Language Arts

The sound this week is the vowel combination /ay/ as in today.
Emphasize the /ay/ sound often throughout the day.  Have your child repeat the sound with you.

Put up your sound wall poster.

The main theme for the week is:  Days (of the Week)

Books to read aloud that support the theme:

Work-A-Day Week by The Sisters Farren
Today is Monday by Eric Carle
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
One Monday Morning by Uri Shulevitz
Tuesday by David Wiesner
Clifford's Busy Week by Norman Bridwell

Poems that support the theme:

Poems and Chants for Days of the Week

"What Day is Today?"
written by Katrina Lybbert

What day is today? ..... (say the day of the week)
Hooray!!!

Today is the day to celebrate all days.
Sunday and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, too!

What day is today? ..... (say the day of the week)
Hooray!!!

Songs that support the theme:

"Days of the Week"
"Monday's Child"
"The Mulberry Bush"
"There Are Seven Days"
Days of the Week songs

Handwriting Assignments:

Day 1:  Practice writing the letter "a" on one line of handwriting paper.

Day 2:  Practice writing the letter "y" on one line of handwriting paper.

Day 3:  Practice writing the vowel combination "ay" on one line of handwriting paper.

Day 4:  Practice writing the word "day" one or two times.

Day 5:  Practice writing any of the other theme words one or two times.
 

Activities and/or Art Projects

Days of the Week Worksheets

Create a days of the week book.  Possible title for the book... "My Days of the Week Book."  Encourage your child to draw a picture of himself on the front cover.  Then create a page for each day of the week.  Encourage your child to draw a picture of something special that happens on each day of the week.  Relating happenings to the days they occur on, really helps children remember which day it is.

You could also create a scrapbook with pictures from activities for each day of the week.
 

Other Theme Words and Ideas

Other theme words - gray, tray, jay, may, birthday, lay, play, way, stay, pay, ray, say, hay, spray, clay, today and so on...

Books to read aloud that support the other theme words or the vowel combination /ay/:

My Teacher Likes to Say by Denise Brennan-Nelson
Just for Today by Jan Phillips
Happy Birthday to You! by Dr. Seuss
Happy Birthday, Moon by Frank Asch
Biscuit Wants to Play by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Stay in Line by Teddy Slater
Armadillo Ray by John Beifuss
When Clay Sings by Byrd Baylor

Poems that support the other theme words or the vowel combination /ay/:

Birthday Poems and more
"Birthdays" by Maud Keary (from Enchanted Tulips and Other Verses for Children)
"A Winter Bluejay" by Sara Teasdale (search at Poem Hunter)
"Maggie and Milly and Molly and May" by Edward Estlin Cummings (search at Poem Hunter)

Songs that support the other theme words or the vowel combination /ay/:

"Yesterday"
"Star Spangled Banner"
"Zip-a-dee-doo-dah"
Birthday Songs
"Happy Days Are Here Again"
 

More Related Sounds to Explore (Optional)

The following sounds also make the same sound as the vowel combination /ay/.  You can spend time now exploring these sounds if you wish.  Follow the outline above to create a lesson plan of your own for one or more of the following words.

/ai/ as in rain, tail, train, maid, railroad

/ei/ as in neighbour, eight, weigh, veil, reindeer