Ready To Learn - Western Reserve Public Media

Transcription

PBS 45 & 49’s
Ready To Learn
Caregiver Guide
www.pbs4549.org
Table of Contents
PBS 45 & 49’s Ready To Learn Service .................................... 3
Diversity ............................................................................... 44
Exercise ................................................................................. 46
Developmental Areas and the PBS 45 & 49 Series That
Address Them ............................................................................ 4
Families ................................................................................. 48
Feelings ................................................................................. 50
PBS 45 & 49 Children’s Programs
Friends .................................................................................. 52
Arthur ..................................................................................... 8
Health ................................................................................... 54
Barney & Friends ................................................................... 9
Music & Movement ............................................................ 56
The Berenstain Bears ........................................................... 10
New Experiences ................................................................. 58
Between the Lions ............................................................... 11
Pets ........................................................................................ 60
Bob the Builder .................................................................... 12
Recycling & the Environment ........................................... 62
Clifford the Big Red Dog .................................................... 13
Safety ..................................................................................... 64
Cyberchase ........................................................................... 14
Self-Esteem ........................................................................... 66
Dragon Tales ........................................................................ 15
Shapes ................................................................................... 68
George Shrinks .................................................................... 16
Special Needs Awareness ................................................... 70
Maya & Miguel .................................................................... 17
Storytelling ........................................................................... 72
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood ........................................... 18
Television / Media Literacy .............................................. 74
Postcards From Buster ........................................................ 19
The Five Senses .................................................................... 76
Reading Rainbow ................................................................ 20
Weather ................................................................................. 78
Sesame Street ....................................................................... 21
Teletubbies ........................................................................... 22
PBS 45 & 49 Curriculum Planning Pages
Planning Page ...................................................................... 83
Where to Write ......................................................................... 23
Curriculum Planning Sheet ............................................... 84
Book List by Theme ............................................................ 85
Online Resources
Activity Index by Curriculum Area ................................. 89
PBS Kids Online .................................................................. 24
PBS Parents .......................................................................... 24
PBS TeacherSource .............................................................. 25
Credits
Instructional Designers and Authors
Reading Rockets .................................................................. 24
Bree Silski, PBS 45 & 49 Ready To Learn
Ready To Learn .................................................................... 25
Laura McFalls, PBS 45 & 49 Ready To Learn Intern
Myra Sholtis, PBS 45 & 49 Educational Services
Curriculum Planning: Program Taping Guide .................... 26
Project Coordinators
PBS 45 & 49 Learning Triangle Activities
The Learning Triangle ........................................................ 28
Bree Silski
Graphic Designer
Paula Kritz
Diane Steinert
Theme Index ........................................................................ 29
ABCs ..................................................................................... 30
Body Awareness .................................................................. 32
Celebrations ......................................................................... 34
Colors .................................................................................... 36
PBS 45 & 49’s Ready To Learn service is made possible,
in part, with grants from…
Conflict Resolution ............................................................. 38
Cooperation ......................................................................... 40
Counting & Numbers ......................................................... 42
The Sisler-McFawn Foundation
The Charles E. and Mabel M.
Ritchie Memorial Foundation
The R. C. and Katharine
Musson Charitable Foundation
Ready To Learn is supported under the Ready To Learn Television Program, PR/Award Number R295A00002, as administered by the Office of Educational Research and
Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. However, the contents do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the National Institute on Early Childhood
Development and Education, the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, or the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the
Federal government.
Printed 12/04
PBS 45 & 49’s Ready To Learn Service
At PBS 45 & 49, we know that television can be a
wonderful tool for learning. We also believe that,
for young, impressionable viewers, all
television is educational; we’re just not sure
we want children to learn from everything
they watch.
We’re proud of PBS 45 & 49’s history of
excellent, nonviolent, commercial-free
programming for children. The time children
spend watching our children’s programs is time spent
learning. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to extend the
learning after the program is over?
You can. In this resource guide, we’ll provide you with some great
ideas.
What Does Being Ready to Learn Mean?
Being ready to learn means that a preschooler has gained all kinds of
experiences, behavior skills and thinking strategies to meet the demands of
school. When a child can make connections between old and new
experiences, work well in a group and solve a new problem all by herself,
that child is very likely to know success in school. That child is ready to learn.
Children who are ready to learn have the resources and skills to get the most
out of school and out of life.
A Brief History of Ready To Learn
A 1995 survey of 7,000 kindergarten teachers showed that 35 percent of
children entering kindergarten are not fully prepared to start school; 50
percent of those teachers said that school readiness has clearly decreased in
the last five years.
The Ready To Learn project was developed by the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting (CPB) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in 1995 in
response to the growing concern that preschoolers are not prepared to begin a
formal education. The project is our unique contribution to the national
educational goal that all American children start school “Ready To Learn.”
Research Has Shown That Ready To Learn Works
Educators at The University of Alabama completed a research project in 2004
that studied the first five years of the Ready To Learn program. Findings
indicated that parents who have participated in Ready To Learn workshops:
Ready To
Learn is ...
• A daily line-up of
children’s programming
on PBS 45 & 49, specially
designed to meet the needs
of preschool and young
school-aged children.
• Educational messages
between programs that
urge children to be
creative, curious,
cooperative and
responsible learners.
• Supplementary support
materials for children and
adults, such as our Ones to
Grow On newsletter and
our Media Literacy Guide.
• Station-sponsored events
and workshops for
families.
• Staff development
workshops for child care
providers.
Contact Information
If you would like additional
information regarding our
free community workshops
for parent groups and
childcare providers, please
call Bree Silski, Ready To
Learn Coordinator, at 1-800554-4549 or e-mail her at
[email protected].
• Read more books and stories to their children.
• Do more hands-on activities with their children.
• Read for more educational purposes.
• Take their children to libraries and bookstores more often.
PBS 45 & 49’s Ready To Learn Caregiver Guide
3
Developmental Areas and the PBS 45 & 49
Children’s Series That Address Them
The children’s programs on PBS 45 & 49 are designed by teams of professional
educators and television producers who carefully create the educational components and
content of the programs. The following academic and emotional/social skills are the focus
of our children’s programming:
Physical/Motor Skill Development
Through these programs, your child can learn how
the body works, how each body part is identified
and how it moves, how to approach and
accomplish physical tasks and how to appreciate
the complexity of his/her own body movement
and motor skills.
• Barney & Friends
• Teletubbies
• Sesame Street
Social/Emotional Skill Development
These shows help children learn to name the
feelings they experience, learn that others have
similar feelings and that those feelings are
conveyed through facial expressions and physical
postures, learn appropriate and creative responses
to a wide range of emotions and learn that other
people can be supportive, loving and responsive.
Problem-solving skills are modeled by characters in
these programs. Your children will learn how to
break a problem down into smaller tasks that make
up a problem; learn what resources are available
for help in solving problems; and learn to find
books and turn to other children and supportive
adults as resources. The shows acknowledge that
some frustration is a natural part of solving a
problem but that, with patience and selfconfidence, answers can be found.
• Arthur
• The Berenstain Bears
• Bob the Builder
• Clifford the Big Red Dog
• Cyberchase
• Dragon Tales
• George Shrinks
• Arthur
• Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood
• Sesame Street
• Bob the Builder
• Dragon Tales
• George Shrinks
• Sesame Street
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Critical Thinking/Problem-Solving
Skill Development
Language and Literacy Skill
Development
Good language skills allow children to understand
other people and to express themselves so that
others can understand them. These programs show
children that being able to read and write well is
relevant to happiness and success in personal and
professional pursuits, and that mastering both
skills requires tenacity and practice. They’ll also
see that language is a dynamic and satisfying tool
for communicating with others and making
connections.
Science Study
Through these programs, children are encouraged
to ask questions about animals, plants and all parts
and pieces of the natural world. The shows’ hosts
represent both genders and people from all walks
of life to give youngsters the confidence needed to
pursue science studies. Viewers are introduced to
basic scientific principles from which elementary
school science curricula are formed, and discover
resources that are available to answer their
questions about science and the natural world.
• Bob the Builder
• Arthur
• George Shrinks
• Reading Rainbow
• Between the Lions
• Sesame Street
• Maya & Miguel
• Postcards From Buster
• Reading Rainbow
• Sesame Street
Cognitive Skill Development
Cognitive skills are the building blocks that allow
children to organize their knowledge and
experiences and begin to develop problem-solving
and reasoning skills. Cognitive skills include the
ability to classify objects according to form,
structure, size, number, etc.; recognize when
objects are the same or different; recognize
numbers and letters of the alphabet; and
understand relationships between objects and
events (for instance, inside, on top of, behind,
before and after).
Life Skills Development
Basic skills in taking care of oneself are covered by
these programs. Topics such as child care, cooking
and nutrition, cleaning and organizing home and
room, managing money and time, behaving
properly, identifying interests and pursuing careers
are covered.
• Arthur
• Bob the Builder
• Dragon Tales
• Sesame Street
• Between the Lions
• George Shrinks
• Sesame Street
• Teletubbies
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Cultural/Social Diversity
Appreciation and Understanding
Children will learn that diversity is interesting,
challenging and positive. They’ll learn that
differences in a person’s appearance, behavior, taste
in food and clothing, choice of games and holiday
observances are often related to the person’s
specific religious, ethnic and cultural background.
It’s fine to ask questions to find out more about
how people are different and to feel confident and
proud of the ways in which we may be different
from others with whom we’re friends or classmates.
• Dragon Tales
• Maya & Miguel
• Reading Rainbow
• Sesame Street
Music and Art Appreciation
These programs introduce young viewers to a
variety of musical styles and demonstrate what
kinds of music result when the different
components of music are changed and varied.
Children will learn to look at various examples of
visual art and recognize the processes that went
into, for example, a painting’s composition. The
programs hope to instill in preschoolers an
appreciation for the ways music and visual arts
enhance life.
• Sesame Street
Math Skills
These programs help children foster pre-math skills
by focusing on concepts such as sorting, classifying
and matching. Higher-level math skills, such as
identifying patterns, measuring and telling time
and temperature are also found throughout the
episodes. Children will see how math is used
throughout their daily lives.
• Cyberchase
• Sesame Street
PBS 45 & 49
Children’s Programs
Web site: www.pbskids.org/arthur
Ages 4 to 8
Series goals and themes
• Empowers children by showing how Arthur and his friends use effective, age-appropriate problem-solving skills.
• Promotes reading and writing skills.
• Models the building of healthy relationships among friends and family.
Why is the series beneficial for young children?
Arthur is not only designed to entertain, but also to encourage a love for reading and writing and to enhance kids’
problem-solving and social skills. Each episode shows Arthur dealing with a dilemma, and the storyline takes viewers
through the problem-solving stages.
Introduction to the characters
Arthur is an 8-year-old who likes soccer and TV’s
Bionic Bunny. He’s introspective and sometimes a
little neurotic, but that’s because he takes things
very seriously that other people may not notice — a
friend who’s acting strangely, for instance, or the
fact that the janitor hasn’t been at school all week.
Shy and reflective, Arthur tends to embarrass
easily, but he’s no goody-goody. At times, Arthur is
mean, he breaks the rules, he even lies — but these
actions all have consequences. The point is, he’s
learning as he goes through his third-grade life.
D.W. (Dora Winifred) is Arthur’s 4-year-old sister.
She’s independent and highly imaginative, the first
to suspect a conspiracy or that aliens have taken
over her parents’ bodies. She thinks fast and is
always handy with advice for her older brother.
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Baby Kate is the youngest
member of Arthur’s family.
She’s a baby. She eats. She
goes to the bathroom. She
makes strange noises.
Mother and Father
are supportive and
thoughtful people, but
they are also busy with
their own lives. Mom’s an
accountant and Dad runs a
catering business out of the
garage.
Buster and Francine are
Arthur’s good friends.
Web site: www.pbskids.org/barney
Ages 2 to 5
• Emphasizes singular themes that deal with important childhood achievements, such as learning to count, identifying
colors and shapes or making friends.
• Reinforces learning concepts through repetition.
Barney & Friends is designed to enhance the development of the whole child in the thinking, social, emotional and
physical areas. Young children are given opportunities for new learning experiences. Existing skills are reinforced, and
appropriate behavior is modeled. Strong emphasis is placed on positive social skills, such as
making friends, sharing, cooperating and using good manners. This is accomplished primarily
through the use of children’s imaginations. The series also stimulates language
development, social interaction, problem-solving, musical play and physical activity.
Barney is a lovable, friendly 6-foot purple dinosaur
who comes to life from a plush toy by way of
children’s imaginations. Barney is a friend to all
children — they feel safe with him and look to him
for reassurance and security.
Baby Bop is Barney’s 3-year-old friend. Her
behavior, language and level of development are
typical of a child of this age.
BJ is Baby Bop’s 6-year-old brother. He is an active,
impulsive dinosaur who especially enjoys baseball,
playing with his friends and helping his younger
sister.
Miss Etta Kette is a lavender-feathered bird who
teaches children about manners and being kind to
others.
Scooter McNutty is a
lively, brown, furry squirrel
who has mishaps and
misadventures that are
the result of acting
first and thinking
later.
Stella the
Storyteller
shares tales of
travels from around
the world.
The children in the cast
of each episode represent
various ethnic
backgrounds with
diverse interests and
abilities.
PBS 45 & 49’s Ready To Learn Caregiver Guide • PBS 45 & 49 Children’s Programs
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Web site: www.pbskids.org/berenstainbears
Ages 2 to 7
• Represents the joys, trials and tribulations of a family.
• Models positive bonds of family including communication, conflict resolution, familial relationships, working toward
common family goals and showing kindness.
• Encourages children to make thoughtful, informed and responsible choices and decisions.
• Features at least one socio-emotional issue (such as peer pressure, diversity, fear, friendship) per episode. The
resolution of these conflicts provides clear, tangible payoffs for the characters — and the viewers at home.
Young children not only need to know their ABCs and 123s to succeed in school, but also how to interact socially and
cooperatively. They need to know how to think critically and solve problems, they need to be motivated and persistent
and they need to develop an appreciation for discovery and learning. In other words, when preparing children for
school, parents and caregivers should consider the needs of “the whole
child.”
Brother Bear loves sports of all kinds, especially
soccer. He often acts as protector and stands up for
the smaller cubs at school.
Sister Bear is a spirited, spunky third-grader.
Outdoorsy and sports-minded, she also loves
fairy tales, writing and jump rope.
Papa Bear is big-hearted and rises to all
occasions in times of crisis. He is always ready
to make whatever sacrifice is necessary for the
benefit of his cubs. An ardent fisherman and
outsdoorsbear, he is also very fond of eating.
Mama Bear is the wise heart and soul of the family,
the keeper of morals and manners. She is an avid
gardener and loves to quilt as well.
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Web site: www.pbskids.org/lions
Ages 4 to 7
• Promotes reading and writing by using a combination of music, stories, animation, live action and puppetry.
• Emphasizes the pleasures and values of reading, as well as the skills needed for learning how to read, by teaching
both whole language and phonics.
The framework for each episode is based on a “whole-part-whole” teaching approach, which many experts recommend
as the most effective way to combine both whole language and phonics. Each episode introduces new vocabulary words
and showcases the pleasures of reading. There is no other series on television that teaches reading. Between the Lions is
the first series in a decade designed to do so.
A family of lions (Theo and Cleo and their two
cubs, Leona and Lionel) runs an unusual library
where books, words and story characters come to
life.
Click the Mouse, the library’s technology guru, can
drag and drop characters from books into the
library or the other characters into books.
Cliff Hanger, star of a continuing series of
adventure stories, helps showcase key words and
sounds.
The Vowelles, a Motown-style
female singing group with lead
vocalist Martha
Reader,
entertains
with a
repertoire
that
includes
only vowel
sounds.
Gawain’s World, a live-action segment,
demonstrates how to combine sounds to form
words.
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Web site: www.bobthebuilder.org
Ages 2 to 5
• “Measure Up the Job” builds problem-solving and creative-thinking skills.
• “Call in the Crew” emphasizes teamwork and communication.
• “Keep On Building” teaches about follow-through and determination.
• “Celebrate a Job Well Done” builds confidence and a sense of achievement.
Bob the Builder’s world is constructed block-by-block with positive messages. By demonstrating all of the steps for
finishing what you start, Bob the Builder shows how a positive attitude, problem-solving, teamwork and follow-through
are the necessary tools to complete every job.
Bob is kind, friendly, helpful and hard-working. He is a
good builder, but he tends to be a little disorganized.
Bob is very proud of his machines. He gets everyone
in the building yard excited with his “can-do” call.
Wendy, Bob’s business partner, is extremely capable
– she deals with customers, organizes the business
and makes sure that the building crew is in the
right place at the right time. She is also a
technology wizard.
The Machine Team, including Scoop, Muck, Lofty,
Dizzy and Roley, isn’t your average construction
equipment. The machines talk, sing and play, and they
all have their individual ways of going about their tasks
and getting the job done. Bob would be the first to say
he has the best crew around and makes sure that they
know it!
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Clifford
THE BIG RED DOG
Web site www.pbskids.org/clifford
Ages 3 to 7
• Teaches good citizenship through tolerance, fun, unconditional love and inclusion.
• Promotes the love of reading.
Clifford the Big Red Dog and his friends explore the universal experiences of childhood. Their adventures highlight
community, inclusion and self-esteem. Each program includes a segment on “Clifford’s Big Ideas,” which explores
attributes such as honesty, sharing and respect.
Clifford is curious, eager and ever enthusiastic. As
simple as his outlook on life may be, his enormous size
affects every facet of life for him and those around him. He
adores Emily Elizabeth, and his primary goal in life is to please
her and those around him.
Emily Elizabeth Howard is a great kid! Honest, loving and kind,
she always wanted a dog of her own. An outgoing and determined
7-year-old, her love for Clifford is unconditional.
Cleo is a scrappy, headstrong poodle with a healthy self-image.
She has a tendency to leap before she looks and she’s known to
steer her friends in the wrong direction, but her heart
is always in the right place.
T-Bone’s looks can be deceiving. Despite his sturdy exterior,
T-Bone is really just a gentle, timid pup. Cautious when dealing
with the unknown, he has a knack for innocently stating the
obvious.
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Web site: www.pbskids.org/cyberchase
Ages 6 to 11
• Encourages children to develop a “can-do” attitude toward math.
• Motivates children to approach mathematics with enthusiasm, confidence and competence.
• Helps increase youngsters’ math knowledge and skills and involve them in reasoning and problem solving.
The educational objectives and content of Cyberchase have been guided by and are consistent with the principles and
standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Each component of the project demonstrates
several defining characteristics of mathematics: Math is problem solving, math can be collaborative and math is for
everyone.
Matt is a cyber-detective with a yo-yo, a backpack
full of gadgets and a knack for uncovering clues.
Jackie is smart and funny, and she always has a plan.
Sometimes she’s a bit over-the-top, but she’s on a
mission to save the future of Cyberworld!
Inez is a little girl with a big vocabulary. She is curious
about everything.
Digit is a loveable klutz who is a first-class pal to the kids.
Motherboard is the wise and powerful ruler of
Cyberworld.
Hacker is a pompous and power-hungry scoundrel. He’s
primped and primed to take over the Cyberworld — and
he’s not about to let anyone ruin his plan.
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Web site: www.pbskids.org/dragontales
Ages 3 to 6
• Encourages young children to pursue the challenging experiences that support their growth and development.
• Helps young children recognize that there are many ways to approach and learn from the challenging experiences in
their lives.
• Helps young children understand that to try and not succeed fully is a natural and valuable part of learning.
Dragon Tales is full of the type of fun and fantasy that is engaging to preschoolers. As the characters romp through this
land of make believe, however, they encounter challenges very similar to those young children face in their daily lives. It
may be a fear they need to cope with or a problem they need to solve. As they watch, young children will work along
with the characters to come up with effective strategies. They will also gain an understanding that some things take
more time and effort than others do and it is okay to take many little steps toward achieving a goal.
Emmy (6 years old) and Max (4 years old) take frequent trips to visit
their friends in Dragon Land.
Ord is a very big and lovable dragon who is scared of almost
everything.
Cassie is a small and shy dragon who can usually understand all
points of view.
Zak and Wheezie, a two-headed brother and sister dragon, disagree
about everything except their love of music and each other.
Quetzal is a wise teacher who provides support and guidance when
“grown-up” help is needed.
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Web site: www.pbskids.org/georgeshrinks
Ages 2 to 11
• Provides fertile ground for cognitive growth and development. As a “natural” at thinking and problem solving,
George sees new uses for household objects and toys, and uses them to solve his “size issues” and to get different
jobs done.
• Provides illustrative models for creative thinking and problem solving. Because of his small size, George meets
obstacles in every show.
• Emphasizes characters’ social and emotional development.
The creative main character helps youngsters understand the importance of self-acceptance. The show encourages
individuals to use the means available to them to solve problems and overcome obstacles. The topics covered by the
program include biology, botany, entomology and ecology, which will help foster an interest in science by highlighting
the fun side of learning.
When you first meet George, you might notice he's
a little small for his age. He may be only three
inches tall, but that's not a problem. George never
sweats the small stuff and he loves a challenge.
Junior Shrinks is George's big, little baby brother,
who just wants to play and help George. Not only
is George the best brother in the whole wide world,
he's the best “toy” any kid could have.
Mom (Perdita Shrinks) is not a regular Mom. She
is constantly surprising us with her talents as a
sculptor, painter, gardener, nature enthusiast and
just about anything else you can think of.
Dad (Harold Shrinks) is a bit eccentric. He is a
musician and an inventor. He invents crazy
instruments and is in a band. He also helped
George invent his Zooper Car.
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Becky is George's best friend
who lives next door. She is very
smart and when George can't
always figure everything out, Becky
will come up with an idea to
solve the problem.
Zooper Car, George’s
main method of transport,
is a transformer-like craft of
his own design. With a flip of
a switch the Zooper Car can
rearrange, transforming from
plane to submarine, helicopter
to racecar.
Web site: www.pbskids.org/mayaandmiguel
Ages 6 to 8
• Promotes the value of a culturally diverse society by supporting, respecting and validating the variety of
perspectives, traditions, languages and experiences that populate today’s world.
• Supports English language acquisition and usage in personal, social and cultural interactions.
Maya & Miguel is designed to entertain and educate all children, to promote cultural diversity and to encourage
English language acquisition, particularly among Hispanics. Equally important, the initiative addresses the growing
need in the U.S. for positive media representations of Hispanic children, one of the fastest-growing
population segments, which is currently underserved due to a lack of relevant children’s
television programming.
Maya is smart, creative, curious, ambitious, wellintentioned and a true romantic at heart. Quite simply,
she is a force of nature. She isn’t happy unless she is
dreaming up a “big idea” to improve the lives of those
around her. Everyone knows when they hear Maya’s
famous words “¡Eso es!” (“That’s it!”) or “Tengo una
idea!” (“I have an idea!”), they’re in for an adventure!
Miguel is three minutes older than Maya and quite her
opposite — practical where she is romantic, careful
where she can be reckless. He is patient, modest and
very “¡Chevere!” (“Cool!”). When caught up in one of
Maya’s plans, he’s often the one who gets the pie in his
face. Known for his phrase “Yo te conozco, Maya ...” (“I
know you, Maya ...”), Miguel is yin to Maya’s yang.
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Web site: www.pbskids.org/rogers
Ages 2 to 6
Fred Rogers’ television series emphasizes child development principles from his own studies and his work with
consultants, assuring that this carefully structured program can help children develop the skills they’ll need for learning:
• self-esteem
• curiosity about the world
• the ability to deal with feelings
• self-control
• imagination
• persistence
• tolerance for waiting
• cooperation
• appreciation of diversity
• creativity
• Encourages children to feel good about themselves by consistently supporting their sense of self-worth.
• Helps children learn the skills needed for growing up — such as curiosity, paying attention, patience and
cooperation.
• Made for children. The series is slow and simple — that’s how young children learn best.
In the Neighborhood
Creator Fred Rogers
Wise and strong Queen
Sarah Saturday
Speedy Delivery Mailman Mister McFeely
Prince Tuesday, son of the
King and Queen
Regulars include Joe Negri and the late Don
“Chef” Brockett
Timid and unsure Daniel
Striped Tiger
Visitors from a wide variety of professions and
fields of interest, who come to talk about their jobs
or interests with Mister Rogers
“Rockit” rocking chair maker
Cornflake S. Pecially
X the Owl, the eager
learner
In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe
Puppets
Authoritarian-but-kindly King Friday the 13th
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Shy Henrietta Pussycat
Mischievous, opinionated Lady
Elaine Fairchilde
Web site: www.pbskids.org/postcards
Ages 6 to 8
• Builds awareness and appreciation of the many cultures of North America.
• Supports elementary school-age English language learners.
In today’s world, it is important to learn both about people who are different from ourselves. In each episode, Buster
meets kids from all walks of life: different regions, different religions, different backgrounds and different interests. And
Buster, always curious, acts as a representative for all viewers.
Each episode also focuses on particular language functions and vocabulary fields. Language functions include such
actions as offering encouragement, expressing feelings and asking for advice. Vocabulary fields deal with words related
to particular topics covered in each episode.
Buster is Arthur’s best friend. Since his parents divorced, Buster has lived with his
mom, Bitzi. But now he’s traveling with his dad, Bo. Buster is one of the world’s
great explorers. He’s interested in everything around him. He loves food, and he
dreams of aliens. To keep in touch with all his friends, Buster sends them video
postcards using a camera his mom gave him.
Bo, Buster’s dad, is a professional pilot. Los Viajeros, a Latin American rock group,
hired Bo to fly them on their multi-city tour across the United States — with forays
into Mexico, Canada and Puerto Rico. Bo really enjoys the chance to spend more time
with his son.
Carlos and Mora Velasquez are the husband-and-wife team who front the band,
Los Viajeros ("The Travelers"). Carlos is from the western Puerto Rican town of
Rincon. He sings back-up vocals and plays the lead guitar plus many
Latin-American string instruments. Mora’s parents are from Mexico,
but she grew up in New York City. She sings lead vocals, but often
plays the accordion that her dad brought with him when he first
arrived from Mexico.
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Web site: www.pbskids.org/readingrainbow
Ages 2 to 12
Reading Rainbow’s primary goal is to instill in children positive attitudes toward reading. The series is based on the
premise that the optimum time for learning to read, wanting to read and loving to read is when a child is young. This is
also a critical time for adopting positive learning habits, skills and attitudes toward reading, science and math.
Reading Rainbow motivates children to discover books and to read for the joy of it. It also provides positive role
models by showing children a variety of culturally and ethnically diverse women and men in work and expert roles.
The series explores a wide variety of topics with intriguing video segments that take viewers to places they may never
get to visit. Excitement about reading and learning are also an integral part of the specifically science- and math-focused
programs.
LeVar Burton is a dynamic African-American actor
who communicates his genuine interest in reading,
literacy, science and math. His own insatiable
curiosity and love of books lends a wonderful
flavor to the series. You may know LeVar from his
roles in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and in
Alex Haley’s “Roots.”
Parents and kids have indicated that it’s important
to have the opportunity to “meet” individuals who
are positive role models representing various
cultures in the world. The show consistently
presents experts, book reviewers and kids who are
not in stereotypical gender roles. These experts
represent a range of ethnic heritages and offer
viewers a variety of people with whom they can
identify.
20
Web site: www.pbskids.org/sesame
Ages 2 to 6
Sesame Street encourages children to:
• Learn to appreciate human diversity.
• Take beginning steps toward reading, writing and math.
• Feel good about themselves and take pride in what they can do.
• Interpret the sights, sounds and experiences in their environment.
• Develop an attitude of cooperation.
• Think creatively to solve problems.
Sesame Street is the most thoroughly researched and tested television show ever produced. Reactions to the show
provide the information that keeps Sesame Street current and responsive to the interests and needs of young children.
The format of the show is designed to encourage participation.
• Every show includes a number of situations designed to encourage children to use problem-solving skills to help
characters think of solutions to various predicaments.
• Pauses after questions encourage children to think about how they would answer.
• The Muppets and the people often speak directly to the audience.
• The Muppets’ personalities are designed to reflect the excitement, curiosity and anxieties of childhood, so young
children can easily identify with them.
Maria is Puerto Rican and runs the Fix-It Shop with
her husband, Luis.
Elmo is a bright red Muppet who thinks and acts
just like a typical preschool child.
Big Bird, 8 feet tall and covered with yellow
feathers, is outgoing and asks a lot of questions.
Zoe is a bright-orange 2-yearold who always has a lot to say
(very quickly).
Cookie Monster, Bert & Ernie,
The Count, Oscar the Grouch,
Slimey the Worm and others
round out the cast.
21
Web site: www.pbskids.org/teletubbies
Ages 1 to 4
Teletubbies’ unique format and characters are designed to nourish young children’s thinking skills, teach them to listen,
help to build their curiosity, expand their imagination and increase their confidence. Through a bright and playful
environment featuring music, animation and live-action segments, each episode of Teletubbies:
• Promotes a sense of play and humor
• Encourages listening and making predictions
• Teaches through repetition
• Promotes affection
• Encourages movement
• Celebrates individuality
In each enjoyable 30 minutes, our youngest viewers find their place: a playful, imaginative world inhabited by gentle,
loving characters exploring and experiencing everything around them. The series is also a wonderful opportunity for
parents to share the joy of first discovery through children’s eyes.
The pacing of the series is intentionally slow to give children, and the adults who care for them, the chance to interact
with the Teletubbies and each other.
The series recognizes the developmental importance of movement and play and features a dance segment in each
episode to encourage the viewing audience to get up and interact with the Teletubbies.
The purple Teletubby, Tinky Winky, is also the
gentlest member of the group. Usually singing his
“Tinky Winky” song, he loves to dance and fall over
on his back.
Baby Sun, who finds the Teletubbies very funny.
Dipsy is the green Teletubby. Known for his
distinctive steps, way of saying hello and singing a
song with a reggae beat, he also loves his hat very
much.
Voice Trumpets,
who bring songs and
poems to
Teletubbyland.
The yellow Teletubby, Laa-Laa, is the happiest one
who also smiles the most. She loves to sing and dance
and her favorite word is “nice.”
The Windmill,
which spins when
something is about
to happen.
Po is the red Teletubby and she is often on her scooter
zipping around the hills, repeating “quickly, quickly,
quickly” or “slowly, slowly, slowly.”
22
Others in Teletubbyland include ...
Noo-Noo, the Teletubbies’ friendly, funny,
conscientious pet vacuum cleaner.
The Lion and the
Bear.
Where to Write
Here’s an “extend the learning” activity. Write or send a drawing to your
favorite children’s programs. You can e-mail most programs from their Web sites.
Arthur
WGBH Audience Services
125 Western Avenue
Boston, MA 02134
Web site: www.pbskids.org/arthur
Dragon Tales
Sesame Workshop
One Lincoln Plaza
New York, NY 10023
Web site: www.pbskids.org/dragontales
Barney & Friends
HIT Entertainment
830 South Greenville Ave.
Allen, TX 75002
Web site: www.pbskids.org/barney
George Shrinks
Nelvana Communications, Inc.
7920 Sunset Blvd., Suite 402
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Web site: www.pbskids.org/georgeshrinks
Barney & Friends Fan Club
P. O. Box 9000
Allen, TX 75013-1307
Maya & Miguel
Scholastic
555 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
Web site: www.pbskids.org/mayaandmiguel
The Berenstain Bears
Nelvana Communications, Inc.
7920 Sunset Blvd., Suite 402
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Web site: www.pbskids.org/berenstainbears
Between the Lions
125 Western Avenue
Boston, MA 02134
Web site: www.pbskids.org/lions
Bob the Builder
HIT Entertainment
830 South Greenville Ave.
Allen, TX 75002
Web site: www.bobthebuilder.org
Clifford the Big Red Dog/Clifford’s Puppy Days
Scholastic
555 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
Web site: www.pbskids.org/clifford
Cyberchase
WNET
450 West 33rd St., 6th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Web site: www.pbskids.org/cyberchase
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood
Family Communications, Inc.
4802 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Web site: www.pbs.org/rogers
Postcards From Buster
125 Western Avenue
Boston, MA 02134
Web site: www.pbs.org/postcards
Reading Rainbow
P.O. Box 80669
Lincoln, NE 68501-0669
Web site: www.pbskids.org/readingrainbow
Sesame Street
Sesame Workshop
One Lincoln Plaza
New York, NY 10023
Web site: www.pbs.org/kids/sesame
Teletubbies
Ragdoll
120 Wooster St., Fifth Floor
New York, NY 10012
Web site: www.pbskids.org/teletubbies
23
Online Resources
PBS Kids Online
PBS has built a wonderful Web site for
children ages 2 to 12. In the award-winning
tradition of PBS’s children’s programming, the
animated PBS Kids neighborhood offers
children a free, fun, safe and educational Web
environment. If you’re not linked to the World
Wide Web at home, don’t despair. Your local
library is probably online, and that’s another
very good reason to take a family trip to the
library.
Children can go “backstage” at the
Kids Online site to find:
• PBS Kids Fun Pages
• Fun and games
• Coloring sheets that can be printed
• And much more!
PBS Kids Online also features poems, stories,
games, drawings and other fun activities for
your children.
Go to
www.pbskids.org
PBS Parents
PBS Parents is about:
• Together Time — the time you spend playing and
learning with your child.
• Parent Time — the time you spend learning how to be a
better parent.
A “PBS Parent” is a mom or a dad, a grandma or grandpa, a
friend or a caregiver – any adult who helps a child learn
and grow.
Parents can access:
Go to
www.pbs.org/parents
24
• TV program information
• Parenting issues and advice
• Fun and games
PBS TeacherSource
PBS TeacherSource materials are developed by trained and
practicing educators. In addition to having teachers create
curriculum materials, PBS regularly seeks educator feedback
through surveys and focus groups, receives ongoing guidance
from the team of exemplary teachers who make up the
TeacherSource Advisory Group and conducts periodic “reality
checks” with the PBS Board of Directors’ Education Committee
representing various educational organizations. Finally, the
TeacherSource editorial staff is composed of educators with a
variety of teaching backgrounds.
At this site, teachers can explore a vast
array of resources, including:
• Education’s best resources for grades Pre-K to 2
• In-depth online professional development through
PBS TeacherLine
Go to
www.pbs.org/teachers
• Details on PBS station outreach activities in your
community
• Tips on how to effectively teach with technology
• And much more!
Reading Rockets
Reading Rockets offers a wealth of strategies, lessons and
activities designed to help young children learn to read. Its
resources assist parents, teachers and other educators in working
with struggling readers who require additional help in reading
and comprehension skills development.
The Reading Rockets Web site is updated daily with news
headlines about reading, research-based articles, video
interviews with top children’s book authors, tips for parents and
educators, lists of national and local resources and much more.
Access these links relative to
teaching children to find:
• What’s new
• Frequent questions
Go to
www.readingrockets.org
• Current articles
• News and views
25
PBS 45 & 49’s
Ready To Learn
The PBS 45 & 49 Ready To Learn Web site offers online
access to the valuable resources available through this
program. Visitors to the site can register for workshops
and read or download a variety of helpful publications,
activities pages and caregiver tips.
The Web site offers:
Go to
www.pbs4549.org/RTL.HTM
• Workshop information and registration
links
• A program schedule for Ready To Learn
• Online access to the current edition of
The Ones to Grow On
• “Watch, Do and Read” resources
• PBS 45 & 49’s Media Literacy Guide
• Caregiver and literacy tips
• And much more!
Curriculum Planning
Program Taping Guide
“How do I find out what is on PBS 45 & 49 and when a show will air?
There are two ways to access our program schedule:
1. Visit our Web site on a regular basis (www.pbs4549.org). Browse through the program listings to check for
interesting themes. Tape the programs for immediate or future use.
Where to look on our Web site:
• Click on the word “Programming.” This is the first word listed on the left sidebar on our home page.
• Click on the first choice listed, “PBS 45 & 49 Weekly Schedule.”
• Choose the week’s listings that you would like to view.
• Click on the name of the program that interests you. (Most of the children’s programs will be listed in
the morning and afternoon grids.) You will access a listing of that show’s episodes for the week.
2. Subscribe to our free children’s newsletter, The Ones to Grow On. This is our helpful quarterly newsletter for
anyone who cares for young children. In the newsletter, you will find programming schedules for the upcoming
month or so. Each day will be followed with the episode name and theme. To subscribe to the newsletter, call
PBS 45 & 49 at 1-800-4549.
26
PBS 45 & 49
The Learning Triangle
Active Television Viewing
• Make viewing a physical activity whenever
possible: Sing, dance, exercise — get up and start moving
along with the television characters.
• Encourage children to describe what they see,
repeat new words and predict what will happen
next. Television provides opportunities for children to learn
and practice new words, hear others talk and develop
conversation skills.
• Ask open-ended questions: What are they doing? What
will happen next?
• Encourage your children to ask questions about
the programs. Let your children know that you are there to
help them understand television events.
The Learning
Triangle
Watch, Do & Read
• Before viewing, talk to your children about what
they will see and hear. Use your schedules to see what
will happen on the program, and prepare children to watch
and listen for those educational messages that you hope to
reinforce.
Doing Activities With Children
• The process is more important than the product.
Praise your child’s efforts for working through the activity. A
perfect picture is not important.
• Ask children to tell you about their work. “Tell me
PBS 45 & 49 encourages you
to use “The Learning
Triangle” when you watch
our children’s shows with
your youngsters.
After you
• WATCH a TV program,
• DO a hands-on activity
and
• READ a related book.
28
about your picture” — this question begins discussion,
strengthens language skills and eliminates guessing games.
• Put your child’s name on his/her work. Show
children that they should be proud of their accomplishments.
The refrigerator door could always use an extra picture.
• The activity does not have to be an art activity. Go
for a walk, play a game, sing a song, or go on a field trip to a
museum, fire station or library.
Reading to Children
• Choose a regular reading time.
• Ask open-ended questions and encourage
children to talk about the story.
• Use body language. Emphasize key words, mimic events
and encourage your children to move right along with you.
• Take time to discuss the story after reading.
Theme Index
ABCs ............................................................................................................................................................... 30
Body Awareness ........................................................................................................................................... 32
Celebrations .................................................................................................................................................. 34
Colors ............................................................................................................................................................. 36
Conflict Resolution ....................................................................................................................................... 38
Cooperation ................................................................................................................................................... 40
Counting & Numbers .................................................................................................................................. 42
Diversity ........................................................................................................................................................ 44
Exercise .......................................................................................................................................................... 46
Families .......................................................................................................................................................... 48
Feelings .......................................................................................................................................................... 50
Friends ........................................................................................................................................................... 52
Health ............................................................................................................................................................. 54
Music & Movement ...................................................................................................................................... 56
New Experiences .......................................................................................................................................... 58
Pets ................................................................................................................................................................. 60
Recycling & the Environment ..................................................................................................................... 62
Safety .............................................................................................................................................................. 64
Self-Esteem .................................................................................................................................................... 66
Shapes ............................................................................................................................................................ 68
Special Needs Awareness ............................................................................................................................ 70
Storytelling .................................................................................................................................................... 72
Television/Media Literacy .......................................................................................................................... 74
The Five Senses ............................................................................................................................................. 76
Weather .......................................................................................................................................................... 78
PBS 45 & 49’s Ready To Learn Caregiver Guide • PBS 45 & 49 Learning Triangle Activities
29
ABCs
Watch a clip of a program
Program
ABCs Theme
Barney & Friends
“What’s in a Name?”
#1023 “Looking for Letters”
#1349 “Letter Shapes”
#1373 “Signs”
Do a related activity
Letter Rubbing
Alphabet Collage
Materials:
Materials:
• Scissors
• Large pieces of newsprint or large plain paper
• Broken crayons with the wrappers removed
• Pre-cut letters of the alphabet made from poster
board or cardboard
1. Select a letter, put it on a flat surface and place a
piece of newsprint or paper over the letter.
2. Using the side of the crayon, rub over the paper,
pressing hard until an image of the letter appears.
3. Try this with several letters, or write a word by
placing letters next to one another and rubbing an
entire word.
From the Mister Rogers’ Plan & Play Book, 1991, Family
Communications, Inc. Used with permission.
30
• 26 index cards with one letter of the alphabet
printed on each
• Magazines
• Scissors
• Glue
• A roll of cash register receipt paper
1. Let each child choose an index card with a
favorite letter.
2. Using the cards as references, ask the child to cut
or tear out that same letter from a magazine.
3. Glue the letter to the receipt paper.
4. Choose another index card to use for reference in
finding another letter.
5. Hang the receipt paper with the collage of letters
around the room and invite the children to name
as many of the letters as they can.
Turn to page 26 to find out how to access the PBS 45 & 49 program schedule.
Letter People
Song Activity
Materials:
Materials:
• Alphabet letters
• Bag or pillowcase
• Nursery rhymes
• Your voice
1. Place the letters in a bag or pillowcase.
1. Teach the children a particular letter by using a
song that has words beginning with the letter.
2. Have the children sit in a circle.
3. Have one child draw a letter from the bag and
decide how many friends he/she will need to
make the letter with their bodies on the floor. Let
them cooperate to solve the problem.
4. Continue around the circle until all of the letters
have been created, or create a few letters each
day.
2. Have the children alternately stand up and sit
down when they hear the letter.
From Barney’s Watch, Play & Learn, 1998, Lyrick Studios.
Used with permission.
Read a related book
The Guinea Pig ABC
By Kate Duke
26 Letters and 99 Cents
By Tana Hoban
A My Name Is Alice
By Jane Bayer
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
By Bill Martin, Jr. & John Archambault
Farm Alphabet Book
By Jane Miller
The Folks in the Valley: A Pennsylvania Dutch ABC
By Jim Aylesworth
We Read: A to Z
By Donald Crews
My First ABC of Animals
By Fiammetta Dogi
Black and White Rabbit’s ABC
By Alan Baker
A to Z Picture Book
By Gyo Fujikawa
For additional ideas for the theme ABCs, visit the
PBS 45 & 49 web site at www.pbs4549.org. Click on
the programming link, then the PBS 45 & 49 Weekly
Schedule link and select the week you want to view.
You will find the Sesame Street links. Click on
Sesame Street and you will be able to read about the
episodes and their letter of the day.
31
Body Awareness
Program
Body Awareness Theme
#1141 “Growing”
#1342 “Handprints”
#1343 “Mirrors”
#1368 “Front & Back”
#1541 “Self Portraits”
Getting Dressed
Front and Back
Materials:
Materials:
• None
1. Ask the children if they can pretend to put on a
pair of gloves. See if they can pretend to put on a
variety of other clothes.
2. Encourage the children to pretend about tying
shoes, buttoning a sweater and zipping a jacket.
3. You can play a guessing game by having one
child pretend to put on an article of clothing and
having the others try to guess what that child is
trying to do.
• Large mirror
• Hand mirror
• Paper
• Markers and crayons
1. Talk with the children about objects in the room
that have fronts and backs. How do they look the
same? How do they look different?
2. Have a child stand with his/her back to the other
children. Can the other children guess who it is?
How can they tell?
3. The children can take turns standing with their
backs to a large mirror. By holding a hand mirror
they can look at their backs.
4. Encourage the children to draw themselves from
the front and from the back. Have them draw the
front on one side of the paper and the back on the
other.
32
If You’re Happy and You Know It
(Traditional)
Little and Big Exercises
Materials:
Materials:
• Music
• None
“If You’re Happy”
1. Play music that will encourage large and small
movements.
If you’re happy and you know it,
Clap your hands.
2. Encourage the children to make large movements
to the music. Do the same with small movements.
Clap your hands.
3. Alternating movements will help them develop
self-control and the ability to manage body
movements.
And you’re sure you want to show it,
From Additional Activities From Mister Rogers’ Plan & Play
Book, 1998, Family Communications, Inc. Used with
permission.
Clap your hands.
Verse 2: Stamp your feet
Verse 3: Nod your head
Verse 4: Shout, “Hurray”
• Create more things to do with your body if
you’re happy. For example: run in place, march
in place, swing your arms, wiggle like a fish,
blink your eyes, wiggle your ears, etc. Encourage
the children to come up with their own
movements.
Read a related book
Dem Bones
By Bob Barner
Herbert Hated Being Small
By Karla Kuskin
From Head to Toe
By Eric Carle
Hue Boy
By Rita P. Mitchell
The Human Body
Newbridge Books
Heather Hiding
By Nancy White Carlstrom
My Feet
By Aliki
Why Does That Man Have Such a Big Nose?
By Mary Beth Quinsey
My Hands
By Aliki
Spectacles
By Ellen Raskin
What Am I Made of?
By David Bennett
33
Celebrations
Program
Celebrations Theme
Arthur
“Arthur’s New Year’s Eve”
Arthur
“Grandma Thora Appreciation Day”
Arthur
“The Long, Dull Winter”
Arthur
“Arthur’s Perfect Christmas”
Barney & Friends
“Shopping for a Surprise”
Barney & Friends
“It’s Tradition”
Barney & Friends
“Aunt Rachel Is Here”
Barney & Friends
“Birthday Olé”
Bob the Builder
“Surprises”
Clifford the Big Red Dog
“Clifford’s Big Surprise” (Surprise Party)
“Clifford’s Big Heart” (Valentine’s Day)
#1009 “Weddings”
#1375 “Planning a Party”
#1450 “Birthdays”
“Buster’s Lucky Year”
Wrapping Paper
Party Placemats
Materials:
Materials:
• Tissue paper or brown paper bags
• Sponge shapes or fruit halves
• Tempera paint
1. Have the children spread the paper or bag out on
a flat surface.
• 12” x 18” construction paper placemats (one for
each child)
• Tempera paint
• Markers
• Contact paper
2. Allow the children to make designs by using the
paint and utensils.
1. Have the children lightly paint one palm with the
tempera paint.
3. Give the paint time to dry. Now the children can
wrap that special present!
2. Have them press their hand carefully on their
construction paper.
3. Allow the children to decorate around their
handprints. Make sure you or the child writes
his/her name on the placemat.
4. Depending on the occasion, you may want to
encourage the children to make themed
placemats.
5. Once the paint has dried, cover the placemat in
contact paper.
34
A Wedding Cake
A Gift for You
Materials:
Materials:
• Your favorite cake recipe and ingredients
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cake pans or cupcake pans
1. Make a list of jobs that the children can do. For
example:
• Wash hands
• Fill the measuring cups
• Add ingredients
• Mix the ingredients
• Grease the pans
• Beat the eggs
• Clean up
2. Follow your favorite recipe and allow the
children to help.
3. Encourage the children to discuss what they
know about real weddings.
• Paper
• Markers and crayons
• Tape
1. Explain to the children that they are going to
make a gift for someone special.
2. Have each child make a picture or write a
message on a small piece of paper.
3. While they are working on their gift, cut paper
into 6-inch squares.
4. The children can place their message or pictures
in the center of the square.
5. Help the children by folding the opposite corners
and taping them together.
6. Allow the children to fold in the last two corners
and tape them together.
7. Ask the child to tell you whom the gift is for and
write that person’s name on the envelope.
8. Discuss gift giving and how good it feels to give
something to someone you love.
Read a related book
Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present
By Charlotte Zolotow
Happy Birthday, Moon
By Frank Asch
Happy Birthday Baby Bop!
By Linda Cress Dowdy
Happy Birthday Martin Luther King
By Jean Marzollo
Seven Candles for Kwanzaa
By Andrea Davis Pinkney
Hanukkah!
By Roni Schotter
Happy Birthday, Sam
By Pat Hutchins
35
Colors
Program
Colors Theme
Barney & Friends
“Red, Yellow and Blue”
Dragon Tales
“Staying Within the Lines”
Dragon Tales
“A True-Blue Friend”
#1243 “Colored Snow”
Teletubbies
“Colours – Blue”
Teletubbies
“Colours – Orange”
Teletubbies
“Colours – Pink”
Sidewalk Chalk
Sun Catchers
Materials:
Materials:
• Powdered tempera paint
• Plaster of Paris
• Water
• Small paper cups
• Plastic spoons
• Measuring spoons
• Paint smocks
1. Have each of the children measure out three (3)
tablespoons of plaster of Paris and two (2)
tablespoons of powdered tempera paint (the
children may want to mix the colors to see what
happens).
2. Have the children add three (3) tablespoons of
water.
3. The children can now mix the colors with a
plastic spoon.
4. Allow the mixture to harden.
5. After the mixture is hardened, have the children
peel away the cup.
• Colored glue
• Wax paper
• String
• Scissors
1. Give each child a piece of wax paper to fold in
half.
2. Invite the children to use their fingers to draw
designs with colored glue on the wax paper.
Apply the glue heavily.
3. Set the papers aside to dry.
4. When the paper is dry, the colored design can be
peeled off the wax paper.
5. Tie strings through the designs and hang them in
a window.
From Using PTV Pointers With Early Learners, 1996, WGTE
Public Broadcasting. Used with permission.
6. Talk about all of the different colors in the chalk.
7. Go outside and draw on the sidewalks/parking
lot/playground.
From Creative Science for Young Children by Betty Foster, et. al.
36
Color Telescope
Skin Colors
Materials:
Materials:
• Toilet paper tubes or paper towel tubes
• Colored cellophane
• Rubber band
1. Have colored shapes of cellophane spread out on
a table.
2. Have the children choose one color to put on the
end of a paper tube.
3. The children can secure the cellophane by using
the rubber band.
• Assorted liquid tempera paints
• Several medium-sized containers with lids
• Paint brushes
• Masking tape
• Pens
• Painting smocks
1. Have the children place their hands side by side
and decide how many different skin colors there
are in the class — as many as there are children!
4. Have the children look at different objects
through the different colors.
2. Working in small groups, have the children create
custom-blended skin colors for members of their
group.
5. Encourage the children to add different colors to
their telescopes.
3. Have the children combine paint colors and blend
the colors.
6. Discuss primary and secondary colors.
4. Help the children decide which colors to add to
achieve the closest match. They may need to test
the colors on their own skin!
5. The children can make personal portraits using
their own special paint.
Read a related book
All the Colors of the Earth
By Sheila Hamanaka
Colors of the Day
By Ruth Gembicki Bragg
Freight Train
By Donald Crews
My Many Colored Days
By Dr. Seuss
Little Blue and Little Yellow
By Leo Lionni
Red Day, Green Day
By Edith Kunhardt
Who Said Red?
By Mary Serfoza
Elmer
By David McKee
Brown Cow, Green Grass, Yellow, Mellow Sun
By Ellen Jackson
Mouse Paint
By Ellen Stoll Walsh
37
Conflict Resolution
Program
Conflict Resolution Theme
Arthur
“Arthur’s Big Hit”
Arthur
“Arthur’s Family Feud”
“Cleo’s Fair Share”
Dragon Tales
“The Fury Is Out on This One”
Dragon Tales
“The Giant of Nod”
Dragon Tales
“Quibbling Siblings”
Dragon Tales
“No Hitter”
#1525 “Peaceful Solutions”
Reading Rainbow
“Enemy Pie”
Clap and Stomp Rhythms
The Feelings Mirror
Materials:
Materials:
• Two signs — one with a picture of a hand and
one with a picture of a foot
1. Talk about stomping and clapping as a way to
help get rid of angry feelings.
2. Ask the children to clap when you hold up the
hand sign and to stomp when you hold up the
foot sign.
3. Practice stomping and clapping, then do it in
rhythm patterns and invite the children to imitate
your patterns.
From the Let’s Work It Out Workshop Facilitator Guide, 1998,
WGTE Public Broadcasting. Used with permission.
• Large mirror
• Poster board
• Aluminum foil
• Crayons
• Glue
1. Talk about different feelings.
2. Have the children make faces in the mirror to
match the feelings you talked about. Let the
children construct their own “feelings mirror” by
gluing foil to poster board.
3. Frame the mirrors by drawing pictures of faces
showing emotion or by cutting out pictures from
magazines.
From the Let’s Work It Out Workshop Facilitator Guide, 1998,
WGTE Public Broadcasting. Used with permission.
38
A Peaceful Solution
Some Things Belong to Everyone
Materials:
Materials:
• Plastic milk jug (with a narrow opening)
• Clothes pins (not the ones with a spring)
• String
1. Ask the children if they can think of times when
conflicts happen in the classroom. Ask the
question,”What should we do if two children
want the same thing?”
2. Ask them, “What are some things we can do to
solve that problem?”
3. Tie a piece of string onto a clothespin (one per
child).
4. Have the children put the clothespins inside the
jug with only the string hanging out (only three
or four at a time).
5. Ask the children to see if they can pull out the
clothespins all at the same time.
• Paper
• Paint, markers or crayons
1. Ask the children if they can think of anything that
belongs to everyone, things that have to be
“shared.”
2. Ask them to tell you about the things at home
that belong to everyone.
3. Help them think of something that is all theirs.
4. To finish, have the children share the paint,
crayons and markers to make their very own
picture of a rainbow.
6. Ask them to think of a way to get all the
clothespins out again.
7. Ask them if they can do it more easily by working
together and taking turns.
8. Repeat the activity, this time taking turns.
Read a related book
No Fighting, No Biting!
By Else Holmelund Minarik
Mouse TV
By Matt Novak
Let’s Talk About Feeling Angry
By Joy Berry
Luka’s Quilt
By Georgia Guback
The Grouchy Ladybug
By Eric Carle
Rosie & the Yellow Ribbon
By Paula DePaolo
It’s Mine
By Leo Lionni
Matthew and Tilly
By Rebecca C. Jones
39
Cooperation
Program
Cooperation Theme
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Dragon Tales
Dragon Tales
Dragon Tales
Dragon Tales
Dragon Tales
George Shrinks
George Shrinks
Reading Rainbow
“Arthur’s Birthday”
“The Big Blow-Up”
“Arthur and D.W. Clean Up”
“The Blizzard”
“The World Record”
“Classical Cleanup”
“Easy Does It”
“Clifford’s Carnival”
“Team Spirit”
“Clifford on Parade” and “Follow the Leader”
“To Kingdom Come” (Sharing)
“The Giant of Nod”
“Emmy’s Dream House”
“Not Separated at Birth”
“Lights, Camera, Dragon!”
“Ants in the Pantry”
“Round Up the Usual Insects”
#1109 “Cooperation”
“Coming Together”
“A Chair for My Mother”
Cooperation Squeeze
Problem-Solving Art Project
Materials:
Materials:
• None
• One very large piece of paper
• Drawing supplies
1. Form a circle and hold hands.
2. The teacher squeezes the hand of the person next
to him or her, that person squeezes the hand of
the next person and so on until the squeeze
makes its way around the circle.
3. Move the squeeze in the opposite direction
around the circle.
4. Give the children the option of passing the
squeeze along or sending it back. Children find
this cooperative activity fun. For variety, pass a
wink or a smile.
40
1. Ask the children to use the paper and drawing
supplies to make a picture of themselves.
2. Invite the children to explore how they might
cooperate on using one very large piece of paper
to do this; for example, cut paper into smaller
pieces, work together on one large picture, divide
the paper into a section for each child, etc.
3. Let the children execute their own plan for
producing the drawing.
4. Display the finished work.
From The Puzzle Place Caregiver Guide, 1994, Lancit
Copyright Corp., KCET.
Lunch Factory
Rope Challenge
Materials:
Materials:
• Napkins
• Cups
• Drinks
• Ingredients for a lunch menu planned by the
children
1. Talk about the cooperation it takes to work in a
factory. Explain how an assembly line works,
with each person doing part of the job and
passing it along to another to add the next piece.
2. Help the children plan a lunch menu for their
Lunch Factory.
3. Supply the menu items.
4. Set up a lunch assembly line, giving each child a
specific job; one child could pull apart the paper
plates, the next could open two slices of bread on
a plate, the next could add lunch meat, then
cheese, etc.
5. Run the assembly line until all lunches are made
and the last child sets the plates at each place at
the table.
• One clothesline
• A large open space
1. Tie knots in the clothesline at one- to two-foot
intervals.
2. Tie ends of the rope together forming a circle.
3. Ask the children to make a circle, with each child
holding on to one knot of the rope.
4. Ask the group to create a series of other shapes
with the rope: a square, a rectangle, an oval.
5. Talk about what each person needs to do so the
group can succeed at making the new shapes.
• Before the children start making shapes, have
them scramble about while holding the rope.
Some can pass over or under the rope to make a
big tangle. You can even do this to music. When
the music stops, cooperate to unscramble the
rope without letting go of the knots.
6. Enjoy your cooperative lunch!
Read a related book
Harriet’s Halloween Candy
By Nancy Carlson
Subway Sparrow
By Leyla Torres
The Big Hungry Bear
By Don & Audrey Wood
The Lion and the Mouse
By Ed Young
The Rainbow Fish
By Marcus Pfister
It’s Mine
By Crosby Bonsall
Daddy Makes the Best Spaghetti
By Anna Hines
Katherine’s Doll
By Elizabeth Winthrop
Mole’s Hill: A Woodland Tale
By Lois Ehlert
Barney and Baby Bop’s Band: A Story About Sharing
(book on tape)
By Mark S. Bernthal
A Chair for My Mother
By Vera B. Williams
41
Counting & Numbers
Program
Counting & Numbers Theme
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
Teletubbies
Teletubbies
Teletubbies
Teletubbies
Teletubbies
Teletubbies
“First Things First”
“Count Me In!”
“One Nose, Two Eyes”
“Numbers! Numbers!”
#1447 “Numbers”
#1462 “Card Sorting”
“How Much is a Million?”
“Hotel Animal”
“Math Cure”
“Saturday Sancocho”
“Numbers (2)”
“Numbers (1)”
“Numbers (4)”
“Numbers (6)”
“Numbers (8)”
“Numbers (5)”
Peanut Take-Away
Number Monster
Materials:
Materials:
• Peanuts or another healthful finger snack
• One bowl
2. Place a bowl of peanuts in the middle of the table.
• Butcher paper
• Markers
• White paper cut into strips
• Tape
• Dice
3. Have the children guess how many peanuts are in
the bowl.
1. Tape a large piece of butcher paper to the wall and
draw an outline of a head on it.
4. Count the peanuts.
5. Have all the children eat a few peanuts.
2. Write the names of body parts on one side of the
white paper strips.
6. Guess again how many are in the bowl and count
again.
3. Tape the strips, word-side down, near the butcher
paper.
7. Repeat: eat, guess, count, until all of the peanuts
are gone.
4. Choose a child to be the first Monster Maker.
1. Seat the children around a table.
From Explorations: Educational Activities for Young Children
by Lucille R. Clayton.
5. Have the child roll the dice and choose a wordstrip.
6. If the child rolls a three and chooses a mouth, the
child draws three mouths on the head of the monster.
7. Repeat until everyone has had a turn.
8. Display the monster.
From The Learning Circle, 1998, by Patty Claycomb.
42
Number Mix
Puppy Counting
Materials:
Materials:
• 1⁄4 cup O-shaped cereal
• 1 cup square-shaped cereal
• 2 cups popcorn
• 2 cups small crackers
• 3 cups pretzel twists
• One zip-top plastic bag for each child
• 5 bowls
• None
2. Tell them that this is a game that requires their
imaginations. The children will close their eyes,
get comfortable and make pictures in their minds
while you tell the story.
3. Tell the children this story:
1. Decide on how many of each ingredient to put in
each bag.
You see a large box sitting on the floor. It is
starting to shake! You can see a floppy ear at the
top of the box. It is a puppy! It is jumping out of
the box! Now it is resting on the floor. It has
fallen asleep.
2. Seal the bag and shake.
3. Make enough for each child to have one bag.
4. Have the children look in their bags and guess
which item they have the most of and which the
least.
Here comes another puppy. You can see its nose
at the top of the box. It is jumping out of the
box! Now there are two puppies asleep on the
floor.
5. Ask them to take all of one particular ingredient
out of the bag and count it.
Another puppy is sliding down the box. Now
there are three puppies! Look at the box again.
There is a tail coming over the top. The puppy is
coming out backwards! Now there are four
puppies on the floor.
6. Have the children take the rest of the items out
and sort them into piles.
7. Make a chart of the ingredients in their Number
Mix bags. Help the children read the chart and
compare it to the contents of their bags.
Is that all the puppies? No! The box is shaking!
You can see a paw at the top of the box. The
puppy is jumping out. Now there are five
puppies asleep on the floor.
8. Have the children make their own Number Mix
bags. They should choose a number between one
and five for each ingredient and put that number
in the bag.
4. Have the children open their eyes and ask the
following questions:
9. Eat and enjoy!
• How many puppies jumped out of the box?
• What parts of the puppies did you see at the
top of the box?
• What did the puppies do when they reached
the floor?
From The Learning Circle, 1998, by Patty Claycomb.
Read a related book
What Comes in 2s, 3s and 4s?
By Suzanne Aker
The Button Box
By Margarette S. Reid
How Much is a Million?
By David Schwartz
How Many How Many How
Many
By Rick Walton
Count!
By Denise Fleming
Hotel Animal
By Keith DuQuette
Ten, Nine, Eight
By Molly Bang
Math Curse
By Jon Scieszka
Up to Ten and Down Again
By Lisa Campbell Ernst
Saturday Sancocho
By Leyla Torres
Ten Black Dots
By Donald Crews
One to Ten Pop-Up Surprises
By Chuck Murphy
Farm Counting Book
By Jane Miller
My First Book of Time
By Claire Llewellyn
43
Diversity
Program
Diversity Theme
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Dragon Tales
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
“Muffy’s New Best Friend”
“Arthur and Los Vecinos”
“The Boy With His Head in the Clouds”
“Buster’s Amish Mismatch”
“Any Way You Slice It”
“Individual Differences”
“The New Neighbors”
“A New Friend”
“The Truth About Dogs and Cats”
“New Dog in Town”
“Dragon Sails”
#1234 “There’s No One Just Like You”
#1322 “Talking About Disabilities”
“Arthur’s Eyes”
“Watch the Stars Come Out”
Looks Can Be Deceiving
Hello
Materials:
Materials:
• A variety of bags (pretty gift bags, lunch sacks,
grocery bags, trash bags, etc.)
• A variety of familiar items (a popular toy, a wellliked snack, a spoon, an unappealing vegetable, a
sock, etc.)
1. Place one item per bag, making sure there is no
relationship between the appearance of the bag
and its contents.
2. Have the children select a bag they think they’d
like to open.
3. When the bags are opened and the contents
revealed, lead a discussion about how they might
have been fooled when they “jumped to
conclusions” about the appearance of the bag.
Talk about how we sometimes do that with
people.
4. Remind the children of this activity the next time
someone “jumps to conclusions.”
• None
1. Help your children learn to say “hello” in a
number of different languages. Use parents, other
teachers and community members to help you
develop the list of greetings and proper
pronunciations.
Additional activities:
• Designate a language for each day of the week.
Deliver all your greetings in that language.
• Make labels in another language identifying
familiar items in the classroom. Call the items by
their foreign names.
From Different and the Same Teacher’s Guide, 1995, Family
44
Different and the Same Fans
Inside-Outside
Materials:
Materials:
• Strips of colored construction paper
• Hole punch
• Brass fasteners (one per student)
• List of questions
1. Prepare a list of at least 10 questions to ask the
class. Here are some examples: Who speaks a
different language at home? Who is learning how
to play an instrument? Who likes peanut butter
and jelly sandwiches? Who has a dog? Who likes
to go fishing?
2. Have each colored strip of construction paper
represent each question. You may need several
strips of the same color.
3. Ask the first question. If the child answers yes to
the question, give him/her a colored strip of
paper.
4. Continue asking the questions and have the
children collect their colored strips.
5. After all of the questions have been answered,
have each child stack his/her strips. Punch a hole
in one end and fasten the stack together with a
brass fastener. Spread the strips out to make a fan.
6. Discuss how many students have the same colors
in their fans. The fans show how sometimes we
are different and sometimes we are the same.
• Scrap paper
• Pencils
1. Begin by telling the children that there is some
information we can know about people by
looking at the outside. An example would be
sorting blocks by color, shape or size. Ask the
children what they can tell about you by looking
at you. An example would be your hair color or
height.
2. Explain that there are some things they can’t tell
about you by looking at your outside. Some
things are inside. Then tell them something
surprising about yourself that they don’t know.
3. Invite the children to think of something about
themselves that no one knows. Instruct them not
to share the information just yet.
4. While the children are involved in other activities,
call individual children up and, if he/she is
willing, write down the thing about that child
that no one knows. You may have to help the
children by asking some questions.
5. Write the secrets on the strips of scrap paper.
6. Call the group together again and see who can
guess which secret belongs to which classmate.
7. Talk about the importance of looking on the
inside of people and not just the outside.
Read a related book
Red Dancing Shoes
By Denise Lewis Patrick
Potluck
By Anne Shelby
Mama Do You Love Me?
By Barbara M. Joosse
Faces
By Shelley Rotner & Ken Kreisler
On the Go
By Ann Morris
People
By Peter Spier
Bread, Bread, Bread
By Ann Morris
Mama Zooms
By Jane Cowen-Fletcher
Hats, Hats, Hats
By Ann Morris
Arthur’s Eyes
By Marc Brown
Shoes, Shoes, Shoes
By Ann Morris
Watch the Stars Come Out
By Riki Levinson
45
Exercise
Program
Exercise Theme
Arthur
Barney & Friends
Teletubbies
Teletubbies
Teletubbies
Teletubbies
Teletubbies
Teletubbies
Teletubbies
Teletubbies
“D.W. Flips”
“Play for Exercise”
#1094 “Games With Balls”
#1137 “Gymnastics”
#1170 “Different Kinds of Exercise”
#1173 “Basketball/Teamwork”
#1329 “Stop and Go Game”
#1493 “Daily Exercise”
#1602 “Soccer”
#1603 “Special Olympics”
#1605 “Bowling”
“Winter Gold”
“Hools & Drums”
“Swimming in the Desert”
“Basketball”
“Crawling”
“Gymnastics”
“Ice Skating”
“Jumping”
“Rollerblading”
“Skipping”
“Swimming”
Feelings Dance
Parachute Games
Materials:
Materials:
• Streamers or scarves
• Music
1. Give each child a streamer or a scarf.
2. Have the children move to music.
3. The children can move and dance depending on
how the music makes them feel.
4. Change the music from time to time to represent
different emotions.
46
• A sheet or a thin blanket
1. Have the children hold the “parachute” along the
edges with both hands.
2. Have them walk in a circle while raising and
lowering the parachute.
3. Sing a song and add additional movements for
the children to make with the parachute.
Tightrope Walking
Physical Exercise
Materials:
Materials:
• Two six-foot pieces of string or masking tape
• Tape to fasten the string (if you use string)
1. Make a tightrope by taping a long piece of string
or masking tape to the floor.
2. Show the children how to walk on the line by
placing one foot in front of the other.
3. Help the children to walk on the line, but then let
them try it for themselves.
• Music
1. Explain to the children that exercise can make
them feel good.
2. Play music and have the children follow your
lead in doing some exercises. Some examples of
movements are:
• Raising hands over their heads
• Lifting knees
• Marching
• Circular motions with arms
• Touching heads, shoulders and toes
• Twisting from side to side
• Jumping with one or two feet
3. Let the children take turns leading the exercise.
Read a related book
Barney Plays Nose to Toes
By Margie Larsen & Mary Ann Dudko
Can You Dance, Dalila?
By Virginia Kroll
Jump, Frog, Jump!
By Robert Kalan
Sea Swan
By Kathryn Lasky
My Mom is a Runner
By Mary Reimold
Mrs. Armitage on Wheels
By Quentin Blake
My Feet
By Aliki
Shoes
47
Families
Program
Family Theme
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Dragon Tales
Dragon Tales
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
Teletubbies
“Grandpa Dave’s Old Country Farm”
“My Dad, the Garbage Man”
“Grandma Thora Appreciation Day”
“Sue Ellen’s Little Sister”
“Background Blues”
“1001 Dads”
“Kids Are From Earth, Parents Are From Pluto”
“The Big Dig” (Time with grandfather)
“Oh, Brother … She’s My Sister”
“Aunt Rachel Is Here”
“Grandparents Are Grand”
“My Family and Me”
“Clifford’s Doggy Reunion”
“My Emmy or Bust” (Missing a sibling)
“Baby Troubles” (Taking care of a baby)
#1188 “Family”
#1366 “Extended Family”
#1476 “Divorce”
#1534 “Grandparents”
#1535 “Grandfathers”
#1555 “What Is Adoption?”
#1555 “We Are Family” (Mormon family)
“A Chair for My Mother”
“The Patchwork Quilt”
“Little Baby”
Family Collage
Materials:
• Magazine pictures of men and women
• Magazine pictures of children, babies and
teenagers
• Poster board
• Glue
3. Have the children glue the pictures to the poster
board, creating various types of families from the
pictures.
4. Display the collage and talk about all the different
families.
Adapted from A Planning Guide to the Preschool Curriculum,
1984, by Anne R. Sanford, et. al.
1. Cut pictures out of magazines.
2. Place the pictures in the middle of a large table
and mix them up, leaving them face up.
48
Family Tree
Family Quilt
Materials:
Materials:
• Construction paper
• Magazines
• Glue
• Scissors
• Wallpaper scraps
• Large sheet of paper
• Glue
• Non-toxic paint
1. Have construction paper tree trunks and leaves
available for the children to cut out.
1. Have the children cut squares from the wallpaper
scraps.
2. Help the children write the names of their family
members on the leaves.
2. Glue the squares to the large piece of paper to
make their quilt.
3. The children can glue the tree trunk and leaves to
a large piece of paper.
3. Allow children to add names or pictures to their
quilts.
4. It is also nice to allow the children to cut pictures
out of a magazine that represent each person on
their family tree.
4. Display the quilts and talk about family
heirlooms.
5. Have the children glue the picture next to the
corresponding leaf.
Family Flag
Materials:
• Magazines
• Large piece of paper
• Felt
• Fabric squares
• Crayons, markers, glitter, etc.
• Scissors
• Stick or ruler
1. Have the children cut out pictures that remind
them of special times they have had with their
families.
Adapted from Barney’s Watch, Play & Learn, 1998, Lyrick
Studios. Used with permission.
Read a related book
The Big Big Sea
By Martin Waddell
On Mother’s Lap
By Ann Herbert Scott
By Anna Hines
Abuela’s Weave
By Omar Castaneda
Mama Zooms
2. Glue the pictures to a large piece of paper.
All Kinds of Families
By Norma Simon
3. Encourage the children to decorate their family
flags.
The Patchwork Quilt
By Valerie Flournoy
4. Attach the stick or ruler to the flag.
5. Let the flags fly high for everyone to see.
Big Sister, Little Brother
By Terry Berger
Families Are Different
By Nina Pellegrini
By Vera B. Williams
49
Feelings
Program
Feelings Theme
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Barney & Friends
Dragon Tales
Dragon Tales
Dragon Tales
Dragon Tales
Dragon Tales
Dragon Tales
Dragon Tales
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
“So Long, Spanky” (Sadness and death)
“D.W.’s Very Bad Mood”
“Arthur’s Big Hit”
“Jenna’s Bedtime Blues” (Fear of bedwetting)
“Is Everybody Happy?”
“Home Is Where the Fun Is” (Jealousy)
“Boo!”
“The Ears Have It” (Fear of fireworks)
“Who Me, Jealous?”
“The Forest of Darkness” (Fear)
“Goodbye Little Caterpoozle” (Sadness and death)
“Calling Dr. Zak” (Fear of the doctor)
“The Fury Is Out on This One” (Anger)
“Snow Dragons” (Fear of being lost)
“The Big Sleepover” (Fear of spending the night)
“Ord Sees the Light” (Fear of the dark)
#1065 “Empathy”
#1101 “Death of a Pet”
#1140 “Expression Through Dance”
#1177 “Jealousy”
#1277 “Jealousy”
#1354 “Crying”
#1417 “Shyness”
“Feelings”
“Badger’s Parting Gifts” (Grief and death)
The Feelings Mirror
Materials:
• Large mirror
• Poster board
• Aluminum foil
• Scissors
• Crayons
• Glue
2. Have the children make faces in the mirror to
match the feelings you talked about.
3. Help the children make their own mirrors by
gluing a piece of foil to a round piece of poster
board.
4. Encourage the children to draw faces on the back
of the mirror that show the various expressions
they discussed.
1. Talk about all of the feelings that were expressed
in the television program.
50
Paper Plate Faces
• If anger were a size, what size would it be?
• Ask the children to draw their answer to this
last question: If anger were a face, what
would it look like?
Materials:
• Paper plates
• Markers
• Crayons
• Popsicle sticks
From Learn Along With Lamb Chop Activity Guide, 1994,
Shari Lewis Enterprises, Inc.
1. Ask each child to draw a face on a paper plate
that is showing an emotion.
“I Feel Good” Book
2. Allow the children to decorate their face with a
variety of materials.
Materials:
3. Read the children a story and ask them to hold up
their paper plate when you talk about that feeling
in the story.
If Anger Were A …
Materials:
• Paper
• Stapler
• Markers
• Crayons
• Magazines
• Glue
1. Have the children draw or glue a picture of
something on a piece of paper that makes them
happy.
• Paper
• Crayons
• Markers
2. The children should be encouraged to think of as
many things as they can.
1. Ask the children each of these questions one at a
time and give them plenty of time to respond:
• If anger were a sound, what would it sound
like?
• If anger were a color, what color would it be?
• If anger were an animal, what animal would it
be?
• If anger were the weather, what would it be
like?
3. Have the children create one page per item.
4. Write why the thing makes them happy at the
bottom of every page.
5. Turn the pages into a “happy” book.
Provided with permission from Reading Rainbow: A Guide
for Teachers, 1986.
Read a related book
I Love You as Much…
By Laura Krauss Melmed
Ira Sleeps Over
By Bernard Waber
The Kissing Hand
By Audrey Penn
Feelings
By Aliki
Mean Soup
By Betsy Everitt
Sometimes I Feel Like a Mouse: A Book About Feelings
By Jeanne Modesitt
I Was So Mad!
By Norma Simon
The Old Dog
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible,
No Good, Very Bad Day
By Judith Viorst
Chrysanthemum
By Kevin Henkes
51
Friends
Program
Friends Theme
Arthur
“Buster’s New Friend”
Arthur
“Don’t Ask Muffy”
Arthur
“Arthur’s Faraway Friend”
Arthur
“Muffy’s New Best Friend”
Barney & Friends
“On the Move” (Old and new friends)
Barney & Friends
“A Package of Friendship”
“Cleo Comes to Town” (Old and new friends)
“False Friends”
#1363 “Friendship Dance”
“Best Friends”
Body Tracing
Friendship Picture
Materials:
Materials:
• Butcher paper
• Crayons, markers or pencils
1. Have one child lie face up on paper, while the
other child traces the child lying down.
2. Encourage the children to trade places.
3. After both children have been traced, have the
children color the tracings, adding facial features,
hair, clothing and so on.
• Pictures of the children with a friend
• Construction paper
• Various art materials
1. Take a picture of each child with a friend.
2. Make two copies.
3. Give one to each child.
4. Have the children make a special frame out of
construction paper and art supplies.
5. Display the pictures in a special place.
52
Friendship Pudding
Friendship Dances
Materials:
Materials:
• Instant pudding mix
• Milk
• Plastic jar with lid
• Drum (an oatmeal box or empty coffee can will
work)
1. Beat a steady rhythm on the drum.
1. Make the instant pudding (follow the recipe on
the box).
2. Encourage children to join hands for the
“friendship dance.”
2. Pour the mix and milk into a clean jar with a lid.
3. Have the children move in a circle and dance
together to the drumming sounds.
3. Have the children take turns shaking the jar,
counting to ten as they shake.
4. Each friend should take two turns.
5. Let the pudding set for a few minutes before
spooning it out.
4. Allow the children to take turns being the
drummer.
Read a related book
The Faithful Friend
By Robert D. San Souci
Frog and Toad
By Arnold Lobel
By Terry Berger
Barney’s Friends
By Margie Larsen
By Leo Lionni
Do You Want to Be My Friend?
By Eric Carle
Chester’s Way
By Kevin Henkes
Corduroy
By Don Freeman
53
Health
Program
Health Theme
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Dragon Tales
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
“D.W. The Picky Eater”
“Vomitrocious” (Getting sick in public)
“Buster’s Breathless” (Asthma)
“The Lousy Week” (Head lice)
“A Picture of Health”
“Let’s Eat!”
“Good, Clean, Fun”
“Snack Time!”
“Too Much Junk Food”
“Tummy Trouble”
“Itchy Patch”
“Calling Dr. Zak” (Fear of the doctor)
#1138 “Food”
#1297 “Taking Care of Your Teeth”
“Gregory, The Terrible Eater”
“The Milk Makers”
“Germs Make Me Sick!”
Visit a Farmer’s Market
Super Smiles
Materials:
Materials:
• Transportation and adult supervision
1. Visit a farmer’s market or the produce
department of a supermarket.
2. Talk about all of the heathful fruits and
vegetables, discussing their names, colors,
shapes, etc.
3. Take home one or two unfamiliar fruits or
vegetables to try.
• Red construction paper
• White paint
• Paper plates
• Scissors
1. Use the red construction paper to cut out smiles.
2. Pour a small amount of white paint onto the
paper plate.
3. Help the children press a thumb into the paint
and gently onto the red smile to make healthy
white teeth.
From Barney’s Watch, Play & Learn, 1998,
Lyrick Studios. Used with permission.
54
Doctor’s Office Play
Chef Brockett’s Nutritious Snack
Materials:
Materials:
• Bathroom scales
• Oversized white shirts
• Cotton balls
• Adhesive bandages
• Stethoscope
• Stuffed animals or dolls
1. Discuss what happens at a doctor’s office.
2. Encourage the children to examine their dolls or
stuffed animals as if they were the doctor.
3. Encourage children to take turns with the play
materials.
• Nonfat dry milk
• Peanut butter
• Margarine
• Chopped nuts
• Raisins
• Graham cracker crumbs
• Banana
• Spoons
• Mixing bowl
1. Combine one tablespoon of margarine and one
cup of peanut butter (use a banana if you don’t
like peanut butter).
2. Add 3⁄4 cup nonfat dry milk and mix thoroughly.
3. Add raisins and nuts.
4. Shape into balls and roll in cracker crumbs if
desired.
5. Allow the children to help with adding the
ingredients.
Read a related book
Who’s Sick Today?
By Lynne Cherry
Little Rabbit’s Loose Tooth
By Lucy Bate
Robby Visits the Doctor
By Martine Davison
Your Skin and Mine
By Paul Showers
Madeline
By Ludwig Bemelmans
Germs Make Me Sick!
By Melvin Berger
Barney and Baby Bop Go to the Doctor
By Margie Larsen
Good Enough to Eat: A Kid’s Guide to Food and Nutrition
By Lizzy Rockwell
Barney Goes to the Dentist
Gregory, The Terrible Eater
By Mitchell Sharmat
The Milk Makers
By Gail Gibbons
55
Music & Movement
Program
Music & Movement Theme
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Barney & Friends
Dragon Tales
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
Teletubbies
Teletubbies
“My Music Rules”
“Arthur Plays the Blues”
“D.W. Dancing Queen”
“Big Horns George”
“We’ve Got Rhythm”
“A Smashing Success”
#1066 “Making Up Songs”
#1076 “Folk Dancing”
#1105 “Drawing a Song”
#1159 “Opera”
#1239 “Rhythm Exercises”
#1266 “Singing Loud and Quiet”
#1269 “Drums”
#1325 “Singing”
#1334 “Parade”
#1399 “Orchestra”
#1579 “Listening to Music”
#1591 “Harmonica”
#1446 “Expressive Dancing”
#1484 “Dancing — Building Skills to Play Football”
#1548 “Rhythms With Ella Jenkins”
“Buster & Beatrice” (Conjunto music)
“Ty’s One-Man Band”
“Mama Don’t Allow”
“Erhu Fiddle”
“Flamenco Dancing”
Marching Band
B-I-N-G-O
Materials:
Materials:
• Wooden spoons
• Pots and pans
• Drums
• Horns
• Flags
• Batons
• Hats
• Marching music
1. Play a recording of a march.
2. Use the props to create a marching band.
3. Allow the children to take turns leading the
parade, marching to the beat.
• Poster board
• Crayons
• Your singing voice
1. Write the name BINGO across the top of a poster
board.
2. Ask the children to draw a picture of a dog below
the word BINGO.
3. Teach the song B-I-N-G-O by singing it through a
couple of times.
4. Allow the children to join in. Repeat.
5. Point to the letters as you sing together.
“There was a farmer who had a dog and BINGO
was his name, Oh! B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O,
B-I-N-G-O and Bingo was his name, Oh!”
56
Musical Jars
Painting to Music
Materials:
Materials:
• Five or six glass jars
• Pitcher of water
• Spoons or pencils
• Paper
• Non-toxic paint
• Items for painting (paintbrushes, noodles,
fingers, sponges, feathers, etc.)
1. Have the children pour water into the jars,
pouring different amounts in each jar.
2. Ask the children to tap the jars with a pencil or
spoon. What happens?
3. Let the children take turns tapping the jars to
make different sounds.
4. Ask the children about the different sounds they
hear.
5. Encourage the children to match the sounds they
hear with their voices or to make up a song.
1. Encourage the children to listen to the music and
think about how it makes them feel.
2. Have them paint to the music and the feeling it
gives them.
3. Remind them that everyone’s painting will be
different because each person will have different
feelings about the music.
4. Display the paintings for everyone to see.
Read a related book
Ben’s Trumpet
By Rachel Isadora
Charlie Parker played be bop
By Chris Raschka
Max the Music Maker
By Miriam Stecher
Noisy Nora
By Rosemary Wells
Music, Music for Everyone
By Vera B. Williams
Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin
By Lloyd Moss
The Philharmonic Gets Dressed
By Karla Kuskin
Ty’s One-Man Band
By Mildred Pitts Walter
Clap Your Hands
By Lorinda Bryan Cauley
Mama Don’t Allow
By Thacher Hurd
57
New Experiences
Program
New Experiences Theme
Arthur
Arthur
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Dragon Tales
Dragon Tales
Dragon Tales
Dragon Tales
Reading Rainbow
“Arthur’s Baby”
“D.W.’s Baby”
“All Aboard” (Trains)
“On the Move” (Moving away)
“First Day of School”
“A Package of Friendship” (Moving away)
“Go to the Doctor”
“To Fly With Dragons”
“The Big Sleepover”
“A Liking to Biking”
“A Cool School”
#1002 “Moving Away”
#1088 “Expecting a Baby”
#1100 “Babies and Parents”
#1116 “Taking Care of a New Baby”
#1156 “Going to the Hospital”
#1386 “Going to School”
#1416 “Going to the Dentist”
#1426 “Separation”
#1434 “Moving Away”
#1480 “Airplane Rides”
“Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport” (Moving)
New Baby Play
Food Tasting
Materials:
Materials:
• Baby doll
• Diapers
• Baby clothes
• Bottles
• Diaper bag
1. Ask the children if they have ever had a new baby
in their homes. Ask them what it was like. Did
they help take care of the baby?
2. Allow them to care for the baby dolls.
3. Guide them and teach them responsibilities for
taking care of a new baby, such as folding clothes,
singing, talking and reading to baby, playing
peek-a-boo and helping to pack a diaper bag.
• Kiwi
• Mango
• Pineapple
• Sugar cane
• Coconut
• Plantain
1. Explain that different countries are known for
different foods.
2. Discuss that kiwi is from Australia, mango comes
from the Caribbean, pineapple is grown in
Hawaii, coconut comes from Hawaii and the
Caribbean, and Africa grows sugar cane and
plantain.
3. Encourage the children to try these exotic fruits.
4. Have the children describe how they taste.
58
X-Rays
An Airplane Ride
Materials:
Materials:
• An old X-ray
• Boxes or chairs
• Tote bag or small suitcases
1. Call a hospital or doctor’s office and ask if they
have an old X-ray that you can use with your
class.
1. Ask the children if they have ever been on an
airplane. What was it like? Where did they go?
2. Explain to the children that X-rays are pictures of
the bones inside our bodies. Ask them if they
have ever had an X-ray and why you would need
to have one.
2. Encourage the children to play as if they were
going on an airplane ride. Discuss where they
should put their luggage and how they should
sit.
3. Explain that X-rays do not hurt.
3. Allow them to create their own trip.
4. Put the X-ray up to a light and allow the children
to pretend to be X-ray technicians.
Read a related book
Bread, Bread, Bread
By Ann Morris
Houses and Homes
By Ann Morris
The Fire Station
By Michael Martchenko
A Tasting Party
By Jane Moncure
Flying
By Donald Crews
Barney’s Book of Trains
By Linda Dowdy
Arthur Babysits
By Marc Brown
This is My House
By Arthur Dorros
Everett Anderson’s Nine Month Long
By Lucille Clifton
Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport
By Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
The Leaving Morning
By Angela Johnson
59
Pets
Program
Pet Theme
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Bob the Builder
Bob the Builder
Dragon Tales
George Shrinks
George Shrinks
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
Teletubbies
Teletubbies
“Arthur’s Pet Business”
“Arthur’s New Puppy”
“Sick as a Dog”
“Pet Peeved”
“Flea to Be You and Me”
“A Welcome Home”
“Our Family, Feathered, Fishy Friends”
“Trouble With Pets”
“The Baby Chipmunk”
“Taking Responsibility” (Pet sitting)
“Animal Habitats”
“A Bunny in a Haystack”
“Wheezie’s Hairball”
“The Lost World of George Shrinks”
“Hound of the Bathervilles”
#1497 “Pets”
#1498 “Taking Care of a Pet”
“Tight Times”
“Best Friends”
“Our Dog Alice”
“Dog Training”
Visit a Pet Shop
Guess the Pet
Materials:
Materials:
• Transportation and adult supervision
• None
1. Prepare for the trip. Ask the children what kinds
of animals they think they will see at the pet
shop. Remind them of safety rules.
1. Give clues that describe different kinds of pets.
2. Visit the pet shop and discuss the different kinds
of pets. Talk about how to care for a pet.
3. When you return, reflect on what the children
saw at the pet shop. The children can draw
pictures that can then be turned into a class book
about the trip. Be sure to write down their
descriptions of the pictures.
2. Act out simple movements and actions.
3. Repeat with many kinds of pets.
4. Have the children think of a pet and act out some
clues for the other children.
60
Turtle Rhyme
If I Had a Pet
Materials:
Materials:
• Words and movements to the finger play
• Paper
• Crayons or markers
1. Recite and act out the finger play:
1. Ask the children if they have pets and ask them to
describe their pets. If they do not have a pet, ask
what kind of pet they would like to have. Ask:
How many legs does it have? Does it have fur? Is
it big or little? Where does it sleep? What does it
eat?
There was a little turtle
who lived in a box
It swam in puddles
It climbed on rocks.
It snapped at a mosquito
It snapped at a flea,
It snapped at a minnow
And it snapped at me!
2. Have the children draw their pets. See if they can
come up with names for their pets.
3. Write the name of the pet on the bottom of the
picture.
It caught the mosquito
It caught the flea
It caught the minnow
But it didn’t catch me!
Read a related book
B.J. and Scooter
By Mary Ann Dudko
Pet Show
By Ezra Jack Keats
Can I Keep Him?
By Steven Kellogg
I Love Guinea Pigs
By Dick King-Smith
Guinea Pigs Don’t Read Books
By Colleen Stanley Bare
Tight Times
By Barbara Hazen
Let’s Get a Pet
By Harriet Ziefert
Best Friends
By Steven Kellogg
Millions of Cats
By Wanda Gag
61
Recycling & the Environment
Program
Recycling/Environment Theme
Arthur
Arthur
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Bob the Builder
Reading Rainbow
“Arthur Cleans Up”
“The Shore Thing”
“Shawn and the Beanstalk”
“Trees”
“Weather and Wind”
“Ponds”
“Hidden Treasures”
“Once There Was a Tree”
“Jack, the Seal and the Sea”
“Don’t Pollute”
“The Environment”
#1205 “Recycling”
#1365 “Recycling Collage”
#1616 “Garbage”
#1617 “Recycling Center”
#1618 “Recycling Art”
“Paul Bunyan”
Let’s Use It Again
Milk Carton Haulers
Materials:
Materials:
• A box of discarded objects (toilet paper rolls,
empty milk cartons, string, rubber bands, cash
register receipts, foil, egg cartons, candy
wrappers)
• Liquid glue
• Paper
• Clean, empty paper milk cartons
• Heavy string or cord
• Scissors
• Stapler
1. These haulers are great for carting pretend trash
or anything else.
1. As you show the children each object, see if they
can tell you what it is and what it was used for.
2. Staple the top of the milk carton closed and attach
a piece of string or cord to the closed top portion.
2. Ask the children if the items can be good for
something else.
3. Cut out one of the four side panels and turn the
carton on its side to make an open wagon.
3. When the children have finished telling you their
ideas, allow them to follow through by making
something from a recycled item. (Older children
may want to make “something” from the objects
– a pretend horn, a puppet, a telescope. Younger
children may just want to make a collage).
4. The children may even want to link the haulers
together to make a trash hauling train.
4. Display the items.
62
Sewing Card
Card Puzzle
Materials:
Materials:
• Old greeting cards
• Hole puncher
• Yarn (reinforce the ends with some tape)
1. Have the children bring in old greeting cards if
possible.
• Old greeting cards
• Scissors
1. Have the children bring in old greeting cards if
possible.
2. Remove the backs.
2. Punch holes one to two inches apart around the
front half of the cards.
3. Have the children cut each card into four or five
pieces.
3. Let the children practice lacing the yarn through
the holes.
4. Allow the children to put the puzzles back
together.
5. Give the children a chance to swap puzzles.
Read a related book
Fun With Nature
By Dympna Hayes
Paul Bunyan
By Steven Kellogg
What Did the Rock Say?
By George Maxim Ross
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
By Verna Aardema
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf
By Lois Ehlert
Animal Tracks
By Arthur Dorros
In the Small, Small Pond
By Denise Fleming
63
Safety
Program
Safety Theme
Arthur
“Lost!”
Arthur
“D.W., All Fired Up”
Arthur
“April 9th” (Fire)
Barney & Friends
“I Can Be a Firefighter”
Barney & Friends
“Play It Safe”
#1183 “Safety”
#1246 “Caution”
#1489 “Safe Play”
#1503 “Seatbelts”
#1594 “Bicycle Helmets”
Traffic Light Fun
Safety Walk
Materials:
Materials:
• Poster board
• Red and green crayons or markers
1. Have the children cut two rectangles from the
poster board.
2. They can draw three circles on each rectangle.
• Enough adult supervision
1. Take a walk in your neighborhood and practice
rules for crossing the street and walking safely on
a sidewalk.
3. The children can color one as the green light and
one as the red light.
2. Talk about staying on the sidewalk, crossing at
corners, looking both ways and holding an
adult’s hand.
4. When you hold up the green light, the children
can “go.” When you hold up the red light, your
children can “stop.”
5. Allow the children to try the game on their own.
64
Cleaning Up
Caution
Materials:
Materials:
• Words to the song
1. Learn the words to Barney’s “Clean Up” song.
• Paper
• Markers
• Tape
2. Sing along with the children to cue clean-up time.
3. Ask the children what they think might happen if
they never cleaned up the room. Discuss how a
clean room is a safe room.
“Clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere.
Clean up, clean up, everybody do your share.”
1. Ask the children if they can think of objects at the
child care center that can be dangerous at times
(doors, steps, stove, swing set, etc…).
2. Make several small caution signs for the items
you have discussed.
3. Allow the children to tape signs on the dangerous
objects.
Read a related book
I Read Signs
By Tana Hoban
Make Way for Ducklings
By Robert McCloskey
Red Light, Green Light
By Margaret Wise Brown
Red Riding Hood
By Janus Marshall
Barney Says, “Play Safely”
By Mary Ann Dudko & Margie Larsen
By Vera Williams
65
Self-Esteem
Program
Self-Esteem Theme
Arthur
“Buster’s Best Behavior”
Arthur
“It’s a No Brainer”
Bob the Builder
“Self-Esteem”
“The Great Race”
“Nobody’s Perfect”
“Tough Enough?”
“Stars in Your Eyes”
“T-Bone, Dog About Town”
Dragon Tales
“The Talent Pool”
Dragon Tales
“Dragon Sails”
Dragon Tales
“The Ugly Dragling”
#1326 “The Song, ‘Children Can’”
#1421 “Being the Best You”
#1610 “The Song, ‘I’m Glad I’m the Way I Am’”
Reading Rainbow
“The Tortoise and the Hare”
The “I Like” Game
Who’s Who?
Materials:
Materials:
• One ball for rolling
• Baby photographs of each child
1. Have the children bring photographs of
themselves as babies from home.
2. Roll the ball to a child. That child should hold the
ball and say, “I like …” and name something such
as a food item, an activity, an animal, etc.
3. The child then rolls the ball to another child who
does the same.
4. Continue until everyone has had a chance to
share his/her “likes.”
66
2. Have the children sit around the table.
3. Spread the photographs out on the table.
4. Let the children look at all of the photos.
5. Have each child try to guess which classmate is in
each picture.
We Are All Winners!
Toast Faces
Materials:
Materials:
• Reproducible activity sheets with a prize ribbon
• Scissors
• Crayons and markers
2. Help the children think of something they are
good at. Let them design their ribbons.
• Different types of bread (white, wheat,
pumpernickel, etc.)
• Biscuit cutters or large drinking glasses
• Plastic knives
• Cream cheese
• Peanut butter
• Toaster
• Items for decorating (raisins, alfalfa sprouts,
grated carrot, cereal, olives, etc.)
3. Write the titles they have chosen on their ribbons.
1. Allow each child to choose a slice of bread.
4. Make a display and label it, “We Are All
Winners!”
2. Have each child cut out a round portion with the
biscuit cutter or drinking glass.
1. Give each child an activity sheet with a prize
ribbon on it. Explain that they are going to make
their own prize ribbon.
3. Save the leftover bread pieces for the birds.
From Wimzie’s House Caregiver Activity Guide, 1998,
courtesy of the U.S. Public Television Managament Group,
CINAR Corporation.
4. Toast the bread circles.
5. Allow the children to create self-portraits by
spreading the cream cheese or peanut butter and
designing a face out of the other ingredients.
Encourage the children to try an item they
haven’t tried before!
6. Have the children admire their classmates’
creations before eating them.
From Teaching Snacks, 1994, by Gayle Bittinger.
Read a related book
Verdi
By Janell Cannon
I Can
By Helen Oxenbury
Stellaluna
By Janell Cannon
The Fish Who Could Wish
By John Bush
ABC I Like Me
By Nancy Carlson
Regina’s Big Mistake
By Marissa Moss
Am I Beautiful?
Playing Right Field
By Willy Welch
Wonderful Nature, Wonderful You
By Karin Ireland
The Tortoise and the Hare
Adapted by Janet Stevens
The Important Book
67
Shapes
Program
Shapes Theme
Barney & Friends
“Three Lines, Three Corners”
#1001 “Round”
#1220 “Cookie-Cutter Shapes”
#1348 “Sorting Shapes”
#1280 “Shape Designs”
Teletubbies
“Circles”
Circle Art
Expanded Shapes
Materials:
Materials:
• A collection of lids from various containers
(mason jars, margarine, yogurt, coffee cans, etc.)
• White paper
• Colored markers
1. Give each child some paper and markers.
2. Allow them to choose a lid and trace around it.
3. Encourage them to use different lids and different
colors to create different patterns.
• Colored construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue
1. On different colors of construction paper, one for
each child, draw a circle, square, rectangle,
triangle and diamond. Have the children draw
the shapes if they can.
2. Give each child a different color of construction
paper and a sheet of the construction paper with
shapes on it.
3. Discuss the shapes on the sheet and their
properties (number of sides, corners, etc.)
4. Have the children cut out the shapes and then cut
each shape into two to four sections.
5. Glue the “expanded” shapes with just a little
room between the sections to the construction
paper.
6. Ask the children if the shape can still be identified
after it has been expanded.
68
Shape of the Day
Secret Envelopes
Materials:
Materials:
• Creativity!
1. Choose a particular shape and celebrate that
shape on a particular day.
2. Celebrate by making signs and foods that match
the shape.
3. Look around for everything you can find with
that shape.
• Crayons
• Envelopes
• Assorted flat objects (pennies, buttons, keys,
paper clips, toothpicks, etc.)
1. Show the children the assortment of objects and
see if they can name them.
2. Slip some of the items into random envelopes.
3. Can the children guess what items are inside by
feeling the envelope?
4. Using the crayons, the children can rub over the
items until shapes appear.
5. Can they now guess what is in the envelope?
6. Play this game again by switching envelopes and
rubbing on the other side.
Read a related book
The Shape of Things
By Dayle Ann Dodds
Go Away, Big Green Monster!
By Ed Emberley
Fuzzy Yellow Duckling
By Matthew Van Fleet
Shapes for Lunch!
By Melinda Lily
Look Around! A Book About Shapes
By Leonard Fisher
Shapes, Shapes, Shapes
By Tana Hoban
Shapes and Things
By Tana Hoban
Sea Shapes
By Suse MacDonald
Circles, Triangles and Squares
By Tana Hoban
69
Special Needs Awareness
Program
Special Needs Awareness Theme
Arthur
“Prunella’s Special Edition” (Braille)
“A New Friend”
#1592 “Mister Rogers Visits a Blind Musician”
#1603 “Special Olympics Practice Session”
#1678 “Wheelchair Basketball”
#1726-1730 Various special-needs topics are addressed
in this series of episodes
Reading Rainbow
“Knots on a Counting Rope”
Reading Rainbow
“The Adventures of Taxi Dog”
Reading Rainbow
“Silent Lotus”
Reading Rainbow
“Arthur’s Eyes”
Rainbow Containers
Looks Can Be Deceiving
Materials:
Materials:
• Tissue paper in a variety of colors
• Glue
• Water
• Brushes
• Jars or plastic containers
• A variety of bags (pretty gift bags, lunch sacks,
grocery bags, trash bags, etc.)
• A variety of familiar items (a popular toy, a wellliked snack, a spoon, an unappealing vegetable, a
sock, etc.)
1. Have the children mix the water and glue until it
is the consistency of paint.
1. Place one item per bag, making sure there is no
relationship between the appearance of the bag
and its contents.
2. Allow the children to cut or tear small pieces of
tissue paper.
3. The children can glue the paper onto the jars by
“painting” over them with the glue.
4. Discuss how beautiful it looks when you add
more colors.
2. Have the children select a bag they think they’d
like to open.
3. When the bags are opened and the contents
revealed, lead a discussion about how they might
have been fooled when they “jumped to
conclusions” about the appearance of the bag.
Talk about how we sometimes do that with
people.
4. Remind the children of this activity the next time
someone “jumps to conclusions.”
70
Different and the Same Fans
Inside-Outside
Materials:
Materials:
• Strips of colored construction paper
• Hole punch
• Brass fasteners (one per student)
• List of questions
1. Prepare a list of at least 10 questions to ask the
class. Here are some examples: Who speaks a
different language at home? Who is learning how
to play an instrument? Who likes peanut butter
and jelly sandwiches? Who has a dog? Who likes
to go fishing?
• Scrap paper
• Pencils
1. Begin by telling the children that there is some
information we can know about people by
looking at the outside. An example would be
sorting blocks by color, shape or size. Ask the
children what they can tell about you by looking
at you. An example would be your hair color or
height.
2. Have each colored strip of construction paper
represent each question. You may need several
strips of the same color.
2. Explain that there are some things they can’t tell
about you by looking at your outside. Some
things are inside. Then tell them something
surprising about yourself that they don’t know.
3. Ask the first question. If the child answers yes to
the question, give him/her a colored strip of
paper.
3. Invite the children to think of something about
themselves that no one knows. Instruct them not
to share the information just yet.
4. Continue asking the questions and have the
children collect their colored strips.
4. While the children are involved in other activities,
call individual children up and, if he/she is
willing, write down the thing about that child
that no one knows. You may have to help the
children by asking some questions.
5. After all of the questions have been answered,
have each child stack his/her strips. Punch a hole
in one end and fasten the stack together with a
brass fastener. Spread the strips out to make a fan.
6. Discuss how many students have the same colors
in their fans. The fans show how sometimes we
are different and sometimes we are the same.
5. Write the secrets on the strips of scrap paper.
6. Call the group together again and see who can
guess which secret belongs to which classmate.
7. Talk about the importance of looking on the
inside of people and not just the outside.
Read a related book
We Can Do It!
By Laura Dwight
My Brother Sammy
By Becky Edwards
Friends at School
By Rochelle Bunnett
Howie Helps Himself
By Joan Fassler
What is the Sign for Friend?
By Judith Greenburg
Mama Zooms
Dad and Me in the Morning
By Patricia Lakin
Silent Lotus
By Jeanne M. Lee
See You Tomorrow, Charles
By Miriam Cohen
Knots on a Counting Rope
By John Archambault
My Buddy
By Audrey Osofsky
The Adventures of Taxi Dog
By Debra Barracca
Cookie
By Linda Kneeland
Arthur’s Eyes
By Marc Brown
71
Storytelling
Program
Storytelling Theme
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Dragon Tales
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow
“Arthur Writes a Story”
“I’m a Poet”
“Rhyme for Your Life”
“D.W. Tale Spins”
“Islander of the Year”
“Quetzal’s Magic Pop-Up Book”
#1198 “Poetry Day”
#1340 “Tag Stories”
#1390 “Puppet Show”
“The Music Mystery”
“Liang and the Magic Paintbrush”
“Simon’s Book”
“The Tortoise and the Hare”
“Abiyoyo”
“Rumpelstiltskin”
Puppet Show
Family Picture
Materials:
Materials:
• Paper plates
• Popsicle sticks
• Art supplies
1. Encourage the children to create faces on the
paper plates.
2. Help them to glue or tape the popsicle sticks to
the plates.
3. Allow the children to perform a puppet show.
• Pictures of the children and their families
1. Ask each parent to bring in a family picture.
2. Allow each child to talk about the picture.
3. Ask each child to tell you a story about his or her
family.
hy
ap
r
g
Bio
72
e
Po
try
What’s Going On in the Picture?
Our Newspaper
Materials:
Materials:
• A storybook that’s mostly pictures
1. Choose a book that’s not very familiar to the
children.
2. Show the children the pictures in the book
without reading the words to them.
3. The second time you show them the pictures,
have them tell you their version of the story.
4. You can emphasize that there are many ways to
tell a story.
• Large sheets of paper (plain shelf paper will do)
• Markers
• A newspaper
1. Show the children a newspaper and see if they
can tell you about it. Ask them what newspapers
tell us.
2. Cut the large paper into smaller sheets. Fold them
over to make the newspaper pages.
3. Ask the children what they think should be
included in the newspaper. You might want to
include the day’s menu, activities and weather.
4. Have the children draw pictures for the
newspaper. You will write down what they say
about the pictures.
5. Help them to stack and fold the pages to resemble
a newspaper.
6. Have it available for the parents to look at when
they come and pick up their children.
Read a related book
The Snowman
By Raymond Briggs
Three Billy Goats Gruff
By Ellen Appleby
Amazing Grace
By Mary Hoffman
The Fisherman and His Wife
By Margot Zemach
Baby Bop Pretends
By Mary Ann Dudko
Liang and the Magic Paintbrush
By Demi
It Looked Like Split Milk
By Charles Shaw
Simon’s Book
By Henrik Drescher
Abuela
By Arthur Dorros
Look! Look! Look!
By Tana Hoban
Abiyoyo
By Pete Seeger
Frances Facemaker: A Going to Bed Book
By William Cole
Rumpelstiltskin
Retold by Paul O. Zelinsky
Where the Wild Things Are
By Maurice Sendak
re
tu
n
ve
Ad
ry
sto
i
H
73
Television/Media Literacy
Program
Television/Media Literacy Theme
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Arthur
Barney & Friends
Dragon Tales
Reading Rainbow
“Arthur Makes a Movie”
“Sue Ellen Gets Her Goose Cooked”
“Best of the Nest”
“Arthur’s TV Free Week”
“Arthur’s Almost Live Not Real Music Festival”
“The Contest”
“The Last of Mary Moo Cow”
“A Very Special Mouse” (Computers)
“Too Much TV”
“The Big Blooper”
“The Bad Dream”
“Circus Stars”
“Lights, Camera, Dragons!”
#1383 “Real Vs. Pretend”
#1384 “Making Your Own Television”
“Buster’s League of Champions”
“Beats by the Bay”
“The Bionic Bunny Show”
Background Music
Pictures of Things
Materials:
Materials:
• Musical instruments
• Television
• A video of a program with background music
1. Talk to the children about background music.
Discuss how the music helps you know what is
happening on the program.
2. Play a part of the video that has music to it. Ask
the children how the music made them feel. Was
it soft music? Loud music? Did it make them sad?
3. Give each child a musical instrument.
4. Play a part of the video, but be sure to turn off the
sound.
5. Allow the children to watch the scene and make
music for whatever is happening on the screen.
74
• Real objects (toys, clothing, food, etc.)
• Magazine photo ads of similar things
1. See if the children can name the real objects as
you point out each one.
2. Then show them magazine pictures or ads of the
same objects.
3. Ask the children if the real-life object and the
picture look different.
4. This is a good time to point out that television
and magazines sometimes make things look
different than they do in real life.
A Television Program
Our Newspaper
Materials:
Materials:
• Large cardboard box
• Markers
• Paint and paintbrushes (optional)
• Puppets, dolls and other toys for props
1. Create a television program with the children.
Explain that everything they see on television is
something that has been made by a person.
Discuss that what they see on television is a story
made up by someone else.
2. Cut one side out of a large cardboard box (the
children will enter the box from this side).
• Large sheets of paper (plain shelf paper will do)
• Markers
• A newspaper
1. Show the children a newspaper and see if they can
tell you about it. Ask them what newspapers tell us.
2. Cut the large paper into smaller sheets. Fold them
over to make the newspaper pages.
3. Ask the children what they think should be included
in the newspaper. You might want to include the
day’s menu, activities and weather.
3. Cut a hole the size of a television screen out of the
opposite side.
4. Have the children draw pictures for the newspaper.
You will write down what they say about the
pictures.
4. The children might enjoy painting and decorating
the television.
5. Help them to stack and fold the pages to resemble a
newspaper.
5. When the paint is dry, they can add knobs and
dials with a marker.
6. Have it available for the parents to look at when they
come and pick up their children.
6. Using the puppets and toys, the children can take
turns putting on television programs.
Read a related book
Take a Look, It’s in a Book: How Television Is Made at
Reading Rainbow
By Ronnie Krauss
The Bionic Bunny Show
By Marc Brown
When the TV Broke
By Harriet Ziefert
Arthur’s TV Trouble
By Marc Brown
Box-Head Boy
By Christine M. Winn
Television: What’s Behind What You See
By W. Carter Merbreier & Linda Capus Riley
75
The Five Senses
Program
The Five Senses Theme
Barney & Friends
“Five Kinds of Fun!”
#1025 “Smell”
#1199 “Tasting New Foods”
#1258 “Guessing Game”
#1364 “Sounds”
#1422 “Sound”
Mystery Scent
Letter Bag
Materials:
Materials:
• Empty baby food jars
• Scented items (garlic, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa,
coffee, lemon juice, baby lotion, paint, etc.)
1. Blindfold a child.
2. Offer an open jar for him/her to sniff.
3. Have the child guess what is in each jar.
4. Repeat for each child.
5. If the child likes the smell, ask him/her to relate it
to foods or experiences.
• A pillow case or bag
• Small objects that begin with the same letter
1. Fill a bag with small objects. The objects should
all begin with the same letter.
2. Have each child reach in the bag and describe
each object.
3. Challenge the children to find more objects that
begin with the same letter.
76
Shake and Guess
Homemade Butter
Materials:
Materials:
• Half-pint milk cartons
• Paper
• Tape
• Permanent marker
• A box large enough to store the milk cartons
• Items to fill the milk cartons (sand, stones, nuts,
bolts, rice, dried peas, etc.)
• One clean baby food jar for each child
• One pint of whipping cream
• Crackers
• Flavoring (garlic powder, honey, almond extract,
etc.)
• Plastic knives
• Clean hands
1. Place the sound-making objects in the milk
cartons, making sure that the same object is in
two cartons.
1. Fill half of a baby food jar with whipping cream
and tighten the lid.
2. Flatten the flaps of the milk cartons and tape
them closed.
3. Mark the bottom of each milk carton with a
symbol to show which cartons contain matching
contents.
4. Cover the storage box with paper and draw two
ears on it.
5. Place the milk cartons in the storage box.
6. Have each child shake the cartons and listen to
the sounds.
7. Allow him/her to match up the cartons with the
same sound.
8. Ask the children which pair made the softest or
loudest sound.
2. Have the children guess what will happen when
you shake the jar.
3. Shake the jar for a few minutes and observe the
changes in the whipping cream. It’s turning into
butter!
4. Fill each child’s jar with whipping cream. Ask
them if they would like to add any flavoring to
the butter.
5. Tighten the lids and allow the children to shake
their jars. It will take about five minutes for the
butter to form.
6. Eat with crackers or refrigerate and enjoy later!
From Teaching Snacks, 1994, by Gayle Bittinger.
From Creating Innovative Classroom Materials for Teaching
Young Children, by Marianne Debelak and Judith Herr, et. al.
Read a related book
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?
By Bill Martin, Jr.
My Five Senses
By Aliki
The Listening Walk
By Paul Showers
Smelling
By Richard L. Allington
I Hear
By Rachel Isadora
A Tasting Party
By Jane Moncure
I See
By Rachel Isadora
How Do I Know It’s Yucky? and Other Questions About
the Senses
By Sharon Cromwell
Good-Night, Owl!
By Pat Hutchins
See, Hear, Touch, Taste, Smell It
Newbridge Books
Touch and Read
By Tiziano Sclavi
77
Weather
Program
Weather Theme
Arthur
“The Blizzard”
Barney & Friends
“It’s Raining, It’s Pouring”
Barney & Friends
“Easy, Breezy Day!”
Barney & Friends
“It’s a Rainy Day”
Barney & Friends
“A Sunny, Snowy Day”
“Bears for All Seasons”
“Spring Into Fun”
Dragon Tales
“Stormy Weather”
Dragon Tales
“Blowin’ With the Wind”
#1294 “Thunder and Lightening”
“Spring Break”
Reading Rainbow
“Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain”
Teletubbies
“Rain”
A Thunderous Band
Parachute Play
Materials:
Materials:
• Metal pots and pans
• Wooden spoons
• Flashlights
• Parachute or large sheet
• One small ball
1. Have the children grab the sides of the parachute.
1. Have some of the children make thunderous
sounds with the pots, pans and wooden spoons.
2. Have some children use the flashlights to make
lightening.
3. Explain that far-away thunder will sound softer,
and as the storm moves closer it will get louder.
From the Wimzie’s House Caregiver Activity Guide, 1998,
courtesy of the U.S. Public Television Management Group,
CINAR Corporation.
78
2. Place the ball in the middle of the parachute.
3. As you name different warm items such as the
sun, a bonfire, cuddly sheets, a pillow, etc., have
the children gently shake the chute to make the
ball jiggle.
4. When you name cold items such as ice cream,
lemonade or milk shakes, everyone pops the
chute up and the ball flies up high.
5. Have the children think of items that are warm
and cold.
Weather Wear
Pretend Rain Soup
Materials:
Materials:
• Several large boxes
• An assortment of clothing appropriate for
different weather
• Notecards with different types of weather on
them.
Notecard suggestions:
• Hot and sunny
• Cold and rainy
• Stormy
• Cloudy
• Foggy
1. Separate clothing into boxes. Have a box for
shoes, coats, regular clothes and accessories such
as hats, sunglasses, mittens, umbrella, etc.
2. Have each child come up and take a card.
3. Read the card and have the child dress in clothing
appropriate for the type of weather on the card.
4. Talk about the decisions each child made
regarding how to dress.
5. The child can then put back his/her items and
take a seat.
• One large container
• Water
• Small bags
• One long stick
1. Take the children out for a walk after a rain shower.
2. Give each child a small bag and have the children
collect wet items such as rocks, leaves, grass, sticks,
etc.
3. Ask them to notice how the rain has changed the
appearance of things. Have them notice how the air
smells.
4. Back in the classroom, tell the children you are going
to make pretend rain soup. Fill the container with
water.
5. Have each child place the rain objects into the water.
6. After each child does this, allow him/her to stir the
soup with the big stick.
7. Discuss how rain changes the appearance of things.
Encourage and acknowledge every observation and
discovery that the children make.
6. Repeat until each child has had a turn.
Read a related book
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
By Judi Barrett
Little Cloud
By Eric Carle
Thunder Cake
By Patricia Polacco
The Cloud Book
By Tomie de Paola
The Snowy Day
By Ezra Jack Keats
The House of Four Seasons
By Roger Duvoisin
Snowballs
By Lois Ehlert
The White Marble
The Wind Blew
By Pat Hutchins
By Verna Aardema
79
PBS 45 & 49
Curriculum Planning
Pages
Planning Page
File these sheets away to keep track of your video library.
The children’s programs on PBS 45 & 49 are designed to enhance the development of the whole child — in the thinking,
social, emotional and physical areas. Young children are given opportunities for new learning experiences. Therefore,
children begin to develop important skills for school readiness. Existing skills are reinforced and appropriate behavior
is modeled. A strong emphasis is placed on positive pro-social skills, such as making friends, sharing, cooperating and
using good manners.
The lists below categorize some of PBS 45 & 49’s children’s programs into child growth and development areas:
Cognitive
Social & Emotional
Arthur
Barney & Friends
Between the Lions
Bob the Builder
Cyberchase
Dragon Tales
George Shrinks
Reading Rainbow
Sesame Street
Teletubbies
Physical
Arthur
Barney & Friends
Bob the Builder
Dragon Tales
George Shrinks
Maya & Miguel
Reading Rainbow
Sesame Street
Teletubbies
Barney & Friends
Reading Rainbow
Sesame Street
Teletubbies
Educational Goals of Programs
Program ____________________
Program ____________________
Program ____________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Child Growth and
Development
Child Growth and
Development
Child Growth and
Development
Social/Emotional
Cognitive
Physical
_______
_______
_______
Curriculum Areas
Art
Cooking
Reading/Literature
Gross Motor Skills
Social Studies
Sensory Activity
Music/Movement
Discovery/Science
Dramatic Play
Social/Emotional
Cognitive
Physical
_______
_______
_______
Curriculum Areas
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
Art
Cooking
Reading/Literature
Gross Motor Skills
Social Studies
Sensory Activity
Music/Movement
Discovery/Science
Dramatic Play
Social/Emotional
Cognitive
Physical
_______
_______
_______
Curriculum Areas
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
Art
_______
Cooking
Reading/Literature
Gross Motor Skills
Social Studies
Sensory Activity
Music/Movement
Discovery/Science
Dramatic Play
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
_______
Any Others ___________________
Any Others ___________________
Any Others ___________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
PBS 45 & 49’s Ready To Learn Caregiver Guide • PBS 45 & 49 Curriculum Planning
83
Curriculum Planning Sheet
I want the children to learn: ______________________________________________________________________________
Active Viewing:
Program Title: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Date and time I will record the program: ___________________________________________________________________
Date we will watch the program: _________________________________________________________________________
Open-ended questions I will ask when we view the program: ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
How will I get the children actively involved? ______________________________________________________________
Storybook Reading: I will read the following books:
1. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
What open-ended questions will I ask during the reading? How will I make the connection between the television
program and the story? __________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Activity:
Plan an activity that extends or prepares for the lesson of the program.
What activity will I do? What materials will I use?
How will I make the connection between the television program, the story and the activity?
84
Book List by Theme
ABCs
Celebrations
The Guinea Pig ABC
By Kate Duke
Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present
A My Name Is Alice
By Jane Bayer
Happy Birthday Baby Bop!
Farm Alphabet Book
By Jane Miller
Seven Candles for Kwanzaa
By Andrea Davis Pinkney
We Read: A to Z
By Donald Crews
Happy Birthday, Sam
By Pat Hutchins
My First ABC of Animals
By Fiammetta Dogi
Happy Birthday, Moon
By Frank Asch
Black and White Rabbit’s ABC
By Alan Baker
Happy Birthday Martin Luther King
By Jean Marzollo
A to Z Picture Book
By Gyo Fujikawa
Hanukkah!
By Roni Schotter
26 Letters and 99 Cents
By Tana Hoban
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
By Bill Martin, Jr. & John
Archambault
The Folks in the Valley: A Pennsylvania
Dutch ABC
By Jim Aylesworth
Body Awareness
Dem Bones
By Bob Barner
From Head to Toe
By Eric Carle
The Human Body
By Newbridge Books
My Feet
By Aliki
My Hands
By Aliki
Spectacles
By Ellen Raskin
What Am I Made of?
By David Bennett
Herbert Hated Being Small
By Karla Kuskin
Hue Boy
By Rita P. Mitchell
Heather Hiding
By Nancy White Carlstrom
Why Does That Man Have Such a Big
Nose?
By Mary Beth Quinsey
Colors
All the Colors of the Earth
By Sheila Hamanaka
Freight Train
By Donald Crews
By Leo Lionni
Who Said Red?
By Mary Serfoza
Brown Cow, Green Grass, Yellow,
Mellow Sun
By Ellen Jackson
It’s Mine
By Leo Lionni
Mouse TV
By Matt Novak
Luka’s Quilt
By Georgia Guback
Rosie & the Yellow Ribbon
By Paula DePaolo
Matthew and Tilly
By Rebecca C. Jones
Cooperation
Harriet’s Halloween Candy
By Nancy Carlson
The Big Hungry Bear
By Don & Audrey Wood
The Rainbow Fish
By Marcus Pfister
By Anna Hines
Mole’s Hill: A Woodland Tale
By Lois Ehlert
By Vera B. Williams
Subway Sparrow
By Leyla Torres
The Lion and the Mouse
By Ed Young
Mouse Paint
By Ellen Stoll Walsh
It’s Mine
By Crosby Bonsall
Colors of the Day
By Ruth Gembicki Bragg
Katherine’s Doll
My Many Colored Days
By Dr. Seuss
Barney and Baby Bop’s Band: A Story
About Sharing (book on tape)
By Mark S. Bernthal
Red Day, Green Day
By Edith Kunhardt
Elmer
By David McKee
Conflict Resolution
No Fighting, No Biting!
Let’s Talk About Feeling Angry
By Joy Berry
The Grouchy Ladybug
By Eric Carle
Counting & Numbers
What Comes in 2s, 3s and 4s?
By Suzanne Aker
How Many How Many How Many
By Rick Walton
Ten Black Dots
By Donald Crews
One to Ten Pop-Up Surprises
By Chuck Murphy
85
Book List by Theme
Farm Counting Book
By Jane Miller
Exercise
I Was So Mad!
By Norma Simon
The Button Box
By Margarette S. Reid
Barney Plays Nose to Toes
By Margie Larsen & Mary Ann
Dudko
Count!
By Denise Fleming
Jump, Frog, Jump!
By Robert Kalan
Ten, Nine, Eight
By Molly Bang
My Mom Is a Runner
By Mary Reimold
Up to Ten and Down Again
By Lisa Campbell Ernst
My Feet
By Aliki
My First Book of Time
By Claire Llewellyn
Can You Dance, Dalila?
By Virginia Kroll
Sometimes I Feel Like a Mouse: A Book
About Feelings
By Jeanne Modesitt
How Much Is a Million?
By David Schwartz
Sea Swan
By Kathryn Lasky
The Old Dog
Hotel Animal
By Keith DuQuette
Mrs. Armitage on Wheels
By Quentin Blake
Chrysanthemum
By Kevin Henkes
Math Curse
By Jon Scieszka
Shoes
Saturday Sancocho
By Leyla Torres
Families
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible,
No Good, Very Bad Day
By Judith Viorst
Ira Sleeps Over
By Bernard Waber
Feelings
By Aliki
Friends
The Faithful Friend
By Robert D. San Souci
The Big Big Sea
By Martin Waddell
By Terry Berger
Red Dancing Shoes
By Denise Lewis Patrick
On Mother’s Lap
By Ann Herbert Scott
By Leo Lionni
Mama Do You Love Me?
By Barbara M. Joosse
By Anna Hines
Barney’s Friends
By Margie Larsen
On the Go
By Ann Morris
Abuela’s Weave
By Omar Castaneda
Corduroy
By Don Freeman
Bread, Bread, Bread
By Ann Morris
Mama Zooms
Do You Want to Be My Friend?
By Eric Carle
Hats, Hats, Hats
By Ann Morris
All Kinds of Families
By Norma Simon
Chester’s Way
By Kevin Henkes
Shoes, Shoes, Shoes
By Ann Morris
The Patchwork Quilt
By Valerie Flournoy
Frog and Toad All Year
By Arnold Lobel
Potluck
By Anne Shelby
By Terry Berger
Faces
By Shelley Rotner & Ken Kreisler
Families Are Different
By Nina Pellegrini
People
By Peter Spier
By Vera B. Williams
Diversity
Mama Zooms
Arthur’s Eyes
By Marc Brown
Watch the Stars Come Out
By Riki Levinson
86
Feelings
Health
Who’s Sick Today?
By Lynne Cherry
Robby Visits the Doctor
By Martine Davison
Madeline
By Ludwig Bemelmans
I Love You as Much …
By Laura Krauss Melmed
Barney and Baby Bop Go to the Doctor
By Margie Larsen
The Kissing Hand
By Audrey Penn
Barney Goes to the Dentist
Mean Soup
By Betsy Everitt
Little Rabbit’s Loose Tooth
By Lucy Bate
Book List by Theme
Your Skin and Mine
By Paul Showers
Houses and Homes
By Ann Morris
Germs Make Me Sick!
By Melvin Berger
A Tasting Party
By Jane Moncure
Good Enough to Eat: A Kid’s Guide to
Food and Nutrition
By Lizzy Rockwell
Barney’s Book of Trains
By Linda Dowdy
Gregory, the Terrible Eater
By Mitchell Sharmat
The Milk Makers
By Gail Gibbons
Music & Movement
Ben’s Trumpet
By Rachel Isadora
Max the Music Maker
By Miriam Stecher
Music, Music for Everyone
By Vera B. Williams
The Philharmonic Gets Dressed
By Karla Kuskin
Clap Your Hands
By Lorinda Bryan Cauley
Charlie Parker Played Be Bop
By Chris Raschka
Noisy Nora
By Rosemary Wells
Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin
By Lloyd Moss
Ty’s One-Man Band
By Mildred Pitts Walter
Mama Don’t Allow
By Thacher Hurd
New Experiences
Safety
I Read Signs
By Tana Hoban
Red Light, Green Light
This Is My House
By Arthur Dorros
Barney Says, “Play Safely”
By Mary Ann Dudko &
Margie Larsen
Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport
By Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Red Riding Hood
By Janus Marshall
Pets
B.J. and Scooter
By Mary Ann Dudko
Can I Keep Him?
By Steven Kellogg
Make Way for Ducklings
By Robert McCloskey
By Vera Williams
Self-Esteem
Guinea Pigs Don’t Read Books
By Colleen Stanley Bare
Verdi
By Janell Cannon
Let’s Get a Pet
By Harriet Ziefert
Stellaluna
By Janell Cannon
Millions of Cats
By Wanda Gag
ABC I Like Me
By Nancy Carlson
Pet Show
By Ezra Jack Keats
Am I Beautiful?
I Love Guinea Pigs
By Dick King-Smith
Wonderful Nature, Wonderful You
By Karin Ireland
Tight Times
By Barbara Hazen
The Important Book
Best Friends
By Steven Kellogg
I Can
By Helen Oxenbury
Recycling & the
Environment
Fun With Nature
By Dympna Hayes
Bread, Bread, Bread
By Ann Morris
What Did the Rock Say?
By George Maxim Ross
The Fire Station
By Michael Martchenko
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf
By Lois Ehlert
Flying
By Donald Crews
In the Small, Small Pond
By Denise Fleming
Arthur Babysits
By Marc Brown
Paul Bunyan
By Steven Kellogg
Everett Anderson’s Nine Month Long
By Lucille Clifton
By Verna Aardema
The Leaving Morning
By Angela Johnson
Animal Tracks
By Arthur Dorros
The Fish Who Could Wish
By John Bush
Regina’s Big Mistake
By Marissa Moss
Playing Right Field
By Willy Welch
Shapes
The Shape of Things
By Dayle Ann Dodds
Fuzzy Yellow Duckling
By Matthew Van Fleet
Look Around! A Book About Shapes
By Leonard Fisher
87
Book List by Theme
Shapes and Things
By Tana Hoban
Baby Bop Pretends
By Mary Ann Dudko
The Listening Walk
By Paul Showers
Circles, Triangles and Squares
By Tana Hoban
It Looked Like Split Milk
By Charles Shaw
I Hear
By Rachel Isadora
Go Away, Big Green Monster!
By Ed Emberley
Abuela
By Arthur Dorros
I See
By Rachel Isadora
Shapes for Lunch!
By Melinda Lily
Look! Look! Look!
By Tana Hoban
Good-Night, Owl!
By Pat Hutchins
Shapes, Shapes, Shapes
By Tana Hoban
Frances Facemaker: A Going to Bed
Book
By William Cole
See, Hear, Touch, Taste, Smell It
Newbridge Books
Sea Shapes
By Suse MacDonald
Special Needs Awareness
We Can Do It!
By Laura Dwight
Friends at School
By Rochelle Bunnett
What Is the Sign for Friend?
By Judith Greenburg
Dad and Me in the Morning
By Patricia Lakin
See You Tomorrow, Charles
By Miriam Cohen
My Buddy
By Audrey Osofsky
Cookie
By Linda Kneeland
My Brother Sammy
By Becky Edwards
Howie Helps Himself
By Joan Fassler
Mama Zooms
Silent Lotus
By Jeanne M. Lee
Knots on a Counting Rope
By John Archambault
The Adventures of Taxi Dog
By Debra Barracca
Arthur’s Eyes
By Marc Brown
Storytelling
The Snowman
By Raymond Briggs
Amazing Grace
By Mary Hoffman
88
Where the Wild Things Are
By Maurice Sendak
Three Billy Goats Gruff
By Ellen Appleby
The Fisherman and His Wife
By Margot Zemach
My Five Senses
By Aliki
Smelling
By Richard L. Allington
A Tasting Party
By Jane Moncure
Liang and the Magic Paintbrush
By Demi
How Do I Know It’s Yucky? and
Other Questions About the Senses
By Sharon Cromwell
Simon’s Book
By Henrik Drescher
Touch and Read
By Tiziano Sclavi
Abiyoyo
By Pete Seeger
Rumpelstiltskin
Retold by Paul O. Zelinsky
Television/Media Literacy
Take a Look, It’s in a Book: How
Television Is Made at Reading
Rainbow
By Ronnie Krauss
The Bionic Bunny Show
By Marc Brown
When the TV Broke
By Harriet Ziefert
Arthur’s TV Trouble
By Marc Brown
Box-Head Boy
By Christine M. Winn
Television: What’s Behind What You See
By W. Carter Merbreier & Linda
Capus Riley
The Five Senses
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You
Hear?
By Bill Martin, Jr.
Weather
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
By Judi Barrett
Thunder Cake
By Patricia Polacco
The Snowy Day
By Ezra Jack Keats
Snowballs
By Lois Ehlert
The Wind Blew
By Pat Hutchins
Little Cloud
By Eric Carle
The Cloud Book
By Tomie de Paola
The House of Four Seasons
By Roger Duvoisin
The White Marble
By Verna Aardema
Activity Index by Curriculum Area
Art
Cooking
Alphabet Collage ................................................................ 30
Chef Brockett’s Nutritious Snack ..................................... 55
Body Tracing ........................................................................ 52
Food Tasting ........................................................................ 58
Card Puzzle .......................................................................... 63
Friendship Pudding ............................................................ 53
Caution ................................................................................. 65
Homemade Butter .............................................................. 77
Circle Art .............................................................................. 68
Lunch Factory ...................................................................... 41
Different and the Same Fans ....................................... 45, 71
Number Mix ........................................................................ 43
Expanded Shapes ................................................................ 68
Pretend Rain Soup .............................................................. 79
Family Collage .................................................................... 48
Toast Faces ........................................................................... 67
Family Flag .......................................................................... 49
A Wedding Cake ................................................................. 35
Family Quilt ......................................................................... 49
Family Tree .......................................................................... 49
The Feelings Mirror ...................................................... 38, 50
Friendship Picture .............................................................. 52
A Gift for You ....................................................................... 35
“I Feel Good” Book ............................................................. 51
If Anger Were a … ............................................................... 51
If I Had a Pet ........................................................................ 61
Let’s Use It Again ................................................................ 62
Letter Rubbing ..................................................................... 30
Milk Carton Haulers ........................................................... 62
Our Newspaper ............................................................ 73, 75
Painting to Music ................................................................ 57
Paper Plate Faces ................................................................ 51
Dramatic Play
An Airplane Ride ................................................................ 59
Doctor’s Office Play ............................................................ 55
Getting Dressed ................................................................... 32
Milk Carton Haulers ........................................................... 62
New Baby Play .................................................................... 58
Puppet Show ....................................................................... 72
A Television Program ......................................................... 75
Traffic Light Fun .................................................................. 64
Weather Wear ...................................................................... 79
X-Rays ................................................................................... 59
Language & Literacy (Circle Time
Activities)
Party Placemats ................................................................... 34
B-I-N-G-O ............................................................................. 56
Problem-Solving Art Project .............................................. 40
Clap and Stomp Rhythms ................................................. 38
Rainbow Containers ........................................................... 70
Cooperation Squeeze .......................................................... 40
Sewing Card ........................................................................ 63
Different and the Same Fans ....................................... 45, 71
Sidewalk Chalk ................................................................... 36
Family Picture ..................................................................... 72
Skin Colors ........................................................................... 37
The Feelings Mirror ...................................................... 38, 50
Super Smiles ........................................................................ 54
Front and Back .................................................................... 32
We Are All Winners! ........................................................... 67
Getting Dressed ................................................................... 32
Wrapping Paper .................................................................. 34
Guess the Pet ....................................................................... 60
89
Activity Index by Curriculum Area
Language & Literacy (Circle Time
Activities) cont’d.
Music & Movement
Background Music .............................................................. 74
Hello ..................................................................................... 44
B-I-N-G-O ............................................................................. 56
The “I Like” Game .............................................................. 66
Clap and Stomp Rhythms ................................................. 38
If Anger Were a … ............................................................... 51
Cleaning Up ......................................................................... 65
Inside-Outside ............................................................... 45, 71
Feelings Dance .................................................................... 46
Letter People ........................................................................ 31
Friendship Dances .............................................................. 53
Looks Can Be Deceiving .............................................. 44, 70
If You’re Happy and You Know It .................................... 33
A Peaceful Solution ............................................................. 39
Little and Big Exercises ...................................................... 33
Pictures of Things ............................................................... 74
Marching Band .................................................................... 56
Puppy Counting .................................................................. 43
Musical Jars .......................................................................... 57
Rope Challenge ................................................................... 41
Painting to Music ................................................................ 57
Safety Walk .......................................................................... 64
Parachute Games ................................................................ 46
Shape of the Day ................................................................. 69
Parachute Play ..................................................................... 78
Some Things Belong to Everyone ..................................... 39
Physical Exercise ................................................................. 47
Song Activity ....................................................................... 31
Song Activity ....................................................................... 31
Visit a Pet Shop .................................................................... 60
A Thunderous Band ........................................................... 78
Weather Wear ...................................................................... 79
Tightrope Walking .............................................................. 47
What’s Going On in the Picture? ...................................... 73
Turtle Rhyme ....................................................................... 61
Who’s Who? ......................................................................... 66
Science
Math
Color Telescope ................................................................... 37
Card Puzzle .......................................................................... 63
Food Tasting ........................................................................ 58
Expanded Shapes ................................................................ 68
Letter Bag ............................................................................. 76
Friendship Pudding ............................................................ 53
Musical Jars .......................................................................... 57
Number Mix ........................................................................ 43
Mystery Scent ...................................................................... 76
Number Monster ................................................................ 42
Pretend Rain Soup .............................................................. 79
Peanut Take-Away .............................................................. 42
Secret Envelopes ................................................................. 69
Puppy Counting .................................................................. 43
Shake and Guess ................................................................. 77
Sidewalk Chalk ................................................................... 36
Sidewalk Chalk ................................................................... 36
A Wedding Cake ................................................................. 35
Sun Catchers ........................................................................ 36
Visit a Farmer’s Market ..................................................... 54
X-Rays ................................................................................... 59
90
PBS 45 & 49
1750 Campus Center Drive
P.O. Box 5191
Kent, OH 44240-5191
(330) 677-4549
www.pbs4549.org

Ready To Learn - Western Reserve Public Media

Transcription

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