Month at a Glace May Themes and Calendar.....2 Materials List May materials list.....3 Daily curriculums May 2......

4 May 3......5 May 4......6 May 5......7 May 6......8 May 9..........9 May 10.............10 May 11......11 May 12......12 May 13......13 May 16...14 May 17......15 May 18......16 May 19......17 May 20......18 May 23......19 May 24......20 May 25......21 May 26...22 May 27..........23 May 31...24 Bulletin Board Display and/or Circle Time Posters Color review chart............25 Moon shape...............26 Letter Y..........27 Letter Z..........28 Number 10...........29 Worksheets, referenced as part of daily curriculum Garden worksheet....30 Garden worksheet.....31 Y letter card.32 Y is for yellow worksheet.............33 Yum Tum tree template...34 Y phonics worksheet........35 All About Mom printable.....36 Puzzle template..37 Z letter card.38 Z is for zebra worksheet....39 Z phonics worksheet.40 Color review coloring page..........41 Put me in the zoo printable ...42 Moon tracing worksheet...................43 Moon trace and draw worksheet...........44 Number 10 worksheet................45 Number 10 worksheet.............46 1 PreschoolPalace.org

MAY 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS

May 2011 Themes

Letter Y, Letter Z, Moon Shape, Color Review, Number 10. Gardening, Mothers Day, Zoo Theme, Outer Space Theme, Art Show HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BOOKS THIS MONTH: Put Me in the Zoo (Robert Longmire) and Papa, Please Get Me the Moon (Eric Carle) Other Recommended Books: Gardening, plant life cycle, Mothers Day, zoo theme alphabet/animals, outer
space, stars/constellations, rockets/spaceshuttles, planets

Field trip options: Zoo. Planetarium. Garden center.

2 New Month Gardening theme How does your garden grow bulletin board display Growing plants wkshts 9 Letter Z intro Craft stick Z Zoo Animal Theme and activities/pictures Zipper board Letter Z worksheet 16 Introduction to Outer Space Theme Intro to Moon shape Moon shape worksheet Letter Z phonics wksht 17 Moon theme contd Papa, Please Get Me the Moon theme Paper plate planet Mobile 24 Number 10 intro Number 10 worksheet Craft number 10 Numbers 1-10 Review Number chains 30 HOLIDAY 31 ART SHOW 25 Number 10 review Number 10 worksheet Review Number sticker books Number bags Number rubbings Animal Alphabet Book 18 Rocket theme Rocket science Rocket craft 19 Stars/Constellations Star craft Constellation craft Moon shape worksheet 26 ABC dominos Alphabet cereal craft and snack Clay Writing tablets 20 Tongue twisters Bubble wrap fun Purple paper people Cooking: Astronaut food 27 Cooking Friday: Mama Bear Porridge ABC necklace beading station Name necklaces 3 Letter Y intro Yum-Yum tree Yarn letter Y Yogurt painting Letter Y worksheet 10 Letter Z review Z craft stick Zippity doo da 4 Letter Y review Craft stick Y Mothers Day craft Yummy and Yucky Letter Y phonics wksht 11 Color review Celery science Straw paintings 12 Put Me in the Zoo contd Various Spot activities Put Me in the Zoo wksht 13 Shaving cream letters Zoo games Giraffe Z craft Cooking Friday: Zucchini meatloaf muffins Bubble Art Mothers Day crafts All About Mom wksht 5 6 Handprint flower craft Puzzle craft Cooking Friday: Yogurt parfait

Put Me in the Zoo theme Color worksheet

23 Letters A-Z Review Alphabet train ABC food

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Grocery Store: Cooking Friday, May 6Yogurt Parfait

Materials List for May Curriculum

Vanilla yogurt Granola Fresh fruit, i.e., kiwi, strawberries, banana, blueberries, raisins Clear plastic cups

Cooking Friday, May 13Zucchini muffins

1 pound lean ground turkey 1 c bread crumbs (I used Italian seasoned) 1/4 c milk 1 medium zucchini grated 1 small onion finely chopped (I used food processor) 1 cup cooked smashed carrots pinch of sea salt Muffin tin

Cooking Friday, May 20-Astronaut Food Buy freeze dried ice cream dots, strawberries, other fruit (Target/Costco) and eat like the astronauts eat. Buy fresh fruit of the same variety to compare and contrast. Cooking Friday, May 27Mama Bear porridge
3 cups water 1 cup powdered milk 1 1/2 cups rolled oats 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 eggs 4 teaspoons butter 1 cup milk 3 tablespoons honey

ART SHOW $1 frames Cheap art mats in bulk Name tags for artists Index cards or labels for each artwork displayed Invitations made by children, or decorated from $1 store Handpicked flowers for dcor Milk and cookies (made by children) or other refreshments

Cheap plain yogurt in bulk for yogurt painting Celery stalks for color science activity Alphabet cereal Fruit loops Coffee filters for flower craft

Craft Store/Dollar Store/Already on hand: Poster boards (4) ($.50 each at $1 store). ALREADY ON HAND Index cards 1 plastic gardening pot per child/Soil/Flowers Empty water or 2 liter bottles (10 for zebra bowling, add Acrylic paint stripes of black paper as stripes in advance) Shaving cream Playdoh/clay Refrigerator box for space shuttle dramatic play Stickers (about 50 each child) Bubbles Bubble wrap (12 inch square per child) Food coloring Purple paint or purple paper Newspaper ads, magazines, cookbooks with favorite foods Craft sticks Yarn Straws 10 paper lunch bags or paper grocery bags Construction paper Foam paper cut into shapes Colored masking tape Black paper and white chalk 3 small zippers for Z zipper board Zig zag craft scissors Plastic/plush zoo animals for dramatic play, zoo activities, build a zoo, veterinarian/zookeeper roleplay Magnetic ABC letters2 activities Paperplates ABC beads for bead matching board and name necklaces

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May 2, 2011
Welcome Circle: Calendar. New month May. Demonstrate where May is on the yearly calendar with all the months ($1 store). Add childrens birthdays to the new month, holidays, and any other special days. Introduce some things to learn in Mayletters Y and Z, number 10, moon shape, learn more about flowers and gardening, celebrate Mothers Day, learn about outer space, zoo animals, and more. Song: Months of the Year (to the tune of "Ten Little Indians") January, February, March, and April, May, June, July, August, and September, October, November, and December, These are the months of the year. Song: Days of the Week (Sung to "The Adam's Family Theme") Days of the week (snap, snap), Days of the week (snap, snap) Days of the week, Days of the week, Days of the week There's Sunday and There's Monday There's Tuesday and There's Wednesday Theres Thursday adn There's Friday and then there's Saturday Days of the week (snap, snap), Days of the week (snap, snap) Days of the week, Days of the week, Days of the week Introduction to gardening theme. Discuss plant life cycle, seasons. Use books with pictures. What does a plant need to grow? What can hurt a plants growth? What can you plant (flowers for beauty, trees for shade, vegetables and fruit to eat)? Movement: Work in own garden (weeding, gather flowers, water) or plant vegetables/flowers/ consider sunflowers seeds (so easy and fast), or a pumpkin patch (if you have the space). Flower craft: How Does Your Garden Grow or Look How Much Weve Grown bulletin board display. Allow children to make several of these flowers to display all the letters of the alphabet, or childrens pictures in the middle of the flowers, or just a display is beautiful too! Paint coffee filters (or use markers, and then spray with water). Use plastic cup to trace circles from construction paper. Cut out paper circles and paste to middle of coffee filter flowers. Cut stems and leaves of green construction paper.

Worksheet: Lifecycle of a plant worksheet (page 30). Worksheet: Sequencing growing plants worksheet (page 31).
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May 3, 2011
Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Story, teachers choice. Introduce Letter Y: Show the children the Letter Y poster (page 27). Trace over the letter with your fingers. Ask the children to do the same. Trace the letter Y in the air or use personal wipe-off boards. Make a letter Y basket that includes several items that start with the letter Y. Enunciate the Y sound when identifying the items. Ask children to repeat or name the items in the basket. Ask the children what other items could be put in the basket. Play I Spy Something that Starts with the Letter Y. Song: Yak Song (by Jack Prelutsky) Yickity-yackity, yickity-yak, the yak has a scriffily, scraffily back, some yaks are brown yaks and some yaks are black, yickity-yackity, yickity-yak. Sniggildy-snaggildy, sniggildy-snag, the yak is all covered with shiggildy-shag; he walks with a ziggildy-zaggildy-sag, sniggildy-snaggildy, sniggildy-snag. Activity: Play Yyyyyyyes! Game. Ask the class silly questions that have a yes or no answer. If the answer is yes, the children shout, Yyyyyyyyyes! Examples: Can you dance on your head? Do you have purple eyes? Do you have a furry tail? Do you like to eat chocolate ice cream? Letter Card: Y made from yarn. Print out template (page 32) Provide yarn. Allow children to cut yarn and to figure out how to make a Y shape and then glue onto paper. Activity: Yum-Yum Tree. Print template (on page 34) 1 for each child. The Yum-Yum tree is a special tree that grows the childrens favorite yummy foods! Provide pictures of food printed from internet, or magazines, or Sunday newspaper ads, or cook books. Allow children to cut and paste onto their own Yum-Yum tree. Display in classroom. Craft: Use poster board to make painted handprints in circular fashion, like flower petals. Foot print stem and petals. Add or draw picture of child to center of flower. Sensory: Yogurt painting. Buy the cheap plain yogurt in bulk. Cover table with plastic wrap or tablecloth. Paint with yogurt. Use fingers like finger painting. Encourage shapes, numbers, faces, writing names. Worksheet: Y is for yellow worksheet (page 33)
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May 4, 2011
Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is here today? Story, teachers choice. Review Letter Y: Review Letter Y. Write on large paper or poster board ($.50 at dollar store) all the words that the children can think of that start with the letter Y. Play I Spy Something that Starts with the Letter Y. Repetition of the Y items from the day before shows that the children are learning. Ask each child to come up and draw something on the poster board that starts with the letter Y. Label the picture and hang in classroom. Song: Yak Song (by Jack Prelutsky) Yickity-yackity, yickity-yak, the yak has a scriffily, scraffily back, some yaks are brown yaks and some yaks are black, yickity-yackity, yickity-yak. Sniggildy-snaggildy, sniggildy-snag,t he yak is all covered with shiggildy-shag; he walks with a ziggildy-zaggildy-sag, sniggildy-snaggildy, sniggildy-snag. Activity: Guessing Game. Guess all the words that can begin with the Y sound. Shout Yes when they hear a Y word: yellow, yarn, purple, dog, yesterday, today, you, juice, yard, house, yams, slide, yo-yo, tree, yolk, flower, yes, yak, apple, yogurt Sensory activity: Taste. Y is for Yummy and Yucky. Remember the Yum Yum tree from yesterday? Provide tiny tasters of different foods in a row for each child. Maybe, 1 black olive, 1 green olive, 1 jelly bean, 1 chocolate chip, etc. Taste test each food together and see who thinks each item is yucky or yummy. Activity: Mothers day craft. Hand print flower pots. Incorporate gardening theme as a lesson while planting. Buy $1 plastic pots from $1 store. Use acrylic paint as it is non-washable. Paint childs hand with paint, then make handprints on plastic pot. Older children can use permanent markers to make designs instead or in addition to handprints. Add soil and flowers.

Activity: Craft stick Y. Use craft sticks to make letter Y. Decorate with yellow markers or paint. Worksheet: Letter Y phonics worksheet (page 35)
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May 5, 2011
Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is here today? Story, teachers choice. Mothers Day Theme: Discuss Mothers Day. What moms do, how they help us, some children do not have a mother, how are animal mothers similar to human mothers. What are some favorite things about the childrens mothers. Song: I Love Mommy (tune of "Frere Jacques") I Love Mommy, I Love Mommy, Yes, I do, yes, I do. Mommies are for hugging, (Hug self) Mommies are for kissing, (Blow a kiss) I love you, yes I do. (point to mother) Activity: Back art. Divide children up in circle with a partner. In each pair, have children back up to the other child. Have the children use their fingers to trace a shape onto the other childs back. See if the child can guess the shape. Try some more shapes. Switch places. Movement/Art: Bubble art. Add 1 drop or 2 of food coloring or paint to small container of bubbles. Have child blow bubbles up to a partner who is holding a sheet of paper. The child will try to catch the bubbles with the paper! See the bubble art that is created on the paper! Switch places so each child has a turn. Try using 2 different colors. If you have a large white bed sheet or large butcher paper, hang on wall or outside on fence and allow children to make a group art project. Craft: Handprint flowerscan be used for Mothers Day gifts. Option #1: Trace childs hand on several colors of construction paper. Cut out hand shape. Bundle together or tape to individual pipe cleaners to assemble a beautiful bouquet. Wrap with aluminum foil or add to decorated plastic cup or plastic vase. Option #2.: Dip childs hands into stamp pad or paint and onto paper. Add finger printed stems and leaves. Printable: Mothers Day printable (page 36)

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May 6, 2011
Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is here today? Assign helper of the day. Story, helper of the days choice. Song: I Love Mommy (tune of "Frere Jacques") I Love Mommy, I Love Mommy, Yes, I do, yes, I do. Mommies are for hugging, (Hug self) Mommies are for kissing, (Blow a kiss) I love you, yes I do. (point to mother) Craft: Growing handprint flower craft. Use paint or cut out brown paper bags to make brown pot. Use green paint to paint childs hands and press onto paper. Have child paint or add flowers to the hands. Write in poem: Look at Me! It isnt showing. You cant see it. But Im growing.

Craft: Mom I love you to pieces puzzle craft. Cut out jigsaw shapes or purchase from craft store or use template on page 37. Break apart puzzle, color each piece. Write a nice word or something that you think of when you think of mom onto each puzzle piece. Put all the pieces back onto a heavy cardstock paper and caption: Mom I love you to pieces. Cooking: Y is for Yogurt. Yogurt parfait. Provide clear plastic cups. Have the children follow along and use spoons to add all the ingredients. Step 1Add spoonfuls of yogurt. Step 2Add spoonful of granola. Step 3Add spoonful of yogurt. Step 4Add fresh fruit (kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, banana slices) or raisins. Step 5Add spoonful of granola.

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May 9, 2011
Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Story, teachers choice. Introduce Letter Z: Show the children the Letter Z poster (page 28). Trace over the letter with your fingers. Ask the children to do the same. Trace the letter Z in the air or use personal wipe-off boards. Make a letter Z basket that includes several items that start with the letter Z. Enunciate the Z sound when identifying the items. Ask children to repeat or name the items in the basket. Ask the children what other items could be put in the basket. Play I Spy Something that Starts with the Letter Z. Activity: Guessing Game. Guess all the words that can begin with the Z sound. Say Zzzzzz when they hear a Z word: Green, tiger, zoo, jaguar, safari, zipper, table, chair, zesty, zany, foot, dog, zero, crown, zebra Rhyme: Three Little Zebras (by Jean Warren) Three little zebras went out to play One of the zebras galloped away. Two little zebras out at play, Another zebra galloped away. One little zebra out at play. Finally, that zebra galloped away. Zero zebras out at play. Now all the zebras are far away. Activity: Zoo animals. Write down all the animals that the children can think of that they might see in a zoo. Then, read out the names of each animal, 1 by 1, while the children act and sound out that animal. Example, the lion can roar and shake its mane. The snake can hiss and slither across the floor. Craft: Z letter card. Print out template (page 38). Add zig zags to the letter Z. Sensory/Skills Practice: Z is for zipper board. Buy 3 small zippers from craft store. Use heavy glue to adhere to board in Z formation. Children practice zippers and Z shape by unzipping the zippers. Worksheet: Z is for zebra (page 39) Homeschool option: Zoo field trip. Buy notebook and label 26 pages. At the top of each page write down a letter of the alphabet, 1 for 26 pages. Encourage your child to draw and/ or write the names of the animals seen at the zoo in his or her own Zoo Journal on the pages for that letter, i.e., the tiger will be on the T page, etc. Take pictures and print out at home and paste to the pages.

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May 10, 2011

Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Story, teachers choice. Story: Put Me in the Zoo (by Robert Longmire). Discuss meaning. This book is also an opportunity to review the colors learned over the last year. Review Letter Z: Review Letter Z. Write on large paper or poster board ($.50 at dollar store) all the words that the children can think of that start with the letter Z. Play I Spy Something that Starts with the Letter Z. Repetition of the Z items from the day before shows that the children are learning. Ask each child to come up and draw something on the poster board that starts with the letter Z. Label the picture and hang in classroom. Song: Letter Z Song (tune of: "John, Jacob, Jingleheimer Schmidt") Zippy Zebras live at the local Zoo They like to zig and zoom. For words that start with Z The people shout yipee! Words like Zippy zebras zig and zag and zoom. ZZZZZZZZ Song: Zoo Song (tune Mary Had a Little Lamb) I went to the zoo one day, zoo one day, zoo one day, I went to the zoo one day And I saw a (fill in the blank.) Then repeat with each child, Abby went to the zoo one day, Zoo one day, zoo one day, Abby went to the zoo one day And she saw a ____________. Movement: Zebra Bowling. Obtain 10 empty 2 liter bottles. Fill the bottles about 1/8 full with water and seal the lid. Then, decorate the bottles like the pattern of a zebra with strips of black paper glued or taped on. Set the bottles up like they were bowling pins and have the children roll a ball to try to knock them over. If they don't knock over easily, remove some of the water. Craft: Craft stick letter Z. Glue craft sticks into shape of letter Z onto paper. Decorate. Encourage children to draw pictures of items that start with letter Z and/or write words that start with letter Z. Option: Encourage children to draw zebra stripes onto their craft stick Z and then caption page with Z is for zebra. Art/Dictation: Favorite zoo animal. Have children draw a picture of their favorite zoo animal. Caption it with My favorite zoo animal. The ____ is my favorite zoo animal because_______. Worksheet: Z phonics worksheet (page 40).
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May 11, 2011

Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Story, teachers choice. Review of colors: Refer to color poster (page 25). Provide a pile of color counter bears, beads, blocks, or other colored manipulatives in the center of circle time circle. Call out color and have each child choose 1 item of the color and bring back to their spot. Call out the next color, until all colors are called. Then call out a color and have each child find their item of that color and pile together in middle of circle. Call out next color, and so on. Song: Color Song (tune: Head, shoulders, knees and toes) Red, yellow, green and blue green and blue Red, yellow, green and blue green and blue Purple, orange, brown and black Red, yellow, green and blue green and blue. Activity: Octopus tag Assign 1 child as it. That player can tag other children. When another child is caught, that child joins arms with it. It continues to tag other children as the octopus grows larger and larger. Science: Celery colors. Fill 6 clear plastic cups with water. Add a different color of food coloring to each cup. Then add cut celery stalks to each cup. See how long it takes for the celery to change colors. Craft: Straw-blown pictures. Spoon small amounts of watered down tempera paint onto paper. Show children how to use a straw to gently blow the paint around on the paper. Mix colors. Caption art as Straw Painting.

Craft: Zig Zag scissors. The children can use zig zag scissors to cut paper, then decorate the paper or cut strips to glue to another sheet of paper. Worksheet: Color review worksheet (page 41)

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May 12, 2011

Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Story, teachers choice. Continuation of color review theme. Story: Read, Put Me in the Zoo book again. Can children anticipate/remember what color spots will come next? Song: Ten Little Spots (tune: Ten little Indians)
One little, two little, three little spots, Four little, five little, six little spots, Seven little, eight little, nine little spots, Ten little spots on the bear.

Poem: Put me in the Zoo Poem

This animal is the craziest thing, His spots are red, then their green, If you want to see something new, wait and you will see they are blue, Violet and orange, what a treat, This animal is really neat.

Movement: Musical Spots. Cut out large spot shapes from colored paper. Laminate them and cut them out. Place them on the floor. Play music and have the children walk around the room. When the music stops, each child needs to find an spot to stand on. You may play this a variety of different ways. More spots than children, take away no spots or children. This is great for the younger ones. One spot per child to begin, take away one spot each time, but children may share spots, until all children are on one spot at the end. Movement: Spot Hop. Use the large spots again. Place them on the floor. Have the children hop from one spot to the next. Circle time activity: Pass the Spot. Played like hot potato... have the children sit in a circle and pass cut out paper spot around the circle when music is playing, when the music stops the child holding the spot sits in the middle or the "spot pot" until the music stops again and the next child replaces the first. When the child is in the middle, ask what color spot he/she has. Then, change out colors for each round to further practice colors. Activity/Snack: Spotted animal snacks. Provide fruit loops in a bowl for each child. Provide a picture of an animal for each child. Ask the children to put green spots (fruit loops) on the animal. Eat the spots. Then ask the children to put blue spots (fruit loops) on the animal. Eat the spots. Continue all the colors of the fruit loops. Printable: Put Me in the Zoo printable (page 42). After reading thru the book Put Me in the Zoo, children can decide what color spots they would like. They can be all one color or several colors. Craft: Draw a self portrait, including body. Use bingo dots, circle stickers, foam circles, or make spots all over just like in the book.
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May 13, 2011

Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Assign helper of the day. Story, helper of the days choice. Continue Zoo animal theme. Pretend to go on a Zoo Safari. You are the tour guide on this safari. Have all the children join you in circle time or on a rug. Tell them that we are all going to the zoo. Tell the children what animals you see. "Look, over there, it's a huge elephant." Ask the children what animals they see. What color are the animals, how big are they, what are they eating, what are they doing? Song/Movement: If You're Happy
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap! clap!) If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap! clap!) If you're happy and you know it Then your face will surely show it, If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap! clap!) If you're happy and you know it, stomp your feet! (stomp! stomp!) If you're happy and you know it, shout Hooray! If you're happy and you know it, do all three (clap! clap! stomp! stomp! Hooray!)

Seonsory table: Add plastic zoo animals to your sand table. Dramatic Play: Add plastic/plush zoo animals to block area. Children can build a zoo. Dramatic Play Idea. Supply the children with costumes or masks of animals commonly found in a zoo. Craft extensionthere are many, many paper plate animal mask ideas on the Internetso easy and so cutemake them and use for this activity. Cooking Friday: Zucchini Meat Loaf Muffins
1 pound lean ground turkey 1 c bread crumbs (I used Italian seasoned) 1/4 c milk 1 medium zucchini grated 1 small onion finely chopped (I used food processor) 1 cup cooked smashed carrots pinch of sea salt Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients, spray muffin tins well with cooking spray and divide into muffin tins. Cook 30-35 minutes.

Sensory: Shaving cream letters. Cover table with disposable tablecloth from dollar store or cover with cling wrap. Bring out letter cards, number cards, and shape cards already learned (A-Z, numbers 1-10, shapes, etc). Drop large portions of shaving cream for each child. Encourage the children to spread the shaving cream and then to use their fingers to make the letters, numbers, shapes, and names. After practicing their letters, encourage free play design. Craft: Zoo Animal Giraffe Z craft: Have children cut out a yellow or orange "Z". Then have the children glue on brown paper for the spots and add two clothes pins for the legs.
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May 16, 2011

Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Story, teachers choice. Introduction to Outer Space Theme. Use books from library with pictures to help introduce this theme. Some facts: What is the solar system? It is our Sun and everything that travels around it. Our solar system is elliptical in shape. That means it is shaped like an egg. The Sun is in the center of the solar system. Our solar system is always in motion. Eight known planets and their moons, along with comets, asteroids, and other space objects orbit the Sun. The Sun is the biggest object in our solar system. It contains more than 99% of the solar system's mass. Astronomers think the solar system is more than 4 billion years old. The Sun is our closest star. It is a member of the Milky Way galaxy. The Sun is a yellow dwarf star, which means it is a medium size star. It is believed to be over 4 billion years old. The Sun spins slowly on its axis as it revolves around the galaxy. Introduction to Moon shape: Show children moon shape poster (page 26) The Moon is like a desert with plains, mountains, and valleys. It also has many craters, which are holes created when space objects hit the Moon's surface at a high speed. There is no air to breathe on the Moon. Recently water ice was discovered at the poles (or top and bottom) of the Moon. The ice is buried beneath some of the dust of the Moon's surface. Scientists think the ice may be left over from a comet that once collided with the Moon. The Moon travels around the Earth in an oval shaped orbit. Scientists think the Moon was formed long ago when Earth collided with another space object. The collision may have caused a big chunk of rocky material to be thrown out into space to form the Moon. The Moon is a little lopsided. Its crust is thicker on one side than the other. The Moon is much smaller than the Earth. However, the pull of its gravity can still affect the Earth's ocean tides. We always see the same side of the Moon from Earth. You have to go into space to see the other side. Option: Track the moon phase with visual inspection at night and with the newspaper. What are moon phases? Song: Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, Please shine down on me. Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, Hiding behind a tree These little children are asking you To please come out so we can play with you. Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, Please shine down on, please shine down on, Please shine down on me! *Repeat with Moon verse, bright and silvery moon. Dramatic Play area. Cardboard box space shuttle. Set up and leave all week in dramatic play area. Make a space shuttle in your dramatic play area. Get a large box (refrigerator, ask home improvement store for one), and maybe smaller one. Put boxes together to form a space shuttle. Form the point of the shuttle. Paint the boxes white or drape white sheets over them (cheaper). Cut out a place for the children to get into the box. You can cut stars out of the top of the box so that the children will see stars when they look up. For added effect give the children space uniforms (white sheets and helmets (5 gallon ice cream buckets)). Shape review: Float and sort. Place shapes (ones learned so far, circle, oval, square or just moon and star) cut from different colored craft foam (dollar store or craft store) and cleaned plastic meat trays or other plastic bowls into water table. Show children how to sort the shapes by shape. Dump the shapes back in the water and sort by color. Craft: Moon and Stars craft. Paste white moon and star cut outs onto black paper. Add glitter for glisten. Worksheet: Moon tracing worksheet (page 35 )

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May 17, 2011

Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Story, teachers choice. Review of Outer Space theme. Discuss moon and planets. Can we travel to the moon? How? How long will it take? Can we live on the moon or the planets? Why/why not? Do we live on a planet? Discuss how big the moon and planets are in relation to earth. Book: Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me (by Eric Carle). Who gets to travel to the moon. Would you want to travel to the moon? How do you get to the moon? What would you do when you got there? If you could ask an astronaut who has been to the moon some questions, what would you want to know? Would you want to travel somewhere else in outer space? Where and why? Add responses to poster board for parent-school connection or for dictation activity later. Movement: After reading the story, Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me, act out the movements: reaching for the moon, climbing the ladder, etc. After the story is finished, all the kids get white cardboard circles, and play music and have the kids dance with the moon. Dance for a few minutes, and take suggestions on movements we can all do such as spinning, holding the moon above our head, etc. Poem: Mr. Moon Mr. Moon, Mr. Moon, Youre out too soon, The sun is still in the sky, Go back to bed, And cover your head, And wait for the day to go by. Craft options for book: Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me *by Eric Carle. Option #1: Class bulletin board. Divide the class into 3 groups. One group will fingerpaint butcher paper dark blue for the night sky. Another group makes grass, trees, the moon, and stars out of construction paper. The third group is responsible for the girl, papa, the ladder, and the house. Put it together outside your classroom and you have a beautiful mural dedicated to Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me! Option #2: Finger paint onto paper with dark blue paint. Then use a small paper plate, cut out a phase of the moon. Cut out stars from shiny gold or silver paper. Draw and cut out a ladder, a father, and a little girl. Glue all items on the paper. Attach star stickers over the picture. Craft: Solar System paper plate mobile. Use paper plate as top of mobile. Add sun, moon, and star shapes to hang down by string from the mobile. For more advanced options, add more planets. For a super-cute option use templates provide by Nick Jr. at http://www.nickjr.com/printables/bg-solar-ornaments.jhtml

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May 18, 2011

Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Story, teacher's choice. Review of Outer Space theme. Specifically rockets and space shuttles. Why are they needed? Song: Its A Blast
Put on your spacesuit were going to the moon. (pretend to step into pants and buckle boots) Climb around the rocket ship. Were going to blast off soon. Put on your helmet. Strap yourself in tight. (pretend putting on helmets/buckling safety belt) Check your controls and instruments. Get ready for the flight. (pretend to turn on switches) Time for your journey. The countdown has begun. (wave and salute) Here we go, get ready, get set! 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (slowly rise from seated position) Blast off! (jump up)

Song: Im a Little Rocket (tune Im a Little Teapot)

Im a little rocket pointing at the moon. Raise arms above head and finger tips touching. Now Im getting fueled up Wiggle hips Well be ready soon. Stand up straig and tall When its time to board me, then Ill say Slowly bend knees and crouch down arms still above head Blast off! Zoom! Were on our way! Jump up and shout!

EARTH

Science: Consider rockets from hobby shop to illustrate rockets in action. Science activity: Diet Coke and Mint Mentos fizz. For complete instructions, visit: http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/original-mentos-diet-coke-geyser

Craft: Toilet paper roll rocket ship. Many variations. But basically wrap cardboard roll in aluminum foil. Decorate. Take paper circle, cut slit half-way thru diameter and then roll/fold to make cone top of rocket.

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May 19, 2011

Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Story, teachers choice. Song/Movement: Dance Partners Play the music. Pair children together to dance. When the bell rings, switch and find a new friend to dance with. Ring the bell again, switch again. Let the children have turns using the bell and you can dance along with the children too. Song: Planet Song (tune: The Ants Go Marching 1 by 1) The Planets revolve around the sun...hurrah, hurrah One little two little three little planets The Planets revolve around the sun...hurrah, hurrah Four little five little six little planets The Planets revolve around the sun, They spin on their axis everyone Seven little eight little nine little planets And they all go spinning...around and around they go Orbiting around the sun. Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars...hurrah, hurrah Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars...hurrah, hurrah Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars all whirling and twirling among the stars And they all go spinning, around and around they go Jupiter and Saturn are next in line...hurrah, hurrah Jupiter and Saturn are next in line...hurrah, hurrah Uranus, Neptune and Pluto makes nine And they all go spinning around, and around they go Boom, boom, BOOM! Craft: Constellations. Explain what a constellation is. Provide children black paper. Let them either use paint to make stars or use star stickers. Finally they can connect the stars with paint or chalk and make their own constellation. Can they name their own constellation? Craft: Chalk drawings. Provide black paper and white chalk and encourage children to draw a large circle for the moon. Teach how to draw stars for the rest of the picture. Worksheet: Moon worksheet (page 36)

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May 20, 2011

Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Assign helper of the day. Story, helper of the days choice. Song: Solar System in Motion (tune: Farmer in the Dell)
The Earth turns around, the Earth turns around. Once a day, every day, the Earth turns around. The moon goes round the Earth, the moon goes round the Earth. Once a month, every month, the Moon goes round the Earth. The Earth goes round the sun, the Earth goes round the sun. Once a year, every year, the Earth goes round the sun.

Tongue Twisters: 1. Betty Botter. Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said "this butter's bitter! So she bought some better butter, and put the better butter in her bitter batter, And made her bitter batter better! 2. Purple Paper People. Purple Paper People, Purple Paper People, Purple Paper People Movement: Bubble Wrap Fun. Option 1: Provide each child with one 12 inch square of bubble wrap. Add active music. Direct children to jump on the square, jump off, jump to the side of the square, jump to the other side of the square, jump over the square, hop on one foot on the square, feet together and apart on the square, etc. Option 2: Have children arrange squares around in the room into the shape of a large circle. Play active music. Each child stands on 1 square. Direct them to walk forwards to the next square, then backwards, then a double hop, etc. It is fun as the children try not to crash into the child in front or behind them. Option 3: Use squares of bubble wrap & tape to floor in hopscotch pattern. Play hopscotch. Cooking: Astronaut Food. What's so hard about eating in space? The main problem with eating and drinking in space is that there is no gravity. If you let go of a piece of food in a space craft, it will drift around, not fall to the floor. Water won't stay in a cup, it will float out and hang in the air. Food crumbs and drops of water could float around the spacecraft, make a mess or even damage the the space craft itself. The first space missions only lasted for a few minutes, so of course there was no need for the crews to eat, but as missions became longer, astronauts had to be fed. Special ways of packaging and eating foods had to be invented for space meals. Scientists spend lots of time working on foods for space travel, to make sure astronauts stay fit, happy and healthy, so they can be at their best while they are in space. Options: Eat Astronaut Food. Freeze dried ice cream, or at places like Target, they sell Freeze dried fruit (strawberries, peaches, bananas, apple slices). Try them. Do the kids like them? Compare to fresh versions, which do they like better? Craft: Purple Paper People. Use purple paper to trace outlines of 2 people figures. Or paint white paper purple and trace and cute outlines of people figures. Paste onto white or black paper. Caption with Purple Paper People.
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May 23, 2011

Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Story, teachers choice. Calendar Song: To the tune of Clementine There are seven days, There are seven days, There are seven days in a week. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Letter Review: Review of letters Y and Z. Use flash cards, or pocket chart to help review. Song: Alphabet Song. (emphasize letters Y and Z by pointing to posters on wall or using flashcards, etc.) Movement: Y, Y, Z. Played like Duck, Duck, Goose. Movement: Simon Says. Teacher plays Simon first, then other children can have a turn. Activity: Food alphabet. Provide small food items, such as goldfish crackers, raisins, cheerios, etc. Have children make letter shapes with the food. Draw letters on paper for those needing a template. Alphabet train craft and activity: Count out 26 index cards. Use a hole punch to punch a hole on each side of index card. Use permanent marker to write 1 letter of the alphabet on each card. Distribute evenly among the children. Allow children to decorate the cards by drawing pictures of items that start with that letter, adding stickers, etc. Then provide each child with 4 inch sections of yarn. The children then have to work together to connect the ABC cards to make an alphabet train by tying together the ABC index cards in the right order with the 4 inch yarn. Tying with knots is preferred. After completed, hang in classroom for display.

Printables: Visit PreschoolPalace.org for alphabet tracer pages or any other ABC printables that you feel may benefit your review of the alphabet with your children.

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May 24, 2011

Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Story, teachers choice. Number 10 intro: Show number 10 poster (page 28). Counting to 10. Tracing number 10 in the air. Group items at circle time into sets of 10. Use bear counters, cotton balls, stuffed animals, dolls, cars, blocks, etc. Make 10 sets of 10. Song: When the Numbers March Right In (sung to: "When the Saints Go Marching In" Oh, When the numbers march right in, Oh, when the numbers march right in. We will count them one by one, When the numbers march right in. Oh, one-two-three and Four-five-six, And Seven-eight and nine and ten. When we finish all our numbers, We will count them once again. Song: Sing a Song of Numbers (sung to: "Sing a Song of Sixpence") Sing a song of numbers, Count them one by one. Sing a song of numbers, We've only just begun. One-two-three-four-five-six, Seven-eight-nine-ten. When we finish counting them, We'll start them once again. Activity: Give each child a piece of paper. Have child write number 10 at the top of the paper. Step 1: Have each child search the room for 10 items that can fit together on the piece of paper. The items cannot be too big. Make sure that they count the 10 items correctly. Step 2: Then remove the 10 items from the paper and place in front of the paper. If children are able, they can choose to draw each of the 10 items on the paper. Step 3: Return the 10 items back to the correct location in the room. Make it a game, something like a race, returning 1 item at a time. Return 1 item, then the next, then the next. Craft: Number 10. Have child draw large number 10 onto a piece of paper. Provide collage materials (stickers, cut out shapes, foam shapes, tissue squares, etc.). Have the child count out 10 collage items and paste onto number 10. Can the child draw 10 number 10s on the paper too? Craft: Number chains. Use strips of paper folded over and taped. Paper 1 has 1 chain, 2 has 2 chains, 3 has 3 chains. Go up to 10 chains. Hang on wall. Option: take chain of 10, and subtract one loop, now how many are left? Take away another loop, now how many are left? Add one loop, now how many are there? Use math words: add and take away. Worksheet: Number 10 worksheet (page 45).
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Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Story, teachers choice. Review Number 10: Song: Show me Ten (hold up 10 fingers every time you say 10) Ten, Ten, Show me ten, Ten, ten, Show me ten, Ten, ten,, Show me ten. Show me ten right now. Activity: Number bags. Take 10 lunch bags. Write one number on each bag, up to 10 bags. Provide a set to each child or distribute among children. Option 1: Have children go around the room and collect the correct number of items and add to each bag. Option 2: Provide manipulatives like bear counters, marshmallows, pennies, crayons, etc. Have children fill each bag with the provided manipulatives. Craft: 10 fingers, 10 toes. Set out paper and a plate of washable paint. Have your children paint both of their hands and press them on their paper. Have your children count the number of fingers on their picture and label them with numbers. Provide a number chart for assistance if needed. Repeat with feet and have the children count and label their 10 toes! Craft: Sticker book. Provide 10 pieces of paper. Staple like a book. Write one number, 1-9, on each page, leaving blank page for cover. Provide stickers. Children count out the correct number of stickers our for each page. Decorate cover with title Childs names Number book). Sensory/craft: Number rubbings. Paper over magnetic letters and rub over to reveal magic number. Color that number of item on page. Worksheet: Number 10 worksheet (page 46).

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May 26, 2011

Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Story, teachers choice. Song: The Ants Go Marchingreview of numbers to 10 Activity: Sticky balls. Provide active music. Explain that each child is a ball. Bounce like a ball in 1 place. Now bounce around the room. When 2 children bounce into each other, they stick together (hold hands/intertwine arms), and continue to bounce around the room together. As they bounce into other children, the sticky ball grows larger until all the children are stuck into one large ball! Activity: ABC Dominos. Use index cards, create your own set of ABC dominos. On each card, draw a line cross-wise down the center. On each side of the line, write a letter of the alphabet. Show children how to match up the ends just like in regular dominos. Provide 6 cards to each child and take turns. Sensory/Writing: Clay writing tablets. Press play dough or clay into rectangular tablets like people did before there was paper. Provide small twigs or sticks and have children write letters, messages, or their name on the tablets. Press out writing and practice some more. Explain this was how it was done before their was paper and pens, etc. Consider letting tablets dry and then revisiting this ancient writing method after the tablets are dry to see how heavy they are and how some have been preserved for hundreds/thousands of years. Ask children if their tablets can last for hundreds of years? Craft/Snack: Alphabet cereal craft/snack. Provide dry alphabet cereal and cardstock paper. Have children glue cereal onto cardstock paper in ABC order. You can write the alphabet on the cardstock to assist if needed for children to match up the cereal to the written letter. Eat the leftovers! Cant find alphabet snacks? - use magnetic letters (dollar store/Target). Option #2: If the entire alphabet is too difficult, try just spelling the childs name and gluing onto cardstock. Printables: Visit PreschoolPalace.org for number tracer pages or any other 123 printables that you feel may benefit your review of the numbers with your children.

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May 27, 2011

Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Assign helper of the day. Story, helper of the days choice. Story: Goldilocks and the 3 Bears. Discuss concepts of size, touch, opposites, etc. Poem: Peas Porridge Hot
Peas porridge hot. Peas porridge cold. Peas porridge in the pot Nine days old. Some like hot. Some like it cold. Some like it in the pot Nine days old.

Circle time activity: Hot Potato. Use real potato or any item. 1. Gather children in a circle, sitting cross-legged. Explain the rules. 2. Have children name some things that are hot. Hand someone the potato, encouraging him or her to pretend that it is HOT and to catch and throw it as quickly as they can. 3. Call, Go! and play some music on an instrument or recording device that can be paused easily. Children begin to toss the potato around the circle, to the player next to them. 4. Stop the music! At this point, whichever child is holding the potato is "out." Throwing it after the music stops does not count. 5. Continue starting and stopping the music until all but two are "out." Last player to NOT be holding the potato when the music stops wins. 6. Repeat game. Then have children gather in circle for next game. Circle time activity: Hot and Cold Hide a teddy bear in the room when children are not looking and play the hot and cold game with hints to encourage children to find the hiding teddy bear. Cooking: Mama Bear Porridge Ingredients
3 cups water 1 cup powdered milk 1 1/2 cups rolled oats 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 eggs 4 teaspoons butter 1 cup milk 3 tablespoons honey In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Combine the powdered milk, oats and cinnamon; quickly stir into the boiling water. Return the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture is the desired thickness. Remove from heat and mix in the raisins and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. The hot porridge will cook the eggs completely. Divide the porridge between 4 bowls. Top each one with a teaspoon of butter, 1/4 cup of milk , and drizzle with honey.

Craft: Beading station. Provide ABC beads, other beads, cord. Encourage children to bead an entire ABC chain. If that is too difficult. Make an ABC line with beads glued onto a board. Children can match up the letter beads to the board. Make name necklaces too.
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May 31, 2011

Welcome Circle: Calendar. Weather. Who is Here Today? Story, teachers choice.

Art Show Day

This is a day that can be designed several ways depending upon your program. Start with discussion of art, artists, sculptures, architecture, different types of artabstract, etc. Show books on the great artists in history. Visit an art museum. The entire classroom can be set up like art museum. Name tags can be placed below each picture. You can buy very cheap mats to frame each picture. You can buy dollar frames1 for each child for the special wall of self-portraits. Walls can be assigned to genre or by childs name. For Abstract, think folded paper with paint dropped in middle by child, then folded and opened to create a new picture, caption the picture, and hang on the wall. For Impressionism, think dot marker pictures, or dotted paintings, or watercolor paintings. Collage (i.e. mixed media) section. Like created during the year. Magazines cut and pasted onto new paperbased off color, design, theme such as animal, or childs interest (all race cars or baby dolls) Sculpture section. Clay, playdough, cardboard robots, glued blocks/architecture, limitless possibilities. Self portrait section. A parents favorite! Extra art or art collected over the year can be bound using spiral binding at office supply store or just hole punch sides and use yarn/ribbon to tie together. Very special art can be laminated for 25 cents per foot at office or learning supply stores. Make a portfolio with 2 pieces of poster board sealed around the edges with colored masking tape (office supply store/hardware store/learning supply store). Add ribbon handle at the top. The children can decorate the exterior of the portfolio. Insert all art work from the year and file away at home and get ready for the next portfolio for the next year. For the art show, each child can wear their own name tags designating themselves as artists. Children can create invitation cards a week or so in advance, inviting family to the art show. Invite family for milk and cookies at pick-up time or a designated time like 5:00 p.m. if you are in a center/daycare program. Consider this similar to an open house, show off the rest of your program at the same time. Invite grandparents/family members for milk and cookies to view your childs art work for homeschoolers. The children are the artists and this is their opportunity to shine and share all their hard work gathered over the year, or even just made on this one single day! Hang self-portraits made 1 year ago with ones made todaywow, look at the differencedelight in the childrens accomplishments! 24 PreschoolPalace.org

red

orange

yellow

green

blue

purple

brown

black

white

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Yy
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Zz
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Name
Sequencing. Grow a flower! Write the number of the sentence that goes with each picture.

1. 2. 3. 4.

Dig a hole. Plant a seed. Water the sprout. Watch the plant grow!

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Y is for yarn.
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Name

Color the crayon yellow.

Y is for yellow.

Y Y Y y y y
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Name

Trace the letter Y. Draw a line to connect the Y to the pictures that start with the letter Y. Color the pictures.

Y
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Name This is a picture of me and my mom.

My favorite game to play with my mom is________________. My moms favorite food is_______________________________. My moms favorite thing to do is_________________________. I love my mom because ________________________________.
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Z is for zig zag.

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Name

The zebra lost its stripes! Draw stripes on the zebra that lost its stripes.

Z is for zebra.

Z ZZ z zz

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Name

Trace the letter Z. Draw a line to connect the Z to the pictures that start with the letter Z. Color the pictures.

Z
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Name

Color each crayon the correct color.

red

orange

yellow

green

blue

purple

black

brown

pink
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Name

Trace the moon shapes.

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Name Mary the Mouse is climbing the moon.

Trace the moons and then draw some of your own.

Color the moon shapes.

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Name

10 cupcakes
Draw a candle on each cupcake to match the number on the cupcake. Circle the cupcake that has the same number of candles as your age.

10

10 10 10 ten ten

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Name

Color the number 10.

10

Trace the number 10.

10 10 10
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Circle groups with 10 items in the group.