Tag Archives: Self Control

Llama Llama Red Pajama, by Anna Dewdney

Baby Llama is waiting for Mama but Mama does not come right away. Baby Llama has a melt down until Mama comes and makes things right.

Materials

  • Several boxes/blankets to be used as beds for wither the children or the dolls in the dramatic center.
  • Many 2-inch squares of paper to be used to make a quilt design. I have used old wrapping paper as well as colored construction paper to make squares.
  • Several flashlights, 1 for each number of children allowed in center

Vocabulary

  • Fret (to worry or become upset)
  • Whimper (to whine or moan)
  • Moan (to groan or sigh)
  • Tizzy (to become panicked or really upset)

Introducing the Story

Hold up the cover of the book and ask the children to look at Llama’s face, how do you think he is feeling? I have gotten answers from sad to scared. Read the title of the book to the children. Ask why they think Llama is feeling this way (he does not like the dark, he does not want to go to bed, he wants to watch TV). Steer the conversation around bedtime rituals. Tell the children. “Let’s find out what is going on with Llama” and introduce the book.

Language Development/Speaking & Communicating; develops increasing abilities to understand and use language to communicate information, experiences, ideas, feelings, opinions, needs, questions; and for other varied purposes. Social & Emotional Development/Self-Control; show progress in expressing feelings, needs, and opinions in difficult situations and conflicts without harming themselves, others, or property.

Reading the Story

On the page where Llama and Mama are reading a story, ask the children if they think Llama likes this time of day (note Llama’s facial expression). Ask the children how many of their families read to them at night? When you get to the page where Llama starts to stomp and pout, ask the children what they think is happening (Llama is having a temper tantrum). Read the next 2 pages and stop after the sentence, “Mama Llama run, run, run”. Ask the children if they think this is a good way to get what they want, why/why not? Turn the page where it shows Mama coming into the room. Ask the children to look at Mama’s face, how do you think she is feeling? If they cannot place the emotion, tell them that Mama is afraid/scared.   Why? (She is scared that her baby is sick, she thinks baby fell off the bed and got hurt, there is a robber in the house).   On the page when Mama is in the room, (Baby Llama what a tizzy) again stop and look at the Llama’s faces. How do you think Mama and Llama are feeling?

Literacy/Book Knowledge & Appreciation; shows growing interest and involvement in listening to and discussing a variety of fiction and non-fiction, and poetry. AND Language Development/Speaking & Communicating; develops increasing abilities to understand and use language to communicate information, experiences, ideas, feelings, opinions, needs, questions; and for other varied purposes.

After Reading the Story

Ask the children if they ever feel sad or angry when it is time to go to bed?Tell them that getting good night’s sleep is important because that’s when our brains grow to help make us smarter. Explain to them that their parents need adult time to do things that they cannot do when they are at work (laundry, pay bills, relax, time to talk to their friends). Remind them that they have time to do this during the day at school but their parents have to wait until they get home.

Social & Emotional Development/Knowledge of Families & Communities; progresses in understanding similarities and respecting differences among people such as genders, race, special needs, culture, language, and family structures.

Music and Movement

Sing, If You’re Happy and You Know It. Sing and make movements for different emotions as you sing; happy, sad, frustrated, angry, excited, and loving.

Social & Emotional Development/Self-Control; show progress in expressing feelings, needs, and opinions

Do the fingerplay, 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.

Mathematics/Number & Operation; begins to associate number concepts, vocabulary, quantities, and written numerals in a meaningful way.

If you have a tumble mat or large pillow, put it on the floor and have the children make a large circle around it. The pillow is going to be used for different kinds of large movements so make sure the children are seated far enough away not to be kicked. Let the children take turns trying to do a forward somersault roll. Older children may like to try a backward somersault roll however this is much more difficult. For children new to forward rolling, tell them to put their hands beside their feet, bend their knees, and look at their belly button so your head is tucked in tight. Challenge the children to do a log roll. Lay on the floor with your hands above your head and roll your body to the side making you roll from back to front to back again.

Physical Health & Development/Gross Motor Skills; shows increasing levels of proficiency, control , and balance in walking, climbing, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, marching, and galloping.

Discovery

Find a way to slightly darken your science center today and put out flashlights for the children to experiment with. Put out a variety of materials and ask the children to see which ones the light will shine through. Suggestions of things in your room that might provide the light to shine through; an article of doll clothing, a scarf, construction paper, paper plate, nap time blanket, easel paper, or a crystal. Include items that the light cannot pass through also.

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

Challenge the children to make beds, either for themselves or stuffed animals in your room. Is the bed long enough? How many blocks long does the bed need to be for the stuffed rabbit? How many blocks long does the bed need to be for the child?

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

Art

Use the many 2-inch squares of colored paper that you have and a sheet of paper to make quilts. Open up the book, Llama, Llama Red Pajama, and show the children the quilt design. Tell the children that they are going to make their own quilts today by gluing the 2-inch squares to the sheet of paper. As the children work, you can talk about the colors they are using and papers that may have design. For older children you can challenge them to make a pattern using the squares ABAB or ABBABBA, etc.

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

Sand and Water

In the water table today, put out small pitchers and cups so the children can practice pouring. Remind them that in the story Llama thought he wanted a drink. If you are using disposable cups, mark lines on them at various heights so the children can practice filling a cup full, half full, and just a little bit full/quarter full.

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

Library and Writing

Youtube has a reading of this story by author Anna Dewdney

Literacy/Book Knowledge & Appreciation; shows growing interest in reading related activities, such as having a favorite book read: choosing to look at books; drawing pictures based on stories; asking to take a book home; going to the library; and engaging in pretend reading with other children.

Dramatic Play

Nighttime rituals. Bring in several boxes or blankets the children can use for beds. Encourage the children to be the parent and read to their dolls or stuffed animals. If you have doll clothes, encourage the children to dress the dolls in their pajamas.

Literacy/Book Knowledge & Appreciation; shows growing interest in reading related activities, such as having a favorite book read: choosing to look at books; drawing pictures based on stories; asking to take a book home; going to the library; and engaging in pretend reading with other children. AND Physical Health & Development/Fine Motor Skills; grows in hand-eye coordination in building with blocks, putting together puzzles, reproducing shapes and patterns, stringing beads, and using scissors.

Math and Manipulatives

Put out any activity that you have that has pattern play today. My children enjoy matching the numbers on the dominos.

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

Outdoor Play

Have the children gather round and tell them you want to have a classroom tantrum or fret. Ask the children if they can remember some of the things that Llama did? Act out the children’s recall and suggestions. In the story Llama boo-hooed, stomped, pouted, jumped, and shouted. But let the children run and scream or whatever else they might suggest that will not hurt each other (NO HITTING). The idea is to be very noisy and let off steam. When you are ready to end your classroom fret, holler ” Llama’s Stop!” and call all the children back to you. Give them all a kiss or a hug and send them on their way to play.

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.

Transitions

Tell the children that today’s story was full of rhyming words. Give the example; pajama-mama. Ask them if they can tell you what a rhyming word is (rhyming words sound the same). As you dismiss the children to the next activity, say a word and see if they can make a rhyming word to go along with it. Use some of the sounds in the story; /air/ink/oon/un/ as well as those that are not; /at/ow/in/un/.

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

Dear Parents- Today we read a story about a llama who did not want to go to bed.  Talk to your child about the importance of getting a good night’s sleep, it helps our brains to grow and our bodies to rejuvenate.  Try setting up a bedtime ritual to help prepare your child for sleep.  (After you brush your teeth I will read you one story and then we will turn the light off and you need to rest).  Your child might fight you on this but being consistent will help with any routine that you are trying to enforce.

When Sophie Gets Angry- Really, Really Angry, Molly Bang

Sometimes we all get really, really angry. This book shows how one person defuses with all those angry feelings in a positive way.

Materials

  • Blank head with ‘I get angry when ____’
  • Vinegar
  • Baking soda

Vocabulary

  • Smithereens (lots of little pieces)
  • Angry (when you feel really mad inside)
  • Explode (to get really, really angry)
  • Volcano (a mountain that spits out the earth’s innards)

Introducing the Story

Ask the children how you can tell if someone is angry? Ask them to show you what angry looks like. Help the children to notice anger does not only show in the face but the whole body. Tell them that you are going to act out some emotions and see if the children can guess from your body language and facial expression. Let the children try mimicking you.

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.  

Reading the Story

Tell the children that the story today is about a girl named Sophie. Hold up the cover of the book. How do you think Sophie is feeling? What are some things that make you feel this way? Introduce the book. 

Social & Emotional Development/Self-Concept; begins to develop and express awareness of self in terms of specific abilities, characteristics, and preferences.  AND Language Development/Speaking & Communicating; develops increasing abilities to understand and use language to communicate information, experiences, ideas, feelings, opinions, needs, questions; and for varies other purposes.

After Reading the Story

Talk with the children about what to do when they become angry with a friend at school? (We count to 3. Say give it back, we can tell the teacher, I say you are not my friend anymore). It’s ok to feel angry but it’s not ok to hurt people. What is your classroom protocol? (i.e.; Stop, count to 10. Say what is wrong. Tell what you want).   Talk with the children about how you would like to see them handle problems. Have the children help act out how your classroom would ideally handle problems.

Social & Emotional Development/Self-Control; shows progress in expressing feelings, needs, and opinions in difficult situations and conflicts without harming themselves, others, or property.

Music and Movement

Sing; If You Are Happy and You Know It. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13wd8KvOt58 Make up verses that sing about different emotions. Encourage the children to make the facial expressions accordingly. (If you’re angry and you know it stomp your fist, If you’re sad and you know it wipe your tears).

Language Development/Speaking & Communicating; develops increasing abilities to understand and use language to communicate information, experiences, ideas, feelings, opinions, needs, questions; and for varies other purposes.

Play Bruno Mars Happy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOWDb2TBYDg song and dance!

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

Give the children cues on how to move. If they can think of no movements, demonstrate for them to follow. Suggest that they move like; they are really, really angry, move like you are scared of something, move like you are so excited because you just got a present you always wanted, move like you are sleepy and can hardly stay awake.

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

Discovery

Make a volcano. As you are making your volcano, ask the children if they can remember what happened to Sophie when she exploded.  Ask them if they can guess, hypothesis, what will happen when you mix the volcano ingredients in the soda bottle.  Take the children out on the playground and have them help you big a giant sand mountain. Put a soda bottle into the center of the volcano with the top exposed. Fill the soda bottle up ¾ with warm water. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Fill the rest of the bottle with vinegar. Step back and count down for the eruption!

Science/Scientific Knowledge; shows increased awareness and beginning understanding of changes in materials and cause-effect relationships.

Blocks

Today would be a good day to allow the children to build with blocks and then knock them down.  If you have foam or cardboard blocks, encourage the children to build as tall as they like and then knock down only their structure.  If you have only wooden blocks, you will need to set up very specific ground rules such as you can build no higher than your waist and must take turns knocking the structure down when your friends are cleared from being hit by falling blocks.

Social & Emotional Development/Self-Control; demonstrates increasing capacity to follow rules and routines and use materials purposefully, safely, and respectfully.  AND Health & Physical Development/Fine Motor Skills; grows in eye-hand coordination in building with blocks, putting together puzzles, reproducing patterns and shapes, stringing beads, and using scissors.

Art

Make trees. Cut out tree trunks and let the children glue them to a sheet of paper. Put out strips of colored paper ½ inch wide by the length of the construction paper. The children can take scissors and snip the strips and then glue the snips to the tree for leaves.

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

Sand and Water

Water play can be very soothing for children. Put out water today and let the children scoop and pour.

Social & Emotional Development/Cooperation; increases abilities to sustain interactions with peers by helping, sharing, and discussion.

Library and Writing

Give each child a paper with a blank head on it. Ask the child to draw what angry looks like. Let the child share ideas of what makes him/her angry and write it underneath their angry face.

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

Dramatic Play

Encourage the children to play house and work together so no one gets their feelings hurt and everyone feels welcomed.

Social & Emotional Development/Social Relationships; Shows progress in developing friendships with peers.  

Math and Manipulaties

Any puzzles that you have that show emotion. As the children put the puzzles together talk about the people’s expressions. Can you tell how they feel? What makes you feel that way? If you do not have puzzles, you can still let the children do puzzles today and you observe their body language as they put the puzzles together. Comment on their emotions. (Ryan, you look frustrated, would you like some help? Alison, you finished that puzzle all by yourself, you must feel proud. Roger, you have done that puzzle three times now, you must be feeling confident).

Approaches to Learning/Engagement & Persistence; grows in abilities to persist in and complete a variety of task, activities, projects, and experiences.

Outdoor Play

Run, run, run, run, and run. Then sit down and relax and enjoy the nature your playground provides.  While they are sitting and cooling down, make an awareness of how their breathing and heartbeat have changed.  Remind them that it is important to work their heart muscle everyday.

Physical Health & Development/Gross Motor Skills; shows increasing levels of proficiency, control, and balance in walking, climbing, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, marching, and galloping.  AND Science/Scientific Knowledge; expands knowledge of and respect for their bodies and the environment.

Transitions

In the story, Sophie lets out a “red, red, roar!”. Let each child let out a red, red roar as they go to the next activity.

Language Development/Listening & Understanding; understands an increasingly complex and varied vocabulary.

Dear Parents, today we read a story about a little girl who gets very angry. We then talked about ways to defuse anger. Ask your child if they can think of ways that they can defuse anger at home. Encourage them to think of multiple solutions. Then ask them which one they would like to try next time they get really, really angry.

Resources