Back to Samples Menu Stories - Kindergarten

designed by Gloria Ruttman

Objective: Identify Main Idea In a Story.

Make Predictions, Draw Conclusions

Determine Cause-Effect Relationships

Know letter/sound relationship in initial positions

Focus: To Improve Listening Skills through Participation in Listening and Writing Activities.

Day One, Two and Three are all C level activities

Day One

All Students

Quietly listen to the Read-Aloud session and share your thoughts about the book as to the main idea of the book and the main character. (Teacher does this with small groups-approx. 9-10 students and repeats the activity until all students have participated in the activity. Students not involved in the reading group are doing independent work at their desks)

Students Choose Two

Have students go to the word box and pick out 5 words that are displayed on a Flip Chart (there are more than five words displayed) and copy these words into their journal. The students may work in pairs. Teacher collects journals and then reads a word to the student(s) and he/she is to pick the card that matches the word read and place it next to the matching word on the Flip Chart.

Students are to draw a picture that could also be used as a cover for the book. They are to put their name on it and place it in the finished box when done. Student to share this at Circle Time.

Work with other students, 2 to 3, and choose five command cards (for example, jump, wave, cough, skip, hop). Do the command that is stated on the card. Bring the command cards to the teacher; the teacher will randomly select three cards and show each card to the children. The children will then do the command. (As students progress, teacher can make cards into short sentences -"I can jump." " I have a cough.")

Students to work with the Moveable Alphabet: using magnet letters have students copy the words written on the poster board. Have students sound out the letters and say the words.

Students work in pairs and complete the Sound Box activity. Students with the use of the Phonics Bus sound out the words written on the index cards in the Sound Box. Teacher checks their word recognition skills. Teacher doesn't need to check each word but do a random sample.

Day Two

Students Choose Two

Students make a collage of words for the letter of the day. Use old books, magazines, and newspapers. Provide construction paper, glue and markers.

Draw a mask of the main characters in the story. Have each student pick the character he/she wants to play and have that student draw the mask for his/her character. The students then rehearse their parts and when ready perform their play to the class.

Students match rhyming word cards -cards show picture plus word and students to match words that rhyme.

Students listen to a tape of different sounds and they are to identify as many of the sounds as possible. For example, ticking of a clock, running water, a horn, a whistle, train.

Students go on a letter hunt around the room.

Students to Match Words that rhyme with AT and copy these in their journals.

Day Three

Required

*1. Teacher helps students to write the class's Morning Message, which states their feelings regarding their experiences this week in school.

Students Choose Two

Students to match words with pictures. Do as a cooperative activity. Three students may work on this activity.

Go to the listening center and listen to a read along book tape and then tell the story, in your own words, to a friend. Now you and your friend go to the teacher and have your friend tell the story to the teacher. How did your friend do?

Students do the "Responsibility Activity." Print out of persons in different roles and a sentence, which describes that person's role. Children are to match the sentence with the role. For example: Cleans the school-janitor, Puts out fires-fireman, Listens to teacher -me.

Students do the Touch and Feel Bag activity-try and guess what is inside the bag by feeling the item without looking. Have student describe the item.

Students complete sentences written on poster board with Word Cards found in the Word Box.

DAY Four: B Level

OBJECTIVE

Develop confidence speaking in class

Follow two-step directions

ACTIVITIES

Required

*1. Teacher directed group discussion. Teacher identifies specific situations that involves personal relationships and asks the question, "What Would You Do?"

*2. Teacher reads a book on "Feelings and Relationships."

Students Choose One

1. Students use word cards displayed on worktable to form sentences. Teacher reviews these when completed by students. Students then copy these sentences into their Journals

2. Students match Feeling Words with pictures. Students to describe the emotions displayed by persons in pictures and match words with these emotions.

3. Have students examine pictures of persons being nice to one another. Follow with discussion on ways persons can be nice to each other. Have students write in their journal one way they can be nice to someone.

Day Five-A Level

Objective:

Develop confidence speaking in class

Follow two-step directions

Students will recognize that all living things require the same basic needs.

ACTIVITIES

Required

* 1. Teacher directed group discussion, and introduces new sounds and words.

Students Choose One

1. Students write in their Journal: "Today I am feeling."

2. Students work in their "ME BOOK" --complete the pages 1- 3. Students are to circle all the living things on all 3 pages. Have students discuss "How living things are different from non-living things." Students then are to cut out pictures of living and non-living things and paste them into their "ME BOOK." Students then need to write one way living column is different from non-living column.

3. Set up two Listening Centers-at one center, Students listen to the tape, "We All Make Mistakes" and assess students' comprehension of main ideas of story when they are finished listening. At the other center, Students listen to the tape, "If You Give A Pig A Pancake" and assess students' comprehension on main ideas.

4. Students do Share Reading activity. Participants choose favorite part and explain why to the teacher. Each student picks his/her favorite part. (Two students listen to the same book, but after finished then each tells his/her favorite part to the teacher.) Students then write in their journal "My favorite part of the book is "

5. Students create their own story using one of the feelings discussed in class (students work in pairs or small group). Students then tell their story to the teacher with each taking a turn.

Comment

In upper grades, each activity would be assigned points and a grade scale would be given to students, for example: Grade Scale-41-55 = D, 56-70 = C, 71-85 = B, ad 86 + = A.

However, in Kindergarten this did not appear appropriate instead students were taught to check themselves off on the Activity Poster when they successfully passed the "oral defense." Teacher keeps a record of the level chosen by each student and the level at which the child has orally defended. This unit can be repeated for two-three weeks so that all children have the opportunity to participate in all activities. If one activity has been used by most children or not chosen then it is eliminated and a new one put in its place.