Duck and Goose are not really friends but must learn to get along as they wait for an egg to hatch.

 Materials

• Many 1-2 inch circles cut in a variety of colors
• Large circle of paper, 1 per child
• Circle graph, label one side “duck” and the other side “goose”
• Several ping pong balls or other small balls that will float
• 5 paper ducks (color each a different color) and an egg shape that fits underneath without showing.

 Vocabulary

 Before Reading the Story

Cut a one inch hole in a manila file folder. Cut out interesting pictures from magazines. Place the picture behind the file folder with a section showing through the 1-inch hole. Have the children see if they can guess what the picture is behind the file folder. Move it around some to help them see just a little bit of the picture at a time. After you have done this several times, tell the children that today’s story is about two friends who find something that they think is an egg but it is not an egg. Ask them if they guess what that thing might be. Show them the cover after they have made their guesses and introduce the story.

Approaches to Learning/Initiative & Curiosity; chooses to participate in a n increasing variety of tasks and activities.  AND Science/Scientific Knowledge; expands knowledge of and abilities to observe, describe, and discuss the natural world, materials, living things, and natural processes.

 Reading the Story

As you read the story, use an assertive voice when the two friends are arguing about what to do with the egg.

 After Reading the Story

Ask the children what they would do if they and another child both wanted the same toy? Use your social cues to help talk about taking turns, sharing, or asking the teacher for help. (If me and Juanna wanted the baby I would give her the other one. If someone tried to take a toy from me I would tell them “No, it is my turn, you can be next”. When Kim took the truck from me I cried and then told the teacher she was mean”.

Social & Emotional Development/Cooperation; shows increasing abilities to use compromise and discussion in working, playing, and resolving conflicts with peers.

 Discovery

Put out pictures of a real duck and a real goose. As the children look at the pictures, ask them to compare them using a circle graph. Write their responses in the appropriate sections.

Science/Scientific Knowledge; expands knowledge of and abilities to observe, describe, and discuss the natural world, materials, living things, and natural processes.

 Music and Movement

Play a passing game using a small ball. Sing or chant the following.

We will pass this ball from me to you to you

We will pass this ball and that’s just what we’ll do.

Have the children sit in a circle and pass the ball around the circle. Have the children turn to their right so they are facing the child beside them’s back and pass the ball overhead. Have the children pass the ball under their legs, using only one hand , etc..

Physical Health & Development/Gross Motor Skills; demonstrates increasing abilities to coordinate movements in throwing, catching, kicking, bouncing balls, and using the slide and swing.

 Sing 5 Little Ducks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZw9veQ76fo

5 little ducks went out to play,

Over the hills and far away.

Mother duck called quack, quack, quack

4 little ducks came running back.

Sing 4,3,2,1

0 little duck went out to play,

Over the hills and far away.

Mother Duck called QUACK, QUACK, QUACK!

5 little ducks came running back.

Children hold up the correct number of fingers to go with each verse and wave their hand back and forth to the rhythm.

Mathematics;/Number & Operation; begins to make use of one-to-one correspondence in counting objects and matching groups of objects.

 Blocks

Remind the children that on the one page, duck and goose made fences around the ball so the other could not get it. Encourage the children to make a fence with the blocks. Can they make a patterned fence using two or three sized blocks?

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

 Art

Give each child a large circle shape of paper and many smaller circles in a variety of colors that they can glue onto the large circle. After is has dried, trim any pieces that go over the edge so that the finished product is a large circle with a many circle design.

Mathematics/Geometry & Spatial Sense; begins to be able to recognize, describe, compare, and name common shapes, their parts and attributes.

 Sand and Water

Put floating balls and/or ping pong balls in the water table today. Give the children spoons or similar to try to scoop the balls from the water.

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

 Library and Writing;

Bring in books that show real ducks and geese for the children to examine.

Science/Scientific Skills & Methods; develops increased ability to observe and discuss common properties, differences,and comparisons among objects and materials.

 Dramatic Play

If you have a large yoga ball, bring it in and the children can act out the story.

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.

 Math and Manipulatives

Use your colored ducks and 5 pieces of paper with 1-5 dots on it. Ask the child to show you 3 ducks, 1 duck, 5 ducks, etc.. For older children ask them to show you 3 ducks and then add 1 more…now how many ducks do you have?

Mathematics/Number & Operations; demonstrates increasing interest and awareness of numbers and counting  as a means for solving problems and determining quantity.

Outdoor Play

Bring out the balls today and practice kicking from a stand still and while the ball is rolling. Practice catching the ball, bouncing and catching, and dribbling.

Physical Health & Development/Gross Motor Skills; demonstrates increasing abilities to coordinate movements in throwing, catching, kicking, bouncing balls, and using the slide and swing.

Play Duck, Duck, Goose with the children. Have the children hold hands and make a big circle. One person is ‘It’. ‘It’ walks around the circle lightly tapping the children’s heads saying either duck or goose with each tap. If ‘It’ says Duck then nothing happens and ‘It’ goes onto the next person. But if ‘It’ says Goose, the person tapped must chase ‘It’ around the circle and try to tag him/her. ‘It’ is safe when he/she runs around the circle and back to the place where the other child was goosed. The new child now becomes ‘It’.

Physical Health & Development/Health Status & Practices; participates actively in games, outdoor play, and other forms of exercise that enhance physical fitness.  AND Language Development/Listening  & Understanding; shows progress in understanding and following simple and multiple-step directions.

 Transitions

Lay the 5 colored ducks out in the middle of the circle. Have a child cover their eyes and hide the egg under one of the ducks. The child must then guess which duck the egg is under by naming the color duck. I usually give the children three guesses. That child then hides the egg for another child to guess.

Resources