Lesson Ideas for the Theme: Forests

Lesson Ideas for the Theme: Forests

This lesson is suitable for 4-6 year olds.

Introduce the subject of forests to the learners: what is a forest? It is a place where there are a lot of trees. Who/what lives in a forest etc. Show pictures of forests.

Topics to discuss:

• Animals of the forest.
• What is a tree?
• Why are forests important?

Craft ideas when talking about forests:

• Paste ferns on a paper. You can group them. This helps with developing data handling skills.
• Draw pictures of forest animals.
• Plant your own forest in a tin. Give kids the opportunity to plant ferns etc.
• Colour in a picture of a parrot.

Some links that could be useful:
http://www.everythingpreschool.com/themes/forest/index.htm
http://www.brighthubeducation.com/preschool-lesson-plans/44135-forest-animals-theme/

A silly song for pre-schoolers

Good morning,

I'm always looking for songs to teach to pre-schoolers. I just came accross this great page Bussongs.com and would like to share this song with you:

Shake Your Sillies Out

U got to shake, shake, shake your sillies out, shake, shake, shake your sillies out, shake, shake, shake your sillies out and wiggle your waggles away
U got to clap, clap, clap your crazys out, clap, clap, clap, your crazys, clap, clap, clap your crazys out and wiggle your waggles away
U got to jump,jump, jump, your jiggles out, jump, jump ,jump, your jiggles out, jump, jump, jump, your jiggles out and wiggle your waggles away
U got to yawn, yawn ,yawn, your sleepys out, yawn, yawn, yawn, your sleepys out, yawn, yawn, yawn, your sleepys out and wiggle your waggles away

http://bussongs.com/songs/shake-your-sillies-out.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yycdxzGJ8rk

What songs do you enjoy singing with your kids?

Talk to you later

AC

6 holiday craft ideas

6 holiday craft ideas:

·         My holiday: Paint a picture about your holiday. What did you experience/see and where did you go.

·         Identity Document/ Who am I. Make your own identity document/ passport with a picture and fingerprints.

·         Use handprints to make a butterfly.

·         Invite friends over and play games outside such as hop scotch, pin the tail on the donkey, three legged race and egg race.

·         As it is autumn take leaves and make a picture.

·         For colder days use tinned food and other groceries and open a ‘store’ in the kid’s bedroom. Allowing them to ‘sell’and ‘price’the groceries helps with cognitive development.

English Grade 4 notes

English Additional language Grade 4

Nouns

A noun is the name of a thing or place or person.

Underline the nouns in the following sentences:

1. Sarah goes to town ever y day.

2. I enjoy walking to school.

3. I sit at the table.

4. We eat our food.

5. Peter and John like to go to the movies.

Verbs

A verb is a doing word. It explains what somebody is doing.

Underline the verb in the following sentences:

1. Sarah goes to town ever y day.

2. I enjoy walking to school.

3. I sit at the table.

4. We eat our food.

5. Peter and John likes to go to the movies.

Punctuation

Add the correct punctuation to the following sentences:

1. I go to school

2. He likes to read

3. We ate bananas oranges and grapes

4. Sarah and I like to drink orange juice

5. Do you live here

Contractions

Write the contractions of the following

I am- I’m

You are-_____________

They are-______________

We are-___________

Adjectives

An adjective describes the noun.

Underline the adjectives.

1. It is a beautiful day.

2. We liked the red berries.

3. I am wearing a blue dress.

4. We are eating red tomatoes.

5. John likes his new yellow car.

Prepositions

Complete by using the correct prepositions:

1. I am sitting __________________ the table.

2. The cat is __________ the bed.

3. He jumped ______________- the fence.

4. Peter is running ______________- the grass.

5. She jumps _____________ the pool.

Physical education worksheet appropriate for Grade 4-7 in Life orientation

Physical education worksheet appropriate for Grade 4-7 in Life orientation

Name:________________________________

Total:_______/10

1.       Write down the definition of target games. ___________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________(2)

2.       Make up your own target game.

a.       Where will you play the game? ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________(1)

b.      How many people will play the game? ______________________________________(1)

c.       How will people score points? _______________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________(2)

d.      What will be the target? ____________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________(1)

e.      Write down 3 rules of the game. _____________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________(3)

Getting your child ready for grade 1

Some ideas to help you get your child ready for school:

Getting your child ready for school starts very early. You can help your child by paying special attention to certain areas.

General Knowledge: Teach your child his or her home address, telephone number and full name and birth date. When your child asks questions about the world, try to answer them as well as you can, or take your child to the library to look up the answer.

Self-help: Your child should know how to dress and undress, and how to use zips, buttons, press-studs, velcro and so on. They should also have made a start on learning to tie their own shoelaces. Children in Grade One also need to know how to blow their own noses, and to go to the toilet independently.

Label their Belongings: All your child's clothes, stationery and so on should be marked clearly. Show your child where the label is and teach them to recognise it - this will make it easier for them to find and put away their things at school. Teach your child to be responsible about their belongings and you will be saving money on replacements as well as teaching them an important life skill.

Feed Your Child Well: Children perform better at school if they have a healthy breakfast and a healthy packed lunch. A wholewheat sandwich and a piece of fruit are enough for a school snack if the child is coming home at lunchtime. If they will be in aftercare or somewhere that doesn't provide lunch after school, add an extra sandwich and some nuts, raisins, carrot sticks or other vegetables. It seems much easier to pop in a packet of chips and a cooldrink, but a quick sandwich and filling a juice bottle with water or fruit juice is cheaper and much better for your child.

http://southafrica.thebeehive.org/content/28/1534

Language Development:

• She should know some nursery rhymes
• Can use expressive and receptive language
• Can follow instructions
• Able to produce the different sounds of a language, in other words have command of a language
• Can put sentences together to make herself understood
• Able to take turns in a conversation.

Pre-reading Skills:

• Can name basic colours
• Know the letters of the alphabet
• Know the names and sounds of letters
• Be able to recognize their written name
• Have print awareness (She knows how to hold a book and that we read from left to right)
• Have an interest in books and reading.

Cognitive Skills:

• Understand the concept of size – bigger and smaller
• Know opposites
• Can build jigsaw puzzles
• Can master sequencing cards
• Can pay attention and plan the execution of an activity
• Know different shapes
• Can copy patterns
• Know position in space – above, below, in front, behind, etc.
• Can persist in challenging task
• Able to categorize objects
• Have a degree of intellectual curiosity.

Numeracy:

• Can count up to at least 10
• Understand the concepts of counting, sorting and grouping
• Know the different times of day – morning, afternoon and night

Social Skills:

• Knows how to ask for something
• Can share
• Can take turns
• Able to listen quietly
• Can relate appropriately to adults and peers.

Physical Skills:

• Can use the bathroom on her own
• Can blow her nose
• Can wash her hands
• Able to catch and throw a ball
• Can balance on 1 foot for a certain time
• Able to walk up and down stairs
• Able to use scissors, pencils and crayons
• Able to stack blocks
• Can hop
• Can use a knife and fork to eat
• Able to cross her midline.

Emotional Skills:

• Can ask for help
• Realize that she cannot always get her own way
• Able to manage anger and frustration
• Can work independently
• Can cope with criticism and failure
• Able to separate from a caregiver
• Able to effectively express her feelings and needs
• Hold her own in a group activity
• Able to postpone the need for immediate gratification.

This checklist should give you an indication if your child is school ready.

A child’s first year in school is extremely important, because it is the first building block for the following 11 years. I believe that it is important that it should be a positive experience, where the child is adequately equipped to manage in the classroom, with many success experiences. When they are able to do something, it becomes enjoyable to do it.

Good luck for Grade 1!

http://parentingcenter.co.za/a-school-readiness-checklist/

Separation anxiety

Hallo to everyone,

Hope you are enjoying your day so far.  Just a short note about separation anxiety. As a teacher I’ve experienced separation anxiety quite often. It is very heartbreaking for the parent and child. I’ve done some research to find out how it develops. It is normal for a child to experience separation anxiety because they have not developed “object permanence” yet. That means they do not realize that someone exists even if you do not see them. Object permanence is thought only to develop at two years of age. Another reason for separation anxiety is because a child only develops a sense of time at the age of 6 or 7. In other words any time away from the primary caregiver can feel like a very long time for the child. Something that can help is if the teacher distracts the child immediately after the parent said good bye and ask for help with a certain task.  Luckily the child will settle down 2-3 minutes after the parent have left and are playing happily by the time mom or dad phones from the car and asks how the child is doing.

Have a great afternoon,

AC

April sunflower fun

In the April edition of the Sunflower fun package you will find:

·         Grade 00 lesson plans about the theme Forests for a whole week.

·         Grade R lesson plans about the theme My family for a whole week.

·         An article about important milestones for the age group 0-4

·         An article with ideas for developing gross motor skills.

·         Two fun crafts with a step by step guide.

For more information please leave your e-mail address in the comment block or e-mail Amanda.Calitz1@gmail.com

Good news and a competition.

Good news!

Sunflower fun is launching a club especially for foundation phase teachers and home school parents. The launch is on the 5^th  of April. 

·         Option 1 For R80 per month we will send you a CD with 2 themes, lesson plans  and pictures for Grade 000- R with at least 3 informative articles about teaching and living with young kids.

·         Option 2 For R50 per month you can get Option 1 via e-mail.

·         Option 3 For R120 per month we will send you a CD with 4 themes , lesson plans and pictures for Grade 000- R with at least 3 informative articles about teaching and living with young kids.

·         Option 4 For R90 per month you can get Option 3 via e-mail.

·         If you subscribe your little one will automatically be part of our exclusive kiddies club with all the benefits.

o   Also available in Afrikaans.

Competition

Be the one to refer the most people to our Facebook page and win one of the following prizes:

1^st prize Option 4 for 6 months

2^nd prize Option 4 for 3 months

3^rd prize Option 4 for  3 months

4^th prize Option 2 for 3 months

5^th prize Option 2 for 3 months

How it works:

Refer people to the page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sunflower-Fun/187960261290066  Ask them to like the page. Then they write your name in the comment block. I will post a list of the top 5 people every evening. The competition closes on  5 April at 5pm.

Ringworm

Ringworm

What is ringworm?

Ringworm is a skin infection caused by a fungus that can affect the scalp, skin, fingers, toenails or foot. The rash can appear to be one small ring or several separate C-shapes. It can be dry and scaly or wet and crusty. All types of ringworm infection will cause itching and irritation. Ringworm on the scalp will cause a bald spot with the infection in the center.

Who gets ringworm?

Anyone can get ringworm. Children may be more susceptible to certain species of ringworm while adults may be more susceptible to other varieties.

How are ringworm infections spread?

Transmission of the fungus can occur by direct skin-to-skin contact with infected people or pets, or indirectly by contact with items such as barber clippers, hair from infected people, shower stalls, or floors. Ringworm is easily spread by touch and can be transmitted from animals to humans. Animals with ringworm will often have a bald patch where the infection is.

What are the symptoms of ringworm infections?

Ringworm of the scalp usually begins as a small pimple, which becomes larger in size, leaving scaly patches of temporary baldness. Infected hairs become brittle and break off easily. Occasionally, yellowish crusty areas are seen. With ringworm of the nails, the infected nails become thicker, discolored and brittle, or they can become chalky and disintegrate. Ringworm of the body appears as flat, spreading ring-shaped areas. The edge is reddish and may be either dry and scaly or moist and crusted. As it spreads, the center area clears and appears normal. Ringworm of the foot appears as a scaling or cracking of the skin, especially between the toes.

How soon after infection do symptoms appear?

The incubation period is unknown for most types of ringworm, however ringworm of the scalp is usually seen 10 to 14 days after contact and ringworm of the body is seen 4 to 10 days after initial contact.

Does infection with ringworm make a person immune?

Since so many species of fungus can cause ringworm, infection with one species will not make a person immune to repeat infections.

What is the treatment for ringworm infections?

Your doctor may prescribe a fungicidal material to swallow as tablets, or powders that can be applied directly to the infected areas. Griseofulvin is commonly prescribed for treating fungus infections.

How can ringworm be prevented?

Towels, hats, and clothing from an infected individual should not be shared with others. Young children who are infected should have minimal close contact with other children until effectively treated.

Snakebites

Snakebites

The most poisonous snake in the Johannesburg area is the Rinkhals.



Tips for avoiding snakebites:

         Understand the types of environments where people are likely to encounter snakes. For example, wooded areas with deep piles of leaves or stacks of wood are frequently home to snakes.

         If you encounter a snake, get away from it. Do not attempt to pick it up or threaten its safety in any way. More than half of all bites occur when people interact inappropriately with snakes.

If you are bitten:

         Identify the type of snake if possible. If a smartphone or other camera is available, take a photo of the snake and bring it with you to the hospital.

         Get away from the snake.

         Do not attempt to suck out the venom.

         Do not apply a tourniquet unless you have a great deal of knowledge about snakes and the effects of snakebites. For some types of venom, a tourniquet can actually do more harm than good.

         Immobilize the affected body part.

         Remove all rings or restrictive jewelry on the affected limb, since snakebites often cause swelling.

         Get to a hospital or healthcare facility as quickly as you can. Do not wait and watch for symptoms.

Relevant facts and statistics:

         Approximately 45,000 snakebite injuries are reported annually in the United States.

         Seventy to 80 percent of snakebites occur in males.

         More than half of snakebites are to the hand(s).

         Most snakebites result from intentional exposure, whether in a professional context (e.g., snake handling) or nonprofessional context (e.g., playing with snakes in the wild).

         Alcohol consumption is involved in the majority of bites, resulting from risky behavior.

         The high correlation between alcohol use and hand injury implies that bites occur when the victim is behaving in an unsafe manner, not when he or she is attempting to evade the snake.