Different Approaches to Matching Colors

As I mentioned before I took over a toddler classroom, the themes for the whole month of March were already done with the advantage that I can come up with the activities for what was written already.

Here is the lesson plan for the coming week:

Monday: Match the shamrock to its appropriate color

For this it can be as easy as gluing color shamrocks in construction paper matching the colors or
You can go the way I do it which is letting the kids move around... Having them sitting in circle time let them watch you place a paint bottle or different color construction paper on the floor or the table at the same time that you call the name of the color you are placing down, then call a child an give them a colored shamrock or whatever you are using to match colors and let them walk to the paint bottle to match the color and ask them what color do they have. Pretty simple, that's one way to go.

Another way to do this which is a little more fun would be having an obstacle course, place some pillows to jump over, a tunnel to go thru, a foam block to jump from, you get the idea; then explain the children while sitting in a circle what do they have to do, if possible demonstrate how to do it. Then call a child give them the colored shamrock and let them go thru the obstacle course to match it with the paint bottle that is waiting at the table :)

I'll post the rest of the week soon, hopefully tomorrow :)

Thanks for visiting :)

January Themes

As I am trying to find out what themes to teach my 2 year olds in January, I am coming across a few ideas:

winter
snowman
mittens, and many more that will come to me little by little.

but I need to make this practical and easy for my little ones.
Most of my techings, for the school I work at, have to be through play.
So here is one idea, I can teach them winter words (vocabulary)
using a felt board, which we don't have either.
Hopefullly I can go buy a big piece of felt tomorrow to put it somewhere in my classroom,
or find a big board to glue it on.  Anyways...
I can teach them winter words using this paper doll with some winter clothes that I found here.

I also found a Toddler Theme Calendar that I do plan to follow as possible.

Stepbystepp has some really nice ideas for January themes.

How about a Gingerbread theme for this month also, from Pamshouse.

HubbardCupboard has the themes specifically for age 2, which will help me a lot.

and 123child has very nice ideas and pictures for winter and January themes also.

Well, from all this resources that I found, lets see what fun activities I can do

and record in pictures with my little ones.

Thanks for reading my blog :)

Changes in our Curriculum

It figures, now that I was getting a hang of mixing my own ideas with The Creative Curriculum, the school changes things around.

Now we have to make our weekly lesson plans based on The Creative Curriculum Assessment book and a book called Active Learning for twos which have a whole different concept.

Since my kids are only 2 y. olds is based more on hands on materials and understanding life skills rather than academics. I have to choose one outside activity (OA) and one inside activity per day (IA).

We are still going to incorporate a Bible Curriculum so that part is great! It is up to me what we do with the kids as long as is simple and age appropriate , of course :-)

So here is an example of my lesson plan for next week: Oct 3rd to Oct 7th

Monday:

IA: Pocketbook counting (numbers)
OA: Animal Sounds (nature)

Tuesday:

IA: Drop it, dump it out (small muscles)
OA: Taking baby for a ride (dramatic play)

Wednesday:

IA: Sticker designs (art)
OA: Point to body parts song (music)

Thursday:

IA:Opposites (books and pictures)
OA: Building a road (block play)

Friday:

IA: Exercise together (large muscles)
OA: Follow directions for fun (conversation skills)

I'll be taking pictures of our daily activities and posting them at the end of the week or the weekend.
I will also give details of how the lesson is taught.

Also I'll be incorporating Bible lessons and songs through the week which also will be explained.

Thanks for reading my blog :)

Blessings,

Lesson Plan 1st week September

This is my Lesson Plan for the first week od Sept. for my 2 y. old classroom:

I am trying to incoorporate a little bit of everything:
Bible curriculum thanks to abcjesuslovesme and her 2 y. old curriculum is awesome :)
together with one Christian song and a Bible verse every week, also
a color, number, letter, nursery rhyme, shape, manners and opposites each week.


Here is my try at my own made curriculum taking in consideration that at the school I work at
I can not use patterned art or crafts, coloring pages, or worksheets.


Everything has to be related to free play and real items.
For Example: I can not use a picture of an apple unless is a picture of a real apple,
so for shapes, colors, etc, I have to show them items with the color and shape I am teaching.
That said, here is my First week:

M Sept 5 Labor Day

T Sept 6

Indoor Activity: (IA)
God Created the Heaven and the Earth (Art) Painting flat on the table

Outdoor Activity: (OA)
Play along with music: This little light of mine              

W Sept 7

IA: Pretending to be a Baker "Pat - a - cake"
OA: I spy "Red" things

TH Sept 8

IA: Bring my "one" toy please
OA: walking on a "Circle" (using hoops)

FR Sept 9

IA: Sitting Quietly (manners)
OA: Up and down (opposites)

I'll be posting pictures, hopefully everyday (wishful thinking, I know lol)
but I'll post them for sure :)

Thanks for reading my blog :)

God Bless you all,