Lively Elizabeth, What Happens When You Push, by Mara Bergman

Elizabeth is considered ‘lively’. What happens when one becomes too lively at school? Find out what happens when one forgets about their personal space and lands upon another’s.

Materials

One toilet paper tube per child, cut in half
One rubber band per child, big enough to fit around two toilet paper tube halves.

Vocabulary

Scowl (frown and make an annoyed or angry face at someone)
Blame (to say something is someone’s fault)
Glare (to stare at someone)
Lively (very active and bouncy)
Goggles (a kind of glasses that protects your eyes from wind)

Introducing the Story

Explain that today our story is about a girl named Lively Elizabeth. Open the book up so the children can see both the front and back cover. Ask them if they can guess what Lively means. Let the children give you their ideas and then explain that lively means being very active and bouncy. Imitate a lively child at the rug time. Ask the children if they like sitting next to a lively child, why/why not? Tell them it’s hard to pay attention when someone is being bouncy and active next to you. Ask them what they think will happen if Elizabeth is very active and bouncy inside? (She could get hurt. She could hurt someone. The teacher may get mad. She could knock something over). Tell the children, let’s find out and introduce the book.

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

Reading the Story

Shake your head and look upset as you read the first pages about how Elizabeth behaved. Watch the children’s faces to see if they react to this kind of behavior. (I see Roger shaking his head no; I do not think he likes how Elizabeth is behaving. Alison, you look mad, you don’t like when your friends act this way?) When you get to the part where Elizabeth pushes Joe Fitzhugh; ask the children what they think might happen. After the children have been allowed to share their ideas, continue reading. When you get to the part where Joe yells, “What have you done? You pushed me and hurt everyone!” stop again but this time ask the children how they think Joe is feeling.

Social & Emotional Development/Self Control; develops growing understanding of how actions affect others and begins to accept the consequences for their actions.

After Reading the Story

Tell the children that you want to spend a minute talking about your classroom rules. If you do not have any, make 3-5 rules with the help of the children. After the children have finished discussing the rules, remind them that you have rules to help keep everybody safe and happy.

Social & Emotional Development/Self Control; demonstrates increasing capacity to follow rules and routines and use materials purposefully, safely, and respectfully.

Music and Movement

Put on music with different music styles and tempos and have a dance party.

Creative Arts/Movement; expresses movement through and dancing what is felt and heard in various musical tempos and styles

Discovery

Put out the toilet paper tube halves and some rubber bands. Show the children how to put two halves inside the rubber band to make goggles (these will look more like binoculars but the children will not mind). Put out markers if they would like to decorate them. Encourage the children to look through their goggles around the room or out the window and tell you something that they see. For older children you can put out a variety of rubber band sizes for the children to experiment with which works best. For younger children, or children who put things in their mouths, use masking tape to tape the two halves together.

Science/Scientific Skills & Methods; begins to use senses and a variety of tools and simple measuring devices to gather information, investigate materials, and observe processes and relationships.

Blocks

Encourage the children to build tall towers to knock down. If you have hard blocks, set a height rule for building (IE-no higher that your belly button).

Physical Health & Development/Fine Motor Skills; grows in eye-hand coordination in building with blocks, putting together puzzles, reproducing shapes and patterns, stringing beads and using scissors.

Art

Finger paint today; use either large sheets of paper or let the children finger paint right onto the table. Table painting is messy but fun. Put on music and let the children walk around the table pushing the finger paint along. Encourage them to reach to the center of the table and make a big circle. Can they write their name in finger paint? Make sure to put smocks on and give yourself 10 minutes to clean up at the end of the play. The children can help with the cleanup after you get the majority of the paint off the table.

Literacy/Early Writing; progresses from using scribbles, shapes, or pictures to represent ideas to using letter-like symbols, to copying or writing familiar words such as their name.

Sand and Water

Water with soap to make bubbles. Use whiskers or hand beaters to whip up a soapy froth.

Science/Scientific Methods; begins to use senses and a variety of simple tools and simple measuring devices to gather information, investigate materials, and observe processes and relationships.

Library and Writing

Give the children pieces of paper and ask them if they can think of any new rule that they would like to write. Have them illustrate the rule. Or, have the children illustrate one of your classroom rules.

Literacy/Early Writing; begins to represent stories and experiences through pictures, dictation, and in play.

Dramatic Play

Encourage children who do not normally play in this center to spend some time here today. Watch to see how they interact and who is the leader of the group.

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

Math and Manipulatives

Bring out the dominos today. Not to match the number of dots but to stand end to end to make a row. When the row is standing, have the child gently knock the first domino into the second and watch the chain reaction as the dominos fall. Just like the children in the story! ).

Outdoor Play

Bring out the balls today. Encourage lots of kicking, running, and catching bouncing balls.

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

Transitions

Teach the children to play; Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down. Make up a scenario about two children in the classroom. If it is an act of kindness, the children put their thumbs up. If it is an act of aggression or not following a rule, the children put their thumbs down. (Roger asked Jose for a turn and Jose let him have one. Kerry told Liz you are not my friend. Tammie was running in the classroom and hurt herself. Alison said thank you when Jose gave her the truck).

Social & Emotional Development/Social relationships; progresses in responding sympathetically to peers who are in need, upset, hurt, or angry; and in expressing empathy or caring to others.

Dear Parents- Today we read a book about the importance of following rules. If you see your child following your rules (brush your teeth before bedtime, put your clothes in the hamper), thank them and tell them you are proud that they remembered the rule. Catch your child being good and praise them for it. Preschool children are still learning to act in socially acceptable ways and to follow rules. Be consistent with your home rituals as this may help cut down on children not following your home rules. Children like to know what is expected of them.

A Fish Out of Water, by Helen Palmer

When a boy does not follow the directions on how to feed his fish, things turn into a big problem. This is a good book to use to introduce a new fish tank into your room, or to help the children notice the fish you have. It is also a reminder about the importance of following directions.

Materials

Animals for pet graph
Fish bowl and five simple fish
A live fish in a tank or even just a simple bucket

Vocabulary

Veterinarian (a doctor who takes care of animals)
Big, bigger, biggest/smaller, smallest

Before Reading the Story

Talk to the children about pets that they might have. Make a graph of pets that the children have. Use the animals for the pet graph but make sure to leave a space or two incase someone has an unusual pet.

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; begins to make comparisons between several objects based on a single attribute.

Reading the Story

As the boy keeps moving the fish to different containers, ask what is happening (the fish is getting bigger). When the boy puts the fish into the bathtub and says this tub holds my father… ask the children what they think is going to happen. After the tub scene, let the children make some suggestions on what to do next.

Science/Scientific Skills & Methods; begins to describe and discuss predictions, explanations, and generalizations based on past experiences. AND 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.

After Reading the Story

Continue your discussion about pets that the children might have. Ask them if they help care for their pet. (My Daddy and I walk my dog after we eat dinner. I put my cat in my room at night. My sister’s lizard has to have the light on when it is cold outside). Talk about how we have to be gentle with pets so that we do not hurt them.

Social & Emotional Development/Knowledge of Families & Communities; develops growing awareness of jobs and what is required to perform them.

Discovery

If you have fish in your room, this would be a good day to let the children record/draw the fish. Help them notice all the details of the fish (its fins, its little flippers. How he opens and closes his mouth). If you do not have fish in your room, consider setting up a tank or bowl. A beta fish is very easy and goldfish are not expensive. I have also gone fishing and brought in a 4-6 inch catfish for the children to observe for a day or two.

Science/Scientific Skills & Methods; develops growing abilities to collect, describe, and record information through a variety of means, including discussion, drawing, maps, and charts.

Music and Movement

Sing Bubble, Bubble, Bubble, Pop! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTlbZL8XKa8 Make a fish bowl and five fish. With each verse remove a fish.

Five little fish are swimming in the water

Swimming in the water, swimming in the water

Five little fish are swimming in the water

Bubble, bubble, bubble, POP!

Four little fish are swimming in the water

Swimming in the water, swimming in the water

Four little fish are swimming in the water

Bubble, bubble, bubble, POP!

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

Ask the children to make themselves big. Now make themselves bigger, and biggest. Make yourself small, smaller, and now smallest. Make yourself long, longer, longest.

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; shows progress in using standard and non-standard measures for length and area of objects.

Blocks

Otto grows so big that he needs a very long and deep tank to hold him! Ask the children to use your blocks to build a tank that might hold Otto.

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

Art

Give the children a copy of the fish bowl and encourage them to draw their own fish inside. After they are finished with their drawing, ask them if they would like to tell you anything about their fish. Write their response on the bottom of the page. (My fish name is Sparkles. I feed my fish just a little, my fish swims in the circle).

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.

Library and Writing

Write each child’s name onto an index card. Try to use the same size letters for each child. Put the name cards on the table and encourage the children to put in order from shortest name to longest name. For younger children just pick 2-3 names for them to put into order of shortest, the same, and longest.

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; shows progress in using standard and non-standard measures for length and area of objects.

Sand and Water

Water Play today. Add measuring cups and bowls of various sizes. Ask the children if they can guess which container will hold the most water? Encourage the children to count how many scoops of water it takes to fill a container or bowl. Encourage them to scoop and count.

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; shows progress in using standard and non-standard measures for length and area of objects.

Dramatic Play

Encourage the children to be animal owners for any stuffed animals you might have. What does this animal need for food? Where will it sleep? Does it need any special equipment to help take care of it? Can the child use his/her imagination to figure out what is needed? (My dog needs a leash, can I use the red yarn? My cat wants a toy, can I get the ball from the block center? My tiger needs to be in this cubby/box because he bites).

Approaches to Learning/Initiative & Curiosity; approaches tasks and activities with increased flexibility, imagination, and inventiveness.

Math and Manipulatives

Encourage the children to use building manipulatives today. As they build make comments about how big their structure is, can you build it bigger? Who can build is the biggest one on the table?

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; shows progress in using standard and non-standard measures for length and area of objects.

Outdoor Play

Pretend to be fish swimming in the water. Then do other animals that the children have as pets. Let the children suggest what other animal walks they would like to do.

Approaches to Learning/Initiative & Curiosity; chooses to participate in an increasing variety of tasks and activities. AND Physical Health & Development; participates actively in games, outdoor play, and other forms of exercise to that enhance physical fitness.

Transitions

Make several shapes that you are working on (oval, rectangle, and triangle). Cut out the shapes in three sizes, big, bigger, biggest. As the children move to the next activity ask them to show you a shape and a size. (Kerry, can you find the big triangle, Roger can you find a bigger triangle)?

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; shows progress in using standard and non-standard measures for length and area of objects.

Resources

Out of the Woods, By Rebecca Bond

A forest fire brings animals and people together in an unlikely place. This is a real story of an unforgettable event.

Materials

A bag of thin sticks, 3-8 inches long (use a fallen branch and break into many smaller sticks)
Small disposable drinking cups
A gallon of school glue
An index card for each child with their name written upon it. If you have access to a camera, you can add a picture of the child also.
2 sets of Forest Animal Cards
1 set of other animal cards
I set of jumping bean cards

Vocabulary

Unforgettable Event- something you do not forget, even when you are old.
Hotel-a place where people can stay for a vacation or for a longer time.
Stoking a stove-to put the wood into the stove and make the fires in the stoves before there was electricity.
Boisterous-noisy and over the top, crazy
Dense-thick with lots and lots of trees

Before Reading the Story

Before reading the story, spend a few minutes talking to the children about fire safety. Explain that there are several rules one should always follow if there is a fire. 1. Don’t be scared, be smart. 2. Never hide, get outside and get outside quickly. 3. Sit and wait outside until your parent/an adult tells you it’s all safe. 4. If it’s smoky crawl on your knees. Have the children repeat the rules back to you as you say them. Tell the children that your story today is about a little boy who’s home got caught in a forest fire. Encourage the children to think about the fire safety rules you have just talked about as you read the story.

Physical Health & Development/Health Status & Practices; builds awareness and ability to follow basic health and safety rules such as fire safety, traffic and pedestrian safety, and responding appropriately to potentially harmful objects, substances, and activities.

Reading the Story

When you get to the page where Antonio is looking into a travelers room, ask the children if they think that Antonio should go into the room to explore or not? Why? (“It’s not his room”, “I’m not allowed to be near a gun”, “The man might get mad”, “My big brother would go in the room and see the fishing stuff cause he likes to fish”.) On the page where everyone is standing in the lake, ask the children if they can find the baby, find Antonio and his mother. Ask them if they remember what fire safety rules Antonio and all the people were remembering. (Never hide, get outside and get outside quickly). When you get to the page where the animals come out into the water with the people, ask the children why they think this is happening? (Water puts out forest fires so all are safest in the water). Explain that all the people and animals were remembering rule #1, don’t be scared, be smart.

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

After Reading the Story

Go over the four fire safety rules with the children. Did the people in the story follow any or all of them? Talk to the children about your fire safety plan. Make sure they understand what they are to do when they hear the school fire alarm sound. Talk about the importance of staying as a group and walking out of the building. Use a bell or another sound to make a mock fire drill and practice it with the children.

Physical Health & Safety/Health Status & Practices; builds an awareness and ability to follow basic health and safety rules such as fire safety, traffic and pedestrian safety, and responding appropriately to potentially harmful objects, substances, and activities.

Discovery

Make a copy of the forest animal cards and the other animal’s card. Put out a piece of paper with a line down the middle. On one half write ‘forest animals’, on the other write ‘not forest animals’. Have the children sort the cards accordingly.

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; shows growth in matching, sorting, putting together in a series, and regrouping objects according to one or two attributes such as color, shape, or size.

Music and Movement

Make one copy of the forest animal cards. Cut out and put into a container that the children cannot see inside. As you put them in, have the children name the animal. Add one jumping bean card per three children. Put these into the container also. The children take turns picking out a card and naming the animal. If they pick out a jumping beans card, they shout “Jumping Bean!” and everyone gets up and jumps. Continue until everyone has had or turn or the children grow tired of playing.

Language Development/Listening & Understanding; shows progress in understanding and following simple, and multiple-step directions. AND Social & Emotional Development/Cooperation; develops increasing abilities to give and take in interactions; to take turns in games or using materials; and to interact without being overly submissive or directive.

Blocks

If you have fire trucks add them to the center today. Encourage the children to build a firehouse that the trucks can go inside of.

Mathematics/Geometry & Spatial Sense; begins to be able to determine whether or not two shapes are the same size and shape.

Art

Pour school glue, an inch or two into the disposable cups. Let the children add sticks into the cup and leave it until it dries. This will take several days. After it is dry, show the children how to take a paintbrush, dip it into a color of paint, and allow it to drip over the sticks. When they are dry, group the cups together for a 3d modern art forest sculpture. Ask the children if they think it looks like a forest, why or why not?

Creative Arts/Art; begins to understand and share opinions about artistic products and experiences.

Library and Writing

Put out cards with the words EXIT and 911 on them for the children to practice copying. Talk to the children as they write about the importance of these two ‘words’. EXIT, find the exit and explain that in an emergency to look for the EXIT sign to get out of a building quickly. 911 are the numbers you call in case of an emergency. Talk about what is an emergency and whom one would ask for when they call 911.

Literacy/Early Writing; progresses from using scribbles, shapes, and pictures to represent ideas, to using letter-like symbols, to copying or writing familiar words such as their name.

Sand and Water

Fill the table with a very small amount of water. Add rubber style animals and people that you might have. Encourage the children to stand an animal next to a person. Can they name all the animals in the water? Can they tell you anything about what happened in the story that put the animals and people in the water or what happened after the fire went out?

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.

Dramatic Play

Add any play tools that you might have so the children can help maintain the center and fix the broken chair or door to the stove. As they play, ask them to name the different tools, do they know what they are used for?

Social & Emotional Development/Knowledge of Families & Communities; develops a growing awareness of jobs and what is required to perform them.

Math and Manipulatives

Lay several of the name index cards on the table saying and pointing out whose name is on each card. Ask a child to pick a card from the pile. Can they name the name on the card? Ask them to put it onto the table with the others ones but in a specific location. (Can you put Ryan’s card under the card that says Paula, can you put Alison’s card next to the card that says Sean?). Continue, naming the cards and putting them in positional places on the table with the other cards (under, over, next to, beside, on top, underneath).

Mathematics/Geometry & Spatial Sense; builds increasing understanding of directionality, order, and positions of objects, and words such as up, down, over, under, top, bottom, inside, outside, in front, behind. AND Literacy/Alphabet Knowledge; Knows the letters of the alphabet are a special category of visual graphics that can be individually named.

Outdoor Play

As you prepare to go outside, remind the children that in the story Antonio loved to look for signs of animals when he went outside. Challenge the children to look for sign so of animals on your playground. Encourage them to look carefully at the ground for signs of insects or, squirrels, birds, or any other creature that you are lucky enough to find.

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

Transitions

Ask the children if they can remember the 4 rules of fire safety? Help them if they cannot. Number four is, “If it’s smokey, crawl on your knees”. Have the children crawl to the next activity.

Dear parent, today we read a story about a forest fire and how all the animals and people stayed safe. There is a good link for talking to your child about forest fire safety. Check out the web site; www.smokeybear.com.