Unit 1: Family, Friends, and More

Sing a song to help children learn each other's names and to recognize their own names in print.

Discuss the meaning of family with children, then talk with them about their own families.

Explore different areas of the classroom with children.

Use pictures from magazines to create families and discuss what is the same and different about them.

Read aloud and discuss a nonfiction or fiction book about families.

Watch a Between the Lions show about a lion cub who is sad when her Mama has to go away for a little while.

Sing and act out a song about being happy.

Watch Leona the lion sing a song from Between the Lions "But, Mama, But . . ." and have children join in the chorus.

Help children create a picture of someone who is special to them.

Send the Family Connection letter home with children.

Sing a song to help children learn other children’s names and to recognize their own names in print.

Discuss animal families with children.

Read a story about an owl family and talk about how the owl babies feel when their Mama goes away. 

Have children act out emotions and motions to show events in a story.

Have childen count how many owl babies are in an owl family and then count how many owls in the family all together.

Watch a video about two families who are the same in some ways and different in others.

Make a list with children of different things they like to do with their families.

Teach children a song about friends and sing a verse to each child as everyone joins in.

Discuss friends and introduce qualities that make a person a good friend.

Watch a video about three characters that become fast friends and discuss how they are being good friends.

Explore nature outdoors with children.

Sing a song about different qualities that make a person a good friend.

Do a picture walk of a story about a little girl and her special stuffed animal friend.

Toss a stuffed animal around in a circle while singing a chant about new friends.

Sing a song about friends and help children recognize names of others in the group.

Have children share something they did with a friend and talk about how they were being a good friend.

Watch a video focusing on how to be a good friend.

Have children discuss being afraid of things and then explore animals that live in or around a tree.

Read a story about friends and the emotions they share.

Discuss and draw pictures about different feelings friends can have when they are together.

Sing a song about friends as children roll a ball to one another.

Continue the discussion on friends and the qualities of being a good friend.

Read a book about a family or friends and prompt children to make connections to their own lives.

Watch a video about cats and learn about categorizing.

Use pictures to describe and categorize cats by their physical characteristics.

Have children work in pairs as they create cats that are same or different from their partner’s.

Invite children to reflect on what they have learned about families and friends.

Review what children have observed while exploring and learned about families and friends.

Sing a song about friends to reinforce what children have learned about friends.

Send home photographs of children working together or a drawing children made of their family or a friend.