Early Learning Lesson

I Am Changing as I'm Growing
Music/Dramatic Play

Introduce children to this fun song about how they grow and change. After teaching the song, ask them to share a way in which they are "growing and changing."

Note: Sing this song to the tune of "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain."

I am changing as I'm growing, look at me.
I am changing as I'm growing, look at me.
I am changing as I'm growing,
I am changing as I'm growing,
I am changing as I'm growing, look at me!

Verse 2
He is changing as he's growing, look and see.
(Repeat refrain)

Verse 3
She is changing as she's growing, look and see.

Verse 4
You are changing as you're growing, look and see.
(Repeat refrain)

From All About My Body (EMC 2406)

Kindergarten Connection

“Rhythm Band”

Children adore playing simple rhythm instruments, and you can introduce them to this valuable musical experience, even if your school doesn’t have a budget for store-bought instruments.

Here’s How:

1. The simplest, and perhaps the best, instruments for young children are rhythm sticks. To make these, purchase 3/4-inch doweling and saw into 12-inch lengths. Make sure you make enough for each child and yourself to have two each. Sand the ends a bit to smooth. (This can be a fun class project.) Paint if desired.
2. Introduce the rules below before allowing children to use the instruments. Model and practice the rules as you discuss them.

• Place your instrument on the floor in front of you and wait for directions.
• Instruments only make noise when the music is playing. When the song is over, stop playing and place your instrument on the floor in front of you again.

Basic Rhythm Activities

• Start and Stop
  Play a lively piece of music and pause at irregular intervals. Children must listen carefully and pause when the music stops.
• Echo
  Play a simple rhythmic pattern. Ask children to echo the pattern, individually or as a group.
• Loud and Soft
  Play a piece of music, varying the volume. Ask children to match the volume of their instruments to the volume of the music.

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

Word of the Week

clumsy
adjective
Someone or something that moves in an awkward way is clumsy.

I felt so clumsy when I tripped over my shoelace and dropped my lunch tray.

Would you feel clumsy if you:

• spilled your glass of juice?
• tripped over the curb and fell?
• won the talent show for dancing?
• could walk on a high wire without falling?
• stepped on your dance partner’s toes?

Tell about a time you did something that made you feel clumsy. What did you do?

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

Ten-Minute Activity

"Finish the Word"

Language Arts
Skill: blends and digraphs

Materials: chalkboard, chalk

Here's How:

1. Write a blend or digraph on the chalkboard.
2. Instruct the students to tell as many words as possible that begin with those letters. (see example below)
3. Suggested blends or digraphs include gr, bl, pr, qu, th, sn, ch, and fr.

wh
what whale
where which
when wheel
why whatever

Variation
Have students use dictionaries to find words with different blends and digraphs.

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

Word of the Week

loiter
verb
to spend time standing about, doing nothing in particular

The shopping center is locked up at night so nobody can loiter around the stores.

Which word or words mean about the same thing as loiter?

• pass through
• hang around
• move along
• linger
• loaf

What places in your town have rules about loitering? Do you think rules against loitering are a good idea?

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

Ten-Minute Activity

"Holey Hands"

Science
Skill: binocular vision

Materials: copy paper

Here's How:

1. Distribute one sheet of paper to each student.
2. Students roll their paper vertically into long tubes.
3. Direct students to hold the tube up to one eye and close the other eye.
4. Place the free hand against the side of the tube with the palm facing the nose.
5. Open the closed eye. It should appear that there is a hole in the hand.
6. Explain that this is an optical illusion. It occurs because a person's two eyes are accustomed to meeting at a distant point, allowing one to see in three dimensions. In this experiment, a person's two eyes cannot focus on the same view because the tube directs the right eye to see a distant scene, while the left eye is blocked from this view by the hand. The only way the brain can make sense of this is to put both images together, showing the object seen through the tube on the hand.

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

Science Activity

Animals at Night

Life Science
Process Skill: Communicating

As a group, make a list of animals that are active only at night. Don't forget insects! Use class resources to help find out why each animal is active at night instead of during the day. How does being active at night help the animal survive? As a group, discuss your findings.

• Have each group member choose one animal from the list.
• Draw and label a picture showing what body part or parts help the animal sense its environment in the dark.
• Share your picture and information with the other group members.

From Science Cooperative Learning Cards (EMC 5006)