Sample Lesson Plan for a Two-Day Week
This lesson plan is to give you an idea of what an average day/week will be like at Crayon Brigade. It will also describe what kinds of learning and activities will be accomplished. Time amounts are generalized and flexible.
Weekly Theme: Animals
Self-Select and One on One (25 min.): This is the part of the day where your child can choose what he/she would like to do.
Making decisions on their own is very important for young children to learn. This time is also to promote sharing and problem solving. It may include math manipulatives, computer games, books,
geo-boards, blocks, Duplos, puzzles, games, or farm. These activities will teach a variety of things. This is also when I do one on one with the children to determine individual needs and
assessments.
Day 1:
- Counting Bears/Scale—Students can sort by color and size, counting, weight, balance.
- Matching Game is a memory game.
- Puzzles help students develop fine motor skills, problem solving, and cooperation.
- Dramatic Play—This will be available most days; it is in sense “playing house.” It teaches through role playing, sharing, cooperation, language, and vocabulary. Different things can be added to go with our weekly theme (e.g., stuffed animals and a doctor kit could become a zoo, pet store, or vet’s office).
- Books—pre-reading skills
- Computer–Basic computer skills
Day 2:
- Lacing Cards help students develop fine motor and eye-hand coordination.
- Puppets are similar to dramatic play except they allow the child to become someone/something else. Often, inhibitions will leave as a student plays with a puppet.
- Dramatic play, books, and computer are also still available to use.
There will be four or five stations each day to choose from, plus alphabet or number games on the computer and theme-based books in the
reading corner.
Circle Time (20 min.): This is the part of the day when we will update the calendar (What day is it? What is the weather like? What month or season?). We will also practice counting, recite the alphabet, go over letter sounds, talk about the letter of the day, and learn a few basic ASL (American Sign Language) signs.
Recess: Children this age have short attention spans, and also need breaks. This is a 10-minute break outside as the weather permits—sometimes structured sometimes not. It is also a time to practice large motor skills, like skipping or catching a ball. We might look at the rabbit in its cage and talk about it. We may take the game “Elefun” outside and play.
Whole group (20 min.): This is the part of the day when we will read, learn a song, or finger play together. We may do rhyming games. There are many animal books to choose from, one we may read is a BIG (oversized) book I have called “The Mouse and the Strawberry.” We will talk about its meaning, title, author, and illustrator. We may discuss how we read from left to right, or how can I tell when to take a breath (punctuation). Or we might discuss what the difference is between a word and a sentence. We could sing “Five Little Ducks” as part of whole group as well (good for counting backwards).
Snack (10 min.): Everyone’s favorite part of the day! We will practice our fine motor skills as the children pour their own drinks with a child’s size pitcher (spills are anticipated).
Day 1:
- carrots, celery, and dip—lots of animals eat plants, they are called herbivores
Day 2:
- animal crackers
Small Group/Table Time (25-30 min.): This is when we work on writing skills and do crafts. Sometimes we may divide into smaller groups to accommodate extra help with painting or crafts.
Day 1:
- Giraffe Craft
- Writing Page
Day 2:
- Potato Porcupines
- Writing Page
Theme Discussion (10-15 min.): This is basically a wrap up of the day. Since this week is animals, we will talk about habitats, what does nocturnal mean, what do animals eat, etc. We may even read another short story.
Homework: Occasionally assigned to reinforce a concept.
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