Co-op preschool class

[sarahmama]

I will be teaching our co-op's 4 and 5 year oId class next year. We have not had a separate class for this age before, so I get a lot of say in how we cover the basics. So I thought I would use the Hive mind to brainstorm. There will be a heavy emphasis on the alphabet and the one-letter phonograms. What are your favorite activities to do with a small group of four and five year olds? Thanks!

[Lori D.]

Well, not in support of alphabet/phonograms, but years ago, a friend of mine did Five in a Row (maybe it was Before Five in a Row) with the 4-5yos in a co-op, and it worked well. 🙂

How long is your class? I'd plan for one activity per every 10-15 minutes as the minimum, plus have some group games (like Duck Duck Goose) that you can teach them and pull out as time-fillers, if needed. I'd also plan for making the activities of different kinds (some quiet, some active, some listening, some thinking, some working fine motor skills, some working large muscles, etc.) of activities ready to go for each class.

Ideas:
- read them a short book
- have them learn/sing a common pre-schooler song (and learn the hand motions)
- make a craft
- make and eat a snack
- do a science demonstration
- fine motor skill practice: cutting, coloring page, using big plastic tweezers or clothes pins, etc.
- large muscle activities: relay races, skipping, hopping, walking backwards, walk on a line, stretching, etc.
- explore/discovery play -- water table, bubbles, shaving cream, sand, marble run, sidewalk chalk, build with a construction set, etc.

Topics that would be good to cover other than alphabet/phonograms:
- practice recognizing and memorizing their full name, phone number and address
- safety topics
- calendar, seasons, and holidays/traditions activities
- people/homes/food/clothes/living in other countries
- patriotic activities (learn and say the pledge; learn/sing patriotic songs; read about our country's symbols, flag, landmarks, etc.)

Alphabet/Phonogram resource ideas:
Letter of the Week is a free series of lesson plans from Brightly Beaming Resources
ABC Games and Activities from Preschool Inspirations
50 Alphabet Activities from Hands On As We Grow
Bright Beginnings -- curriculum/lesson plan book by Tammy Shaw

Edited April 17, 2019 by Lori D.

[SoCal_Bear]

Another free option is ABC Jesus Loves Me curriculum. 

[Wallflower]

On 4/16/2019 at 9:52 PM, Paradox5 said:

Oak Meadow Kinder (really is preschool)- has loads of appropriate ideas

BFIAR/FIAR for literature list

MP JrK- all planned out wonderfully . The Enrichment guide is a lot like FIAR but to me better organized.

I agree with the Memoria Press (MP) enrichment.  It is all organized for you:  A book to read aloud, a famous artist and composer along with a picture and music to listen to, a craft, a poem, and so on.  It is easy enough to remove what you don't want and add in what you do.  Their book selections seems to be quality choices as well that are very engaging to kids that age.