parentingtimestwo-blog

[parentingtimestwo-blog]

Here’s a template for my Weekly Lesson Plan. 

My Daily Curriculum includes the following “subjects”; I don’t plan an activity for every subject every day because my son just isn’t there yet. We are easing in to structure.

Circle Time: would happen in the morning, usually when we first get up after we eat breakfast, brush our teeth and get dressed for the day. It’s just a quick few minutes where we talk about the day of the week, the weather outside, our plans for the day and read a book. We try to make this happen daily.

Music & Movement: happens during circle time. We sing and dance, use instruments, listen to music, shake our sillies out. We try to make this happen daily.

Fine Motor Skills: is working on the coordination of small muscle movements, usually involving synchronization between hands, fingers and eyes. We try to do FMS 3x per week.

Sensory Skills: uses the sense of touch to learn and explore; messy finger painting, playing in water/bubbles, learning about snow - Sensory skills is a hands-on approach to exploration. We try to do sensory 2x per week. Need a large Sterilite container or Sensory Table.

Gross Motor Skills: is working on the coordination of big muscle movements. Involving jumping, running, crawling, racing, etc. We try to do GMS daily even if it’s just by going to the park.

Art: is a no-brainer! Art is a great way to learn and incorporate weekly lesson themes. We try to do a planned Art Project at least 2x per week but end up doing it far more often.

Language, Cognitive & Speech Therapy: I added this one because I have a late talker. He speaks solely in sign language and is not interested in beginning to talk. So, I use this time of day to work on speech, flashcards, learning spelling, those kinds of things. We try to do a planned LCS activity at least 3x per week, unplanned probably almost daily.

Outdoor Learning/Field Trips: is self explanatory! The best part about being at home is the flexibility to learn in a bunch of different environments. So, we use outdoor learning - walks around the neighborhood - walks around the mall - trips to the park - trips to the grocery store - specific weekly planned field trips - and etc to teach and learn in small ways! Always learning. We try for 1 Educational Field Trip (Museum/Zoo/Aquarium etc) 1x per month

Science Exploration: is using science to explore… pretty much how it sounds! We try to do a science activity 1-2x a week.

Weekly Letter/Color Play: Each week we have a letter of the week and a color of the week. I try to teach these both daily.

Devotions & Bible: I am Christian and want to raise my kids to love Church and Jesus, so I incorporate a small devotion/bible study daily (usually before bed). We learn, we pray and we go to sleep! I have found two great kid’s bibles and an online educational community that helps with the teachings.

Extra Ideas: Let’s be honest, as parents - we have to - HAVE TO - be flexible. So, in this box, I just put extra ideas so that I’m prepared if I need them. My son is extremely active and likes to stay busy so if it’s a rainy day, I’m probably pulling another activity out of the box.

#totschool #lessonplan #teachingmomma #toddlerlearning #dailycurriculum #toddlerteaching #lessonplantemplate

[parentingtimestwo-blog]

2015-2016 Themes

2015-2016 Weekly Tot School Themes

Week 01 | October 5-October 9 | Colors + Shapes | A Week 02 | October 12-October 16 | Making Patterns | B Week 03 | October 19-October 23 | Letters + Numbers | C Week 04 | October 26-October 30 | Halloween | D Week 05 | November 2-November 6 | Textures | E Week 06 | November 9-13 | Plants + Seeds | F Week 07 | November 16-November 20 | Magnets + Lids | G Week 08 | November 23-November 27 | Being Thankful | H Week 09 | November 30-December 4 | How Things Work | I Week 10 | December 7-December 11 | Flex Week* | J Week 11 | December 14-December 18 | Flex Week* | K Week 12 | December 28-January 1 | Flex Week* | L Week 13 | January 4-January 8 | The New Year | M Week 14 | January 11-January 15 | Transportation | N Week 15 | January 18-January 22 | Buildings/Construction | O Week 16 | January 25-January 29 | Your City* | P Week 17 | February 1-February 5 | Your Body + Face | Q Week 18 | February 8-12 | Who You Are/Birthday/Valentines Day | R Week 19 | February 15-February 19 | Siblings + Family | S Week 20 | February 22-February 26 | Leap Year | T Week 21 | February 29-March 4 | Forest Jungle | U Week 22 | March 7-March 11 | Insects | V Week 23 | March 14-March 18 | Nature/St. Patricks Day | W Week 24 | March 21-March 25 | Easter | X Week 25 | March 28-April 1 | The Kitchen/Foods: Taste + Smell | Y Week 26 | April 4-April 8 | Measuring + Baking | Z Week 27 | April 11-April 15 | Spring | A Week 28 | April 18-April 22 | Service to Others/Earth Day | B Week 29 | April 25-April 29 | Service to Others | C Week 30 | May 2-May 6 | Bodies of Water/Mother’s Day | D Week 31 | May 9-May 13 | Fish, Ocean + Land | E Week 32 | May 16-May 20 | Planets + Outer Space | F Week 33 | May 23-May 27 | Flex Week* | G Week 34 | May 30-June 3 | Flex Week*/Memorial Day | H Week 35 | June 6-June 10 | Summer, Weather + Temperature | I Week 36 | June 13-17 | Sound + Music/Father’s Day | J Week 37 | June 20-June 24 | Zoo Animals | K Week 38 | June 27-July 1 | Art Week | L Week 39 | July 4-July 8 | 4th of July/U.S.A. | M Week 40 | July 11-July 15 | Movement/Fitness | N Week 41 | July 18-July 22 | Sports | O Week 42 | July 25-July 29 | Dinosaurs | P Week 43 | August 1-August 5 | People/Cultures | Q Week 44 | August 8-August 12 | People/Languages | R Week 45 | August 15-August 19 | People/Occupations | S Week 46 | August 22-August 29 | Power/Sources of Power | T Week 47 | August 29-September 2 | Signs + Numbers | U Week 48 | September 5-September 9 | Time | V Week 49 | September 12-September 16 | Story Book Series | W Week 50 | September 19-September 23 | Story Book Series | X Week 51 | September 26-September 30 | Flex Week* | Y Week 52 | October 3-October 7 | Flex Week* | Z

I added 7 weeks of *Flex Weeks* when my family and I are traveling or are not sure where we’ll be. I’m not from this area and we have a lot of big things coming up (like my baby sister is graduating...from COLLEGE!) so we will be traveling a little bit more this year. I call them Flex Weeks because I still plan to teach in small ways but with a lot more flexibility, no theme. 

#totschool #toddlerlearning #weeklythemes #preschoolthemes #preschool #homelearning

[parentingtimestwo-blog]

Parenting Times Two | Hello

New to Tumblr but no stranger to a blog, hello! I’m K. Married to S. Have an 18 month old boy, G, and am currently almost all done cooking a new little baby girl, E. I know... alphabet. Blah. I want to keep this semi-anonymous as it involves my two most precious loves, so you get letters. 

My Tumblr will consist of parenting qualms, ideas and *mainly* our Tot School plans! Tot School. What’s that? I define it as a watered down preschool geared towards toddlers that eases them in to school structure while learning through play at home. Doesn’t that sound like fun? I would love to share my journey- trials and errors! 

Follow me on Twitter @Raising2Under2 

#newmom #totschool #homeschool #preschool #teaching #introduction