與梅麗莎老師一起學前班的圈子時間

Circle time provides students an opportunity to learn in a fun, engaging manner while also encouraging socialization skills. Having circle time online can open up a whole new world for students by allowing them to learn next to other children from various places all over the world.

Each time we meet, we will explore these subjects:
1. Welcome and introduction song - Your child will be warmly greeted and welcomed as a part of our group. This is a great time for your child to learn how to meet and interact with other learners. One of the biggest skills we work on at the beginning of each meeting time is being a good friend who listens to others in the group.
2. Date and weather - Through songs and chants, your child will learn the seasons, today's date, the days of the week, and the months of the year.
3. Phonics - We will focus our learning on individual letter sounds. We will gradually begin to blend the consonant and vowel sounds. This builds a solid foundation for independent reading.
4. Language enrichment - Your child will explore rhyme and rhythm while singing and chanting their favorite nursery rhymes, finger plays, and songs. This will enrich your child's vocabulary while giving an opportunity to wiggle and have fun.
5. Number skills - We will focus on number recognition, counting, number order, before/after, shapes, colors, sizes, patterns, and addition.
6. Science - Your child will explore topics such as plants, animals and their habitats, our bodies, space, and more! 
7. Social studies - Your child will learn various community helpers in their communities and tour the world while learning mapping skills. We will learn the continents and oceans and what animals live in various habitats around the world.

Here is a month-by-month plan for our year. Your child is always more than welcome to join us mid-year as we consistently review previously learned topics to build confidence. Children at this age benefit so much from review and enjoy the repetition especially when presented in a fun way through games and songs. Also, while this is a rough plan for what I present to the students each month, I do take into account the individual abilities of the group, offering an extra challenge for those needing it and scaling down for those who may need extra support. We celebrate every child trying their best realizing that sometimes making mistakes and being willing to learn can show more courage than always having the right answers.

September
Phonics: Letters and sounds A, E, I, O, rhymes
Numbers: Count 1-10, identify 1-4, circle, square, red, orange
Poetry/Music: The Apple Tree, Apples and Bananas, The Wheels on the Bus
Science: Plants - parts of a plant, what a plant needs, life cycle of a plant, eating plants 
Social Studies: community helpers - teacher, school bus driver, continent: North America

October
Phonics: Letters and sounds U, B, C, D, rhymes
Numbers: Count 1-10, identify 5-8, triangle, rectangle, yellow, green, sorting by size and color
Poetry/Music: Purple Cow, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Humpty Dumpty, Old MacDonald
Science: Human body - parts of the body, bones and muscles, skin and hair, organs 
Social Studies: police officer, pilot, continent: South America

November
Phonics: Letters and sounds F, G, H, J, rhymes
Numbers: Count 1-20, identify 9-12, oval, star, blue, violet, sorting and comparing, patterning ABAB
Poetry/Music: Who Has Seen the Wind?, Twinkle Little Star, Hey Diddle Diddle
Science: Five senses, primary and secondary colors
Social Studies: doctor, baker, continent: Europe

December
Phonics: Letters and sounds K, L, M, N
Numbers: Count 1-20, identify 13-16, heart, hexagon, pink, purple, patterning AABAAB
Poetry/Music: Mix a Pancake, Baa Black Sheep, Jack and Jill
Science: Arctic habitat, living and non-living things
Social Studies: farmer, veterinarian, continent: Africa

January
Phonics: Letters and sounds P, Q, R, S
Numbers: Count 1-20, identify 17-20, sphere, brown, black, patterning ABBABB
Poetry/Music: Chubby Little Snowman, Hickory Dickory Dock, This Little Girl is Ready for Bed
Science: Mountain habitat, insects and arachnids
Social Studies: construction worker, mail carrier, continent: Asia

February
Phonics: Letters and sounds T, V, W, X
Numbers: Count 1-20, identify 1-4, Number words 1-4, cube, white, gray, after numbers 1-10,  patterning AAABAAAB
Poetry/Music: North Wind, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Up the Tall White Candlestick, Sally the Camel
Science: Desert habitat, reptiles
Social Studies: dentist, judge, continent: Australia

March
Phonics: Letters and sounds Y, Z, A, E, I, O, blends with l
Numbers: Count 1-20, identify 5-8, number words 5-8, rectangular prism, after numbers 1-10, before numbers 1-10, patterning ABBBABBB
Poetry/Music: I’m a Little Teapot, Jack be Nimble, If You’re Happy and You Know It
Science: Rainforest/Jungle habitat, birds
Social Studies: trash collector, soldier, continent: Antarctica

April
Phonics: Letters and sounds U, B, C, D, F, G, H, J, blends with t
Numbers: Count by 10s, identify 9-12, number words 9-12, triangular prism, after numbers 1-20, before numbers 1-10
Poetry/Music: The Secret, Little Miss Muffet, The Bear Went Over the Mountain, Buckle My Shoe
Science: Mountain habitat, mammals
Social Studies: nurse, cashier, ocean: Pacific

May
Phonics: Letters and sounds K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, blends with b
Numbers: Count by 10s, identify 13-16, number words 13-16
Poetry/Music: There’s a Worm in the Bottom of My Garden, Row Your Boat, Five Little Speckled Frogs
Science: Savannah habitat, amphibians
Social Studies: bank teller, carpenter, ocean: Atlantic

June
Phonics: Letters and sounds T, V, W, X, Y, Z, blends with m
Numbers: Count by 10s, identify 17-20, number words 17-20
Poetry/Music: There was a Little Turtle, Once I Caught a Fish Alive
Science: Ocean habitat, fish
Social Studies: firefighter, highway worker, ocean: Indian

July 
Phonics: Letters Review, blends with d
Numbers: Numbers Review, adding one, shapes and color review, sorting and comparison
Poetry/Music: Five Fat Sausages, Five Little Ducks
Science: Classifying Animals
Social Studies: mechanic, hairstylist, ocean: Arctic

August
Phonics: Letters Review, blends with g
Numbers: Numbers Review, addition family 1 and 2, shapes and color review, sorting and comparison
Poetry/Music: Five Little Monkeys, There Were Ten in the Bed 
Science: Space - planets, sun/stars, moon, astronauts
Social Studies: chef, librarian, ocean: Southern

This 25-minute circle time class, while still providing ample opportunities for learning, is less intensive in its approach. I am also offering a similar class that meets for a longer length of time for those learners who are ready for a 45-minute class. You can choose which class is the best fit for your child.