Infant Doll and Me
Infant
Objective
• Infants will develop social-emotional skills, such as empathy, compassion, caring, and nurturing.
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Real Issues in the Real World
5th Grade
Objective
- Gather information from multiple sources in order to better understand public issues.
Volume in the Real World
5th Grade
Objective
- Apply the formula V = length x width x height to find the volume of a shape in solving real-world math problems.
I Can Do It! Dress-Up Dolls
Toddler
Objectives
• Toddlers will develop self-help skills.
• Toddlers will engage in pretend play.
Real-World Math: Perimeter and Data
3rd Grade
Objective
- Solve real-world mathematical problems involving perimeter and area.
Infant Ball Drop
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will develop fine motor skills and engage their small hand muscles.
• Infants will develop eye/hand coordination.
• Infants will practice reaching and grasping.
Gingerbread Graphing
Pre-K
Objectives Students will create a picture graph and interpret the data on the graph. Students will use verbal clues and reasoning skills to solve riddles. Materials Needed The Gingerbread Man by Jim Aylesworth Gingerbread Man Hunt clues Gingerbread Man template Gingerbread Man Cookies reproducible Scissors Gingerbread Man cookies (one for each student) Cookie sheet Kitchen towel Tagboard or construction paper (brown) Tape Chart paper and marker Pom-Poms Peel & Stick Jewels Collage Buttons Glue Preparation: For the Gingerbread Man hunt: Work with other teachers and staff to set up a Gingerbread Man hunt around your school! Print out the Gingerbread Man Hunt clues. Distribute clues 2 - 6 to the teachers and staff in the clue locations. Explain that students will come to them for the clues, and they should pretend to have just seen the Gingerbread Man! Place the gingerbread cookies in the final location—the cafeteria or other eating area. (If you do not want to use real cookies, you can print and precut paper cookies using the Gingerbread Man Cookies reproducible.) Tape the first clue onto the cookie sheet and cover it with the kitchen towel. Set it aside. For the graphing activities: On chart paper, draw a graph with three columns. Along the bottom, label the columns from left to right: “Head,” “Arm,” and “Leg.” Title the graph “Which Part of the Gingerbread Man Did You Bite First?” Print copies of the Gingerbread Man Cookies reproducible. Cut out one paper cookie for each student. (If you decide to distribute paper cookies instead of real cookies at the end of the hunt, students can use those for the graphing activity.) Print the Gingerbread Man template and reproduce it onto brown tagboard or construction paper. You will need one for each student. Introduction Read aloud The Gingerbread Man by Jim Aylesworth. After the story, tell students that you have prepared a Gingerbread Man cookie for them to eat. (If you are not using real cookies, tell students you have made a paper cookie for them to use in a special math project.) Then take out the covered cookie sheet and pull off the towel. Act surprised as you announce, “Oh no, our Gingerbread Man has run away! Look, he left a note for us to read!” Read the clue aloud to students.
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Exploring Nonfiction Text
4th Grade
Objectives CCSS Reading: Reading Informational Text RI.1.7: Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas. RI.2.7: Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram showing how a machine works) contribute to and clarify a text. Materials Needed Ah, Music! by Aliki Selection of one or two fiction read-alouds “The Venus Flytrap” reading selection Chart paper Introduction Ask students to tell you what the difference is between fiction and nonfiction text. (Help students understand that fiction is not real or not a true story that happened in real life, and nonfiction is factual or real.) Show students a sample of fiction (e.g., a fiction read-aloud, such as Corduroy by Don Freeman; The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister; or Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst). Ask, “When we read a fiction story like this one, what do the pictures show us?” (Encourage students to share their responses, guiding them to understand that the illustrations usually give a snapshot or visual image of what is happening in the story.) Then hold up the book Ah, Music! by Aliki, and tell students, “In nonfiction texts, you might find pictures, too! These pictures will help us understand what the words are telling us. There might also be a diagram that shows us more details about the information.”
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Rainy-Day Writing
3rd Grade - 5th Grade
Objectives Writing Writing narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, descriptive details and clear event sequences Using narrative techniques, such as dialogue, description and pacing, to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations Using concrete words, phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely Materials Needed Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett Chart paper or whiteboard Pre-writing graphic organizer Umbrella book reproducible Pencils Crayons or markers Stapler Introduction Read Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs aloud.
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Character Study and Story Elements Comparison
3rd Grade - 4th Grade
Objectives CCSS Reading/Literature & Writing RL.3.9: Compare and contrast the themes, settings and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series). W.3.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details and clear event sequences. Materials Needed Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes Lilly’s Big Day by Kevin Henkes Character Analysis chart Story Elements chart Paper and pencils Introduction Read aloud Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse and Lilly’s Big Day by Kevin Henkes. Encourage students to discuss Lilly’s character traits in both stories, and have them help you fill in the Character Analysis chart.
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"Pot of Coins" Money Counting Lesson
2nd Grade
Objectives Students will identify the name and value of different coins. Students will count the total value of a group of coins and find equivalent coin combinations. Materials Needed The Coin Counting Book by Rozanne Lanczak Williams Coin template or Plastic Coins or Magnetic Coins “Pot of Coins” activity mat Spinner template Paper bag Paper clips Pencils Scissors Before You Begin Print and cut out a set of coin templates for each student or pair of students. (You can also use real coins or a set of pretend coins.) Print the “Pot of Coins” activity mat. You will need one mat for every student in your class. Print the spinner template. You will need one spinner for every three or four students. Introduction Give a set of coins to each student so students can manipulate them throughout the lesson. Or have students work in pairs to enhance understanding. Read aloud The Coin Counting Book. As you read, pause periodically and challenge students to demonstrate the money concepts in the book using their coins.
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Floating Boats
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will explore cause and effect.
• Infants will build critical-thinking skills.
Animal Feelings
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will make connections between emotions and scenarios.
• Infants will build social-emotional vocabulary.
Match & Drop Color Sorting
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will be introduced to colors.
• Infants will practice sorting by color.
Family Rock Band
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will learn to decipher sounds.
• Infants will explore cause and effect.
Puppet Play
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will communicate feelings through facial expressions.
• Infants will engage in back-and-forth vocal play.
• Infants will build vocabulary.
Exploring Sensory Bottles
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will engage their senses.
• Infants will develop fine motor skills.
Color-Mixing Bags
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will develop fine motor skills.
• Infants will explore primary and secondary colors.
• Infants will explore color mixing.
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will develop language skills.
• Infants will learn the names of body parts.
• Infants will build bonds.
Learning to Share
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will learn to share and socialize with others.
• Infants will build friendships and other relationships.
Crawl & Find
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will practice crawling, building neck, arm, back, and leg muscles.
Infants will understand object permanence.
Sharing Smiles
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will develop trust and attachment.
• Infants will communicate feelings through facial expressions.
• Infants will engage in back-and-forth vocal play.
Color Sort Caterpillar
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will practice sorting by color.
• Infants will develop fine motor skills.
Super-Safe Pour & Scoop
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will develop fine motor skills and engage their small hand muscles.
• Infants will develop eye/hand coordination.
My First Soft Sensory Bin
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will engage their senses.
• Infants will make tactile discoveries.
Peekaboo!
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will understand object permanence.
• Infants will develop social-emotional skills.
• Infants will build bonds.
Nesting & Size Sort
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will explore stacking and nesting.
• Infants will build problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
Tower Topple
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will develop fine motor skills and engage their small hand muscles.
• Infants will develop eye/hand coordination.
• Infants will practice reaching and grasping.
• Infants will explore cause and effect.
My Daily Routine Photo Plates
Infant
Objective
• Infants will adjust to daily routines and transitions.
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Family Names
Infant
Objectives • Infants will respond to the names of familiar people.
• Infants will engage in back-and-forth verbal play.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Storytelling Kit
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will show interest in shared reading experiences and looking at books.
• Infants will build vocabulary.
• Infants will develop memory and listening skills.
This Is Me! Song
Infant
Objective
• Infants will develop self-esteem and self-confidence.
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Super-Silly Shapes
Infant
Objective
• Infants will explore shapes and begin to recognize shape names.
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Loose Parts Play
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will develop curiosity and creativity.
• Infants will gain exposure to common, everyday items.
• Infants will engage in independent play.
• Infants will develop fine motor skills.
Books with Babies
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will show interest in shared reading experiences and looking at books.
• Infants will show interest in books by reaching for books and exploring them through touch.
• Infants will imitate adults by pointing at pictures.
• Infants will develop print awareness.
What Do You Have?
Infant
Objectives
Infants will point to indicate objects.
• Infants will name objects.
• Infants will build vocabulary.
Circles, Circles
Infant
Objectives• Infants will develop gross motor skills.
• Infants will build bonds.
Pull & Find
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will develop their small muscles.
• Infants will develop eye/hand coordination.
• Infants will practice their pincer grasp.
Imaginative Kitchen Play
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will engage in pretend play and develop their imaginations.
• Infants will begin developing life skills.
Ball Roll
Infant
Objectives
Infants will practice reaching.
• Infants will develop eye/hand coordination.
• Infants will develop large motor skills, such as throwing.
Silly Faces
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will be exposed to expressions of emotions.
• Infants will develop social-emotional and visual skills.
• Infants will be introduced to vocabulary related to feelings and emotions.
Whom Do You See? Mirror Activity
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will practice visual tracking.
• Infants will begin to recognize their own reflection.
• Infants will build vocabulary.
Send-A-Hug
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will be introduced to friendship and affection.
• Infants will build vocabulary.
Icy Exploration Bins
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will develop print awareness.
• Infants will build vocabulary.
• Infants will imitate adults by pointing at pictures.
1, 2, Bee, Sing with Me
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will explore numbers through music and rhyme.
• Infants will be introduced to rhythm, sound, and timing.
Exploring Nature
Infant
Objective
• Infants will explore items from nature, such as rocks, plants, and so on.
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Animal Sounds
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will develop speech.
• Infants will build vocabulary.
• Infants will identify animals and the sounds they make.
Identifying Words Through Pictures
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will develop print awareness.
• Infants will build vocabulary.
• Infants will imitate adults by pointing at pictures.
Songs & Nursery Rhymes
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will build vocabulary.
• Infants will listen to songs and nursery rhymes.
Introducing Emotions Through Pictures
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will be exposed to expressions of emotions.
• Infants will build social cognition and process social information.
Tummy Time Tips
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will develop core muscles of the neck, back, and shoulders.
• Infants will build a foundation toward meeting motor milestones, including rolling, crawling, and sitting.
Family Bunny Race
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will strengthen large muscles.
• Infants will develop gross motor skills.
Kicking Cups
Infant
Objective
• Infants will strengthen large muscles.
• Infants will practice kicking.
Telephone Play
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will build vocabulary.
• Infants will engage in pretend play.
• Infants will be introduced to the rhythms of conversation.
If You're Happy and You Know It
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will be introduced to vocabulary related to feelings and emotions.
• Infants will develop social-emotional skills.
• Infants will develop language skills.
Sign Language
Infant
Objectives
• Infants will learn and use simple gestures to communicate.
• Infants will be introduced to sign language.