|
|
|
|
The
first few days (or even weeks) in Pre-K can be a bit overwhelming for
both teachers and students, for this reason keeping things simple is a
must.
Below you will find
suggestions for book titles, activities, and songs to use during the
first few hectic days of school. |
 |
|
 NEW
printable school words for your thematic word wall!
CLICK HERE! |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Books |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
Music
| Songs |
|
Twinkle
Twinkle Little Star
|
Wheels
on the Bus
|
Eensy
Weensy Spider
Fingerplay
or Hugh Hanley Circle of Songs CD
|
|
Sticky
Bubble Gum
Fingerplay
or Hugh Hanley Circle of Songs CD
*see words
below* |
Attention spans are very short
in the beginning of the year so it is extremely important to make each
song that you sing with the children interactive. Below I have
listed some props that are very effective in engaging the students.
| Song |
Prop |
|
Twinkle Twinkle
Little Star |
- Die cut stars, add
glitter, and attach to popsicle sticks
- Magic wands with
stars on top from Halloween.
- Light up star wands
from Oriental Trading or dollar stores.
|
|
Wheels
on the Bus |
- Use lots of hand
motions.
- Find a musical bus
(Fisher Price or other) to use as a prop and attract their
attention.
- Paint a cardboard
box to resemble a bus; call students to sit inside and act
out the song as they sing.
|
|
Eensy
Weensy Spider |
- Spider rings from
Halloween
- Tiny Beanie spiders
- Make paper plate
spiders
|
|
Sticky Bubble Gum |
No need for
props with this song! I've listed the words below for
you. |
Sticky
Bubble Gum Fingerplay/chant
Sticky, sticky,
sticky, sticky bubble gum!
(clap your hands
together like they're sticky)
Bubble gum,
bubble gum!
Sticky, sticky,
sticky, sticky bubble gum! Makes
my hands stick to my _______ . (place
your hands on aforementioned body part) And
I pull them, and I pull them, and I pull them away! (wrench
hands away in big motion) Repeat I
try to make sure we stick our hands to our: eyes, ears, mouth (they
LOVE this one), hair, toes, knees, and elbows, and tummy. Aside
from being a lot of fun this song also teaches vocabulary for body
parts.
It can be very difficult to get
any type of activity accomplished in the first few days of school,
especially if you teach in a half-day program. The activities
that I plan are usually very simple and hands on until the students
learn the rules and routine of the classroom. We focus on names
in the beginning to help the children learn to recognize
their names and letters. I also like to decorate the classroom
with the students name projects to give them a sense of belonging and
ownership of the classroom. I usually leave these names up on
the wall or use them as bulletin board borders all year.
| Activity |
Directions |
|
Crayon resist
names
 |
Materials: White
construction paper, white crayons (NOT washable), and
watercolor paints.
Write each child's name on a
piece of white construction paper using the white crayon.
Allow the students to watercolor the entire paper and their name
will "magically" appear on their paper! |
| Rainbow
names
 |
Materials: White
construction paper, black Sharpie, and crayons.
Write each child's name on a
piece of white construction paper with a black marker.
Give each child a set of crayons and have them trace over the
letters of their name one color at a time to create a rainbow
effect on their paper. |
| Bean
names |
Materials: White
construction paper, pinto beans, and glue.
Write each child's name on a
piece of white construction paper with a black crayon (marker
may run) and have students squeeze glue onto the letters of
their name. Next, have them place beans on the letters of
their names. |
| Sponge
paint names |
Materials: White
construction paper, ABC sponges, and tempera paint.
Help each child to dip the
ABC sponges in paint to paint his or name on the white
construction paper. |
| Bingo
Dot names |
Materials: Bingo or
Do-A-Dot markers, white construction paper, black Sharpie.
Write each child's name on a
piece of white construction paper with a Sharpie. Allow
the children to select different colored bingo dot markers to
put dots on the letters of their names. |
Don't expect to
finish all or even some of these activities during the first week of
school unless you have a full time assistant and a small class size.
|
ome
