Sunday, November 15, 2015

All About the Farm


Last week our class learned about the farm to include what is a farm, what does a farmer do, how to make butter, what animals live on a farm, and what farm animal sounds can we hear. CHECK BACK FOR CLASSROOM PICTURES!

Below is a link to our farm theme lesson plans for the week. The lesson plans include the following types of activities: Morning Message with activity, Large Group Literacy, Phonemic Awareness, Small Group, two planned story times, and a closing activity.The standards are based on Bright From the Start GELDS.





Classroom Activities:

Students will be involved in a variety of activities to promote language and literacy skills, mathematical reasoning, exploration, and fine motor control. Some of our center activities will include the following:

Art - Corn cob painting. Students can draw pictures of farm animals and farm scenes.
Writing Center - Students will practice copying farm vocabulary words.
Library - Students will read and listen to books about farm. They can also practice their writing skills by using Magna Doodle Boards.
Math - Students will practice counting, sorting, and classifying objects.
Science - Students will explore farm animals. Students can sort animals by how many legs, wings, no wings. Add blue construction paper laminated with the word "pond" printed on it for students to sort animals that swim. Add brown construction paper, laminated with the word "mud" printed on it for students to sort animals that like to wallow in the mud. Add green construction paper, laminated with the word "grass" printed on it for students to sort animals that eat grass.

YouTube.com Educational Links:
I have put together a collection of songs and read alouds about Farm.

CLICK HERE>> Farm Theme Pre-K

Songs and Poems:


Five Little Pigs
Five little pigs went out to play.
The first little pig said,
"Let's go to the woods today."
The second little pig said,
"What will we do there?"
The third little pig said,
"We'll look for our mother."
The fourth little pig said,
"What will we do when we find her?"
"We'll hug her and kiss her and kiss her!"
Said the fifth little pig.
~Original Author Unknown

Five And Five Eggs 
Five and five eggs
Hold up hands
That makes ten
Sitting on top is mother hen
Fold one hand over the other
Crackle, crackle, crackle
Clap hands three times
What do I see
Fingers around eyes
Ten fluffy chickens
As yellow as can be
 Hold up ten fingers.
~Original Author Unknown

I Had A Little Rooster
I had a little rooster by the old barn gate
And that little rooster was my playmate
And that little rooster went cock-a-doodle-do
Dee-doodley-doodley-doodley-do
(Substitute other animals.)
~Original Author Unknown

This Little Cow
This little cow eats grass.
(Hold up one hand, fingers erect, bend down one finger)
This little cow eats hay.
(Bend down another finger)
This little cow drinks water.
(Bend down another finger)
And this little cow does nothing.
(Bend down another finger)
But lie and sleep all day.
~Original Author Unknown

All About Thanksgiving

This week our class will be learning about giving thanks to include family traditions, what types of food we eat, what are we thankful for, and where do we go for Thanksgiving. 

We have previously studied the Mayflower, Pilgrims, and Native Americans.

Below is a link to our  giving thanks theme lesson plans for the week. The lesson plans include the following types of activities: Morning Message with activity, Large Group Literacy, Phonemic Awareness, Small Group, two planned story times, and a closing activity. The standards are based on Bright From the Start GELDS.





Classroom Activities:

Students will be involved in a variety of activities to promote language and literacy skills, mathematical reasoning, exploration, and fine motor control. Some of our center activities will include the following:

Art - Mayflower creations. Students can decorate paper plate halves with brown paint, crayon, or torn brown construction paper. Cut sails out of the other half of paper plate. Have students add water, clouds, birds, and sun to a blank pieces of white construction paper. Assemble Mayflower on student's picture. Use a Popsicle stick for the mast.
Writing Center - Students will practice copying Thanksgiving vocabulary words.
Library - Students will read and listen to books about Thanksgiving. They can also practice their writing skills by using Magna Doodle Boards.
Math - Students will practice counting, sorting, and classifying objects.
Science - Students will explore ornamental pumpkins, pine cones, and squash using magnifying glasses. The students can sort objects based on how they feel: bumpy, smooth, rough, hard, etc.

YouTube.com Educational Links:
I have put together a collection of songs and read alouds about Thanksgiving.


Songs and Poems:


Little Pilgrim
Sung to: "Twinkle Twinkle "
Little Pilgrim dressed in gray
on that first Thanksgiving Day.
Little Indian dressed in brown,
Came to visit Plymouth Town,
They both came to eat and pray
on that first Thanksgiving Day.
~Original Author Unknown

The Turkey Song
Sung to: "I'm a Little Teapot"
I'm a little turkey
Short and Fat
Thanksgiving Day is coming
Now what do you think of that ?
I had better run as fast as I can
Or your mommy will roast me in a pan!
~Original Author Unknown

Albuquerque Turkey
Sung to: "My Darlin Clementine"
Albuquerque is a turkey
And he's feathered and he's fine
And he wobbles and he gobbles
And he's absolutely mine!
He's the best pet you can get yet
Better than a dog or cat
He's my Albuquerque turkey
And I'm awfully proud of that!
And my Albuquerque turkey
Is so happy in his bed
'Cause for our Thanksgiving Dinner
We have spaghetti instead!
~Original Author Unknown

Five Little Turkeys
Five little turkeys by the barn door,
One waddled off, then there were four.
Four little turkeys out under the tree,
One waddled off, then there were three.
Three little turkeys with nothing to do.
One waddled off, then there were two.
Two little turkeys in the noonday sun,
One waddled off, then there was one.
One little turkey - better run away!
Soon will come Thanksgiving Day.
~Original Author Unknown


Sunday, October 18, 2015

All About Pumpkins

This week our class will be learning about pumpkins to include how big are pumpkins, do pumpkins sink or float, what does the inside of a pumpkin look, feel, and smell like, and what does a pumpkin need to grow. These are all topics our class will be investigating this week. 

Below is a link to our pumpkin theme lesson plans for the week. The lesson plans include the following types of activities: Morning Message with activity, Large Group Literacy, Phonemic Awareness, Small Group, two planned story times, and a closing activity. The standards are based on Bright From the Start GELDS.

DOWNLOAD>> 
All About  Pumpkins Five Day Lesson Plans

Classroom Activities:

Students will be involved in a variety of activities to promote language and literacy skills, mathematical reasoning, exploration, and fine motor control. Some of our center activities will include the following:
Art - Jack-O-Lantern creations. Students can decorate paper pumpkins and transform them into Jack-O-Lanterns. Students can also experiment with pumpkin pie scented puff paint.

Pumpkin Puffy Paint Recipe
  • Shaving cream
  • White school glue
  • Pumpkin spice
  • Orange food coloring
Directions: In a bowl mix together equal parts of shaving cream and white school glue.  Then add pumpkin spice to scent and orange food coloring to color.  Stir all ingredients, adding more scent and color if needed

Sensory Table - Students will explore picked cotton. Students will have to "pick" the letters using tweezers and place them in sorting cups.
Writing Center - Students will practice copying pumpkin vocabulary words and creating their on jack-o-lantern Stories.
Library - Students will read and listen to books about pumpkins. They can also practice their writing skills by using Magna Doodle Boards.
Math - Students will practice counting, sorting, and classifying objects.
Science - Students will explore ornamental pumpkins, pine cones, and squash using magnifying glasses. The students can sort objects based on how they feel: bumpy, smooth, rough, hard, etc.
Dramatic Play - Students will investigate a pretend pumpkin patch. Students will decorate ornamental pumpkins (like Mr. Potato Head).


Above are pictures of our Pumpkin Patch. A). Is a collection of ornamental guards, cotton, and Indian corn. The students can pretend to purchase the items from the market. B). I took an ornamental pumpkin and drilled holes into it. The students then decorate the pumpkin using Mr. Potato head pieces. C). Is a photo of the pumpkin patch as a whole. The students can pretend to be farmers and harvest the pumpkins for the market.


The students will participate in measuring activities. The picture to the left is where the students will determine how many pumpkins tall they are. 
The anchor chart is part of our morning message. The students are beginning to understand some concepts of print. Each morning I omit random letters. I use letter sounds and the students have to tell me the letter name. This week I started talking about upper and lowercase letters and when to use them. The students also had to use picture clues to determine what the question was. Then they wrote their name on die cut pumpkins and placed them under their prediction.


DOWNLOAD>> Pumpkin Measuring Anchor Chart FREEBIE!


DOWNLOAD>> Pumpkin, Pumpkin Poem Anchor Chart



DOWNLOAD>> Pumpkin Song Anchor Chart

YouTube.com Educational Links:
I have put together a collection of songs and read alouds about pumpkins.

CLICK HERE>> Pumpkin Theme Pre-K

Songs and Poems:

Five Little Pumpkins
Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate (hold up fingers for pumpkins)
The first once said "Oh my! It's getting late"
The second one said, "There are witches in the air"
The third one said "But we don't care"
The fourth one said "Let's run and run and run"
The fifth one said "It's Halloween fun"
Ooooooh went the wind
And out when the lights (clap hands to the word "out")
And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight (roll arms)

Pumpkin, Pumpkin
Pumpkin, pumpkin
Sitting on a wall (have children sit down)
Pumpkin, pumpkin
Tip and fall (have children tip over)
Pumpkin, pumpkin
Rolling down the street (child rolls on floor)
Pumpkin, pumpkin
Trick or treat!!!!

We are Pumpkins Big and Round
Sung to: "Mary Had a Little Lamb"
We are pumpkins big and round, big and round, big and round;
We are pumpkins big and round, sitting on the ground.
See our great big shiny eyes, shiny eyes, shiny eyes;
See our great big shiny eyes, looking right at you.
See our great big laughing mouth, laughing mouth, laughing mouth,
See our great big laughing mouth, smiling right at you.
~ Original Author Unknown

Once I Had a Pumpkin
Sung to: "Did You Ever See a Lassie?"
Once I had a pumpkin, a pumpkin, a pumpkin,
Once I had a pumpkin, with no face at all.
With no eyes and no nose, and no mouth and no teeth.
Once I had a pumpkin with no face at all.
So I made a jack-o-lantern, a jack-o-lantern, a jack-o-lantern,
So I made a jack-o-lantern, with a big funny face.
With big eyes and a big nose, and a big mouth with big teeth.
So I made a jack-o-lantern with a big funny face.
~ Original Author Unknown

Credits:
MyCuteGraphics.com