Teaching songs and rhymes

Music is one of the prefered activities of preschool students. A wide selection of songs and rhymes increases concentration, attracting students' attention and improving memory. Tracks are a fun and effective way of exposing children to new lexical sets and language structures as well as of reviewing them. To teach songs and rhymems, play the track for exposure. Then model the words with the actions without the music and have students repeat chorally. Then repeat the track and have students join in.

MI activities / preschool

The MI activities (Multiple Intelligence activities) are designed to help students develop their different intelligences as well as to cater to students with different learning styles. Choose the activities that best suit your students' interests and needs.
Tips:
- Prepare material ahead of time and make sure there is enough for everyone to complete the task successfully.
- To extend language practice, talk students through the activity while demonstrating what you are saying.
- Warn students not to swallow paint, glue, ink or any other substance.
- Make sure there is enough room for physical activities such as jumping or running.
- Demonstrate the activity in front of the class. Have all material ready in advance and use simple but clear language as you guide students through the activity.
- Exhibit and praise students' work equally, without making comparisons.

Teaching Tip / Preschool

Since children have diverse learning styles, classes are more effective when material is presented through a variety of media. For example, manual activities appeal both to visual and kinesthetic learners. By using story books with CD, you can engage both auditory and visual learners. TPR activities simultaneously benefit children's kinesthetic, auditory and visual skills. Remember to include a variety of activity types in each lesson to keep all students motivated.

I went to the Zoo

Have students sit in a circle. Choose a student to begin. This student will say, "I went to the zoo and I saw a lion." The next student will then say, "I went to the zoo and I saw a lion and a cheetah." Game continues, with each student recalling all previously mentioned animals and adding another zoo animal. If a student misses an animal or cannot think of one to add, start all over again. Challenge students to remember all of the animals presented in the class.
You can use most of the vocabulary you introduce in class to play this game.

Teaching Tip / Preschool

Students respond well to daily routines. If they know your expectations, they will stay more focused. Using a favorite song is a great way to get students' attention instead of raising your voice.
Children need regular review of the vocabulary they have learned. There are many activities to consolidate vocabulary. Play games, such as Bingo or Hide-and-seek with cutouts. Reintroduce previous posters either with the same cutouts or a mix of cutouts from different units. Also, you can reread favorite Big Book stories and repeat familiar songs and rhymes. In this way, children will benefit from and enjoy repetition.

Teaching Tip

Try this strategy for promoting good classroom conduct: Divide the class into three groups and give each group a transparent jar. Every time students from a particular group display positive behavior (such as following directions, working quietly, taking care of their materials), place a jellybean in their jar. When a jar is full, students from that group divide the jellybeans up and eat them. Watch as students try their best, both individually and cooperatively to fill their jars with jellybeans!

We're All a Part of the Puzzle in Grade ______

Post the title "WE'RE ALL A PART OF THE PUZZLE IN GRADE____" on the door or outside bulletin board. Then draw a large number to represent the grade you're teaching. Divide the number into pieces (enough for each child to have a piece) then distribute materials for each child to decorate his/her piece with his/her name.

Quack, Quack Welcome Back!

This is a cute beginning of year bulletin board: "Quack, Quack Welcome Back!" Cover the board with white paper on the top and light blue paper on the bottom. Try to make the blue part wavy like water in a pond. At the top of the board add the title Quack, Quack Welcome Back! Then make two big white ducks (and add a wiggly eyes and beak) in which to write the teacher's names. Next, make smaller yellow duclings with each of th kids names, 1 per child. Put the teacher ducks at the beginning and then line the ducklings behind them. This arrangement can be done any way though. Then, just to make it cuter I add a sun, clouds, etc. to the board!

Give a Big Hand To Our Class

Make lage hand cutout by tracing your hand on an overhead transparency, then projecting the image onto colored posterboard. Trace the handprint on the poster, cut it out, and add the caption: "Give a BIG Hand to Our Class." The students' names are on smaller handprint cutouts. During the first weel, students can make these by tracing their own hands on different colors of paper.

Blasting Off Into Learning Bulletin Board

Materials:

Dark blue fabric (enough to cover your bulletin board)

Different size stars shapes

A large quarter circle (decorated to look like the earth)

A large rocket cut out made of brown construction paper with your name on it

Small rocket shapes (one per child)



Cover te bulletin board with the dark blue fabric and place the stars on it to make it look like outer space. In the corner of the board place the quarter circle (earth). On an angle pointing away from the "Earth" put the large rocket cut out. Give one small rocket shape to each child to decorate with their names, then have children place their shapes around your rocket to look like they had also blasted off behind you. The bulletin board caption reads "Mrs. _______ class is blasting off into learning!"

(Elisa Marquez, 4th. grade)