All About Fire Safety

This week is Fire Safety Prevention week and our Pre-K class is going to learn about fire safety. We will be learning how to dial 9-1-1 and what information to include, what we do in case of a fire, practice a fire drill, and visit a fire station on Tuesday.

Below is a link to our fire safety theme lesson plans for the week. The lesson plans include the following types of activities: Morning Message with activity, Large Group Literacy, Phonemic Awareness, Small Group, two planned story times, and a closing activity.The standards are based on Bright From the Start GELDS.

DOWNLOAD>> All About Fire Safety Five Day Lesson Plans



I have turned our dramatic play center into a fire station (pictures coming soon!) In the literacy center I have included Roll and Cover letter mats with three different levels of learning. In the writing center there are fire safety vocabulary cards. I am incorporating the vocabulary cards as a method of one, increasing vocabulary and two, for my  students to practice their writing skills.

DOWNLOAD>> FREE All About Fire Safety Vocabulary Words

DOWNLOAD>> All About Fire Safety Activity Packet

All About Fire Safety Activity Packet contains the following:

• Vocabulary Cards
• Trace the vocabulary cards.
• Write the Room recording sheets.
• Ff is for Firefighter (Find the letter Ff maze.)
• Write the Letter Ff Worksheet
• Rhyming Word Match (Match the firefighter to the fire truck.)
• Alphabet Clip Cards (Look at the picture and use a clothespin to clip the correct upper and lowercase letter.)
• Draw & Cover Letters (Black - Uppercase Letters), (Red - Lowercase Letters), (Yellow - Beginning Sound Pictures)
• Number Puzzles (Numbers 1 to 5 and 1 to 10.)
• 1 to 10 Number Cards (8.5” x 11” number cards with numeral, ten frame, and number word.)
• 0 to 15 Number Clip Cards (Count the objects and use a clothespin to clip the matching number.)
•  Measuring (Measure the height of two objects and determine the tallest and shortest object.
• 1 to 10 Number Worksheets

Directions: Print on card stock, trim, and laminate for durability. Worksheets can be laminated and used with a dry erase marker.

Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards:

Approaches to Play

APL2.4a Demonstrates eagerness to learn about and discuss new topics, ideas and tasks.

APL1.4a Takes initiative to learn new concepts and try new experiences. Initiates and completes new tasks by himself/herself.

Language and Literacy

CLL1.4a Listens and responds on topic to conversations and group discussions for an extended period.

CLL1.4b Listens to and follows multi-step directions.

CLL1.4c Extends/expands thoughts or ideas expressed.

CLL6.4c Isolates the initial (beginning) sounds in words with adult guidance.

CLL7.4a With prompting and support, recognizes and names some upper/lowercase letters of the alphabet.

Mathematics

CD-MA2.4b Counts at least 10 objects using one-to-one correspondence.

Cognitive Process

CD-CP3.4b Uses both familiar and new strategies to solve a problem.

CD-CP3.4c With adult guidance and questioning determines and evaluates solutions prior to attempting to solve a problem.

Classroom Activities:

During centers the students experimented with red and yellow painting creating an orange "fire painting."

The shape fire engine is an activity to promote shape identification, fine motor practice, and composing and decomposing shapes. I varied the activity for the different levels of ability in my class. 

• Level 1 has students constructing the fire engine out of (1) large rectangle, (1) large square, (1) small square, and (4) circles. 
• Level 2 students will construct the fire engine out of (2) medium squares, (1) large squares, (1) small square, and (4) circles.
• Level 3 students will construct their fire engine out of (2) triangles, (2) squares, (4) circles, and (1) small square.

Fire Station No 1:

Our dramatic play center has been transformed into Fire Station No. 1. Below are pictures showing the different parts of the fire station.

There is two parts to our Fire Station. The first is the inside of the fire station where our little firefighters can pretend to cook, answer the phone, share and take turns.The second part is the firefighters actually fighting a fire using a large print out laminated and mounted on cardboard.

This is a picture of our fire engine. The students love pretending to spray the water on the burning building.

Songs and Poems:

Four Busy Firefighters

Four busy firefighters could not retire

Because they might have to put out a fire.

The first one rang a big brass bell.

The second one said, 'It's the Grand Hotel!'

The third one said, 'Down the pole we'll slide.'

The fourth one said, 'Get ready to ride.'

The siren said, 'Get out of the way!'

'We have to put out a fire today!'

The red fire truck sped on to the fire,

As the big yellow flames grew higher and higher.

Swish went the water from the fire-hose spout

And in no time at all the fire was out.

~ Original Author unknown

I Am A Fireman

(Sung to: "I'm A Little Teapot")

I am a fireman dressed in red.

With my fire hat on my head.

I can drive the fire truck, fight fire too,

And help make things safe for you.

~ Original Author unknown

The Matches Song   

(Sung to: "Mary Had A little Lamb")

Matches are for lots of things, Lots of things, lots of things,

Matches are for lots of things that grown-up people do.

If I ever find a match, find a match, find a match,

If I ever find a match, I know just what to do.

I'll give it to a grown-up friend, grown-up friend, grown-up friend,

I'll give it to a grown-up friend, 'cause that's the thing to do.

~ Original Author Unknown

9-1-1

I know a number that is really hot.

It's only for people in a hot, hot spot.

If you see a fire, if you see a crime,

The number is the same every single time.

This very special number is never for fun.

This very special number is 911.

~ Original Author Unknown

Youtube.com Educational Video Links:

• Sparky Says: Join My Fire Safety Club Video
• Fire Safety Video for Kids with Steve Songs & Sparky theFire Dog
• Kids Fire Engine and Fire Station Tour - Fire Truck Videosfor Children
• Super Smart Fire Safety Rules for Kids
• Stop, Drop, and Roll!
• Crawl Low Under Smoke

Other Links:

• Fire Safety Article

My Many Colored Days

My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss is a wonderful way for parents and teachers to talk with children about their feelings. Each day is described in terms of a particular color, which in turn is associated with specific emotions. Using a spectrum of vibrant colors and a variety of animals, this unique book covers a range of moods and emotions. (Ages 3-8)

I am introducing this book during the first month of school as part of my Feelings Theme. I used the information provided from the Book Nook based on My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss to create visuals to retell the story with.


To purchase a copy of My Many Colored Days click here.

My Many Colored Days Activities Packet contains the following:

• Each animal is in colored and coordinates with the story. 
• Each colored boy is in color with the color word written on the cutout. 
• Pages 12-27 are a printable book based on the story by Dr. Seuss. The printable book is used for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY! It may not be sold or re-distributed. The book is copyright protected and may be used for classrooms purposes only. The images are from the Ideas for Using Books to Support Social Emotional Development: My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss and can be found here: http://www.csefel.vanderbilt.edu/booknook/many_colored_days.pdf.

Directions: It is suggested that all pieces are printed on card stock and laminated for durability. Pages 2-11 print single sided, laminate, and cut individually. If you plan on using the visuals on a felt board simply attach the rough side of self-adhesive Velcro dots to the back of each piece. Another option is to use self-adhesive magnets. Also, to act out the story, print another set of visuals, laminate, and glue to craft sticks. Place the puppets with the book in your library. The book on pages 12-27 can be printed manually on both sides, laminated, and then either comb-bound or use book rings to make the book. Both the book and the puppets are being used in my Safe Place from Conscious Discipline.

FREE DOWNLOAD>> My Many Colored Days Activities

Examples of activities that can be used while reading My Many Colored Days and throughout the day to promote social and emotional development:

• While reading the story, pause after each animal and discuss the animal’s color. Ask the children to share a time that they were in that mood. After reading the story, discuss the spectrum of colors in comparison to moods and feelings.
• Extend the story by discussing different colors and their association with emotions. Explain that sometimes feelings are described in colors. We are all different and may have a different feelings or moods with each color. For example, although some associate blue with being sad others find it very peaceful and happy. Make a chart with different colors across the top. Ask children to pick which color represents how they are feeling. Talk about why they picked the color to represent their feeling. Write the children’s names under the color they pick.
• Color spinner—Trace two hands, with the two palm edges touching, on one piece of card stock paper or file folder. The fingers will be facing the outer edge of the paper/file folder, while the palms are toward the center. (Note: Once traced, the hands will form a mirror image of each other.) Cut out an arrow and attach it with a brad to form a spinner between the two hands. Color each finger a different color using the colors represented in the story. Have the children pass the spinner around taking turns spinning the arrow and discussing what the color means for them. Talk about how different people may have different feelings associated with the same color. For example, in the story, purple makes the boy feel sad; for others it could mean feeling loved.

The ideas used above are from: Ideas for Using Books to Support Social Emotional Development: My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss.

FREE DOWNLOAD>> My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss – Book Nook Ideas and Activities

Useful Social & Emotional Development Links

The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) is focused on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5. CSEFEL is a national resource center funded by the Office of Head Start and Child Care Bureau for disseminating research and evidence-based practices to early childhood programs across the country.

Creating Teaching Tools for Young Children with Challenging Behavior is a FREE product developed by the Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) that gives teachers practical strategies, developed from TACSEI’s research activities and experiences in Positive Behavior Support, to create a plan to support young children who are having challenging behavior.

Conscious Discipline is a comprehensive self-regulation program that integrates social-emotional learning and discipline.

Preschool Feelings Theme

I have collected over the years several sources to use with the Feelings Theme. I also recently have started incorporating Conscious Discipline into my prekindergarten classroom. This upcoming school year I have designed several games and visuals for the children to use along with Conscious Discipline. The information below is a few of my ideas and ideas friends, and colleagues have shared with me over the years.

Several of my printables are FREE and can be downloaded from TeachersPayTeachers.com. I try to keep all of my teaching resources in one area to make it easy for myself and others.

I hope you find the information useful. If you have any questions or comments do not hesitate to email me or post a comment. Suggestions and comments are always encouraged and helpful.

Objectives

1. To correctly identify feelings
2. To understand ways to safely express feelings
3. To practice discussing feelings

Art Activities

Happy Face, Sad Face 

Materials: small paper plate or circle shape per child, crayons, large craft stick per child, hand mirror

Directions: The children look in the mirror and make a happy face. They draw themselves on one side of the plate or circle including eyes, nose, and hair then and smiling mouth. On the opposite side they draw themselves with a sad face. Glue craft stick on the bottom.

Extension: Use these at circle time or a large/small group time later in the day asking questions about feelings. They turn their "faces" to show the side that corresponds to the question or statement.


Examples: You need to go to clean up the centers. Are you happy or sad? You find your favorite toy that you thought was lost. Are you happy or sad?

Paint a Feeling

Materials: Paint, brushes and paper

Free art expression. When they are done, ask them to name their picture with a feeling. Hang paintings with their descriptions.

Feeling Activity Mats

The packet contains four blank faces for young children to use playdoh to build how they feel faces. The mats can also be used with a dry erase marker and have the students draw how they feel. I am using the mats in my Safe Place area based on Conscious Discipline to encourage children to identify how they feel. I am also introducing the activity mats as part of my Feelings Theme to use at the beginning of the school year.

Directions: It is suggested to print on card stock and laminate for durability. Then cut out each face and place in your center. You could also print on card stock, glue in a file folder, and laminate the entire set.

SUBSCRIBE to DOWNLOAD>> How Do I Feel Today?

Cooking Activities

Comfort Cookies

Ingredients:3 cups margarine
3 cups brown sugar
3 cups flour
6 cups oats
1 tablespoon baking soda
2 cups chocolate drops (or butterscotch or peanut butter drops)

Directions: Mash, knead, squeeze, pound, pinch, etc. all ingredients in a large bowl until completely blended. Form into small balls about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in size and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Butter the bottom of a small juice glass and then dip it into white sugar, then pound the cookies flat with it. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for approx. 10-12 mins.

Science Activities

Apple Experiment

Materials: (1) apple

Directions: Sit the class in a circle and show them the ordinary apple. Then pass the apple around in the circle and instruct the students to lightly hit the apple on the carpet. Once all of the children have had a turn, show the apple to the children. Ask the children does the apple look any different? What do you think happened to the inside of the apple? Explain to the children that the apple looks normal on the outside, but on the inside it is bruised. Cut the apple open and pass the apple halves around the circle letting the children examine the bruised inside. (Remind the children the apple is for looking and not eating.) Explain to the children that sometimes we cannot see how our words or actions hurt our friends on the inside, but like the apple our friends can be bruised on the inside by what we say and do.

Extension: Have the children draw a picture of how they can make a friend feel better when someone says something mean or hurtful.


Feelings CD

Materials: CD player, recorder, pictures of children showing various emotions.

Directions: Record the children making different sounds such as laughing, giggling, growling, crying, yelling, etc. Place the CD in the Science area along with pictures of the different emotions. The children then listen to the sound and match the emotion.

Bottled Up Emotions

Experiment to show what happens when we bottle up anger and emotions inside....we EXPLODE!
Materials: vinegar, baking soda, paper towel, gallon size ziploc bag.
Experiment can be found at All Things Beautiful.

Literacy Activities

Class Feeling Book

Materials: Digital camera, computer, and printer.

Directions: Ask your children (one at a time) to give their best happy, sad, mad, silly, and scared faces. Then take a picture of them. Print pictures and glue them on an 8.5”x 11” paper. Either type the words that describe the emotion or write the words directly on the paper. Combine all of the children’s faces into a class book. You can either secure using comb-binding if accessible OR punch three holes and secure using book rings. You can use the class book to lead a discussion about different feelings.

How do you feel today?

Objective: Children will guess how a character in the story feels. Some may say happy, sad, mad or scared

Materials: Today I feel Silly by Jamie Lee Curtis, sets of faces made with paper plates showing different feelings, and a puppet.

Instructions: Read the book. Give each child in your small group a set of plates. Using a puppet, retell few situations that happened in the story. Have the children choose a paper plate to show how they think the character feels.

Feelings Vocabulary Cards: The packet contains 12 feelings vocabulary cards perfect to use in circle time, small groups, and word walls. I am using the Feelings Vocabulary Cards in my Safe Place area based on Conscious Discipline to encourage children to identify how they feel. I am also introducing the Feelings Vocabulary Cards as part of my Feelings Theme to use at the beginning of the school year.

Directions: It is suggested to print on card stock and laminate for durability. Then cut out each vocabulary card along the solid black line.

SUBSCRIBE to DOWNLOAD>>  Feelings Vocabulary Cards

Writing Activities

My Feelings Book

Materials: Pencils, crayons, several sheets of white construction paper fold hamburger  style forming a book. Printed on the cover page the following sentence: My Feelings Book

On each page write an emotional word: angry, happy, sad, scared, silly, and excited. Encourage the children to draw a picture of something that made them feel angry, happy, sad, scared, silly, and excited. Write down their story when they are done and display.

SUBSCRIBE to DOWNLOAD>>  My Feelings Book

Math Activities

Feelings Sorting Cards

The packet contains 9 feelings sorting cards perfect to use in circle time, small groups,

and math centers. I am using the Feelings Sorting Cards in my Safe Place area based on Conscious Discipline to encourage children to recognize facial expressions. I am also introducing the Feelings Sorting Cards as part of my Feelings Theme to use at the beginning of the school year.

Directions: It is suggested to print on card stock and laminate for durability. Then cut out each feelings sorting card along the solid black line. For a sorting game I suggest printing at least (5) sets. For a matching game like memory I suggest printing at least (4) sets. These cards can also be used like “Go Fish” cards.

SUBSCRIBE to DOWNLOAD>> Feelings Sorting Cards

Dramatic Play Activities

1. Flower Shop – Plastic flowers, non-breakable vases, play money, cash register or something to store money in, notepad for taking orders, wrapping paper, and gift bags can be placed in the dramatic play area. Make a sign that says “Flower Shop.” Also, make a sign that has prices for different types of flowers. You can use a digital camera and take pictures of the plastic flowers. Print them out, glue onto a poster board and write the amount. For small children I would also include a picture of the money for the children to match up. The children may want to arrange, sell, deliver, and receive flowers.

2. Card Shop – Include blank cards, thank you notes, paper, pencils, crayons, markers, construction paper, glue, scissors, stickers, envelopes, and self-inking stamps. Make a sign that says, “Card Shop.” You can also include pre-printed strips for children to copy on their cards such as: I hope you get well soon, Thinking of you, Miss you, Sorry that you do not feel good, Good Job, etc. Also include sentence strips with both each child’s name and picture. This way the children can find a child’s name and write it on the card.

3. Post Office – Include a bag to be used as the “mail bag,” a blue shirt for the mail carrier uniform. Use the cards created from the card shop. Make a sign that says, “Post Office.” The children can use stickers to stamp their cards and deliver them to their friends via their cubbies.

Songs

IF YOU’RE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT

Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you’re happy and you know it, your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
~Traditional

(Make up additional verses with other feelings; such as; If you’re angry and you know it, stomp your feet, or If you’re scared and you know it, hide your eyes.)

FEELINGS
Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”

I have feelings
You do too.
Let’s all sing about a few.

I am happy (smile)
I am sad (frown)
I get scared (wrap arms around self)
I get mad (make a fist and shake it)
I am proud of being me (hands on hips)
That’s a feeling too, you see.

I have feelings (point to self)
You do too. (point to a friend)
We just sang about a few.

THE MORE WE GET TOGETHER

The more we get together,
Together, together,
The more we get together,
The happier we'll be.

Because your friends are my friends,
And my friends are your friends.
The more we get together,
The happier we'll be!

Books

Below is a list of books to go with the Feelings Theme. I have a majority of the books in my collection or I check them out from my local library.

• It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr 
• The Feelings Book by Todd Parr 
• Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods That Make My Day! by Jamie Lee Curtis 
• My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss 
• Glad Monster Sad Monster by Ed Emberley 
• Cool Down and Work Through Anger by Cheri J. Meiners M.Ed

Feelings Links

• Feelings Preschool Lesson Plan
• Feelings Songs
• Glad Monster Sad Monster A great link to use with the book. The site has a lot of FREE printables to accompany the book. 
• FREE Printable Feelings Bingo

Images provided by:

St. Patrick's Day Ideas

St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and I have a few activities for the classroom.

Download > St. Patrick’s Day Word Wall 

Rainbows: Use different flavored Kool Aid packs choosing rainbow colors. Dilute in water and use like watercolors to paint a rainbow. Once dried add cotton balls at either end of the rainbow to complete your masterpiece. The kids will love trying to identify the different flavors through smell.

Shamrock Shake:

Ingredients

1 cup milk

1/2 ripe banana

1 cup lime sherbet

Directions

Wash your hands.

Pour milk into blender.

Add lime sherbet and peeled, chopped banana.

Blend all ingredients until smooth and then serve.

It makes two 1-cup servings.

Who took the Gold Activity: Students will discriminate what has been taken and use prediction skills on deciding who has the pot of gold. Sit students in a circle and have the students close their eyes. Choose one student to take and hide the pot of gold behind their back.

Say the chant:

Teacher, teacher who took the gold? (all students)

__________ took the gold.

Who me? (student named)

Yes, you. (all students)

Couldn’t be! (student named)

Then who. (all students)

Was it ________ who took the gold? (the student accused of taking the gold the first time names another student.)

Keep repeating until the students discover who took the gold.

Download > Pot of Gold

Circus Theme Resources

School is officially out for the summer! I'll miss the group of students that I had, but I am looking forward to a new group of fresh young minds. Since it is summer break, it's the perfect time to first relax, but to also plan for the upcoming school year. In retrospect I have learned a lot this past school term. I noticed some things that worked really well and some that just plain flopped.

I observed this past year some of the students had not been introduced to a wide variety of different types of animals. So, for the upcoming year I plan on introducing a variety of animals throughout the school year. My wonderful assistant and I discussed the classroom theme, and we came up with a circus theme. I am currently working on bulletin boards, word walls, center signs, and classroom decorations and activities centered on the circus theme.


Cubby Tickets – A set of (4) colorful tickets with editable text boxes in Microsoft Word. I plan on using the tickets to label the children’s cubbies this coming up school year. I will also take a picture of them on the first day of school and add to the ticket. This will help the children that cannot recognize their name in print.

Sample of the Circus Cubby Ticket

Download >>  Circus Cubby Tickets File 1 (word doc.)
Download >>  Circus Cubby Tickets File 2 (word doc.)

Keep checking back for additional resources!

~ Catherine