Georgia's Pre-K Program teacher newsletter, Vol. 2, Issue 6 (Feb. 2006)

February 2006

Heart to Heart! Valentine Ideas

Try some of these ideas to enhance some of your learning areas:
Cut ten large heart cutouts from white, red or pink paper and laminate. Label each heart with a different numeral from one to ten. Place the cutouts with a bowl of candy conversa tion hearts. Instruct the children to identify the number and then place that many conversation hearts on the cutout. You can introduce this activity in large or small group before you place in the learning area of your choice.
Use a heart-shaped box of chocolates for this idea. Make sure the chocolates are re moved, but the wrappers are still in the container. Using

shape stickers, label the bo ttom of each wrapper with a shape. You will also need some candy kisses in the wrapper. Match the bottom of each of the kisses with the same shape stickers you used on the wrappers. Make sure you have a match for each kiss. Let the children match the kisses to the wrappers. Make sure you let the children enjoy a kiss after they have worked on this activity.
Use conversation hearts as a sorting activity. Give children a supply of these hearts and then ask them to sort by color. You can then graph them onto paper and see which color there was the most of, the least of, the same, more/less, etc.
Make a matching game with left over valentines.

Provide each child with a valentine. Have the children sort themselves into groups according to the valentines that are the same.

Bright From The Start
Volume 2, Issue 6
February 2006

Place blank valentines in your writing area for children to practice signing. Write messages on heart shapes for children to copy onto their valentines.

Special points of interest:
Valentine's Day Groundhog Day Rhyming Ideas The Hungry Thing

Stock your art area with

Post Office

pink, white and red paint,

lace, heart-shaped and other

doilies, left over valentines,

conversation hearts, red,

white and pink construction

paper and tissue paper,

heart and other valentine

stickers. Add anything you

can think of that the chil-

dren can use to children to

create Valentines.

Contact information:

PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS ACTIVITY

Consultant of the Day

Children take to language more readily when it is Say and Touch

"rhymey." It's more fun and Say "pup," now stand up.

predictable. Detecting rhyme Say "go," now touch your toe.

requires that children listen for likeness and differences

Say "neat," now touch your feet.

in sound. Offer rhyming ac- Say "sand," now touch your hand.

tivities often. Have fun! Try Say "pin," now touch your chin.
these activities in your class- Say "rip," now touch your lip. room.
Say "rose, " now touch your nose.

Rhyming Story in A Can

404-656-5957 888-4GA-PREK

Place several objects or pho- Suspension/Disenrollment

tos that rhyme in a can. Meghan McNail

Have the children name the 404-463-0009

items make

and then use them to up a silly story that

meghan.mcnail@decal.state.ga.us

includes those rhyming

items. Can they think of

other words that rhyme they

could add?

Now... make up your own!

MORE RHYMING ACTIVITIES

Rhyming Stories: Read books rich with rhymes. A-Hunting We Will Go by John M. Langstaff Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. The Cat in The Hat by Dr. Seuss Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak Henny Penny by Paul Galdone A House Is a House For Me by Mary Ann Hoberman In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming Jamberry by Bruce Degen One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood

Rhyming Riddles: Say, "I am thinking of something that you wear on your feet. Its name rhymes with rock," (sock) or "I am thinking of something that you wear on your head. Its name rhymes with cat." (hat) Once you practice this for a while, your children will want a turn to create their own riddle!
Create a Rhyming Book: Have each child draw or cut out pictures from a magazine to make a pair or set of rhyming pictures. Put the illustrations in a baggie book or photo album to make a book.
Play Name Games: Children love their names. For transitions or other activities make silly rhymes with their name: Silly Lilly, it is your turn. Andy Candy you can go wash your hands.

Use Poems and Rhymes in your Class: Post them on chart paper and use pictures, icons, or drawings to help your non-readers.
Try this one: The Purple Cow (Gelett Burgess) I never saw a purple cow, I never hope to see one. But I tell you, anyhow I'd rather see than be one.

DINOSAUR ROARS

Your children will have a good time voicing a variety of dinosaur roars. Say the rhyme below and invite children to roar like dinosaurs!

Very soft Very high Very low Very sad

Dinosaurs, dinosaurs, on the floor. Let me hear your (very loud) roar!

Very silly Very sleepy Very fast

Replace (very loud) with some of these other suggestions. This is a great transi tion activity. In the end, let children see if they can think of other ways to roar!

Very slow Wide awake ROAR DINOSAURS, ROAR!!

GREAT GROUNDHOG FACTS--Groundhog Day is February 2

This is a fun day for children. Share some interesting bits of information about the groundhog with your children to spark their curiosity. This is a great way to build children's vocabulary.
*A groundhog is also called a woodchuck or a marmot. *They are vegetarians and only eat plants such as clover, grass, and alfalfa. *They hibernate during the winter. *At the sign of danger, a groundhog ut-

ters a shrill whistle to warn others. *Groundhogs live in a burrow. *A groundhog is covered in coarse, brown fur. *Groundhogs can grow up to 2 feet long and typically weigh 8-12 pounds. *Groundhogs have very sharp teeth and claws.
Be sure to show pictures of groundhogs and to read books about groundhogs. Try The Groundhog Day Book of Facts and Fun

"The beginning is always today."
Mary Wollstonecraft
by Wendie Old, Groundhog Day by Michelle Aki Becker, Groundhog Gets A Say by Pamela C. Swallow and It's Groundhog Day by Steven Kroll.

Volume 2, Issue 6

Page 2

The Hungry Thing by Jan Slepian and Ann Seidler

When the Hungry Thing comes to town wearing a sign that reads "Feed Me," the townspeople are eager to comply. However, understanding what the big hungry guy wants to eat is another matter! Shmancakes? Tickles? Feetloaf? Packed with sound substitutions, this silly story helps build phonological awareness. (Ideas taken from The Mailbox Preschool February/March 2004 Edition)
Sounds like....
(providing rhyming words)
Shmancakes, fancakes, pancakes! Prompt plenty of rhyming practice with this sign similar to the one the Hungry Thing wears. Write "Feed Me" on one side of a large blank card and "Thank You" on the other side. Hole-punch the top two corners of the card and tie yarn through the holes to make a necklace. Slip on the sign so that "Feed Me" is displayed. Gather the children and point to your sign. When the group asks what you would like to eat, say "Sounds like fluffins." Lead them into some rhyming possibilities. When "muffins" is identified, flip your sign to say "Thank You." Repeat the activity with other silly words such as mizza, bashed motatoes, and vilk. Your children will have a ball trying to figure

out what foods you really want. All the while they'll be making up rhymes! When you are through with this activity, let children know where they can find the sign if they want to repeat the activity during center time.
Silly Favorites:
(making sound substitutions)
During this activity, children's silly food requests become the pages of a class book. It is best to introduce this activity during small group time. Ask each child to name a favorite food and then substitute the first sound of each word to make a silly favorite food. On an eight-inch white construction paper circle, write the child's name and the silly sounding food. Have each child draw and color a picture of the food on the paper. When all children are finished, bind the book and title it, "The Hungry Things Pre-K" Then share the book with the class and let children guess the real foods!

Feeding Time! (retelling a story) Inspire retellings of the story The Hungry Thing with a colorful prop and food cards. You need one or more cards per child. To make a Hungry Thing prop, cut a sheet of poster board into the shape of the Hungry Thing. Cut a large opening for the mouth. You can attach a ziploc bag on the back of the Hungry Thing to catch what he eats. Or place a non-breakable container, such as a baking pan, in the seat of a small chair then ta pe The Hungry Thing to the back of the chair so

the mouth is above the container. Be sure to add your sign that says, "Feed Me." To make your food cards, use index cards, ta g board or laminated construction paper. Draw foods from the story such as a stack of pancakes, a pickle, bread, chocolate chip cookie, sucker/ lollipop, spaghetti, Jell-O, cracker, banana, soup, and sandwich onto the cards. You could also use clip-art or photographs on the food cards instead of drawing them.
Gather your children in front of the Hungry Thing prop, hand out the cards, and retell the story. Each time the Hungry Thing is fed, invite any child who has the named food to feed his/her card to the prop. Leave the

cards in the container and invite students to use them during center time to retell the story again and again!
Good Manners Remind your children that the Hungry Thing thanks the townspeople for the yummy food. Talk about times when they need to say "Thank you." Sing this little tune to the tune of "Shoo Fly"!
"Thank you." That's what you say. "Thank you." That's what you say. "Thank you." That's what you say. When someone's nice to you this way!

NATIONAL WILD BIRD FEEDING MONTH

Did you know February was National Wild Bird Feeding Month? Encourage your children to help the birds overcome their hardships from winter. Put some bird watching "props" such as bird watc hing books and magazines and bi noculars in your science area to encourage the children to further this experience. Remember to have plenty of paper and pencils so the children can record the birds they might see.

Try these ideas for bird feeders:
*Spread peanut butter on a pinecone and roll in sunflower seeds or wild bird feed. String the pinecone with yarn and hang on a tree or feeder outside of your classroom where children can o bserve.
*String cereal and hang on a limb or feeder.
*Collect uneaten bread from meals and crumble under a feeder or on the ground for the birds.
*Spread peanut butter on a bagel and then dip in sunflower seeds or wild bird feed. Hang with yarn.
*Purchase a window feeder for your room.

Volume 2, Issue 6

"As a general rule, teachers teach more by what they are
than by what they say." Anonymous
Page 3

TURN YOUR DRAMATIC PLAY AREA INTO A....

POST OFFICE
Mailbox Mail bins Stamps/stickers Stationary Envelopes Junk mail Writing utensils Cash register Play money Boxes Bubble wrap Brown postal wrapping paper or Butcher paper Packing tape Post office uniform/hat Mail carrier bag Stamp brochures
Be sure to introduce the materials you add to your centers and show the children where the props will be.

Have the class name this post office. Use your puppet stand to create a mail counter. Encourage children to write letters, deliver letters, and read letters.
Teach your children all about the postal service by creating a post office in your room.

Read some stories to your children about mail carriers and the post office. Here are some suggestions to get your started:
The Post Office Book: Mail and How it Moves by Gail Gibbons
A Visit To The Post Office by Michi Fujimoto

If possible, take a field trip to your local post office. If a field trip, can't be arranged, invite a postman to your classroom.

A Visit To The Post Office by Sandra Ziegler
The Jolly Postman by Allan Ahlberg

You can have the children write a letter to their parents/guardians, address, stamp it, and mail it. Make a class chart/graph of when the letters arrive home (add to it daily).

Remember to start your study by finding out what the children already know about the post office and mail delivery.

POST OFFICE MELODIES !

Tune: "I've Been Working on the

Railroad"

Tune: "Good Night, Ladies"

I've been driving my mail truck Each and every day. I've been driving my mail truck, Handing mail out on the way. Here's a package for _______, A letter for ______ too! I'll be driving my mail truck Until the day is through.

What's in our mailbox? What's in our mailbox? What's in our mailbox? Let's open it and see! There is a (letter)! There is a (letter)! There is a (letter)! Addressed to you and me!

circle time, gather children around the mailbox. Sing the tune above and see what is inside. Read the mail to your class. For more fun--get colleagues, parents, etc. to send different types of mail-- packages, form letters, brochures, etc. What a great way for children to learn about different types of mail.

After children learn this tune, you may catch them singing it while they are delivering mail in your dramatic play area or around the room.

Decorate a box to resemble a mailbox or use a real one. Have parents, co-workers, etc. write some letters to your class. Have them address it to your class and place in the mailbox. During your morning