Introduction (5 Minutes)

Hook: "Look! We have a special spot just for sitting and learning. Can you find our circle spot?"

Success Criteria: Success is sitting with bottom on the spot, ready to begin.

Activity: Wiggle Worms Get Settled

Instruct the learner to "walk slowly" to the circle spot. Use a gentle settling phrase (e.g., "Criss-cross applesauce, hands in your lap.").

Body: Greetings and Names (20 Minutes)

1. I Do: The Hello Song Model (5 minutes)

Teacher Talk: "My turn first! We are going to sing a song about saying hello."

(Teacher models a simple, repetitive tune, making eye contact and waving.)

Example Song: "Hello, [Teacher Name], hello, hello! How are you today? Hooray!"

2. We Do: Interactive Greeting (10 minutes)

Teacher Talk: "Let's sing it together! Who is here today? I see [Child's Name]! Let's sing hello to [Child's Name]!"

• Sing the song, replacing the teacher's name with the child's name.
• Prompt the child to wave back or respond with "Hi!"
• Formative Check: Ask, "Are you happy today? Show me your happy face!" (Encourage non-verbal response.)

3. You Do: Focus Practice (5 minutes)

Activity: Where are the Eyes?

Teacher Talk: "In circle time, we look with our eyes. Show me where my eyes are. Good job! Now, put your hands on your own eyes."

• Play a quick game of "Teacher says..." (e.g., Teacher says touch your nose, Teacher says touch the floor). This reinforces listening and following directions.

Conclusion (5 Minutes)

Recap: "We found our special spot and said hello! We used our listening ears and our eyes."

Closure Song: Sing a short goodbye song or wave goodbye. "See you tomorrow for more circle fun!"

Introduction (5 Minutes)

Hook: "Yesterday we learned to sit still. Today, we get to be loud! We are going to move our bodies!"

Transition: Review Day 1's greeting song.

Body: Rhythm and Movement (20 Minutes)

1. I Do: Model the Beat (5 minutes)

Teacher Talk: "Listen to the beat! I am going to clap my hands slowly. Listen, listen, clap, clap, clap."

(Teacher models simple rhythmic movements using hands and feet.)

2. We Do: Follow the Leader Song (10 minutes)

Activity: If You're Happy and You Know It (or similar action song)

Teacher Talk: "Let's move together! Ready to stomp your feet? Ready to shake your head?"

• Sing the song, clearly modeling the actions (clap, stomp, shout, wiggle).
• Use instruments (shaker or drum) to mark the rhythm.
• Differentiation (Scaffolding): Focus only on one action (e.g., just clapping) if the child struggles with multiple steps.

3. You Do: Freeze Dance (5 minutes)

Activity: Listening for Stop

Teacher Talk: "When the music plays, you dance! When the music stops, you freeze like a statue! Don't move!"

• Play music for short bursts (5-10 seconds) and stop abruptly.
• This reinforces attentive listening.
• Success Criteria: Freezing when the sound stops.

Conclusion (5 Minutes)

Recap: "Wow, you are great movers and great listeners! We used our feet and our hands today."

Closure: Use quiet, slow breathing practice to transition out of the active time. "Let's breathe like a sleepy bear."

Introduction (5 Minutes)

Hook: "Look at all the colors around us! Circle time is where we look very closely at things." (Hold up a brightly colored object.)

Transition: Quick seated warm-up: "Can you touch something blue? Can you touch something soft?"

Body: Hands-On Counting (20 Minutes)

1. I Do: Presenting the Objects (5 minutes)

Teacher Talk: "I have some special toys today. Look! This block is RED. Say 'Red'!"

(Teacher clearly names and points to 3 different colored objects (e.g., Red, Blue, Yellow).

2. We Do: Color Matching (10 minutes)

Activity: The Color Hunt

Teacher Talk: "I need your help! Can you find something in the room that is the same color as this blue block?"

• Work together to identify items that match the 3 focus colors.
• Formative Check: Ask the child to place the blue block next to the blue shirt, etc.

3. You Do: Counting Practice (5 minutes)

Activity: How Many Blocks?

Teacher Talk: "Let's count our blocks. Ready? 1... 2... Two blocks!" (Start with two objects, then progress to three if successful.)

• The learner touches each block as the number is said (one-to-one correspondence).
• Success Criteria: Touching the object when the number is said aloud.

Conclusion (5 Minutes)

Recap: "Today we were color detectives and great counters! We know red and 1, 2."

Extension (Advanced): Hide one of the blocks and ask, "One is missing! What color is gone?"

Closure: Put the toys carefully back into the basket.

Introduction (5 Minutes)

Hook: "Story time is my favorite part of circle! Stories let us imagine new things. But we have to be very quiet listeners." (Hold up the chosen picture book.)

Transition: Whisper the greeting song from Day 1 to encourage a quiet start.

Body: Reading and Discussion (20 Minutes)

1. I Do: Modeling Engagement (5 minutes)

Teacher Talk: "When I read, I use my quiet voice. I show the pictures clearly. Look how I point to the words."

(Teacher reads the first few pages slowly, using expressive voice and pointing to key visuals.)

2. We Do: Interactive Reading (10 minutes)

Activity: Turn the Page

Teacher Talk: "Let's read the rest together. Help me find the bear! Where is the bear on this page?"

• Pause frequently to ask simple comprehension questions (e.g., "What color is the dog?" "Is he happy or sad?").
• Allow the child to turn the pages, encouraging gentle handling of the book.
• Differentiation (Scaffolding): Use a story with very few words and rely mostly on the pictures.

3. You Do: Post-Story Review (5 minutes)

Activity: Remember the Story

Teacher Talk: "Tell me, what was your favorite part? Can you show me the picture of the [focus object/character]?"

• The learner points to their favorite page or character.
• Success Criteria: Identifying one key element from the story when prompted.

Conclusion (5 Minutes)

Recap: "We sat so nicely and listened to a whole story! That takes great listening ears and a good focusing brain."

Closure: Place the book gently on a shelf or designated spot. Transition to independent play.

Introduction (5 Minutes)

Hook: "Today is sharing day! Sharing means we get to show and tell about something special that we love." (Have a small object ready to model sharing.)

Transition: Quick review of the Day 2 movement song to get energy out before sitting.

Body: Show, Tell, and Assess (20 Minutes)

1. I Do: Modeling Sharing (5 minutes)

Teacher Talk: "Look at my special toy! This is a car. It is blue, and it goes fast. I like to play with my blue car."

(Teacher models the expected behavior: short description, clear voice, holding the item still.)

2. We Do: The Sharing Spot (10 minutes)

Activity: My Favorite Thing

Teacher Talk: "Now it's your turn! Tell us about your special toy!"

• Ask guiding questions: "What is it?" "What color is it?" "Is it soft or hard?"
• Encourage the child to hold the item and speak.
• Differentiation (Extension): If the child is highly verbal, ask, "Where did you get it?" or "What do you do with it?"
• Formative Assessment: Observe communication skills and ability to hold attention while others speak (if in a classroom setting).

3. You Do: Routine Review Challenge (5 minutes)

Activity: Circle Time Champions

Ask the learner to demonstrate learned skills quickly:

• "Show me your criss-cross applesauce sitting." (Focus)
• "Let's sing the hello song one more time!" (Rhythm/Recall)
• "How many fingers am I holding up? (Hold up 2 or 3 fingers.)" (Counting)
• "Show me your happy face!" (Social-Emotional Check)

Conclusion (5 Minutes)

Summative Assessment & Recap: "We did so many wonderful things this week! We learned to sit still, sing and move, count colors, listen to stories, and share our favorite things."

Success Criteria: Successful completion means the learner participated in all review tasks with effort.

Closure: Give a high-five or special acknowledgment for being a "Circle Time Champion."