- Bear Snores On (book)
- word cards eye, eyes
- more than
MA Standards:
Language/L.PK.MA.1: Demonstrate use of oral language in informal everyday activities.
Language/L.PK.MA.1.c: Form regular plural nouns.
Head Start Outcomes:
Language Development/Receptive Language: Comprehends different grammatical structures or rules for using language.
Language Development/Expressive Language: Uses different grammatical structures for a variety of purposes.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
English Language Arts/Language 5: Listen to and use formal and informal language.
Word Play: Plural Words
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
ELA Focus Skills: Speaking and Listening, Word Recognition
Educator Prep: Prepare word cards eye and eyes. Prepare various singular/plural word cards for objects around the room or in the story.
Open the book to the spread where the hare peeks into the cave. Read both pages aloud.
- Focus attention on the right-hand page. Point to the hare’s eye and ask, Can you tell me what this is? (an eye) How many of the hare’s eyes do you see in this picture? (one)
- Explain that the hare is looking away so you can only see one eye. Have children repeat after you, one eye.
Now focus attention of the left-hand page. Ask, How many of the hare’s eyes do you see in this picture? (two) Explain that the hare is looking straight ahead so you see two eyes. Have children repeat after you, two eyes.
- Tell children that when you are talking about more than one thing, the word you use changes. Hold up the word cards eye and eyes. Ask, What is different about these two words? Track each letter to show there are more letters in the plural word. Stop on the s. Say, This word has the letter s on the end to show it means more than one eye.
- Point to the hare with one eye showing and say, This picture shows one eye. Point to the other picture and say, This picture shows two eyes. Have children repeat as you point to each picture.
- Turn back two pages to the mouse entering the cave. Point to the picture of the mouse entering the cave and ask, How many eyes do you see in this picture? (two eyes) Focus on the mouse making the fire and ask, How many eyes do you see here? (one eye)
You may want to continue with other examples in the story or with objects around the classroom, such as book/books, crayon/crayons, etc.
Educator Tip: Prepare word cards for regular singular and plural words you are going to introduce. You may want to make only plural cards and have children cover the 's' with an index card to show the singular and plural form of each word.