All About Spiders

This week our class is studying about spiders. We are going to practice sequencing the life cycle of a spider, introducing new vocabulary words related to spiders, counting spiders, and feeding the "spider" the letter S flies.

Classroom Activities:

DAY 1

During centers the students enjoyed exploring the spider habitat in our sensory table. I added beans, un-popped corn, silk fall leaves, Halloween spider web and various spiders all from the Dollar Tree. The students experimented how spider webs catch insects.

DAY 2

During independent small groups the students experimented with art materials and discovered that spider webs were sticky and that is how insects get stuck in spider webs. I used contact paper to simulate how sticky a spider web is. Then the students with some help turn their collage over and laid it on their paper.

DAY 3

During large group literacy the students decided what are spiders, what spiders can do, and what spiders have. Remember this is 4 and 5 year old students describing spiders only after three days.

DAY 5

During small groups the students constructed a spider using (1) small Oreo cookie, (1) large Oreo, M&Ms, and black Twizzlers. We incorporated vocabulary words such as arachnid and abdomen.

Youtube.com Educational Video Links:

• National Geographic Super Spider - Fascinating Spider Documentary
• Wolf Spiders
• Spider Web Construction in Slow Motion
• There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly (Read Aloud)

Space Theme Number Anchor Charts {Space Theme Number Printables}

Running above my math focus board are the Number Anchor Charts. I uses these as a reference for the students during small group and also during centers.

Space Theme Number Anchor Charts include the following:

The number anchor chart incorporate the numeral, base ten blocks, tally marks, ten frames, number word, counting fingers, addition, and dominoes.

DOWNLOAD>> Space Theme Number Anchor Charts {Space Theme Number Printables}

The rocket numbers come in three sizes:

(20) Approximately 8.5” x 11” individual number anchor charts.
(20) Approximately 5.5” x 5.5” individual number anchor charts.
(20) Approximately 4.25” x 5.5” individual number anchor charts.

The above picture is how I use the Number Anchor Charts
as part of my Daily Focus Board.

I use all of the 8.5”x 11” Number Anchor Charts along the top of my math focus board for the students to see during small group. I use the 5.5”x 8.5” size number anchor chart cards as part of my daily focus. I pin the numbers that I am focusing on for that week on the board. I also use them as flashcards. The 4.25”x 5.5” size number anchor chart cards I use in my writing center for the students to use to practice writing and identifying the number.





Directions: It is recommended to print on card stock and laminate for durability.


Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards:

Mathematics
CD-MA4.4b Sorts and classifies objects using one or more attributes or relationships.
CD-MA4.4c Creates and extends simple, repeating patterns.
CD-MA2.4b Counts at least 10 objects using one-to-one correspondence.

Rocket Numbers 1 to 32 {Space Theme Number Printables}

I use the 5.5” x 8.5” Rocket Numbers 1 to 32 on the floor in my classroom. This is where the students lineup to leave the room. I reserve number 1 as the line leader’s spot, number 2 as the door holder’s spot, and since I have only 22 students; number 22 is reserved for my caboose. To vary how the students line-up I use the 2.25” x 3.25” size Rocket Numbers. At the beginning of the year, I draw the number from my jar and the student takes the smaller number rocket has to match up the number on the floor using 1:1 correspondence. As the year progresses I will show them the number and they will have to find the matching number. At the end of the year I will call the number out and they will have to find it on the floor without visual support.

Below is a picture of the Number Rockets in use in my Pre-K classroom. Each rock is on of 10 primary colors. Another idea to vary the way the students lineup is to call out a color rocket and have the students find the matching color rocket to stand on.

Rocket Numbers 1 to 32 include the following:

• (32) Approximately 5.5” x 8.5” individual rocket numbers.
• (32) Approximately 4.25” x 5.5” individual rocket numbers.
• (32) Approximately 2.25” x 3.25” individual rocket numbers.

DOWNLOAD>> Rocket Numbers 1 to 32 {Space Theme Number Printables}

Directions: It is recommended to print on card stock, trim along the black border leaving a white edge, and laminate for durability.

Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards:

Mathematics
CD-MA4.4b Sorts and classifies objects using one or more attributes or relationships.
CD-MA4.4c Creates and extends simple, repeating patterns.
CD-MA2.4b Counts at least 10 objects using one-to-one correspondence.