Family and Pets Theme Unit Lesson Plans

After reading the book to the children, the emergent reader "Families" could be used as a follow-up activity . The emergent reader could be made into a big book or predictable chart and used to model the reading process. A photo of the big book is displayed to the right.

The story line reads as follows:
What do families do together? They work together. They play together. They learn together. They celebrate together.
They travel together. They have fun together.
Families just like being together. What does your family like to do together?

Emergent Reader One "Families"

Sample Page from the Emergent Reader

Preschool and Kindergarten Activities for Pets - Literature Connections

The Perfect Pet by Margie Palatini is a very entertaining book that could be used to introduce the Pet theme unit. Adults and children will find this story amusing. Elizabeth wants all the pets mentioned in the emergent reader titled "The Best Pet.". At the end, she settles for a bug.

Connection to Literature and Introducing the Letter "i"

The book by "I Wanna Iguana" would be read prior to modeling the reading process of the predictable chart displayed below. It is a humorous book about how a young boy tries to convince his mom that he should have an iguana for a pet. The letter "Ii" would be introduced within context of reading the book and the predictable chart.

Emergent Reader Two -"The Best Pet"

A predictable chart would be made to model the reading process for the emergent reader "The Best Pet." There are both color and black white pictures available.

The emergent reader story line is as follows:
We could have a horse for a pet.
We could have a dog for a pet.
We could have a cat for a pet.
We could have a bird for a pet.
We could have a bunny for a pet.
We could have a turtle for a pet.
We could have a fish for a pet.
We could have a guinea pig for a pet.
We could have a mouse for a pet.
I want an iguana as a pet. A pet just for me!
What pet would you like?

Sample Page from the Emergent Reader

The sound of letter "Ii" would be reinforced by singing the song "I Wanna Iguana" from the Alpha Tunes CD.

Emergent Reader Three "Dogs, Dogs"

In the link below you will find the a sample page from the reader. "Dogs, Dogs". There are also enlarged pictures to make a big book with. The story line reads as follow:

A dog needs food, A dog needs exercise. A dog needs care. A dog needs a collar. A dog needs a bath. A dog needs love. A dog needs you to play with.

Dogs, Dogs Reader Sample Page

The letter "Dd" sound would be reinforced by singing the song "Doggie Dance" on the Alpha Tunes CD.

Emergent Reader Four - Rhyme Time

This reader is called "Rhyme Time" (a book about rhymes). Included in the theme unit are rhyming picture cards. The children could match the rhyming pairs. This would be a great follow-up to reading "Rhyme Time."

Sample Page from Emergent Reader "Rhyme Time"

Alphabet Learning - Picture Mnemonic Craft Activities

Letter "Ii" Recognition

This craft activity has the children being actively involved in associating the picture to the letter sound. The purpose is to have them associate the letter "i" to the initial sound heard in "iguana".

Procedure for Introducing the Activity

1. Children can predict and count the letter "i's" found on the iguana. They can circle them with a pencil.

2. Paint (sponge) the iguana.

3. Cut out the iguana. After, have children make jagged cuts for the spikes.

Letter "Dd" Recognition

Research has shown that children have better recollection of letter-sound associations when it is taught in conjunction with picture mnemonics. This craft activity has the children being actively involved in associating the picture to the letter sound. The purpose is to have them associate the letter "Dd" to the initial sound in "dog". The templates are found in the link below. The children paint, cut and glue the templates together.

Preschool and Kindergarten Literacy

Literacy Centers

Alphabet Review - What's Missing

Each day display alphabet pictures beginning with the review sounds (found in the member's area). These can be displayed on a flannel board or white board. Discuss what pictures begin with the focus sound and those that do not. After discussing, have the children close their eyes while you remove one of the pictures. The children guess what picture is missing. The person that guesses the correct picture will have an opportunity to remove the picture for the next round. This game could continue in the Literacy Center.

Alphabet Review - Match the Clothespins

The game board would be copied (1 for each player). If you are following the "Alphabet Program" the letters "e, m, t, c, a u, i and d" would be a review. These letters would be printed on clothespins (two sets). These clothespins along with blank ones would be placed in a container. Each player would take turns picking up a clothespin from the container. If they have one with a letter printed on it, they would clip this to the correct pictures on the board representing that letter sound. If they pick up a blank one, this is returned back into the container and it becomes the other partner's turn. The first person to have their game board completed would be the winner.

Advanced Game

There are two game boards available. One includes the pictures being labeled so the younger students can match the same letters (visual discrimination). The other game board does not have the words included on it, so the older students would be required to use their knowledge of letter-sound association to play the game.

Word Pet Matching Game

This game is played in partners. Each player is given a game board. The pet words are cut and placed in a container. If a child picks up a word with a pet name on it, they must match it according to the picture (visual discrimination). If they pick up a happy face card they must place this back into the container and it becomes the other partner's turn. The first person to have their game board covered with the pet words is the winner.

Advanced Game

The children would be given the game board without the words. The children would be required to use their knowledge of letter sounds to play this game.

Word Matching or Printing

In the the theme unit there are color pictures of pets and their corresponding word names. The children can match the words to the names of the pets. This is a good visual discrimination activity. These could also be used for picture graphing activities and also in the "Printing Center" for the children to cut, color and print the word on a piece of paper (black and white version).

Black and white pictures are found on page 67 and 68 in the theme unit.

Rhyming

After reading the emergent reader "Rhyme Time" the children could be matching rhyming pictures.

Word Family Activity

Use two blank dice (these can be purchased at a teacher's story). On one die print word families

that you have previously worked on and on the other die print initial consonants. Children shake the dice to make new words. A discussion can take place as to if the new word is a real or a nonsense word.

Sight Word Game

The sight words would be printed on the spinner board and chart. Each player would have their own chart. The children would would spin the top. They must say the name of the sight word that it lands on and mark this off on the chart. The first person to have their chart marked off is the winner.

Note: In the photograph the spinner was placed in a aluminum pie plate to control the path of it. It takes a little practice for the children to learn how to use the spinning top but once they learn how, this will keep them quite occupied.

Printing Center

In the link below you will find ideas for the "Printing Center"

Printing Center Ideas

Family Theme Crafts

Family Photograph Picture Frame

Each day the children will be sharing their family photographs. The house template would be painted and cut and used as their family photograph frame as displayed in the picture.

Families Come In All Colors, Shapes and Sizes

The focus of this theme is to appreciate similarities and differences within families. Reading the books "Families Are Special" by Norma Simon and "The Family Book" by Todd Parr or "Families are Forever" by Craig Shemin and Deb Capone allow for discussions in this area. The craft activity displayed on the left would be a wonderful follow-up. The shapes found in the theme unit would be used as a review, as well as, to complete this craft activity. The shapes would be colored (could be copied on colored paper) and cut. The children glue these to the house picture frame and add body parts to represent how Families Come in All Colors, Shapes and Sizes.

Family Tree

After reading the book "Me and My Family Tree" the children could complete their own family tree as displayed in the photograph to the right.

Pet Theme Crafts

Dog Paper Bag Puppet or Writing Project
This craft project also combines writing. The children would be printing or dictating on what they learned about dogs from reading the emergent reader Dogs, Dogs and books. They would paint the dog templates and cut them out. These would be added to a paper bag or the paw printed writing template as displayed in the photograph.

Modeled Writing
What the children write would vary depending on their needs. Younger children may need to dictate what

they learned about dogs or cats and an adult assistant scribes it for them. Older

children may be able to print this on their own using the chart that was made during "Modeled Writing Time."

Cat Paper Bag Puppet or Writing Project
This activity would be completed similar the the one above. You may even have the children choose which one they would prefer to do.

Templates to complete these projects are found in the theme unit or the member's area.

Fish Bowl Craft
Brown would be painted on the base of the fish bowl. After it is dry, the rest of the bowl would be sponge-painted blue. The fish would be colored, cut and glued on the fish bowl.

Pet Canary Craft
The canary template would be colored or painted and then cut. Feathers and wiggly eyes would be glued on the bird to complete this project.

Pet Frog Craft

The frog templates would be colored, painted, cut and assembled as displayed. After the children would cut and glue on the white spots.

Pet Rabbit Craft
The children would cut the rabbit template and add cotton balls to complete the project.

3-D Puppet Craft

The children can color and cut the dog parts as shown in the photo. These can be glued to a toilet paper roll to make a 3-D dog craft.

Pet Outlines

The children can sponge or splatter paint the pet outlines. These can also be used for a shape book can be found in the theme unit or the member's area.

Preschool and Kindergarten Math Games

Number Review

The children were introduced to numbers in the "Apples and Plants" theme. This is a review game. Each day the numbers and their correct printing formation are reviewed. Numbers are printed on dice. If the child rolls the focus number they mark this off on their chart (they could also print the number). The first person to have the focus number filled-in would be the winner.

Another Review Game

This game is played in partners. Two set of clothespins would have the numbers 3-10 printed on them. These clothespins along with blank ones would placed in a container. Each player would take turns picking up a clothespin out of the container. If they pick up one with a number, they would attach it to the game board accordingly. If they pick up a blank one, it is returned back into the container and it becomes the other partner's turn. The first person to have their game board completed is the winner.

Count the Dog Spots

Each player has a game board. Two sets of bingo chips would have the numbers 1-10 printed on them. These along with a few blank ones would be placed in a container. If a child picks up a chip with a number on it, then they would place this on the appropriate dog. If they pick up a blank chip, it is returned back into the container and it becomes the other partner's turn . The first person to have their game board covered with bingo chips is the winner.

Family and Pet Graphing

Family members and favorite pets would be graphed. Pictures are found in the theme unit could be used to make a pictograph.

Connect the Alphabet Dots Puppy Picture

Connect the Alphabet Puppy Dots

Visual Discrimination Integrated With Connect the Dots

The children cut and paste the words in the link below to match the sentences on the connect the dot picture.

Sort the Words to Make the Sentences in the Connect the Dots Picture

Music Integration

Songs "The Doggie Dance" and "I Wanna Iguana" from the Alpha Tunes CD could be used.