Calendar Concepts

Lindsay RaikesEducation 357.002

9/9/09

Social Studies Standard 1- History INDICATOR K.1.5: Chronological

Thinking- Explain that calendars are used to represent days of the week and months of the year.

Taken From: http://dc.doe.in.gov/Standards/AcademicStandards/StandardSearch.aspx

Link to Activity: http://primary-school-lesson-plans.suite101.com/article.cfm/teach_kindergarten_students_calendar_skills (No activity resources on the DOE website.)

Definitions Calendar- “a table or register with the days of each month

and week in a year” Day- “a division of time equal to 24 hours and representing

the average length of the period during which the earth makes one rotation on its axis”

Week- “a period of seven successive days, usually understood as beginning with Sunday and ending with Saturday”

Month- “the time from any day of one calendar month to the corresponding day of the next; the period of a complete revolution of the moon around the earth, as the period between successive new moons ”

Year- “a period of 365 or 366 days…divided into 12 calendar months ”

Taken From: http://dictionary.reference.com/

Background Information “Most calendars are based on astronomical events. From our perspective on Earth,

the two most important astronomical objects are the Sun and the Moon, which is why their cycles are very important in the construction and understanding of calendars. Our concept of a year is based on the earth’s motion around the sun. The time from one fixed point, such as a solstice or equinox, to the next is called a tropical year. Its length is currently 365.242190 days, but it varies. Around 1900 its length was 365.242196 days, and around 2100 it will be 365.242184 days. (This definition of the tropical year is not quite accurate; see astronomic issues for more details.) Our concept of a month is based on the moon’s motion around the earth, although this connection has been broken in the calendar commonly used now. The time from one new moon to the next is called a synodic month, and its length is currently 29.5305889 days, but it varies. Around 1900 its length was 29.5305886 days, and around 2100 it will be 29.5305891 days. Note that these numbers are averages. The actual length of a particular year may vary by several minutes due to the influence of the gravitational force from other planets. Similarly, the time between two new moons may vary by several hours due to a number of factors, including changes in the gravitational force from the sun, and the moon’s orbital inclination.”

“The Christian calendar (Gregorian calendar) is based on the motion of the earth around the sun, while the months have no connection with the motion of the moon. On the other hand, the Islamic calendar is based on the motion of the moon, while the year has no connection with the motion of the earth around the sun. Finally, the Jewish calendar combines both, in that its years are linked to the motion of the earth around the sun, and its months are linked to the motion of the moon.”

Taken From: http://www.webexhibits.org/calendars/year.html

Introduction To Standard Through Songs

Ask students why they think it is important to learn and remember days, weeks, months, and years. Ask students if they know ways to keep track of days, weeks, months, and years.

Explain that the days of the week and months of the year that we are about to learn through song can be represented on a calendar.

Teach songs to facilitate student memorization of key terms. “Days of the Week” (to the tune of The Adams Family theme song)

Days of the week, (snap snap)Days of the week, (snap snap)Days of the week,Days of the week,Days of the week. (snap snap) There's Sunday and there's Monday,There's Tuesday and there's Wednesday,There's Thursday and there's Friday,And then there's Saturday. Days of the week, (snap snap)Days of the week, (snap snap)Days of the week,Days of the week,Days of the week. (snap snap)

Taken From: http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems4.htmlCont’d on next slide.

Introduction To Standard Through Songs

“Months of the Year” (to the tune of Ten Little Indians)

January, February, March, and April,

May, June, July, and August, September, October,

November, and December,These are the months of the

year.

“Today Is…” (to the tune of Frere Jacques)

Today is Monday(Today is Monday)April 12th(April 12th)1998(1998)That's the date(That's the date).

Taken From: http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems4.html

Literature Read Today is Monday by

Eric Carle aloud to students.

Description: “This smorgasbord of food is presented each day of the week to birds and animals through this cumulative rhyme and familiar song. Eric Carle’s bold and colorful collages add dazzling images to this well known song, but a surprise ending shows multi cultural children munching on various foods at a banquet while the animals observe them from paintings on the wall.”

Review concepts from the story (days of the week).

Taken From: http://www.childrensbooklady.com/book.php?qs_bookID=0698115635

Introduction to Calendar

Teach “Calendar Song” (to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle)When we do the calendarWe learn the month the date the year.Every week day has a nameThere are lots of numbers that look the same.So let's begin to show you howWe do the calendar right now.

Prepare a calendar with removable date, day, and month labels.

Have students take turns using a pointer to point to and say the days of the week and the day’s date.

Taken From: http://primary-school-lesson-plans.suite101.com/article.cfm/teach_kindergarten_students_calendar_skills

Birthdays & Holidays

In order to apply this activity to real-life events represented on calendars, explain that birthdays and holidays correlate with a specific day and month every year.

For example, if it is October, ask for students who have October birthdays to point to the dates of their birthday and say what day of the week their birthdays fall on that year.

Also, ask students what holiday occurs at the end of October, and point to the 31st.

Follow up this activity by asking students what holidays occur during different months, and label them on a calendar.

References Children’s Book:

Carle, Eric. Today Is Monday. Putnam Juvenile, 1993. Websites:

Standard http://dc.doe.in.gov/Standards/AcademicStandards/Standard

Search.aspx Definitions

http://dictionary.reference.com/ Background Information

http://www.webexhibits.org/calendars/year.html Songs

http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems4.html Children’s Book

http://www.childrensbooklady.com/book.php?qs_bookID=0698115635

Calendar Activity http://primary-school-lesson-plans.suite101.com/article.cfm/

teach_kindergarten_students_calendar_skills