Early Learning Lesson

How Can You Find Out?

Encourage problem solving by posing questions and discussing solutions.

Here's How:

1. Pose a question.

"How can you find out if your teddy bear will fit in this box?"
"How can you find out which weighs more: this book or that book?"

2. Have the child suggest solutions.
3. Test the solutions, if possible.

Hints:

• Begin with problems about real objects.
• Encourage multiple solutions.
• Move toward problems requiring more complicated thinking.

Your toy tractor has four wheels.
How can you find out how many wheels would be on four tractors?

From Teaching Young Children (EMC 4506)

Kindergarten Connection

Read It--Draw It

1. Give each child a lapboard and chalk or a piece of paper and a marker (children must sit at a desk to use these writing tools.)
2. Write a simple word on the chalkboard. Sound out each letter as you write the word. Ask, "Who knows this word?" Assist the group in sounding out the word again, if necessary.
3. Ask children to draw a picture of the object named. Encourage those who are ready to write the word as well to do so.
4. Some simple words that work well for this activity might include: bug, dog, bed, sun, cat, pan, mop, nut, cup, hen, fox, and pin.

Extension:
For older children who need an extra challenge, simply write the word without saying it aloud. Ask children to read the word independently and draw a picture. You may even wish to increase difficulty by writing phrases such as:

• a bug on a log
• a cat in a box
• a frog on a pad

From Getting Ready to Read, Grades PreK-1 (EMC 389)

Word of the Week

warning
noun
a warning is a message that alerts you to danger

The fire alarm gives us a loud warning to leave the building.

Which of the following are warnings?

• "Be careful crossing the street."
• "Hey, we're both reading the same book!"
• "Watch out for that skateboarder!"
• "Don't step in that puddle!"
• "There's a good TV show on tonight."

What warning do you often hear at home? What about at school?

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

Ten-Minute Activity

“My Expanding World”

Materials: chalkboard and chalk

Here’s How:

1. Write the following categories on the chalkboard: House, Neighborhood, City.
2. Name items that might be found in the different places (see below).
3. Have students identify each item’s category.
4. Write the item in the category or categories where it belongs.
5. Ask students to suggest additional items for each category.

House: closet, cookbook, bed, pets, bicycle, television
Neighborhood: streetlights, sidewalks, stop sign, playground, backyards, fences
City: McDonald's, city hall, YMCA, police station, library, bank, shopping mall, gas station, schools

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

Word of the Week

renovate
verb
to make like new
synonym: to restore

The school spent over one million dollars to renovate the old gym.

Which of the following can be renovated?

• an old house
• an Italian dinner
• a medieval cathedral
• a run-down neighborhood
• a Christmas tree

What structure in your town needs to be renovated?

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

Ten-Minute Activity

Why They Fly
Science
Skill: Bernoulli's principle

Materials:

• copy paper
• model or picture of an airp***
• chalkboard and chalk

Here's How:

1. Cut paper lengthwise to create 1"-wide (2.5 cm) strips. Give each student one strip of paper.
2. Direct students to hold one end of the paper strip between their thumb and forefinger. Demonstrate how to hold the paper strip just below the lower lip.
3. Say, "I am going to blow on this paper. What do you think will happen?" List responses on the chalkboard and tally the number of students choosing each response.
4. Now direct students to blow on their paper strips. Rather than blowing the strips downward, students will notice that the strips rise.
5. Show a model or picture of an airp***. Ask if anyone can apply what just happened to explain how airp***s can fly. (Blowing on the top surface of the paper strip creates a low-pressure area, which air below the strip tries to fill by rising. This is called Bernoulli's principle.)
   

Variation
Conduct a paper airp*** contest in which students try to construct paper p***s that will fly the farthest, highest, and/or straightest.

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

Science Activity

A scientist is someone who studies the natural world. An engineer is someone who designs technology to solve problems. Scientists use technology to help them study science. Engineers use science to help them design technology.

• As a group, make a concept map on a large piece of paper showing the relationship between the following people and things: scientists, engineers, science, and technology.

From Science Cooperative Learning Cards (EMC 5006)