Who's Behind the Monster???

This week for Large Group, we talked about prepositions.  We practiced putting our hands next to us, above us, behind us, under us and in front of us.  We played a game with Big Green Monster where someone was hiding behind him and we had to guess who was behind Big Green Monster.  

We closed our eyes while someone hid behind Big Green Monster and when we opened our eyes,  we sang a little song that goes like this....(to the tune of Farmer in the Dell)

"Who's behind the Monster?  Who's behind the Monster?  Who's behind the Monster? Who's behind the Monster?

We took turns guessing who was behind Big Green Monster.  If we guessed right, the person hiding behind Big Green Monster would say "YES".  If we guessed wrong, the person that we guessed would say "NO", I'm NOT behind Big Green Monster.  

We had a lot of fun hiding behind Big Green Monster.  We worked on answering "wh" questions, understanding prepositions, answering "yes/no" questions and using the word "NOT" in sentences.

If you want to work on these concepts at home, you can play the game with your family.  You can use a blanket or a box and hide under or behind it.  You can use "wh" and "yes/no" questions to figure out who is behind/under the blanket. 

Monster in the Middle

This week in Large Group, we played the game Monster in the Middle.  We talked about what the word "middle" means.  We stood on the edge of the rug and in the middle of the rug.  We also talked about what it meant to "follow" someone.  Teacher Heidi showed us a monster hat that she brought to class.  We took turns wearing the monster hat and being the "monster in the middle" of the rug.  When it was our turn to be the "monster in the middle",  we could choose how we wanted to move and the other kids in the class followed our actions.  

We sang a song while we did our actions.  The song goes like this...

There's a monster in the middle, just because we're gonna do what the little monster does.

Follow monster, follow monster, follow monster.

The monster in the middle takes a bow, there's a new little monster gonna show us how.

Follow monster, follow monster, follow monster.

We did some fun things.  We hopped, jumped, swung our arms, shrugged our shoulders, touched our toes, did jumping jacks, spun around, moved our knees and kicked our feet.

You can do this same activity at home by playing following the leader.  You can play with a group of friends or with family.  Choose a leader, let the leader choose what action they want to do and have everyone follow.  

If You Are a Monster and You Know It

If You Are a Monster and You Know It

This week for Large Group, we looked at the book If You're A Monster and You Know It by Rebecca and Ed Emberley.  We practiced snorting and growling, smacking our claws, stomping our paws, twitching our tails, wiggling our warts and giving a roar.  We stood in a circle and sang the song If You're A Monster and You Know It.  While we sang the song we acted out all the monster actions.  When we were finished with the song, we took turns choosing how we would move if we were a monster. We chose to march, twirl, jump, crawl, scratch and shake our shoulders.  We worked on answering "wh" questions and following directions as we made our choice and followed the action that was chosen.  

You can sing the If You're a Monster and You Know It song at home by copying the link below and pasting it into your browser.  If that doesn't work, just google  If You're a Monster and You Know It song.

http://www.scholastic.com/browse/media.jsp?id=1358

Go Away Big Green Monster

Go Away Big Green Monster

This week for Large Group, we read the story Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley.  As we read the story about Big Green Monster's eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth and hair, we pointed to our own eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth and hair.  We helped teacher Heidi read the story by telling Big Green Monster's body parts to "go away".  When they had all gone away, we told Big Green Monster to "go away" and not come back until we said so.  We made Big Green Monster disappear.  

We had our own Big Green Monster in our class and we took turns putting the parts on his face and then telling them to "go away" and taking them off.  

We talked about the parts of our bodies and identified our own eye, nose, mouth, teeth, ear and hair as we were reading the story.  When we were finished readying the story, we stood up and sang Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes using a "monster" voice.  We also sang the song fast, slow, in a loud voice, in a whisper voice and with no voice.

We learned another song called If You Ever See a Monster.  When we sang this song we made some scary faces and said the word "BOO" at the end.

You can sing this song at home with the following words to the tune of Did You Ever See A Lassie:

If you ever see a monster, a big ugly monster.

If you ever see a monster then here's what you'll do.

Make this face (make scary faces) and that face and this face and that face.

If you ever see a monster, make sure you say BOO!

"M" the Monster Sound

"'M" the Monster Sound

In the month of October, we will be working on the "M" or Monster Sound.  To make the "M" sound we press our lips together and use our voice to say "M".  The visual cue for the "M" sound is to move our pointer finger across our lips while saying "M".

In October, we are going to have a lot of fun with Monster Activities.  We will be reading the book, Go Away, Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley.  We will also be talking about other books by Ed Emberley like If You're A Monster And You Know It, There Was An Old Monster and Glad Monster, Sad Monster.

Some other fun books about monsters are:

Five Little Monsters Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow

Frank Was A Monster Who Wanted to Dance by Keith Graves

My Monster Mama Loves Me So by Laura Luck

Some things you can do at home to practice saying the "M" sound are:

-Have a good treat and practice saying "mmm".

-Ask your child questions that can be answered by using the word "me".  For example:  Who's is (child's name)?  Who is wearing a (color) shirt?

-Share a small snack.  Give the child some but then hold the rest in view.  Encourage your child to use the word "more".

-Play with farm animals, have your child say "moo" for the cows and "meow" for the cats.

-Have your child help you make something. Use the word "mix" as you do it.