#207 It's Bedtime
It's an exciting
week of waiting at the child care because the local television
station filmed the children on Monday for a Friday airing.
Graziella starts a calendar with the children to keep track
of the days. On Wednesday night, Wimzie argues with her
mother about bedtime: "I'm not tired, let me stay up." Graziella
agrees to an "experiment." The next morning, Wimzie is very
sleepy but struggles through the day with frequent naps
and many denials of being tired. Thursday night she stays
up so late she falls asleep on the couch, and on Friday,
she sleeps right through the TV program and the whole day.
Late in the day she wakes up and realizes she has missed
the program. Disappointment and wisdom follow. Then Graziella
and Yaya reveal they have taped the show. Wimzie is grateful
but sensibly goes to bed. She can watch the tape tomorrow.
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| Theme:
The Importance of Rest |
|
|
- Children will learn that regular
bedtimes help them have happy, energetic days.
- Children will learn your body
needs sleep even if your mind says "keep on playing."
- Children will learn that sometimes
your parents will let you try out your own ideas but will
still take care of you.
|
Vocabulary: |
calendar
bedtime
experiment |
Suggested Activities: |
| Before you view:
Wimzie wants to stay up late. Watch to see what happens when
she does. |
| While you view:
See suggestions in "How to use this guide" |
| After you view:
Go back to your pre-viewing activity and have the children respond
to the question. (Answer: Wimzie falls asleep all the time and
misses the important TV show.) Talk about what you have seen
and take some time to discuss it. |
Extended Learning Activities |
Option 1: Finding Napping Places
(Discussion Activity)
Materials required: Blanket or towel for each child |
| Ask
children where good places to rest are; talk about what makes
a place restful. Let each child choose a blanket or towel and
search around for a good resting place. After a rest time of
10 minutes or so, regroup and talk about how they feel and how
their place was. |
Option 2:Learning How to Relax (Movement Activity)
Materials required: None |
|
Tell children you will learn relaxing
breathing which can help you after you have gone to bed. Everyone
sit on the floor with your legs crossed and hands in your
lap and close your eyes. Now breathe together: "In, one, two,
Out, one, two" repeating several times so everyone is together.
Time your words so children can be rhythmic and together.
Then everyone can lie down and repeat the breathing together.
Then stand up and shake your arms and legs to wake up a little.
Talk about how the relaxing breathing felt. Do it again!
|
Option 3:Thinking about Bedtime (Discussion Activity)
Materials required: None |
| Ask
children to talk about what time they get up and what time they
go to bed. Ask if they feel tired sometimes. [Often children
have little control over their hours so this is just a discussion
of what happens rather than directions on what to do.] |
Theme Related Books: |
Today
is Monday, Eric Carle.
NY: Scholastic.
Bedtime for Frances, Russell Hoban. NY: Scholastic.
Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown. NY: Harper & Row,
1947.
Bedtime for Bear, Sandol Stoddard. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,
1985.
The Napping House, Audrey Wood. San Diego: Harcourt Brace
Jovanovich, 1984. |
Notes |
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