| Back to School Unit |
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| Name Activities |
| Books |
| Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready For Kindergarten by Joseph Slate The Wheels on the Bus Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. I Like Me! by Nancy Carlson Me Too! by Mercer Mayer I Spy Schooldays |
| Name Puzzles Use colorful markers to write each child's name on a large, white, unlined index card. Have each child use crayons to decorate the personalized side of his/her card. Cut the card into a designated number of puzzle pieces. Ask each child to assemble the puzzle and give the child a plastic baggie to store the puzzle in. The children could then trade puzzles and assemble other classmates' puzzles. "My Name Is . . " Have students sit in a circle. Pass around an object, such as a stuffed animal, as music is being played. When the music stops, the student holding the object has to say his/her name. Continue until everyone has had a chance to introduce him/herself. Letter Practice Using Names Daily pick a name from your class and write it down on a sentence strip. Have the students chant the letters in the name. Then cut up each letter and have the students put the letters back in order. The class then draws a picture of that person and writes the person's name at the top of the picture. Compile the pictures into a book to give to that student. Display the picture drawn by the student on the wall or bulletin board. Name Placemats Write the following sentence on the bottom of a large piece of white constuction paper; My name is my first gift from my parents! Then have each student sponge paint name or write name with crayons or markers. You could display the placemats at tables or desks for open house. |
| Alphabet Activities |
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| School Alphabet Words (Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten is a good book to go along with this activity) Write the alphabet on chart paper, one letter per line. Brainstorm with the children school words. A for Art, B for Books, etc. List the words on the chart paper next to the appropriate letter. Have each child illustrate one letter of the alphabet. Display pictures on the wall or bulletin board or compile into a big book. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Class Mural Read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. On large sheet of light blue paper draw or attach a large brown palm tree. Have the children cut out and glue on green leaves and light brown coconuts. Then have the children add the first letter of their names to the tree. Children might need to use templates to help them with the letter formation. The children could also make their own palm tree. Have the children use crayons or markers to draw the tree. They then would sponge paint the letters in their name starting with their first letter at the top of the tree going on down to the trunk of the tree. |
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| Good Morning Song - We sing this every morning as we begin our day. (Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star) Good Morning, Good Morning, It's a good, good, good, good, good morning, It's time to say ,"How do you do?" To all our friends and teachers too. Good Morning, Good Morning, It's a good, good, good, good, good morning! |
| For great back to school songs and poems click here: www.canteach.ca |
| Graphing Activities |
| Graph Names - After reading Chrysanthemum make a class graph of the number of letters in each child's name. Graph how each child came to school. Bus, car, van, walk, bike, etc. |
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| Kissing Hand Activities |
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| The Kissing Hand - A wonderful first day of school story to read to the children. It is a story about a little raccoon that shares with his mother his fears of starting school. His mother comes up with a great solution to help her little raccoon remember that she loves him even when he is away at school. After reading the story discuss how moms and dads might feel when their children are away at school. Decide together to make a gift for mom and dad. Gift for parents: On a large piece of white construction paper have each child print their handprint at the top using red paint. After the handprints are dry, have the children draw a family portrait below their handprint. Add a pre-cut tiny heart to the center of each child's handprint. If time allows the children can share their portraits with the class. Have the children take the handprints and portraits home that day and the children should explain to their parents that they should not be sad because they are thinking of them each day when they are away at school. First Day Snack - Make sugar dough kissing hand cookies. Roll out the dough and use a hand print dough cutter to make handprint cookies. Add a small red candy heart. The Kissing Hand activities are from www.kinderthemes.com |
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| Click here for Exploring the Alphabet webquest. |
| NAME BOOK
The name book consists of one page for each child with his/her name and picture. The cover is in the shape of a school house with the name of our school printed at the top. |