Letter lesson - J

Princess A and I are on letter J this week.  We incorporate ASL in each lesson so she not only recognizes the letters and the names but she recognizes the sign for them as well.  The sign words we focused on were Jesus, jump, jelly, jacket (same as for coat), and jungle.  Just click the word to go to a visual of the sign.  You could do juice also but that is one we learned when she was younger.  We are also doing the color brown. 

So here is our learning window. 

The clings are from Dollar Tree, the color set and the alphabet set.
Bible points
We will read from My First Study Bible: Exploring God's Word On My Own!  the story of Joseph and his coat (review the sign for jacket/coat) in God Makes Good from Bad and also the chapter Jesus Loves Children (review the sign for Jesus) 
sing Jesus Loves Me (or if you you can learn how to sign it by watching this video)
Bible verse:
John 3:16


Math:
Jelly Bean math
      this one focuses on counting, recognizing written numbers, colors and matching.  Pick and choose which areas to focus on for your child.  We typically focus on one a day.  Princess A likes this because she gets to eat the jelly beans when we finish!  You will need jelly beans and a deck of uno cards. (we had an old deck that was worn and missing cards so it got incorporated into our school supplies)  Here is where you can mix and match.  Lay out cards and have your child place the correct number of jelly beans on each card.  You can also lay out the cards with the same number but different colors and have your child group the colors together matching the number on the card and then count how many groups, then how many jelly beans total, and practice skip counting (2, 4, 6 etc  this one is a little advanced for us right now though).  You can also give your child a handful of jelly beans.  You child can sort them into colors and then find the card number that matches (ie 4 red jelly beans get a number 4 card or a red number 4 card)  Lots of options here so that you can change it up every time you do it.

Language:
Teach the new sign words.  When reading about Joseph talk about his Jacket/coat.  Go on a letter J hunt.  Take index cards and cut them in half.  On each card write a letter.  (be sure to include several copies of the letter J)  You can cover each card with packing tape or contact paper to make them sturdier and then you can save them to reuse later.  Or you can download and print out a set here on cardstock.  Hide the letters through out your home and have you child hunt them out.  When he/she finds a letter have them bring it to you and tell you the letters name.  (You can also make the sound to help with phonemic awareness)  See below for some suggested books to read while studying the letter J.  Don't forget the standard language arts teaching moments - pointing out the letter on signs, in the stores, in the books you read as well as the color brown.

Science:
make some homemade jelly.  You can find my recipe for Appalachian Jelly by clicking here, but there are lots of easy recipes out there.  Disappearing juice drawings.  Using a paint brush and lemon juice, have your child paint a plain sheet of computer paper.  Allow it to dry and show it to your child.  Then hold the painting close to an incandescent light bulb and watch the drawing reappear!  Visit a zoo (in person or online) and check out the animals that live in a jungle.

Social Studies:
make a set of binoculars like a jungle explorer would use.  Use them to go on a jungle hunt.  Think along the lines of going on a bear hunt:  We're going on a jungle hunt, to see what we can see.  What a beautiful day!  We're not scared!  Uhh Ohh....a _________  can't go under it, can't go over it, can't go around it, we have to go through it (make sounds)  include color descriptions when possible (uhh ohh....leaves, dry brown leaves)

Art:
homemade playdough with letter cut outs are always a hit.  As well as fingerpainting letters.  I also tend to try and include a coloring sheet that goes with the stories we read (ie joseph coloring sheet, jesus with children, jungle animals, etc) that princess A can color or paint depending on how messy I want to get that day.  When the weather is nice we also go outside and make GIANT letters on the driveway with chalk.  I have even had her lay down in a letter shape and traced her on the driveway.  Art was also covered with the binoculars, the juice painting and the singing.  Mix colors together and see which ones make brown.

Phys Ed.
JUMP!  Play Jack be nimble.  decorate a toilet paper roll to look like a candle and place it on the floor.  (Paint the roll any color you like.  cut 6 slits along the bottom, each about 1/2 inch.  Open slits out and glue them to a small paper plate.  Color/paint plate.  Use red, orange and yellow tissue paper to create flames and glue inside top of tp roll.  Easy candlestick)  Child stands on one side as you sing the first verse.  Jack be nimble, jack be quick, jack jump over the candlestick.  Jack jumped high, Jack jumped low, Jack jumped over it don't you know! Substitute names for Jack and jump over the candlestick.
In addition we found this awesome song on youtube.  Princess A loves it!



Until next time,