craft lesson #2

Name Recognition

Discussion:
One of the first words kids often learn is their name. At the pre-k level teachers work with students to first recognize then write their own names. Often teachers put students names on the floor next to symbols or a picture of the student to designate their area to sit on the carpet. Teachers also put students names, or have students put their names next to their daily or weekly classroom jobs. This lesson is intended to help children learn to recognize their own name and the names of their classmates.

Procedure:
First I will read some of The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi. This book is somewhat long and difficult for preschoolers, so I will only read parts of the book and summarize much of it. After reading the chosen text I will explain to the children that I have my own name jar. I will have a large jar filled with the children's names written on separate pieces of paper. I will also include my own name. I will ask the children to come up one at a time and select a name from the jar. I will then ask the child to show the name to their classmates. I will ask the child to mach the name with the student whose name is written on the paper. If the child does not know whose name it is, I will ask the class for help. I would hope that the child whose name is written on the piece of paper will recognize their own name. We will play this "game" throughout the year. Further in the year I might even ask the children to write their own names on a piece of paper and place them in the jar.

Note: For more advanced students you might have different types of word jars. For example, you might have a verb jar and ask students to act out the verb they draw from the jar.