the "st," etc in front of "og."
2. Sound out word with your child, or have them sound it out independently.
3. If it creates a word, put it in the "word" section of the paper.
4.If it doesn't create a word put it in "jail."

5. After going through each letter, reread your real words.
Writing Core Standard - Text Types and Purposes 2.
Preparation
Make a mini book.  On Title Page write "Life Cycle of Frog"
**Don't write anything in the book until lesson, this is just to let you know how book will be laid out**
The book is made up of three double pages.
On page one write: Eggs
Page two (facing page 1) write:tadpole
Page 3 write:Back legs
Page 4:Front legs
Page 5: Tail shrinks
Page 6: Frog
OR You can have child write the words, or write the first letter of each word. Depends on child's level, or attention span.
Materials
Mini Book
Markers
Chart from Reading
Teaching
1. Show child chart again.  Explain you will be making a book about Life cycles to show to the family.
2. Ask child what a frog looks like at first.  Talk about the eggs, what they look like, feel like (Gail Gibbons said they were like "jelly." Maybe touch some jelly to get an idea?" Say, "It looks like frogs start out as eggs.  Let's write "Eggs" on the first page. (This is when you write the word, you have child guess first letter and write first letter, or let child write the entire word.)

3. Ask, "What happens when the frogs hatch?  Do they look like frogs?" Child will (hopefully) say "Tadpoles." Say, "Then we write "tadpoles." Write "tadpole" then have child illustrate.
4. Repeat for remaining pages, having a guided discussion with your child to get back legs, front legs, tail shrinks, and frog.

Math Core standard - Geometry - Analyze, Compare, and Compose Shapes
Preparation
Draw a circle, triangle, square, rectangle, hexagon on a piece of paper
tape two craft sticks together to form a long stick, make two sets of this
Materials
chenille stick ("pipe cleaners" back in the day)
craft sticks ("Popsicle sticks" back in the day)
Teaching
1. Give your child a chenille stick and ask her to make a circle with it.  You can help by using your own chenille stick and talking through the process (smoothing it, explaining it can't have any angles, etc.)
2. Give child three Popsicle sticks and tell her to make a triangle.  Emphasize that a triangle has three sides that touch and make angles. Tri=three, three sides, three angles
3. Give child four sticks.  Have child put the Popsicle sticks on top of each other.  Point out that all the sticks are the same length.  Have child create a square.  Point out the four equal sides, and the four angles.
4. Give child the two long Popsicle sticks and two regular sticks. Have them create a rectangle.  Talk about opposite sides being the same length, four sides, four angles.
5. Give child 6 craft sticks.  Have them create a hexagon.  Talk about the six sides and six angles.
** IMPORTANT**
A.  If your child has a hard time forming shapes, give as much necessary help as needed.  You can do this activity again and again until your child has mastered ability to create shapes on their own.
B.  Notice I am using mathematical terms like angles, etc.  lease use correct terminology when explaining Math. These words will not confuse your child if you explain them.  When correct terminology is used it becomes a part of your child's vocabulary very easily.
C.  You can watch the video of how I taught this on youtube.
Exploration

Watch a Frog Video - these can be found at your local library (I love that place)


Art
Preparation
Cut out 2 small and one large heart from green paper
Materials
google eyes
hearts
glue
markers, crayons, etc
Teaching
1.Draw a green line down middle of large green heart to form a lily pad.

2. Glue small green heart on top of other small green heart, as seen in photo.

 3. On the top of first green hear glue google eyes at top of heart (see photo)

4. Using a marker draw frog details like mouth, spots, toes, etc.

Key Ideas and Details 2

Jan Brett Day Three - Gingerbread Baby

Reading

Preparation

Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett. 

Go to Jan Brett website and size, print out and tape the following animals to craft sticks: dog, pig, goat, cat,  gingerbread baby,(These are printable as big masks, so I copy, size in a word document to smaller, then print) gingerbread house.  Draw a mom and dad and tape them to craft sticks

Materials
Teaching
1. Read book to child
2. Using puppets (characters on craft sticks) have child retell the story of the gingerbread a baby.

Writing
Preparation

On large dotted paper write capital "G" on first line, lower case "g" on second line. On subsequent lines write: ag, et, ig, ill, ot, um, ut

Materials

Paper

Pen or pencil

Teaching

1.Teach child proper formation of capital- and lower case "G."

2. Have child add "g" to each rime ("ag," "et," etc)

 to create new word.
3.Have child read each new word as they create it.

Phonics
Preparation
Write the following: cat, dog, goat, pig, fox, milk, cheese, baby, mother, father, Martha, cookbook, Matti, candy, gingerbread, Madeline, peppermint. Cut out each word
Divide a piece of paper into thirds.  At top of first column write "1," second column :2,: third column "3"
Materials
words
Columned paper

glue stick

Teaching

1. Clap out the syllables in each word with your child.

2. Have child glue the word in the column with number representing the syllables in word (cat, dog, etc go under column labeled one, and so on)

3. See if your child can clap out syllables on their own.

Math

Preparation

Get materials together

Materials

60 plastic bricks (Lego's, etc)

Die (one dice)

Teaching
1. Each person rolls the die and takes that many plastic blocks, linking them together.
2. When you have a stick of 10 blocks, start creating a new stick.
3.The winner is the person who has three sticks of ten, or 30 blocks.

Exploration
Preparation
Get ingredients to make a gingerbread cookie
Write steps to making cookie on pieces of paper with a picture (see example below)

Materials
Ingredients to make a gingerbread cookie
Teaching
1. With your child make a gingerbread man.  (We made an extra large gingerbread baby)
2. Make connections to the book as you measure, mix, pour and bake without peeking!


Art
Preparation
Make icing, gather together small candies, etc.
Materials
gingerbread cookie
icing
candies, etc
Teaching
1. Decorate your gingerbread baby with your child!

My Allergy free Gingerbread Cookie recipe
Sift together:
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup single grain oatmeal (baby food oatmeal)
1/2 cup single grain rice cereal (baby food)
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
2 TBSP Potato starch
1tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
In a separate bowl cream together:
6 TBSP shortening
6 TBSP brown sugar
4 TBSP Molasses
2 TBSP applesauce
1 TBSP Water
1 1/2 tsp Egg replacer

1.  Mix dry ingredients into wet.
2.  Line cookie pan with tin foil. Put dough on baking sheet.
3. Cover dough with wax paper and roll out.
4.   Carefully cut out cookies, pulling away excess dough.   DO NOT TRY TO LIFT COOKIES!!
5.  Bake 350 for 10-12 minutes.
6.  Cool and decorate!
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda

**This week we are using books by the same author/illustrator, Jan Brett, and will begin each day with reading the book**

Don't forget to do your Daily 4

1.Alphabet

2.  Numbers to 100

3. Child Reading

4. Read to your child at least 5 books (Gingerbread Baby counts as one!)

Jan Brett Day Two - The Hat

Reading
Preparation
Get the book The Hat by Jan Brett
Create a mini book - make 2 mini books, gluing the covers together to create a longer mini book.
On each page of the book write _______ has a hat.
Print out animals from the Jan Brett website,size to fit mini book, print, and cut out
Materials
Mini Book
animals
markers or crayons
pen

Teaching
1. Read the book The Hat to child.
2. Read mini book to child. Have them choose an animal, paste it to the page. Write animal in the blank.
3. Have child draw a hat on animal.
4. Have child read the book to you, to a sibling,to a stuffed animal, etc.
5.Keep with other mini books, in an easily accessible place for your child.

Phonics
Preparation
Make a small poster with two boxes on it.  Label the top box "Words" and the lower box "Jail"
Draw bars on the "jail"
on a sticky note write "at"
On separate sticky notes write all consonants, and the following "fl," "st," "pl," "th," "tr," "ch," "cr," "dr," "br," "sp"
Materials
Poster
sticky notes
Teaching
1. Put a consonant or onset ("st,"etc) in front of "at."
2. Have your child sound out the word.

3.If it makes an actual word, put it in the word box. If it doesn't make a word put it in "jail."


Writing
Preparation
Using large dotted line paper write a capital "H" on first line and a lower case "h" on second line. On other lines write the following rimes: ad, ag, am, at, en, id, ill, ip, op, ot, ub, ug, um, ut 
Materials
paper
pen or pencil
Teaching
1. Teach child how to properly form capital- and lower case H
2. Have child add an "H" to each rime and sound out new word they created

Math
Preparation
Remove face cards from a deck of cards
Materials
deck of cards
Teaching
1. Play War with child.
2.Shuffle and divide deck between the two of you.
3. Turn over top card at same time as child.
4.Whoever has highest card wins both cards.  If there is a tie go again, winner takes all four (or six, etc) cards.
5.Winner of game is person with most cards.


Art
Preparation
Cut out hat shape from construction paper
Materials
Hat cut from paper
markers, crayons, etc
glue, glitter
stickers, etc
Teaching
1. Have child decorate hat

**This week we are using books by the same author/illustrator, Jan Brett, and will begin each day with reading the book**

Don't forget to do your Daily 4

1.Alphabet

2.  Numbers to 100

3. Child Reading

4. Read to your child at least 5 books (The Mitten counts as one!)

Jan Brett - Day 1 The Mitten

**This week we are using books by the same author/illustrator, Jan Brett, and will begin each day with reading the book**

Don't forget to do your Daily 4

1.Alphabet

2.  Numbers to 100

3. Child Reading

4. Read to your child at least 5 books (The Mitten counts as one!)

Reading

Preparation

Get Book The Mitten by Jan Brett

Materials

The Mitten by Jan Brett

Teaching

1.  You are going to go on a "Picture Walk." A picture walk is when you look at the pictures in a book and make predictions about what is happening in the book, what may happen next, etc. Here is a video of how I took a picture walk with my son.

2.  Now read the book together.

Phonics

Preparation

Pictures of the mitten and the animals in the mitten (mole, rabbit, hedgehog, owl, badger, fox, bear, mouse) - these can be found at Jan Brett's website.
Make two copies of mitten, tape together around the edges.
Cut out animals

Materials

* Mitten

* Animals

Teaching

1.  You are going to give rhymes for the different animals.  When you give the rhyme your child needs to find the animals that goes with that rhyme.

2.  Say, "Look in the hole you might find a ______ (mole). Child finds mole in group of animal and puts it in the mitten.

3.  Make it a habit to look for the ______ (rabbit).  Child finds rabbit in group of animals and puts it in the mitten.
4.  Say, "Do you like tickles?  Find the animal with _____ (prickles - hedgehog). Child finds hedgehog in group of animals and puts it in the mitten.
5. Say, "A bird is a fowl, can you find the ____(owl). Child finds the owl and puts it in the mitten.
6.  Say, "It is dark and it is light, find the animal that's black and _____ (white - badger). Child finds badger and puts it in the mitten.
7.  Say, "Loon in a big brown box, you may find a little ___ (fox). Child finds fox and puts it in the mitten.

8. Say, "Use a brush to brush your hair, then you can find the ____ (bear)." Child finds bear and puts it in the mitten.
9. Say, "Look outside or in the house, then you can find the ____ (mouse)." Child finds mouse and puts it in the mitten.

Writing

Preparation

 Using dotted line paper (for a copy of dotted line paper I've made email me @ amyiswrite@gmail.com) write a capital "M" on the top line, a lower case 'm' on second line, then creating a space foe the letter "m" write the following on the remainder of page: -ad, -an, -ap, -at, -en, -et, -ill, -ink, -it, -ock, -op, -uck

Materials

"M" page created above

Marker

Teaching

1. Teach your child how to form upper and lower case letter "M." For how I teach this watch video for upper case "M" and lower case "m."

2. Read "-ad." Have your child add the "m" and sound out the word "mad."

3.  Repeat for each group of letters creating the words man, map, etc..

Math

Preparation

Use the same mitten and animals you used for phonics.  On four small pieces of paper write the numbers 5, 12, 23, 36

Materials

Mitten

Animals

Small pieces of paper

Teaching

1.  Put the small pieces of paper in the mitten.

2.  Have your child pull out one of the small pieces of paper.

3.  Using the animals count on to the number.  For example, if your number is "5" say "Five," then add the bear and say "Six," add the rabbit and say "seven." Continue with the rest of the animals.

**Counting on to various numbers is an educational standard for kindergarten, so you may need to help your child at first.**

Exploration

Preparation

Get yarn

Materials

Yarn

Teaching

1.  You will teach your child to finger crochet a bracelet.  If you aren't sure how to finger crochet watch my video here (my blog is cursed that videos don't play here).

Art

Preparation

Cut 2 mitten shapes out of a piece of construction paper. Using a hole punch, punch holes around the mitten.

Tape the end of a piece of yarn. Tie the untaped piece of yarn to the mitten.

Materials

Mitten cut out

Yarn

Markers, glue, glitter, etc

Yarn

Teaching

1.  Have your child "sew" the two mittens together through the cut out holes using the taped yarn. 

2.  When child is done, tie the yarn off and allow child to decorate the mitten.. 

Thanksgiving - Day 3

Phonics
Preparation

Write word indian and cut up into individual letters
Materials
"indian"
Teaching
1.  Tell your child you have a secret word of the day.  Have them create the word in the following way:
in, din, an, dan, and, ad, then tell them how to spell "indian" and sound it out for child.

Writing

Preparation

Create on large dotted line paper:

Capital "I" on first line, with dotted out line of "I'

lower case "i" with dotted outline "i"

On the paper space in front of each group of letters room for "i" write k_ck, d_d, w_g, h_ll, f_n, S-nk, t_p, k_t

 Materials

Paper

Marker

Teaching

1.  Teach your child proper writing of letter "I" (See my video here)

2.  Teach your child proper handwriting of lower case "i" (my video for teaching is here)

3.  Read each set of letters to your child (for instance "k_ck") have your child write a "i" between the letters and sound out the new word.

4.  Repeat for new word.

Math

Preparation

Stamp various patterns on a piece of a paper
I did:
ABAB, AABB, AAB, ABB (or in other words: Pumpkin turkey, pumpkin turkey ABAB; Pumpkin, pumpkin, turkey, turkey AABB; pumpkin, pumpkin, turkey AAB, and pumpking, turkey, turkey ABB)
Leave extra lines for your child to create their own patterns

Materials

Paper
2 Thanksgiving Stamps (I did pumpkin and turkey)
Teaching
1.  Read each pattern. Have your child complete pattern to end of line. It is important that your child doesn't just add the next stamp, but actually iterates the complete pattern. ** The blue squiggles on picture below indicate where my pattern stopped and my son's began**

2. Have your child create patterns for you to finish.   

Reading

Preparation

Get a copy of book on First Thanksgiving for young children.  I couldn't find any that I liked, so I wrote my own. For a copy you can e-mail me.
Materials

Book

Teaching

1.  Read the book to your child

Art

Preparation

none

Materials

Brown, yellow, red, blackconstruction paper

Marker

Scissors

Glue or stapler

Teaching

1.  Using construction paper have your child cut out two thin rectangles to create a band for their head and decorate with markers.  You staple bands together to form head piece.  Draw feather shape on colored paper, have child cut out feathers.
2.  Make a pilgrim hat using a large black rectangle stapled on to head band of construction paper.

Exploration

Preparation

Reading Thanksgiving book 

Materials
Pilgrim and indian headbands made in art
Teaching
1.  Act out the first Thanksgiving with your child.  Make it VERY simple. 
2.  Have child wear pilgrim hat.  say something like, "The pilgrims left England because they wanted to worship God in their own way, not the king's way." Then have child say "We are going to a new land to worship." Say, "The pilgrims came to America" Have child say, "I see land!" Say, "The winter was hard and many pilgrims got sick." Have child act sick.  Say, "Many died."
3.  Have child wear indian headband, and you put on pilgrim headband. Say, "In spring the Native Americans (or Indians) came to help the pilgrims plant.  Have child say "PUt some fish with your seeds.  It helps them grow."  The seeds grew and grew and soon there was pleny of food.  The pilgrims wanted to hold a feast and invited the Native Americans to join them.  Thy feasted for three days. We celebrate Thanksgiving, just like the Pilgrims did, to Thank God for all He has given us."