Activity Idea: Yellow Star, Yellow Star What Do You See?

Preschool QuickSource® reminds us that "You can support the development of children's mathematical skills by creating hands-on experiences and by presenting problems to children that are meaningful and relevant to their developmental level."

Here's an activity that presents math in a fun way, called Yellow Star, Yellow Star What Do You See? that helps preschoolers learn to distinguish shape and color. For this activity you will need: stampers, markers or crayons; tape; and manila folders. This activity can be adapted to any shape, including seasonal shapes.

Let's Get Started!

1) Cut out the shape of a star on the front of a manila file folder (recycle an old one by turning it inside out).

2) Decorate the folder by stamping or coloring stars around the area you cut out.

3) Tape the sides of the folder together leaving the top with the tab open.

4) Place many different colors of paper in the pocket you have created.

During circle time or small groups sing or chant "Yellow star, Yellow Star what do you see? I see a... (lift the first sheet of colored paper out of the pocket to reveal the next color) red star looking at me. Red Star, Red Star what do you see? I See a Blue star looking at me" etc.

If using POCET™, this activity corresponds to developmental guideline MA3: Classify and Sort by Attributes. For more developmentally-appropriate activities, visit Teacher QuickSource® and browse through all age areas, including Preschool, Kindergarten, Infant & Toddler, and Head Start. Don't forget to explore activities promoting environmental awareness at Environmental QuickSource®.

Activity Idea: Word of the Week

Kindergarten QuickSource® reminds us that "Literacy begins by immersing children in literacy-rich environments and fostering a love of language and reading." Fostering a child's emerging literacy skills requires activities that develop the following skills: discriminating sounds, identifying print, recognizing letters. It's also important to instill in children, at an early age, a love of books, writing and an appreciation of the rhythm of language. ..."These emergent skills will give the child a solid foundation to begin the reading process during this first year of school." Here's an activity, called Word of the Week, that helps build these emergent skills through vocabulary. For this activity you will need sentence strips or cards to write the word of the week, markers, and a classroom pocket chart. Let's Get Started! 1) Choose your "Word of the Week." A good way to increase vocabulary in young children is to choose a "Word of the Week." A word should be chosen that may be unfamiliar to many of the children. (Tip: Choose a word that will correspond to something they will learn that week. For example: if they are learning about animals and life cycles, choose a word like "metamorphosis" or "tadpole.") 2) Write the word on a card or sentence strip while the children watch. 3) Have the children say the word. 4) Post the word in a place where it can be noticed often during the week. 5) Throughout the next few days, revisit the word asking the children the meaning. Making this activity a part of your weekly routine, while help children expand their vocabulary and help build literacy skills. If using POCET™, this activity corresponds to developmental guideline LG3: Understand more complex vocabulary and displays listening comprehension. For more developmentally-appropriate activities, visit Teacher QuickSource® and browse through all age areas, including Preschool, Kindergarten, Infant & Toddler, and Head Start. Don't forget to explore activities promoting environmental awareness at Environmental QuickSource®.