Pre-K teaching times, Vol. 6, Issue 2 (Oct. 2009)

Pre-K Teaching Times

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST:
Ask Pat Is Back! - See Page 8
Making Large Group Time Work
Changes to the Learning Environment
Small Group Activities and Scaffolding Suggestions
Assessment Ideas and Updates

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2

OCTOBER 2009

Get Outside Enjoy Your "Backyard"

Fall officially began on September 22, 2009, but in Georgia we normally have to wait a few weeks for it to feel like fall. We wait anxiously for the cooler temperatures, leaves changing colors, and plenty of opportunities to spend time outside! In this month's newsletter we're celebrating
the beautiful fall weather and

spending time outside in our backyards. Everyone's backyard is different some of us walk from our homes or

apartments to a city park; some of us enjoy a fenced-in space behind our homes; and some have big yards that stretch for acres. We hope that in this issue you'll find ideas to use in your classroom's backyard - enjoying the beginning of fall and your time playing, learning, and exploring outside!

The Importance of Outdoor Play

Physical play is a developmentally appropriate outlet for reducing stress in children. Play time allows children to make choices, plan, and expand their creativity. By providing a mental change and release of energy, recess enhances subsequent attention to more academic tasks. Physical play also minimizes disruptive behavior in the classroom. An outdoor space that provides students opportunities to interact with engaging materials supports children's development in the following areas:

Social: cooperation, sharing, language, conflict resolution, respect for rules, self-discipline.
Emotional: stress reduction, reduced anxiety, self-control, selfdirection, perseverance, selfacceptance.
Physical: improved attentiveness, release of excess energy, improved concentration, exercise for more healthy body, brain growth, body control.
Studies have found that students who do not participate in recess may have difficulty concentrating on specific tasks in the classroom, are restless, and may be easily

distracted. Ignoring the developmental function of unstructured outdoor play denies children the opportunity to expand their imaginations beyond the constraint of the classroom.
Outdoor play with learning center materials allows for constructive play, which research shows is a preschooler's favorite type of play. When teachers create an outdoor environment that supports constructive play, not only do children learn basic and fundamental information in
(Continued on page 2)

PAGE 2
The Importance of Outdoor Play (cont.)

"Large, open spaces fulfill
basic childhood
needs-- jumping, climbing, yelling, and making a big mess-this is childhood!"

an effective way, they are more likely to remember what they learned because it was concrete and personally meaningful. Outdoor play should not become teacher controlled. It should be an extension of the classroom, simply another place for learning. Large, open spaces fulfill basic childhood needs--jumping, climbing, yelling, and making a big mess--this is childhood! Natural play spaces stimulate a child's imagination and engage their sense of curiosity. Here are some outdoor play suggestions:
1. Hopscotch Around the World by Mary Lankford provides instructions and illustrations for new ways to play hopscotch.

play? Post Wanted Post-

from the hula hoop and

ers in center/school hall-

toss bean bags into the

ways or school newspapers

circle. All children take

asking for used balls in vari-

one step back and toss

ous sizes from tennis balls

again. Continue taking

to beach balls. You will be

one step backward for as

bombarded with enough

long as children are in-

balls for every child in your

terested.

class.

7. Play Four Square. Draw a

large square on the

ground and then divide

the square into four

equal squares. A player

stands inside each

square. Player one

bounces ball to player

two; player two bounces

ball to player three;

player three bounces ball

to player four. Players

must stay within their

squares. Game continues

in that order.

2. Anna Banana: 101

Jump Rope Rhymes by Jo- 5. Make supersized chalk. Mix

anna Cole teaches new

two tablespoons powdered

rhymes to recite while

tempera and cup water

jumping rope.

in a small waxed paper cup.

3. Miss Mary Mack and Other

Add three tablespoons

Children's Street Rhymes by

plaster of Paris. Stir until

Joanna Cole and Stepha-

creamy and allow to dry

nie Calmenson is a selec-

hard. Peel off the cup and

tion of rhymes for ball-

chalk is ready.

bouncing, hand-clapping, 6. Play Bull's Eye. Place a hula

and counting.

hoop on the ground. Chil-

4. Need balls for outdoor

dren stand one step away

PRE-K TEACHING TIMES

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2

PAGE 3

Making Large Group Time Work

Four year olds have a lot to adjust to when starting school for the very first time. For some students, being in a group of twenty children can be overwhelming. In the first months of school while students are still getting used to the routine, teachers experience some of the most difficult times when they try to deal with all twenty kids at once. It is a good idea to think of creative ways to divide the group whenever possible. It is also important to remember that some students will make the choice not to participate because it is too overwhelming in the beginning. Teachers need to be comfortable enough with their routine to make these allowances for children and not force children into participating.
On some days, you may decide to do circle time in two groups of ten. Children have more

space, more teacher attention, and more opportunities to participate if there are fewer bodies sitting on the rug. Some classes have one group of students in circle time while the other group is involved in a different activity, and then they switch. This would
still be considered large group (not small group) time. If you decide to split into two groups, remember to check with your administrator before changing your schedule.
Transitions can be managed best when students can move from activity to activity in smaller groups as well. As much as possible, avoid having twenty students standing in line or sitting by a wall. When it is

time to go to lunch, to the bathroom, or to the playground, have your class wash hands or put on coats and leave the room in groups of ten instead of twenty. Return in the same way.
Staggering transition and circle times takes a lot of planning between the teacher and the assistant, but the benefits are well worth the effort. Expectations for students are more realistic, which usually results in better classroom behavior.

"...teachers experience some of the most difficult times when they try to deal with all twenty kids at once."

Millionth Child Celebration Read Aloud

Have you heard the news? This year we're celebrate serving the millionth child in Georgia's Pre-K. Throughout the year you will have many opportunities for your class to participate in the celebration. One of the easiest ways to par-
ticipate -- and win prizes -- is by reading aloud to children.
Our goal is to read a million books aloud to children in Georgia. On our website you can log the number of books you read aloud ... books you read to your class, books you read in small groups, books you

read with individual children, books you read on the playground ... any book you read aloud to children.
To count/log your books, visit the Bright from the Start website at www.decal.ga.gov and click on the Georgia Reads Aloud icon in the bottom right corner of the webpage. Be sure to enter your e-mail address so we can contact you if you win a prize. To ensure you get credit for all the books you read, enter the name of your school/center exactly the same each time you log in books. We'll count books until the end of the school year -- with prizes given throughout the year. The more books you read and log, in, the better your chances are to win!

PAGE 4

"...both teachers are
actively engaged with
the children during outdoor
and gross motor
activities..."

Outdoor Fun for Children and Teachers

It is critically important for teachers in Georgia Pre-K to be involved with the children at all times during the instructional day. One of the PQA indicators under section B10 has changed for this year. The indicator now states that both teachers are actively engaged with the children during outdoor and gross motor activities. Below are some fun games for teachers to use during outside time:
Kick the Can A variation on Hide and Seek, this game works best with at least three kids. One person is designated it and will guard the can (an empty coffee can or ball) which is set in an open space. While the other players hide, it counts to 20 (or higher) and then tries to find and tag the other players. If captured, players must go to jail. Any player who hasn't been caught can run in and kick the can, set-

ting all of the captured players free. If it finds everyone, he wins the game. Backyard Bowling Find household items that will tumble over easily such as empty cereal boxes, empty soda cans or small stuffed toys and set them up like bowling pins. Then, using a smaller ball for older kids and a bigger ball for the young ones, have the children roll the ball. They score a point for each object they knock down.
Kick Ball Have the children divide into teams and play a good old fashioned game of kick ball. Hula Hoop Weave Have the children stand in a circle holding hands. Place a hula hoop over the wrist of one child so the hoop is now connected to the circle. Have the children thread the hula hoop around the circle by stepping through it without breaking the circle. What Time Is It , Mr. Fox?

The kids gather on one side of the space, and the adult (Mister Fox) stands on the other side. The adult gives a signal and the kids say, "What time is it, Mister Fox?" Mister Fox says, "It's time to hop!" The kids hop toward Mister Fox until he gives the signal to stop. Repeat this, substituting different movements (skip, crawl, walk backwards) until kids draw near to Mister Fox. As the kids near Mister Fox and ask the question, the last answer he gives is "It's midnight!" At this point, he pretends to chase them all back to the other side of the room. The game can then start again. Tips for adults: You don't have to be Mister Fox! You could be Sleepy Bear, Grouchy Grandma, Big Baby, or another character that kids might like. Also, be creative with the movements. Kids love to be silly with their bodies. Say, "It's time to walk with one finger on your nose and one on your belly button!"
Scavenger Hunt Go for a walk around the neighborhood, a park, or the playground. Take a list of things to find (a rock, a leaf, three sticks, an acorn, a bug, etc.) and a paper bag. Encourage the children to collect them all. This is a great way to add natural items to your science area.
Cloud Watching On a nice day have a snack outside and lie down in the grass to watch the clouds. Ask the children what they see in the clouds. Have them draw a picture of what they observed.
Red Light, Green Light In this game, one person plays the "stop light" and the rest try to touch him/ her. At the start, all the children
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PRE-K TEACHING TIMES

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2

PAGE 5

Small Group Suggestions Backyards

Children learn well during small group times. If you want to involve all your students in small group time concurrently (as most teachers choose to do), divide children into three to four groups containing two to eight students each. Consider the entire class when dividing the children into groups. Some activities work well when children are grouped heterogeneously (children with varying skill levels), while others work well with children grouped homogeneously (with similar skills in that domain). Either group arrangement is acceptable; just ensure children do not remain in fixed small groups and that you consider the intent of the activity when grouping children. The lead teacher and the assistant teacher can assign themselves to a group and have one or two other groups involved in independent activities that need little supervision or oversight. Lesson plans should denote what is planned for each small

group. Note: Not all small group activities must be table work! Small group activities can and should be conducted in a variety of settings.
Differentiated instruction is when the teacher adapts activities to meet the needs and abilities of each child. Scaffolding instruction refers to when the teacher challenges children to advance to the next level of thinking and reasoning. An excellent example of this is the tool on our website, The Math Development Continuum (in the Teachers section, Math and Manipulatives) at www.decal.ga.gov
Example Small Group Activities for Backyard Fun with Scaffolding
Shape Hopscotch: Children pick a shape from a bag, and then jump to the square with a matching shape on a hopscotch board.
Materials:

A hopscotch board created with masking tape or chalk (if outside).
Four large laminated shape cards (Square, Circle, Triangle, Rectangle).
Small paper cutouts of the four shapes in different sizes (e.g., five large, five medium, five small circles).
Small container filled with the various sized cutout shapes.
Paper chart with four columns, each labeled at the top with a drawing or cutout of the shape.
Beginning: Put a large shape card in each of the hopscotch squares leaving some squares blank. Have the child pick a shape out of the container. Name the shape and describe its attributes (e.g., I picked a triangle. It has three sides and three points.) Hop to the square with the matching shape.
(Continued on page 6)

"Small group activities can and should be conducted in a variety of settings."

Outdoor Fun for Children and Teachers (cont.)

form a line about 15 feet away from the stop light. The stop light faces away from the line of kids and says "green light." At this point the kids are allowed to move toward the stoplight. At any point, the stop light may say "red light!" and turn around. If any of the kids are caught moving, they are out. Play resumes when the stop light turns back around and says "green light." The stop light wins if all the kids are out

before anyone is able to touch him/ her. Otherwise, the first player to touch the stop light wins the game and earns the right to be "stop light" for the next game.
Wolf's Dinner Time One player becomes the wolf and stands with his/her back turned to the others about 15 feet from the group. The group calls out, "What's the time, Mr. Wolf?" The wolf faces

the group and shouts out a time, e.g., 9 o'clock. The group then take 9 steps toward the wolf. The group takes the number of steps expressed in the wolf's time., e.g, 4 o'clock = 4 steps, 6 o'clock = 6 steps, etc. The wolf then turns his back to the group again for them to yell "What's the time...." (The wolf looks at the group only when he shouts the time.) When the group gets close to the wolf, the next time the group yells "What's the time, Mr. Wolf?" the wolf responds 'It's DINNER TIME" and runs after the group who run back to the start line. Whoever the wolf catches will be the wolf in the next round of the game.

PAGE 6

Small Group Suggestions Backyards (cont.)

Walk to the chart and tape or place the shape you picked in the appropriate column. As the game continues, the teacher can move the large shapes to different squares on the hopscotch board and repeat. Allow children to continue playing independently as they become accustomed to the game.
Content Standard: MD 3aMatching like objects
HPD 1b: Coordinates movements to perform tasks
Middle: Support children as they pick their shapes from the container and put their large shapes on the hopscotch board. Encourage children to describe the attributes of the shape as they pick. Point out that regardless of the size of the shape, it is still a circle/square/ triangle/rectangle. Encourage

children to re-arrange the large shapes on the hopscotch board. Allow the children to tape or place their shapes on the chart. Some children may want to continue playing the game without using the chart.
Content Standard: MD 3cClassifies objects by more than one attribute (large and a circle)
HPD 1b: Coordinates movements to perform tasks
End: Continue as implemented in other small groups; however, count how many of each shape they chose during the game. Have children comment on which shape was chosen most or least often. Compile shapes onto the chart paper to visualize the concept of least, more, and most. Children can sort the shapes into piles for small/ medium/large sizes. Once

children have mastered all these shapes, add other shapes. TIP: Teach children that a diamond shape is called a rhombus (the correct term used in later grades testing).
Content Standard: MD 4aRecognizes, describes and compares basic geometric shapes.
HPD 1b: Coordinates movements to perform tasks
Enrichment: Read: The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns. Have children substitute the triangle with another shape and create a group story about another shape. (e.g., The Happy Circle!)
Content Standard: LD 4d-Uses language to pretend or create

Assessment Corner

Fall is a great time to enjoy the outdoors and being outdoors provides an opportunity to gather documentation for your students' portfolios. Charge your cameras and develop matrices to document children's growth. One way to use a matrix is to develop an obstacle course that challenges children's balance and control. Use a balance beam, going up stairs, a narrow path, and hopping through hula hoops. Another day, you can take balls outside and encourage children to throw the balls at a target or kick a large ball with a two-step start.

Outdoor time is also a perfect time to gather science documentation. Take the sensory table outside, and let the children explore with water. Take observational notes as you listen to children articulate their observations. A listening walk provides an opportunity for children to identify sounds outside by having them name the sounds they hear. (I hear a dog barking. I hear a plane.) Use a matrix to document children using simple tools and equipment for investigation. Children might observe an earthworm with a magnifying glass

or look for birds using binoculars. This is a great way to collect documentation on children who do not usually use science materials.
NOTE: An update for using Georgia's Pre-K Child Assessment.
Photos now need a caption or descriptor in addition to the child's name, date, and domain(s). A caption will help illustrate what the child did or said. The caption is NOT an observational note and does not have to be lengthy but does need to clarify the photo.

PRE-K TEACHING TIMES

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2

PAGE 7

Changes to the Learning Environment Backyards

Reading Area:
Dirt Boy by Erik Jon Slangerup Henry Climbs a Mountain by D.B. Johnson The Listening Walk by Paul Showers Wiggle by Doreen Cronin Bounce by Doreen Cronin Stretch by Doreen Cronin Head, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes: Other Action Rhymes by Zita Newcome From Head to Toe by Eric Carle Get Up and Go! by Nancy Carlson Babar's Yoga for Elephants by Laurent de Brunhoff Shake My Sillies Out by Raffi Let's Play Rough! by Lynne Jonell

Writing Area: Nature Books
Gather backyard objects (bark, grass, leaves, sticks, etc.), lightweight paper, and old crayons without the wrappers. Have the children place paper over back yard objects and rub with crayons. Record children's dictation on the pages, and bind them together to create individual books or a class book. Place the book(s) in the reading area.
Math/Manipulatives:
Backyard Sorting
Place backyard items (acorns, small pinecones, small rocks, and leaves) in a container. Encourage children to sort the items.
Place a container of leaves in various colors in the area for children to sort by color or by shape and then count.
Dramatic Play Area:
Tell children they are going to be entomologists (a scientist who studies insects). Insects are often found in backyards. Place materials for insect studies: lab coats, goggles, magnifiers, tweezers, clip boards, paper, writing implements, magazines with pictures of insects, and plastic insects.
Art Area:
Include leaves for leaf rubbings.
Include mud for mud painting.
Fall Wreath: Cut the center out of a paper plate and have children glue items collected from an outdoor nature walk (leaves, acorns, pine cones, etc.) to the rim to create a fall wreath.

Block Area:
Set up a plastic bowling set.
Use cones to create an obstacle course.
Add small balls for rolling to classmates.
Conduct a bean bag toss.
Newspaper Golf: Make a golf club by rolling up several newspapers; tape the rolls together. Use masking tape to mark the hole. Allow children to hit (roll) the ball to the hole.
Science:
Backyard Feely Box: Place items collected outside (leaves, acorns, pine cones, flowers, bark, and nuts) in a feely box. Allow the children to touch the items (without seeing them) and ask them to guess the items inside. Encourage them to use descriptive words to describe what they feel.
Leaf Exploration: Place various colored leaves next to the magnifiers. Ask children to compare and contrast the size, shape, color, and texture of the leaves.
Outdoor Learning:
Nature Walk
Give each child a paper bag for collecting items found in nature. As children collect items, encourage them to talk about what they see and hear in nature. Remember to talk about the changes that occur outdoors in the fall (cooler days, changes in color, shorter days, etc.).

Ask Pat

Dear Pat,
We have been in school less than a week, and I have a child in my class who I'm not sure belongs here. She can't sit on the carpet without stretching out and touching or kicking other children. She crawls around on the floor over other children or into the centers where she pulls things off the shelves. When asked to come back or leave things alone, she refuses. She refuses to comply when asked to do anything. She can't walk from one side of class to the other without knocking over items in the centers. When we leave the room, I have to walk by her as we go down the hallways and when we stop to wait on the others, she constantly wiggles or kicks the wall or doors. She has started hitting, kicking, and spitting at the other children. We still have 35 weeks of school left. Can I tell the mom her daughter should wait until next year to begin school? I am out of ideas. What shall I do????
Sincerely,
Desperately Seeking Guidance
Dear Desperate,
While you might want to suggest the child wait until next year to begin school, we suggest otherwise.

tivity between teacher-directed activities or, better yet, provide this child with an alternative activity such as You can sit here on the carpet or you may sit in the chair right here.
If one of your class rules is We keep our hands to ourselves, as the child walks across the room, remind her each time she knocks something down; Remember, the class rule is to keep our hands to ourselves. You will need to remind her and model the appropriate behavior many times.
You are doing the right thing by having the child walk with you as you go down the hall. If possible, sometimes ignoring the inappropriate behavior of one and bragging on the appropriate behavior of others begins to make an impact. Again, if one of the class rules is We walk in the building constantly remind the child of the rule and model how to walk in the building.
As for the child hitting, kicking, and spitting at others, she needs to understand this is not appropriate and you will not allow her to do this to the other children in the class.

in similar situations. As a team, you may need to develop a plan of action and document what happens and what you do when it happens.
Don't forget the Classroom Management ideas on our website at www.decal.ga.gov under Creating a Learning Environment. There you will find the ABC's of Behavior Management, the PK Intervention Process, and other forms to support classroom management. Be patient and calm. Be aware that sometimes it gets worse before it gets better.
Finally, four-year-old students come to the Pre-K program at different developmental stages, and we welcome them all. When children enter Pre-K, we do not expect them to possess a certain level of proficiency in literacy or math, just as we do not expect them to behave at a certain proficiency in the area of social development. As a program, we take an instructional approach to the acquisition of appropriate social skills and school habits. We are committed to providing the guidance, instruction, resources, and support our four year olds need to become kindergarteners. In other words, we teach them.

Check the time you require the children to sit on the carpet. Perhaps this child needs shorter lengths of time to sit. You might consider adding a movement ac-

If necessary, invite the child's parent(s) to meet with you and a team to talk about the child's behavior and find out from the parents how they handle the child

If problems persist, be sure to discuss strategies and options with your project director and your Pre-K consultant.