Before You Begin
Before you begin using the chart, you will need to attach the weather
dial and days of the week slider to your pocket chart using the hook &
loop fastener strips we’ve included.
Lay the pocket chart flat on a table or
the floor. Then, attach each strip, with
the hook side down, on top of each
strip on the pocket chart. Once the
pieces are positioned correctly, pull the
backing off each of the strips so that
the sticky side is exposed.
Designed to meet these objectives:
Language
• Students will develop pre-literacy skills including print concepts,
phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, and vocabulary.
• Students will identify colors.
Math
• Students will understand concepts of time (days, weeks, etc.)
• Students will develop number sense.
• Students will demonstrate counting and one-to-one
correspondence.
Your new Circle Time Activity Chart provides hands-on experiences
that teach essential early learning concepts! With dozens of colorful
cards for calendar activities, language, weather, counting, and more,
the chart is sure to engage little ones’ interest.
We’re sure you—and your students—will enjoy using this chart! To
get started, refer to the assembly instructions on the next page. Then,
try some of the activity suggestions we’ve included in this guide.
Next, position the dial and
slider on top of their strips,
pressing down firmly to
secure the pieces.
Attach additional hook strips
to the backs of each tactile
letter card. Finally, sort the
various cards into their storage pockets at the bottom of
the chart. Hang the chart
where students can see it easily, and you’re ready to start teaching!
What’s Included
•
•
•
•
•
•
41" x 39" pocket chart
Days of the week slider
Weather dial
55 calendar cards
52 red alphabet picture cards
31 purple number cards
© 2008 Lakeshore
(800) 428-4414
www.lakeshorelearning.com
•
•
•
•
•
•
31 gumball counters
26 tactile letter cards
20 purple rhyming cards
14 clothing pieces
10 colors cards
7 shapes cards
DD999
Ages 3+
Printed in China
2
Before You Begin
Before you begin using the chart, you will need to attach the weather
dial and days of the week slider to your pocket chart using the hook &
loop fastener strips we’ve included.
Lay the pocket chart flat on a table or
the floor. Then, attach each strip, with
the hook side down, on top of each
strip on the pocket chart. Once the
pieces are positioned correctly, pull the
backing off each of the strips so that
the sticky side is exposed.
Designed to meet these objectives:
Language
• Students will develop pre-literacy skills including print concepts,
phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, and vocabulary.
• Students will identify colors.
Math
• Students will understand concepts of time (days, weeks, etc.)
• Students will develop number sense.
• Students will demonstrate counting and one-to-one
correspondence.
Your new Circle Time Activity Chart provides hands-on experiences
that teach essential early learning concepts! With dozens of colorful
cards for calendar activities, language, weather, counting, and more,
the chart is sure to engage little ones’ interest.
We’re sure you—and your students—will enjoy using this chart! To
get started, refer to the assembly instructions on the next page. Then,
try some of the activity suggestions we’ve included in this guide.
Next, position the dial and
slider on top of their strips,
pressing down firmly to
secure the pieces.
Attach additional hook strips
to the backs of each tactile
letter card. Finally, sort the
various cards into their storage pockets at the bottom of
the chart. Hang the chart
where students can see it easily, and you’re ready to start teaching!
What’s Included
•
•
•
•
•
•
41" x 39" pocket chart
Days of the week slider
Weather dial
55 calendar cards
52 red alphabet picture cards
31 purple number cards
© 2008 Lakeshore
(800) 428-4414
www.lakeshorelearning.com
•
•
•
•
•
•
31 gumball counters
26 tactile letter cards
20 purple rhyming cards
14 clothing pieces
10 colors cards
7 shapes cards
DD999
Ages 3+
Printed in China
2
Getting Started
Your new Circle Time Activity Chart is perfect for activities with small
or large groups of children. As you introduce each section to your students, be sure to encourage their active participation. You may want
to add songs, finger plays, and/or movement activities that reinforce
the concept you are teaching. Depending on your students, you can
introduce only one new concept at a time, or you can incorporate
several into your regular circle time routine. You’ll find suggestions for
activities for each section of the chart below.
Calendar Activities
Place the cards for today’s date in
the pocket. Read each card and
have children repeat the words.
Then, use the date in a sentence,
such as “Today is April 28, 2009.”
As children become familiar with
date concepts, encourage them to
help. Set out a few different card choices and invite volunteers to find
today’s cards and set them in the pocket.
Use the Days of the Week slider to help children see that each week
has the same days. Prompt volunteers to slide the star to today’s day.
Ask questions to help children understand the sequence, such as,
“What day was it yesterday?” and “What day will it be tomorrow?”
Weather Activities
Invite children to turn the
weather dial so that the white
arrow points to today’s weather.
Then, have them choose clothing
pieces that are appropriate for
the weather and place them next
to the dial.
Letter of the Day Activities
This section of the chart offers several activities to build students’
knowledge of the alphabet and letter-sound correspondences.
Display the tactile letter card for a letter students are learning. Ask if
anyone can identify this letter, and point out that both the uppercase
and lowercase letters are shown on the card. Invite students to take
turns tracing the letters with their fingers—the textured surface will
help them remember the letters’ shapes.
3
Next, ask if anyone knows what sound the letter makes. Place one of the
matching picture cards in the pocket. Say the word, emphasizing its
beginning sound, and have children say it with you. Repeat with the
other picture card. Can anyone think of any other words that begin with
this sound? Does anyone’s name start with this letter?
The beginning sound cards in this set are:
alligator, apple
balloon, bike
cake, cow
dinosaur, dog
egg, elephant
feather, fish
goat, guitar
horse, house
igloo, iguana
jacks, jam
kangaroo, kite
lemon, lion
monkey, moon
nail, nest
octopus, ostrich
penguin, pig
queen, quilt
radio, robot
seal, sun
tiger, turtle
umbrella, umpire
vase, violin
wagon,
watermelon
box, fox
yogurt, yo-yo
zebra, zipper
Rhyme Time
Introduce the concept of rhyming words by making up silly rhymes for
children’s names. Then, move on to real words. Display two rhyming
cards and help children think of more words that rhyme with them. Or,
preselect several cards including one rhyming pair. Prompt volunteers to
find the rhyming words and add them to the chart.
The rhyming pairs in this set are:
bug/rug
cat/hat
dog/frog
duck/truck
fan/pan
hen/pen
jet/net
king/ring
lip/ship
mop/stop
Colors & Shapes
Choose a color of the day and display the card. Invite children who are
wearing that color to stand up while you sing a color song.
Display a shape card and discuss it. How many corners does it have?
How many sides? Are they curved or straight? Have children look around
the classroom for other items that are the same shape.
Let’s Count
Place several gumball counters on the green background and have children count them with you. Then, place the corresponding number card in
the pocket below. Or, reverse the activity: place a number in the pocket,
and encourage children to count out the appropriate number of gumballs
and add them to the chart.
• Have children count out gumballs to match today’s date. What number
comes next? What number comes before?
• Use gumballs in two different colors to build number sense and prepare
children for addition. For example, place two green gumballs and three
yellow gumballs on the chart. How many gumballs are there altogether? Can children use a different combination of green and yellow gumballs to make five?
Getting Started
Your new Circle Time Activity Chart is perfect for activities with small
or large groups of children. As you introduce each section to your students, be sure to encourage their active participation. You may want
to add songs, finger plays, and/or movement activities that reinforce
the concept you are teaching. Depending on your students, you can
introduce only one new concept at a time, or you can incorporate
several into your regular circle time routine. You’ll find suggestions for
activities for each section of the chart below.
Calendar Activities
Place the cards for today’s date in
the pocket. Read each card and
have children repeat the words.
Then, use the date in a sentence,
such as “Today is April 28, 2009.”
As children become familiar with
date concepts, encourage them to
help. Set out a few different card choices and invite volunteers to find
today’s cards and set them in the pocket.
Use the Days of the Week slider to help children see that each week
has the same days. Prompt volunteers to slide the star to today’s day.
Ask questions to help children understand the sequence, such as,
“What day was it yesterday?” and “What day will it be tomorrow?”
Weather Activities
Invite children to turn the
weather dial so that the white
arrow points to today’s weather.
Then, have them choose clothing
pieces that are appropriate for
the weather and place them next
to the dial.
Letter of the Day Activities
This section of the chart offers several activities to build students’
knowledge of the alphabet and letter-sound correspondences.
Display the tactile letter card for a letter students are learning. Ask if
anyone can identify this letter, and point out that both the uppercase
and lowercase letters are shown on the card. Invite students to take
turns tracing the letters with their fingers—the textured surface will
help them remember the letters’ shapes.
3
Next, ask if anyone knows what sound the letter makes. Place one of the
matching picture cards in the pocket. Say the word, emphasizing its
beginning sound, and have children say it with you. Repeat with the
other picture card. Can anyone think of any other words that begin with
this sound? Does anyone’s name start with this letter?
The beginning sound cards in this set are:
alligator, apple
balloon, bike
cake, cow
dinosaur, dog
egg, elephant
feather, fish
goat, guitar
horse, house
igloo, iguana
jacks, jam
kangaroo, kite
lemon, lion
monkey, moon
nail, nest
octopus, ostrich
penguin, pig
queen, quilt
radio, robot
seal, sun
tiger, turtle
umbrella, umpire
vase, violin
wagon,
watermelon
box, fox
yogurt, yo-yo
zebra, zipper
Rhyme Time
Introduce the concept of rhyming words by making up silly rhymes for
children’s names. Then, move on to real words. Display two rhyming
cards and help children think of more words that rhyme with them. Or,
preselect several cards including one rhyming pair. Prompt volunteers to
find the rhyming words and add them to the chart.
The rhyming pairs in this set are:
bug/rug
cat/hat
dog/frog
duck/truck
fan/pan
hen/pen
jet/net
king/ring
lip/ship
mop/stop
Colors & Shapes
Choose a color of the day and display the card. Invite children who are
wearing that color to stand up while you sing a color song.
Display a shape card and discuss it. How many corners does it have?
How many sides? Are they curved or straight? Have children look around
the classroom for other items that are the same shape.
Let’s Count
Place several gumball counters on the green background and have children count them with you. Then, place the corresponding number card in
the pocket below. Or, reverse the activity: place a number in the pocket,
and encourage children to count out the appropriate number of gumballs
and add them to the chart.
• Have children count out gumballs to match today’s date. What number
comes next? What number comes before?
• Use gumballs in two different colors to build number sense and prepare
children for addition. For example, place two green gumballs and three
yellow gumballs on the chart. How many gumballs are there altogether? Can children use a different combination of green and yellow gumballs to make five?