Topic of Study - Rain
Rain is a part of children’s natural environment that they can experience first-hand. Rain can be seen as it splashes on the window or the sidewalk. Rain can be heard as it hits the roof of the house or the car. Our bodies can feel the “wet” of rain. We can taste rain on our tongues. We can smell a freshness in the air after a spring rain. Children learn about rain through all of their senses.
Introduction
Here are three big ideas about rain that you can help children explore:
Rain can be experienced through the senses (sight, touch, sound, taste, smell)
Rain causes us to dress in different clothing
Rain changes things Big Ideas
• Pictures of rainy scenes (laminate or cover with clear adhesive to preserve) • Chart sheet, marker board or chalk board and markers and chalk • Felt or magnetic board • Felt or magnetic figures of duck and clothing (See Attachment for Baby Duck patterns) • Children’s books about rain: In the Rain with Baby Duck by Amy Hest, illustrated by Jill Barton Rain by Robert Kalan, illustrated by Donald Crews Materials to Rabbits & Raindrops by Jim Arnosky Collect and • Illustrated song charts: “Baby Duck’s Mad Song” and “Baby Duck’s Sad Song” Make • Illustrated recipe chart: “Making Mud Pudding” (Refer to Curriculum Tips and Techniques, page 2 for information on how to make charts) • Hula hoops, yarn or construction paper for creating puddles • Children’s raincoat or slicker, rain boots and rain bonnet • Washable markers in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple • Tissue paper squares (1 inch) in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple • Washable or school glue • Paper for drawing on and gluing to • Small spray bottle • Small plastic slotted spoon, small plastic colander, plastic measuring cup and bowl, small plastic tub • Small cups (1 per child), teaspoons for stirring, clear measuring cup, tablespoon (measuring) • Empty water bottle (8 or 12 oz) • Dirt
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• Check with your local library for the availability of children’s books.
• Children’s books can be purchased online, from school supply catalogs or local book stores.
Contact the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education for the following materials or locate at A Story a Month on the Arkansas Better Beginnings website.
A Story a Month (Nursery Rhymes)
Resources • Beginnings: 2004-2005 – It’s Fun to Learn through Play which was previously mailed to child care programs in Arkansas.
Introduction: Finding out What Children Know about Rain
Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 5.8 Participate in group discussion
To introduce the topic of study, “Rain,” you need to find out what children already know about the topic. This allows you to build on your children’s experiences. It also helps create an interest in the topic. Here’s how to begin: Introducing • Gather the children in a group. Say, “For the next few days we’re going to be learning and about rain.” Concluding • Write on chart paper, chalk board or marker board the word “Rain.” the Topic • Invite children to tell you things they already know about rain. You may have to ask questions to stimulate their thinking; questions such as “How does rain sound?” “How does rain feel?” “How do you feel when it rains?” • Make a list of all of the things children know about rain. • Review the list with them and say, “You already know a lot of things about rain and we’ll find out even more.” • Keep the list until you have completed the topic of study. ______
Conclusion: Finding out What Children Have Learned about Rain • Gather the children in a group at the conclusion of the study about rain. • Write on chart paper, chalk board or marker board “Things We Learned about Rain.” • Invite children to tell you some things they have learned about rain. You may have to ask prompt questions such as “How can we tell if it’s raining?” “What are some things you might wear if you go out in the rain?” • Make a list of all the things children learned about rain. • Read the first list you made with the children. Then say, “Here are some new things you found out about rain” and read today’s list with the children.
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Benchmark: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them
Book #1: In the Rain with Baby Duck by Amy Hest, illustrated by Jill Barton
First Reading of In the Rain with Baby Duck • Prepare to read the book, In the Rain with Baby Duck. • Show the cover, give title, author and illustrator (Explain that the author is the person Reading who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures) Books with • Ask children to look at cover and predict what story is about. • Children Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up with questions such as: “How did Baby Duck feel about walking in the rain with his parents?” (mad, grumpy) “What did Grampa find in the attic that made Baby Duck feel better?” (red umbrella and boots) “How did Baby Duck feel when he had on his boots and carried his umbrella and he and Grampa went outside?” (happy, excited) “How do you feel when it rains?” Allow each child who wants a turn a brief time to discuss their feelings about rain.
Additional Benchmark: 1.27 Identifies and understands others’ emotions and intentions ______Second Reading of In the Rain with Baby Duck • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading with questions such as: “What did the rain sound like?” (Pit-pat. Pit-a-pat. Pit-a-pit-a-pat) Invite the children to say the rain sounds with you and clap out the syllables as they say the words. Pit-pat (clap twice) Pit-a-pat (clap three times). Pit-a-pit-a-pat. (Clap five times) Repeat this clapping activity several times. • Ask questions such as,“ What do you think the rain felt like on Baby Duck?” (wet) “Do you think Baby Duck could see the rain? Do you think he tasted the rain?” ______Third Reading of In the Rain with Baby Duck • Show cover and invite children to recall the name of the story. Give author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the third reading by involving children in saying and clapping the rain sounds as in Second Reading. • Ask children if they have ever seen and played in a puddle after a rain and allow a brief time for them to discuss their experiences. • Invite children to stand up and move like Baby Duck and Grampa: waddle, shimmy and hop.
Additional Benchmark: 4.9 Participates in gross motor activities ______Book #2: Rain by Robert Kalan, illustrated by Donald Crews
First Reading of Rain • Prepare to read the book, Rain. • Show the cover, give the title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures) • Ask children to look at cover and predict what story is about. Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 3 Rain - Revised
• Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Review the book by showing the pages and involving children in naming the colors of all of the objects in the book: yellow sun, white clouds, gray clouds, gray sky, red car, orange flowers, brown fence, purple flowers, white house, green trees • Show the last page and invite children to help you identify the colors in the rainbow as you point to them (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple). • Ask children if they have ever seen a rainbow and allow them to share their experiences.
Additional Benchmarks: 3.10 Classifies objects by physical features such as shape or color 2.13 Recognizes and responds to beauty in the environment ______Second Reading of Rain • Show cover and invite children to recall the title of the story. Give author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by showing one page at a time and inviting children to help you “read” the story. • Say the first word, pause and allow children to complete the phrase: for example, show the first page and say “Blue”, pause and children will say “sky.” Turn the page and say “Yellow”, pause and children will say “sun.” Continue with the longer phrases such as “Rain on the”, pause and children will say “green grass.” • Thank the children for helping you “read” the book. When children participate in these types of experiences, they begin to see themselves as readers.
Additional Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 3.10 Classifies objects by physical features such as shape or color ______Book #3: Rabbits & Raindrops by Jim Arnosky, author and illustrator
First Reading of Rabbits & Raindrops • Prepare to read the book, Rabbits & Rainbows • Give the title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures) • Open the book so that children can see both the front and back covers at the same time. • Ask children to look at the cover and discuss what they see. (Mother rabbit and babies – Raindrops falling) Ask them to predict what the story is about. • Show the title page that shows the baby rabbits curled up in their nest. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by turning the pages and inviting children to identify the other animals they see. (butterflies, birds, humming birds, grasshoppers, spiders, bees, mouse, turtle) • Ask the children if they remember why Mother rabbit didn’t want her babies to get wet. (Fur is not waterproof. Baby rabbits can become soaked, and catch cold.) Additional Benchmarks: 5.3 Expands vocabulary 5.4 Recognizes and identifies by name most common objects and pictures ______Second Reading of Rabbits & Raindrops • Show the cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Show the cover of the book and ask children to help you count the baby rabbits (five). Use your finger to point to each rabbit as children count them. Always start counting Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 4 Rain - Revised
from left to right. This helps children begin to understand that we read from left to right. • Read the story so that all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by inviting the children to help you count the rabbits on each page to make sure all five are there. Use your finger to help the children see and count the rabbits.
Additional Benchmark: 3:13 Demonstrates one-to-one correspondence
In the Rain by Ann Rockwell, illustrated by Ann and Harlow Rockwell
Listen to the Rain by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by James Endicott
Peter Spier’s Rain by Peter Spier
Noah’s Ark by Peter Spier Additional Umbrella by Taro Yashima Books
Benchmarks: 5.1 Demonstrates phonological awareness (hearing and recognizing the sounds of language) 5.5 Participates in songs, finger plays, rhyming activities, and games
Illustrated Song Charts: “Baby Duck’s Mad Song” and “Baby Duck’s Happy Song”
• Make 2 song charts on poster board and laminate for durability. Print the words from the book, In the Rain with Baby Duck, as written below. Illustrate each chart, the first Language one with a duck and rain, and the second one with a duck, boots and umbrella Materials and Baby Duck’s Mad Song
Activities “I do not like the rain one bit Splashing down my neck. Baby feathers soaking wet, I do not like this mean old day.”
Baby Duck’s Happy Song
“I really like the rain a lot Splashing my umbrella. Big red boots on baby feet, I really love this rainy day.”
• Say or sing the songs with the children, while showing the appropriate chart. Read or sing with expression. Ask children which song they like best.
• Post the charts on the wall at child’s eye level. Observe to see if the children look at the charts and say or sing the words.
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Itsy Bitsy Spider (Suit actions to words)
The itsy, bitsy spider, went up the water spout Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Out came the sun and dried up all the rain. Then the itsy, bitsy spider went up the spout again. ______
Rain, Rain Go Away!
Rain, rain go away Come again another day. Little Johnny wants to play. Rain, rain go away!
Teacher Note: Replace “Johnny” with children’s names. This might be a good activity to use when moving (transitioning) children from one activity to another. For example, if children are in group time, use this activity to send children, one or two at a time, to get coats for outside, or to go to a learning center of their choice. Say “Marsha and Cameron want to play.” ______
Pitter Pat (Sing to tune of Mulberry Bush) (From Beginnings 2004-2005 – It’s Fun to Learn through Play)
Pitter Pat, Pitter Pat, Pitter Pat, Pitter Pat. (Use fingers to pretend rain is falling) Pitter Pat, Pitter Pat, Pitter Pat, Pitter Pat. Pitter Pat, Pitter Pat, Pitter Pat, Pitter Pat. Down comes the rain! ______Wheels on the Bus (when it’s raining)
The wheels on the bus go splash, splash, splash. (bounce hand up and down like splashing water) Splash, splash, splash! Splash, splash, splash! The wheels on the bus go splash, splash, splash All through the town.
The rain on the bus goes plunk, plunk, plunk Plunk, plunk, plunk! Plunk, plunk, plunk! The rain on the bus goes plunk, plunk, plunk All through the town.
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish, (make wiper motions with hands) Swish, swish, swish! Swish, swish, swish! The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish All through the town.
The lady on the bus says “Please slow down, Please slow down! Please slow down!” The lady on the bus says “Please slow down All through the town.” Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 6 Rain - Revised
The driver on the bus says “You’re all wet, (pretend to shake water off your clothes) You’re all wet! You’re all wet.” The driver on the bus says “You’re all wet, All through the town.” ______
Raindrops are Falling (Sing to tune of Skip to My Lou) (From Beginnings 2004-2005 – It’s Fun to Learn through Play)
Raindrops are falling, won’t you try to catch one? Raindrops are falling, won’t you try to catch one? Raindrops are falling, won’t you try to catch one? Catch one if you can.
Teacher Note: Repeat the song while sticking out your tongue (if you can) ______
Six Little Ducks
Six little ducks that I once knew. (Hold up 6 fingers) Fat ones, skinny ones, fair ones too. (Hands apart, then close together) But the one little duck with the feather on his back, (hand behind back) He led the others with a quack, quack, quack. (hands together, then move fingers apart like a duck’s bill)
Down to the river they would go Wibble, wobble, wibble wooble, to and fro. (wibble, wobble like ducks) But the one little duck with the feather on his back (hands behind back) He led the others with a quack, quack, quack. (hands together, then move fingers apart like duck’s bill) ______
The Rain Will Make the Streets Wet (Chant or sing – clap hands and pat knees in time to the chant)
The rain will make the streets wet, the streets wet, the streets wet. The rain will make the streets wet All day long.
The rain will make the cars wet, the cars wet, the cars wet. The rain will make the cars wet All day long.
The rain will make the flowers grow, the flowers grow, the flowers grow The rain will make the flowers grow All day long.
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The rain will make the puddles grow, the puddles grow, the puddles grow The rain will make the puddles grow All day long.
Teacher Note: Make up additional verses and invite children to add verses. The idea is to help children see how the rain changes things. ______
Falling Raindrops
Raindrops, raindrops! (Move fingers to imitate falling rain.) Falling all around. Pitter-patter on the rooftops, (Tap softly on floor) Pitter-patter on the ground. (Repeat) Here is my umbrella. (Pretend to open umbrella) It will keep me dry. When I go walking in the rain, I hold it way up high. (Hold high in air) ______
Rain
Rain on green grass, (Flutter fingers up and down) And rain on the tree, (Raise both hands to form tree) Rain on the roof top, (With hands above head, palms down, fingertips touching, make roof.) But not on me. (Point to self)
Benchmarks: 3.22 Makes comparisons (scientific process: comparing)\ 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships 5.9 Uses language to problem solve
Activity: Will this catch rain drops? (Small Group Activity) • Collect items such as a plastic slotted spoon, small plastic colander, plastic measuring cup and small plastic bowl. Have a small plastic pitcher of water to Science / represent rain, a small plastic tub and a towel or paper towels. Discovery • Allow the children to examine the spoon, colander, cup and bowl and discuss what and Math they are and how they are used. • Say, “Suppose it is raining outside and you want to catch some raindrops. Which of these items would you use to catch the raindrops?” • Invite the children to predict which items they think will catch raindrops and which they think will not catch raindrops. • Say, “Let’s find out if you’re right.” • Let children take turns pouring a small amount of water into each container to determine which will catch raindrops. Place the containers over the tub so that water does not spill on the table. • Ask children if their predictions were correct. • Ask children to explain why some of the items would catch raindrops and why some would not. (some have holes in them)
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Benchmarks: 3.15 Demonstrates an understanding of number (how many) and number (3 is a numeral) relationship 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing) 3.22 Makes comparisons (scientific process: comparing)
Activity: Is it loud? Is it soft? (Small Group Activity) • Collect a basket of small items, some of which will make a sound when dropped (button, washer, small block), and some of which will not (cotton ball, feather, piece of fabric). Provide a cookie sheet. • Draw a line down the center of a sheet of paper. At the top, label one column Loud and the other column Soft. Show the chart to the children and say, “This says loud and this says soft.” • Allow children time to examine the items. Ask them to predict which will make a loud noise and which will make a soft noise when dropped. • Invite children, one at a time, to drop an item from the basket onto the cookie sheet to determine whether it makes a sound when dropped. • Ask children to place the item in the correct column. Were their predictions correct? • Count the items in each column and discuss which has more, which has less, or do both columns have the same.
Loud Soft
• Write a summary story:
Is it loud? Is it soft?
Three things were loud. They were the button, the washer and the block. Three things were soft. They were the cotton ball, the feather and the piece of fabric.
______
Activity: Who likes rain? (Large or Small Group Activity) • Create a graph by drawing a line down the center of a chart sheet, a marker or a chalk board. • Write “I Like Rain” at the top of one column and “I Don’t Like Rain” at the top of the other column. • Read the title of each column to the children. • Invite each child to decide if he/she likes or does not like rain. • Write each child’s name in the column of his/her choice. • Count with the children the number of names in each column and write that numeral below that column. • Involve the children in discussing which column has more, which has less, or do both have the same number of names.
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I Like Rain I Don’t Like Rain Sam Ashley Maddie Andrew Consuelo LaShunda 4 2
• Write a summary story:
Four children like rain and two children don’t like rain.
______
Activity: What happens when it rains on my painting? (Individual Activity) • Suggest that children use tempera paint or washable markers to create a picture (no color sheets) • Hang the pictures on the fence or on the art easel to dry. • Ask children what they think would happen to their pictures if it rained on them. • Show children a small spray bottle filled with water and invite them, one at a time, to spray or spritz their picture with water to see what happens. • Before children spray their picture, let them know ahead of time that their picture will change. Allow children a choice to spray or not to spray their pictures. • Listen to their comments about what happens as the water causes the paint to run down the paper.
Teacher Note: Bring in the papers that have been sprayed and blot them dry with a paper towel. Let the pictures dry thoroughly. The effect is beautiful.
Additional Benchmark: 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships
Benchmarks: 3.15 Demonstrates an understanding of number (how many) and numeral (3 is a numeral) relationship 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships 4.3 Tries new foods before deciding whether he/she likes them 4.6 Coordinates eye-hand movements to complete task
Activity: Making Mud (Chocolate) Pudding (Individual activity) Food/ • Gather the following: one small cup per child, one teaspoon per child for stirring, clear measuring cup, tablespoon (measuring), milk and instant chocolate pudding Nutrition • Make an illustrated recipe chart that lists steps for making mud (chocolate) pudding Experience Making Mud Pudding Step 1. Measure 1/3 cup of milk and pour into a small cup Step 2. Measure 2 tablespoons of instant chocolate pudding and stir it into the milk Step 3. Stir 2 minutes, or until pudding thickens Step 4. Eat the pudding
Teacher Note: Allow the children to do as much of this food experience as possible. For example, show them the clear measuring cup and the 1/3 line on the cup. Allow them to pour the milk to the 1/3 line. Guide them as they measure two tablespoons of instant chocolate pudding. Consider setting a timer for two minutes. Ask children to decide if
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their pudding is ready to eat when the timer goes off.
Teacher Note: Teachers and children should always wash hands before participating in food experience.
Benchmark: 4.11 Runs, jumps, hops and skips
Activity: I Can Jump
• Gather children in a group with space to move. This activity can be done outdoors if there is not sufficient indoor space. • Ask children to stand and hold hands to form a circle. Movement/ • Next ask children to drop hands and take three steps back so each child has self Physical space (room to move without touching others). • Explain to children that they are going to practice jumping. They will jump off two feet Education and land on two feet. • Stand in the middle of the circle and demonstrate jumping.
Step 1 – Take off
• Bend knees and crouch body, ready to jump. • Swing arms forward and upward to take off from the ground.
Step 2 – Flight
• Extend arms into the air as feet leave the floor.
Step 3 – Landing
• Land on both feet. Land with feet apart and body over feet.
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Activity: Jumping Into Puddles
• Tell the children to pretend that it has rained and there are lots of puddles for them to jump into. • Allow children to practice jumping into puddles which can either be made from circles of yarn or can be hula hoops.
• Place a row of six hoops flat on the floor in a straight line. To begin, leave approximately six inches between hoops. • Challenge children to jump into puddles. Explain that hoops are puddles and they are to jump from one puddle to the next. • Stress taking off from two feet and landing on two feet. Demonstrate if necessary. • Allow all children a turn. Give extra attention to children who are having difficulty jumping. • Allow children additional opportunities to continue to practice jumping. • Vary the difficulty by extending the space between the hoops from six inches to twelve inches.
Teacher Note: You can cut out puddles from construction paper and have children jump from one to the other. If using construction paper puddles, tape them securely to the floor to prevent slipping.
Benchmark: 2.10 Explores and manipulates art media
Art Provide the following materials that children can use independently: • Washable markers – include the colors we see in a rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. • Tissue paper squares – include the colors that we see in a rainbow: red, orange, Learning yellow, green, blue and purple • Centers Paper on which children can use markers and glue tissue paper squares • Washable or school glue ______
Library/Book Corner • Add books about rain • Add pictures of rainy scenes (laminate or cover pictures with self stick adhesive) • Add felt or magnetic board and story figures: ducks (at least 6), rain boots, raincoat, umbrella (see patterns) • Post two song charts, Little Duck’s Mad Song and Little Duck’s Happy Song, on wall at child’s eye level Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 12 Rain - Revised
Home Living/Dramatic Play • Add rain coat/slicker, rain bonnet, rubber boots
Teacher Note: For safety reasons, do not add umbrellas. ______
Water table or tub • Add plastic slotted spoon, small plastic colander, plastic measuring cup, plastic bowl and small plastic pitcher
______
Science/Discovery Activity: Weather Duck • Make a weather duck and clothing, using attached patterns. (Refer to Curriculum Tips and Techniques, page 2 for instruction on how to make the figures) • Enlarge the figures if you have a way to do so. Larger figures are easier for children to handle. • Invite children to visit the center and dress the duck for different kinds of weather. • Join children as they play in the center and ask them questions such as, “It’s raining outside. What should Weather Duck wear?” “Weather Duck is packing to go to the beach. What clothes should he take with him?”
Benchmark: 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing)
Activity: Making Mud • Provide a clear, empty water bottle (8 or 12 oz) with label removed • Fill the bottle 1/3 full with dirt • Add water so bottle is 2/3 full • Seal lid tightly by using super glue, for example, so children cannot open it • Place the bottle on the Science/Discovery table. • Invite children to shake the bottle and discover what happens (mud is formed) • Let the bottle sit on the table and encourage children to observe what happens (dirt settles at the bottom of the bottle and separates from the water) ______
Quiet Corner • Create a quiet corner in your classroom; a place where children can go to be alone and to get away from the stresses of group living. • Place soft items in the quiet corner. Carpet on the floor, soft pillows, and soft and cuddly stuffed animals or dolls are examples. • Discuss with children when they might want to go to the quiet corner. When they are angry and need to get away from the source of their anger? When they are sad and need to be alone? When the room gets too noisy and they need a quiet spot? • Explain to children that the quiet corner is for one child at a time.
Teacher Note: Make sure this area can be supervised by the adults in the classroom at all times.
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Jack Be Nimble
• Include this activity as a way to move children from circle time to learning center time, for example. • Place a block that children can safely jump over in the center of the circle. • Ask one child at a time to jump over the block while you and the children chant the following, substituting the child’s name for “Jack.” Transition Jacob be nimble, Activities Jacob be quick. Jacob jump over the candlestick. ______
Let Your Hands Go Clap, Clap, Clap
• Use this activity to prepare children for story time
Let your hands go clap, clap, clap (clap hands 3 times) Let your fingers go snap, snap, snap (snap fingers 3 times) Let your lips go very round (make lips round) But do not make a sound.
Send home a note to parents stating that, for the next few days, the children will be learning about rain. Suggest some ways families can be involved in the topic of study: • Collect and bring to the center pictures of rainy scenes from sources such as magazines and calendars or even family pictures. • Take their children for a walk after a rain and talk with them about the changes they see as a result of the rain; wet ground, leaves and sidewalks and puddles of water are examples. Family • Include the titles and authors of some of the children’s books about rain. Suggest that Activities they look for these books in the local library, check them out and read them with their child.
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Weekly Plan Sheet Week of Topic of Study Rain Teacher(s) Day and Big Group Time #1 Group Time #2 Small Group Activities Transition Activities Special Activities Idea(s) Monday FP: Rain, Rain Go Away! – FP: The Rain Will Make the p. 6 Streets Wet – p. 7 Introduction: Finding out Will this catch rain Jack Be Nimble – p. 14 I Can Jump – p. 11 What Children Know about First Reading of In the Rain drops? – p. 8 Rain – p. 2 with Baby Duck – p. 3
FP or Song: Itsy Bitsy FP or Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider Spider – p. 6 – p. 6 Tuesday FP: Rain, Rain Go Away! – FP: The Rain Will Make the p. 6 Streets Wet – p. 7 Is it loud? Is it soft? - Let Your Hands Go Clap, Jumping Into Puddles – Illustrated Song Charts: First Reading of Rain – p. 3 p. 9 Clap, Clap – p. 14 p. 12 “Baby Duck’s Mad Song” and “Baby Duck’s Happy Song” – FP or Song: Six Little Ducks p. 5 – p. 7
Wednesday FP: The Rain Will Make the FP: Itsy Bitsy Spider – p. 6 Streets Wet – p. 7 First Reading of Rabbits & Who likes rain? - p. 9 Jack Be Nimble – p. 14 I Can Jump – p. 11 Second Reading of In the Raindrops - p. 4 Rain with Baby Duck - p. 3 FP or Song: Wheels on the FP or Song: Pitter Pat – p. 6 Bus – p. 6
Thursday FP: Falling Raindrops – p. 8 FP: Rain – p. 8
Second Reading of Rain – Second Reading of Rabbits What happens when it Jack Be Nimble – p. 14 Jumping Into Puddles p. 4 & Raindrops – p. 4 rains on my painting? - p. 12 - p. 10 FP or Song: Raindrops are FP or Song: Six Little Ducks Falling – p. 7 – p. 7 Friday FP: Falling Raindrops – p. 8 FP: Itsy Bitsy Spider – p. 6
Third Reading of In the Rain Conclusion: Finding out Is it loud? Is it soft? Let Your Hands Go Clap, Make “Mud” pudding for with Baby Duck – p. 3 What Children have Learned - p. 9 Clap, Clap – p. 14 snack – p. 10 aboutRain- p.2 FP or Song:Wheels on the Bus – p. 6 FP or Song: Rain – p. 8 Changes to the Environment (Props, materials added to Centers) Home Living / Art Blocks Books Dramatic Manipulatives Sand / Water Science / Discovery Washable markers, Add books, pictures, Add raincoat, bonnet Puzzles about rain, Water - Add plastic Add Weather Duck Tissue paper squares, song charts – p. 12 and boots – p. 13 ducks and rabbits slotted spoon, small and accessories paper, glue – p. 12 plastic colander, Making Mud – p. 13 plastic measuring cup, plastic bowl and small plastic pitcher – p. 13
Topic of Study – Snow and Ice
Snow is sometimes a part of children’s natural environment that they can experience first-hand. During a snowfall, children can see but not hear the snowflakes as they fall to the ground. However, they can hear sleet as it hits the windowpane. When snow melts and refreezes, it becomes icy and makes a crunching sound when we walk on it. Snow and ice feel cold and wet. Snow looks good to eat, but its taste is very bland. Cold weather foods such as soup and chili have a wonderful aroma. Children learn about snow, ice and cold weather through their senses.
Teacher Note: Plan to include this Topic of Study to coincide with snowy and/or icy Introduction weather conditions in your area. If you do not have snow and ice, you may decide to adapt the activities to focus on cold weather conditions.
Here are three big ideas about snow and ice that you can help children explore:
Snow and ice and cold weather can be experienced through the senses (sight, touch, sound, taste, smell)
Snow and ice and cold weather cause us to dress in different clothing
Snow can be fun to play in Big Ideas
• Pictures of snowy and icy scenes (laminate or cover with clear adhesive to preserve) • Chart paper • Felt or magnetic board Storytelling figures (felt or magnetic) for the book, The Snowy Day. Locate at A Story a Month on the Arkansas Better Beginnings website. • Children’s books about snow Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats Oh! By Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek • Winter Weather Dramatic Play Prop Box: Collect scarves, mittens, gloves, winter vests, snow boots and place in a box labeled “Winter Weather” Materials to • Mittens from different colors of construction paper. Make enough mittens for Collect and each child, plus a set of all colors for yourself. Have at least three mittens of Make the same color. • Mittens and gloves (5 pairs of each) • Collection of hats that represent different seasons and activities: sun visor, straw hat, canvas fishing hat, baseball cap, knit ski cap, fake fur hat, wool cap with ear muffs, detachable coat hood.
Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 1 Snow and Ice - Revised
• Check with your local library for the availability of children’s books • Children’s books can be purchased online, from school supply catalogs or local bookstores Contact the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education for the following materials or locate at A Story a Month on the Arkansas Better Beginnings website.
Resources A Story a Month – The Snowy Day (patterns for storytelling figures)
Introduction: Finding Out What Children Know about Snow and Ice
Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 5.8 Participates in group discussion
To introduce the topic of study “Snow and Ice,” you need to find out what children already know about the topic. This allows you to build on children’s experiences. It also helps create an interest in the topic. Here’s how to begin:
• Gather the children in a group. Say, “For the next few days we’re going to be learning about snow and ice.” • Write on chart paper, chalk board or marker board the words “Snow and Ice.” • Invite children to tell you things they already know about snow and ice. You may have to ask questions to stimulate their thinking; questions such as “How can you tell if it’s snowing?” “”What does snow and ice feel like?” “What does snow look like?” “How do you feel when it snows?” • Make a list of all of the things children know about snow and ice. • Review the list with them and say, “You already know a lot of things about snow and ice and we’ll find out even more.” • Keep the list until you have completed the topic of study. ______
Conclusion: Finding out What Children Have Learned about Snow and Ice Introducing and • Gather the children in a group at the conclusion of the study about snow and Concluding ice. the Topic • Write on chart paper or marker board “Things We Learned about Snow and Ice.” • Invite children to tell you some things they have learned about snow and ice. You may have to ask prompt questions such as “What happens when snow or ice melts?” “What are some things you might wear if you go out in the snow?” “How are snow and ice alike?” “How are snow and ice different?” • Make a list of the things children learned about snow and ice. • Read the first list you made with the children. Then say, “Here are some new things you found out about snow and ice” and read today’s list with the children.
Teacher Note: Adapt the previous two activities to reflect the weather conditions in your area. For example, “Cold Weather” may be substituted for snow and ice.
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Benchmark: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them
Book #1: Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz
First Reading of Froggy Gets Dressed • Prepare to read the book, Froggy Gets Dressed • Show the cover, give title, author and illustrator (Explain that the author is the Reading person who writes the book and illustrator is the person who draws the Books with pictures.) • Children Ask children to look at cover and predict what story is about. • Read the story so all children can see the picture in the book. • Follow up with questions such as “Why did Froggy’s mother tell him to go back to sleep?” (Frogs are suppose to sleep all winter) “At the end of the story, why did Froggy go back to sleep?” (He was tired from putting on and taking off clothes) ______Second Reading of Froggy Gets Dressed
• Show the cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by showing and rereading the pages where Froggy is putting on and taking off clothes. • Involve children in pretending to put on and take off each item of clothing. For example, as you read, “So Froggy put on his socks – zoop!” children pretend to put on socks. “Pulled on his boots – zap!” and children pretend to pull on boots. • Involve children in pretending to flop outside into the snow. ______Third Reading of Froggy Gets Dressed • Show the cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the third reading by involving the children in saying the name of the articles of clothing, in making the appropriate sounds, and in pretending to put on or take off each item. For example, read and point to the appropriate illustration: “So Froggy put on his ______” (pause) – zoop!” “Froggy pulled on his _____ - zup!” • Repeat this activity with children if they seem to enjoy it. ______Book #2: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, author and illustrator
First Reading of The Snowy Day • Prepare to read the book, The Snowy Day • Show the cover, give title, author and illustrator (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the one who draws the pictures) • Ask children to look at cover and predict what story is about. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up with questions such as: “How did Peter know that snow had fallen during the night?” “Do you think Peter could have heard the snow falling?” “How do you think Peter got his socks wet?” • Allow children to discuss their experiences with snow.
Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 3 Snow and Ice - Revised
Second Reading of The Snowy Day • Show the cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up with questions such as “How did Peter feel when he looked in his pocket for the snowball and his pocket was empty?” “What do you suppose happened to the snowball Peter had in his pocket?” When children say it melted, ask them, “Why do you think the snowball melted?” • Allow children to share their experiences with snow.
Additional Benchmarks: 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships 5.9 Uses language to problem solve ______
Book #3: OH! by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek
First Reading of OH! • Prepare to read the book, OH!! • Show the cover, give the title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures) • Ask children to look at cover and predict what story is about. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by turning the pages and inviting children to name and describe the animals on each page. For example, “quick gray squirrel” and “shy little rabbit.” ______
Second Reading of OH! • Show the cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by inviting children to act out and/or move in place like the characters in the book. Ask, “Can you skitter like the gray squirrel?” Allow the children to be creative as they “skitter” and “sneak.”
Clifford’s First Snow Day by Norman Bridwell
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs (A wordless picture book)
Curious George in the Snow by H. A. Rey, illustrated by Margaret Rey
Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
Snowmen at Night by Carolyn Buehner, illustrated by Mark Buehner Additional All You Need for a Snowman by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Barbara Lavallee Books The Jacket I Wear in the Snow by Shirley Netzel, illustrated by Nancy Winslow Parker
Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 4 Snow and Ice - Revised
Benchmark: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them
Storytelling Figures: The Snowy Day • Make felt or magnetic story figures for the book, The Snowy Day. • Use the figures and a felt or magnetic board to tell the story to the children. • Tell the children that the story figures and board will be placed in the book area. • Review with the children the correct way to use the story figures. For example: Two children at a time use the figures to tell the story Keep the figures on the board or in the storage container • Spend time in the library/book area helping children use the story figures correctly. ______
Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 5.8 Participates in group discussion
Language Activity: Fun in the Snow (Large Group and Individual) Materials • Discuss with children at group time all the things they like to do when it snows. and • Tell the children that as they are playing in learning centers you will interview Activities each one and ask them to help you write a book about snow. • Involve children in helping you give the book a title such as Fun in the Snow. Write the title on a cover page. • Interview each child individually and ask him/her what he enjoys doing most when it snows. • Record their comments on a sheet of paper. Write exactly what the child says. For example, you might write this:
Josh said, “Me and my sister make snowballs.”
• Invite each child to illustrate his/her page. • Use staples or yarn to put the pages together to make a book. • Read the completed book with the children in group time. • Place the book in the book/library area. ______
Benchmarks: 5.1 Demonstrates phonological awareness (hearing and recognizing the sounds of language 5.5 Participates in songs, finger plays, rhyming activities, and games
One Stormy Night (Poem)
Two little kittens, One stormy might Began to quarrel, And then to fight. Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 5 Snow and Ice - Revised
One had a mouse, The other had none; And that’s the way The quarrel begun.
“I’ll have that mouse,” Said the bigger cat. “You’ll have that mouse? We’ll see about that!”
“I will have that mouse,” Said the eldest son. “You shan’t have that mouse,” Said the little one.
The old woman seized Her sweeping broom, And swept both kittens Right out of the room.
The ground was covered With frost and snow, And the two little kittens Had nowhere to go.
They lay and shivered On the mat at the door, While the old woman Was sweeping the floor.
And then they crept in As quiet as mice, All wet with the snow, And as cold as ice.
And found it much better That stormy might, To lie by the fire, Than to quarrel and fight. Traditional
Teacher Note: Read the poem, “One Stormy Night,” with expression and body language. For example, use a deep voice when speaking for the bigger cat and a high voice when speaking for the little cat. Pretend to shiver when you read, “They lay and shivered.” ______
Second Reading of “One Stormy Night” • Read the poem again and invite children to help you by filling in the rhyming words. For example, read, ”Two little kittens, One stormy night, Began to quarrel, And then to ______(fight).” Help children recall rhyming words. • Reread the poem at a later time if children seem to enjoy it.
Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 6 Snow and Ice - Revised
The Robin (Nursery Rhyme)
The north wind doth blow, And we shall have snow, And what will poor robin do then, Poor thing!
He’ll sit in a barn, And keep himself warm, And hide his head under his wing, Poor thing! ______
When the Snow Is on the Ground (Nursery Rhyme)
The little robin grieves When the snow is on the ground, For the trees have no leaves, And no berries can be found.
For air is cold, the worms are hid, For robin here what can be done?
Let’s strow (throw) some crumbs of bread, And then he’ll live till snow is gone. ______
I’m a Little Snowman (Sing to tune of “I’m a Little Teapot”)
I’m a little snowman (Hold right hand about 12 inches above floor, Short and fat then make large circle with both hands) Here is my nose (Point to nose) And here is my hat (Make large triangle above head with both hands)
When I see the warm sun (Make large circle above head with both hands) Come out to play, I know that soon I’ll melt away (Move fingers downward to show melting) ______
The Snowman
Roll him, roll him, until he is big (Roll snow into large ball) Roll him, roll him, until he is fat as a pig (Make large circle with arms) He has two eyes and a hat on his head (Point to eyes. Place hat on head) He’ll stand there all night (Stand erect) While we go to bed. ______
Winter Weather
Let’s put on our mittens (Put on mittens) And button our coat. (Button coat) Wrap a scarf snugly (Throw scarf around neck with right hand Around our throat. and pull down other end with left hand) Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 7 Snow and Ice - Revised
Pull on our boots, (Pull on boots with both hands) Fasten the straps, (Fasten straps with fingers) And tie on tightly (Pull on cap with both hands and tie) Our warm winter caps.
Then open the door… (Turn imaginary doorknob with right hand …And out we go and pull open the door. Step through) Into the soft (Hold out both hands to catch snow and And feathery snow. look up) ______Mitten Weather
Thumbs in the thumb place (Make motions of trying to get mitten on Fingers all together, thumb, then push the mitten down on the This is the song we sing fingers) In mitten weather.
Doesn’t matter whether They’re made of wool or leather. Thumbs in the thumb place, (Make same motions as above) Fingers all together. This is the song we sing In mitten weather. ______Walking in the Snow (Sing to tune of London Bridges)
Let’s go walking in the snow, (Walk in place, as though In the snow, in the snow. walking in snow) Let’s go walking in the snow, all day long.
Let’s go tiptoe in the snow, (Tiptoe as though tiptoeing in In the snow, in the snow. snow) Let’s go tiptoe in the snow, all day long.
Let’s go running in the snow, (Run in place, as though In the snow, in the snow. trying to run in snow) Let’s go running in the snow, all day long.
Let’s go home and take a rest, (Pretend to be tired as you take a rest, take a rest. slowly walk home, then rest) Let’s go home and take a rest, all night long. ______
Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 3.9 Identifies some letters and makes some letter/sound matches 5.1 Demonstrates phonological awareness (hearing and recognizing the sounds of language)
Activity: Froggy’s Clothing Makes Sounds (Small Group)
• Gather a small group of children, from three to five, for this activity.
• Review the book, Froggy Gets Dressed, stressing the sounds that each article of clothing makes as Froggy dresses and undresses. Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 8 Snow and Ice - Revised
• Make a chart with each group of children as follows:
Froggy’s Clothing Sounds
socks zoop boots zup hat zat scarf zwit mittens zum pants zip shirt zut coat znap
• Say aloud the name of the article of clothing and the sound it makes as you write it.
• Call children’s attention to the fact that all of the sound words start with the letter “z.” Show them the letter (you might even underline each “z”) and invite children to make the “z” sound with you.
• Review the chart with the children and help them say the article of clothing and the matching sound.
• Invite children to either draw pictures to illustrate the chart or to cut pictures from catalogs or magazines and glue to the chart.
• Hang the illustrated chart on the wall at child’s eye level
Benchmarks: 3.10 Classifies objects by physical features such as shape or color 3.11 Classifies objects conceptually (things that go together) 3.22 Makes comparisons (scientific process: comparing)
Activity: Is It a Mitten or Is It a Glove? (Small Group Activity)
• Collect mittens and gloves (5 pair of each) • Make a chart on a sheet of paper or cardstock as follows:
Mitten Glove
Science / Discovery and Math
• Allow children to explore the mittens and gloves and listen to their comments. • Involve them in discussing how mittens and gloves are alike and how they are different. For example, you wear them both on your hands when it is cold (alike). Mittens have a place for the thumb and another for all fingers together, while gloves have a place for thumb and each finger (different). • Read the chart with the children and invite them to put the gloves and mittens in the correct column. Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 9 Snow and Ice - Revised
Activity: Mitten Match
• Collect five pairs of mittens of different colors and/or patterns and place them in a basket. • Invite children to find the mittens that match/that are alike and put them together. ______Benchmarks: 3.21 Uses words to describe the characteristics of objects (scientific process: communicating) 3.22 Makes comparisons (scientific process: comparing) 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships
Activity: What happens to ice? • Label with permanent marker a small zipper-closing plastic bag with each child’s name. Let each child put an ice cube in his/her bag. • Involve the children in discussing how the ice feels. (hard, cold) • Place the bags on the science/discovery table. • Ask children to predict what will happen to the ice cubes in their bags. • Discuss with the children the change that has taken place when the cubes have melted. Use the terms “solid” and “liquid” to describe the cubes and the water. • Place the bags in a freezer overnight. • Allow the children to examine the bags again and discuss the changes that have taken place. (from liquid to solid and the ice is now a different shape than it was the previous day when it was an ice cube) ______Activity: What happens to snow? • Involve children in filling a plastic glass to the brim with snow. • Bring the snow-filled glass inside. • Ask the children to predict what they think will happen to the snow. Expect and accept a variety of answers. Some may say it will melt, it will be water or it will turn into ice. • Place the snow-filled glass on the science/discovery table and suggest that children look at it from time to time. • Ask the children why they think the snow is melting. Again accept all answers. • Help the children realize that the indoor temperature is warmer than the outdoor temperature, thus the snow melts and becomes water. • Ask children to predict what will happen when the water in the glass is put back outdoors. Expect and accept a variety of answers. Some may expect it to change back to snow, others may say it will change to ice. • Bring the glass back into the room the next day and discuss the changes that took place overnight. (The water froze and became ice.)
Teacher Note: Plan this activity after a snow and when that night’s temperature will remain below freezing. ______Activity: Which hat do I wear? (Large or small group activity) • Place an assortment of hats in a large box. Include hats that represent a variety of seasons and activities. Examples: sun visor, straw hat, canvas fishing hat, baseball cap, knit ski cap, fake fur hat, wool cap with ear flaps, detachable coat hood. • Ask a child to remove one hat from the box and describe it. • Ask children to decide when you would wear the hat. Is it the kind of hat you would wear when the weather is cold and snowy.
Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 10 Snow and Ice - Revised
• Continue this activity, allowing different children a turn. • Put all the winter hats together and involve the children in counting the number of hats that you would wear when the weather is cold and snowy.
Benchmarks: 3.21 Uses words to describe the characteristics of objects (scientific process: communicating) 3.22 Makes comparisons (scientific process: comparing) 3.23 Show awareness of cause/effect 4.3 Tries new food before deciding whether he/she likes them
Activity: Frozen Juice on a Stick
Food/ • Provide fruit juice, small paper cups (1 per child), nonstick spray and popsicle stick or tongue depressor Nutrition • Use permanent marker to write each child’s name on his/her cup. Experience • Lightly spray inside of paper cups. • Allow each child to fill his/her cup 3/4-full with juice. • Discuss with children that juice is liquid. Ask what they think will happen to the juice when it is put in the freezer. • Place cups in freezer for about an hour. Juice should be slushy. • Remove cups from freezer, insert stick in juice (so the stick is in the middle of the cup. • Return to freezer until frozen solid. • Remove from freezer and peel off paper cup. • Invite children to eat and enjoy juice on a stick. • Discuss with children how juice has changed and what caused it to change. Use the terms “liquid” and “solid.”
Teacher Note: Allow the children to do as much of these food experiences as possible.
Teacher Note: Teachers and children should always wash hands before participating in a food experience. Benchmarks: 2.6 Expresses through movement what is felt and heard in various musical tempos and styles 4.9 Participates in gross motor activities 4.12 Shows balance and coordination
Activity: I Can Skate on Ice • Show children pictures of ice skaters. Call attention to the ice skates the skaters are wearing. Movement/ • Invite children to put on and lace up their pretend ice skates. • Physical Play music such as a waltz and suggest that children glide across the room on their ice skates. Education ______Activity: I Can Balance • Involve children in walking on a low balance beam or a taped line on the floor or on a chalk line on the sidewalk outdoors. • Allow only one child at a time to walk on the beam or the line. • Have children start at one end of the beam or line. • Tell children, “Walk across the balance beam/line just like you would walk across the floor.” Say, “Step with one foot, now step with the other foot.” Say, “Hold your arms straight out to your side.” • Hold the hand of a child who may need the support.
Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 11 Snow and Ice - Revised
• Allow children many opportunities to practice walking across the board or line. Be aware that children will vary in their development of this skill. • Vary the difficulty of the skill according to the development of the children. Some may be able to walk sideways or backward on the beam/line. ______Activity: I Can Freeze • Explain to children that you are going to play a game called “Freeze.” You will play music as they move around the room. When the music stops, they are to “freeze” in one spot until the music starts again. Remind children to keep a safe distance from other children when they are moving. • Play fast-paced music, stop it and say “freeze.” After a few seconds, start the music again. • Continue this activity until you feel that children have had enough of it.
Teacher Note: Stop the music and don’t say “freeze.” Benchmark: 2.10 Explores and manipulates art media
Art • Allow children to play in shaving cream (snow) on a table top. • Provide white chalk and black construction paper. Children may choose to create their own snow pictures • Provide blunt-tipped scissors, washable or school glue and construction paper. Learning • Provide catalogs/magazines with pictures of winter clothes and allow children Centers to cut out the pictures. Children may choose to glue the pictures to a sheet of construction paper and make a winter clothes collage. ______Block Center • Add a container of cotton balls and observe to see if children haul them in the trucks. ______Library/Book Center • Add books about snow • Add pictures of snowy scenes and ice skaters, for example (laminate or cover pictures with self stick adhesive) • Add felt or magnetic board and The Snowy Day story telling figures. • Add book children have made about what they like to do when it snows. ______Benchmarks: 2.1 Shows creativity and imagination in play with materials and props 2.2 Participates in dramatic play themes that become more involved and complex 2.3 Assumes various roles in dramatic play situations
Home Living/Dramatic Play • Add the Winter Weather Dramatic Play Box to the home living area. Keep the box in the area throughout the study of the theme and longer if children remain interested in playing with the items in it. ______Benchmark: 4.6 Coordinates eye and hand movements to complete tasks
Manipulatives • Place cotton balls, a container such as a cool whip tub, and tongs (salad tongs, for example) in a small dish pan. Children will enjoy picking up the cotton balls with the tongs and placing them in the container. Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 12 Snow and Ice - Revised
Sand table or tub • Hide animals in the sand (snow) • Invite children to look for the animals in the snow ______Water table or tub • Add ice cubes to the water in the water table. Discuss with the children how the water feels. ______Science/Discovery Center
Activity: Weather Duck • Place the weather duck from the “Rain” topic of study in the center. • Invite the children to visit the center and dress the duck for cold and snowy weather. • Join children as they play in the center and ask them questions such as, “It is snowing outside. What should Weather Duck wear?”
Refer to “What Happens to Snow?” and “What Happens to Ice?” Activities from the Science/Discovery and Math section ______Quiet Corner • Create a quiet corner in your classroom; a place where children can go to be alone and to get away from the stresses of group living. • Place soft items in the quiet corner. Carpet on the floor, soft pillows, and soft and cuddly stuffed animals or dolls are examples. • Discuss with children when they might want to go to the quiet corner. When they are angry and need to get away from the source of their anger? When they are sad and need to be alone? When the room gets too noisy and they need a quiet spot? • Explain to children that the quiet corner is for one child at a time.
Teacher Note: Make sure this area can be supervised by the adults in the classroom at all times.
Snowball Wand • Insert a 3/8” dowel stick (12” in length) into a 3” white Styrofoam ball. • Use the snowball wand to gently touch a child on the shoulder to send to another activity. ______
Transition Mitten Match Activities • Make mittens from different colors of construction paper. Make enough mittens for each child, plus a set of all colors for yourself. Have at least three mittens the same color. • Distribute one mitten to each child. • Hold up a red mitten, for example, and say “Everyone who has a red mitten can: get your coat and come back to the circle to put on your coat and get help with the fasteners.” Or choose a learning center.” • Continue this activity until each child has been directed to the next activity.
Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 13 Snow and Ice - Revised
Who Is Wearing This? • Say, “Who is wearing …?” and describe an article of clothing by color, design or pattern, for example. “Who is wearing a red sweater with blue reindeer on it?” Children will identify the child by name. • Send the identified child to the next activity
Send home a note to families stating that for the next few days, the children will be learning about snow and ice. Suggest some ways families can be involved in the topic of study. • Collect and bring to the center pictures of snowy scenes from magazines and calendars or even family pictures. • Take their children outdoors after a snow. Involve them in making snowballs and a snowman. Let them make angels in the snow. Family • Take photos of their child playing in the snow and bring them to the center to Activities share with the other children. • Include the titles and authors of some of the children’s books about snow. Suggest that they look for these books in the local library, check them out and read them with their child. • Send home a copy of one or two of the finger plays or songs and ask families to sing the song or say the finger play with their child.
Adventures in Learning - # 6 Physical and Earth Science 14 Snow and Ice - Revised
Weekly Plan Sheet Week of Topic of Study Snow and Ice Teacher(s) Day and Big Group Time #1 Group Time #2 Small Group Activities Transition Activities Special Activities Idea(s) Monday FP: The Robin – p. 7 FP: When the Snow Is on the Ground - p. 7 Introduction: Finding out Froggy’s Clothing Who Is Wearing This I Can Balance – p. 11 What Children Know about First Reading of Froggy Makes Sounds – p. 8 - p. 14 Snow and Ice – p. 2 Gets Dressed – p. 3
FP or Song When the Snow FP or Song: I’m a Little Is on the Ground – p. 7 Snowman - p. 7 Tuesday FP: The Snowman – p. 7 FP: Winter Weather– p. 7
Read: Poem – “One Stormy First Reading of The Snowy Is It a Mitten or Is It a MittenMatch–p.13 ICanFreeze-p.12 Night” – p. 5 Day – p. 3 Glove? – p. 9 FP or Song: Walking in the FP or Song: The Robin – Snow – p. 8 p. 7
Wednesday FP: Mitten Weather – p. 8 FP: When the Snow Is on the Ground – p. 7 Second Reading of Froggy What happens to ice Gets Dressed – p. 3 First Reading of OH!! – p. 4 “or” Snowball Wand – p. 13 I Can Skate on Ice – What happens to snow? p. 11 FP or Song:When the Snow Is on the Ground – p. 7 FP or Song: I’m a Little - p.10 Snowman – p. 7 Thursday FP: The Robin – p. 7 FP: Winter Weather – p. 7
Storytelling figures - The Second Reading of OH!! – Snowy Day – p. 5 p. 4 Which hat do I wear? Mitten Match – p. 13 Frozen Juice on a Stick - p. 10 p. 11 FP or Song: Mitten Weather FP or Song: I’m a Little – p. 8 Snowman – p. 7 Friday FP: The Snowman – p. 7 FP: The Robin – p. 7
Third Reading of Froggy Conclusion: Finding out Gets Dressed – p. 3 What Children Know have Shaving Cream (Snow) Snowball Wand – p. 13 learned about Snow and Ice - p. 12 FP or Song: Walking in the – p. 2 Snow – p. 8 FP or Song: Mitten Weather – p. 8 Changes to the Environment (Props, materials added to Centers) Dramatic Play / Art Blocks Books Manipulatives Sand / Water Science / Discovery Home Living White chalk, black Container of cotton Add books, storytelling Winter Weather Cotton balls & Tongs – Water - Add ice cubes Add Weather Duck paper, catalogs - p. 12 balls to move/haul in figures, felt or dramatic play box – ex: salad tongs – p. 12 – p. 13 and accessories – trucks – p. 12 magnetic board p. 12 Mitten Match – p. 13 p. 13 Sand - Hide animals in sand – p. 13
Topic of Study – Water in Our World
Water and children are a natural. For children in Arkansas there are endless possibilities available to them as they embark on a study of water. They all experience the use of water in their daily lives. Many children are familiar with bodies of water, whether it is a lake, pond, river, creek, stream, bayou, swimming pool, or the annual family vacation to the Gulf coast. Water sports and recreation are a vital part of the lives of many Arkansas families. Best of all, water is a free and readily available resource for learning. Introduction
Here are three big ideas about water that you can help children explore:
Water has many uses in our daily life
Water can be liquid, solid or steam
Water sports and recreation are fun Big Ideas
• Pictures that include uses for water, water sports and recreation, bodies of water • Children’s books about water: Water by Frank Asch Mr. Gumpy’s Outing by John Burningham Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion, illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham • Locate at A Story a Month on the Arkansas Better Chance website: Storytelling figures (felt or magnetic) for the book, Harry the Dirty Dog Materials to Storytelling figures (felt or magnetic) for the book, Mr. Gumpy’s Outing Collect and Storytelling figures (felt or magnetic) for the Mother Goose Rhyme, Jack and Jill • Illustrated Jack and Jill Nursery Rhyme Chart Make • Illustrated Little Turtle Poetry Chart • Name cards for each child – On 4” x 6” or 5” x 8” index cards, print each child’s name. Use upper case for first letter and lower case for other letters. (Example: Joseph) Laminate or cover the cards with clear self-adhesive paper for durability. • Wave bottle – A large clear soap refill bottle works well. Fill the bottle to ½ full with water. Add blue food coloring. Add baby oil to fill the bottle. Seal bottle securely so children cannot open it. • Glitter bottle – Fill a bottle half full with colored glitter. Add water to the top of the bottle. Seal bottle securely so children cannot open it. • Tea Party Dramatic Play Prop Box: Collect an unbreakable teapot, cups, a lacy tablecloth (can be plastic), napkins, and two or three empty boxes that previously contained different kinds of tea bags or leaves. Label the box “Tea Party.” • Harry the Dirty Dog Prop Box: Collect a stuffed dog, a brush, a small dishpan and a towel. Label the box “Harry the Dirty Dog.”
Adventures in Learning - #6 Physical and Earth Science 1 Water in Our World - Revised
• Check with your local library for the availability of children’s books • Children’s books can be purchased online, from school supply catalogs or local book stores Contact the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education for the following materials or locate at A Story a Month on the Arkansas Better Beginnings website.
A Story a Month – Mr. Gumpy’s Outing (patterns for storytelling figures) A Story a Month – Harry the Dirty Dog (patterns for storytelling figures) Resources A Story a Month (Nursery Rhymes)
Introduction: Finding out what children know about “Water”
Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 5.8 Participates in group discussion
To introduce the topic of study, “Water,” you need to know what children already know about the topic. This allows you to build on your children’s experiences. It also helps create an Introducing interest in the topic. Here’s how to begin. and • Gather the children together in a group. Say, “For the next few days we’re going to Concluding be learning about water.” the Topic • Write on chart paper, chalk board or marker board the word “Water.” • Invite children to tell you things they already know about water. You may have to ask questions to stimulate their thinking; questions such as “What are some things you like about water? What is your favorite thing to do with water?” • Make a list of all of the things children know about water. • Review the list with them and say, “You already know a lot of things about water and we’ll find out even more.” • Keep the list until you have completed the topic of study. ______
Conclusion: Finding out what children have learned about water
• Gather the children in a group at the conclusion of the study about water. • Write on chart paper, chalk board or marker board “Things We Learned About Water”. • Invite children to tell you some things they have learned about water. You may have to ask prompt questions such as “What are some ways we use water at home and in the classroom?” “What are some ways we can have fun in water?” “What do we call water when it is frozen?” • Make a list of all the things children learned about water. • Read the first list you made with the children. Then say, “Here are some new things you found out about water” and read today’s list with them.
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Benchmark: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them
Book #1: Water by Frank Asch, author and illustrator
First Reading of Water
• Prepare to read the book, Water. • Show the cover, give title, author and illustrator. Explain that the author is the person Reading who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures. Books with • Ask the children to predict what they think the book is about. • Children Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Clarify and help children understand words with which they might not be familiar: dew and brook, for example. • Show the front cover after reading the book and ask children to look at it very carefully. Discuss with children what they see on the cover: fish of all colors and sizes, a turtle, a big sail boat with a small sail boat behind it, for example. • Explain that they are now going to look at the pictures in the book together to see if they can find a picture that is like the one on the cover. • Turn each page and ask, “Is this page like the cover?” Continue until you come to the page like the one on the cover, except it is bigger. (It is the page that has “Water is what fish breathe.”) The children should recognize it as being like the cover. • Invite children to name what they see on the page, then show the cover and children can again name what they see there. Congratulate them for finding the page that is like the cover. Additional Benchmark: 5.3 Expands vocabulary ______
Second Reading of Water • Have a small bottle partially filled with water and a small bowl with ice cubes nearby, but out of sight of children. • Show cover and invite children to recall the title of the book. Give author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by returning to the first page. Read “Water is rain.” Invite children to recall with you some of the things they remember about rain. Then read the page, “Water is ice and snow” and invite children to recall some of the things they remember about snow and ice. • Show and let the children examine the bottle of water and the bowl of ice. Ask them how ice and water are different. Help them use the word “solid” for ice and “liquid” for water. They may notice that the ice is melting and becoming water, or “liquid.” • Ask the children what they think will happen if the ice cubes are put on the science/discovery table and what will happen if the bottle of water is put in the freezer. • Write their predictions on a chart sheet or a chalk or marker board. For example, they may say, “The ice will melt.” and “The water will freeze.” Remember to write exactly what the children say. This is how children learn about science; by predicting what will happen and following up to see if their predictions were correct. • Tell the children that you will leave the ice cubes on the science/discovery table and put the bottle of water in the freezer. Suggest that they watch the ice cubes to see what happens and state that you will bring the bottle of water from the freezer out later for children to examine. • Follow up with the children and guide them to discuss what happened to the ice cubes (they melted and became liquid) and to the bottle of water (it froze and became solid).
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Additional Benchmarks: 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing) 3.21 Uses words to describe the characteristics of objects (scientific process: communicating) 3.22 Makes comparisons (scientific process: comparing) ______Small Group Activity: “I Spy” with the book Water • Gather a small group of children, 3 to 5, and seat them so they can all see the pages of the book, Water. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Invite the children to play “I Spy” with you. • Turn to the double page spread near the end of the book. This page has no words, but has lots of scenes of water and its many uses. Make sure all the children can see the page. • Say to the children, “I spy a man washing his car. Do you spy him, too?” “I spy a boy taking a bath with his hat on. Do you spy him, too?” • Continue with this game until children have helped you spy all of the water scenes.
Additional Benchmark: 3.4 Demonstrates visual discrimination skills and visual memory skills ______Book #2: Mr. Gumpy’s Outing by John Burningham, author and illustrator
First Reading of Mr. Gumpy’s Outing • Prepare to read the book Mr. Gumpy’s Outing. • Show the cover, give the title and author. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Ask children if they know what an “outing” is. Explain that an outing is something you do like taking a walk in the woods or riding in a boat like Mr. Gumpy and his friends are doing. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. Stop and explain words which may not be familiar to children. For example, explain that “squabble” is like quarreling or not getting along with each other. “Trample” is to walk on something with heavy feet. • Review the book by asking questions such as, “Do you remember where Mr. Gumpy lives?” “After everyone falls in the water, where did Mr. Gumpy and his friends go?” • Show the last page with everyone having tea. Ask the children to identify the animals at the table. Ask them what they think it would be like to have tea with these animals . Additional Benchmark: 5.3 Expands vocabulary ______Second Reading of Mr. Gumpy’s Outing • Show the cover, give the title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by inviting the children to help you read the book by saying some of the words. • Begin to read, pausing before the end of a sentence. Encourage the children to complete the sentence. For example, show the first page and read, “This is ______(Mr. Gumpy.)” “Mr. Gumpy owned a boat and his house was by a ______(river)” • Involve the children in using the words in the book to describe the actions of the different characters; for example, the goat kicked, the calf trampled, the pig mucked about. Additional Benchmark: 5.3 Expands vocabulary Adventures in Learning - #6 Physical and Earth Science 4 Water in Our World - Revised
Book #3: Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion, illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham
First Reading of Harry the Dirty Dog • Prepare to read the book, Harry the Dirty Dog. • Determine if any of the children have dogs as pets. If so, do they wash them? • Show the cover, give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Ask the children to look at the two pictures on the cover and describe how the dogs are alike and different. (Alike: same size, standing the same way. Different: one is white with black spots and the other is black with white spots) • Ask the children if they think that the same dog is in both pictures. Accept their answers and say, “Let’s read and find out.” • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Show the cover again and ask children if Harry is in both pictures and why they say he is. (In one he’s clean and in the other he’s dirty.) • Ask the children how Harry kept from taking a bath. Show the picture of Harry burying the brush in the yard. • Involve children in discussing how they feel about taking baths. Do they like baths? Why do they like or not like baths? How would they keep from taking a bath? What could they hide? ______
Second Reading of Harry the Dirty Dog • Begin by asking the children if they have a dog and if they give it a bath. Allow brief discussion about children’s experiences bathing their dogs. • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by showing the pages where Harry played and got dirty. Invite the children to retell the story by describing what is happening on each page that causes Harry to get dirty. • Invite the children to discuss some of the things they do to get dirty and what their families say when they see them so dirty. ______
Third Reading of Harry the Dirty Dog • Show cover. Ask children to recall the name of the book. Give author and illustrator. Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the third reading by showing the page where Harry got back home. • Ask the children if Harry looks the same as he did when he left home. How is he different? • Review what the family said when they saw Harry and how he tried to show the family he really was Harry. Show the pictures • Ask the children how they think Harry felt when the family didn’t recognize him. • Involve the children in discussing what happened to cause the family to recognize Harry. Show the pictures. • Ask the children how they think Harry felt when the family finally recognized him.
Additional Benchmark: 1.27 Identifies and understands others’ emotions and intentions
Adventures in Learning - #6 Physical and Earth Science 5 Water in Our World - Revised
Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen
Swimmy by Leo Lionni
Better Not Get Wet, Jesse Bear by Nancy White Carlstrom, illustrated by Bruce Degen
Additional Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andreae, illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees Books
Benchmark: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them
Storytelling Figures: Mr. Gumpy’s Outing
• Make felt or magnetic story figures for the book, Mr. Gumpy’s Outing • Use the figures and a felt or magnetic board to tell the story to the children • Tell the children that the story figures and board will be placed in the book area. • Review with the children the correct way to use the story figures. For example: Language Two children at a time use the figures to tell the story Materials Keep the figures on the board or in the storage container and • Spend time in the library/book area helping children use the story figures correctly. Activities ______Storytelling Figures: Harry the Dirty Dog
• Make felt or magnetic story figures for the book, Harry the Dirty Dog • Follow the same procedures as listed for Mr. Gumpy’s Outing ______Benchmark: 5.1 Demonstrates phonological awareness (hearing and recognizing the sounds of language) 5.5 Participates in songs, finger plays, rhyming activities and games
Six Little Ducks See the Topic of Study “Rain” for the words and motions to this song
Teacher Note: Children enjoy repeating favorite songs such as this one. ______Jack and Jill
Jack and Jill went up the hill To fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down And broke his crown And Jill came tumbling after.
• Make felt or magnetic figures for the rhyme, “Jack and Jill”.
• Say this Mother Goose Rhyme with the children as you place the felt or magnetic figures on the storyboard. Ask children if they can think of another word for “pail.” The children may come up with “bucket” for example. Ask the children what they think the word “crown” means. Explain that in this rhyme, crown means “head.” They also may need to understand that “fetch” means to “get” a pail of water.
• Repeat the rhyme and invite children to join you in saying it. Repeat it on other days.
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• Place the felt or magnetic figures and storyboard in the library/book area and allow children to use the figures. Observe them and listen to see if they say the rhyme.
• Make an illustrated chart for the rhyme “Jack and Jill.” • Show the chart and invite children to say the rhyme. • Post the chart on the wall in the library area and observe to see if children look at the chart and say the rhyme.
Additional Benchmark: 5.3 Expands vocabulary ______Counting Rhyme
One, two, three, four, five, (Hold up 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 fingers on one hand) I caught a fish alive. Six, seven, eight, nine, ten (Hold up fingers on other hand) I let it go again. Why did I let him go? Because he bit my finger so. ______Little Turtle
There was a little turtle (Make small circle with thumb and index finger) He lived in a box. (Cup hands to form box) He swam in a puddle (Swimming motions) He climbed on the rocks. (Climbing motion with hands) He snapped at a mosquito, (Snap with thumb and forefinger) He snapped at a flea. (Repeat) He snapped at a minnow, (Repeat) He snapped at me. (Turn hand toward self and snap) He caught that mosquito, (Catching motion with hands) He caught that flea, (Repeat) He caught that minnow, (Repeat) But he didn’t catch me. (Point to self and shake head, “No!”)
• Make an illustrated “Little Turtle” poetry chart. • Show the chart to the children and invite them to say the poem with you. • Post the chart on the wall in the library area and observe to see if children look at it and say the poem. ______Five Little Speckled Frogs
Five little speckled frogs (Hold up five fingers) Sitting on a speckled log Eating some most delicious bugs. Yum! Yum! (Pat stomach) One jumped into the pool, (Jump one finger into pool) Where it was nice and cool. Now there are four little speckled frogs (Hold up four fingers) Burr-ump!
Repeat counting down until there are no little speckled frogs.
Repeat the song using felt or magnetic figures of frogs and log.
Adventures in Learning - #6 Physical and Earth Science 7 Water in Our World - Revised
Repeat the song allowing children to be frogs.
• Have five children at a time stoop down in a row and be speckled frogs. . • Sing the song and as you sing “One jumped into the pool” lightly touch one child on the head to designate that he is to jump into the pool. • Continue this until no children are left. • Repeat the song until all children who want to participate have had a turn being frogs.
Teacher Note: Designate how and where children are to jump so that the activity is easy for you to manage. ______The Goat on the Boat Kicked, Kicked, Kicked! (Sing to tune of Wheels on the Bus)
The goat on the boat kicked, kicked, kicked. Kicked, kicked, kicked, kicked, kicked, kicked. The goat on the boat kicked, kicked, kicked. As they rode along.
The calf on the boat trampled, trampled, trampled. (Repeat as above)
The chickens on the boat flapped, flapped, flapped (Repeat as above)
The sheep on the boat went bleat, bleat, bleat (Repeat as above)
The pig on the boat mucked about (Repeat as above)
The dog on the boat teased the cat (Repeat as above)
The cat on the boat chased the rabbit (Repeat as above)
The rabbit on the boat hopped, hopped, hopped (Repeat as above)
The children on the boat squabbled, squabbled, squabbled (Repeat as above)
The boat tipped over and they fell in the water Fell in the water, fell in the water The boat tipped over and they fell in the water And they all got wet.
They went to the house and all had tea, All had tea, all had tea. They went to the house and all had tea, All had tea together.
Teacher Note: Add each felt or magnetic figure to the storyboard as it is mentioned in the song.
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This Is the Way (Sing to tune of Mulberry Bush and match actions to words)
This is the way we wash our face, wash our face, wash our face. This is the way we wash our face so early in the morning.
• This is the way we wash our hands, etc.
• This is the way we brush our teeth, etc.
• This is the way we wash our hair, etc.
• This is the way we wash our car, etc.
• This is the way we mop the floor, etc.
Teacher Note: Invite children to contribute by adding additional items to wash. ______Benchmarks: 5.8 Participates in group discussion 5.9 Uses language to problem solve 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message
Activity: We Use Water Every Day
• Gather chart paper and markers, or use marker or chalk board. • Present this situation to the children: What if we had no water in our classroom? • Allow several responses. • Invite children to identify the different ways water is used in our classroom each day. Examples: wash hands, flush toilet, wash dishes, play in, mix paints, mop floor, drink • Record their responses on chart paper. • Invite children to help you read back what they have said.
Teacher Note: Consider repeating this activity, changing it by asking children to discuss the different ways water is used in their homes.
Benchmarks: 3.19 Shows interest in exploring the environment 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing) 3.21 Uses words to describe the characteristics of objects (scientific process: communicating) 3.22 Makes comparisons (scientific process: comparing) 3.23 Shows awareness of cause – effect relationships Science / Discovery Activity: What holds water? (Small Group Activity – 3 to 4 children) and Math • Gather items such as measuring cups, slotted spoon, aquarium nets, small pitchers, sieve strainer, margarine tubs, soup ladle, funnels and detergent scoops. • Prepare a water table or dishpan 1/3 full of water. • Provide plastic aprons or old shirts for children to wear and sponges and/or towels for cleaning up water spills. • Make a chart with two columns. Head one column “Will Hold Water” and the other, “Will Not Hold Water.”
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• Show the children one item at a time, help them name the item, and ask them to predict which item will hold water and which will not. Record their predictions on the chart in the correct column.
Will Hold Water Will Not Hold Water measuring cup aquarium net
• Place the items in the water table or tub. • Allow children to experiment with the items, observing them as they play with them in the water. Listen to their comments. • Ask a child to retrieve from the water table a specific item such as a measuring cup and read from the chart, “You predicted that the measuring cup would hold water. Was your prediction correct?” • Repeat this process with each item in the “Will Hold Water” column. • Focus on the “Will Not Hold Water” column next and repeat the process. • Ask children to explain why some of the items did not hold water. (holes) ______Activity: Sink or Float • Gather objects such as a cork, small plastic scoop/cup, Ping-Pong ball, golf ball, toy car, clothespin, key and rock. • Prepare a Sink or Float chart and laminate it or cover it with clear adhesive paper.
Sink Float
• Prepare a water table or dishpan 1/3 full of water. • Provide plastic aprons or shirts for children to wear, sponges, and towels for wiping up splashes and spills. • Introduce the chart and assorted objects to the children. Hold up one item at a time and allow the children to predict if they think the object will sink or float by a thumbs up or thumbs down sign. Lay the items on the chart in the appropriate column. • Allow the children time to examine and experiment with the objects to test their predictions and see if the items sink or float. • Extend the activity by allowing children to pick up items with tongs or aquarium nets as they experiment in water play.
Teacher Note: If the term “float” is new to the children, explain it as objects that stay “on top of the water” or do not “go to the bottom.” At this level no attempt should be made to deal with the complexities of why objects float or sink.
Teacher Note: When introducing this activity, assure all children that they will have an opportunity to play the “Sink or Float” game and plan so that all children have a turn. ______Activity: Making Goop (Small Group: 4 to 6 children)
• Gather cornstarch, water, bowl, spoon, food coloring (optional) • Introduce the ingredients cornstarch and water to the children. • Invite the children to feel the cornstarch and discuss how it feels. • Allow the children to help measure equal parts of cornstarch and water and pour into a bowl. • Allow the children to take turns stirring with a spoon, then mixing with their hands.
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• Provide time for each child to manipulate the goop. • Encourage the children to discuss how the goop feels, and what they can do with it. • Extend the activity by making three batches of goop; one red, one yellow and one blue. • Allow children to mix small amounts of yellow and blue goop with their hands and observe what they say as they make green. Continue the process using blue and red to make purple, and red and yellow to make orange ______Benchmarks: 3.13 Demonstrates one-to-one correspondence 3.15 Demonstrates an understanding of number (how many) and numeral (3 is a numeral) relationship
Activity: Catching Six Little Ducks (Small Group Activity: 3-5 children)
• Create 6 cards with a numeral, from 1 to 6 on each card. Laminate or cover the cards with clear adhesive paper. • Place six small rubber ducks and an aquarium net in the water table. • Show a numeral card and invite a child to place the correct number of ducks on the card. • Repeat this with the other children. • Help children be successful with this activity
Teacher Note: Consider making two sets of numeral cards. On one set, write the numeral and draw a corresponding number of ducks on the card. Invite the children to place each duck on a drawing. This is for children who may be ready to demonstrate one-to-one correspondence, but do not yet understand number (how many) and numeral (3 is a numeral) relationship. 2 2
OR
Benchmark: 4.12 Shows balance and coordination
Activity: Crossing the Alligator River
• Create a log across the alligator river with a balance beam or strip of masking tape about 10’ long. • Have children sit on either side of the log. • Explain to children they are going to pretend that the balance board or tape is a log Movement/ on which they must walk in order to cross the alligator river. Physical • Invite the children, one at a time, to walk across the alligator river.
Education Teacher Note: Assist children who need help with balancing by holding their hand as they walk, for example. As children become skilled at balancing, suggest that they vary their movement by walking forward, backward, or sideways across the river. ______Benchmark: 4.11 Runs, jumps, hops and skips
Activity: Jumping the Creek • Place two pieces of rope (5-6’ lengths) parallel on the floor or ground. Explain to children that this is a creek. • Invite children, one at a time, to jump over the ropes • Increase the distance between the ropes as children become more skilled at jumping. Adventures in Learning - #6 Physical and Earth Science 11 Water in Our World - Revised
Teacher Note: Refer to the topic of study, “Rain,” for information on jumping techniques. Extend the activity by using carpet squares (placed on top of a carpeted surface to lessen the chance of the carpet sliding) to represent stepping stones that go from one side of the creek to the other. One at a time, children jump from one stone to another until they reach the other side. ______Benchmarks: 4.9 Participates in gross motor activities 1.19 Works cooperatively with others
Activity: Row Your Boat Row, Row, Row Your Boat Row, row, row your boat, Gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, Life is but a dream.
• Introduce the song, Row, Row, Row Your Boat, to the children and sing it with them a couple of times. • Determine what children know about rowing. For example, ask the children, “If your boat doesn’t have a motor, or your motor quits, how will you get to shore?” Introduce paddles as what we row with. Have a real paddle or a picture of one to show children. • Explain that rowing takes two people working together. Have the children sit on the floor in pairs with their feet together and holding hands. Invite them to rock back and forth, keeping in rhythm with the tune as you sing. • Speed up the tempo, singing “Hurry down the stream.”
Benchmark: 2.10 Explores and manipulates art media
Art Center
Activity: Harry the Dirty Dog Art • Provide black and white paint, brushes and large sheets of paper at the easel. • Cut out black and white circles of different sizes and put them in a container. Show them to the children and explain that they will be available in the art center for them Learning to use in their creations. Centers Activity: Water Mural • Invite children to create a wall mural about water. Provide a long strip (6’) of butcher paper, nature magazines, scissors and glue. Explain that they can look through the magazines, find pictures about water, and glue them to the paper. Children who are inexperienced in using scissors can be helped to tear them out or you may want to cut out a selection of pictures in advance.
Teacher Note: Label the mural “Water.” Invite children to dictate a sentence about their pictures. Post the mural on the wall at child’s eye level. This activity may take place over several days so that each child has an opportunity to contribute. This is a “child choice” activity, not an activity where all of the children sit at the table and do this activity at the same time.
Activity: Watercolor Paints • Provide watercolor paints, fine paint brushes, paper and water in small cups. Introduce the paint to the children and demonstrate how to rinse brushes between colors. Allow children to experiment with the paints. Adventures in Learning - #6 Physical and Earth Science 12 Water in Our World - Revised
Teacher Note: Add different types of paper for watercolor painting. For example: newsprint, coffee filters (shaped like fluted-edged baskets and flattened into circles), poster board or card stock. Call children’s attention to the different rates of absorption that occurs.
Activity: Crayon Wash • Provide children with wax crayons, white paper and blue watercolor or tempera paint. Invite them to create a design or picture with the wax crayons. Encourage them to color solid areas, “pressing down really hard.” Ask children to use a large brush to cover the entire surface of the paper with the blue paint.
Teacher Note: The waxy crayons will repel or turn away the water, which settles in between the crayon designs. This looks like water.
Teacher Note: Keep in mind that your role is to provide the materials and make sure children know the proper way to use them. Allow the children to use the materials in their own creative way. ______Block Center • Add toy boats to block center. Post pictures of bridges over water. Add blue paper or a blue towel for water. • Make heavy cardboard paddles (18” in length) and place in block center. Introduce paddles to children and discuss their use and how to play safely with them. • Place a life jacket in the block center. ______Library/Book Corner • Add books about water. • Add pictures of water (laminate or cover pictures with self stick adhesive) • Add felt or magnetic board and story figures of the stories, Mr. Gumpy’s Outing and Harry the Dirty Dog, and the rhyme, Jack and Jill ______Benchmarks: 2.1 Shows creativity and imagination in play with materials and props 2.2 Participates in dramatic play themes that become more involved and complex 2.3 Assumes various roles in dramatic play
Home Living/Dramatic Play • Place a life jacket in the home living/dramatic play center after introducing it to children in either large or small group. Invite the children to share what they know about life jackets. Discuss with them the importance of wearing the jackets when they are on a boat or near water, for example. • Add the Harry the Dirty Dog Prop Box to the home living area. • Add the Tea Party Prop Box to the home living area. Keep the box in the area throughout the study of the topic or as long as the children enjoy it. It can always be added at another time. ______Benchmarks: 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of objects and to collect data (scientific process: observing) 3.22 Makes comparisons (scientific process: comparing) 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships
Sand Table or Tub • Place props such as gelatin molds, muffin tins, cookie cutters, and measuring cups in sand area. • Introduce the props to children and ask them to predict what they think will happen if Adventures in Learning - #6 Physical and Earth Science 13 Water in Our World - Revised
water is added to the sand. • Allow the children to add water to the dry sand so that it is damp enough for children to make molds with the props • Observe as children use props in the damp sand. ______Water Table or Tub • Place items such as egg beater, wire whisk and plastic squeeze bottles in the water table/tub and allow children to explore with them.. • Invite children to predict what they think will happen as you prepare to add soap flakes to the water table/tub. Add soap flakes. Listen to and observe children and invite them to discuss what is happening as they use the egg beater, wire whisk and plastic bottles in the soapy water. • Add a washable dog and a brush to the water table. • Add small plastic boats to the water table. • Add foam or rubber alphabet letters and an aquarium net to the water table. Involve children in fishing for the alphabet and naming the letters they catch.
Additional Benchmark: 3.7 Identifies letters and signs in the environment ______Science/Discovery • Add the wave bottle and invite children to move it and shake it and watch the waves in the bottle. • Add glitter bottle and invite children to shake it and see what happens. • Collect four or five clear water bottles of same size. Remove labels. Add different amounts of water to each one, from empty to full. Mix up the bottles and ask children to put them in order from empty to full.
Additional Benchmark: 3.14 Demonstrates the ability to order and sequence ______Quiet Corner • Create a quiet corner in your classroom; a place where children can go to be alone and to get away from the stresses of group living. • Place soft items in the quiet corner. Carpet on the floor, soft pillows, and soft and cuddly stuffed animals or dolls are examples. • Discuss with children when they might want to go to the quiet corner. When they are angry and need to get away from the source of their anger? When they are sad and need to be alone? When the room gets too noisy and they need a quiet spot? • Explain to children that the quiet corner is for one child at a time.
Teacher Note: Make sure this area can be supervised by the adults in the classroom at all times. Activity: Good Listening Mist
• Take a clean spray bottle, fill it with water and put the tiniest drop of mint or cinnamon flavoring in it. (Please check for allergies first). • When the children are ready to listen, point the spray at the ceiling and let the mist fall down on the children lightly with a lovely smell. ------Activity: Name Card Transition • Use name cards for transition times. For example, show a name card and help child Activities identify his/her name, then go to the next activity. • Continue this with all children.
Teacher Note: Children will quickly learn to recognize own and other’s name cards.
Adventures in Learning - #6 Physical and Earth Science 14 Water in Our World - Revised
Send home a note to families stating that for the next few days, the children will be learning about water. Suggest some ways families can be involved in the topic of study: • Collect and bring to the center pictures of water scenes from sources such as magazines and calendars or family pictures. • Include the titles and authors of some of the children’s books about water. Suggest that families look for these books in the local library, check them out and read them with their child. Family • Invite parents to bring a life jacket for children to use in dramatic play. Activities ______
Send home water safety information such as: • NEVER leave children unattended around water. This includes children in the bathtub. • ALWAYS put on life jackets if you are in a boat.
Adventures in Learning - #6 Physical and Earth Science 15 Water in Our World - Revised
Weekly Plan Sheet Week of Topic of Study Water in Our World Teacher(s) Day and Big Group Time #1 Group Time #2 Small Group Activities Transition Activities Special Activities Idea(s) Monday FP: Counting Rhyme – p. 7 FP: Jack and Jill– p. 6
Introduction: Finding out First Reading of Water – what children know about p. 3 We Use Water Every Day Good Listening Mist – Jumping the Creek water – p. 2 - p. 9 p. 14 - p. 11 FP or Song: Five Little FP or Song: Six Little Ducks Speckled Frogs – p. 7 – p. 6 Tuesday FP: Jack and Jill –p. 6 FP: Counting Rhyme – p. 7
First Reading of Mr. Little Turtle – p. 7 Crossing the Alligator Gumpy’s Outing – p. 4 Whatholdswater? -p.9 NameCard –p.14 River – p. 11 FP or Song: The Goat on FP or Song: Six Little Ducks the Boat Kicked, Kicked, – p. 6 Kicked! – p. 8 Wednesday FP: Little Turtle - p. 7 FP: Jack and Jill– p. 6
Second Reading of Water – First Reading of Harry the p. 3 Dirty Dog – p. 5 Sink or Float – p. 10 Good Listening Mist – Row Your Boat – p. 12 p. 14 FP or Song: Five Little FP or Song: This Is the Way Speckled Frogs – p. 7 – p. 9 Thursday FP: Jack and Jill –p. 6 FP: Counting Rhyme – p. 7
Second Reading of Mr. Storytelling Figures: Mr. Gumpy’s Outing – p. 4 Gumpy’s Outing – p. 6 “I Spy” with the book Name Card – p. 14 Crossing the Alligator Water – p. 4 River – p. 11 FP or Song: The Goat on FP or Song: Six Little Ducks the Boat Kicked, Kicked, – p. 6 Kicked! – p. 8 Friday FP or Song: This Is the Way FP: Counting Rhyme – p. 7 – p. 9 Second Reading of Harry Conclusion: Finding out the Dirty Dog – p. 5 what children have learned Making Goop – p. 10 Good Listening Mist – about water –p. 2 p. 13 FP or Song: Five Little Speckled Frogs – p. 7 Little Turtle – p. 7 Changes to the Environment (Props, materials added to Centers) Dramatic Play / Art Blocks Books Home Living Manipulatives Sand / Water Science / Discovery Water Mural, Harry the Add toy boats, Add books, storytelling Add Tea Party prop Water - add props – Add wave bottle, glitter Dirty Dog Art – p. 12 cardboard paddles – figures, felt or box, Harry the Dirty p. 14, Catching Six bottle, water bottle – Crayon Wash – p. 13 p. 13 magnetic storyboard Dog prop box, life Little Ducks – p. 11 p. 14 jackets Sand - add props – p. 13 Weekly Plan Sheet Week of Topic of Study Rain, Snow & Ice and Water in Our World Review Week Teacher(s) Day and Big Group Time #1 Group Time #2 Small Group Activities Transition Activities Special Activities Idea(s) Monday FP: Falling Raindrops FP: Rain, Rain Go Away! - p.8 - p. 6 Is it loud? Is it soft? Let Your Hands Go Clap, Jumping Into Puddles – Third Reading of In the Rain Illustrated Song Charts: - p. 9 Clap, Clap – p. 14 p. 12 Rain with Baby Duck – p. 3 “Baby Duck’s Mad Song” and “Baby Duck’s Happy Song” – FP or Song:Wheels on the p. 5 Bus – p. 6 Tuesday FP: Mitten Weather – p. 8 FP: Winter Weather – p. 7
Froggy’s Clothing Mitten Match – p. 13 I Can Freeze – p. 12 Second Reading of Froggy Second Reading of OH! – Makes Sounds – p. 8 Snow and Gets Dressed – p. 3 p. 4 Ice FP or Song:When the Snow FP or Song: I’m a Little Is on the Ground – p. 7 Snowman – p. 7 Wednesday FP: Winter Weather – p. 7 FP: The Robin –p. 7
Second Reading of The Storytelling figures - The Snowy Day – p. 3 Snowy Day – p. 5 Snow and FunintheSnow–p.5 SnowballWand–p.13 ICanFreeze–p.12 Ice FP or Song: The Robin FP or Song: Mitten Weather - p. 7 – p. 8 Thursday FP: Jack and Jill –p. 6 FP: Counting Rhyme – p. 7
Third Reading of Harry the Storytelling Figures: Harry Crayon Wash – p. 13 Good Listening Mist Jumping the Creek Dirty Dog – p. 5 the Dirty Dog - p. 6 Water - p. 14 - p. 11 FP or Song: This Is the Way FP or Song: Five Little – p. 9 Speckled Frogs – p. 7 Friday FP or Song: This Is the Way FP: Counting Rhyme – p. 7 – p. 9 Second Reading of Mr. Storytelling Figures: Mr. Catching Six Little Name Card – p. 14 Crossing the Alligator Gumpy’s Outing – p. 4 Water Gumpy’s Outing – p. 6 Ducks - p. 11 River – p. 11 FP or Song: The Goat on FP or Song: Six Little Ducks the Boat Kicked, Kicked, – p. 6 Kicked! – p. 8 Changes to the Environment (Props, materials added to Centers) Art Blocks Books Dramatic Play / Manipulatives Sand / Water Science / Discovery Home Living Mural: water, Add container of Add books, storytelling Harry the Dirty Dog Mitten Match, cotton Water - Sink & Float Weather Duck, Mud watercolor painting cotton balls to figures, felt or prop box balls & tongs – ex: Bottle, Wave Bottle move/haul in trucks, magnetic storyboards salad tongs Sand - hide animals in toy boats sand Topic of Study – Air and Wind
Children have experiences with air every day. Air is all around them, but they can’t see it. However, they can see the effects of wind, which is air in motion. Children feel the wind blowing against their bodies. They hear the leaves rustling in the trees as the wind blows through them. Many children have played with balloons. They have blown soap bubbles. Some have watched with delight as they see a kite soaring in the air. Children are experiencing air and wind through their senses.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Balloons are excellent examples of air and wind. Introduction However, because balloons rank as one of the highest choking hazards for young children, we recommend that balloons NOT be used with preschool children at home or in the classroom!
Here are three big ideas about air and wind that you can help children explore:
Air is all around us, we just can’t see it.
Wind is air in motion. We can see, hear, and feel the impact of wind.
Wind is good for many things such as flying kites, blowing bubbles, drying clothes, Big Ideas and moving sailboats
• Pictures of windy scenes such as blowing bubbles, flying kites, leaves blowing, sailboats (laminate or cover with clear adhesive to preserve) • Chart sheet, marker board or chalk board and markers and chalk • Children’s books about wind and air: The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins Bubble Bubble by Mercer Mayer Materials to Gilberto and the Wind by Marie Hall Ets Collect and • Felt or magnetic board • Storytelling Figures for the book, The Wind Blew: (See Attachment: The Wind Make Blew) • Clothesline (6 feet long) • Clothespins (spring type) • Hand held fans from paper or cardboard, Oriental fans • Bubble wands or plastic rings from a six pack of drinks • Plastic squirt bottles (empty catsup, mustard or detergent dispensers that have been cleaned) • Small, clear plastic bottles, one per child • Collection of scarves • Shells and/or small stones for wind chimes (drill holes in them)
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 1 Air and Wind - Revised
• Check with your local library for the availability of children’s books.
• Children’s books can be purchased online, from school supply catalogs or local bookstores.
Resources
Introduction: Finding out what children know about air and wind
Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 5.8 Participates in group discussion
To introduce the topic of “Air and Wind,” you need to know what children already know about the topic. This allows you to build on your children’s experiences. It also helps create an interest in the topic. Here’s how to begin: Introducing and • Gather the children in a group. Say, “For the next few days we’re going to be Concluding learning about air and wind.” • Write on chart paper, chalk board or marker board the words “Air and Wind” the Topic • Invite children to tell you things they already know about air and wind. You may have to ask questions to stimulate their thinking: questions such as “Have you ever seen the wind?” “How can you tell if the wind is blowing?” • Make a list of all the things children know about air and wind. • Review the list with them and say, “You already know a lot of things about air and wind and we’ll find out even more.” • Keep the list until you have completed the topic of study. ______Conclusion: Finding out what children have learned about air and wind
• Gather the children in a group at the conclusion of the study about air and wind. • Write on chart paper, chalk board or marker board “Things We Learned about Air and Wind.” • Invite children to tell you some things they have learned about air and wind. You may have to ask prompt questions such as, “What are some things that wind can do?” • Make a list of all the things children learned about air and wind. • Read the first list you made with the children. Then say, “Here are some new things you found out about air and wind” and read today’s list with the children.
Benchmarks: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them
Book #1: The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins, author and illustrator
First Reading of The Wind Blew • Prepare to read the book, The Wind Blew. • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures) Reading • Ask children to look at cover and predict what story is about. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. Books with • Follow up with questions such as: “How do you think the people felt when the Children wind blew all their things away?” “Have you ever had the wind blow anything
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 2 Air and Wind - Revised
away from you?” Allow each child who wants a turn a brief time to discuss their experiences with the wind. ______
Second Reading of The Wind Blew • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by asking children to name the objects on each page that the wind blew. Point to the objects as children name them, always starting at the left and moving to the right. ______
Third Reading of The Wind Blew • Show cover. Invite children to recall the title of the book. Give author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the third reading by showing one page at a time and asking questions to get children to notice the picture on the page as a way to predict what will happen on the next page. Here are examples of how to ask the questions: Page 1: “What is the wind going to blow?” (umbrella) Turn the page: “What is the wind going to blow next?” (balloon) Turn the page: “What is the wind going to blow next?” (hat) • Continue with this activity until all of the objects have blown into the air. • Conclude the activity by showing the children the last two pages where the objects are mixed up and thrown down. Ask children, “Did everyone get back what the wind blew away from them?” Allow them to look at the last page and discuss what they see. ______Book #2: Gilberto and the Wind by Marie Hall Ets, author and illustrator
First Reading of Gilberto and the Wind • Prepare to read the book, Gilberto and the Wind. • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Say to the children, “The boy on the cover of the book is Gilberto. The story is about Gilberto and the wind. Why do you think Gilberto is holding on to his hat?” • Accept all of children’s answers and say, “Let’s read and find out more about Gilberto and the wind.” • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Read the book with expression. When you read that the wind whispers, whisper the words. When you come to the last page, read the words in a quiet and “tired” voice. • Follow up with questions such as, “Why do you think the wind and Gilberto were tired?” What were some things they did that made them tired?” “Do you think the wind can talk to you like it did to Gilberto?” “If the wind could talk to you, what do you think it would say?” ______Second Reading of Gilberto and the Wind • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by showing each page and asking children to describe what Gilberto and the wind are doing on that page. • Invite children to share some experiences they have had with the wind; experiences such as flying kites, blowing bubbles, and sailing sailboats. Additional Benchmark: 3.2 Uses picture cues to tell a story Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 3 Air and Wind - Revised
Book #3: Bubble Bubble by Mercer Mayer, author and illustrator
First Reading of Bubble Bubble • Prepare to read the book Bubble Bubble • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Ask children to look at the cover and predict what the story is about. • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by asking children questions such as, “Have you ever seen bubbles like the ones in the book?” “Why do you think they were called magic bubbles?” Accept children’s answers. Help them understand that magic is something we can’t explain. Magic is something that just happens. ______
Second Reading of Bubble Bubble • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by showing the title page with the boy inside the bubble. Ask children, “How do you think the boy got in the bubble?” “What do you think it would feel like to be inside a bubble?” “How do you think the boy will get out of the bubble?” ______
Third Reading of Bubble Bubble • Show cover. Invite children to recall the title Give author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the third reading by reviewing each page with the children and inviting them to help tell what is happening on each page. • Invite the children to name the different objects that appear in the bubbles. • Ask the children what happens when the bubble snake comes after the boy; when the bubble cat comes after the boy, and when the bubble elephant comes after the boy. • Show the last page and ask children where they think the bubble monster came from.
Additional Benchmarks: 3.2 Uses picture cues to tell a story 5.9 Uses language to problem solve
How Does the Wind Walk? By Nancy Carlstrom
A Letter to Amy by Ezra Jack Keats
Additional Catch the Wind by Gail Gibbons Books
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 4 Air and Wind - Revised
Benchmarks: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them
Storytelling Figures: The Wind Blew • Make storytelling figures for the book The Wind Blew. Copy on cardstock and color the figures. Cut out on dotted lines and laminate or cover the figures with clear adhesive for durability. • Hang a clothesline in the area where you will tell the story. Use two chairs as the end posts. Language • Have a basket of spring type clothespins near by. Materials • Sit behind the clothesline to tell the story. Clip to the clothesline the appropriate and figure of the object that the wind blew as you name it. Clip the objects to the line Activities from the children’s left to right. • Allow children to take turns clipping the figures to the line as you tell the story. • Consider hanging the clothesline in the library area if space allows. Locate it so that it is out of the line of traffic. • Place the story figures and the basket of clothespins near the line. • Place the book, The Wind Blew, in the library/book area so children can refer to it. • Review with the children the correct way to use the story figures. • Spend time in the library/book area helping children use the story figures correctly. ______Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing 5.6 Uses words to communicate ideas 5.8 Participates in group discussion
Take a Wind Walk • Choose a day when the wind is blowing to take a wind walk. • Read the story The Wind Blew or Gilberto and the Wind before going on the walk. Discuss some things the wind did in the story. • Tell the children they are going to go on a walk to learn more about the wind. • Ask the children “What are some things you might see the wind do?” Tell them they will have to use their eyes and their ears on the walk. • Return to the classroom, gather the children in a group, and involve them in discussing what they saw or heard that told them the wind was blowing. • Write “Our Wind Walk” on a chart pad, chalk or marker board. Record their comments about what they saw or heard. • Read their comments back to them. Examples of comments might be: “We saw the leaves blowing in the tree.” “We saw paper blowing across the street” “We saw the clouds moving.” “We felt the wind blowing our hair.” • Allow the children to draw pictures to illustrate their story.
Benchmarks: 5.1 Demonstrates phonological awareness (hearing and recognizing the sounds of language 5.5 Participates in songs, finger plays, rhyming activities, and games
Bubble Chant
Bubbles bubbles everywhere Gently floating through the air, Bouncing up and down without a care. Bubbles bubbles everywhere.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 5 Air and Wind - Revised
Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles!
Bubbles, bubbles way up high! Bubbles, bubbles in the sky. Bubbles, bubbles way down low. Bubbles, bubbles on my toe. Bubbles, bubbles in the air. Bubbles, bubbles everywhere. ______
The Air Chant
Air is around me everywhere; I breathe it in and breathe it out Through my nose and through my mouth ‘cause air is around me everywhere
• Say the chant a few times until the children know the words. • Say the chant while you clap in time to the words. • Give the children rhythm sticks and say the chant while you play the sticks in time to the words.
Wind Chant (Chant or sing – clap hands and pat knees in time to the chant)
The wind will make the leaves blow, the leaves blow, the leaves blow. The wind will make the leaves blow All day long.
The wind will make the kites fly, the kites fly, the kites fly. The wind will make the kites fly All day long.
The wind will make the bubbles bounce, bubbles bounce, bubbles bounce. The wind will make the bubbles bounce All day long.
The wind will make the trees sway, the trees sway, the trees sway. The wind will make the trees sway All day long.
The wind will make the clouds move, the clouds move, the clouds move. The wind will make the clouds move All day long.
The wind will make the boats sail, the boats sail, the boats sail. The wind will make the boats sail All day long.
Teacher Note: Make up additional verses and invite children to add verses. The idea is to help children see how the wind makes things move.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 6 Air and Wind - Revised
Dancing Leaves
Leaves are floating softly down. (Move arms in up and down motion.) They make a carpet on the ground. Then, swish, the wind comes whistling by, (Move arms from one side to the other) And sends them dancing to the sky. ((Let hands flutter up into the air) ______The Wind
The wind came out to play one day. He swept the clouds out of his way; (Make sweeping motion with arms) He blew the leaves and away they flew. (Make fluttering motions with fingers) The trees bent low, and their branches did, too. (Life arms and lower them) The wind blew the great big ships at sea (Repeat sweeping motions) The wind blew my kite away from me. ______
Wind Tricks
The wind is full of tricks today, (Make sweeping motion with one hand for wind.) He blew my daddy’s hat away. (Pretend to sweep hat off head) He chased our paper down the street, (One hand chases other around.) He almost blew us off our feet. (Almost fall) He makes the trees and bushes dance. (With raised arms, make dancing motions.) Just listen to him howl and prance. (Cup hand to ear) ______
The Bubble Song (Sing to the tune of Ten Little Indians)
1 little, 2 little, 3 little bubbles (Hold up correct number of fingers) 4 little, 5 little, 6 little bubbles 7 little, 8 little, 9 little bubbles 10 little bubbles go pop, pop, pop.
Pop those, pop those, pop those bubbles Pop those, pop those, pop those bubbles Pop those, pop those, pop those bubbles 10 little bubbles go pop, pop, pop.
• Ask children to hold up the correct number of fingers as they sing the first verse. • Sing the song through until the children know the words. This can be done over a period of time.
Teacher Note: Ask the children to clap once each time they sing the word “pop” in the second verse. The Wild Wind
I went walking one windy day, The wind was blowing the leaves away. I watched the leaves swirl all over the place While the wind blew my hair right in my face, I listened to the wind howl and wail, That wild and windy gusty gale.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 7 Air and Wind - Revised
Benchmarks: 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing) 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships 5.9 Uses language to problem solve
Activity: Swirling Confetti
• Collect small clear plastic bottles, one per child. Make sure bottle is dry Science / inside. Discovery • Make confetti by using a hole punch to punch out circles from different colors and Math of paper • Prepare the bottles for this activity by inserting a funnel into the opening and pouring a small amount of confetti into each bottle. • Have each child practice blowing on his or her own hand. • Give each child his or her own straw and explain that they are not to share their straw with anyone else. • Explain the difference in blowing air through the straw and sucking air in through the straw like they do when they are drinking through a straw. • Have children put a hand in front of the end of the straw and practice blowing through the straw. Tell them that they should be able to feel the air on their hand. • Ask children to predict what will happen to the confetti when they blow into their bottles. • Invite children to blow into their bottles and encourage them to observe what happens to the confetti. • Ask children why the confetti moved when they blew into the bottle. Where did the air come from? Could they see the air? Accept their answers. (Breath is air in motion) • Collect the straws from the children and throw them away.
Teacher Note: Make 6 to 8 holes in the straw with a straight pin to prevent children from sucking the solution through the straw. ______Activity: What’s in the Bag?
• Put small square pieces of tissue paper in zip lock bags. (one per child) • Put a straw in each bag and zip the bag shut. • Have the children blow the bag full of air and see what happens to the tissue paper. • Ask children what they observed as they did this experiment. What caused the tissue paper to move?
Teacher Note: Label each child’s bag so that children can do this activity at the Science/Discovery table, for example. Children are to keep straws in their individual bags. ______Activity: Air Pushers
• Collect empty plastic catsup, mustard or detergent dispensers that squirt air when pushed. Make sure the dispensers have been thoroughly cleaned. • Place small items such as feathers, cotton balls, pieces of tissue paper, and Styrofoam packing chips inside a circle of masking tape or a hula-hoop on the floor or on a table. • Let the children use the squirt dispensers and take turns trying to squirt the items out of the circle.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 8 Air and Wind - Revised
Activity: Air Sacks
• Provide each child with a small lunch-size paper bag. • Invite children to blow into the bags and see what happens. Ask questions such as what makes the bags expand”? (air) Can they see the air? How do they think they can keep the air in the bag? ______
Activity: Making Kites
• Trace circles (1 foot in diameter) on paper grocery sacks or butcher paper, 1 per child. • Invite the children to cut out the circles and decorate them with crayons or markers. • Provide thin streamers (1 foot long) of tissue paper. • Let the children glue the streamers on the circle and allow to dry. • Punch two holes in the circle and insert a string. • Take the children and their kites outside and let them run with their circle. • Return to the classroom and involve the children in discussing what happened with the streamers as they ran with them. • Ask children what make their streamers ripple in the breeze. (air)
Additional Benchmarks: 2.10 Explores and manipulates art media 4.6 Coordinates eye and hand movements to complete tasks ______Activity: Windsocks
• Give each child a small lunch-size paper bag to decorate with markers, crayons, or collage materials. Write children’s names, or have them write own name on individual bags. • Help children cut the bottoms off the bags. • Punch two holes in the tops of the bag and help children put yarn or string through the holes to make a hanger for the windsock. • Have children glue or tape streamers to the opposite end of their windsock. • Hang the windsocks outside your classroom window so children can watch their windsocks blow in the breeze.
Teacher Note: Consider letting children take their windsocks home and hang outside a window.
Additional Benchmarks: 2.10 Explores and manipulates art media 4.6 Coordinates eye and hand movements to complete tasks ______Activity: Wind Chimes
• Collect shells or small stones and drill holes in them. • Involve the children in pulling strings through the holes (tape the ends of the string so children can put through holes) • Make wind chimes by hanging the shells or stones on a stick or dowel rod. • Hang the wind chimes either in the classroom (where air will blow them) or outdoors.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 9 Air and Wind - Revised
Activity: Drying Clothes
• Choose a sunny and windy day and allow children to wash doll clothes in a small plastic tub before going outdoors. • Help them wring excess water out of the clothes. • Allow children to hang the clothes on the playground fence. • Ask children what they think will happen to the clothes. Accept all answers. Some will probably say the clothes will dry. • Invite the children to check periodically on the clothes to see what is happening. Were their predictions correct? • Take the clothes indoors when they have dried. • Ask children what dried the clothes. (air and temperature of the sun) ______Activity: Wind Detectors
• Provide a dowel rod (18 inches long), thin string, tissue paper, writing paper, aluminum foil, thin cardboard, thick cardboard and a hole punch. • Allow children to cut strips (1”x 4”) from each type of paper and foil. • Punch a hole in one end of each strip. • Let children help put a piece of string (4”long) through the holes. • Tie the strips along the rod, with the lightest at the top and the heaviest at the bottom. • Take the wind detector outside to see how hard the wind is blowing. • Ask the children to observe which piece of paper is moving. Why do they think some pieces are moving more than others? (A breeze will move only the tissue while a strong wind will move the heavier cardboard).
Additional Benchmark: 4.6 Coordinates eye and hand movements to complete tasks ______
Benchmarks: 1.1 Demonstrates ability to make choices 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 3.16 Demonstrates an understanding of addition and subtraction; using manipulatives 5.8 Participates in group discussion
Activity: My Favorite Book about Air and Wind
• Create a chart as follows
6 5 4 3 2 1 The Wind Blew Gilberto and the Wind Bubble Bubble
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 10 Air and Wind - Revised
• Gather the children together and explain to them that they are going to vote on their favorite book about air and wind. • Show them the three featured books, The Wind Blew, Gilberto and the Wind, and Bubble Bubble. • Involve the children in a brief discussion about the main points of each book. • Provide each child his or her name card • Allow each child to vote for his or her favorite book by placing name card in the appropriate column. • Involve the children in counting the number of names in each column. Discuss which column has the most names and which column has the least names.
6 5 Jonathan 4 James Miguel 3 Kennedi Trude Juan 2 Sam Maria Sarah 1 Ashley Elizabeth Jackson The Wind Blew Gilberto and the Wind Bubble Bubble
• Write a summary story on a chart sheet or marker board summarizing the vote.
Our Favorite Book about Air and Wind
Five children like The Wind Blew. Three children like Gilberto and the Wind. Four children like Bubble Bubble.
______Kazoos
• Gather empty paper towel tubes (cut in half), 6” square sheets of wax paper, and rubber bands, one per child. • Help the children make the kazoos as follows: Wrap the wax paper around the end of the paper towel tube. Secure the wax paper with a rubber band. • Invite children to blow their kazoos. Ask what they think is causing the special sound they hear. (air passing through the tube) • Suggest that children hum a tune into their kazoo.
Teacher Note: Write each child’s name on their kazoo and remind children to only blow their own kazoos.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 11 Air and Wind - Revised
Benchmarks: 3.15 Demonstrates an understanding of number (how many) and numeral (3 is a numeral) relationship 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships 4.3 Tries new foods before deciding whether he/she likes them 4.6 Coordinates eye-hand movements to complete task
Activity: Making Fluff (Individual activity) • Gather the following: one small cup per child, one teaspoon per child for stirring, tablespoons (measuring), whipped topping, vanilla or lemon instant pudding, vanilla yogurt and canned and drained fruit in natural juices. • Make an illustrated recipe chart that lists steps for making Fluff
Making Fluff Step 1. Measure 2 tablespoons of whipped topping and pour into a small cup Step 2. Measure 2 tablespoons of instant pudding and pour into cup Food/ Step 3. Measure 2 tablespoons of vanilla yogurt and pour into cup. Step 4. Stir all together gently. Nutrition Step 5. Measure 2 tablespoons canned fruit and stir into mixture. Experience Step 4. Eat the Fluff
Teacher Note: Allow the children to do as much of this food experience as possible. Guide them as they measure the two tablespoons of ingredients and stir.
Teacher Note: Teachers and children should always wash hands before participating in a food experience.
Benchmark: 4.9 Freely participates in gross motor activities
Activity: Let’s Be the Wind
• Gather the children in a group and read a book such as The Wind Blew or Gilberto and the Wind. • Give each child a crepe paper streamer or ribbon stick about two feet long. • Tell children they will pretend they are the wind. Movement/ • Allow enough space for children to move while twirling streamers. Physical • Invite children to wave the streamers in front of them, to one side, to the other side, and over their heads. Education • Encourage them by saying, “Wind, blow high in the air. Wind blow down to the ground. Wind, twirl around and around. Be a gentle wind, be a strong wind. Wind, settle down, down to the ground.”
Teacher Note: This last direction, “Wind settle down, down to the ground”, will be a way to wind down the activity and have children sitting. ______Activity: Chasing Bubbles
• Involve children in making bubble soap mix. Allow them to measure and gently mix the following ingredients: Bubble Soap 1 teaspoon glycerin ½ cup liquid detergent ½ cup of water
Teacher Note: For best results, let the mixture sit overnight before taking outdoors to blow bubbles Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 12 Air and Wind - Revised
• Take the bubble-blowing supplies outside on a windy day and let the wind make the bubbles. • Allow children turns being bubble blowers and bubble chasers.
Teacher Note: Chasing bubbles is a good gross motor activity.
Additional Benchmark: 4.11 Runs, jumps, hops and skips ______
Activity: Tossing Scarves in the Air • Provide a collection of scarves, one per child, stored in a container such as a basket. • Invite two children at time to select a scarf from the basket and name the color of scarf they chose. • Ask children to hold hands and form a circle, then drop hands and take two steps back. • Demonstrate and explain throwing and catching a scarf. “Hold the scarf in your hand and down to your side.” “With an underhand motion, raise your arm and throw the scarf into the air.” “Throw hard so your scarf goes high.” “Now reach out and catch the scarf.” • Allow children to practice throwing and catching scarves. • Assist children who may be having difficulty throwing the scarf. • Ask children, two at a time, to return scarves to the basket. • Practice throwing and catching scarves at a later time.
Additional Benchmark: 4.10 Throws, kicks bounces, and catches
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 13 Air and Wind - Revised
Benchmark: 2.10 Explores and manipulates art media
Art Center
Activity: Bubble Print • Mix together in a 6-8” bowl 1 cup water Drops of food coloring Learning ¼ cup liquid detergent ¼ cup liquid starch Centers • Invite children to blow with a straw into the mixture until the bubbles build above the rim of the bowl. • Invite children to make a print by laying a sheet of white construction paper across the bowl rim, allowing the bubbles to pop against the paper. • Children can repeat this process to make several bubble prints on one page.
Teacher’s Note: Supervise children closely during this activity. Explain the difference in blowing air through the straw and sucking air in through the straw like they do when they are drinking through a straw. Make 6 to 8 holes in the straw with a straight pin to prevent the children from sucking the solution through the straw.
Activity: Straw Blowing Pictures • Invite children to do straw blowing pictures in the art center • Explain that they will use a spoon to place a small amount of tempera paint on their paper and will use a straw to blow through to move paint across the paper and create a design. • Make sure children know how to blow through the straw and that each child has his or her own straw which is to be thrown away when the painting is completed.
Activity: Squirt Bottle Painting • Prepare thick tempera paint of different colors, each in a separate plastic squirt bottle. • Invite children to squirt colors on their paper to create a design. • Observe to see if children mix colors and create new colors. If so, notice and comment. For example, say, “I see you made purple. How did you do that?” (child mixed red and blue)
Teacher Note: Supervise this activity to make sure children squirt small amounts of paint at one time and that they only squirt paint on their paper.
Additional Benchmark 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing)
Activity: Newspaper Streamers • Help children measure and cut out two-inch wide strips of newspaper (length of strips will be full length of a page or the width of two pages folded out). • Invite children to decorate their strips with markers, paint or crayons. Help children put their names on their individual streamers. • Choose a day when the wind is blowing and allow the children to take their streamers outdoors. • Encourage children to observe what happens to the streamers when the wind blows or as they run. • Tape some of the streamers to the climbing structure or to the fence and encourage children to observe what happens when the wind blows. Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 14 Air and Wind - Revised
Additional Benchmarks: 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing) 4.6 Coordinates eye and hand movements to complete tasks ______Benchmarks: 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing) 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships
Block Center
Activity: Air Maze • Tape blocks around the edge of a table, then form a maze with more blocks inside. • Place ping pong balls on the table. • Provide a variety of objects such as paper fans, straws, paper towel tubes, and plastic squirt bottles. • Invite children to use the different air movers to try and move the ping pong balls through the maze • Observe as they experiment with the different air movers. Ask them which moved the ping pong balls the best.
Teacher Note: Help children make a maze in the block area for this activity. ______Library/Book Center • Add books about wind and air. • Add pictures of windy scenes. • Add clothesline, clothespins, and storytelling figures for the story The Wind Blew. ______Home Living/Dramatic Play • Add paper, cardboard, or Oriental fans ______Benchmarks: 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships 5.9 Uses language to problem solve
Water table or tub • Add dish detergent, whisk and eggbeater to the water table/tub. • Observe children as they create bubbles with the whisk and beater. • Ask children what they think is creating the bubbles in the water. (air) ______Quiet Corner • Create a quiet corner in your classroom; a place where children can go to be alone and to get away from the stresses of group living. • Place soft items in the quiet corner. Carpet on the floor, soft pillows, and soft and cuddly stuffed animals or dolls are examples. • Discuss with children when they might want to go to the quiet corner. When they are angry and need to get away from the source of their anger? When they are sad and need to be alone? When the room gets too noisy and they need a quiet spot? • Explain to children that the quiet corner is for one child at a time.
Teacher Note: Make sure this area can be supervised by the adults in the classroom at all times. Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 15 Air and Wind - Revised
Benchmark: 3.10 Classifies objects by physical features such as shape or color
Activity: Balloon Match • Cut out balloons from different colors of construction paper, plus a set of each color for yourself. • Give each child a balloon prior to transitioning the group to the next activity. • Show a yellow balloon and say, “All who have a yellow balloon can ….” ______
Activity: Let’s Go Fly a Kite • Cut out kites from different colors of construction paper, plus a set of each color for yourself. • Give each child a kite prior to transitioning the group to the next activity. • Say the following: Transition Let’s go fly a kite Activities Up where it’s clear and bright. Let’s go fly a _____kite (show a kite and say the color, show the kite and say nothing, or say the color only) Up where’s it’s clear and bright. Let’s go fly a _____ kite. (show a kite and say the color, show the kite and say nothing, or say the color only). • Children give you their kite and transition to the next activity as the color of their kite is introduced.
Send home a note to families stating that for the next few days the children will be learning about air and wind. Suggest some ways families can be involved in the topic of study: • Collect and bring to the center pictures of windy scenes from sources such as magazines and calendars or family events such as sailing or flying kites. • Save disposables such as plastic squirt bottles. Clean them thoroughly before allowing the children to use them. • Include the titles and authors of some of the children’s books about air and wind. Suggest that they look for these books in the local library, check them out and read them with their child. Family • Send home the bubble recipe and suggest that families make a batch of bubbles and go outdoors with their child and blow and chase bubbles. Be sure to tell them Activities that they can use the rings from a six pack of cold drinks for their bubble blowers. If families take pictures of their child blowing and chasing bubbles, ask them to send them to share with the class.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 16 Air and Wind - Revised
Weekly Plan Sheet Week of Topic of Study Air and Wind Teacher(s) Day Group Time #1 Group Time #2 Small Group Activities Transition Activities Special Activities Monday FP: The Air Chant – p. 6 FP: The Wind –p. 7
Introduction: Finding out First Reading of The Wind what children know about air Blew – p. 2 Swirling Confetti – p. 8 Balloon Match – p. 16 Take a Wind Walk – p. 5 and wind– p. 2 FP or Song: Wind Chant – FP or Song: Wind Chant – p. 6 p. 6 Tuesday FP: The Air Chant – p. 6 FP: Wind Tricks – p. 7
First Reading of Gilberto Second Reading of The and the Wind – p. 3 Wind Blew – p. 3 Air Pushers – p. 8 Let’s Go Fly a Kite – Making Kites – p. 9 p. 16 (Fly the Kites outside)
FP or Song: TheWind – p. 7 FP or Song: Wind Chant – p. 6 Wednesday FP: Bubble Chant – p. 5 FP: Dancing Leaves – p. 7
Second Reading of Gilberto First Reading of Bubble and the Wind – p. 3 Windsocks – p. 9 Balloon Match – p. 16 Chasing Bubbles – p. 12 Bubble – p. 4 FP or Song: Wind Chant – FP or Song: Wind Tricks – p. 6 p. 7 Thursday FP: The Wild Wind –p. 7 FP: Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles! – p. 6
Storytelling Figures: The Second Reading of Bubble Kazoos - p. 11 Let’s Go Fly a Kite – Let’s Be the Wind – p. 12 Wind Blew - p. 5 Bubble – p. 4 p. 16 FP or Song: Dancing Leaves FP or Song: Bubble Chant – – p. 7 p. 7 Friday FP: Bubbles, Bubbles, FP: The Wild Wind –p. 7 Bubbles! – p. 6 Conclusion: Finding out My Favorite Book About Third Reading of Bubble what children have learned Air and Wind – p. 10 Balloon Match – p. 16 Making Fluff – p. 12 Bubble – p. 4 about air and wind – p. 2
FP or Song: The Bubble FP or Song: Dancing Leaves Song – p. 7 – p. 7 Changes to the Environment (Props, materials added to Centers) Art Blocks Books Dramatic Play / Manipulatives Sand / Water Science / Discovery Home Living Bubble Print, Straw Air Maze – p. 15 Add books, pictures Drying Clothes – p. 10 Water - Add bubble What’s in the Bag? – Blowing Pictures – p. and storytelling figures making materials – p. 8 14 – p. 15 Add paper, cardboard, p. 15 Making Kites, Wind fans – p. 15 Chimes – p. 9 Wind Detectors – p. 10
Topic of Study – Things in the Sky
Things in the sky are a part of children’s natural environment. They see the bright sun, the shining moon and twinkling stars, and sometimes they see a beautiful rainbow. In the summer, they can feel the warmth of the sun on their skin. However, children mostly experience “things in the sky” through their sense of sight - through their eyes
Introduction
Here are three big ideas about “things in the sky” that you can help children explore:
We see the sun during the daytime and the stars and moon at night
We sometimes see clouds and rainbows
Big Ideas We see beautiful things in the sky
• Pictures of things in the sky: sun, moon, stars, clouds and rainbows. Laminate or cover the pictures with clear adhesive to preserve. • Chart sheet, marker board or chalk board and markers and chalk • Felt or magnetic board • Locate at A Story a Month on the Arkansas Better Beginnings website: Storytelling figures (felt or magnetic) for the Mother Goose Rhyme “Hey Diddle Diddle” Materials to Storytelling figures (felt or magnetic) for the story Happy Birthday Moon Collect and • Illustrated nursery rhyme charts: “Twinkle, twinkle little star,” “Star light, star bright,” “I see the moon,” and “There was an old woman tossed up in a basket.” Make • Mother Goose Rhymes Lollipops
o Cut three to four inch circles from poster board o Write a title of a Mother Goose rhyme on a circle. o Draw or glue on a picture related to the rhyme. o Glue or tape the circles to craft sticks to make lollipops and store in a can decorated with a picture of Mother Goose • Children’s books about things in the sky: Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman • Mother Goose rhymes book • CD or tape such as Dance Party Fun or All Time Favorite Dances or CDs or tapes that have music such as waltz, boogie, Latin music, reggae and Irish Jig. • Craft foam from craft or discount stores • White and black construction paper • Prism
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 1 Things in the Sky - Revised
• Check with your local library for the availability of children’s books and Mother Goose rhymes book. • Children’s books, Mother Goose rhymes books and CDs or tapes can be purchased online, from school supply catalogs or local bookstores and music stores. Contact the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education for the following materials or locate at A Story a Month on the Arkansas Better Beginnings website.
A Story a Month – Happy Birthday Moon (patterns for storytelling Resources figures) Mother Goose Rhyme – Hey Diddle Diddle Introduction: Finding out What Children Know about Things in the Sky
Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 5.8 Participates in group discussion
To introduce the topic of study, “Things in the sky,” you need to know what children already know about the topic. This allows you to build on your children’s experiences. It also helps create an interest in the topic. Here’s how to begin. Introducing • Gather the children in a group. Say, “For the next few days we’re going to be and learning about things in the sky.” • Concluding Write on chart paper, chalkboard or marker board the words “Things in the Sky.” • Invite children to tell you things they already know about things in the sky. You the Topic may have to ask questions to stimulate their thinking: questions such as “When you look up in the sky, what do you see?” If children say things like “airplane” or “birds,” ask them if they see these things in the sky all the time. • Make a list of the things children already know about things in the sky. • Review the list with them and say, “You already know a lot of things about things in the sky and we’ll find out even more.” • Keep the list until you have completed the topic of study. ______Conclusion: Finding out What Children Have Learned about Things in the Sky • Gather the children in a group at the conclusion of the study about things in the sky. • Invite children to tell you some things they have learned about things in the sky. You may have to ask prompt questions such as “What is your favorite thing to see in the sky?” • Make a list of all the things children learned about things in the sky. • Read the first list you made with the children. Then say, “Here are some new things you learned about things in the sky” and read today’s list with the children.
Benchmark: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them
Book #1: Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd.
First Reading of Goodnight Moon • Prepare to read the book, Goodnight Moon. • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) Reading • Ask children to look at cover and predict what story is about. Books with • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. Children • Follow up by asking children who and what they say goodnight to when they go to bed. Allow them to discuss their bedtime routines and rituals. Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 2 Things in the Sky - Revised
Second Reading of Goodnight Moon • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by showing the first few pages in the book and asking children to identify the things they see in the great green room. Give the children clues by pointing to the items on the page in the order they appear in the text. • Continue by asking children to identify all the things the little rabbit said goodnight to. ______Third Reading of Goodnight Moon • Show cover. Invite children to recall the name of the story. Give author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the third reading by inviting the children to fill in all of the rhyming words. For example, read, “And there were three little bears sitting in ______(Pause and children will say “chairs.”)
Additional Benchmark: 5.1 Demonstrates phonological awareness (hearing and recognizing the sounds of language) ______Fourth Reading of Goodnight Moon • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the fourth reading by telling children you are going to let them look at the pages that show the entire room. • Ask children to look carefully at the pictures and tell you what is happening in the room. (It is getting darker and darker.) ______Book #2: It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw, author and illustrator
First Reading of It Looked Like Spilt Milk • Prepare to read the book, It Looked Like Spilt Milk. • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Ask children to name the items they see on the cover. • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by inviting children to talk about clouds they have seen and what they looked like. • Review by showing each page and allowing children to name what they see on each page ______Second Reading of It Looked Like Spilt Milk • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by explaining to children that you are going to let them help you read the book. • Pause and allow children to fill in the words. For example, read, “Sometimes it looked like _____(Pause and children will say “spilt milk.”)
Teacher Note: This process of pausing and allowing children to complete a sentence or phrase is called the cloze technique.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 3 Things in the Sky - Revised
Book #3: A Rainbow of His Own by Don Freeman, author and illustrator
First Reading of A Rainbow of His Own
• Prepare to read the book, A Rainbow of His Own. • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Ask children to look at cover and predict what story is about. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up by inviting children to discuss their experiences with rainbows. Where did they see a rainbow? What was the weather like when they saw a rainbow? Why do you think a rainbow is called a rainbow? ______
Second Reading of A Rainbow of His Own • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by showing appropriate pages and asking children what the weather was like when the little boy saw a rainbow. (stormy, windy) How can they tell what the weather was like in the book? (dark clouds, grass blowing, boy wearing a raincoat and rain hat) • Ask the children what the weather was like when the boy returned home? (sunshine). What do they think created the rainbow in the boy’s room? (sun shining through the water) ______
Third Reading of A Rainbow of His Own • Show cover. Invite children to recall title. Give author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the third reading by asking children questions such as, “If a rainbow visited you, what are some things you would like to do with the rainbow?” “If you could ride on a rainbow, where would you like to go?”
Moon Cake by Frank Asch
Happy Birthday Moon by Frank Asch
The Napping House by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood
Skyfire by Frank Asch
The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn Additional Time for Bed by Mem Fox, illustrated by Jane Dyer Books Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 4 Things in the Sky - Revised
Benchmark: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them
Storytelling Figures: Happy Birthday Moon • Make either felt or magnetic storytelling figures for the story, Happy Birthday Moon. • Read the book, Happy Birthday Moon, to the children. • Use the storytelling figures to tell the story. • Explain to the children that the storytelling figures will be in the library/book area for them to use. Language • Demonstrate and discuss with the children the correct way to use the storytelling Materials figures. and ______
Activities Benchmarks: 5.1 Demonstrates phonological awareness (hearing and recognizing the sounds of language) 5.5 Participates in songs, finger plays, rhyming activities, and games
Mother Goose Rhymes • Read the following Mother Goose rhymes to the children on different days. • Show them the picture of the rhyme in the book as you read it. • Read each rhyme several times and invite children to join in with you in saying the rhyme. • Read it and leave off the last word in a line for children to complete. For example, say “Star light, star ______(bright), First star I see _____(tonight). Children are learning to listen and recognize rhyming words.
Star Light, Star Bright Star light, star bright, First star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish I wish tonight.
I See the Moon I see the moon, And the moon sees me, God bless the moon, And God bless me.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky.
Hey Diddle, Diddle Hey diddle, diddle, The Cat and the Fiddle, The Cow jumped over the Moon. The little Dog laughed To see such sport, And the Dish ran away With the Spoon.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 5 Things in the Sky - Revised
There Was an Old Woman There was an old woman tossed up in a basket, Seventeen times as high as the moon: Where she was going I couldn’t but ask it, For in her hand she carried a broom.
Old woman, old woman, old woman, quote I, Where are you going to up so high? To brush the cobwebs off the sky? May I go with you? Aye, by-and-by.
Teacher Note: Make illustrated rhyme charts and laminate or cover them with clear adhesive to preserve them .Read from the charts to the children. Show the children a chart and allow time for them to name the rhyme. Post the rhyme charts in the library/book area.
Teacher Note: Make Mother Goose rhymes lollipops. Show a lollipop to the children and invite them to say the rhyme it represents. ______Hey, Diddle, Diddle Felt or Magnetic Figures • Make Hey, Diddle, Diddle felt or magnetic figures. • Say the rhyme as you place the figures on the storyboard. • Place the figures and a board in the library/book area for children to use independently. • Ask children if they think a cow can jump over the moon and to explain why or why not. Accept all answers. • Ask children if they have ever seen a dog laughing or a dish and a spoon running. • Allow children to discuss these occurrences and accept answers they give. The idea is for them to use their imagination. ______
Sunshine Song (Sing to tune of “You Are My Sunshine)
Outside there’s sunshine (Use arms to form circle sun overhead) There’s lots of sunshine. And not a cloud in The sky so blue! ((Shade eyes and look upward) So let’s go outside (Point thumb toward door.) Let’s not stay inside! (Shake index finger “no”) I’ll spend my sunny days with you! (Point to self, then others.) ______Have You Seen the Sun Today? (Sing to Tune of “Oh, Do You Know the Muffin Man” or Chant It)
Oh, have you seen the sun today, The sun today, the sun today? Oh, have you seen the sun today, Way up in the sky?
Oh, yes I’ve seen the sun today, The sun today, the sun today. Oh, yes I’ve seen the sun today, Way up in the sky.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 6 Things in the Sky - Revised
Repeat the first verse, then sing the following:
No, there is no sun today, Sun today, sun today? No there is no sun today, Way up in the sky. ______Weather Watcher (Sing to the tune of “Have You Ever Seen a Lassie?”)
Do you like to watch the weather, The weather, the weather? Do you like to watch the weather When it’s sunny outside?
Oh, is the weather sunny, So sunny, so sunny? Is the weather sunny? Let’s take a look outside.
Benchmark: 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect date (scientific process: observing)
Activity: Cloud Watch • Read the book, It Looked Like Spilt Milk, to the children. • Invite the children to go outside on a windy day when there are clouds in the sky. Ask them to lie or sit down (have blanket for children to lie or sit on) and to watch Science / the clouds. Discovery • Ask questions such as: “Do the clouds move? What makes the clouds move? and Math What do the clouds look like? What shapes or images can you see in the clouds?” ______Activity: A Rainbow of Our Own • Involve children in hanging a prism in a window that faces either east or west. When the sun shines in the window, rainbows will appear in the room. • Call attention to rainbows if children do not notice them. • Move the prism so the sun does not shine through it and the rainbows disappear. • Ask children questions such as: “When we moved the prism, what happened?” (The sun no longer shines through it and the rainbows disappear). • Call attention to the prism on a cloudy day and ask the children why they think there are no rainbows in the room. (No sun to shine through the prism)
Additional Benchmark: 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships ______Activity: Look at the Sky • Take the children outside to see the sky on the first day you introduce the topic, “Things we see in the sky.” • Ask children to look at the sky and name the different things they see. • Return to the room and invite children to name the different things they saw in the sky. • Record what they say on chart paper and read it back to them. • Allow children to draw pictures on the chart paper of what they saw in the sky.
Teacher Note: Suggest that children draw a picture of things they saw in the sky. Ask Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 7 Things in the Sky - Revised
each child if he/she would like you to write on the drawing what he/she saw.
Additional Benchmarks: 2.10 Explores and manipulates art media 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message ______
Activity: Sunny Design • Involve the children in helping you cut out a large design such as a circle or a heart. • Place the design on a sheet of dark construction paper. • Place the paper with design in direct sunlight and leave it there for several days. • Ask children to remove the paper and talk about what has happened to the paper and to the design. (The dark paper has faded, but the design remains on the area that was covered). • Involve children in discussing why the dark paper faded and the part that was covered did not fade. (Sun faded the dark paper)
Additional Benchmark: 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships ______
Activity: Seeing Stars • Place a sheet of black construction paper over the end of a paper towel roll, securing it with a rubber band. • Prick holes in the construction paper with a pin. • Invite children to look through the open end of the paper towel roll toward a source of light and tell you what they see. (It will look like stars)
Benchmarks: 3.15 Demonstrates an understanding of number (how many) and numeral (3 is a numeral) relationship 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships 4.3 Tries new foods before deciding whether he/she likes them 4.6 Coordinates eye-hand movements to complete task
Activity: A Star Sandwich (Individual activity) • Gather the following: one small plate per child, large star cookie cutters, a slice of bread and a slice of cheese for each child • Make an illustrated recipe chart that lists steps for making A Star Sandwich
A Star Sandwich Step 1. Place a slice of cheese on top of a slice of bread Step 2. Center the star cookie cutter over the cheese and bread Step 3. Press the cookie cutter cutting through the cheese and bread Food/ Step 4. Eat the edges of bread and cheese Step 5. Eat the star sandwich Nutrition Experience Teacher Note: Allow the children to do as much of this food experience as possible. Guide them as they use the cookie cutter to make their star shaped sandwich.
Teacher Note: Teachers and children should always wash hands before participating in a food experience.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 8 Things in the Sky - Revised
Benchmarks: 2.4 Participates freely in music activities 2.5 Enjoys singing games, dramatizing songs and moving to music 2.9 Moves in time to the beat
Activity: Dancing with the Stars • Cut out from yellow construction paper enough small stars (2 – 3”) for each child in the class • Tape the stars to the end of a straw. Movement/ • Give each child a star and say, “You’re going to dance with the stars.” Physical • Tell the children you’re going to play some music and invite them to listen to it and move like the music tells them to move. Say, for example, “This is a waltz.”
Education • Play one dance tune and observe the children. Do they seem to be responding to the tempo they are hearing? • Tell the children you’re going to play a different tune and invite them to listen to this one and move like the music tells them to move. Say, for example, “This is reggae.” • Observe the children to see if they respond differently to the second tune than they did the first one. • Repeat this activity at other times, playing different tunes.
Benchmarks: 2.10 Explores and manipulates art media 2.12 Preplans art project and then works with care Art Center Activity: Day and Night Picture • Prepare a day and night background for children by taping a sheet of black and a sheet of white construction paper together down the middle. The total surface will be 17”x11”. Learning • Suggest that children use white chalk to draw a nighttime picture on the black Centers paper (something I do at night) and use crayons and/or washable markers to draw a daytime scene on the white paper (something I do during the day).
Activity: Puffy Clouds • Mix equal amounts of Elmer’s glue and shaving cream together. • Let children use the mixture to finger paint or paint with a brush on light blue, dark blue or purple construction paper. (The mixture leaves a puffy paint effect)
Activity: Sponge Painting • Cut sponges into shapes: sun, moon, stars, and clouds. • Place yellow or white tempera paint and dark blue or black construction paper in the art center. • Allow children to make their own designs and patterns.
Activity: Spilt Milk Painting • Read the book, It Looked Like Spilt Milk, to the children. • Give each child who wants to do this activity a sheet of dark blue, sky blue, or purple construction paper that has been folded in half. • Suggest that the children open up the paper and use a spoon to put a blob of white tempera paint on one side of the midline of the paper. • Have the children fold the paper in half again and rub. • Suggest that they open up the paper and look at their designs. • Ask children what they think their designs look like. • Invite children to say what their design looks like, and with their permission, write this on their “spilt milk” painting. Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 9 Things in the Sky - Revised
Activity: Our Wish Book • Read the nursery rhyme, “Star Light, Star Bright” to the children. • Discuss with them some things they wish for. • Suggest that they draw a picture of something they wish for. • Put the pictures together in a book and title it “Our Wish Book.”
Activity: Play dough: • Make yellow play dough and provide star-shaped cookie cutters for the children to use. ______Library/Book Corner • Add books about things in the sky • Add pictures of “things in the sky” scenes (laminate or cover pictures with self stick adhesive) • Add felt or magnetic storytelling figures from the story, Happy Birthday Moon,” plus a storyboard. • Add felt or magnetic figures of the characters in “Hey Diddle Diddle” and a story board ______Benchmark: 2.1 Shows creativity and imagination in play with materials and props
Home Living/Dramatic Play • Create a “Bedtime” prop box. Include flashlight, robe, and slippers, Teddy Bear, and book Goodnight Moon. • Place the prop box in the area. • Observe the children and listen to their conversation as they play with the props. ______Benchmark: 3.14 Demonstrates the ability to order and sequence
Water table or tub • Cut out three different sizes of stars from craft foam, such as 2”, 3” and 4”. • Place stars and aquarium nets in the water table or tub. • Invite children to catch the stars with the net. • Involve children in counting the number of stars they caught. • Ask children to put the stars in order from largest to smallest. ______Science/Discovery Center • Seeing Stars • Sunny Design ______Quiet Corner • Create a quiet corner in your classroom; a place where children can go to be alone and to get away from the stresses of group living. • Place soft items in the quiet corner. Carpet on the floor, soft pillows, and soft and cuddly stuffed animals or dolls are examples. • Discuss with children when they might want to go to the quiet corner. When they are angry and need to get away from the source of their anger? When they are sad and need to be alone? When the room gets too noisy and they need a quiet spot? • Explain to children that the quiet corner is for one child at a time.
Teacher Note: Make sure this area can be supervised by the adults in the classroom at all times.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 10 Things in the Sky - Revised
Activity: Star Wand • Cut out a 3” to 4” star from yellow construction paper and attach it to a dowel stick. • Touch each child lightly on the shoulder to send to another activity. ______
Activity: Star Bright Wand • Use the star wand to allow children to select learning centers. • Let each child have a turn holding the star wand while saying, “Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I might go to ______.”(discovery). • Ask the child to hand it to his/her neighbor who then has a turn selecting a center. ______
Transition Activity: Moon Overhead Activities • Ask children to put their hands over their heads and make a full moon (big circle) as they move to the next activity. ______
Activity: Mother Goose Rhymes Lollipops • Allow children, one at a time, to draw a lollipop from the storage can, say the name of the rhyme and go to the next activity.
Send home a note to parents stating for the next few days, the children will be learning about things in the sky: sun, moon, stars, clouds, and rainbows. Suggest some ways families can be involved in the topic of study: • Collect and bring to the center pictures of things in the sky from sources such as magazines and calendars. • Take their child outdoors on a clear night when the stars are bright. Help your child find the evening star or the big dipper. If the moon is in the sky, point it out to your child and talk about whether it is a full moon, half moon, quarter moon, or a crescent moon. Family • Include the titles and authors of some of the children’s books about things in the sky. Suggest that they look for these books in the local library, check them out Activities and read them with their child. • Send home copies of some of the nursery rhyme charts and suggest that families ask their child to say the rhyme with them.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 11 Things in the Sky - Revised
Weekly Plan Sheet Week of Topic of Study Things in the Sky Teacher(s) Day and Big Group Time #1 Group Time #2 Small Group Activities Transition Activities Special Activities Idea(s) Monday FP: Star Light, Star Bright – FP: I See the Moon – p. 5 p. 5 First Reading of Goodnight Introduction: Finding out Moon – p. 2 OurWishBook–p.10 MoonOverhead –p.11 LookattheSky–p.7 What Children Know about Things in the Sky – p. 2 FP or Song: Twinkle, FP or Song: Sunshine Song Twinkle Little Star – p. 5 – p. 6 Tuesday FP: Hey Diddle, Diddle – FP: There Was an Old p. 5 Woman – p. 6
First Reading of It Looked Second Reading of Cloud Watch – p. 7 Star Wand – p. 11 Dancing with the Stars – Like Spilt Milk – p. 3 Goodnight Moon – p. 3 p. 9
FP or Song: Have You FP or Song: Star Light, Star Seen the Sun Today? – p. 6 Bright – p. 5 Wednesday FP: Hey Diddle, Diddle (with FP: Twinkle, Twinkle Little figures) – p. 6 Star – p. 5
First Reading of A Rainbow Second Reading of It A Rainbow of Our Own Mother Goose Rhymes Look at the Sky –p. 7 of His Own – p. 4 Looked Like Spilt Milk – p. 3 - p. 7 Lollipops – p. 11 FP or Song: Weather FP or Song: I See the Moon Watcher – p. 7 – p. 5 Thursday FP: There Was an Old FP: Star Light, Star Bright – Woman – p. 6 p. 5
Storytelling Figures: Happy Second Reading of A Day and Night Picture – Star Bright Wand – Dancing with the Stars – Birthday Moon – p. 5 Rainbow of His Own – p. 4 p. 9 p. 11) p. 9 FP or Song: Sunshine Song FP or Song: I See the Moon – p. 6 – p. 5 Friday FP: Hey Diddle, Diddle (with FP: There Was an Old figures) -p. 6 Woman – p. 5 Conclusion: Finding out Third Reading of A Rainbow What Children Have Learned Spilt Milk Painting – p. 9 Mother Goose Rhymes A Star Sandwich – p. 8 of His Own – p. 4 about Things in the Sky – Lollipops – p. 11 p. 2 FP or Song: Have You FP or Song: Twinkle, Seen the Sun Today? – p. 6 Twinkle Little Star – p. 5 Changes to the Environment (Props, materials added to Centers) Art Blocks Books Dramatic Play / Manipulatives Sand / Water Science / Discovery Home Living Sponge Painting – Add books, pictures, Add “Bedtime” prop Water – Add craft Sunny Design, p. 9 storytelling figures – box – p. 10 foam stars – p. 10 Seeing Stars – p. 8 p. 10 Add yellow play dough – p. 10 Topic of Study – Color and Light
The child’s world is filled with color and light. Children see color in their clothes, their toys, and in their crayons, markers and paint. Many young children know the names of the colors they see. Children experience light, both natural and artificial each day. They begin to notice and talk about day and night. Sometimes they may see their own shadow. Children learn about color and light through their eyes.
Teacher Note: Include activities related to color throughout the year. Use color words in Introduction your conversation with children.
Here are three big ideas about color and light you can help children explore:
Colors have names and these names are used to describe objects
Colors may be modified or changed
Shadows are produced when an object passes in front of light Big Ideas
• Pictures of objects that are specific colors: red, blue, yellow, green, orange, purple, black, and brown. Pictures that show shadows. Laminate or cover pictures with clear adhesive to preserve) • Children’s books about color and light Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert Bear Shadow by Frank Asch Materials to • Illustrated rhyme chart for “Little Boy Blue” and “Little Robin Redbreast” Collect and • Felt or Magnetic Board Storytelling figures (felt or magnetic) for the story Mouse Paint. Locate at A Make Story a Month on the Arkansas Better Beginnings website. • Cellophane in different colors • Shoe boxes of same size • Color frames • Color boxes • Color glasses • Color bears • Pegs and pegboards • Scarves and sheer fabric in different colors • Plastic or silk flowers and plastic vase • Plastic tubing ½” in diameter and 24” to 30” in length • Corks • Paint chips in basic colors: red, blue, yellow, green, orange, purple, black, brown • Two-liter bottles filled with sand or gravel • Liter bottles • Individual milk cartons covered in construction paper of different colors • Small cars in different colors Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 1 Color and Light - Revised
• Play dough (purchased or made) Homemade Play dough recipe: o Mix together 1 cup flour, ½ cup salt, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon cooking oil, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar and food coloring. o Place on medium heat and stir constantly for about 1 minute until mixture thickens. o Remove from pan and work with hands. o Keep well sealed in plastic bag or container. This mixture will dry easily when exposed to air.
• Check with your local library for the availability of children’s books. • Children’s books can be purchased online, from school supply catalogs or local bookstores. Contact the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education for the following materials or locate at Locate at A Story a Month on the Arkansas Better Beginnings website.
Resources A Story a Month – Mouse Paint (patterns for storytelling figures)
Introduction: Finding out what Children Know about Color and Light
Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 5.8 Participates in group discussion
To introduce the topic of “Color and Light” you need to find out what children already know about the topic. This allows you to build on your children’s experiences. It also helps create an interest in the topic. Here’s how to begin. Introducing and • Gather the children in a group. Say, “For the next few days we’re going to be Concluding learning about color and light.” • Write on chart paper, chalk board or marker board the words “Color and Light.” the Topic • Invite children to tell you things they already know about color and light. They may name the colors they know, for example. You may have to ask questions to stimulate their thinking; questions such as, “How can you tell if it is day or night?” “Have you ever seen your shadow?” • Make a list of all of the things children know about color and light. • Review the list with them and say, “You already know a lot of things about color and light and we’ll find out even more.” • Keep the list until you have completed the topic of study. ______Conclusion: Finding out What Children Have Learned about Color and Light • Gather the children in a group at the conclusion of the study about color and light. • Write on chart paper, chalk board or marker board, “Things We Learned about Color and Light.” • Invite children to tell you some things they have learned about color and light. You may have to ask prompt questions such as “What colors did we mix together to make a new color?” “What causes us to be able to see our shadow?” • Make a list of all the things children learned about color and light. • Read the first list you made with the children. Then say, “Here are some new things you found out about color and light” and read today’s list with the children.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 2 Color and Light - Revised
Benchmark: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them
Book #1: Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni, author and illustrator
First Reading of Little Blue and Little Yellow • Give each child two small balls of play dough, one blue and one yellow. • Ask children to name the two colors of play dough they are holding. • Allow children to mix the two colors of play dough. • Observe and listen to their comments as they create “green” play dough. • Ask children to recall the two colors they started with and the color they now Reading have. • Explain that they will have more opportunities to experience mixing colors at a Books with later time. Children • Collect the balls of play dough before reading the story. Explain to children that play dough will be available in the art center for them to use. • Prepare to read the book, Little Blue and Little Yellow. • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Ask children to look at the cover and predict what story is about. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up with questions such as “What happened to little blue and little yellow when they hugged?” “What happened to your play dough when you mixed blue and yellow together?” “Remember that little blue and little yellow were best friends. If you had to pick one color to be your best friend, what color would it be?” ______Second Reading of Little Blue and Little Yellow • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by showing the pages and inviting children to tell the story by looking at the pictures. You may have to ask questions to prompt discussion such as, “Do you remember what game they are playing here?” (Hide-and-Seek on one page and Ring-a-Ring-O’Rosie on the opposite page) Additional Benchmark: 3.2 Uses picture cues to tell a story ______Book #2: Mouse Paint by Ellen Stohl Walsh, author and illustrator First Reading of Mouse Paint • Give ½ of the children two small play dough balls, one red and one yellow, and the other ½ of the group two small play dough balls, one red and one blue. • Ask children to name the colors of play dough they are holding and to predict what will happen when they mix them together. • Allow children to mix the two colors of play dough. • Observe and listen to their comments as they create orange and purple. • Ask the children to recall the colors of play dough they started with and the colors they now have. Were their predictions correct? • Collect the balls of play dough before reading the story. Explain to children that the play dough will be available in the art center for them to use. • Prepare to read the book, Mouse Paint. • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Ask children to look at the cover and predict what story is about. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 3 Color and Light - Revised
• Follow up with questions such as, “What happened to the mice when they got in the jars of paint?” ______Second Reading of Mouse Paint • Show cover. Invite children to recall the title of the book. Give author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by involving children in discussing the colors the mice mixed to make new colors (red and yellow = orange, blue and yellow = green, red and blue = purple). Show pictures to help children see the color mixing. • Ask children how the play dough mixing they did and the paint mixing the mice did was alike. (Made same new colors) ______Book #3: Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert, author and illustrator
First Reading of Planting a Rainbow • Prepare to read the book, Planting a Rainbow • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Ask children to look at cover and predict what story is about. • Open up the book and show the entire cover, front and back, to the children. • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Point to the labels as you read the names of the different flowers. • Follow up by showing the pages with the color strips and reading about the flowers of each color. • Ask children if they think you can plant a rainbow. • Have picture of a rainbow and show to children. Ask children to find the colors of the flowers from the book in the rainbow. ______Second Reading of Planting a Rainbow • Show cover, give title, author and illustrator. • Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book.. • Follow up the second reading by inviting the children to say the names of the flowers as you point to them and say them first. For example, say “orange tiger lily” as you point to the label and bulb and ask children to repeat it with you. ______Book #4: Bear Shadow by Frank Asch, author and illustrator
First Reading of Bear Shadow • Prepare to read the book, Bear Shadow. • Show cover; give title, author and illustrator. (Explain that the author is the person who writes the book and the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures.) • Ask children to look at cover and predict what book is about. • Read story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up with questions such as, “What caused Bear’s fish to go away?” “What were some ways Bear tried to get rid of his shadow?” Show pictures in book as visual cues for the children. • Invite children to share their experiences with shadows. ______Second Reading of Bear Shadow • Show cover. Invite children to recall title. Give author and illustrator.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 4 Color and Light - Revised
• Read the story so all children can see the pictures in the book. • Follow up the second reading by calling children’s attention to the pictures in the book that show the position of the sun in the sky and the location of Bear’s shadow. For example, on the first page the sun is behind Bear and his shadow is in front of him. • Show page where Bear is digging a hole to bury his shadow. The sun is above Bear and there is no shadow. • Show page with sun and shovel and call attention to position of sun and location and length of shadows. • Show next to last page and call attention to the position of the sun (in front of Bear) and the location of his shadow (behind him). • Involve children in saying where the sun is, where the shadow is and where Bear is. (Bear is between the sun and his shadow.)
White Rabbit’s Color Book by Alan Baker
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle
Color Dance by Ann Jonas
The Color Box by Doyle Ann Dodds
Shadow Night by Kay Chorao
Additional What Makes a Shadow by Clyde Robert Bulla Books Little Pink Pig by Pat Hutchins
Shadow Reflections by Tana Hoban
Benchmark: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them
Storytelling Figures: Mouse Paint • Make either felt or magnetic storytelling figures for the story, Mouse Paint • Read the book, Mouse Paint, to the children. • Use the storytelling figures to tell the story. • Explain to the children that the storytelling figures will be in the library/book area Language for them to use. Materials • Demonstrate and discuss with the children the correct way to use the storytelling and figures. Activities ______Benchmark: 5.1 Demonstrates phonological awareness (hearing and recognizing the sounds of language) 5.5 Participates in songs, finger plays, rhyming activities and games
• Make illustrated rhyme charts for the following two nursery rhymes:
Little Boy Blue Little boy blue, Come blow your horn, The sheep’s in the meadow, The cow’s in the corn.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 5 Color and Light - Revised
Where is the little boy Who looks after the sheep? He’s under the haystack Fast asleep.
Little Robin Redbreast
Little Robin Redbreast Sat upon a rail Niddle naddle went his head, Wiggle waggle went his tail.
• Say the rhymes with the children while showing the appropriate chart. • Post the charts on the wall at child’s eye level. Observe to see if the children look at the charts and say the words. ______
Color Rhyme
Joe was a good fellow Whenever he wore yellow.
Purple shoes are worn by Nick When he wants to be quick!
Genevieve was a queen Who always wore a gown of green.
Orange is best for Sue. She will never wear blue.
Teacher Note: Involve the children in making up additional color rhymes, using children’s names with their permission. ______
Favorite Color Song (Sing to the tune of London Bridge is Falling Down)
Can you name your favorite color, Favorite color, favorite color? Can you name your favorite color? Tell us Billy. (Insert name of a child in the group)
Billy names his favorite color. Repeat the song until all children have had a chance to name their favorite color. ______Finding Colors (Sing to tune of The Muffin Man)
Oh, can you find the color blue, The color blue, the color blue? Oh, can you find the color blue, Somewhere in this room?
Children look around the room and find and name objects that are blue. Repeat the song, changing the color. Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 6 Color and Light - Revised
Bluebird, Bluebird Bluebird, bluebird through my window Bluebird, bluebird through my window Bluebird, bluebird through my window Who will be the next bluebird?
• Children hold hands and make a circle. • One child is the bluebird and wears a necklace of large wooden beads. Make sure the necklace is big enough so that children can easily slip it over their heads. • As you and the children sing the song, hold hands up so bluebird can weave in and out of the circle. • On the last line, the bluebird takes off the necklace and gives it to another child who then becomes the bluebird. • Continue the game until every child who wants a turn has one. ______
Mary Wore Her Red Dress
Mary wore a red dress Red dress, red dress. Mary wore a red dress all day long.
• Sing this song with the children. • Substitute the names of the children in the class for the name Mary in the song. • Substitute the colors and articles of clothing. For example, “Paula wore her purple sweater.” “Jeremiah wore his brown shoes.” ______
Red, Yellow and Green Red says stop! Yellow says slow! Then we have green And it says go!
• Make 3 six-inch circles; one red, one yellow and one green. • Write the word “Stop” on the red circle, “Slow” on the yellow circle and “Go” on the green circle. Laminate or cover the circles with self-adhesive paper for durability. • Mount the circles on craft sticks. • Say the rhyme with the children and show the appropriate sign. • Allow the children turns to hold the signs and show them at the appropriate time.
Additional Benchmark: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message ______
My Disappearing Shadow Me and my shadow We go places together Then he disappears When it’s cloudy weather. Then my shadow hides And I don’t know why. Then he comes back When the sun’s in the sky.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 7 Color and Light - Revised
Benchmarks: 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing) 3.21 Uses words to describe the characteristics of objects (scientific process: communicating) 3.22 Makes comparisons (scientific process: comparing)
Activity: Color Frames • Make color frames in several colors: red, blue, yellow and green, for example. Science / • Cut out the middle of two paper plates, leaving only the rim. Discovery • Place a piece of red cellophane paper between the two rims. and Math • Put the two rims together using tape or staples (tape over the staples for safety). • Repeat this process with the other colors of cellophane. • Encourage the children to use the color frames to look at different objects in the room and describe what they see. ______Activity: Color Boxes • Collect four shoe boxes of the same size with interchangeable lids. • Provide cellophane in four different colors. • Cut a large circular opening in the top of each lid. • Tape a piece of cellophane paper on the bottom side of the lid making sure that each box has a different color. • Collect familiar objects that will fit inside the shoe boxes so that children can see how they look in different colors. Examples of objects include: wooden block, small doll, plastic fork, an envelope, white mug, small plastic bottle. • Listen to the children discuss the changes they observe as they change lids. ______Activity: Mixing Colors in a Tube (Small Group of 3-5 children) • Use a piece of clear plastic tubing that is at least ½ inch in diameter and from 24” to 30” in length. • Put a cork in one end of the tube. • Allow children to help you fill the tube with water and add a few drops of red food coloring. Cork the other end of the tube. • Remove the cork from the opposite end and let children help you add a few drops of yellow food coloring. Replace the cork. • Guide the children to take turns wiggling the tube or turning it end over end until the color from each end works to the center, mixes, and creates orange. • Experiment with mixing of other colors.
Additional Benchmark: 3.25 Applies information or experience to a new context (scientific process: applying) ______Activity: Mixing Colors in a Bottle (Small Group of 3 to 5 children) • Let the children help you fill liter size plastic bottles with water. • Invite children to drop a few drops of blue food coloring into the bottle. Cap the bottle well. • Allow the children to roll the bottle back and forth across the table and watch the color diffuse through the water. • Uncap the bottle and invite children to drop a few drops of red food coloring into the bottle. Cap the bottle well and allow the children to repeat the rolling process and watch the creation of a new color – purple. • Involve the children in experimenting with the mixing of other colors.
Additional Benchmark: 3.25 Applies information or experience to a new context (scientific process: applying)
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 8 Color and Light - Revised
Activity: Color My World • Cover one end of paper towel cardboard tube with different colors of cellophane for the children to look through. Secure the cellophane with a rubber band. • Encourage children to look through the tubes both indoors and outdoors and discuss how things look. ______Activity: Rose-Colored Glasses • Cover plastic eyeglass frames (without lens) with colored cellophane. Use the same color for each side. • Ask children to look through the glasses and describe what they see. • Cover each side with a different color of cellophane; for example, red on one side and green on the other. • Ask children to look through the glasses and describe what they see. Is it different than when both sides have the same color of cellophane? ______Activity: I Spy Colors in My Room (Large Group) • Say to children, “I spy something red in this room” and describe or give hints about what you see. • Invite children to guess what you spy. • Allow children to be the leader and say, “I spy something” and describe or give hints about what they see.
Teacher Note: Collect six different colored objects and place in a bag. Invite a small group of children to play this game with you. Allow each child a turn pulling an object from the bag and naming the color. Ask the child to find something the same color in the classroom and say “I spy something blue” as the other children try to guess what it is. ______Activity: Color Hunt • Collect paint chips in basic colors: red, blue, yellow, green, purple, orange, black and brown (no shades or tints). Have several chips of the same color. • Have chips in a container such as a basket. • Ask a child to select a chip and name the color. • Ask the child to either find a matching chip or an object in the room that matches the chip. ______Activity: Color a Little – Color a Lot • Make 8” circles from different colors of construction paper: red, blue, yellow, orange, purple and green, for example. Make two or three circles in each color. Laminate or cover the circles with clear adhesive for durability. • Begin with three colors of circles. Scatter the circles about the room. • Explain to the children that they will play a color game. When they hear you say a certain color, they are to walk to that color circle and touch it with their fingers. Make sure they know that more than one person can touch the same circle. • Say, “Color a little, color a lot, can you find a big red spot?” • Repeat the rhyme with additional colors. • Add more colors as children are ready for this. ______Activity: Eyes See Colors (Small Group of 3 to 5 children) • Collect identical objects that are different only in color. Examples: red wooden cube and blue wooden cube, large yellow wooden bead and large green wooden bead, small brown rubber ball and small white rubber ball, black crayon and purple crayon (Any combination of colors and objects will do. The key is to have identical pairs of objects except for color) Select objects that are familiar to children. Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 9 Color and Light - Revised
• Select four pairs of objects and separate them into two groups so that there is one of each object in each of the two groups. • Place one set of objects in a bag and the other set in another bag. Be sure children do not see the objects as they are placed in the bag. • Ask a child to put his/her hand in one bag and the other hand in the second bag. • Ask child to feel around in the bags without removing the objects and find the two objects that are alike. • Ask child to name the objects and tell how he/she knows they are the same. • Ask the child, “What color are the objects?” Responses from the child may vary: “I don’t know.” or “ I can’t see it.” • Ask the child to take the objects out and ask if he/she was right about what they are. • Ask the child, “Why couldn’t you name the color while it was inside the box?” • Help children realize that they need their eyes to see color. • Ask children to close their eyes as you add a new pair to the bags. There will again be four objects in each bag. • Repeat the procedure so that all children have a turn. Add new pairs of objects each time to replace those the child has removed.
Teacher Note: By playing this game with a small group of children, you can use the same objects with each group. ______Activity: Color Shadows • Select a sunny day for this experience. • Give each child a 3” sheet of colored cellophane. • Take the children to the playground and encourage them to make colored shadows with the cellophane sheets.
Teacher Note: This experiment works best when the cellophane is held against a smooth, light colored surface such as concrete, brick or wood. It does not work on grass or dirt. ______Activity: Me and My Shadow • Gather children in a group. • Shine a flashlight on a wall. • Place your hand in front of the flashlight’s beam. • Ask the children if your hand’s shadow is big or small? • Move your hand further from the light and ask the children if the shadow is growing bigger or smaller. ______Activity: Do Shadows Change in Size? • Choose a sunny day for this experiment. • Involve children in taping a large sheet of light-colored bulletin board paper onto an outdoor table or similar flat surface where it will remain undisturbed. • Seat a plastic doll in the center of the paper, taping it in place if you think that is necessary. • Invite the children to observe the doll’s shadow. • Trace around the shadow with a marker and indicate the time of day. • Ask children if they think the size of the shadow will change and if so, to predict if the shadow will become bigger or smaller. • Return to the playground with the children at least twice that day and repeat the next step. • Observe the shadow and again trace around it with a marker and indicate the time of day. Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 10 Color and Light - Revised
• Gather the children around the paper to examine the changing size of the shadows. Ask children if their predictions were correct. • Ask the children why they think the size of the shadow changed. Accept all answers.
Additional Benchmark: 3.18 Shows awareness of time concepts ______Benchmarks: 1.1 Demonstrates ability to make choices 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 3.15 Demonstrates an understanding of number (how many) and numeral (3 is a numeral) relationship
Graphing Our Favorite Colors • Make a color graph for three colors: red, blue and yellow. Use a piece of construction paper with the color word written on it. • Make name cards for each child in a size that will fit on the graph. • Ask each child to select his or her favorite color and tape his or her name card in the correct column on the graph • Involve the children in counting the number of children who like each color.
Our Favorite Color 6 5 Jonathan 4 James Miguel 3 Kennedy Trude Juan 2 Sam Maria Sarah 1 Ashley Elizabeth Jackson
red blue yellow
• Write a summary story.
Our Favorite Color
Five children like the color red the best. Three children like the color blue the best. Four children like the color yellow the best.
Benchmarks: 3.15 Demonstrates an understanding of number (how many) and numeral (3 is a numeral) relationship 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships 4.3 Tries new foods before deciding whether he/she likes them 4.6 Coordinates eye-hand movements to complete task
Activity: Color Crackers (Individual activity) • Gather the following: one small plate and spoon per child, tablespoon, cream cheese, food coloring, and two crackers or one half bagel per child. • Make an illustrated recipe chart that lists steps for making Color Crackers Food/ Nutrition Color Crackers Experience Step 1. Give each child two tablespoons of cream cheese and crackers or a bagel. Step 2. Allow each child to squeeze one drop of food coloring of their choice into their cream cheese, and stir.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 11 Color and Light - Revised
Step 4. Spread the cream cheese on crackers or bagels Step 5. Eat the color crackers
Teacher Note: Allow the children to do as much of this food experience as possible. Guide them as they stir the cream cheese and food coloring and spread the mixture on their cracker or bagel.
Teacher Note: Teachers and children should always wash hands before participating in a food experience.
Benchmark: 4.10 Throws, kicks, bounces, and catches
Bean Bag Toss • Provide beanbags of different colors and containers of matching colors. If you do not have containers in matching colors, attach a piece of construction paper to the container. • Make a taped line for children to stand on when tossing. Movement/ • Ask children to toss beanbags into the containers of the same color. Physical ______
Education Benchmarks: 2.4 Participates freely in music activities 2.5 Enjoys singing games, dramatizing songs and moving to music 2.6 Expresses through movement what is felt and heard in various musical tempos and styles
Shadow Dancing • Take CD or cassette player outdoors on a sunny day. • Invite children to listen to the music and dance with their shadow. • Play music that suggests different kinds of movements; slow and swaying, then jazzy and fast, for example. • Ask children how they liked dancing with their shadows. What were some things they noticed about their shadow as they danced together? ______
Benchmark: 4.12 Shows balance and coordination
Red Light, Green Light (Large Group) • Use red, yellow and green traffic circles from the Red, Yellow and Green activity. • Create an indoor or outdoor highway (obstacle course). Use cones or two-liter soda bottles weighted with sand or gravel to represent yellow barrels on the highway in construction zones. • Explain to children that they are going to pretend to be driving through a construction zone. Therefore, they must listen and follow the traffic signs. • Show the signs and say, “When I hold up the yellow sign and say “Slow”, you will walk/drive slowly.” When I hold up the green sign and say “Go,” walk/drive fast. When I hold up the red sign and say, “Stop” you stop.”
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 12 Color and Light - Revised
Teacher Note: Allow children to pretend they have a steering wheel in their hands. Later you might offer them a paper plate to use for a steering wheel while driving. They could even draw their steering wheel. Benchmark: 2.10 Explores and manipulates art media
Art • Add one-inch squares of tissue paper of different colors to the collection of collage materials. • Provide children with a piece of construction paper or cardboard, a small clean paintbrush and a container of liquid starch. Encourage children to experiment by placing tissue paper shapes on the construction paper and brushing them lightly Learning with the liquid starch. Some children may overlap pieces and create different Centers colors and designs. The creations resemble stained glass. • Add specialty color packs of crayons that include more than the classic or standard eight and twelve pack colors. Tropical colors and fluorescent colors are two examples. • Give children two colors of finger paints such as red and yellow, blue and yellow, or blue and red. Observe the children and listen to their comments as they combine the colors and create new colors. • Give children shaving cream. Add two colors of tempera paint, observe and listen to children’s comments as they combine the colors and create new colors. • Place three different colors of paint in three shallow pans. Provide paper and give children objects to use for printing: corks, cookie cutters, plastic blocks and thread spools are examples. • Add play dough in different colors. ______Benchmarks: 3.10 Classifies objects by physical features such as shape or color 3.13 Demonstrates one-to-one correspondence
Block Center • Add small cars of different colors • Make garages for the small cars from boxes such as individual milk cartons. Cover the boxes with construction paper that is the same color as the small cars added to the center. Ask children how they can know which car goes in which garage. Observe to see if children park the red car in the red garage and the blue car in the blue garage, for example. • Add traffic signs Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 13 Color and Light - Revised
Library/Book Corner • Add books about color and light • Add pictures that show lots of colors (laminate or cover pictures with self stick adhesive) • Post Mother Goose rhyme charts on wall at child’s eye level ______Benchmark: 2.1 Shows creativity and imagination in play with materials and props
Home Living/Dramatic Play • Add scarves and large pieces of sheer fabric in different colors • Add bouquets of plastic or silk flowers and a plastic vase for table decorations. ______Benchmarks: 3.10 Classifies objects by physical features such as shape or color 3.12 Recognizes patterns and can repeat them 3.13 Demonstrates one-to-one correspondence 4.6 Coordinates eye and hand movements to complete tasks
Manipulatives • Add large wooden color beads. Observe children as they string them. Do they do random stringing, or do they create a pattern? • Start a pattern with the wooden color beads: red, blue, red, blue, red, blue, for example. Invite children to string their beads just like yours. Increase the number of beads in the pattern: red, blue, yellow, red, blue, yellow, for example. Encourage children to string their beads just like yours. • Add color bears and either small plastic bowls or sheets of construction paper of the same colors as the bears. Invite children to help the bears find their homes. • Add pegs and pegboards. ______Benchmark: 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the characteristics of the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing)
Water table or tub • Add red and blue food coloring to the water in the water table. Squirt some liquid detergent into the water. Give the children eggbeaters and/or wire whisks and observe them as they discover purple suds. ______Benchmark: 3.10 Classifies objects by physical features such as shape or color
Sand table or tub • Hide color bears in sand. Ask children to find and name the colors of the bears they find. Another idea is to ask one child to find all the yellow bears and another to find all the green bears. ______Science/Discovery • Color frames • Color boxes ______Quiet Corner • Create a quiet corner in your classroom; a place where children can go to be alone and to get away from the stresses of group living. • Place soft items in the quiet corner. Carpet on the floor, soft pillows, and soft and cuddly stuffed animals or dolls are examples. • Discuss with children when they might want to go to the quiet corner. When they Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 14 Color and Light - Revised
are angry and need to get away from the source of their anger? When they are sad and need to be alone? When the room gets too noisy and they need a quiet spot? • Explain to children that the quiet corner is for one child at a time.
Teacher Note: Make sure this area can be supervised by the adults in the classroom at all times.
Activity: Follow the Flashlight • Turn off the lights. • Tell the children to get behind you and follow the trail the flashlight shines on the floor. • Walk around the room making a trail on the floor with the flashlight. • Sit down quietly on the floor, turn off the flashlight, and speak quietly to the children about what they will do next. Teacher Note: Walk around the room then outdoors. ______
Activity: Spy Colors Transition • Place different colored objects into a bag. • Activities Pull an object from the bag and ask children to name it. • Direct all children with that color clothing or a specific item such as a shirt to go to the next activity. • Continue drawing objects from a bag and sending children to the next activity based on the color drawn and the color of their clothing.
Send home a note to parents stating for the next few days, the children will be learning about color and light. Suggest some ways families can be involved in the topic of study: • Collect items such as two-liter bottles and plastic or silk flowers • Involve their child in looking for cars of different colors • Let their child help sort the laundry by colors • Play the “I Spy” color game with their child • Take their child outdoors on a sunny day and look at and talk about shadows Family • Include the titles and authors of some of the children’s books about color and Activities light. Suggest that they look for these books in the local library, check them out and read them with their child.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 15 Color and Light - Revised
Weekly Plan Sheet Week of Topic of Study Color and Light Teacher(s) Day and Big Group Time #1 Group Time #2 Small Group Activities Transition Activities Special Activities Idea(s) Monday FP: Little Boy Blue – p. 5 FP: Little Robin Redbreast – p. 6 Introduction: Finding out what Children Know about First Reading of Little Blue Mixing Colors in a Tube Spy Colors – p. 15 Bean Bag Toss – p. 12 Color and Light– p. 2 and Little Yellow – p. 3 - p. 8 FP or Song: Color Rhyme – FP or Song: Favorite Color p. 6 Song – p. 6 Tuesday FP: Little Robin Redbreast – FP: Little Boy Blue – p. 5 p. 6
First Reading of Mouse Second Reading of Little I Spy Colors in My Room Spy Colors – p. 15 Red Light, Green Light – Paint – p. 3 Blue and Little Yellow – p. 3 - p. 9 p. 12
FP or Song: Finding Colors FP or Song: Bluebird, - p. 6 Bluebird – p. 7 Wednesday FP: Color Rhyme – p. 6 FP: Little Robin Redbreast – p. 6 First Reading of Planting a Rainbow – p. 4 Storytelling Figures: Graphing Our Favorite Spy Colors – p. 15 Color Crackers – p. 11 Mouse Paint – p. 5 Colors – p. 11 FP or Song: Mary Wore Her FP or Song: Red, Yellow Red Dress – p. 7 and Green – p. 7 Thursday FP: Little Boy Blue – p. 5 FP: Finding Colors– p. 6
First Reading of Bear Second Reading of Planting Shadow – p. 4 a Rainbow – p. 4 Eyes See Colors – p. 9 Follow the Flashlight – Do Shadows Change in p. 15 Size? - p. 10 FP or Song: My FP or Song: Favorite Color Disappearing Shadow – p. 7 Song – p. 6 Friday FP: My Disappearing FP: Color Rhyme –p. 6 Shadow – p. 7 Conclusion: Finding out Second Reading of Bear What Children Have Learned Color Hunt – p. 9 Follow the Flashlight – Shadow Dancing – p. 12 Shadow – p. 4 about Color and Light – p. 2 p. 15 FP or Song: Finding Colors FP or Song: Bluebird, – p. 6 Bluebird – p. 7 Changes to the Environment (Props, materials added to Centers) Art Blocks Books Dramatic Play / Manipulatives Sand / Water Science / Discovery Home Living Add Materials – p. 13 Add color cars, Add books, pictures Add scarves, sheer Add color beads, Water - Add food Color Frames, Color garages and traffic and Mother Goose fabric, flowers and bears, pegs and coloring, eggbeaters Boxes – p. 8 signs – p. 13 Rhyme Charts – p. 14 vases – p. 14 pegboards – p. 14 and/or wire whisks – Color My World, Rose-colored Glasses – p. 14 p. 9 Sand – Hide color Color Shadows, Me and bears – p. 14 My Shadow - p. 10 Topic of Study – Magnets
Children are fascinated by magnets. To them, magnets seem to have almost magical properties. They are able to see magnets attracting certain objects but not others. However, they may not understand why this happens. Preschool children simply need opportunities to explore and experiment with magnets as a foundation for learning more about them during science classes they will have later in school. Introduction
Here are two big ideas about magnets you can help children explore:
Magnets make things move without being touched
Magnets attract objects made of iron and steel
Big Ideas
• Collection of magnets and/or magnet wands • Magnetic storytelling figures • Magnetic nursery rhyme figures • Magnetic storyboards • Magnetic marker boards • Magnetic tape Materials to • Refrigerator magnets Collect and • Cookie sheet (steel) Make • Paper plate • Sand (small amount) • Shoebox lid • Washers • Steel paper clips • Pot holders with magnets attached • Magnetic alphabet letters, both upper and lower case • Magnetic numerals • Fishing poles made by attaching a string with a magnet at the end of it to either a dowel rod or a stick • Divided dog dish • Magnet manipulatives
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 1 Magnets - Revised
Introduction: Finding out What Children Know about Magnets
Benchmarks: 3.5 Understands that print conveys a message 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships 5.8 Participates in group discussion
To introduce the topic of “Magnets” you need to find out what children already know about the topic. This allows you to build on your children’s experiences. It also helps Introducing create an interest in the topic. Here’s how to begin.
and • Gather the children in a group. Say, “For the next two days we’re going to be Concluding learning about magnets.” the Topic • Ask if anyone knows what a magnet is and allow children to tell you what they know about magnets. • Tell children that they will make their own magnet as a way to help them learn about magnets. • Give each child a craft stick and a piece of magnetic tape to attach to the stick. • Explain to them that they now have a magnet. • Give each child a steel paper clip and ask them to put in on the floor and to hold the magnet stick just above the paper clip, slowly moving the stick back and forth. • Invite children to tell you what happened. [The magnetic stick attracted (picked up) the paper clip.] • Say, “You now know that a magnet will attract a paper clip. We’ll find out even more about magnets in the next two days. ______
Conclusion: Finding out What Children Have Learned about Magnets
• Gather the children in a group at the conclusion of the study about magnets. • Write on chart paper, chalkboard or marker board, “Things We Learned about Magnets.” • Invite children to tell you some things they have learned about magnets. Recall with them that first they made their own magnet and learned that magnets attract paper clips. You may have to ask prompt questions such as, “What are some other things we learned that magnets will attract?” “What are some things we discovered that magnets will not attract?” • Make a list of all the things children learned about magnets and say, “Here are some new things you learned about magnets,” as you read the list with them.
Teacher Note: Curriculum developers were unable to locate any books about magnets that were appropriate for preschool children. Reading Books with
Children
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 2 Magnets - Revised
Benchmark: 3.1 Shows enjoyment of books and stories and discussion of them
• Present a familiar story to children using magnetic storytelling figures on a magnetic storyboard. • Follow up by asking children why they think the storytelling figures stayed on the board. Accept all answers. • Ask children if they think felt storytelling figures will stay on the board. Again, accept all answers and say, “Let’s find out.” Language • Place felt figures on magnetic board (They will fall off.) Materials • Allow children to examine both the felt and the magnetic figures and discover and that the figures that stay on the board have a magnetic strip and the felt figures Activities do not.
Additional Benchmarks: 3.22 Makes comparisons (scientific process: comparing) 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships
Benchmark: 3.7 Identifies letters and signs in the environment
Activity: Fishing for the Alphabet • Make fishing poles by attaching a string with a magnet attached to the end of it to a dowel rod or a stick. • Create a fishing pond by taping off an area of the floor. • Scatter magnetic letters (upper case) in the pond. Choose letters so that each child can “catch” the first letter of his/her name. • Begin by asking, “Jamelia, can you tell me the first letter of your name? Now can you catch the first letter of your name?”
Teacher Note: For children needing a visual cue, show the child his/her name card and point to the first letter of the name. Say, “That’s a J. Now can you catch the letter J?” ______Benchmarks: 5.1 Demonstrates phonological awareness (hearing and recognizing the sounds of language) 5.5 Participates in songs, finger plays, rhyming activities, and games
• Place magnetic nursery rhyme figures on a magnetic board and you and children say the rhyme together. • Place the magnetic nursery rhymes figures and board in the library for children to use independently.
Benchmarks: 3.20 Uses senses to learn about the environment and to collect data (scientific process: observing) 3.21 Uses words to describe the characteristics of objects (scientific process: communicating) 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships
Activity: Magnets, Nails and Water
Science / • Provide magnets and nails and allow children to experiment with the two objects. Discovery Children will discover that magnets will attract nails. and Math • Ask children what they think will happen if you put the nail in a glass of water. Will the magnet attract the nail? Accept all answers.
• Place a nail in a glass of water and allow children to use a magnet to see if they can make the nail move. Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 3 Magnets - Revised
• Show them how to move the magnet around the glass to make the nail “dance.” • Discuss with them what happened between the magnet and the nail in the water. • Conclude with the children that a magnet’s force can go through different materials such as water. ______
Activity: Magnet Detectives
• Place a layer of sand in a shoebox lid. • Hide two steel paper clips and a nail under the sand. Be sure not to bury the objects too deeply. • Tell children they will be magnet detectives trying to find hidden treasure. • Allow each child a turn using a magnet to try and find the treasure buried in the sand. • Guide children to slide the magnet slowly above the surface of the sand. • Conclude with children that a magnet’s power will go through different materials such as sand.
Teacher note: Children will enjoy being “magnet detectives” on their own. Allow them to add other objects to see if magnets will attract them. ______
Activity: Follow the path
• Draw a simple path on an 8 ½” x 11” sheet of paper. Write “Start here” at the start of the path and “Finish Line’ at the end of the path. • Lay the paper on a steel cookie sheet. • Place a large steel paper clip or washer on the starting line. • Hold the cookie sheet 6-8” above the table. Ask a child to hold a magnet underneath the cookie sheet and drag it along to try and keep the paper clip or washer on the path from the start to the finish line. ______
Activity: Magnet Sorting Game
• Place a divided dog dish on the science/discovery table • Mark one side of the dish “Yes” and one side “No.” • Place a variety of objects on the table; some that magnets will attract (pick up) and some they will not: steel paper clips, washers, nails, magnetic alphabet letters and numerals, steel wool, cotton balls, small pieces of paper, pieces of felt, plastic spoon, cork. • Invite children to predict which objects magnets will attract and which objects magnets will not attract. • Challenge children to experiment to see if their predictions were correct and place the objects that magnets attract in the “yes” section and objects that magnet will not attract in the “no” section of the dog bowl.
Benchmark: 3.15 Demonstrates an understanding of number (how many) and numeral (3 is a numeral) relationship
Activity: Fishing for Numerals
• Tape off an area of the floor for a fishing pond.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 4 Magnets - Revised
• Scatter plastic magnetic numerals in the pond. Begin with numerals children recognize, then add additional ones. For example, begin with 1 through 5, then gradually add 6 through 10. • Allow children to use a magnetic fishing pole to fish for the numerals and name those they catch.
Try this: • Make number/numeral cards from 1 to 10, for example. Place one fish and the numeral “1” on a card, two fish and the numeral “2” on a card, for example.
2
• Children fish for a numeral, name it and place it on the correct card. • Make number cards without numerals on them for children who are ready for this more advanced activity. You may need to help them count the fish on the card.
Teacher Note: This same activity can be adapted as a way for children to name shapes and colors, for example.
Benchmark: 2.10 Explores and manipulates art media
Art Center Painting with Magnets • Place a sheet of paper on a steel cookie sheet. • Allow children to select a color of paint and squirt a few drops on the paper and place a washer in the paint. Learning • Show children how to press a magnet against the bottom of the cookie sheet and Centers use it to move the washer across the paper. • Observe as children discover that as the washer moves, it will make a design.
Teacher Note: Invite children to experiment with another way to paint with magnets.
• Lay a circle of white paper in a paper plate. • Ask the children to dip a large steel washer in some paint and place it on the paper. • Suggest that they hold the plate in one hand and the magnet in the other and press the magnet against the bottom of the plate and use it to move the washer across the paper. • Observe as children discover that as the washer moves, it will leave a trail of paint. • Allow children to dip the washer in the paint as often as necessary to complete the painting.
Teacher Note: Conduct this activity near a sink or have a small tub of water and paper towels nearby for cleaning hands.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 5 Magnets - Revised
Benchmark: 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationship
Block Center • Attach a magnetic strip or disk magnet to the back of a toy car or truck and a metal washer to the front of a lightweight second car. • Ask children which car they think can tow the other. • Allow children to experiment and discover that the front car can tow the second. ______
Library/Book Center • Add magnetic storytelling figures and a magnetic storyboard to the library center and allow children to play with them on their own. • Add magnetic nursery rhyme figures and a magnetic board to the library center and allow children to play with them on their own. ______
Home Living/Dramatic Play • Add a steel cookie sheet • Add refrigerator magnets • Add pot holders with a magnet attached ______
Manipulatives • Add a Magna-Doodle Board • Add magnet faces • Add Magnet Discovery Board • Add magnetic animals, vehicles, building shapes and puzzles ______
Benchmark: 3.23 Shows awareness of cause-effect relationships
Water Tub or Table • Use a Styrofoam bowl for a boat • Slide a large steel paper clip onto the rim of the bowl. • Place the boat in the water table or tub. • Invite children to take turns holding a magnet a short distance from the boat. (Make sure the magnet is strong enough to attract the paper clip) • Observe and listen to the children as they discover that the magnet can change the direction of the boat without touching it directly ______
Quiet Corner • Create a quiet corner in your classroom; a place where children can go to be alone and to get away from the stresses of group living. • Place soft items in the quiet corner. Carpet on the floor, soft pillows, and soft and cuddly stuffed animals or dolls are examples. • Discuss with children when they might want to go to the quiet corner. When they are angry and need to get away from the source of their anger? When they are sad and need to be alone? When the room gets too noisy and they need a quiet spot? • Explain to children that the quiet corner is for one child at a time.
Teacher Note: Make sure this area can be supervised by the adults in the classroom at all times.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 6 Magnets - Revised
Benchmark: 3.7 Identifies letters and signs in the environment
Activity: Letters and Names • Gather magnetic alphabet letters (upper case) that represent the first letter of each child’s name in the group. • Place a letter on a magnetic board and say, “If your name begins with this letter (or if your name begins with a “B”) you may choose a learning center.” Transition Activities Teacher Note: Use this activity for transitioning children to different activities.
Send home a note to parents stating for the next couple of days, the children will be learning about magnets. Suggest some ways families can be involved in the topic of study.
• Place refrigerator magnets on the refrigerator and allow children to play with them. • Allow children to place the refrigerator magnets on other surfaces to determine if the magnets will stay on them. Family • Place magnetic alphabet letters (upper and lower case) on refrigerator and involve children in finding the letters in their name. Use an upper case letter for Activities the first letter and lower case letters for the remaining letters. • Place magnetic numerals on refrigerator and let children play with them.
Additional Teacher Notes
• Magnets can be used on sides of filing cabinets or metal desks. • Your children may discover that magnets sometimes repel rather than attract Additional objects. When repelling occurs the objects feel like they are pushing against each other. Simply state that magnets repel as well as attract. Teacher • Try some of the activities in advance to be sure they will work. For example, Notes you will want to make sure the magnets are strong enough to attract the designated objects. • Include magnetic manipulatives and activities throughout the year. • Include classroom favorite books, songs and finger plays in your activity plans.
Adventures in Learning: #6 Physical and Earth Science 7 Magnets - Revised
Weekly Plan Sheet Week of Topic of Study Air & Wind, Things in the Sky, Color & Light Review Week and Magnets Teacher(s) Day and Big Group Time #1 Group Time #2 Small Group Activities Transition Activities Special Activities Idea(s) Monday FP: Wind Chant –p. 6 FP: Wind Tricks – p. 7
Third Reading of The Wind Storytelling Figures: The Blew – p. 3 Wind Blew - p. 5 Air and Wind Squirt Bottle Painting – Balloon Match – p. 16 Tossing Scarves in the (A/W) p. 14 Air – p. 13 FP or Song: Dancing Leaves FP or Song: The Air Chant – p. 7 – p. 6 Tuesday FP: Hey Diddle, Diddle (with FP: Star Light, Star Bright – figures) – p. 6 p. 5
Third Reading of Goodnight Storytelling Figures: Happy Things in the Puffy Clouds – p. 9 Mother Goose Rhymes Dancing with the Stars – Sky (T/S) Moon – p. 3 Birthday Moon – p. 5 Lollipops – p. 11 p. 9 FP or Song: Have You FP or Song: Sunshine Song Seen the Sun Today? – p. 6 – p. 6 Wednesday FP: Little Boy Blue – p. 5 FP: Color Rhyme –p. 6
Second Reading of Bear Second Reading of Mouse Color & Light Shadow – p. 4 Paint – p. 4 Mixing Colors in a Bottle Follow the Flashlight – Color a Little – Color a (C/L) – p. 8 p. 15 Lot – p. 9 P or Song: My Disappearing FP or Song: Favorite Color Shadow – p. 7 Song – p. 6 Thursday FP: Bubble Chant – A/W FP: Twinkle, Twinkle Little p. 5 Star – T/S p. 5
Introduction: Finding out Fourth Reading of Magnets Magnets, Nails and Letters and Names - p. 7 Chasing Bubbles - A/W (M) What Children Know about Goodnight Moon – T/S p.3 Water – p. 3 p. 12 Magnets – p. 2 FP or Song: Have You FP or Song: Mary Wore Her Seen the Sun Today? – T/S Red Dress - C/L p. 7 p. 6 Friday FP: Little Boy Blue - C/L p. 5 FP: Star Light, Star Bright - T/S p. 5 Storytelling Figures: - p. 3 Conclusion: Finding out Magnets Fishing for the Alphabet Letters and Names – p. 7 Fishing for Numerals (M) FP or Song: Red, Yellow What Children Have Learned – p. 3 - p. 4 and Green - C/L p. 7 about Magnets – p. 2 FP or Song: Favorite Color Song - C/L p. 6 Changes to the Environment (Props, materials added to Centers) Art Blocks Books Dramatic Play / Manipulatives Sand / Water Science / Discovery Home Living Newspaper Streamers Add materials – p. 5 Add magnetic Add materials – p. 5 Add selection of Water – Add Magnet Detectives, - A/W p. 14 storytelling figures – materials – p. 5 styrofoam bowl, boat, Follow the path, Painting with Magnets p. 3 paper clip and magnet Magnet Sorting Game – p. 5 – p. 6 – p. 4