Showing posts with label Lesson Plans. Show all posts

Lesson Plans: December 2013, Birth of the Savior

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Flipcharts and Visual Aides for Christmas Songs:



Build a nativity while you sing related Christmas songs.

Have the children choose from Primary Song-Themed Snowflakes.

Have a Primary Song Snowball Fight!

Make Christmas Gifts of unique Primary Song CD's (with a twist).

Create a living creche while you sing The Nativity Song.

Play The Nativity Song Matching Game.





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Lesson Planning

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Weekly Lesson Plans
I thought I would give you a little glimpse into what I do for lesson planning each year.  My first year of teaching I started by writing my lesson plans on a store bought lesson plan book.  When I realized how much work it would be year after year writing and rewriting each week’s lesson plans I decided to take things digital! 
 
I created this lesson plan template in Microsoft Word so I could open it up and work on my lesson plans at work or at home - since both of my computers had the Office software on them.  I created multiple text boxes and sized them into what I needed for my daily schedule.  (Each year I sometimes have to refigure my text boxes depending on my schedule and what I am adding to my day.) 

The thought of retyping lesson plans and starting from scratch year after year makes me cringe.  So I save my lesson plans on my computer on a week by week basis.  That way each year I can copy, paste, move, add, delete, etc. instead of retyping.  Here is a look at what my lesson plan files look like saved on my computer:
 
 Displaying My Lesson Plans

I print and place each weeks lesson plans in clear plastic sleeves.  Then I store them in a 1" binder.  I have placed my 1" binder on a plate stand and have it on my desk for easy viewing!

  
2013-2014 Lesson Plans
Thinking back to my first year teaching I remember how helpful it would be just to see a first grade teacher’s weekly lesson plans.  I thought it would be so helpful to see what lessons to teach, what time to teach them, etc.  So I decided to upload my weekly lesson plans here.  Hopefully someone will find them useful!  J

Click HERE to download my weekly lesson plans for FREE on my TpT store!

(I will be adding the rest of my weekly lesson plans as the school year continues.)

Yearly Outline Curriculum Maps
The district that I work in provides teachers with a math curriculum outline that lays out each weeks/days math lessons that are to be taught at that time.  


 
I saw how helpful it was to have a yearly look and perspective on things.  It helps to know if you are on track, behind, or ahead of the game with your lessons.  It was so helpful that I decided that I needed to make my own Language Arts curriculum outline for each year.  This week by week look into the curriculum really helps me coordinate my lessons together.  I try to align certain lessons together.  For example, my reading series story, phonics lessons, and spelling lessons are similar in what new skill is being introduced.



 
I usually work and prepare my curriculum outline map during the summer months in preparation for the upcoming school year.  It helps by giving me a general overview on what I am teaching each week.  It also helps me stay on track with my lessons and make sure I get everything covered each year.
 
When Common Core was implemented and I saw how much writing was stressed I made my own writing lesson curriculum outline as well.  You can view my writing curriculum and outline HERE.
 
I look at all my curriculum outlines each week as I type up my weekly lesson plans to make sure I am on track and covering everything that I need to!  :)
 
Click HERE to download the lesson plan and curriculum outline maps on my TpT store!
 
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Lesson Plans: November 2013, Gratitude / Thanks

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In this post, you'll find links to my Singing Time ideas for November 2013.  Feel free to add more ideas in the comments!

Flip Charts / Visual Aides for Songs About Being Thankful:
Talk about the blessings we might be thankful for, using the Thanksgiving Turkey Activity.  Readers who do not celebrate Thanksgiving can adapt the activity as described in the post.

Those celebrating Thanksgiving might also choose to play the Hot Baked Potato Game!

Teach the children to sing "For Health and Strength" or "For They Bounteous Blessings."  as a round.  Use the Who Sings Now Activity to determine which children sing first and which children come in second.

Play Autumn Opposite Day.  In the Northern Hemisphere, play as described. For our Aussie and South African readers, tell the children that it is Opposite Day because it is Spring, not Autumn. 




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Lesson Plans: October 2013, Missionary Work

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In this post, you'll find links to my Singing Time ideas for October 2013.  Feel free to add more ideas in the comments!

I'm not a fan of Halloween themed Sunday activities, even just candy or pumpkins. I don't know of any rules it would violate, but I do think that the children get so focused on the Halloween aspect that they forget about the message entirely.  I may, however, try a loose tie-in with Halloween with the dress-up activity, Sister Crazypants.


Flip Charts / Visual Aides for Songs About Missionary Work:

Review Activity and optional handout for Missionary Songs, using "Mission Calls" to help the children understand that they can be missionaries at school, at home, at the store, etc.

Review Activity and optional handout for the song "The Things I Do" to help the children understand the meaning of the words.

2000 Stripling Warriors Activity to introduce "Holding Hands Around the World" or "We'll Bring the World His Truth."

Ask a missionary from your ward if the ward he or she is serving in would be interested in a letter-swap such as the one we did here in May.  Have each child write or draw a picture of his testimony and exchange with a primary in another part of the country or the world.  (Our letter-swap is closed.  You will have to find your own primary to swap with.)


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Lesson Plans: September 2013, My Ultimate List of OCD Program ReviewLinks

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I've put together a short list of games that are suitable for reviewing songs in the weeks leading up to your Primary Program.  These games are quick and easy to prepare and have the printables already linked in the post.

GAMES FOR REVIEWING ALL SONGS

(you choose the songs this month)


(draw the program songs from the bowl first)








GAMES FOR REVIEWING INDIVIDUAL SONGS









FLIPCHARTS FOR PROGRAM SONGS






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Easy to Use Printable Lesson Plan Template

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Take it from me - doing your lesson plans on your computer saves a huge amount of time.  Not only is it convenient but if you save your lesson plans each week you can easily pull it up the following year.  I have created an easy to use and adaptable lesson plan template.  The template is on my Teachers Pay Teacher site! 

Here is a picture of what my week to week lesson plans look like:




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