- chart paper
- marker
MA Standards:
English Language Arts/Speaking and Listening/SL.PK.MA.1a: Observe and use appropriate ways of interacting in a group (e.g. taking turns in talking, listening to peers, waiting to speak until another person is finished talking, asking questions and waiting for an answer, gaining the floor in appropriate ways).
Head Start Outcomes:
Social Emotional Development/Self-Regulation: Follows simple rules, routines, and directions.
Language Development/Receptive Language: Attends to language during conversations, songs, stories, or other learning experiences.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
English Language Arts/Language 1: Observe and use appropriate ways of interacting in a group (taking turns in talking; listening to peers; waiting until someone is finished; asking questions and waiting for an answer; gaining the floor in appropriate ways).
English Language Arts/Reading and Literature 12: Listen to, recite, sing, and dramatize a variety of age-appropriate literature.
Recite Together: “Five Little Flowers”
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
ELA Focus Skills: Small Motor Skills, Counting 1–5, Listening and Speaking, Phonological Awareness (Rhyme)
Educator Prep: Write the words of the poem on chart paper and display for children to see.
Tell children you are going teach them a counting poem. Hold up your hand with your fingers spread open. Have children do the same. Say, Let’s count how many fingers we have on one hand. Demonstrate touching each finger as you count it. Repeat and have children touch their fingers with you.
Then recite “Five Little Flowers” for children as you hold one hand up, showing the five fingers. As you read, fold down the fingers, one at a time, as each flower is picked.
Invite children to recite the finger play and do the finger motions with you.
Five Little Flowers
Five little flowers, by my kitchen door;
I picked one and then there were four.
Four little flowers, buzzed by a bee;
I picked one and then there were three.
Three little flowers, red, white, and blue;
I picked one and then there were two.
Two little flowers, soaking up the sun,
I picked one and then there was one.
One little flower, when watering is done
I picked it and then there were none.
Take It Further: You may want to focus on the rhyme words in the poem instead of the numbers. Have children listen to the rhyme in each verse and name the words that end in the same sound. (door/four; bee/three; blue/two; sun/none) You may challenge children by having them add a third rhyme word.