Unit Introduction
In Unit 1, the primary purpose is to acclimate children to their new environment and to one another. As they learn about one another, they begin to learn about the qualities that make them a good friend and they begin to recognize how families are the same and different in many ways. This unit will also introduce children to the alphabet and to many skills they will be using as they carry out daily explorations. They realize that some of these skills, such as asking questions and recording information, are the same skills professional scientists use as they learn about their world!
- Family and Friends (Week One). As children are introduced to their new learning environment, they begin to learn about different families and to express their feelings about being away from their families. They interact with other children and begin to understand what a friend is. Between the Lions and PEEP and the Big Wide World videos reinforce these concepts—the Lion family helps children explore their feelings, and the PEEP characters help children learn about the fun of exploring the world around them with friends.
- Meet the Alphabet/At the Library (Week Two). Children are introduced to the alphabet and its twenty-six letters through read-aloud books and Between the Lions short video clips. This week children will also learn about the different types of books they can find in the library, some of the things they can do at a library, and they begin to understand the many things that a library has to offer them.
Children’s learning is supported through daily hands-on exploration and by listening to read-aloud books and watching media throughout the unit. Children also begin to learn strategies they can use for communicating with others, making good choices, problem solving, cooperation and planning, and getting along with others.