EARLY CHILDHOOD DEPARTMENT

LESSON PLAN FORM

Name: Mary St. Peter
Title: Language Arts at Circle Time
Age/Grade level: Pre-School
Group size: 1

Date:

Standards Used:
Early Learning Standards/Creative Curriculum
X NAEYC Accreditation Standard 2: Curriculum
New York State Content Area Standards
Write out two standards that apply to this lesson. Be sure to write out the entire standard along
with the corresponding number/letter for the standard.

2.E.04 Children have varied opportunities to

Be read books in an engaging manner in group or individualized settings at least twice a
day in full-day programs and at least once daily in half-day programs
Have access to various types of books, including storybooks, factual books, books with
rhymes, alphabet books, and wordless books
Retell and reenact events in storybooks
Engage in conversations that help them to understand the content of the book
Identify the parts of the books and differentiate print from pictures
2.E.06 Children are regularly provided multiple and varied opportunities to develop
phonological awareness:
Children are encouraged to play with the sounds of language, including syllables, word
families, and phonemes, using rhymes, poems, songs, and fingerplays.

Explain the rationale for this lesson: Why would you plan this lesson for this child or group
of children?
It is fall, and many people go apple picking at this time. The children can apply the fingerplay
and story to the things they experience at this time. The felt board and finger play are interactive
ways to tell stories and rhymes. The children will enhance their cognitive, physical, and social
abilities through the exercises performed.

OBJECIVES: Describe in clearly stated behavioral terms the expected skills and concepts
children will demonstrate or explore during this experience. Typically objectives begin
with a verb or action word that can be measured and/or observed.

Physical
- Children will enhance their fine motor skills with the fingerplay done before the felt
story.
Social
- Children will listen attentively to the story, and respond to questions asked by the
teacher
Cognitive

Children will understand the story and be able to answer question asked at the end.

Lesson Preparation
Material List: (books/songs/resources: list titles/authors)

Book
- Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington
Fingerplay:
- Apple Tree, published by Flint Public Library in Ring a Ring Oroses
The teacher(s) must also memorize the fingerplay and movements, along with the story. They
must also prepare the felt pieces for the story before they can present to the children.
Environment: Include guest speaker/s, sound/s, music, lighting, seating arrangement,
setting, objects-of-interest, etc.
The children sit in a semi-circle around the felt board and the teacher, so that everyone can see
the story; to help each child to feel engaged in the story.
Describe modifications to meet students needs.

Selecting an appropriate time for the group/circle time, when children are not too
engaged in other activities.
Trying to keep every child engaged in the story using different methods.

PROCEDURE:
Introduction: (motivation/engagement)
First engage the children, and invite them to come to circle time by starting the fingerplay.
Explain to the children that now is the season for apples, and we will listen to a story about
apples today.
Step-by-step directions:
1) Tell the children it is time for circle time, and begin the fingerplay
2) When the fingerplay is done, engage the children by asking them if anyone has gone
apple picking with their families this fall
3) Explain that now is the season for apples, and we are going to listen to a story about
apples
4) Read Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington
5) Ask the children various questions for dismissal for snack (an apple treat)

Closure: How will you end the lesson? How will the children process the lesson? Critical
thinking questions are effective and functions as a way to help you describe if/how the
objectives were met.
The teacher will dismiss the children in small groups/individually as they answer questions about
the story. A few sample questions are:
What did Annie produce on her farm?
What color apples did Annie pick?

What did Annie make with her apples?

Where did Annie go to sell her muffins, candy apples, applesauce, pies, and cider?

If the children wish to re-enact the story before snack, they will have that opportunity. As
children get to add to the story, they are dismissed and can continue to snack.
Assessment: What evidence do you have that demonstrates the objectives were met?
Objective 1
Physical
- The children were engaged and participated in the fingerplay, and were excited to
learn the movements for the fingerplay
Objective 2
Social
- The children were good for the entire story, and participated at certain parts. They
engaged eachother in short conversations about apples, and apple picking.

Objective 3
Cognitive
- The children understood most of the story well, and participated in the questions
asked at the end.

Evaluation:
1. Give examples of childrens individual/group responses.
The children were engaged and interested in the lesson. A few of them were eager to discuss
their own apple picking with their families or friends.

2. What did you learn about yourself as a teacher/planner?

It is exciting to listen to what the children have to say, and helping them learn about things and
apply them to their own lives in new and stimulating ways.

3. What would you change if you did this plan again?

If I did the activity again, I would include more real-life apple products into the entire day for the
children to use of eat.

Extension Experience: Describe what you might plan in a follow-up lesson building on
what you have done in this lesson.
A follow-up lesson might include acting out the story in real life, with real apple products, or
having the children re-tell the story using the felt pieces.