Pattern blocks are a type of math manipulative that you commonly find in primary grade classrooms and beyond. They are great for learning geometry and a fun way to build spacial awareness as well. I blogged about pattern blocks back in the summer - here.
Pattern blocks are a great teaching tool to have at home for your children to play and learn with. I started this post as a way to share this link for making Christmas themed pictures using pattern blocks: http://prekinders.com/2009/11/christmas-pattern-blocks/
(That should be where I stopped typing but instead...I wrote a short dissertation. Clearly I'm stalling on my holiday to-do list!)
I thought I'd re-cap some of the toys that we play with at our house that use pattern blocks and offer a couple good websites for free printables of templates for pattern blocks. All of the products listed can be bought at Amazon.com or locally at most toy stores. It's actually quite amazing the selection of pattern blocks that you can buy at Amazon - wood, foam, see-through, magnetic, template sets, kits, etc. (Hop over there if you aren't familiar with what pattern blocks are!)
Melissa and Doug makes a wooden set - "Pattern Blocks & Boards" which has pre-printed images that the child lays the blocks onto. This has been a favorite toy for years! To extend my kindergartners learning with this I have him record the number of each of the shapes that he uses to create the picture.
Melissa and Doug also makes a toy for younger children (2+) called Beginner Pattern Blocks. These are great for wee little ones because the blocks fit into place and do not slide around. Each pictures requires less tiles and they are simple to solve. My daughter is an expert at this and loves to sit and play with it. The other set is still a bit frustrating because the tiles slide but she plays with both now.
Mightymind Set - is a activity set that has 32 colorful design tiles that store in a plastic tray. It has sequentially numbered puzzle cards for the child to build increasingly difficult pictures. Clearly people have known about this toy for some time since "over 3 million sets have been sold in 20 countries around the world" but I just discovered it this past fall. It's marketed for ages 3-8 but my 2.5 year old enjoys it and my six year old finished it quickly. I like that it gets increasingly more difficult as they take the color and outline supports out from the cards as they get progressively more challenging. The brochure for the product states, "MightyMind encourages and entices a child to think, explore and discover the fascinating way simple shapes can be combined to form intricate delightful pictures and designs. Children learn to solve puzzles without assistance. No language or reading is required." I think this is a great set to buy but the blocks are smaller than free templates that I found online. The tiles are plastic and I prefer the M&D wood ones, but this company also offers a magnetic set which would be fun on the go.
Another choice is make paper pattern blocks using card stock. The drawback is the paper ones shift when making patterns and they don't have the same feel as wood one.
The paper ones do make fun craft projects, though I'd advise an adult precuting the shapes so building with them comes out symmetrical. Here's a site for paper pattern blocks. http://www.heidisongs.com/Free_Downloads/assets/Pattern_Block_Masters.pdf
Also check out Heidi's blog post about using pattern blocks to build letters - http://heidisongs.blogspot.com/2010/06/printed-alphabet-pattern-blocks-and.html
Other good sites for free pattern block templates:
One of my favorite preschool websites has a wealth of pattern block templates: http://prekinders.com/pattern-blocks/ (These come in both color and black and white so you can offer differing amounts of support.)
One of my favorite Kindergarten bloggers Mrs. Wills has free pattern block templates. Just click on the picture and it takes you to her Goggle docs for free. These are smaller than the pattern blocks that I own but I love that it challenges my son to 'free build' using the template as a guide. It doesn't allow him to just lay the tiles on tops of the template so his mind is working at another level!
http://www.mrswillskindergarten.com/2011/07/math-work-stations-blog-party-chapter-7.html
This site is geared for slightly older children but lovely designs. http://www.patternblocktemplates.com/category/science-technology/
Links to other learning using pattern blocks -- quilting, snowflakes, symmetrical building, art
Of my....I think I will be spending more time with pattern blocks this winter! But back now to my holiday to-do list!
Merry Christmas!
~April
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Animal Tracks
Introducing the Theme
The term 'tracks' may be new to some children so begin by explaining that 'tracks' are like saying "footprints". Tracks are the footprints that are left by animals feet when they walk.
Get the children thinking by asking, "When are some other times that you have made footprints? If you walk on plain grass do you leave footprints? How do we make footprints?" (walking in mud, on the sand at the beach, playing in snow, doing a craft when are feet are painted, or walking after we have mud or dirt on our shoes.)
Read aloud - Footprints in the Snow. This is a simple text and is a great introduction to animal tracks for preschoolers.
Another excellent read aloud for preschools is Tracks in the Snow by Wong Herbert Yee
After reading, explain to the children that in the winter, snow makes it very easy to see what animals have been walking around. The animals feet leave a 'footprint' or 'track' and that track is often frozen so you can examine even days after it is made.
Outdoor activities:
* Winter Walk: Taking a winter walk looking for animal tracks can be quite the adventure for young children. Explain that in addition to tracks people also look for tree scarring and scat (animal droppings). Look for real animal tracks (even cat tracks are fun to find). Any time that tracks are found look around the area closely without disturbing the tracks. Take a photograph of the tracks so that you can print and make a book of your discoveries. Look for other signs of animal activity - chewed acorn shells, scat, and scratches in bark.
* Give each child their own 'Animal Track Pattern Cards' to wear as necklace. (www.pbskids.org used to have one from Curious George but the link is no longer active. Another printable version can be found in the Project Season book from Shelburne Farms. If I find a good free printable I will come back to link to it.)
*Follow the Footprints activity: Make animal footprints that are to scale of the actual size of the animal. (I am using Deer & Moose this year.) Laminate the sheets for durability. Before the students arrive, put the footprints out in the outdoor space. Then have the children track the prints down and follow the animal. {If there is snow on the ground, stomp out human footprints in various sized boots instead.}
Indoor Activities:
Water Table - put a thin layer of real snow in the water table. Add a few plastic toys encourage kids to make tracks in the snow. (If no snow is available use a thin layer of flour in a shallow pan, placed inside the water table to catch most of the spills.)
Play dough - make a batch of homemade play dough and leave plain white. Put a variety to plastic animals at the play dough table and encourage the students to make tracks in their dough.
Kid Tracks - roll out 8 feet of easel paper on the ground. Paint the children's feet have them walk the length of the paper. Have 3-4 kids on one sheet, using different colored paints. Display the easel paper in the classroom.
Additional Resources:
Online Animal Tracks game - http://funschool.kaboose.com/preschool/amazing-animals/games/game_animal_tracks.html
Online Animals in the Forest counting game - http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/preschool/animals/forest/animalforestfindcountgame.htm
The term 'tracks' may be new to some children so begin by explaining that 'tracks' are like saying "footprints". Tracks are the footprints that are left by animals feet when they walk.
Get the children thinking by asking, "When are some other times that you have made footprints? If you walk on plain grass do you leave footprints? How do we make footprints?" (walking in mud, on the sand at the beach, playing in snow, doing a craft when are feet are painted, or walking after we have mud or dirt on our shoes.)
Read aloud - Footprints in the Snow. This is a simple text and is a great introduction to animal tracks for preschoolers.
Another excellent read aloud for preschools is Tracks in the Snow by Wong Herbert Yee
After reading, explain to the children that in the winter, snow makes it very easy to see what animals have been walking around. The animals feet leave a 'footprint' or 'track' and that track is often frozen so you can examine even days after it is made.
Outdoor activities:
* Winter Walk: Taking a winter walk looking for animal tracks can be quite the adventure for young children. Explain that in addition to tracks people also look for tree scarring and scat (animal droppings). Look for real animal tracks (even cat tracks are fun to find). Any time that tracks are found look around the area closely without disturbing the tracks. Take a photograph of the tracks so that you can print and make a book of your discoveries. Look for other signs of animal activity - chewed acorn shells, scat, and scratches in bark.
* Give each child their own 'Animal Track Pattern Cards' to wear as necklace. (www.pbskids.org used to have one from Curious George but the link is no longer active. Another printable version can be found in the Project Season book from Shelburne Farms. If I find a good free printable I will come back to link to it.)
*Follow the Footprints activity: Make animal footprints that are to scale of the actual size of the animal. (I am using Deer & Moose this year.) Laminate the sheets for durability. Before the students arrive, put the footprints out in the outdoor space. Then have the children track the prints down and follow the animal. {If there is snow on the ground, stomp out human footprints in various sized boots instead.}
Indoor Activities:
Water Table - put a thin layer of real snow in the water table. Add a few plastic toys encourage kids to make tracks in the snow. (If no snow is available use a thin layer of flour in a shallow pan, placed inside the water table to catch most of the spills.)
Play dough - make a batch of homemade play dough and leave plain white. Put a variety to plastic animals at the play dough table and encourage the students to make tracks in their dough.
Kid Tracks - roll out 8 feet of easel paper on the ground. Paint the children's feet have them walk the length of the paper. Have 3-4 kids on one sheet, using different colored paints. Display the easel paper in the classroom.
Additional Resources:
Online Animal Tracks game - http://funschool.kaboose.com/preschool/amazing-animals/games/game_animal_tracks.html
Online Animals in the Forest counting game - http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/preschool/animals/forest/animalforestfindcountgame.htm
Monday, November 28, 2011
Animals In Winter Booklist
Animals in Winter is one of my favorite themes to teach. Below you will find my booklist. I would like to annotate the list but am running short on time, so I will mention just a few highlights! Since I currently teach preschool, the list is more geared for a younger audience, and includes some cute bear books that aren't technically about winter! The little @ symbol indicates this title is available at the wonderful St. Johnsbury Athenaeum so my local friends can check them out!
Wishing you a warm and joyous Winter!
~April
Arnosky, Jim. Wild Tracks! @-JNF 591.47 (amazing book with fold out pages of life sized tracks.
Arnosky, Jim. I See Animals Hiding.
Atkins, Alison. There Were Ten Bears in a Bed.
Bancroft, Henriette and Richard Van Gelder. Animals in Winter.
Benjamin, Cynthia and Jacqueline Rogers. Footprints in the Snow.
Berger, Melvin & Gilda. What do Animals Do in Winter? How Animals Survive the Cold
Boring, Mel. Rabbits, Squirrels, and Chipmunks.
Brown, Tom. Nature Observation & Tracking.
Burns, Diane and Linda Garrow.Tree, Leaves, and Bark (Take Along Guides)
Carle, Eric and Bill Martin, Jr. Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?
Crossingham. What is Hibernation?
Dendy, L. Tracks, Scats, and Signs.
Denslow, Sharon Phillips. In the Snow. (chickadee, sparrow, cardinal, crow, squirrel, bunny, mouse & possum. Very simple text and engaging illustrations.) @
Dodd, Anne Wescott. Footprints and Shadows.
Dorros, Arthur. Animal Tracks.
Fisher, Ron. Animals in Winter. @-JNF 591.5 FIS
Fleming, Denise. Time to Sleep.
George, Jean Craighead. Dear Rebecca, Winter is Here.
George, Lindsay Barret. In the Snow: Who's Been Here? @
George, Lindsay Barret. In the Woods: Who's Been Here? @
George, William T. Winter at the Long Pond.
Glasser, Linda. It's Winter!
Hall, M. Hibernation.
Henkes, Kevin. Old Bear.
Hodgkins, F. Who's Been Here? A Tale in Tracks. (includes tracks from: cat, turkey, moose, skunk)
Holmer, Marilyn F. Beaver Stream (very informative, beautiful illustrations) @
Jones, Jennifer. Who Lives in the Snow?
Kennedy, Jimmy. Teddy Bears' Picnic.
Lawlor, Elizabeth P. Discover Nature in Winter (Discover Nature Series)
Lehn, Barbara. What is a Scientist?
Levine, Lynn and Martha Mitchell. Mammal Tracks and Scat: Life-Size Tracking Guide. **
London, Jonathan. Froggy's Best Christmas (froggy, beaver, turtle & bear get to experience their first Christmas since they woke up from their winter naps.)
Meadows, M. Hibernation Station.
Messner, Kate. Over & Under the Snow. (includes information on: red squirrels, shrews, deer, deer mice, voles, shoeshoe hares, bullfrogs, beavers, red fox, chipmunk, black bear, and bumblebees.) @-soon!
Miller, Dorcas. Track Finder: A Guide to Mammal Tracks of Eastern North America.
O'Donnell, Elizabeth Lee. Winter Visitors. (counting book of animals sneaking into a girls home) @
Preller, James. Wake Me in Spring.
Rosen, Michael. We're Going on a Bear Hunt.
Ryder, Joanne and Lynne Cherry. Chipmunk Song.
Salas, Laura Purdie. Do Polar Bears Snooze in Hollow Trees? A Book about Animal Hibernation.
Sams, Laura. Stranger in the Woods - Photographic Fantasy. @
Schaefer, Lola. Deer. (Great pictures, clear language that answers kid's common questions about deer.) @
Selsam, Millicent E. Big Tracks, Little Tracks.
Souci, Daniel San. North Country Night.
Stall, Chris and Steve Whitney. New England Animal Tracks.
Stewart, Paul. A Little Bit of Winter.
Waddell, Martin. Owl Babies. @
Walters, Catherine. Time to Sleep Alfie Bear. (Set in the summer but a great book to share if you are learning about bears; @-book on CD.)
Wilson, Karma. Bear Snores On. @
Yee, Wong Herbert. Tracks in the Snow. (A great story to introduce young children to tracking. A girl follows tracks around her home and discovers that they are her own tracks from the previous day.)
Yolen, Jane. Owl Moon.
Yolen, Jane. Sleep, Black Bear, Sleep. (black bear, frog, bat, snake, turtle, gopher, skunk, badger, beaver, mouse, toad, & chipmunk) @
Do you have other books that you like for teaching about animals in winter? I'd love to hear them if you do!
Wishing you a warm and joyous Winter!
~April
Alborough, Jez. Where is Teddy?
Arnosky, Jim. Every Autumn Comes the Bear. (also includes pictures of ravens, bobcat, raccoon, chickadees, deer, bunnies, fox, & grouse. Simple text make it a great preschool read aloud.) @Arnosky, Jim. Wild Tracks! @-JNF 591.47 (amazing book with fold out pages of life sized tracks.
Arnosky, Jim. I See Animals Hiding.
Atkins, Alison. There Were Ten Bears in a Bed.
Bancroft, Henriette and Richard Van Gelder. Animals in Winter.
Benjamin, Cynthia and Jacqueline Rogers. Footprints in the Snow.
Berger, Melvin & Gilda. What do Animals Do in Winter? How Animals Survive the Cold
Boring, Mel. Rabbits, Squirrels, and Chipmunks.
Brown, Tom. Nature Observation & Tracking.
Burns, Diane and Linda Garrow.Tree, Leaves, and Bark (Take Along Guides)
Carle, Eric and Bill Martin, Jr. Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?
Crossingham. What is Hibernation?
Dendy, L. Tracks, Scats, and Signs.
Denslow, Sharon Phillips. In the Snow. (chickadee, sparrow, cardinal, crow, squirrel, bunny, mouse & possum. Very simple text and engaging illustrations.) @
Dodd, Anne Wescott. Footprints and Shadows.
Dorros, Arthur. Animal Tracks.
Fisher, Ron. Animals in Winter. @-JNF 591.5 FIS
Fleming, Denise. Time to Sleep.
George, Jean Craighead. Dear Rebecca, Winter is Here.
George, Lindsay Barret. In the Snow: Who's Been Here? @
George, Lindsay Barret. In the Woods: Who's Been Here? @
George, William T. Winter at the Long Pond.
Glasser, Linda. It's Winter!
Hall, M. Hibernation.
Henkes, Kevin. Old Bear.
Hodgkins, F. Who's Been Here? A Tale in Tracks. (includes tracks from: cat, turkey, moose, skunk)
Holmer, Marilyn F. Beaver Stream (very informative, beautiful illustrations) @
Jones, Jennifer. Who Lives in the Snow?
Kennedy, Jimmy. Teddy Bears' Picnic.
Lawlor, Elizabeth P. Discover Nature in Winter (Discover Nature Series)
Lehn, Barbara. What is a Scientist?
Levine, Lynn and Martha Mitchell. Mammal Tracks and Scat: Life-Size Tracking Guide. **
London, Jonathan. Froggy's Best Christmas (froggy, beaver, turtle & bear get to experience their first Christmas since they woke up from their winter naps.)
Meadows, M. Hibernation Station.
Messner, Kate. Over & Under the Snow. (includes information on: red squirrels, shrews, deer, deer mice, voles, shoeshoe hares, bullfrogs, beavers, red fox, chipmunk, black bear, and bumblebees.) @-soon!
Miller, Dorcas. Track Finder: A Guide to Mammal Tracks of Eastern North America.
O'Donnell, Elizabeth Lee. Winter Visitors. (counting book of animals sneaking into a girls home) @
Preller, James. Wake Me in Spring.
Rosen, Michael. We're Going on a Bear Hunt.
Ryder, Joanne and Lynne Cherry. Chipmunk Song.
Salas, Laura Purdie. Do Polar Bears Snooze in Hollow Trees? A Book about Animal Hibernation.
Sams, Laura. Stranger in the Woods - Photographic Fantasy. @
Schaefer, Lola. Deer. (Great pictures, clear language that answers kid's common questions about deer.) @
Selsam, Millicent E. Big Tracks, Little Tracks.
Souci, Daniel San. North Country Night.
Stall, Chris and Steve Whitney. New England Animal Tracks.
Stewart, Paul. A Little Bit of Winter.
Waddell, Martin. Owl Babies. @
Walters, Catherine. Time to Sleep Alfie Bear. (Set in the summer but a great book to share if you are learning about bears; @-book on CD.)
Wilson, Karma. Bear Snores On. @
Yee, Wong Herbert. Tracks in the Snow. (A great story to introduce young children to tracking. A girl follows tracks around her home and discovers that they are her own tracks from the previous day.)
Yolen, Jane. Owl Moon.
Yolen, Jane. Sleep, Black Bear, Sleep. (black bear, frog, bat, snake, turtle, gopher, skunk, badger, beaver, mouse, toad, & chipmunk) @
Do you have other books that you like for teaching about animals in winter? I'd love to hear them if you do!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Preschool & Kindergarten Websites, Blogs
I'm working on creating an interactive list of all my favorite websites and blogs, organized by age group or topic.This post is my first installment. As I add the websites I will post them as a blog post and add it as onto my teacher resources page. Hopefully I will have this project finished by the New Year!
(I'd love to hear ways you keep your favorite sites organized as well.)
Preschool Websites & Blogs:
A wonderful website full of ideas and activities to do with preschoolers. www.prekinders.com
Another wonderful preschool website full of great activities~ http://www.pre-kpages.com/
I love all the updates that TeachPreschool posts on FB and her website is a great resource too~ http://www.teachpreschool.org/
I've recently discovered Activity Village and love some of their printables! "...thousands of free colouring pages, kids crafts, educational resources, puzzles, printables, jigsaws, sudoku and lots more fun, free activities for kids!" Normally I don't print many worksheet type activities but I love their 'how to draw' printables! http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/
One of my favorite sites to find quality (and free) printables to use with my themes is 2TeachingMommies. They're work is engaging for young kids - I love the number sequence puzzles, pattern sets, and matching activities!
http://www.2teachingmommies.com/
Homeschooler blog for Tots that I love. Lots of great ideas for using tot trays, themes, lapbooks, and activity packs and she even hosts a weekly link up with a bunch of other 'tot school posts' http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/ForTots.html
Tot Tray inspiration through pictures. I love the ideas here because it make assembling activities for young preschoolers & tots so easy! http://lapbooksbycarisa.homestead.com/TraysforTots.html
Kindergarten Websites & Blogs:
I had the pleasure of finding Fran's blog this summer during a Math Work Stations Linky Party. I love her approach to teaching kindergarten and love reading humor her filled posts. She has lots of freebies on her blog, and great products to purchase at TpT. Check her out at http://www.kindergartencrayons.blogspot.com/
Who else is going to open up their weekly lesson plan books and give you a free 'Peek at my Week'? DeeDee does just that and the document is hyperlinked so with a click of a mouse you can have the same activity in your classroom! I read this each week and salivate over her variety of activities and organization! Definitely check out ~~ ://www.mrswillskindergarten.com/
Great free printables are availagle at: http://www.makinglearningfun.com/
Another wonderful kindergarten blogger who I've been following for the last year. Her weekly posts give great insights into teaching a variety of levels with a huge class size.
http://www.heidisongs.blogspot.com/
(I'd love to hear ways you keep your favorite sites organized as well.)
Preschool Websites & Blogs:
A wonderful website full of ideas and activities to do with preschoolers. www.prekinders.com
Another wonderful preschool website full of great activities~ http://www.pre-kpages.com/
I love all the updates that TeachPreschool posts on FB and her website is a great resource too~ http://www.teachpreschool.org/
I've recently discovered Activity Village and love some of their printables! "...thousands of free colouring pages, kids crafts, educational resources, puzzles, printables, jigsaws, sudoku and lots more fun, free activities for kids!" Normally I don't print many worksheet type activities but I love their 'how to draw' printables! http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/
One of my favorite sites to find quality (and free) printables to use with my themes is 2TeachingMommies. They're work is engaging for young kids - I love the number sequence puzzles, pattern sets, and matching activities!
http://www.2teachingmommies.com/
Homeschooler blog for Tots that I love. Lots of great ideas for using tot trays, themes, lapbooks, and activity packs and she even hosts a weekly link up with a bunch of other 'tot school posts' http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/ForTots.html
Tot Tray inspiration through pictures. I love the ideas here because it make assembling activities for young preschoolers & tots so easy! http://lapbooksbycarisa.homestead.com/TraysforTots.html
Kindergarten Websites & Blogs:
I had the pleasure of finding Fran's blog this summer during a Math Work Stations Linky Party. I love her approach to teaching kindergarten and love reading humor her filled posts. She has lots of freebies on her blog, and great products to purchase at TpT. Check her out at http://www.kindergartencrayons.blogspot.com/
Who else is going to open up their weekly lesson plan books and give you a free 'Peek at my Week'? DeeDee does just that and the document is hyperlinked so with a click of a mouse you can have the same activity in your classroom! I read this each week and salivate over her variety of activities and organization! Definitely check out ~~ ://www.mrswillskindergarten.com/
Great free printables are availagle at: http://www.makinglearningfun.com/
Another wonderful kindergarten blogger who I've been following for the last year. Her weekly posts give great insights into teaching a variety of levels with a huge class size.
http://www.heidisongs.blogspot.com/
Monday, November 14, 2011
Free Printable Math Games
My son loves math and he is always eager to play new games. Instead of buying board games or packaged products, I've decided to be on the look out for FREE printable math games online.
Today I found a new website that has a variety of math centers and games with free printables in PDF form. There are about 30 activities to choose from. It's not listed the age range but it looks like Kindergarten -1st grade work. I haven't tried out any of the games yet so I can't blog about specifics that he liked...but I'll keep you posted!
http://www.kidscount1234.com/mathcentersandgames.html
For games for children to play online, our new 'go to' website is www.abcya.com - which has K-5 grade work for both literacy and math.
Today I found a new website that has a variety of math centers and games with free printables in PDF form. There are about 30 activities to choose from. It's not listed the age range but it looks like Kindergarten -1st grade work. I haven't tried out any of the games yet so I can't blog about specifics that he liked...but I'll keep you posted!
http://www.kidscount1234.com/mathcentersandgames.html
For games for children to play online, our new 'go to' website is www.abcya.com - which has K-5 grade work for both literacy and math.
Friday, November 11, 2011
30 Days of Thankfulness, Days 1-11
November 1: I'm thankful for all the homes in town that hand out candy to trick-or-treaters so all of us living further outside of town can come bring our kids to mooch.
November 2: I'm thankful for amazing deals on diapers on Amazon. (I'd be even more thankful to say potty training was done and I was saving hundreds of dollars...)
November 3: I'm thankful for pretty dresses and fashionable hats for little girls.
November 4: I'm thankful for all my blogging friends and the amazing freebies they share.
November 5: I'm thankful for weekends and work schedules that allow our family to be together as much as we are!
November 6: I'm thankful for my son and all the hard work and effort he is putting into learning to read.
November 7: I'm thankful for our Music Together class that encourages me to sing and dance with my daughter.
November 8: I'm thankful for green grass.
November 9: I am thankful for the unseasonably mild fall we've had and all the extra sunshine Vermont has received this November!
November 10: I am thankful for my well organized "honey do list" and even more thankful for a loving husband who has gotten the fall list finished!
November 11: I am INCREDIBLY thankful for that quiet hour during nap time and before the school bus arrives!
Scarecrows
Scarecrows are a fun theme to study in the fall. It ties well with the harvest season and avoids the scary aspects of Halloween. My plan was to do a mini scarecrow unit with my own children during the month of October but somehow time slipped away too fast.
Now we are into November and we are working on our food & nutrition unit (both at preschool and at home with my kiddos) and next week I will start reading all of our Thanksgiving books.
So I thought I'd do a small blog post of the scarecrow resources I found, but never used. Then next year I have all my resources already lined up!
Scarecrow Song from Dr. Jean
Scarecrow, scarecrow, turn around.
Scarecrow, scarecrow, touch the ground.
Scarecrow, scarecrow, wave in the breeze.
Scarecrow, scarecrow, touch your knees.
Scarecrow, scarecrow, touch your toes.
Scarecrow, scarecrow, touch your nose.
Scarecrow, scarecrow, dance up and down.
Then sit quietly without a sound.
(Say this line softly as you model how to sit down and put your hands in your lap.)
Lots of other fun scarecrow & fall ideas from Dr. Jean -
http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2000/10_2000.html
Wonderful printables (including a tot pack) for a scarecrow unit here-
http://www.2teachingmommies.com/2011/10/scarecrows.html
Scarecrow songs and guided drawing here -
http://www.angelfire.com/wi/NancysHouseFCC/Scarecrows.html
Cute edible Indian corn ideas here-
http://larremoreteachertips.blogspot.com/2011/11/edible-indian-corn.html
I love the hand and footprint crows at this post-
http://froggyfriendsfun.blogspot.com/2011/11/scarecrow-fun-and-turkey-time.html
Great idea for making scarecrows while teaching 2D shapes -
http://larremoreteachertips.blogspot.com/2011/11/scarecrows.html
Now we are into November and we are working on our food & nutrition unit (both at preschool and at home with my kiddos) and next week I will start reading all of our Thanksgiving books.
So I thought I'd do a small blog post of the scarecrow resources I found, but never used. Then next year I have all my resources already lined up!
Scarecrow Song from Dr. Jean
Scarecrow, scarecrow, turn around.
Scarecrow, scarecrow, touch the ground.
Scarecrow, scarecrow, wave in the breeze.
Scarecrow, scarecrow, touch your knees.
Scarecrow, scarecrow, touch your toes.
Scarecrow, scarecrow, touch your nose.
Scarecrow, scarecrow, dance up and down.
Then sit quietly without a sound.
(Say this line softly as you model how to sit down and put your hands in your lap.)
Lots of other fun scarecrow & fall ideas from Dr. Jean -
http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2000/10_2000.html
Wonderful printables (including a tot pack) for a scarecrow unit here-
http://www.2teachingmommies.com/2011/10/scarecrows.html
Scarecrow songs and guided drawing here -
http://www.angelfire.com/wi/NancysHouseFCC/Scarecrows.html
Cute edible Indian corn ideas here-
http://larremoreteachertips.blogspot.com/2011/11/edible-indian-corn.html
I love the hand and footprint crows at this post-
http://froggyfriendsfun.blogspot.com/2011/11/scarecrow-fun-and-turkey-time.html
Great idea for making scarecrows while teaching 2D shapes -
http://larremoreteachertips.blogspot.com/2011/11/scarecrows.html
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