Week 23 Lesson Plan for Homeschooling Preschool

Cognitive activity ideas

Objective: (Reason) Predicts outcomes

This week, have some conversations or play some games that get your child to stop, think, and predict what will happen next.

• Discuss the possible outcomes of different situations and then test them! “If you put your stuffed animal on one side of the seesaw and you sit on the other, what will happen?”
  
  
• Play games like Jenga or Pick-up-Sticks that require outcome prediction. What will happen if they move a certain piece? Will all the rest come tumbling down?

Literacy

Objectives:

• Identifies uppercase and lowercase W
  
  
• Tells the main sound of /w/
  
  
• Counts syllables in a word

Parent instructions

Choose one activity a day with the exception of #1 and #2, which should be done a few times a week if possible.

NOTE: W is a trickster. It can be a vowel, for example when it comes with O in words like bow. Additionally, it makes a slightly different (breathier) sound when it comes with H, as in what. You can skip such examples, for now, if you encounter them or explain to them as you see fit.

Activities

• #1 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—W. Look at and have them trace with their finger the upper and lowercase examples. Tell your child that W is a consonant, which is a name for all the letters that are not vowels. Say, “W says /w/ like wave.” Try to ask your child a few times a week (during bathtime, driving in the car, etc.) to tell you the sound of W. (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, “W says /w/ like wave.” Always say it with its example word. (Estimated Time: 5 minutes)
  
  
• #2 Continue going through your letter flashcards 2–3 times a week. By this point, it usually takes less time since your child has fewer cards to practice. Revisit cards your child has mastered only occasionally. Make sure you are mixing up the order of the cards. Pay special attention to the vowels. (Estimated Time: 5 minutes throughout the week)
  
  
• Cut plastic drinking straws into long and short segments and ask your child to make as many upper and lowercase Ws as they can with the pieces. You could also build them out of Legos or make them out of pipe cleaners. (Estimated Time: 5 minutes)
  
  
• Explain to your child that words are made of something called syllables, which are chunks of a word with one vowel (or vowel sound) each. Tell them that syllables are often easier to hear than to see. Show your child how saying a word slowly while clapping helps you “hear” the syllables. Use the example: elephant - 3 syllables. Say the word slowly, clapping once at each syllable. Try several other words that range from 1 to 3 syllables each. Try the name of everyone in the family. Invite your child to clap and count along with you and suggest words of their own to try. If your child seems proficient, give them a few challenge words and see if they can count the syllables by themself. This is a skill that sometimes takes a lot of practice to perfect. If a child has difficulty with the clapping method, you may try asking them to speak in robot speak. Robots talk in syllables! (Estimated Time: 10 minutes)

Math

Objectives:

• Measures the weight, length, height, and volume of an object or substance
  
  
• Understands and uses words comparing length, weight, height, and volume
  
  
• Continued from Week 19: Knows months of the year
  
  
• Continued from Week 22: Identifies names and values of common currencies

Parent instructions

Choose one activity a day. There are three activities this week. Activity #1 is a longer activity and it is a combination of two objectives, so feel free to break it up over the course of two days.

Activities

• #1 Get out your standard units of measurement that you experimented with in Lesson 21. Here are some common household examples:
  
  - Bathroom scale - pounds (weight)
  - Kitchen scale - ounces or grams (weight)
  - Measuring cup - cups or ounces (volume)
  - Measuring spoons - teaspoon and tablespoon (volume)
  - Milk jug - gallon or half-gallon (volume)
  - Ruler, yardstick, and or tape measure - inches and feet (length or height)
  
  Choosing some different objects or materials to measure than before, practice measuring weight, length, height, and volume. You could measure:
  
  - The weight of your snow boots
  - The height and width of a toy box
  - The volume of rice in a package
  
  Be sure to incorporate measurement vocabulary including:
  
  - The names of the tools you’re using
  - What you are measuring (length, weight, etc.)
  - The units you are measuring (cups, inches, etc.)
  
  Additionally, make sure to model proper measuring techniques (as demonstrated in Lesson 22) and gently remind your child to do so as well. For example, carefully line up the 0 mark on the ruler with the beginning of the object you are measuring, or carefully fill the measuring up to the 1-cup line, setting it on the counter and checking to make sure it is level. (Estimated Time: 15-20 minutes)
  
  
• Continue to practice the months of the year in order. If your child is very comfortable with this activity now, you can drop practicing to once a week. (Estimated Time: 2-3 minutes)
  
  
• Review with your child the names and values of each coin and the dollar bill. If your child enjoys the activity, count out $1 worth of each currency as you did in Lesson 22. Complete a coin-matching worksheet. Each time you receive change at the store, review what the coins are called and their values with your child. (Getting change back is an infrequent occurrence nowadays. Try to purposefully make some small purchases with cash to provide these opportunities.) (Estimated Time: 5-10 minutes)

Fine Motor

Activities:

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

• (Relationship skills) Asks for help from adults and identifies support needed
  
  
• (Self-awareness) Attempts to use skills for daily living

Activities

Choose one activity a day (Monday - Thursday)

• Continue discussing with your child when it is appropriate for them to seek help from an adult. Your conversations can grow more specific as far as identifying possible scenarios (bullying or someone falling and getting hurt) and identifying potential helpers (a mom, teacher, or playground supervisor). Roleplay some of these scenarios with your child and model how they should identify what the problem is when they ask for help. Read books about these scenarios as well. (Estimated Time: 15-30 minutes spread throughout the week)
  
  
• Build independence and self-confidence by practicing skills used for daily living. Here are some example activities to get you started:
  
  - Practice how to wash hands for 20 whole seconds. Sing the alphabet song!
  - Sort toys and clean up.
  - While you're not going anywhere or in a rush, let little ones pick out their wildest outfits and dress themselves!
  - Fill up the watering can and water the plants together.
  - Involve kids in laundry chores by having them play "match the socks" or fold dishcloths.
  - Work on learning how to snap, zip, or button jackets.
  - Let them wash their own faces.
  - Show them how to dial emergency numbers and review when they should do so.
  - Teach them how to master pedaling a tricycle or bike with training wheels. (Estimated Time: 5-10 minutes per activity)

Additional resources

• “Llama Llama and the Bully Goat” by Anna Dewdney
  
  
• “The Bug Girl” by Sophia Spencer with Margaret McNamara