Kindergarten- The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Days of The Week

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle is a great book to use to teach kids the days of the week.  For those who haven't read it, the book is about a caterpillar who hatches from an egg on a leaf and is looking for food.  The book uses the days of the week consecutively beginning on Sunday and ending a week later, on Sunday.  It provides students with a great visual in order to help them remember the days of the week.   


Teacher Input:


Materials needed:
 
 -The Book "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"
 - A felt board
- The days of the week printed out with a piece of Velcro on the back 
- Copies of the two pages below with the days of the week to hand out to each student
-Crayons, Markers, and Scissors 
- A computer to play the YouTube Video for the days of the week.

 

To teach kindergarteners the days of the week in the correct order you should first read the book with your class.  As you go through the book make sure you point out the days of the week within the text.  It is important to make the children realize that although we start school on Monday, the first day of the week is technically Sunday.  After reading the book once, read over it again, and this time begin placing your Velcro made days of the week in order on the felt board.  In order to get the children actively engaged in this part of this lesson, you may let one student come up at a time and place one day of the week in the correct order.  As you are going over the days of the week, make sure that each of your students can read the days correctly.  Help them sound it out and practice spelling each day.  After making sure they at least recognize the days, you may play the YouTube video linked below.  This will not only entertain your students, but it will also help them remember the order in which they go.  After learning the song and singing it a few times, you can divide your class into groups of 7 (one for every day of the week).  Now pass out the two sheets of paper to each group and allow them to cut it out, color it, and later glue them in the correct order that they belong.  Assign one leader to every group.  Since there are 7 days of the week, each student gets to cut out one day and color it.  The leader will be in charge of one day, plus cutting out the head of the caterpillar (this eliminates fighting over who gets to cut out the head). As you walk around your classroom, you will be able to assess who has grasped the concept and you is still having some trouble.

Note:  If you have extra time, you may allow each student to do his own caterpillar.  The purpose of the group activity is to save time, while also allowing students to help each other.  

Throughout the year, you can use a chart like the one below to keep practicing the days of the week with your class. 

Sources for pictures:
-https://s-media-cache-ec8.pinimg.com/upload/178807047675494922_no1M3g5k.jpg
-http://learningenglish-esl.blogspot.com/2010/07/very-hungry-caterpillar-activity.html
-http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01369/EricCarle_1369848c.jpg