- Spot's Easter Surprise - Alice Jamieson
This early childhood education lesson plan is based on the children’s board book Spot’s Easter Surprise by Eric Hill, [Putnam Juvenile, 2007]. It is age appropriate for preschool to kindergarten classes and can be taught in approximately 30 to 60 minutes.
Lesson Overview and Supplies List
One benefit of this lesson plan about Spot the dog is its simplicity and ease of preparation. The supplies needed for this fun Easter learning activity are:
- Elephant, dog, crocodile and monkey pictures
- One copy of Spot’s Easter Surprise by Eric Hill
The pictures can be found in magazines, coloring books, or online. If the teacher chooses, coloring pages for the appropriate animals can be given to the children to color and decorate. The pictures are cut-out by the teacher and prepared for use in the lesson.
This lesson plan focuses on the following skill sets:
- Prediction
- Prereading
- Following oral directions
- Color recognition
- Sequencing
These skills are vital for emergent readers and provide a foundation for independent reading and literacy skills. A multisensory approach to learning allows teachers to teach to all learning types and styles.
Spot's Easter Surprise Lesson Plan
The teacher starts the lesson by pointing to and pronouncing the book title, and author name. Making sure the book cover is clearly seen by all children, she invites the children to predict what the story will be about. After the children have taken turns calling out their story predictions, the teacher asks informal conversation questions like these while reading the story:
- “How many of you have been on an Easter egg hunt?”
- “Who is going to an Easter egg hunt?”
- “What do you like best about hunting for the pretty eggs?”
- “What is your favorite part of Easter?”
The teacher reads the Spot the dog story and pauses prior to opening each flap in the book. Encourage the children to predict what color egg will be found behind the flap and praise their efforts. Reinforce learning during the course of the story by asking guided questions like:
- “Hmm, who found the first egg?”
- “Where was the first egg hidden?”
- “Who found the biggest egg?”
- “What did Spot do with the big egg?”
- “How many eggs did Spot and his friends find?”
Sequencing Activity for Spot's Easter Surprise
The following animals are featured in the story: elephant, dog, crocodile, and monkey. The teacher finds a picture of each animal and mounts it on poster board or a 5x8” blank index card. The name of the animal is neatly printed on the reverse side of the picture. These pictures will be used in various ways during the lesson to help the children associate spoken words with printed words and pictures.
Shuffle the pictures and lay them picture-side up on a table. Children take turns putting the pictures into the appropriate sequence as the teacher guides them through remembering which animal found the first egg, who found the second egg, and on through the finding of the fifth egg. Allow the children free play time to work with the sequencing pictures independently and create sets. Tactile activities like putting pictures in proper order help the brain link visual and written information.
If the teacher chooses, the cards can be flipped over and sequenced using the names rather than pictures. This is an excellent way to encourage emergent readers, and it provides spaced repetition of the lesson concepts.
Vocabulary Development Activity
The vocabulary development activity uses the same picture cards previously prepared for the sequencing exercise. For this lesson, the teacher holds up a card with the animal picture facing the class. She asks guided questions like:
- “Who is this?”
- “The name of this animal starts with what letter of the alphabet?”
- “What sound does that letter make?”
The teacher turns the card over to reveal the printed word. Using his finger, the teacher traces the first letter of the word while saying the sound. The teacher instructs the children to use their finger to trace an imaginary letter in the air. Continue the lesson in a similar fashion until all the cards have been used.
Pointing to a printed word, saying the word out loud, and leading the children in tracing the shape of the letter provides multisensory input for the children and builds multiple pathways to learning and retention. Prereading skills for emerging readers are strengthened by this type of planned repetition and reinforcement.
Recommended Reading List
Here is a list of books with a similar theme to the Spot the dog story used for this lesson plan. Teachers can use this book list as a resource for additional classroom reading or make a copy of it and send it home with parents. Early readers will enjoy one or all of these classic children's books.
- The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, [Warne, 2002]
- The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies by Beatrix Potter, [Warne, 2002]
- Spot’s First Easter by Eric Hill, [Puffin, 2004]
- Max’s Chocolate Chicken by Rosemary Wells, [Puffin, 2001]
By the conclusion of this early childhood education lesson plan, children have followed verbal directions, practiced sequencing and vocabulary drills, heard a story, and exercised prediction and prereading skills. Teachers will enjoy teaching this fun and interactive lesson based on Eric Hill popular board books.
Donna Cosmato - Donna is a Certified Image Consultant, author and public speaker, whose first book Buying Your First Home? will be available in bookstores ...
