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Helping adults prepare children for kindergarten and life.

Introducing Number "1"

Reviewing the letters A and E and learning about the number "1"

Instructions Printer-Friendly
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  • Share that each letter of the alphabet has a name and a sound.  The short sound of the letter "E"  is "e" as in egg.  Have the child select "one" egg from the refrigerator.  
  • Explain that the number one is written as a straight line from top to bottom.  Do this in the air to illustrate.  Then ask the child to make the number 1 in the air.
  • Ask him to make a number 1 using toothpicks/craft sticks (child should pick up one toothpick for numeral 1) 
  • Continue using toothpicks to make the capital letters A and E while saying their sounds, the first letter of the child's name, a square (perhaps using 8 toothpicks), and the numeral 1

Simplify

Click here for fun vowel song reinforcing the sound of "e"

Extend

See what other letters/numbers a child can make with toothpicks/craft sticks

Click here to find a capital letter E outline to use with stickers or dot markers

 

QUESTIONS FOR CHILD

Why is it important to learn our numbers and alphabet sounds and letters?

How many toothpicks were used to make a square?

Materials

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Curriculum Plan Resources

Skills Focus

  • Shape - Square
  • Color - Yellow
  • Number - One, 1
  • Alphabet Letter - A, E
  • Senses - Touch
  • Character Trait - Caring
  • Target Words - In, Out, Empty, Full

Monthly Proverb

Swedish - The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm.

Did You Know?

Children who are not ready for kindergarten often have trouble succeeding in school. Those who do poorly in school are more likely to need to repeat classes, need special education, drop out of school, become teen parents, and get into trouble with the law. As adults, drop-outs have trouble making a living wage, and are at risk of poverty and homelessness

From Plan for the Washington Early Learning System – Draft 12/1/09 (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2005; Isaacs, 2008).

Books to Read

"The Mitten"
by Jan Brett (Activity 22)

"Little Blue and Little Yellow"
by Leo Lionni (Activity 8)

"How Kind"
by Mary Murphy (Activity 12)

"Little Blue and Little Yellow" VIDEO
by Leo Lionni (Activity 8)

"The Mitten" VIDEO
by Jan Brett (Activity 22)

"How Kind" VIDEO
by Mary Murphy (Activity 12)

Music Playlist

"The Hokey Pokey"
by Music for Little People Choir from album Toddlers Sing Playtime (Children) (Activity 14)

"Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major, K448 II."
Andante by Alicia de Larrocha from album Mozart: Concerto & Sonata for 2 pianos (Classical) (Activity 20)

"ABC (The Alphabet Song)"
from album Dora the Explorer (Children) (Activity 1)

"The Hokey Pokey" VIDEO
by The Learning Station (Activity 14)

"Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major, K448, II. Andante" VIDEO
by Mozart (Activity 20)

"ABC (The Alphabet Song" VIDEO
by Dora the Explorer

Monthly Materials List

Click Here to view the list!

Fingerplay / Poems / Songs

Select one poem for child to memorize this month and recite it at bedtime plus one song/fingerplay to learn. Here are two examples:

My NAME Song

(Activity 25 Month 1 - Sung to tune of BINGO)

There was a family had a child

and Carly (insert child's name) was her name.

C - A - R - L - Y C - A - R - L - Y C - A - R - L - Y (spell child's name)

And Carly (insert child's name) was her name

Kind To Others

(Activity 13 Month 1 - Fingerplay)

5 little children

Standing in a row ( hold up 5 fingers)

They are kind to others

Everywhere they go. (walk hand in front of body)

I am one of the children (point to self)

Standing in a row (hold up 5 fingers)

I'll be kind to others (point to self)

Wherever I go. (walk hand in front of body)

(This fingerplay works as a reminder to a child to be kind in any situation- without saying a word. Just walk hand in front of body to silently signal a child to remember to be kind or use actual sign language for the word kind.)