
Start: Snow Friends Indicators: Receptive Language (Listening) L1.1(3), L1.1(4), Expressive Language (Speaking) L2.1(3), L2.1(4), L2.2(3), L2.2(4), L2.3(3), L2.3(4), Number Sense, Quantity, and Operations M1.1(3), M1.1(4), Patterns, Sorting/Classifying, Reasoning M4.1(3), M4.1(4), Observation and Inquiry SC1.1(3), SC1.1(4) (More...) Resources: 2023 Calendar Grid, Calendar Heading and Pieces: January 2024, Discovery Journal: January 2024, Weather Display 2023-24 Preschool You Will Need: January Discovery Journals (see Resources) Calendar Grid/Pieces (see Resources) Weather Display/Pieces (see Resources) Celebrating Holidays Questionnaire (see Resources) Birthday Calendar Pieces/Certificates (see Link) dry erase marker drawing/writing tools Greeting/Welcome Welcome children with unique greetings each day. Sing "Friends" together as a welcome song each day. Sing the song through one time. When there is time, insert each child's first and last name and the word is in place of the words in parenthesis to greet children individually and welcome them to your setting. Sung to "Mary Had a Little Lamb" (All our friends are) here today. Come, let's sing. Come, let's play! (All our friends are) here today. Come and have some fun! Greet children with their choice of a high five or a wave. Offer the January Discovery Journals (see Resources) and invite children to fill out one of the pages that has a prompt as they wait for their friends to arrive. Calendar Time Support children's understanding of the passage of time with short activities. Introduce the Spanish word for January, enero (eh-NEH-roh). Note that it is January 2024 frequently throughout the month. Acknowledge January birthdays. Birthday Calendar Pieces/Certificates are available at https://www.funshineexpress.com/classroom-resources.html. Weather Observation Observe and compare weather changes over time. Invite children to observe the weather and record the results on p. 4 of their January Discovery Journals (see Resources). Refer to the Weather Display (see Resources). In what section of the temperature gauge does the clip most often rest in January? Which Weather Piece is used the most each week? Daily Review Assess comprehension and recall skills with short theme-related activities. Ask children to recall where the Arctic Circle and Antarctica are located. Review animals that are native to polar regions. Talk about how animals stay warm in cold climates. Pledge of Allegiance Introduce the "Pledge of Allegiance." Demonstrate how to place your right hand over your heart as you recite the oath. Encourage children to say it with you once they begin to memorize it. January Holidays: Families in your setting may be planning for the following holidays/observances this month: New Year's Day Three Kings Day Makar Sankranti Martin Luther King Jr. Day Tu B'Shevat There may be other holidays or observances that hold meaning to the children's families. Refer to the Celebrating Holidays Questionnaires (see Resources) and consult families to help facilitate meaningful conversation and plan activities.

Start: Snow Friends

Indicators: Receptive Language (Listening) L1.1(3), L1.1(4), Expressive Language (Speaking) L2.1(3), L2.1(4), L2.2(3), L2.2(4), L2.3(3), L2.3(4), Number Sense, Quantity, and Operations M1.1(3), M1.1(4), Patterns, Sorting/Classifying, Reasoning M4.1(3), M4.1(4), Observation and Inquiry SC1.1(3), SC1.1(4) (More...)

Resources: 2023 Calendar Grid, Calendar Heading and Pieces: January 2024, Discovery Journal: January 2024, Weather Display 2023-24 Preschool

You Will Need:

January Discovery Journals (see Resources)
Calendar Grid/Pieces (see Resources)
Weather Display/Pieces (see Resources)
Celebrating Holidays Questionnaire (see Resources)
Birthday Calendar Pieces/Certificates (see Link)
dry erase marker
drawing/writing tools

Greeting/Welcome

Welcome children with unique greetings each day.

Sing "Friends" together as a welcome song each day. Sing the song through one time. When there is time, insert each child's first and last name and the word is in place of the words in parenthesis to greet children individually and welcome them to your setting.

Sung to "Mary Had a Little Lamb"

(All our friends are) here today.
Come, let's sing.
Come, let's play!
(All our friends are) here today.
Come and have some fun!

Greet children with their choice of a high five or a wave.
Offer the January Discovery Journals (see Resources) and invite children to fill out one of the pages that has a prompt as they wait for their friends to arrive.

Calendar Time

Support children's understanding of the passage of time with short activities.

Introduce the Spanish word for January, enero (eh-NEH-roh).
Note that it is January 2024 frequently throughout the month.
Acknowledge January birthdays. Birthday Calendar Pieces/Certificates are available at https://www.funshineexpress.com/classroom-resources.html.

Weather Observation

Observe and compare weather changes over time.

Invite children to observe the weather and record the results on p. 4 of their January Discovery Journals (see Resources).
Refer to the Weather Display (see Resources). In what section of the temperature gauge does the clip most often rest in January?
Which Weather Piece is used the most each week?

Daily Review

Assess comprehension and recall skills with short theme-related activities.

Ask children to recall where the Arctic Circle and Antarctica are located.
Review animals that are native to polar regions.
Talk about how animals stay warm in cold climates.

Pledge of Allegiance

Introduce the "Pledge of Allegiance." Demonstrate how to place your right hand over your heart as you recite the oath. Encourage children to say it with you once they begin to memorize it.

January Holidays:

Families in your setting may be planning for the following holidays/observances this month:

New Year's Day
Three Kings Day
Makar Sankranti
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tu B'Shevat

There may be other holidays or observances that hold meaning to the children's families. Refer to the Celebrating Holidays Questionnaires (see Resources) and consult families to help facilitate meaningful conversation and plan activities.