Ella Sarah knows exactly what she wants to wear and will not be swayed.  This story is a fun addition to a clothing theme as well as shows a little girl who is determined and thus dresses herself.

Materials

• Sock pattern
• Sheet
• Patterned papers (newspaper, wrapping paper, wallpaper samples)

Vocabulary

• Pattern (something that repeats itself over and over)
• Polka dots (many small circle shapes on clothing)
• Striped (many line shapes on clothing)

Before Reading the Story

                  Talk to the children about the clothing that they are wearing.  Make mention of patterns that they may have on (I notice that Kerry has stripes on her shirt).  Explain that the story today is about a little girl who had a favorite outfit that she wanted to wear.  Ask the children if they have a favorite outfit or color that they like to wear. 

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; enhances abilities to recognize, duplicate, and extend simple patterns using a variety of materials. AND Social & Emotional Development/Self-Concept; begins to develop and express awareness of self in terms of specific abilities, characteristics, and preferences.

Reading the Story

                  Have children repeat with Ella Sarah,  “I want to wear my pink-polka-dot pants, my dress with orange and green flowers, my purple and blue striped socks, my yellow shoes, and my red hat!”

Literacy/Book Knowledge & Appreciation; shows growing interest and involvement in listening to and discussing a variety of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

After Reading the Story

                  Close the book and ask the children to recall what color pants Ella Sarah wanted to wear.  What color was her dress?  What shape was on her dress?  What color were her socks, shoes and hat?  Bring in a sheet and have the children take turns hiding underneath it.  When the child is under the sheet ask the class to remember what color an article of clothing was that that child is wearing.

Literacy/Book Knowledge & Appreciation; demonstrates progress in abilities to retell and dictate stories from books and experiences; to act out stories in dramatic play; and to predict what will happen next in a story. AND Approaches to Learning/Engagement & Persistence; shows growing capacity to maintain concentration over a task, question, set of directions or interactions, despite distractions and interruptions.

Discovery

                  Bring in a book of peoples from around the world.  Look at the pictures with the children and discuss how others dress similar and different from us in the United States.  As you look at the pictures, ask why they think different peoples wear different kinds of clothing.  (Why do you think that man has one those great big boots, look at her hat-what might that tell you about the weather where she lives?)

Science/Scientific Knowledge; develops growing awareness of ideas and language related to attributes of time and temperature.

Music and Movement

                  Sing What Are You Wearing?  This is a Hap Palmer CD and can be seen on YouTube.

Creative Arts/Music; participates with increasing interest and enjoyment in a variety of music activities, including listening, singing, finger plays, games, and performances.

                  Sing Jenny Jenkins.

Will you wear red, my dear my dear?

Will you wear red Jenny Jenkins?

No I won’t wear red, it’s the color of my bed

Roll, Jenny Jenkins, roll!

Will you wear blue…color of my shoe

Will you wear green…it makes me feel mean

Continue naming colors and verse that rhyme.

Literacy/Phonological Awareness;progresses in recognizing matching sounds and rhymes in familiar words, games, songs, stories, and poems.

Blocks

                  Ask the children to see if they can make a pattern using the blocks.

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; enhances abilities to recognize, duplicate, and extend simple patterns using a variety of materials.

Art

                  Bring in many patterned pieces of paper cut into shapes.  The children can collage these.

Creative Arts/Art; gains ability in using different art media and materials in a variety of ways for creative expression and representation. AND Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; enhances abilities to recognize, duplicate, and extend simple patterns using a variety of materials.

Library and Writing

                  Give each child a T-shirt shape and encourage them to make a pattern on it.

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; enhances abilities to recognize, duplicate, and extend simple patterns using a variety of materials. AND Approaches to Learning/Engagement & Persistence; grows in abilities to persist in and complete a variety of tasks and activities.

Sand and Water

Child choice today.

Math and Manipulatives

                  Make two sets of the sock patterns and color them the same to make matching sets.  Cut them out and cover with contact paper.  Put the socks into a bowl and mix them up.  The children can then sort and match the socks.

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; enhances abilities to recognize, duplicate, and extend simple patterns using a variety of materials.

Dramatic Play

                  Make sure you have lots of fun and colorful dress-ups for the children to use.  This would be a good day to bring in some new stuff to really catch their interest.

Physical Health & Development/Fine Motor Skills; develops growing strength, dexterity, and control needed to use tools such as scissors, paper punch, stapler, hammer.

Outdoor Play

                  In the story, Ella Sarah and her friends had a tea party.  Encourage the children to make sand or dirt cakes so they too may have a tea party.

Creative Arts/Dramatic Play; shows growing creativity and imagination in using materials and in assuming different roles in dramatic play situations. AND Social & Emotional Development/Cooperation; develops increasing abilities to give and take in interactions, to take turns in games and in using materials; and to interact without being overly submissive or directive.

Transitions

                  Excuse the children to the next activity by articles of clothing that they are wearing. (If you are wearing stripes, if you are wearing short sleeves, if you have a snap on your clothing).

Language Development/Listening & Understanding; shows progress in understanding and following simple and multi-step directions.

Resources