Week 14 Lesson Plan for Homeschooling Preschool

Literacy

Objectives:

• Identifies uppercase and lowercase N
  
  
• Tells the main sound of /n/

Parent instructions

Choose one activity a day with the exception of #1, which should be done a few times a week if possible.

NOTE: Don’t forget to make sure you’re not adding a schwa (vowel sound) to the end of your N sound. Say /nnn/, not /na/.

Activities

• Say the ABCs using your chart from beginning to end once a day, pointing to each letter as you say it. After going through all the letters, ask your child to find this week’s letter—N. Look at and have them trace with their finger the upper and lowercase examples. Tell your child that N is a consonant, which is a name for all the letters that are not vowels. Say, “N says /n/ like nest.” Try to ask your child a few times a week (during bathtime, driving in the car, etc.) to tell you the sound of N. (Don’t forget to include some previously learned letters, especially those vowels!) If they need help or say it incorrectly, model the correct way by repeating, “N says /n/ like nest.” Always say it with its example word. (Estimated Time: 5 minutes)
  
  
• While out and about or while reading books, point out words that begin with N. (You could also use your N flashcards for this.): nab, nag, nap, nip, nod, nut, not. (Estimated Time: 10 minutes spread throughout the week)
  
  
• Complete a “Find the Letter” worksheet to locate all the upper and lowercase Ns. Use a marker, highlighter, or dauber to mark all the letters they find. (Estimated Time: 5 minutes)
  
  
• Now that your child has learned so many letters, spend a few minutes going through your letter flashcards 2–3 times a week. Bathtime, breakfast time, anytime will work when your child is alert and engaged. Use only the cards you’ve learned so far and incorporate new ones as you go. Make sure to mix up the order every time! Show your child a letter card and ask them to reply with the name and sound prompt they’ve learned: “N says /n/ like nest.” If they reply correctly and immediately, move that card to a pile that you only review occasionally. If they hesitate or answer incorrectly, simply review the correct answer and practice that card again next time. If your child resists such a structured activity, you can drop it in favor of more organic ones such as identifying the letters as you find them on your errands. (Estimated Time: 10-15 minutes throughout the week)

Math

Objectives:

• Continued from Week 12: Counts objects up to 100
  
  
• Solves simple subtraction problems with a small number of objects
  
  
• Understands and uses time words

Parent instructions

We will continue practicing counting to 100 to reinforce this important skill, but, depending on your child’s interest and mastery levels, you can place this activity on the back burner in favor of working on our new objectives.

Activities

• Count all the way to 100 on the 100s chart, pointing to each number as you count. (Estimated Time: 3 minutes)
  
  
• Complete a counting to 100 worksheet. (Estimated Time: 5 minutes)
  
  
• Introducing your child to time vocabulary should start with the basics. Try to keep a daily routine and talk to your child about what general times of day things happen:
  - Morning
  - Afternoon
  - Evening
  - Night
  
  Talk to them about things you will do or did do . . .
  - Today
  - Yesterday
  - Tomorrow
  
  When transitioning from one activity to another, tell them what time it is and read them the time from a digital clock or watch. Point out which numbers show the hour and which ones show the minutes. They needn't know how to read the time. This is just to become familiar with what the time sounds like and that it is composed of hours and minutes. You should also incorporate more general time words such as:
  - Now
  - Later
  - Before, (Time words can be prepositions too!)
  - Soon, etc.
  (Estimated Time: 10-15 minutes spread throughout the week)
  
  
• To introduce subtraction, rather than focusing on written subtraction sentences (5-2=3), pose a variety of real-life subtraction word problems (working in subtraction terminology whenever possible) to your child. Do not use any number greater than 10. For example, “If we have five cookies and we eat two of them, how many cookies are left?” Then, encourage your child to “take away” and count—with real objects—to find the answer. At this stage, always work with concrete objects that your child can see and count right in front of them. (Estimated Time: 10 minutes)

Fine Motor

Activities:

• 1 open thumb web space activity
  
  
• 1 gross (cylindrical) grasp activity
  
  
• 1 finger isolation activity
  
  
• 1 wrist extension and stability activity

Parent instructions

Choose one fine motor objective each day and then select an activity that practices that objective from the list in Appendix A. Feel free to choose more than one activity or work on more than one objective a day if you like! Just remember that little hands tire easily and short, regular practice sessions are better than long, sustained ones. (Estimated Time: 5-10 minutes)

Download the Appendix A that lists all the fine-motor activities.

Social-Emotional

Objectives:

• (Self-management) Makes changes in thinking or actions for example by implementing suggestions from adults or peers or substituting materials when playing.
  
  
• (Social awareness) Demonstrates interest in or curiosity about others’ families, languages, and cultures.

Activities

Choose one activity a day (Monday - Thursday)

• Practice problem-solving through role-plays or using puppets, dolls, or stuffed animals to solve issues such as:
  - Resolving a fight over the same toy
  - Your parent not buying what you want
  - A friend making fun of your drawing
  - Your friend not talking to you nicely
  - Your sibling making the room messy
  - No favorite food at the dinner
  (Estimated Time: 10-15 minutes)
  
  
• Play diversity dress-up. What you need: Clothing from various cultures. (Examples: yarmulke, a Jewish head cover; Burka, a garment worn by Muslim women, etc.) Have children try on the various items of clothing and discuss the culture that wears each one and why/how that style of clothing was created. Place the items in the dramatic play area so that children can wear the clothing as part of their play scenarios. (Estimated Time: 15-20 minutes)
  
  
• Show your child a picture of a person and ask the child to tell you as many questions as possible that he or she wants to be answered about the person. Then, look up the answers. Use pictures of people from diverse backgrounds. You can choose inspiring figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi, Florence Nightingale, Malala Yousufzai, etc. (Estimated Time: 10-15 minutes)