Excuse me!

Routine: calendar

We read a book called "I'm Sorry" today. I borrowed the book from the library for yesterday's lesson, but I forgot to bring it! It's about two friends who really like each other and play with each other all the time, but they had an argument one day, and they stopped talking to each other. The students seemed to connect with the characters in the story, and really empathized with how they feel.

Then we talked about sneezing and coughing, that we have to cover our mouth and say excuse me. I found this cute little craft on the internet~

I'm Sorry

Routines: calendar, hi and bye

We started our lesson with a circle game called "Go In and Out the Window". I asked the kids to make a circle, hold hands, and make an arch with their hands. Then I taught them this song:

Go In and Out the Window

Go in and out the window,
Go in and out the window,
Go in and out the window,
Just like we've done before.

I showed them how to play the game by being the first person to weave in and out of the their arches while we sang the song. Then I asked another student to join me. The next student picked another student to join him, etc. It was energy consuming but they had so much fun~ I was sweating by the end of it!

We talked about saying sorry today. We brainstormed some situations when we have to say sorry, and also to forgive when somebody apologizes to us sincerely. I emphasized that when we did something unacceptable and say sorry, but then we repeat the same behaviour again and again, that means our apology isn't really sincere. We have to remember why we say sorry, and to learn from it.

I told them that when we made someone feel sad, it's always nice to make that person a sorry card to show that we know he's hurt and we care about him. We made this card by putting beads on a string with the words "I'm Sorry!" hanging on it. Then we taped the beaded string to the back of a construction paper, and then decorated it with stamps. I remember that when I was little, I loved to make cards in different ways. I want to let my students know that cards can come in many different forms, and it's always nice to be creative and use different materials to make them~

Thank you collage

Routines: calendar, hi and bye activity

When we were practicing saying hi and bye today, Cooper had to leave early, and the kids all turned around to wave to his mom and said bye! I was so impressed by how they're learning their manners! They said it with soooo much enthusiasm too!

We did some role playing again today with the "Bad Manners" book~ Some of the situations that we acted out are how to drink soup, what to do if somebody falls down and cries, what we have to say after we sneeze, etc. The kids found it very funny. =P

We talked about situations when we have to say please and thank you. Then I taught them how to say thank you in different languages, including French, Chinese, Indian, Russian, Spanish, and Japanese. They repeated the pronunciation after me, and they seemed to be excited in speaking in foreign languages! Then I asked them to go to the table and gave them some pencil crayons. They had to colour the different shapes containing the thank you words, then cut the shapes out, and glue them onto the construction paper to make a collage. After they're done with gluing the words, I gave them some stars to decorate their page. =)

Flowers of Friendship

Routines: calendar, songs, circle sharing [who are your friends?]

Friends

We say, "Thank you. We say, "Please."
We don't interrupt, We don't tease.
We don't argue. We don't fuss.
We listen when teachers talk to us.
We share our toys, we take our turn
Good manners are easy for us to learn.

We used the craft that we made yesterday to practice greeting. I asked them to hold the "hand" so that "Hi!" is facing away from them. Then I asked, "When ______'s mommy comes to pick him up, what do we have to say to her?" And they all waved their "hands" and said "Hi!!!!!" We did that until I mentioned all the children's names. And then we turned the "hand" around and practiced saying "Bye!" to teachers when the kids go home. It was funny to see how excited they were! Afterwards, I collected the crafts and told them that we'll practice again tomorrow. At the end of school, when their parents pick them up, most of them greeted their parents so enthusiastically! I'm so pleased! =)



After "waving", I read-aloud a few pages of < Book of Bad Manners >. It shows rhymes and pictures of bad manners in a funny way~ As I read, I picked students to tell me why the behaviours are bad, and asked them to act out how to change those into good manners. They had a lot of fun with that!

After our role-playing activity, I gave each of them a piece of paper and a paint brush. I put paint in the middle of the table, and asked them to use the brush to paint on one of their palms. I told them that we're going to make "flowers of friendship", meaning that each handprint is going to become a flower (I'll add stems and leaves for them), and we're going to put handprints on our own paper as well as on our friends' papers~ This way, we'll have a garden full of different handprints, because all handprints are different and unique.

Hi and Bye!

Routines: stand up and turn around song, calendar, pop the balloons (when we go back to the tables)

Kindness pledge

Today I pledge to be kind,
to use the nicest words I can find.
Today I pledge to try to share,
to wait my turn and to be fair.

After singing some old songs together and learning a new rhyme, I told the kids that we're going to do some acting/role-playing today! I read a few pages of the book < Perfect Pigs > to them. It has a lot of pictures that show how the little pigs behave. I asked the kids to volunteer to show me some situations of nice sharing. They're so honest though! When I asked Cooper to hold a toy, and Giada to ask him, "Can I play with the toy please?", Cooper said, "No. I want to play with it." A lot of times, kids don't intend to be mean, but what they want comes straight from their heart and out from their mouth. So it really takes practice and reinforcement to develop their sense of sharing and playing nicely with each other. So I said to them, "Well, if we really want to play with that toy at the moment, we can say to our friend, 'Yes, but you have to wait for 5 minutes because I'm playing with it now.'" I've been reminding them about this during their playing time, and I know that they know this makes everybody happier and more friendly, but they just forget sometimes. =P

We made waving hands today! I asked each kid to pick a colour of construction paper, and place their hand on it. Then I went around to trace their hands. I let them cut out the shape at first, but it didn't work because it was too hard for them, and they tried very hard to follow the finger lines. So I ended up cutting for them. Some of them had to have their hands traced again because they cut their "hand" into too many small pieces. After that, I gave each of them the word "Hi!" and "Bye!" I asked them to glue one on each side of their hand. The last step was to glue a stick onto the bottom of the hand, and then we're done! This craft will be used for practicing greeting, because I noticed that many kids who've grown comfortable to our school aren't greeting their parents right away when they come to pick them up. I want them to practice being polite to their parents, and as well as saying bye to the teachers when they leave. =)

Colour Mixing

Routine: calendar

After doing our routine today, I assigned a colour to each student and asked them to go to the play area to find something that is in that colour. After each of them came back with a different piece of toy, they took turns to tell me something that has the same colour as the toy that they were holding. I designed this activity because kids love to move, and they learn by making connections. By letting them explore on their own and come back to discuss their findings, they'll have the opportunity to make sense of their own learning.

Then I read them a book called "Little Blue and Little Yellow". It's a story about little blue and little yellow (they're 2 blots of paint) who are best friends with each other. But after they hugged each other, they became green! And their parents didn't recognize them. So they cried and cried yellow and blue tears until they became blue and yellow separately again. It's a sweet little story about colour mixing. =)

After the read-aloud, I sent them to the table to paint. I put blue paint on a plate and asked them to paint the first circle. Then I poured some yellow on another plate, and asked them to paint the second circle. I showed them how to dip the brush in the yellow, and bring the yellow to the blue plate. Then I mixed the two colours together, and they were amazed that we made green! So everybody painted the snowman green~ We did the same thing for red and yellow. Most of them were painting nicely inside the lines, and they were careful not to make themselves dirty. By observing these little things, I really see that these children are growing. I know that they could feel how proud I am of them when I told them my observations. Sometimes they just need to be reminded of their little achievements, because no little thing is little. =)

Colours collage

Routine: stand up and turn around song, calendar, sharing circle (favourite drink)

After reviewing our two new songs, I showed the kids the book < I Like Colours >. I think it's a good book to talk about colours as well as opposites, because it has very colourful illustrations, comparing two different animals (e.g. frogs are quick and turtles are slow) on each page. It's fun just to look at the beautiful pictures too!

We made a colours collage today~ I gave each student a piece of white paper that is divided into 8 rectangles. Then I gave each of them a small piece of construction paper. I asked them to rip it into small pieces, and then I put glue on one of the rectangles for every student, and told them to put all the ripped pieces onto the rectangle. After making sure that everybody had one box full of colour, I told them to choose another colour, rip the construction paper, and glue the pieces onto another box. I helped them apply glue on the first box because I wanted to make sure that they're on the right track. I was expecting them to mix up the colours after I let go and let them do it themselves, but they were very clear with what they were doing! Shriyans and Phillip had some trouble ripping the papers, so I helped them a little bit. But other than that, they were very focused today~ When our lesson time was almost over, most of them had 4 or 6 boxes filled with different colours. So I decided to modify it and cut the last 2 boxes out so their work could be completed~

Colours Up in the Rainbow

Routine: calendar

I did some preparation before class by collecting a bunch of toys that are made in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. I put them in a basket, and then told the students that we're going to learn about rainbow colours today!

First of all, I asked them to sort the colours one by one. They took turns to place each red toy in the same group, and then orange, and so on. After sorting them into 6 different groups, we made an attempt to put them into a rainbow shape! Although it ends up to be very abstract, we really did try our best! The most important thing is that the students know what they're doing, right? =P But next time I do this activity, maybe it's a good idea to put them in rows instead~



After this activity, we cleaned up, and then sang this song together:

Colours Up in the Rainbow

Red and orange, green and blue, shiny yellow, purple too.
All the colors that we know, live up in the rainbow.
Red and orange, green and blue, shiny yellow, purple too.

Then we went to the table to do fingerpainting! Like yesterday, I did this with them step by step, pouring out a different colour of paint only after they were done with the previous one. Some of them got a little bit messy, but the shape in general is there!

After they finished their rainbows and washed their hands, I gave them an "R for Rainbow" worksheet to practice colouring and tracing. They were working very nicely today, so I said thank you to them for that. Then they all said thank you to me~ As they were cleaning up, I asked them to thank one friend who was nice to them. They were familiar with this routine, but what I didn't expect was that some of them were saying "you're welcome!" to the friends who thanked them! I was like...awwwwww they've learned to become so polite and appreciative! ^-^

Rainbow:

Paint with Colours

Routines: calendar, circle sharing

After telling the students that we're going to learn about colours this week, I played a game with them. I asked them to close their eyes, then gave each student a bead with a different colour. I asked them to keep the bead in their palm, so that nobody could see it. The game goes like this: one by one, the students would tell the rest of the class what kind of things have the same colour as their bead. E.g., if a student has a green bead, he could say grass & leaves. Then the rest of us have to guess what colour his bead is. The funny thing is that most of them started with "my bead is _____ (whatever colour it is", giving away the answer right away~ I had to explain it again and again that they have to keep it a secret! I'm going to try this game again tomorrow, maybe they'll get it~

Paint with Colours

I know my colors for painting fun,
Green like the grass and the yellow sun.
An orange pumpkin and white-white snow,
A red rose and a black crow,
Blue like a mailbox, brown like an ape,
A pink pig and some purple grapes!

After we sang the song, we brainstormed things that come in different colours. Then I told them that we're going to paint today! I explained that we're going to paint a palette with 5 different colours. But their first step is to cut out the palette from the rectangular piece of paper. I'm impressed that Phillip and Shriyans are both starting to use the scissors properly, and I didn't hesitate to tell them how proud I am of them!

After cutting, I gave each kid a paintbrush and I poured some red paint for them to share. I emphasized that we're only using red to colour in one spot, because we want a different colour for every spot. I made sure that all of them coloured it, washed the brush with the water in the can, and dried them on the napkin, before pouring another colour for them. We followed the same procedure for all 5 colours, and the final products turned out to be great! I noticed that some procedures do take practice, and although some kids work faster than others, sometimes it's good to work out the same steps with all of them together, so they're on the right track. This would also help developing the patience for the kids who are always ahead of the others.

I added a cute little touch to the paint palettes by making paintbrushes with the kids~ I gave each of them a stick, a small piece of crepe paper, and a little piece of tape. They had to fold the crepe paper and tape it to the end of the stick. Then I helped them cut the tip of the paintbrush vertically, so it looks like the hair of the brush. They loved it~



With the little "paintbrush":

Hibernation Booklet

By today, the students already remember that hibernating means animals sleeping in Winter~ ^^ I'm happy! And most of them know that it's January! During calendar time, I'm beginning to talk about what day of the week comes before today and what comes after. They're still a little bit blurry about it, and Phillip always says "Friday" when I ask him what day it is. =P But I believe that as we do this routine day by day, they are going to get it sooner or later!

Today's sharing topic is "My favourite movie is..." =)

I read a story called "The Bear Came Over to My House" today. It's a silly, rhyming story~ I asked them, "Have you ever invited a bear to your house?" And they said "Nooooooooo!!!" haha~ They're so funny~

After reading, we made a hibernation booklet to wrap up our theme of the week. There's 4 pages in the booklet, each with a picture of a habitat. The kids' job is to colour it, and then match the picture of the animal that lives in the corresponding habitat.

Bears hibernate in the cave:


Groundhogs hibernate underground:


Froggies hibernate under water:


Snakes hibernate in rocks:

I See a Little Groundhog

During our sharing time, I passed around "the heart". I began with the topic "My favourite colour is..." and then passed it to the student sitting beside me. One by one, they had to start with the same opening words and share their responses with the rest of the class. Through this routine, I hope that students would learn to focus on a stream of thought. They have a tendency to talk very randomly, because they just want to blurt out what's on their mind~ This activity would allow them to develop their thinking skills and concentration, as well as the habit to listen while others have their turn to speak.



Groundhogs hibernate in Winter too! This is the song that we sang today:

I See a Little Groundhog

I see a little groundhog, furry and brown,
He's popping up to look around.
If he sees his shadow, down he'll go.
Six more weeks of winter—oh, no!

After singing, I read them the story "When Will it Be Spring?", the book that I told them I'd read today. To make the read-aloud more interesting, I used the hibernating bear that I made 2 days ago as a prop. Cooper wasn't here when we made it, so I asked him to help me hold it as I read the story. It's a story about a little bear who really wants Spring to come, so he kept waking up and asking mommy is it Spring yet. Cooper helped me move the stick so that the bear goes in and out of the cave as the story proceeds. The students were all engaged!



Then we made a craft that's similar to the hibernating bear in the cave. It's a hibernating groundhog underground~ We can move the stick up and down to make the groundhog come up and down~

Froggies hibernate too~

After doing the calendar with the kids and reviewing that bears and snakes hibernate in Winter, I read aloud a few pages from the book "Why Do Snakes Hiss?" It's a factual book about things like how snakes eat, why do they shed their skin, how do they move, etc. After sharing a few interesting facts with them, I asked if anyone wants me to read them another story, called "When Will It Be Spring?" Half of them wanted to listen to it right away, but half of them didn't. So I told them that I'll save it for tomorrow, because I think some of us are a little bit tired from listening to too much information at one time. Some of them are more eager to learn than others, but I have to remind myself that they have limited attention span, and they're already doing a great job sitting here and listening for such a long time!

I told the students that other than bears and snakes, froggies hibernate in Winter too! They go into the mud or deep in the water to stay warm. I prepared a plate, 4 froggie legs, 2 eyes and 2 nostrils for each student, and they had to put all the pieces together to make a froggie. First, they had to glue the 4 legs onto the plate. Then they had to paint the body (plate) green. While we waited for the paint to dry, I set up another table with name tracing sheets, so the students could use the waiting time to practice tracing their names. After they finished the tracing, the paint was almost dried, so I asked them to glue the eyes and nostrils onto the plate. And...ta-dah!

Silly Slippery Snake

When we were doing the calendar today, we sang the "12 Months of the Year" song. I was sooo impressed that most of the kids remember most of the months! I was like...awwww...they're growing up and they're learning! =) Then we did the "Days of the Week" song, and they did great as well! I told them that it's Tuesday today and it'll be Wednesday tomorrow, and asked them to remember it. I told them I'll ask them tomorrow to see if they remember. =P

During read-aloud, I read a book called "Animals in Winter" to the kids. It's an informational picture book about what different animals do in Winter. For example, the bears and the bats hibernate, the birds and butterflies fly south, the fox hunt for food, etc. It's straight forward and easy to understand, and covers the basic facts of how Winter is a difficult time of the year for the animals. I like it~

We sang a song about snakes today, because snakes are one of the animals that hibernate during Winter. They like to hide in rocks together to keep warm.

A Silly Slippery Snake

Oh, I wish I was a silly, slippery snake.
Oh, I wish I was a silly, slippery snake.
Oh I'd slither across the floor and I'd slip under the door
Oh, I wish I was a silly, slippery snake.

After singing, we made a snake with triangles, squares and circles. Phillip didn't want to try to use the scissors, but I encouraged him to. I used to help him out a lot, but I think it's time for him to try it on his own. I showed him how to hold the scissors and the paper, and he did it! Although it's not perfect cutting, at least he's not cutting it into millions of pieces. =P It's a big step forward, and I'm so proud of him!

I know...I know it looks like a caterpillar...

Hibernating Bears

Today is the first day of school after a long Winter break! I was so excited to see the kids, but I was also expecting a little bit of chaos since they have been away from structures and routines for such a long time. But...they surprised me! They still remember to say please and thank you, and was awesome during circle time. (although it's kind of a special case because only half of the preschoolers are here in the afternoon!)

This week is "hibernation week", and I'm going to talk to the kids about animals that hibernate in Winter. I started off with teaching them this song:

Hibernation Song

The weather's getting cold so bundle up, bundle up, bundle up
The weather's getting cold so bundle up, it’s winter time.
The bears in the cave sleep all the time............it’s winter time.
The squirrels in the trees get lots of nuts...............it’s winter time.
The frogs and toads go deep in mud.......it’s winter time.
The snakes in the rocks are curling up………it’s winter time.
The people in the town wear hats and gloves..........it’s winter time.

It's amazing to hear them catching the melody and repeating the words after me after a few repetition. They learn so fast!

After singing, I read them Robert Munsch's "50 Below Zero". Again, I didn't notice that I miss read-aloud so much! They were paying attention, connecting with the story emotionally, they were such good listeners...And I didn't have to raise my voice up even once today!

We discussed about the story as I read along, and then I showed them the craft that we're going to make today. It's a hibernating bear in the cave. I showed them how to move the stick in and out, and told them that in Winter, the bear hibernates inside the cave, and in Spring, it wakes up and comes out of the cave. I did it a couple of times and asked them to say "good morning" and "goodnight" to the bear. Then I asked them what they say to their parents after they wake up and before they go to bed. I reminded them to say good morning and goodnight everyday, because it is a good habit. It's so funny when I asked, "When the bear goes into the cave to sleep, what do you say to him?" and Daniel said, "Goodbye!" Sooo cute~

I was also surprised when we were talking about Winter, and Jonah said, "I do this (sticking out his tongue) to eat snow!" About a month ago, I asked them if they've ever tasted snow like this before, and they said no. Jonah remembers. ^^ So I asked him, "Do you like it?" and he said, "Yeah! It tastes pretty good!"