Tuesday, May 12

Today is National Limerick Day.

A limerick is a silly poem with five lines.  They are often funny or nonsensical.  Limericks were made famous by Edward Lear, an author who wrote the "Book of Nonsense" in the 1800's.  This was an entire book of silly limericks.

The first, second and fifth lines rhyme with each other and have the same number of syllables (typically 8 or 9).
The third and fourth lines rhyme with each other and have the same number of syllables (typically 5 or 6)
Limericks often start with the line "There once was a..." or "There was a..."
(From DLTK.com)

Here's mine for today:

There once was a preschool director
She had staff who worked well together
With kids she played all day
Made snack and liked to say
"My job could never be better!"

2s: Shapes

1. Story Time

Let's listen to the story of three clever mice exploring shapes in Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh

2. Shape Collage

In your bag you'll find cut outs of different shapes.  You'll also need a piece paper and some glue.

Look at all the shapes with your child.  One by one, have them name the shapes.  They can also name the colors.

Let your child use the glue, paper and shapes to make a collage.  It might be a picture or it may just be shapes on the page.

Encourage your child to share it with someone else, telling them about the shapes that they used.

3. Counting with the Count

Watch a Sesame Street video about the Number 5: The Count Counts to Five

4. Counting to 5

From our website, print out the 2s Counting to 5 activity.  You can also print out the 12345 page.  This will help your child connect the written numerals with the number of objects.

Look at each picture with your child.  Ask: 'What shape is it?  What color are they?'  Have your child count the number of shapes in each box.

Use the 12345 page to help your child find the numeral.  Now, have them color in that same numeral next to the shapes.

3s: Shapes

1. Review Shapes and Colors

Let's review all our shapes and colors with the Storybots: Storybots Shapes and Colors

(Rectangle is my favorite song!)

2. Size Sorting

From our website, print out the 3s Size Sorting activity.

Look a the pictures with your child before you cut them apart.  What do they see?  What color/shape/size?

Cut apart, or have your child cut apart, each of the rows.

To start, keep each shape/color together.  Have your child line up the shapes in order of largest to smallest.

Now ask them 'How else can you organize the cards?'  For example, smallest to largest, all the smallest/largest, make a pattern, etc.

3. Shape Book

From our website, print out the 3s Shape Book.

Each page has the shape, a real-life example, a shape to trace with your finger, and a shape to trace the dotted lines.

Look at each page with your child.  Have them name the shape and the real-life object.  Can they think of something else that is that shape?

Have your child complete each page

4s: Review

1. Reading Comprehension

From our website, print out the story Mingo in the Sun.

Tell your child you are going to read them a very short story.  Slowly read the story to your child.

Now, read your child each question and let them select the answer.  If they need to hear the information again, read the entire story again.

Have them circle or color the correct answer to each question.

2. Puzzle Mix-up

You'll need two different puzzles that your child is normally capable of doing, maybe 10-20 pieces each.  If you don't have puzzles at home, you can print out the puzzles on our website.  Use card stock if you have it.

Mix the pieces of both puzzles up.  Have your child separate the pieces into two piles, one for each puzzle picture.  Now, have them assemble the puzzles and see if they were correct.

3. Number Bingo

From our website, print out the Number Bingo activity.  You'll only need to print out as many boards for the number of people playing.

You'll need a handful of pennies for markers.

Cut apart the calling cards.  If your child feels confident, have them be the caller.

Draw a card and mark your board if you have that numeral.

If your child is unsure of what number is shown, use the 1 to 10 example page from our website.

The first person to fill their page is the winner!