Fun in the Sun

Age: 2 years old

Class Size: 15 children

Class Duration: 1 hour

Preparation:

1. Prepare the storybook "Lily's Magical Beach Day" with clear, engaging illustrations.

2. Prepare beach-packing vocabulary flashcards: Swimsuit, Sunscreen, Flip-flops, Hat, and Sunglasses.

3. Craft Prep: Pre-cut white paper plates in half, cutting out tabs along the straight edge to fold upward for stapling.

4. Pre-cut long construction paper bands with rubber bands looped through the back ends to create an elastic, toddler-friendly headband. Bring colorful crayons, markers, or dot stamps.

Part 1: Story Introduction and Vocabulary Activity

"Lily's Magical Beach Day" Story & Action Integration

Target Vocabulary:

• Swimsuit

• Sunscreen

• Flip-flops

• Hat

• Sunglasses

Target Sentence Structures:

1. “I put on my [object].”

2. “My [object] is [colour].”

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Identify and label core beach gear vocabulary items from Lily's story.

2. Mimic the physical actions associated with "putting on" beach gear.

3. Combine vocabulary words with simple colors using the frame "My [object] is [colour]."

4. Follow along actively with Lily's beach adventure.

Class Details:

1. Warm-Up (5 mins): Sing a quick, high-energy sunny day song (e.g., to the tune of "Are You Sleeping?"): "Mr. Sun, Mr. Sun, shining bright, shining bright! Time to go to the beach, time to go to the beach, high delight, high delight!" Shade eyes with hands while singing.

2. Story Introduction (5 mins): Open the book to "Lily's Magical Beach Day." Point to the car and say, "Hooray! The family is going to the beach!" Use a huffing sound to introduce the hot sun in the corner.

3. Interactive Reading & Action Play (20 mins): Read through Lily's story, matching each item she finds to a physical toddler action:

   • The Swimsuit (Pages 5-6): Point to Lily's striped swimsuit. Have the children mimic wiggling up into it: "I put on my swimsuit." Ask about colors: "My swimsuit is pink/yellow."

   • The Sunscreen (Pages 7-8): Act out squishing cool lotion: "Rub, rub, rub!" Lead the chant: "I put on my sunscreen."

   • The Flip-flops (Pages 9-10): Stomp your feet on the mat while making a sound effect: "Clack! Clack! Clack!" Prompt the kids: "I put on my flip-flops."

   • The Hat (Pages 11-13): Point to Lily's big straw hat. Act out a sudden wind: "Whoosh! The wind blows the hat away!" Pretend to be Buster the dog running to fetch it. Once safe, tap heads: "I put on my hat."

   • The Sunglasses (Pages 14-15): Slide imaginary glasses onto your nose: "I put on my sunglasses. My sunglasses are blue!"

4. Vocabulary Check Game (5 mins): Flip to the final review page of the book (Page 19). Call out an item and let the toddlers race to point to the correct flashcard or matching item on the page while repeating its name.

Assessment:

• Observe whether the children copy the physical story actions (wiggling, rubbing sunscreen, foot-clacking) when the corresponding pages are read.

• Listen for attempts to produce the target structures "I put on my..." and "My... is [colour]" during the story check.

Remarks & Reminders for Teachers:

• Capitalize on the drama of Page 12! Toddlers love when a hat blows away. Use animated facial expressions and gasps to keep them hooked on the word "Hat."

• Keep color vocabulary simple (e.g., matching the rainbow stripes or bright tones in the book illustrations) to build immediate confidence.

Part 2: Art and Craft Activity

Making a "Cool Sun Visor Hat"

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this activity, students should be able to:

1. Complete a wearable paper plate sun visor hat inspired by Lily's beach gear 

2. Refine fine motor control by coloring or stamping along the curved rim of the plate.

3. Practice target sentence structures by wearing their completed hat and stating its color.

Materials List:

• White paper plates, pre-cut in half with folding tabs prepared along the flat edge (1 half-plate per child).

• Pre-cut colored construction paper bands (yellow, blue, pink, etc.) with pre-attached rubber bands at the back.

• Colorful markers, crayons, or dot markers.

• Handheld stapler (for teacher use only).

Class Details:

1. Introduction (5 mins): Show a finished sample of the paper plate sun visor hat. Put it on your head, smile, and say, "Look! I put on my hat. My hat is blue!" Take it off and let them see the colorful rim artwork.

2. Decorating the Visor (10 mins): Hand out the pre-cut paper plate halves. Provide crayons or markers. Guide the toddlers to draw lines, dots, or patterns along the curved brim of the plate. Ask individual students about their progress: "What color is this?" Encourage them to name the colors they are using.

3. Assembling the Hat (10 mins): (Teacher Assistance Required) Have each child pick a colored construction paper headband, fold up the tabs on the paper plate brim and staple the headband securely to the plate tabs on both sides.

4. The Getting Ready Game (5 mins): Help each child slide the finished sun visor onto their head using the stretchy rubber band backing. Once everyone is wearing their custom visor, lead the class in a proud, celebratory chant: "I put on my hat! My hat is [colour]!"

5. Clean-Up (5 mins): Guide the toddlers to put the caps back on the markers and place crayons back into their bins.

Assessment:

• Observe fine motor coordination and engagement during the coloring phase.

• Assess if children can confidently use the phrase "I put on my hat" while wearing their new visor.

• Evaluate if the child can correctly identify the color of their headband or drawings using the structure "My hat is [colour]."

Notes for Teachers:

• Pre-cutting and structuring is mandatory: The paper plates must be cut in half with the folding tabs prepared, and the elastic bands must be attached to the paper headbands before class begins.

• Keep a stapler close at hand during the assembly step so you can join the brims to the headbands quickly while the toddlers add their final coloring touches.

• Ensure the rubber band back is gentle enough for a 2-year-old's head so they feel comfortable wearing it for the final game.

Follow-Up:

• Have the children wear their custom visors as they line up to leave the classroom, modeling Lily's walk to the magical water.

• Suggest to parents that they play along when their child gets ready to go outside at home, reinforcing the routine: "I put on my hat!"

Reference image for art and craft: