Alphabet
Alphabet Letter S Patterns
Art
Colored Salt Names
Need: salt, food coloring, and zip-lock baggies, posterboard, paint brushes, diluted glue.
Place salt (about 1/2 cup) in a baggie with drops of food coloring. Close bag. Vigorously shake the bag until all the salt is colored. Spread the salt on paper towels to dry
Have children print their names using a large paintbrush with diluted white glue on posterboard. Immediately, have them sprinkle on the colored salt. Let dry, then shake off the excess salt. This makes a spectacular name poster!
Scented Letters
Need: packages of flavored gelatin (red, orange, yellow etc.), new paint brushes.
Prepare the gelatin with half the amount of water directed on the package. While it is still in the liquid state, let the children paint letters on typing paper. Use new paint brushes. Use several different colors of gelatin.
When dried, have children smell the letters and tell which letter smells like orange, or what the red smells like.
Star S's
Need: large heavy paper S shapes and star stickers
Let the children decorate their letters by attaching star stickers to the S shapes. Children could glue sand, sequins, or seeds on their S shapes.
Sandy Snakes
Use the patterns on the following pages to make stick puppets, learning games, alphabet books and other teaching aids.
Let children brush glue on sheets of paper to create long fat snakes. Have sand for them to sprinkle onto the wet glue and then tap off the excess sand. When the glue has dried, encourage the children to feel their sandy snakes with their hands. Very rough.
String S's
Cut large letter S shapes out of heavy paper. Let the children decorate their letters gluing string onto their letter S.
Silver S's
Need: silver glitter, large letter s
Children glue silver glitter onto a large letter S.
Sandpaper Letter Melt
Cut large, block letters from sand paper. Have children decorate each very solidly with crayon placed directly on top of the rough side. Then have an Adult place the letters on a cookie sheet and into a 300 degree oven for four to five minutes or until the crayon melts. Letter will emerge in vivid colors!
Sponge S's
Need: sponges and cups of water(no spill cups work best).
Let children take turns at a chalkboard dampening a sponge in water and using it to draw large S's on the dry chalkboard. Children love this activity and will continue doing it throughout the year. Makes a fun way to practice your letters.
Group Time
Letter S Sound Box
Decorate a box with the letter S. Each day at group time review with the children each item in the box. Stress the sssss sound.
Some suggested items: sack, sailboat, sandpaper, scarf, scissors, seashell, seeds, shoe, snake, soap, sock, spider, sponge, spoon, stamps, star, string, suitcase.
Secret in a Sock
Select several small objects from the S sound box. Have the children sit on the floor in a circle. Hide one of the objects inside a sock that has been labeled with the letter S. Then let the children take turns reaching inside the sock and trying to identify the object by touch.
Silly Sock
Plan a Silly Sock Day (mismatched). Have children wear or bring in a silly sock. Have extra socks of children who forget to wear mismatched socks. Take pictures of the chldrens socks. Have two children stand next to each other and take a picture of one leg of each child.
Sit Ups
Do sit ups at group time. Record the date and number of sit ups done.
Cooking/Snacks
Stone Soup
Send notes home with the children to announce a Stone Soup Day and have each children bring in a vegetable to share. Read the story "Stone Soup" and follow up by making stone soup.
Stone Soup Recipe:
Pour about 2 quarts water into a large pot and let the children put in a round smooth stone that has been scrubbed and boiled. Add vegetables the children have brought in. Bring to a boil and let simmer, covered, for about an hour. When vegetables are tender, add instant broth or bouillon cubes and season to taste.
Art
Thumb Print T's
Need: ink pads or paint in shallow trays.
For each child print large alphabet letter T on a piece of construction paper. Set out ink pads or shallow trays of paint. Show the children how to press their thumbs on the ink pads. Then have them trace over the letter T by stamping on their thumbprints.
Paper towels act as a stamp pad when tempera paint is poured on top of it.
Tissue Triangle Art
Need: Tissue paper triangles, diluted glue, wax paper, paint brushes
Cut triangles out of different colors of tissue paper. Set out brushes and diluted glue. Give each child a piece of waxed paper. Have the children brush the glue on their papers and place the triangles on top of the glue. Encourage them to work on small areas at a time and to overlap their triangles to create new colors. For a shiny effect, brush more glue over the children's papers when they have finished. Attach construction paper frames. Then punch a hole in one corner of each frame and hang the papers from the ceiling.
Fingerplay/Songs
Tap your Toe for T
tune: Row, Row, Row, Your Boat
Tap, tap, tap your toe,
Tap your toe for T.
Tap for train and turkey and toy,
Tap, tap, one, two, three
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
As you recite the poem, let the children act out the movements described.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, stand up straight.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch your nose
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, tap your toes
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, go up stairs.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say good-night
Group Time
Have the children sit on floor in front of you. Show them how to use their pointer fingers to form the letter T. Then hold up the alphabet cards one at a time. Whenever the children see the letter T, have them make the T sign with their fingers.
