Letter R Theme Day

Pre-school Theme Day

Letter “R” Day

To help my 3 year old son learn that the alphabet was more than just a song, we had letter days. Having them individually helped him to recognize that each letter is different just like each shape is different. After our theme day we’d review that letter for the week until the next theme day.

Print out the Family Theme Day Planner and decide which activities you’d like to do and in what order.

SONGS:

The obvious choice of song for letter days is the “ABCD...” alphabet song - http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/a004.html

Many different Children’s Music Recordings have other alphabet songs (like Sharon, Lois and Bram), check your children’s collections to see what you have on hand.

There are songs that emphasize the sound of each letter, too (One sounds like “Farmer in the Dell” but says “R says “rrrr”, R says “rrrr”, every letter makes a sound, R says “rrrr”).

SCRAPBOOK ACTIVITIES:

COLORING PAGES:

You can find many free colouring pages online by using your favourite search engine and typing in “Alphabet Coloring Pages ” or print out my “Big R Little r” Colouring Page.

While colouring the page, emphasize the shape by helping your child trace it with his/her finger and emphasize the sound (for Letter R day emphasize the sound “rrrr” ).

BOOKS:

Raid your child’s bookshelves to find any alphabet books.

Go to the library with your child to find some alphabet books.

Go to the library on your own to find alphabet books to have already on hand for your theme day. Many libraries allow you to go online and search for titles based on subject (search for “alphabet” under “Children’s Books”). Reserve them if you can to save time.

Try to find some of these fun alphabet books:

· Alphabet Rescue, by Audrey Wood and illustrated by Bruce Wood, The Blue Sky Press, 2006 – This isn’t a typical alphabet because it doesn’t offer words for each letter but instead is a story where the letters are the characters as the little letters go on a vacation to Alphabet City.

· R is for Race: A Stock Car Alphabet, written by Brad Herzog and illustrated by Jane Gilltrap Bready, Sleeping Bear Press, 2006 – With paintings by a NASCAR licensed artist and rhyming text this book looks at everything to do with stock car racing while teaching the alphabet (D is for Daytona, E is for Earnhardt, F is for flagman...). As well, each page has additional information about stock car racing history and facts along the side.

· The Racecar Alphabet, by Brian Floca, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2003 – Using alphabetical alliteration this book showcases car races with great illustrations of race cars from past to present.

CRAFTS:

LETTER “R” COLLAGE:

Materials: A copy of my Rr worksheet, old magazines, child-safe scissors, washable glue stick, damp facecloth for sticky fingers.

Step 1: Look through old magazines with your child to search for things that start with the letter R.

Step 2: Help your child cut out the letter R pictures from the magazine and to make a pile of pictures to glue on the Rr worksheet.

Step 3: Show your child how to glue the pictures onto the collage and then let him/her glue the pictures on the paper however he/she likes.

Step 4: When the collage is dry display (fridge, bulletin board, child’s door) or glue into Family Theme Scrapbook.

LETTER “R” STICKER COLLAGE:

Materials: Coloured paper, stickers of things that start with the letter R (or of the letter R from some alphabet stickers).

Step 1: Have your child pick the colour of paper to use for the background

Step 2: Give your child the stickers and let him/her stick them to the coloured paper however he/she wants.

RIBBON PICTURE:

Materials: A copy of my Rr worksheet , various scraps of ribbon (you can purchase ribbon at craft and scrapbook stores), white glue, waxed paper, damp cloth for sticky fingers.

Step 1: Remind your child that ribbon starts with the “rrr” sound.

Step 2: Put a blob of white glue on the waxed paper.

Step 3: Show your child how to dip the ribbon pieces into the glue and then place it on the worksheet. Encourage your child to make his/her own design.

Step 4: Let the picture dry before displaying.

FOOD:

BREAKFAST:

Rice Krispie cereal would work for this theme day.

SNACK:

Fresh raspberries would be a sweet and fruity letter R snack.

Raisins would be a perfect snack for this theme day.

Serve some ricotta cheese on toast for another snack idea.

Chop us some red pepper and serve with dip.

LUNCH:

Put some relish on your sandwich at lunch for Letter R day and make it with rye bread. Add some romaine lettuce to your sandwich as well.

DINNER:

Roasted anything (meat or vegetables) would make a perfect Letter R dinner.

Make some barbequed ribs for another Letter R dinner.

Make some ravioli for and Italian dinner or some risotto.

Make a ratatouille for a vegetarian Letter R dinner.

Serve some rice or rolls on the side with dinner.

Serve some rutabaga or radicchio for a vegetable side on this theme day.

Cook with rosemary today!

DESSERT:

Anything made with rhubarb (like cake or muffins) would make a great Letter R treat.

Make some Rice Krispie marshmallow treats for dessert.

Rice pudding is another dessert for Letter R day.

Red Velvet Cake is yet another Letter R dessert.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

ALPHABET CHART:

Materials: A copy of my Alphabet Chart (from Letter A day displayed on your fridge or on a bulletin board), a copy of the Cut-out Rr Card, markers or crayons, child-safe scissors, glue-stick, face cloth for sticky fingers.

Step 1: Lead your child to the Alphabet Chart on your fridge, bulletin board or taped to a wall and review the Letters A to Q

Step 2: Have your child colour the Cut-out Rr Card.

Step 3: Help your child cut the letter Rr card out.

Step 4: Have your child apply glue to the back of the Rr card and glue it on the Alphabet Chart (or you can have your child use tape) in the appropriate spot.

Step 5: Review what letter it is and what sound it is throughout the week by pointing to the chart.

LETTER TRACING:

Fill a pie plate with sand, sugar or salt and teach your child how to trace the letter R in the sand. When you are finished tracing dump the sand in a re-sealable bag to use on another day.

FLASH CARDS:

Review the entire alphabet by using a set of flash cards (found at book stores, educational stores, even craft stores) or make your own by writing each letter on an individual index card.

FOR FUN:

ONLINE GAMES:

There are many different websites that offer games for preschoolers. You can find them by looking up your child’s favourite television characters. Here are two from the Sesame Street website:

Big Bird’s Letters is a simple game because it only involves your child pressing any letter on the keyboard and then the letter appears along with a picture that starts with that letter: http://www.sesamestreet.org/game_player?p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_id=gamePlayer_WAR_sesameportlets4369&p_p_uid=dd838f23-486b-11dd-bf7b-df62be721a24

Letters to Big Bird is another alphabet game to play together. In this game Big Bird literally receives a letter in his mail box and your chid has to click on something on his shelf that starts with that letter: http://www.sesamestreet.org/game_player?p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_id=gamePlayer_WAR_sesameportlets4369&p_p_uid=bf02fb88-163e-11dd-98c7-b9f43dcf5330

I SPY:

Play “I Spy With My Little Eye” only trying to find things that start with the letter R.

LETTER WALK:

This is similar to “I Spy” in that you walk around your neighbourhood and try to find things that start with different letters of the alphabet. For Letter R Day find things that start with R. You can also do this while in a car or bus etc..

TOYS:

If you have an alphabet puzzle this theme day is the perfect time to play with it together.

Play with any other educational toys that focus on the alphabet.

EXTENDED ACTIVITIES:

AUDIO VISUAL:

Search through your child’s DVD/ video collection (or visit your local library before hand or the Video Store) to find your child’s favourite shows with a focus on teaching the alphabet.

Try to find these titles:

· Blue’s Room: Alphabet Power, Viacom International Inc., 2005 – This DVD has two episodes of blue’s Room and two of Blue’s Clues. The first two shows deal with the alphabet and the last two more with writing and reading.

· Pocket Snails: Letter Adventure, Soaring Star Productions, 2004 – These two simple shows are about three snails who live in a little boy’s pocket who help him learn the alphabet by taking photos of them in Letter Land. One show highlights the Upper Case letters and the other is identical except it showcases the Lower Case letter. There is no focus on the phonetic sounds of the alphabet in these shows but the repetition makes it a good show to reinforce letter recognition.

· Rock n’ Learn: Alphabet Exercise, Rock ‘N Learn, Inc., 2005 – this show has a song for every letter of the alphabet that also incorporates movement like S for Spin and T for Twist.

· Sesame Street: All-Start Alphabet – There’s So Much to See Between A and Z!, Sesame Workshop, 2005 – This fun DVD has capital A and Z interviewing people at a mall about the alphabet while also highlighting each letter with individual skits from the show Sesame Street. Adults might enjoy it because it includes segments with Sheryl Crow, Norah Jones, and the Dixie Chicks to name a few of the celebrities featured.

· Sesame Street: Learning About Letters, Children’s Television Workshop, 1986 – This is a great video using classic clips (that I remember as a child) throughout as Big Bird and friends search for things that start with each letter of the alphabet.

· Sharon, Lois and Bram ABC’s: Alphabet Sing & Dance-along, Elephant Records, 2003—This one reviews the alphabet using different songs about things that start with different letters.