Materials;

• Several towels to dry wet baby dolls
• Spinning hand tops (if you do not have these, there are several ways to make them simply on YouTube).

Introducing the Story

Show the children the front of the book and tell them the name of the story is I Like Me! Ask the children if they can think of some things that they like about themselves. Let the children share their ideas and then read the story.

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

This simple text requires an upbeat reading.

After Reading the Story

Tell the children that in the story Pig cheered herself up when she felt sad. Ask the children what they think they can do to help cheer themselves or a friend up when they feel sad?

Social & Emotional Development/Social Relationships; progresses in responding sympathetically to peers who are in need, upset, hurt, angry; and in expressing empathy or caring to others. AND Social & Emotional Development/Self-Concept; begins to develop and express awareness of self in terms of specific abilities, characteristics, and preferences.

Music and Movement

Pretend to wash hands with the children. What do we do first? What do you do next? Then what? What do you do last? Go through your hand washing procedure with the children as you all pantomime what to do.

Physical Health & Development/Health Status & Practices; shows growing independence in hygiene, nutrition, and personal care when eating, dressing, washing hands, brushing teeth, and toileting

Discovery

Introduce spinning hand tops. These take some practice to be able to get going. Remind the children in the story, Pig had to practice, practice, practice, (try and try again) to do something new and different. Ask them if they remember what she was doing (baking a cake). If you do not have spinning tops, check to see what else in your center would be a challenge for the children to manipulate. The idea is to encourage to practice and practice and to try, try again.

Approaches to Learning/Engagement & Persistence; grows in ability to persist in and complete a variety of tasks and activities.

Blocks

Challenge the children to build a house. Encourage them to include windows and doors.

Approaches to Learning/reasoning & Problem Solving; grows in recognizing and solving problems through active exploration, in trial and error, and interactions and discussions with peers and adults.

Art

Just like in the story, draw beautiful pictures today.

Creative Arts/Art; progresses in abilities to plan, work independently, and demonstrate care and persistence in a variety of art projects.

Sand and Water

Add baby dolls and liquid soap to the water today. The children can pretend that they are bathing their babies.

Physical Health & Development/Health Status & Practices; shows growing independence in hygiene, nutrition, and personal care when eating, dressing, washing hands, brushing teeth, and toileting

Library and Writing

Remind the children that in the story the pig liked many things about herself. Help the children to trace around their hands and then ask them to tell you some things they like about themselves. Write their responses onto the paper with their hands and then let them decorate the paper with colored pencils.

Literacy/Book Knowledge & Appreciation; demonstrates 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.

Dramatic Play

In the story Pig said she eats good food. Encourage the children to cook today and make a yummy, healthy meal. Can the children name all the foods in your dramatic play center? Can they sort them by like kinds, healthy-unhealthy, refrigerated and non-refrigerated, etc.?

Language/Speaking & Communicating; uses increasingly complex and varied spoken vocabulary. AND Mathematics/Geometry & Spatial Sense; shows growth in matching, sorting, putting in a series, and regrouping objects according to one or two attributes such as color, shape.or size.

Math and Manipulaties

Put out a new or challenging manipulative or building toy for the children today. If they begin to get frustrated tell them to say, “I think I can” and try, try again.

Approaches to Learning/reasoning & Problem Solving; grows in recognizing and solving problems through active exploration, in trial and error, and interactions and discussions with peers and adults.

Outdoor Play

If you have riding toys, encourage the children to ride on them fast, just like in the story today.

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

Transitions

Play, I’m Thinking of Someone. Think of a child in the classroom and begin to explain his/her characteristics, likes and dislikes. The children can guess whom you are thinking of. (I’m thinking of someone who has brown hair and likes to wear red sneakers. This person has a dog at home named Bowzer).

Social & Emotional Development/Social Relationships; shows progress in developing relationships with peers (as in order to answer questions regarding peers)

Resources

Dear Parents, Today we read a story about a little pig who really liked herself. Ask your child what they like best about themselves. After they have told you, tell them, “I like you!” and then tell your child some of the things that you find so special about them.