Toddler Beginnings Week 2

So far, I like this Theme System as a method of teaching Mavi.  It only requires 1 subject a day.. so I don't run out of ideas of what type of activity to give Mavi. It's fun for me too as well, doing arts and crafts, preparing materials for the lessons, searching for poems, books, and videos to watch.  So this is how a preschool teacher is!!

Date: February 22 to 26, 2010

Theme: Jungle | Vocabulary: Vines | Color: Green | Letter: B | Number: 2 | Nursery Rhyme: The Little Nut Tree 

Since this is the second week of our homeschooling, I was a little bit prepared with my materials.  Good thing I was able to find some art papers at the grocery last week, and printed out outlines of animals for the counting and color activities.  I also found some coloring books at Turbo Limac; I might probably buy this coming weekend.  The coloring books will be used during the color lessons.  Mavi doesn't like coloring yet, so I'm going to use the coloring books to allure him.  Plus, I'm still looking for some toys (non learning) for him to play during his "free play" moments.  He's quite bored with his current toys, in effect he's too clingy most of the time and that would mean, no time for me to do chores!  Haaay.  So he needs something to keep him busy while Mama do some stuff, so that will be my next project.  We tried to checkout some books too, but sad to say we were not able to buy one because the bookstore ran of English books.

MONDAY

Theme: Jungle
Vocabulary Word: Vines

The theme for this week is Jungle and the vocabulary is Vines. I introduced to  him the theme by showing pictures of jungles and vines, read a book related to the theme, sing songs and do some activities related to the theme.  Per usual, Mavi immediately got excited seeing the pictures.  He pointed out to the written words and tried identifying the letters all by himself.  It's just confusing to teach him the vines versus the jungle by just looking at the pictures  because I mistakenly printed out similar pictures of jungle and vines, plus they're all green!  I should have printed out a more discreet picture of the vines. 

Anyway, he can properly say "vines".. as in "vayyynnnns" but he didn't manage to say jungle correctly, he's version was "dader".

We also watched "The Lion King" and "Tarzan" of Walt Disney as part of the activity, but he can only last for about 10-15 minutes watching, then he lost interest. That's okay, the little doesn't appreciate cartoons... yet.

Months ago, husband and I were able to buy the book "Just Like Me".  It was on sale, so instead of 1k rsd, we bought it for 500rsd only.  I used this book as my tool of teaching him the Jungle.  It's about an armadillo, lost in the forest and is looking for something that looks like him.  He likes this because it's a look and feel book and he loves to rub his fingers on the photos' surfaces.

TUESDAY

Shape/Color: Green

Up until now, I find it difficult to teach Mavi about colors.  I don't know if he can understand it yet because he doesn't respond that much . I mean, he can point at the colors I'm asking him first, then the second time around, he will miss out.

To introduce him to the color green this week, I first tried to show him my cut-out of leaves printed in green art paper.  Then I started to put glue into it and demonstrated to him the proper way of putting it in the paper.  But he wasn't interested on the leaf or on the gluing activity.  Instead, he finds the glue stick more fascinating and he  took it away from me.  He played it for the rest of the day, and gets mad if I ask for it.

When he was already calm, I attempted again on teaching him the green color by showing the square shape that we have on our previous lesson.  When I have his attention, I showed him the green colored pen, the green colored-crayola stamps and the green crayon.  I told him "Mommy will color the square GREEEEN".  Then I started putting stamps on the square and shaded it with a green crayon. Enticed, he took the stamp from me and started tapping the paper with the stamp.  Sadly, the stamp was too small, I expected that it would produce a larger and more visible stamp, but it's too small and so light that Mavi can't barely see the effect if he taps the paper with the stamp.  When he was tired, he took the crayon and started doodling on the square.. and on the table as well.

This is what he loves to do most, removing the cap from the pen or glue stick and putting it back again.  He keeps doing it again and again, somewhat fascinated and that he can do it by himself.  I allowed him to do it anyway, so he can practice his hand and eye coordination.  I tell you, he's really good at it.

We also did "find a green color object" activity.  We looked around the house for toys and objects that's colored green.  Everytime we see one, I would say "green car", "green cup" etc.  Then we collected those objects and put it in the paperbag.  Since he likes car, I also cut out  square shapes from a piece of green art paper and constructed a car.  He doesn't like pasting the squares on the paper, but he loves the end product... green car.  Even if I use stickers, he doesn't know how to paste the on a surface yet. . Hmmm, I wonder why.  And I wonder how I  can teach him to do that.

WEDNESDAY

Letter: B

Letter B was introduced and I didn't print the letter, I just wrote it and made him trace the letter with his finger.  He already knows the letter so teaching him was not that difficult. Same thing as letter A, he matched the right hole for the letter B by successfully dropping the letter B on it.

Since we still got enough time, we read his favorite Nursery Rhymes book and ask him to identify the letter B on the writings.  So far, he's doing well with the letters because he didn't miss any.

THURSDAY

Number: 2/two

As I mentioned earlier, to prepare for this lesson, I printed out two sets of matching frogs and clover leaf pictures on a piece of green colored art paper.  I put numbers 1 and 2 at the center of the picture.  These actually have dual purpose, first that is for counting, and then the other for our matching game. 

When I showed it to him, he was amused.  I showed to him the frog in sequence, "1 frog", "2 frogs"... "1, 2". In effect, he keeps on pointing at the numbers and saying it out loud. After I while, I tried showing to him that we can match the two items.  I demonstrated this by placing the two frogs together at one side of the table and the clovers on the other side.  Unfortunately, he couldn't get the idea.  This is the first time he encountered a matching game so I know that he couldn't grasp the thought at first.  I kept on pairing the frogs and the clovers... but he just grabbed the frog and run away shouting "2!" "2!". 

That afternoon, after his nap time, we draw the number 2 on a piece of paper.  I let him held the colored pencil and moved his hand to draw the number 2.  Then I cut out small squares on a piece of green sticker and instructed him to paste it on the paper below the number.  I peeled the sticker; put it on his finger indicating that he should paste it on the paper.  I guided his fingers while he put the sticker, and then we counted "1 square", and then followed by the second square "2 squares".  When we were on our last number 2, he immediately run to his other days and doesn't want to do the counting activity.  He definitely doesn't like the sticking activity and he still has difficulty in pasting the stickers.

FRIDAY

Nursery Rhyme: The Little Nut Tree

I posted the rhyme on our learning wall, and I kept on reciting it to him every time he plays around the house.  He keeps on pointing to the tree picture that I put beside the poem.  He's not much into the poem, even on the previous poems that we've been reading.  I think the reason for this is that there's not much picture or colors on the printouts that made.  Mavi usually prefers a book and sad to say, English books are scarce in this country :-).

We didn't do any motor skill today for I was not feeling well. Mavi just spent the day doing free-play.  Still, I wasn't able to plan for motor skills activity because I didn't have the time to prepare.  Hopefully by next week, I will be in the mood to do some fun activity with him.

THE LEARNING WALL
I accidentally deleted the picture, sorry.

Another week of disappointment.  I was looking forward for a milder weather so Mavi and I can play at the nearby playground but a storm passed by Belgrade and we ended up having our "recreation" activity at Ate Merelou's birthday party.

The Filipinos were having videoke, and it was Mavi's first time to experience such a thing.  Even the use of microphone for singing, he haven't seen that yet because we don't watch TV at home.

He didn't sing, but goodness he danced the whole night!  Here's the video, and see how he danced.