Author Archives: paulalyra

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

The song White Christmas is undoubtedly the most famous and popular of all the Christmas songs. The music and lyrics for White Christmas were written by Irving Berlin in 1942 and originally featured in the movie Holiday Inn starring Bing Crosby. The lyrics of White Christmas struck a chord with the soldiers fighting in the Second World War and their families who were waiting for them back home. 

White Christmas 

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten,
and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow 

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white 

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

 

I wish you all a Peaceful and Joyful Christmas and a

New Year full of Health, Light and Contentment

 

Letter Jj – Activities & Ideas to do with it.

Celebrate the letter Jby trying this rhyme with children:

Have you ever jiggled jello,

Or had jam on your toast?

Have you filled a jar with jellybeans,

Then ate those you liked most?

Have you ever heard a jolly joke,

Or jumped for joy one day?

If you have, you can be sure

You’ve met Letter J!

Susan LaBella          Editor, Early Childhood Education Newsletter

 

 

THE JAZZY JUNGLE

Read to children Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae. Let children choose a favorite jungle animal to draw. Place pictures around the room. Then give each child two toilet paper rolls taped together side by side to create “binoculars.” Let children go on a jungle safari to “find” all the animals.

GET JIGGY WITH JIGSAW PUZZLES

Cut apart the front side of a cereal box. Make your cuts resemble the pieces of a puzzle. (Cut the box into four to eight pieces, depending on your children’s abilities and ages.) Mix up the pieces and store them in plastic baggies for children to assemble.

JELLYROLL-L-L-L

Give each child a piece of bread with the crusts cut off. Help children use a rolling pin to gently roll their slices. Next let children spread a favorite kind of jelly or jam onto the bread. Help students roll their slices to make jellyrolls. Eat and enjoy!

JARS, AND MORE JARS

Bring in a selection of different sized jars with lids. Put the lids in an envelope. — Let children work to match each lid to its jar. — Write a number on the inside of each lid. Let children drop that number of jellybeans into the jar. — Let children arrange the jars by size — smallest to largest or largest to smallest.

GOING ON A “J” TRIP

Tell children they are going on a make-believe trip to places whose names begin with the letter J — Jacksonville, Florida; Japan; Jamaica; and so on. Provide a map to locate each place. Take a pretend airplane ride there, then — sample food from the area; — find out about a special sight or building located there; or — learn about the type of work people do there.          Follow up by providing picture books about each area for children to view.

MORE “J STUFF” —

Play a guessing game. Say for example: “I am thinking of something whose name begins with J. It is a sweet spread.” Let children guess for J words. — Cut Js out of poster board. Let children make J jewelry by gluing sequins and plastic jewels onto their letters. Display their creations. — Invite children to jog and jump around a pre-set course that includes hula hoops placed on the floor, jump ropes laid flat on the floor, and other simple obstacles.

YOUR WORD CORNER Here are some words you will need.              See them, say them … hey, you can read!!

jump          just          jelly

Write the words on a chart and review them. Then read aloud each sentence that appears below. Try each word in each sentence. Let children tell you which word fits.
1. How high can you ___________?

2. I love grape _____________.

3. I ________ dropped the ball.

 

 

Check out the following Web sites for additional background and activities.

Hidden Letter Worksheet   Let children find the hidden J in this coloring activity. http://www.kidzone.ws/kindergarten/j-color1.htm?ewrd=1

Letter J Songs and Music   Find a bunch of J songs on this site. http://www.everythingpreschool.com/alphabet/J/

Jellyfish Art Activity   This looks like fun. Give it a try! http://homeschoolcreations.blogspot.com/2008/11/preschool-corner-letter-j.html

My J Book   This cute little book will reinforce writing the letter and hearing its sound. Coloring fun too! http://homeschooling.about.com/od/langearlyread/ss/letterjcolor.htm

Jingle Bell Mitt   A cute craft that’s perfect for the season. http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/musicalcrafts/a/blmusicc4.htm

 

Celebrating December’s Special Days More Holiday Fun Where’s Rudolph? Reindeer Treat Holiday Candles You Can Eat Cereal Christmas Trees Pretzel Yums: A Sweet Treat to Give Holiday Ornaments: Which One Is Missing? Holiday Bells (Following Directions) French Toast Holiday Treats Pinecone Bird Feeder

Letter Jj

Celebrate the letter J by trying this rhyme with children:

Have you ever jiggled jello,

Or had jam on your toast?

Have you filled a jar with jellybeans,

Then ate those you liked most?

Have you ever heard a jolly joke,

Or jumped for joy one day?

If you have, you can be sure

You’ve met Letter J!

Susan LaBella

 

THE JAZZY JUNGLE          Read to children Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae. Let children choose a favorite jungle animal to draw. Place pictures around the room. Then give each child two toilet paper rolls taped together side by side to create “binoculars.” Let children go on a jungle safari to “find” all the animals.

GET JIGGY WITH JIGSAW PUZZLES          Cut apart the front side of a cereal box. Make your cuts resemble the pieces of a puzzle. (Cut the box into four to eight pieces, depending on your children’s abilities and ages.) Mix up the pieces and store them in plastic baggies for children to assemble.

JELLYROLL-L-L-L Give each child a piece of bread with the crusts cut off. Help children use a rolling pin to gently roll their slices. Next let children spread a favorite kind of jelly or jam onto the bread. Help students roll their slices to make jellyrolls. Eat and enjoy!

JARS, AND MORE JARS          Bring in a selection of different sized jars with lids. Put the lids in an envelope. — Let children work to match each lid to its jar. — Write a number on the inside of each lid. Let children drop that number of jellybeans into the jar. — Let children arrange the jars by size — smallest to largest or largest to smallest.

GOING ON A “J” TRIP          Tell children they are going on a make-believe trip to places whose names begin with the letter J — Jacksonville, Florida; Japan; Jamaica; and so on. Provide a map to locate each place. Take a pretend airplane ride there, then — sample food from the area; — find out about a special sight or building located there; or — learn about the type of work people do there.          Follow up by providing picture books about each area for children to view.

MORE “J STUFF” — Play a guessing game. Say for example: “I am thinking of something whose name begins with J. It is a sweet spread.” Let children guess for J words. — Cut Js out of poster board. Let children make J jewelry by gluing sequins and plastic jewels onto their letters. Display their creations. — Invite children to jog and jump around a pre-set course that includes hula hoops placed on the floor, jump ropes laid flat on the floor, and other simple obstacles.

YOUR WORD CORNER Here are some words you will need.             

See them, say them … hey, you can read!!

jump          just          jelly

Write the words on a chart and review them. Then read aloud each sentence that appears below. Try each word in each sentence. Let children tell you which word fits.
1. How high can you ___________?

2. I love grape _____________.

3. I ________ dropped the ball.

 

 

Check out the following Web sites for additional background and activities.

Hidden Letter Worksheet   Let children find the hidden J in this coloring activity. http://www.kidzone.ws/kindergarten/j-color1.htm?ewrd=1

Letter J Songs and Music   Find a bunch of J songs on this site. http://www.everythingpreschool.com/alphabet/J/

Jellyfish Art Activity   This looks like fun. Give it a try! http://homeschoolcreations.blogspot.com/2008/11/preschool-corner-letter-j.html

My J Book   This cute little book will reinforce writing the letter and hearing its sound. Coloring fun too! http://homeschooling.about.com/od/langearlyread/ss/letterjcolor.htm

Jingle Bell Mitt   A cute craft that’s perfect for the season. http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/musicalcrafts/a/blmusicc4.htm

Glorious G

 

 

What do you hear when you say g?

Giraffe, gingerbread, gym.

Yes, that is a soft g…

A gentle giant named Tim!

What do you hear when you say g?

Gold, gift, goat.

Yes, that is called a hard g…

A goose with a great gray coat!

Here are some ideas to enhance your alphabet instruction.

 

 

GINGERBREAD PEOPLE

Precut two gingerbread people shapes from brown paper bags. Give two to each child. Staple the shapes together around the edges leaving a space unstapled so children can stuff their person. Provide children with sequins, glitter, markers, paint, buttons, or pieces of cloth so they can decorate their people, giving them faces, clothing, and so on. Follow up by reading The Gingerbread Man by Catherine Mc Cafferty or Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett. Then use this recipe make gingerbread cookies for a snack.

GHOSTLY GOOD SNACKWICHES

Use a ghost-shaped cookie cutter to cut shapes out of whole wheat bread. Spread each shape with cream cheese. Use mini chocolate chips to add eyes and a mouth. Yum!

LET’S GOLF

On a grassy area outdoors, dig a hole deep enough to hold a coffee can. Place an empty coffee can in the hole, level with the grass. Give children toy golf clubs and a small rubber ball or a plastic golf ball. Let children try to sink the ball into the can. Note: If you are unable to dig a hole, try placing the can on its side on the ground. Children can practice getting the ball into the can.

GRAPES, GRAPES, GRAPES

Provide children with samplings of green, red, and purple grapes. Let children taste each kind and decide which they like best. Then create a “Grape Graph” that shows the results of children’s decisions. Ask more-or-less questions about the students’ graph. For example: Did more students like green, red, or purple grapes? Which grape did the fewest students like?

GREEN G’s

Cut out shapes of the letter G from green sponges. Give one to each child. Wet sponges well and place them in pie plates. Invite children to sprinkle grass seed onto their sponges. Place in a sunny spot and keep sponges moist. Children will love seeing their green, grassy sponges grow!

GOOD GRIEF — GRAVITY

Explain to children that gravity is a force that pulls things down toward Earth. We depend on gravity to hold so many things down — cars, people, furniture, pencils, and papers on your desk, and so on. If there was no gravity, everything not stuck in place would suddenly have no reason to stay down; it would start floating. After explaining gravity, hide around the classroom a variety of items whose names begin with the g sound — for example, gloves, a golf ball or golf club, a gold coin, a glass, a gift box, a globe, stuffed toy animals such as a goat or a goldfish or a gorilla, a grapefruit, a graduation cap, a guitar, or a gumdrop. Let children search for the items. When items are found, encourage children to drop each one (that is not breakable) to see gravity in action.

YOUR WORD CORNER Here are some words you will need.  See them, say them … hey, you can read!!

give          going          good

Write the words on a chart and review them. Then read aloud each sentence that appears below. Try each word in each sentence. Let children tell you which word fits.
1. I have a gift to ______________you. 2. The cake was so ______________! 3. Where are you ________________?

 

 

Check out the following Web sites for additional background and activities.

Got Gorilla?   Reinforce the hard g with this fun printable. http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/early_childhood/alphabet/g/

Goldilocks and the Three Bears   Read the story to children. Then use these cute edible finger puppets to retell it. http://thislittleproject.blogspot.com/2009/06/teddy-bear-picnic-and-more-edible.html

Letter G Activities and Craft Ideas   These sound like fun! Give one or two a try. http://www.ehow.com/way_5232262_letter-activities-craft-ideas.html

ABC Books   Try this idea, letting children use only the letter g. http://www.teacherplanet.com/links/redirect.php?url=http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/1287.html

The Letter G   You’ll find loads of g ideas here. http://www.123child.com/UBB/showthread.php?t=6887