Co-op class for 3-5 year olds

[sassenach]

Hi all,

 

I'm looking for ideas (preferably free) for a 1 hour pre-school class. I'm thinking of reading a book and doing a related craft, but I am totally and completely open to just about anything. Any ideas?

[MissKNG]

Great simple craft site:

 

http://www.dltk-kids.com/

[Dmmetler]

I pick a theme and do a story or two, crafts, and songs/fingerplays/movement/rhythm instruments and the like. We have 90 minutes while the older kids are in class, and it's pretty easy to fill that time. If you google almost any theme, you'll find TONS of preschool activities.

[Sarah CB]

Our Junior class at co-op does the following:

 

Junior Lit - using Five in a Row.

 

Centers - we have a room set up with a bunch of different centers. This gives them a chance to play and interact without a ton of structure.

 

PE

 

Music - we hired a music teacher for this one, so it does have a cost, but it's a lot of fun.

 

Arty Science - they're learning about plants right now. The teacher usually starts with a picture book, then explains the science concept (last week it was how seeds are distributed) and then they do an art project - last week they were making a picture out of different seeds.

[Rosy]

A couple of my favorites have been Dinosaurs (learning about a new dino of the week, poems/fingerplays, playdough with dino cookie cutters, books, active games, etc.) and Number Fun (lots of active, get-the-wiggles-out games with lots of counting and simple adding). Story time is good too--you can do 15-20 min of reading, an active game, and then finish the hour with more reading.

[Farrar]

That's a pretty open question. What's the goal for the co-op? Is it primarily social? Is it to teach them some "class skills" like listening to a teacher and taking turns? Is there any academic information you want to convey?

 

If the goal is primarily social, you might consider doing some "team building" activities as part of your curriculum. Playing games together, making stories together, imaginative and pretend play, etc. They could brainstorm together and choose the topics for the class themselves. If the goal is primarily to learn social and class skills, then brainstorming together and reaching consensus is a great challenge for this age group. And then if they pick "dinosaurs" or "princesses" or "building" or something, then you can go pick out a book about it at the library and do a craft or activity, like a science experiment or a game or pretend play.

[shanvan]

Before 5 in a Row as your basis for planning? It's not that expensive and that way everything is planned out for the person teaching during that week. Maybe someone in the co-op has a copy already, or knows someone who owns it. Then you wouldn't have to buy it.

 

When I taught this age group I always took a quick break in the middle of the class to "Shake our Sillies" out. We sang the song a little and they got to act crazy for a few minutes before settling down for a craft. I always made it clear that this was the time for off the wall behavior, not while I was reading out loud. By the way, any parents who stayed had to shake out their sillies too!

 

Shannon

[momtolgd]

I will second using Before five in a Row as a base for planning. Our co-op is doing Five in a Row with ages 5-8 this year, and adding in art and music activities that go along with the story they read each time. :001_smile:

[NanceXToo]

Sensory painting- mix different flavor packets of kool aid with a little bit of water til you get a water color type paint. Let them do their paintings (which will smell really good)! After they dry, they can even "scratch and sniff" and guess the flavor/scent and so on.

 

Texture books- make folded cardstock booklets and put things in it with different textures. Let the kids describe the textures and write down the adjectives they provide.

 

All About Me Booklets- their handprints, cutouts from magazines of things they like, blurbs about their families, a photo of them, and so on.

 

Music & Movement- put on a wee sing thing, give them simple instruments (or let them make some homemade drums and shakers), put on the music and do songs, finger plays, march and clap in time to the music and so on.

 

Learn alphabet letters in hands on ways- looking for shapes in nature, tying sticks in bundles to form a certain shape, drawing the letters in the dirt with sticks, walking the shapes of the letters on the floor, make the letters out of playdough, bread dough, with toothpicks, etc.

 

Taste Testing- talk about the major tastes the tongue can taste and then provide those things to try. Tell them where the taste buds are grouped, let them look into their mouths with little mirrors.

 

Collages with various media- old magazine cutouts, crayons, textured materials, and so on.

 

Preschool board game day.

 

Making necklaces/bracelets out of uncooked pasta (like ziti or some such); you can use food coloring to make them into different colors.

[abbeyej]

I think it would be great fun to do "How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World". You start the year by reading the book. Then each week after that follows the book's journey around the world. Read a picture book (fiction or non-fiction) about the place that's visited, learn about the ingredient that's gathered from that part of the world (bring in stalks of wheat for the kids to see what it looks like before it's ground into flour, make butter by shaking small jars with cream and a few marbles in each, etc). On the last day of class, naturally, assemble mini jar pies for the kids to take home and bake. And, of course, you keep a map going to show your journey over the course of the class. :)

[NanceXToo]

I think it would be great fun to do "How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World". You start the year by reading the book. Then each week after that follows the book's journey around the world. Read a picture book (fiction or non-fiction) about the place that's visited, learn about the ingredient that's gathered from that part of the world (bring in stalks of wheat for the kids to see what it looks like before it's ground into flour, make butter by shaking small jars with cream and a few marbles in each, etc). On the last day of class, naturally, assemble mini jar pies for the kids to take home and bake. And, of course, you keep a map going to show your journey over the course of the class. :)

 

I never heard of that book, but I love this idea!

[abbeyej]

I never heard of that book, but I love this idea!

 

Oh, it's a lovely one!

http://www.amazon.com/Make-Apple-World-Dragonfly-Books/dp/0679880836

 

There's also a newer book called "How to Make a Cherry Pie and See the USA", but I haven't seen it. Rather than gathering the ingredients this time, the main character travels the USA for raw materials she needs (steel, cotton, etc) for the tools to make her pie. I'm sure it could be used in a similar way to Apple Pie...

 

http://www.amazon.com/How-Make-Cherry-Pie-U-S/dp/0375812555

[NanceXToo]

Oh, it's a lovely one!

http://www.amazon.com/Make-Apple-World-Dragonfly-Books/dp/0679880836

 

There's also a newer book called "How to Make a Cherry Pie and See the USA", but I haven't seen it. Rather than gathering the ingredients this time, the main character travels the USA for raw materials she needs (steel, cotton, etc) for the tools to make her pie. I'm sure it could be used in a similar way to Apple Pie...

 

http://www.amazon.com/How-Make-Cherry-Pie-U-S/dp/0375812555

 

I just reserved the apple pie one from my library. I think I may do something like this for fun with my kids! Thanks for the idea! :)