Week 1: Goodnight Moon

Each weekly lesson contains several elements. The units are developed for a 5-day week, but you could easily adjust to fit your needs. You should read the Primary Story and a Read-Aloud chapter each day that you "do school". All of the other elements can be spread through the week as you choose.


PRINT Narration Page (one for each week) 
PRINT ASL Alphabet Page

WEEK ONE:

PRIMARY STORY

Begin each day by reading the story Goodnight Moon.

DISCUSSION PROMPTS

 Ask your student the following questions to jump-start a discussion.

Did you like the story, Goodnight Moon?

Which part of the story did you like best?

Do you have a favorite picture from Goodnight Moon?

VIDEO

Watch this animated version of the story narrated by Susan Sarandon. It is a segment from the DVD, Goodnight Moon and Other Sleepytime Tales.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY

Teach some or all of the following ASL signs and have your student sign with you while you read or watch Goodnight Moon. You can view video examples of these signs at lifeprint.com.

Goodnight: Begin by holding your non-dominant arm horizontally in front of your body, palm down. With a closed flat hand, touch you fingertips to your lips with your dominant hand then place wrist on the back of your non-dominant hand, fingertips pointing down.

Moon: Make your thumb and index finger into a C-shape, while keeping your other fingers curled. Start with the C-shape near your temple and move it up and away from your face.

Telephone: Extend your thumb and pinkie into the “Y” hand shape, like an imaginary telephone, and hold your hand to your ear as if you were talking on the phone.

Balloon: Place your closed fists in front of your lips and expand them into an open shape, representing the action of blowing up a balloon.

Cow: Extend your thumb and pinkie into the “Y” hand shape. Place your thumb against your temple and twist your hand forward and back. 

Bears: Cross your arms over your chest and claw your chest twice ending with the fingers in a claw shape.

Mittens: Use your dominant hand to trace the outline of a mitten on your non-dominant hand.

House: Use flat hands to trace the roof and walls of a house from the roof peak down the side walls.

Mouse: With an extended index finger, brush your finger past your nose twice.

Brush: With a closed fist, make a couple of brushing movements near your hair.

Bowl: Use slightly curved hands to show the shape of a bowl from the bottom up the sides.

Lady: With a closed fist and extended thumb, draw thumb tip along jaw toward chin and bring hand in front of chest to an open “5” hand position.

Hush: Place index finger to lips and lean forward slightly.

Stars: Extend your two index fingers and hold them together in front of your face. Raise and lower your two fingers alternatively higher as if you are pointing at lots of stars in the sky.

Noises: Point to (or touch) your ear and then shake your hands a couple of times in front of you.

Everywhere: Begin with both hands palm up at chest and spread hand apart and away from your body.

BONUS ENRICHMENT
I made a felt board set for Goodnight Moon. I've seen these for purchase on Etsy if you want to use one but aren't interested in making your own. The Spawn had fun with this.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Van Gogh Layered Finger Painting

SUPPLIES

Apron
Baking Sheet

Aluminum Foil
Finger Paint: Blue, Yellow, White, Black

Gold or glitter paint
White Paper

Step 1: Pour a small amount of blue paint onto a baking sheet covered in tin foil.

Step 2:  Add small dollops of white and yellow paint.

Step 3: Use fingers to create swirls and patterns in the paint.

Step 4: Very lightly lay a piece of white paper on top of the paint and remove. Repeat with a few sheets of paper.

Step 5: Allow paper to dry for a while. You can repeat steps 1-4 a few times if you want more layers and depth.

Step 6: Repeat paint mixing process on foil, mixing gold paint of glitter and swirl with fingers.

Step 7: Lay paper gently on paint to pick up final layer. Remove and dry.
 

When your paintings have dried, frame them and hang them to enjoy. This technique can also be used to make greeting cards.

EXPLORATIONS

Snack Idea: cut sandwiches into crescent moon shapes.

Have a nighttime excursion to view the moon and stars.

Look at pictures of constellations.

Watch this video of a lunar eclipse: