Do’s and Don’ts of Lesson Plans

specific to curriculum

Helpful Hints★ Try to keep every lesson hands on and engaging-interesting for the preschoolers

★ If you have a question ask another teacher they can sometimes be the best help

★ There’s A TON of materials in this room...USE THEM!!

★ When sitting on the carpet, they can never sit still...so give them each something small to hold...ex: Give each of them a marble to hold while listening to a story

★ Every kid wants to answer every question you ask. Solution: Have them whisper their answer to a friend instead of everyone yelling out at once

★ Find ways to get the other teachers involved, this will make your job much easier and help keep the preschoolers out of trouble.

★ Use positive reinforcement-not punishment for small things. (punishment is okay for bigger problems-use your best judgement). Ex: if a preschooler is sitting quietly as they should be, give them a sticker instead of yelling at the preschooler who isn’t sitting nicely.

Use this website it will help tremendously http://www.lcps.org/cms/lib4/VA01000195/Centricity/Domain/677/VA%20Foundation%20Blocks%20for%20Early%20Learning.pdf

This is Ms. Breinig’s website for extra help

http://www.loudoun.k12.va.us/Page/5684

Spanish/Language

GuidelinesTHIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A FOREIGN LANGUAGE THIS CAN BE ENGLISH - it is actually encouraged to do English, because the preschoolers still don’t understand English

This is to help the preschoolers start the beginnings of phonics and letter sounds. For language, you could also do animal sounds as well or SIGHT WORDS

You could also work on rhyming, Identifying words within spoken sentences

Begin to produce consonant letter sounds in isolation.

Successfully detect beginning sounds in words

Example: TrucksPrint out pictures of different types of trucks and their names, and make them all different shapes and sizes. After you cut them out glue them on some different color construction paper to add color and sturdiness.

Here are some examples of trucks: fire engine, BIG rig flatbed truck, bulldozer, tractor, excavator, snow plow, school bus, skid steer, concrete mixer, and dump truck.

First go through all the different pictures and ask the kids what they are (make sure they raise their hands). Once you go through the pictures then try the words. When they first see the word tell them to sound the words out, with each letter sound. After they figure out what each letter sound like, have them speed it up saying it faster and faster, till it sounds like one of the words they know

Example: Healthy is Happy Take out all the food in the kitchen, and when sorting it have the preschoolers guess what letter it starts with, by the sound they hear at the beginning.

Art

GuidelinesNo coloring Pages

Keep the diversity of skill levels in mind (Make sure the majority of preschoolers can do the task assigned)

It can be a class-wide or table-wide project

Use interesting materials to get the kids creative (instead of painting with a paintbrush, use something else)

When using paint preschoolers should be wearing smocks that can be located under the sink by the entrance to the classroom

Example: Disney SuncatcherThe kids use a mickey mouse paper (could use a small paper plate with middle cut out and two circle papers) and cover it with squares of tissue paper that they cut or tear themselves.Then they use glue to cover the mickey.

Healthy TeethGive the preschoolers each a paper with a “tooth” drawn on it. The preschoolers use a toothbrush to paint the tooth and make it bright and white again.

Science

GuidelinesYou can show them a video, but have an activity to go along with it.

Don’t just show them an experiment that YOU do, try to find experiments that they can do!

HANDS ON!!!!

Introduce Bill Nye the Science Guy

Classification counts as science, but make it hands on (not always on the promethean board)

No worksheets!!

Example: Sink/Float CenterGather a variety of materials available in the classroom. Try to get about half which will sink and half which will float. Fill up a medium sized bin with water about half way up. First, ask the preschoolers what happens if something sinks and if something floats-will it go to the bottom of the bin or stay at the top? Then, present them with an object and ask whether they think it will sink or float. Allow the preschoolers to place the object in the bin to discover whether it will sink or float. Taking turns, have the preschoolers repeat this with all of the objects. Make sure you have plenty of paper towels for the wet objects and wet preschoolers(:

Example: Cars/TrucksHave the preschoolers experiment with speed and force. Have them take a toy car and first gently push the car across the table. Then have them push the car a little bit harder. Then discuss with them which one went faster and why. Then you could experiment further with the types of surfaces. First push the car on the table and see how fast it goes. Then repeat on a carpet and see how fast it goes then and compare the two. (this second part is friction but you could just explain to them that the smoother the surface is, the faster it will go). Then you can experiment with ramps-steep versus not steep, and see which one goes faster.

Muscle Mania

GuidelinesGoing outside is great! - you DO NOT have to play just in the playground, use the sidewalk or the courtyard next to the playground

This is gross motor skill activity (aka BIG muscles)

Work on things like hoping, balancing, skipping, throwing, galloping, Hand foot coordination.

Example: Nature WalkIf you did not know there is a nature path by the entrance to the bridge at our school. This path is really cool and not very long. On the nature path have the preschoolers look for things (ex. a flower, rock, bug, turtle, frog) When they find one of these items have the preschooler do a certain activity (ex. 10 jumping jacks, 10 elbow to knee touches, 10 toe touches) also when doing these activities find ways for the other teachers to be involved, this will eliminate excess talking and more focus on the preschoolers.

You could also go and find things and look at things during the nature walk

Example: M, N, O, PFor this activity it would be smart to make a powerpoint, but this activity is not watching it the whole time. Make a powerpoint with all the letters up to P (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L , M, N, O, P) Once you finish with that watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE-ljfAmZis . On teaching day you will post the ppt with the giant letters on the board and preschoolers will practices making the letters with their bodies and making the letter sounds, just like in the video.

-here are some more videos for ideas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxrUgwVbqoM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU9Hb96EJjA

REMEMBER THESE VIDEOS ARE FOR IDEAS NOT JUST FOR THE KIDS TO WATCH. MAKE THEM YOUR OWN

Culture Club - Library

GuidelinesWhen reading to the preschoolers, keep it interactive and ask them questions throughout.

The library experience is important-being quiet is SO important..enforce it

Try to take them up to the BWHS library at least once a week

Example-BWHS Library Go over the rules for the library: Quiet, hands to yourself, use manners with the librarians, pay attention to the book, stay with the class, no running. Go to the library. Keep them quiet and in a straight line in the hallways. You can either read the whole class a book together related to the daily theme, allow the kids to check out books (with help from their teachers), or each teacher read a book individually with their kid(s) while others check out books.

Example: Library in the ClassroomHave a book picked out that relates to the daily theme-it can be a book from the classroom, home, or any library. Have all the kids gather on the carpet, sitting quietly, keeping their hands to themselves. Throughout the story, ask the kids questions and have them raise their hands to answer. If they don’t raise their hand, they won’t get a sticker at the end of the book.

You could also pre-pick out a bunch of stories that pertain to what they are learning and have the preschooler “read” them to the teachers (describe what they think is happening) then at the end gather them all up and ask certain ones what happened in their story.

Culture Club - Music

GuidelinesIf you play an instrument this could be a great time to showcase your talent and the preschoolers would love to see it

do not just watch a music video…come up with something else

SING - I know it sounds weird, but this is the best thing for the preschoolers… them singing with you - also sing along with the preschoolers if you are not teaching

Example: make your own musicThere is a box of musical instruments. Have the preschoolers practice using the instruments and make different patterns, with all the different sounds. If you play an instrument it would be really cool if you also played your instrument with the preschoolers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd8agfCf71s

IF YOU PLAY AN INSTRUMENT-watching one of these videos and then playing your instrument could be cool-sting instruments -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtLZchdU5Ho -trumpet -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m0Ccby5Ogs-piano -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bXs2Vyfe8I -guitar -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVTD5lotbzo

Example: listen to a cd and sing alonglisten to days of the week song and have the preschoolers sing along, this is a great way for the preschoolers to learn things without them knowing it. DO NOT HAVE THEM JUST SIT AND LISTEN!!!!

Here are some great youtube sites to look at preschool education- Heidisongs - https://www.youtube.com/user/gbutkus/videos - Mohawkjones - https://www.youtube.com/user/mohawkjones/videos - Thelearningstation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwT5oX_mqS0 - abcmouse - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFIS3aLQPfs

WHEN LOOKING AT VIDEOS PICK ONES WITH HAND MOTIONS AND, HAVE THE PRESCHOOLERS GET UP

AND DANCE

Learning Center - Math

GuidelinesYou can use worksheets but should not be used all of the time, try to make them very interactive (cutting things out)

Money can be used, teach them the different amounts

Teaching patterns (abab, abba)

Can use a craft to incorporate math

Example:Ocean Animals Print out pictures of different ocean animals and write a number 1-10 on each animal. Have the students understand what each animal is. Then have them put together two animals and on a white board write down the numbers on the animals with an addition sign in between. Have the student add together those numbers and write the product with an equal sign.

Example:Groundhogs Day Print out a picture of a groundhog, have the preschoolers cut the picture out and glue it to the bottom of the page. Then have them draw line going up the page to represent the hole of the groundhog. Have two different color paints out and cotton balls. have the preschoolers make two different patterns going up the lines they drew to help the groundhog come out of his hole.

Learning Center - Ready Reader

GuidelinesThis has to do with writing not with reading

Writing their names, first and then last, for more advanced students

Being able to see the difference between uppercase and lowercase letters

Being able to hear a letter and be able to write it

Example: M N O PGive each preschooler a whiteboard, tissue and dry erase marker. First show them on the board each letter and how to write it. Then call out a letter and have each preschooler write it down. Make sure the preschoolers teachers are present for this activity because it seems to be difficult for most preschoolers. Then after they have mastered the upper case letters show them the lower case letters and repeat what you have done for the upper case letters.

Example: Farm Animals Print out pictures of common farm animals. Go over what each farm animal is. Then have the students glue them to their paper and write the first letter the animal's name starts with. For more advanced students have them continue to write the name of the animal.