Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Feet and fitness, Unit III: Self Awareness and Control, Joy of the Body

Walls of Jericho being built
After marching seven quick times, the trumpets blow and Jericho crashes down!
Physical activities that can keep you healthy and happy!
UNIT III: Self Awareness and Control
God has given me a beautiful body I can understand, control and take care of
Joy: Joy of Body—Feet and fitness
Materials: Bible story about Joshua, blocks, makeshift trumpets, books about fitness, fairy-tales involving running, walking, soccer ball and a few to play soccer with
Song: I have two happy little feet, CSB pg 270
Memorizing: Chorus to "I'll go where you want me to go dear Lord, hymn 270: “I’ll go where you want me to go dear Lord, over mountain, or plain or sea, I’ll say what you want me to say dear Lord, I’ll be what you want me to be!”
Scripture Story: Read a children’s bible story about Joshua and how he commands the people to follow the Lord’s instructions of marching with their feet, seven times around the city, and then blowing their horns.
Activity: Build a city with blocks. March around it seven times, and then use make shift horns (ie. A funnel from the kitchen) and blow your horns. The children will enjoy the city of Jericho crashing down.
Reviewing: “And he took [the children] in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them” Mark 10: 15-16
Memorizing Songs: “Tell me the stories of Jesus” CBS pg 57, “We bow our heads” CSB, pg 25 cd 1: 25;“For Health and Strength and Daily Bread” CSB, pg 21a, cd 1:18; “A Smile is like the Sunshine” pg 267b cd 5:39, “I have two little hands” CSB pg 272, cd 5:44
Letter Sound:
F feet
Literature:
~Read any books about fitness
~Read fairy tales that involve feet as part of the adventure, this would include many, such as “Jack and the Bean-stalk” “The pancake” etc.
Science:
~ Print out the food pyramid on-line for kids, and cut out the little people doing action activities. Glue them on a poster.
Drama/Action/Pretend:
Gather a few children and play a game of soccer, emphasize the joy of using your feet.
Additional devotional/ Family Night lesson:
Missionary Work: Talk about the Armor of God as is explained in Doctrine and Covenants and explain that our feet are shod with the gospel of peace. Play the Armor game. (A game given to me where you have a cut out child for each child. There is a piece of armor for each body part, 1-helmet of salvation, 2-breast plate of righteousness, 3-loins gird about with truth, feet shod with the gospel of peace, 4-sword of the spirit and the 5-shield of faith.) Roll a dice. They have to roll a one and put the helmet on, then they must get a 2 next, etc. Discuss sharing the gospel as what it means to have your feet shod with the gospel of peace. Note how missionaries do a lot of walking as they spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Discuss how we as a family can teach others about Jesus as missionaries. Challenge the family to bring up a gospel conversation with their friends.

video

SEE myjoyfulpreschool.hazubu.com for newer entries

Feet, obedience and faith, Unit III: Self Awareness and Control

Nephi catches a wild beast, after praying to God for help in finding food.
Lehi's family journeys into the wilderness, onboard their noble camels
The food is being prepared and thanked for in prayer.
UNIT III: Self Awareness and Control
God has given me a beautiful body I can understand, control and take care of
Joy: Joy of Body—Feet: obedience and faith
Materials: Hymn book, Book of Mormon reader, Blankets, laundry baskets, pans, fake food, and other kid found provisions to take into the wilderness as Lehi’s family, three or four small containers to take on a nature walk, fun music to dance to or a trampoline or other activity to do with feet
Song: I’ll go where you want me to go dear Lord Hymn book pg 270
Memorizing: Chorus to previous song: “I’ll go where you want me to go dear Lord, over mountain, or plain or sea, I’ll say what you want me to say dear Lord, I’ll be what you want me to be!”
Scripture Story: Tell the story of how God commanded Lehi and his family to leave Jerusalem, say good bye to their precious things, and camp in the wilderness, in order to make it to the promised land.
Activity: Pretend to be Nephi’s family, using their feet to obey the Lord. Use blankets, and all sorts of house hold items to go into the wilderness and camp. Rawl enjoyed catching some food with his bow, and Milly enjoyed cooking the food.
Reviewing: “And he took [the children] in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them” Mark 10: 15-16
Memorizing Songs: “Tell me the stories of Jesus” CBS pg 57, “We bow our heads” CSB, pg 25 cd 1: 25;“For Health and Strength and Daily Bread” CSB, pg 21a, cd 1:18; “A Smile is like the Sunshine” pg 267b cd 5:39, “I have two little hands” CSB pg 272, cd 5:44
Letter Sound:
F feet
Literature:
Read Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. Discuss how the rabbit was putting his life in a dangerous position, and had many consequences happen as a result of disobeying his mother. Discuss how the other bunnies were obedient with their feet, and what blessings they enjoyed.
Science:
~Discuss how happy exercising makes us feel. Tell the children that they exercise by playing. Discuss those ways that they play that is healthy for them, such as nature walks, riding their bikes, jumping on trampolines, dancing to music. Put some fun music on and dance, or go and jump on a trampoline together.
Math: Use your feet to go on a walk, and bring four cups or containers. Let the children find leaves to put into one cup, rocks into another, sticks into a third, etc. If the child can think of different categories, then let them.
Field Trip: Use your feet to take you on a walk.
Additional devotional/ Family Night lesson:
Obedience and Faith: Objective: When we obey our parents, we learn how to obey our Heavenly Father. Blindfold the children and lead them through an obstacle course. (We climbed up a step stool and onto a weight set, ducked under the bar, and walked across the bench. Child jumped into parent’s arms.) Discuss the trust this took to obey as our parents led us to safety and love. Emphasize that we Heavenly Father gives us parents, and we learn to trust and obey them, so we can learn to trust and obey our Father in Heaven.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Eyes, Unit III: Self Awareness and Control--Joy of the Body



Materials: Nursery Manual, Scriptures, Books about eye safety and blindness, blindfolds, blankets, sunshades
Song: Two Little Eyes CSB pg 268, cd 5:39
Memorizing: Moses 1:2 And he saw God face to face, and he talked with him, and the glory of God was upon Moses; (therefore Moses could endure his presence.)
Scripture Story: Primary 1 ch.18 “I am thankful to Heavenly Father for my eyes” pg 61. You can extend this by adding application, show a picture of Christ’s second coming, and tell the children the best thing we will ever get to see in our lives is Jesus returning to Earth to love us. Tell them this may happen in our lives, or it will happen at the end of our lives when we return to heaven. Sing “I wonder when he comes again”
Primary 1, chapter 18, “Our eyes are a blessing to us” pg 61, start with Paragraph, Explain that some people’s eyes do not work very well”…and go through section, including John 9:1-7, Jesus healing the blind
Reviewing: "No matter if you’re quicker, or slower than the rest, the main thing when you’re working, is to do your very best!”
"this life…(is)…a time to prepare to meet God." Alma 12:24, “And he took [the children] in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them” Mark 10: 15-16
Memorizing Songs: “Tell me the stories of Jesus” CBS pg 57, “We bow our heads” CSB, pg 25 cd 1: 25 ;“For Health and Strength and Daily Bread” CSB, pg 21a, cd 1:18; “A Smile is like the Sunshine” pg 267b cd 5:39, “I have two little hands” CSB pg 272, cd 5:44
Letter Sound:
B Blindness

SCHEDULE:
Literature:

~Read any books about eye safety
~Read books about blindness and brail
History: Using a blind fold, tell the children that they will only have to wear these for five minutes, to be able to feel what it would be like to not have our wonderful eyes to see with. My son cooperated well, but my daughter freaked out. (Perhaps if you talk about it more on what to expect before the activity, it would work better, like, “We are going to feel what its like to be blind. It will feel a little sad and frustrating. But blind people use their other senses much more, because they can’t use their eyes. Listen carefully to what you hear, notice the feeling of the magical wind and the happy warm sunshine, and lucky for you, we will only keep the blind fold on for a little tiny time of 2 minutes and I am watching my watch,” etc.) When we took off our blindfold, we pretended when we could ‘see’ for the first time, that Christ was healing us! (Even though the kids were peaking out of their blindfolds the whole time.) When I took off Milly’s blindfold, I said, “What do you see?” Milly said loudly, I see a naked man! (A jogger with out a shirt.) The appreciation and splendor of having eyes didn’t seem to come out at all, but what do you do? Keep trying!
Science: ~Put on sunshades for play, and talk about safety in not looking at the sun for avoiding eye damage.
~ Snuggle under blankets together and discuss why it is so important and healthy to sleep.
~Teach how blind people read by feeling bumps with their fingers. This is called brail.
Math:
Play with shaped blocks again, but this time blindfold the child and see if they can guess the shape by just feeling it.
Drama/Action/Pretend:
Field Trip: Go to a favorite place, and really emphasize all that child can see with their eyes. Riley took my children to the animal farm, and Hazel, my one year old, was the sweetest of all delighting to pet the animals, and giggling.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Eyes, Unit III: Self Awareness and Control--Joy of the Body







UNIT III: Self Awareness and Control
God has given me a beautiful body I can understand, control and take care of
Joy: Joy of Body—Eyes
~If your child is blind, teach them how Heavenly Father helped all their senses to be hightened and that there are feelings they will always appreciate more than someone born with eyes that work. Let them know one day Christ will fix their eyes.

Materials: Primary 1 picture 1-44 Christ with Nephites, picture of Second Coming of Christ, books about the eye, see materials below under science in making an eyeball model, paper, marker, crayons
DEVOTIONAL:
Song: “I wonder when he comes again” CBS, pg 21 cd 2:26
Memorizing:
Scripture Story: Primary 1 ch.19 “I am thankful to Heavenly Father for my eyes” pg 61. You can extend this by adding application, show a picture of Christ’s second coming, and tell the children the best thing we will ever get to see in our lives is Jesus returning to Earth to love us. Tell them this may happen in our lives, or it will happen at the end of our lives when we return to heaven.
Reviewing: "No matter if you’re quicker, or slower than the rest, the main thing when you’re working, is to do your very best!”
"this life…(is)…a time to prepare to meet God." Alma 12:24,
“And he took [the children] in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them” Mark 10: 15-16
Memorizing Songs: “Tell me the stories of Jesus” CBS pg 57, “We bow our heads” CSB, pg 25 cd 1: 25 ;“For Health and Strength and Daily Bread” CSB, pg 21a, cd 1:18; “A Smile is like the Sunshine” pg 267b cd 5:39, “I have two little hands” CSB pg 272, cd 5:44
Letter Sound:
S See
E Eye
SCHEDULE:
Literature:

  • Read books about eyes and seeing
  • Suggestions: LOOK A Book About Sight by Dana Meachen Rau (Great simple illustrations that explains how an eye works, with a nice eye model drawing)
  • Exploring our Senses Seeing by Henry Pluckrose
  • “Someone Sees You” from The Treasury of Virtues by William J. Bennett (Dishonest man is taught by his daughter that God is always watching)
  • Journal in child’s journal why they are thankful for their eyes, what their favorite things to see are, and even how they eye works
History:Using a blind fold, tell the children that they will only have to wear these for five minutes, to be able to feel what it would be like to not have our wonderful eyes to see with. My son cooperated well, but my daughter freaked out. (Perhaps if you talk about it more on what to expect before the activity, it would work better, like, “We are going to feel what its like to be blind. It will feel a little sad and frustrating. But blind people use their other senses much more, because they can’t use their eyes. Listen carefully to what you hear, notice the feeling of the magical wind and the happy warm sunshine, and lucky for you, we will only keep the blind fold on for a little tiny time of 2 minutes and I am watching my watch,” etc.) When we took off our blindfold, we pretended when we could ‘see’ for the first time, that Christ was healing us! (Even though the kids were peaking out of their blindfolds the whole time.) When I took off Milly’s blindfold, I said, “What do you see?” Milly said loudly, I see a naked man! (A jogger with out a shirt.) The appreciation and splendor of having eyes didn’t seem to come out at all, but what do you do? Keep trying!
Science:
~Explain how smart Heavenly Father was when he gave us eyes. He knew dirt and dust could blow into our eyes, so he gave us eyebrows and eyelashes, to guard our eyes from these. Eyebrows also catch sweat from dripping into our eyes. He didn’t want our eyes to dry out from the wind, so he made our eyes moist and wet to keep them from drying out. Tears come out to help wash out foreign objects from our eyes.
~Go on a nature walk, and notice all the wonderful things that you see. Children noticed a rainbow in a sprinkler, a horse, a fuzzy black caterpillar, big sticks to play with. Emphasize that Heavenly Father wants us to see and notice all these beautiful things to bring us happiness.
~Make an eyeball model out of salt dough.
Materials: Salt dough, paint of your color choice for iris, red, yellow and black paint, plastic from a bottle or clear table cloth cut into a small disc, paint brush

1) Make a ball out of salt dough to your preferred size.

2) Cut a piece of pliable plastic into a circular shape to represent the lens. [such as a table cloth covering plastic which you can have pieces cut of this at a fabric store, or cut a small circle out of a bottle top]

3) Glue this on the center of the ball with some glue.

4) Put a thin layering of more salt dough over the lens. (The lens won’t actually show in your model, but the children will remember it is behind the iris and pupil.)

5) Make a hole in the center, of this thin covering. This will later be the pupil.

6) Let your salt dough dry.

7) When it is dry, paint on the iris over the area where your lens is. Paint a black pupil, where there is a hole indentation in the clay.

8) At the back of the eye, paint a red circle for the retina. When that dries, you can paint on yellow cones and rods cells, squiggly lines.

9) At the very back of the eye, connected to the retina, tape on a red piece of yarn to symbolize the nerve.

10) Fold a cardstock paper in half, and dictate child’s explanation of the eye model, and how the eye works.

Math: Play with shaped blocks.
Play with shaped blocks again, but this time blindfold the child and see if they can guess the shape by just feeling it.
Art: Sing “Popcorn Popping” CSB pg 242 cd 5:13 Go look out window, discuss all you see, Draw a simple window. Have children draw what they see in their windows! Express how thankful we are to Heavenly Father for our eyes. (See Primary 1, chap 19, pg 62, Additional Activity #1)
Idea #2: Make a paper bag, that can open and shut its eyes, Primary 2, chap 19 pg62, bottom of the page.
Drama/Action/Pretend:
~Primary 1, ch.19 pg 62, Additional Activity #3, hunt for an object that is hidden, using your eyes.
~Play with a kaleidoscope, and enjoy our eyes being able to see so many shapes and colors.
Field Trip:
~Go to a beautiful garden, or green house, notice each plant and its design and intricate beauty. (We went to Thanksgiving point’s gardens!)

Friday, August 29, 2008

Some Ears do not work, UNIT III Self Awareness and Control: Joy of the Body


~If your child is deaf, or hearing impaired, teach them how Heavenly Father helped all their senses to be hightened and that there are feelings they will always appreciate more than someone born with hearing, or full hearing. Let them know one day Christ will heal their ears.
UNIT III: Self Awareness and Control
God has given me a beautiful body I can understand, control and take care of
Joy: Joy of Body— Some Ears do not work
Materials: Primary 1 Manual and Scriptures, Primary 1 picture 1-48, Child with a Hearing Aid, Picture of Christ Healing the Blind, Hearing books that describe deafness, Ear plugs
DEVOTIONAL:
Song: “Thanks to our Father” CSB pg 20, cd 1:17
Memorizing: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” John 10:27
Scripture Story: Primary 1 Man. Ch 18, pg 57 “Our ears are a blessing to us”
Start with paragraph, “Explain that for various reasons, some people’s ears do not work..” and go through rest of section, making the I love you sign and telling the story of the deaf man in who was healed by Christ in Mark 7:32-35, emphasizing how blessed your child is to hear.
Reviewing: "No matter if you’re quicker, or slower than the rest, the main thing when you’re working, is to do your very best!”
"this life…(is)…a time to prepare to meet God." Alma 12:24, “And he took [the children] in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them” Mark 10: 15-16
Memorizing Songs: “Tell me the stories of Jesus” CBS pg 57, “We bow our heads” CSB, pg 25 cd 1: 25 ;“For Health and Strength and Daily Bread” CSB, pg 21a, cd 1:18; “A Smile is like the Sunshine” pg 267b cd 5:39, “I have two little hands” CSB pg 272, cd 5:44
Letter Sound:
D Deaf
SCHEDULE:
Literature:
~Read Ear books that describe deafness
~Discuss with children people they know whom are deaf, or hearing impaired. Discuss what your child can do to communicate with them, such as smile a lot, learn some signs, or talk extra loudly
Science:
~Have children watch and even try to copy signers as they sing or talk.
~Singing I love you
Drama/Action/Pretend:
~Go on a mini-walk and take ear plugs. Explain that for just five minutes, your child is going to taste what it might feel like not to be able to hear. Discuss their feelings, (frustration, sadness etc) and explain that they can now understand just a little bit better, some of the feelings that people with deafness experience at times.

Keeping our Ears Safe, UNIT III Self Awareness and Control--Joy of Body


~If your child is deaf, or hearing impaired, teach them how Heavenly Father helped all their senses to be hightened and that there are feelings they will always appreciate more than someone born with hearing, or full hearing. Let them know one day Christ will heal their ears.
UNIT III: Self Awareness and Control
God has given me a beautiful body I can understand, control and take care of
Joy: Joy of Body—Keeping our Ears Safe
Materials: Peaceful music chosen by you for Scripture Story, books about Ears that include how to protect your ears from loud noises, Books on cd or tape fun for your child to listen to, fun music to listen to, make shift or home-made instruments, (see Math)

DEVOTIONAL:
Song: “Thanks to our Father” CSB pg 20, cd 1:17
Memorizing: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” John 10:27
Scripture Story:
1~Nurs. Man. Ch 18, pg 57, “Our ears are a blessing to us” Start with paragraph, “Ask the children to carefully feel their ears”, and go through section. After it says “Explain that we should protect our ears from loud noises…” ALSO explain Loud and bad music that will hurt their spirits and their ears. Explain that bad music is any music that makes them feel angry inside, or gives them an icky feeling.
2~Go into some detail about bad music, and tell them that if a song makes them feel icky, to go and turn it off, or to ask someone to turn it off. (MY son is very responsive to music. You would think this concept would be to big for one so young, but he understood very well, and now I can go back to this lesson when he needs it in life, especially teaching him to go to good music when he’s feeling upset.)
3~Listen to some peaceful lovely music together, and ask the children how they feel. Testify that good music was given to us from Heavenly Father to gladden our hearts and cheer us up.
Activity: Role-play obeying. Children and parent take turns being the parent and the child. The parent calls out a command such as “Stop! Don’t go into the street!” and the ‘child’ obeys. Discuss each scenario.
Reviewing: "No matter if you’re quicker, or slower than the rest, the main thing when you’re working, is to do your very best!”
"this life…(is)…a time to prepare to meet God." Alma 12:24, “And he took [the children] in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them” Mark 10: 15-16
Memorizing Songs: “Tell me the stories of Jesus” CBS pg 57, “We bow our heads” CSB, pg 25 cd 1: 25 ;“For Health and Strength and Daily Bread” CSB, pg 21a, cd 1:18; “A Smile is like the Sunshine” pg 267b cd 5:39, “I have two little hands” CSB pg 272, cd 5:44
Letter Sound:
H hearing
S Safety
SCHEDULE:
Literature:
o Read some books about Ears that include “SAFETY” and how to protect your ears from loud sounds
o Have children dialogue keeping their ears safe and dictate their words in your ear book, sections “Sound that are dangerous for our ears”, “How to keep our ears safe (spiritually, and physically)”
o Check out some books on tape and have children listen to the stories, emphasizing how good it is for their mind to listen to the stories with their ears.
Science:
~Go on a nature hike and listen for sounds. If you have a tape recorder, bring it and record some sounds. Come back home, and listen, guessing the sounds recorded, and discuss their favorite sounds, what sounds brought them joy and peace listening to, or what sounds that maybe they didn’t like (crying, whining, complaining, or loud construction, for example.) [OR see Primary 1 pg 59 Enrichment Activity #4 where you make the recording yourself and bring it to listen to together.]
Math:
~Have children create some of their own music from simple make-do instruments, such as a sterilized comb to rub against teeth, or use home made instruments. Have a little concert.
~Listen to some tapes or cds that have happy music, or have lyrics about listening and using your ears such as Janine Brady’s “Watch me Sing” with the song “Little Echo voice”
Drama/Action/Pretend:
~Listen to the cd that accompanies Primary 1 Manual, there are many fun listening activities, such as Going to the Zoo, Walking through a forest, do these with the child and have fun!

About our Ears, Unit III Self Awareness and Control: Joy of Body





UNIT III: Self Awareness and Control
God has given me a beautiful body I can understand, control and take care of
Joy: Joy of Body—About our Ears
Materials: Nursery Manual, CSB cd 1, Scriptures, Materials to make a little Ear book, books about the ear, cd of sounds that accompanies Primary 1 Manual, decide if you want to make your own tape of sounds, or have children go on a walk and make their own tapes
Devotional:
Song: “Quickly I’ll obey” CSB pg 197b, cd 4:23
“Thanks to our Father” CSB pg 20, cd 1:17
Memorizing: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” John 10:27
Scripture Story:
1~Read Proverbs 1:8 “HEAR the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.” Discuss the meaning, repeat a few times if necessary.
2~Sing “Quickly I’ll obey” CSB pg 197, cd 4:23
3~Ask ~Why does obeying keep you safe?
4~Play the “What if” game about children not obeying certain scenarios, and discuss what would happen.
Testify of the safety and importance of using your ears to obey. Later in the day, have child re-call Important sounds to listen to (obeying) and dictate their words into writing for Ear book described in “Literature” section “Important sounds to Listen to”
Extension: At another appropriate time, tell children that listening to Mom and Dad will help them become ready to obey Heavenly Father and his messages from the Holy Ghost.
Reviewing: "No matter if you’re quicker, or slower than the rest, the main thing when you’re working, is to do your very best!”
"this life…(is)…a time to prepare to meet God." Alma 12:24, “And he took [the children] in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them” Mark 10: 15-16
Memorizing Songs: “Tell me the stories of Jesus” CBS pg 57, “We bow our heads” CSB, pg 25 cd 1: 25 ;“For Health and Strength and Daily Bread” CSB, pg 21a, cd 1:18; “A Smile is like the Sunshine” pg 267b cd 5:39, “I have two little hands” CSB pg 272, cd 5:44
Nursery Rhyme Stories: The first little tale is extremely fun to read, about animals that obery their mother. The second is a classic, about the consequences of animals who wouldn't 'obey' and help! Over in the Meadow by Olive A. Wadsworth and The Little Red Hen
Letter Sound:
E Ears
SCHEDULE:
Literature:

~Check out books about Ears to read to the children. When you are finished reading a few, have child “Tell you about the Ear” and record this into “About the Ear" section of your Ear book.
~~Make an ‘ear book’ about including sections such as “About the ear”, “Sounds we love”, “Important sounds to listen to”, “Sound that are dangerous for our ears”, “How to keep our ears safe (spiritually, and physically)”
Science:
~Go on a nature hike and listen for sounds. If you have a tape recorder, bring it and record some sounds. Come back home, and listen, guessing the sounds recorded, and discuss their favorite sounds, what sounds brought them joy and peace listening to, or what sounds that maybe they didn’t like (crying, whining, complaining, or loud construction, for example.) [OR see Primary 1 pg 59 Enrichment Activity #4 where you make the recording yourself and bring it to listen to together.]
~1) See sound travel. Cover a formula can with plastic wrap and secure with elastic. Sprinkle salt on top. Pound a drum over the top of it. Watch the salt dance when the plastic (representing your ear drum) catches the sound. (See momspreschool.blogspot.com)
Math:
~Have children create some of their own music from simple make-do instruments, such as a sterilized comb to rub against teeth, or use home made instruments. Have a little concert.
~Listen to some tapes or cds that have happy music, or have lyrics about listening and using your ears such as Janine Brady’s “Watch me Sing” with the song “Little Echo voice”
Drama/Action/Pretend:
~Listen to the cd that accompanies Primary 1 Manual, there are many fun listening activities, such as Going to the Zoo, Walking through a forest, do these with the child and have fun!