Loretta Said:

Early childhood education question?

We Answered:

You can do a "Vision Board', I call it "Vision Board" cos I did one for myself sticking pictures of my vision in 5 years time. You can cut pictures from old magazines and stick them on a card. If you want to be a doctor when you grow up, stick your picture in the middle of the card and stick related pictures like a hospital, ambulance, caring for the sick and so on. Really fun. I suggest you to look up http://www.funnyforkids.net as they have many creative activities.

Margaret Said:

Early Childhood Education?

We Answered:

Gross motor skills:
String 4 large beads on a shoe string.
Already having the paper shredded; (colorful paper)
put glue stick glue on construction paper and let them put the pieces on a paper mosaic.
1 fingerplay would be.
Singing to (are you sleeping)
where is thumbkin, look it up; learning the names of the fingers.
Fine motor skills:
doing puzzles, drawing, painting.

also; was that theme you picked classification? Because you're gonna have to be more specific on what exactly you're classifying? Because than you could make the gross motor skills and finger plays etc...based on your theme; because that is what you're suppose to do. And it is good to have time limits on the lesson plan; to make it look like the day is more structurized!!!!

Brent Said:

I am an education major and for an assignment in my early childhood class....we are supposed to get a teachers

We Answered:

You can search online but be very careful. Anyone can post a lesson plan and there is no guarantee its from a teacher. One of the safer sites is www.mped.org. Use the "Search" function on the site and specify your grade level.

Jeanne Said:

I am going into my first early childhood teaching practicum and I need to conduct a read-aloud with the kids?

We Answered:

For fourth grade I like the My Teacher is an Alien Series by Bruce Coville. It's fun and the kids really like the books. He has several that the kids like, such as the Dragon Ring and other collections of short stories.

Shel Silverstein books are also terrific for read alouds. They're short, funny, and you can pick and choose the poems you want to read until you meet the kids and find out what they're interested in.

Maniac Magee is another excellent book. It may a little higher than 4th grade, but it may be okay since it's a read aloud. Also consider Boy by Roald Dahl. The Twits (also by Roald Dahl) is another good one to start with because it's short and funny and will give you a chance to get to know the kids and what they like.

For longer books you might consider Holes by Louis Sacchar (sp?), Sideways Stories from Wayside School, and Hoot by Carl Haissen.

After you've chosen a book check online for activities. There are so many web sites by other teachers, and some by the authors themselves, that share great activities for each book.

You might consider having the kids take a look at the author, (Scholastic has some terrific author links, info, and activities), make a prediction based on the cover, back of the book, etc. Before reading do a KWL chart, anticipation guide, use current newspaper stories about the topic, create webs, or read a non-fiction book that coordinates with the topic.

During the story do chapter maps, a word wall, one sentence summaries, each student draws the major scene from a different chapter, discussion questions, character outline, debate an issue in the book, either as a character or as themselves.

After the book work on a cloze paragraph, do the same anticipation guide and compare answers, make a Venn diagram, create a diorama, make a collage, movie poster, or try one of the projects from a book such as Better than Book Reports.

Many of these activities are flexible as to when they can be done, and most can be done as either a large or small group or individual project.

If possible, talk to the teacher about the kids and what they like and are capable of before going too far with your plans.

Jim Trelease's Read Aloud Handbook is another super source for good read aloud books.

Good luck!

Casey Said:

Lesson Plan for Second Graders?

We Answered:

Bring some pictures of horses to class and ask the students to make up some stories about the horses./