Early Learning Lesson

Weather and Seasonal Activities
Take time during each week to explore the out of doors with your students, observing the weather and seasonal changes. Use the following activity each morning during circle time.

Weather Report
Materials:

• microphone, real or toy
• chalkboard or dry-erase board
• pointing stick
  

1. Invite a child to give a weather report. Ask the child to draw a picture on the board illustrating the day's weather. Assist younger children by providing verbal prompts (i.e., "Are there clouds in the sky?" "Are the leaves on the trees moving?"). Help with drawing as needed.
2. Allow the child to speak into the microphone while giving the weather report to the rest of the class, pointing to his or her drawing for illustration.

From Reading Readiness Essentials, Circle Time Activities (EMC 739)

Kindergarten Connection

"Ten in Bed"

Children will have fun practicing the concept of subtraction while singing this math rhyme.

Making the Connection:

1. Practice the concept of subtraction by dramatizing it. Tape a "bed" area on your classroom floor. Select ten children to "sleep" on the bed.
2. Write the numeral 10 on the chalkboard to show how many children are in the bed.
3. As children sing each stanza, write the correct numeral on the board to reflect how many children are in the bed.

Ten in Bed

There were ten in bed,
And the little one said,
Roll over, roll over.
There were nine in bed,
(Repeat the rest of the first stanza.)
There were eight in bed...
There were seven in bed...
There were six in bed...
There were five in bed...
There were four in bed...
There were three in bed...
There were two in bed...
There was one in bed,
And the little one said,
I've got the whole mattress to myself!
(Ho hum. I think I'll go to sleep!)

Extension:
Have children use their fingers to count while singing this math rhyme.

From Early Learning Resources, Real Math for Young Learners (EMC 744)

Word of the Week

echo
noun
A sound that gets softer as it repeats is an echo.

After I yelled down to the hikers at the bottom of the canyon, the echo of my voice came back: "Hello . . . hello . . . hello . . ."

In which of these places might you hear an echo?

• the halls of an empty building
• a mountain overlooking a valley
• a crowded department store
• your bedroom
• a long tunnel

If you were in a place that made a good echo, what would you like to say?

From A Word a Day, Grades 1-3 (EMC 2717)

Ten-Minute Activity

Hop, Pop, and Jump!
Science
Skill: static electricity

Materials: a balloon for each student, puffed cereal or small pieces of paper

Here's How:

1. Give each student a balloon and place 10 or fewer pieces of puffed cereal or confetti on each desk.
2. Have students blow up their balloons. Twist the ends, but do not tie them off.
3. Have students rub the balloons back and forth in their hair about 10 times.
4. Then quickly hold the balloon over their cereal or confetti, which will jump onto the balloon and stick to it for a short time.
5. Have students experiment by rubbing their balloons for longer periods of time or by bringing a newly charged balloon near a balloon with puffs or confetti on it.
6. Students hold onto their balloons as they let out the air.
7. Ask helpers to take wastebaskets around to pick up the cereal or confetti.
   

Why It Works
By rubbing the balloon in your hair, it becomes negatively charged. These negative ions repel the electrons in the puffs or confetti, leaving only the positive ions near the balloon. Since opposites attract, the puffs, confetti, or any other lightweight material can be lifted to the balloon by static electricity.

From Ten-Minute Activities, Grades 1-3 (EMC 784)

Word of the Week

indulge
verb
to give in to something for pleasure

Adrianne fought the urge to indulge her craving for the rich chocolate dessert.

Which of these might you feel when you indulge in something?

• enjoyment
• sorrow
• excitement
• fear
• pleasure
  

What activities do you indulge in for pleasure? What activities do you resist indulging in?

From A Word a Day, Grades 4-8 (EMC 2718)

Ten-Minute Activity

Keeping Our Home P***t Happy
Social Studies
Skill: Environmental Issues

Materials: chalkboard, chalk, paper, pencils, chart paper

Here's How:

1. Divide students into small groups.
2. Give each group one sheet of paper and instruct them to fold and label it as shown.
3. Write the statement "Styrofoam® is not biodegradable" on the chalkboard.
4. Ask students,
   - Where do you see Styrofoam being used?
   - What is it used for?
   - What could be used in place of Styrofoam in each instance?
   
5. Give the groups 5 minutes to brainstorm and list responses to the three questions.
6. Compile the responses of all groups. Summarize the discussion with a recommendation for limiting the use of Styrofoam.
   

From Ten-Minute Activities, Grades 4-6 (EMC 785)

Science Activity

Ancient Technology
Technology, Science, and Society
Process Skill: Problem Solving

Thousands of years ago, people didn't have clocks and watches to tell time. They had to use their observations of things happening around them to keep track of time. Imagine that your group is living in Egypt in 1500 B.C. The Pharaoh has asked you to develop a way to track time over the course of a day.

• Brainstorm a list of ideas of ways to tell time. Hint: What changes in nature do you notice from morning to night?
• Write a report or make a poster about your best idea. Include labeled drawings to show how your system works.

From Science Cooperative Learning Cards (EMC 5006)