Download National First Font Dotted

[Geppe Warton]

Thislesson provides a good platform to begin the course with your younger level learners as it introduces them to the key stages and routines you will use in every class. At this age some of your students may be a bit shy at first so make sure you smile a lot and make them feel really welcome - they will soon gain confidence as you run through all the fun activities in this lesson!

1. Greetings

Greet the students by name as they enter the classroom and gesture for them to sit down. It's a good idea to have a cushion for each student (and parent if also taking part) as this makes sitting arrangements easy to organize. Try and arrange the cushions beforehand spaced out in a fan-shape around you.

2. Name Tags

Before class prepare some name tags (stickers or pin-on tags) with each student's name written on in lower case letters. Sit down with your students and lay out the name tags in front of you. Pick up each tag and call out the name. Try and encourage each student to put their hand up and say "yes". Hand over the tags and help to pin / stick on.

1.Play "Ball Pass" and say names

Take a soft ball and pass it to your nearest student, saying "Pass". Have each student pass the ball around the circle. Next, hold the ball and say your name. Have each student say their name as they pass the ball to each other. Make sure they pass, not throw, roll, etc. If a student doesn't pass make sure s/he does it again until done properly.

2.Introduce glove puppet - greetings and introductions activity

Your students will love this. Get hold of a glove puppet (I use Cookie Monster bought from Toys 'R' Us) and put it in a bag before class. Bring out the bag, open it enough to see in and shout into the bag "Hello!". Then move your ear to the opening to listen - nothing. Go to each student and encourage them to shout "Hello" into the bag - each time nothing happens. Finally, get all the students together to shout "Hello!" at the same time. This time the puppet wakes up and jumps out of the bag! Then model the role play with the puppet:

Then move onto the first student and say "Hello". Encourage him/her to say hello back. Let the students touch, cuddle and stroke the puppet. My puppet also likes to nibble their feet and arms. Next, the puppet asks each student: "What's your name?". If they are old enough try and encourage "My name is..." but for the really little ones (3 and under) just saying their name is fine. Finally, go around saying "Goodbye" and "See you" before going back into the bag and back to sleep.

3.Sing the "Hello Song"

Sit in a circle and listen to the song (clap along or pat knees). Play it once more emphasizing "Hello". Your students will pick up the words surprisingly quickly.

5. Name writing practice

In this lesson your students are going to practice writing their names. For really young ones, this may be their first time to do so - don't worry if their first effort is a scrawly mess - always encourage and praise.

You will need to prepare a writing sheet for each student before class with their name written in dots for them to practice tracing their names (also prepare one for yourself so you can model the task). You can either make these yourself (hand draw the dots for each name) or use a font typed into a Word document - we like to use the "National First Font Dotted" font (you can download it for free here: -white/national-first-font-dotted).

Get everyone to sit at a table with you. You are going to give clear instructions on getting ready for written work so everyone understands what to do in future lessons: first, tell everyone to get their bags (you do the same so they can see what to do). Then say "Take out your crayons" - take out your crayons and have everyone follow you.

Next, say, "Take out a crayon" and have the students follow you as you take out your crayon. Any color will do. Model tracing your name, slowly and carefully, saying your name as you trace. Then have everyone trace the first name. Then put the crayon back into your pencil case and take out a different color. Each time, use a different color. As the students trace their names, circulate, help and give lots of praise. Finally, have everyone write their names on the bottom lines.

When everyone has finished, get each student to hold up their sheet so you and everyone can see. Give lots of praise to each student - you can even put stickers on each student's sheet as a prize (they will love this) or even a simple drawing of a smiley face will do!

Get each student to write their name on the line and then color in their flower. Students can now decorate the classroom by sticking their name flowers on the walls. Alternatively, have students make a name poster by sticking all of the name flowers onto one large piece of construction paper (I like to make a tree shape out of brown card for students to stick their flowers on).

Origami paper is great for this, or just some colored paper/card cut into squares. Sit everyone in a circle and hold up the first colored paper and elicit the color (e.g. red). Chorus and practice saying the color. Do this for the rest of the colors.

8.Play "Color Pass", "Color Touch" and "Color Hold Up"

Now take each color and pass it to your nearest student. Say "red" as you pass red, etc. The students pass the colors round the circle. Next, lay the 3 colors in the middle of the circle. Say "Hands up". Students raise their hands. Then say "Touch.....red!" and the students should all try and touch the red colored paper. Do for all of the colors. Finally, give each student one of the colored papers. Say "Hold up....blue!" - the students holding the blue papers raise them into the air.

NOTE: for these games you'll probably have to give lots of help and encouragement. For example, if one of your students doesn't hold up the colored paper when asked look at him/her and gesture what to do. If their mothers are with them have them help.

9.Play "Find the Color"

Now get each student to give you back their colored paper by saying "Give me (blue)". Collect all the colors. Then place the colored papers on the floor around the room. First model by saying "Touch blue". Then stand up, go to a blue paper, touch it and say "blue" and go back to your place. Now say to one student "(Miki), touch green" and that student should stand up, find the correct color and touch it. Get everyone to have at least one go. Finally, get students to stand up and give you back the colors as you say them (e.g. Paulo, give me red").

10.Play "Balloon Kick"

You need three balloons - a red, a blue and a green one. Take one balloon and elicit the color. Then chorus "(blue) balloon" x3. Now blow up the balloon (little kids love watching this) and tie the end. Pat the balloon to one student and encourage him/her to say its color as they catch it. Let the student pat it back to you and repeat the color with all students. Then do the same for the other 2 balloons. Finally, line the balloons up, have the students stand up and model the activity: "Ok, (your name) kick the (blue) balloon!", then run up to the (blue) balloon and kick it. Now instruct one student to kick a balloon, give loads of help and encouragement and then do with all the other students.

1.Assign Homework: "Color the Balloons"

Hold up the homework worksheet and model coloring in the 3 balloon pictures (in red, blue and green). Elicit each color as you go. Give out the worksheets and say "Put your homework in your bags" and help them to do so - this is important as they will probably want to start coloring them right away.

2. Say Goodbye to glove puppet

Take out the bag again and get everyone to wake up the glove puppet by shouting its name into the bag (e.g. "Cookie Monster!"). Bring out the puppet and go through the same routine - go to each student and say hello, ask their name and the say goodbye / see you. Then put the puppet back in the bag (back to sleep).

4. Do "Quick Check" and say Goodbye

Time to leave the class. Make sure everything is put away and the students have gathered their belongings. Have them line up at the door and place yourself between the door and the students. For each student check one new word (e.g. hold up a color and ask "What color is this?"). For very young kids you can hold up the three colored papers you used earlier and have them touch one that you say (e.g. "Touch green"). When they give you the correct answer say goodbye and let them leave. If their answer is wrong, have them go back to the end of the line - they will have to try again once they reach the front!

Alphonse Desjardins brings credit unions to North America as the Canadian journalist organizes La Caisse Populaire de Levis (The People's Bank of Levis) in his home in Levis, Quebec. The first deposit was just 10 cents.

Massachusetts Bank Commissioner Pierre Jay and wealthy Boston merchant Edward A. Filene join forces to enact the Massachusetts Credit Union Act, the first general statute for establishing credit unions in the United States. For his efforts, Filene earns the moniker "Father of U.S. Credit Unions."

Filene and Bergengren organize the Credit Union National Extension Bureau, an association focused on forming new credit unions, enacting state laws to charter credit unions, and promoting the philosophy of credit unions. Between 1921 and 1935, 38 states and the District of Columbia enact credit union laws.

The stock market crash of 1929 causes a financial crisis that ultimately leads to the Great Depression. At the height of the Great Depression, personal income, tax revenue, profits, and prices drop significantly, while international trade plunges by more than 50 percent. Unemployment in the U.S. rises to more than 25 percent.

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