Math Activity: Spider Graph

A simple graphing activity on this day. The children were asked if they like or dislike spiders. The children who liked spiders put a smiley face on the graph. The children who did not like spiders put a unhappy face on the graph. After all of the children had made their choice, the entire class helped count how many liked or disliked spiders.

Art Activity: Spiders

For this activity we gave the children styrofoam balls and pipe cleaners. They painted the styrofoam balls with tempera paint and then added the pipe cleaners to make legs for the spiders.

Story Book for September 18, 2009

Our story book for September 18th was Itsy Bitsy Spider by Kate Toms. A more in depth version of the traditional Nursery Rhyme.

Health and Safety Activity: Hot Hazards

For this activity we showed the children an assortment of photos of household items. The children had to identify which items were potential burn hazards. The children marked the burn hazards by putting a picture of a flame on the picture of the item.

Art Activity: Shoe Collage

For this activity the children cut out pictures of shoes, and people wearing shoes, from magazines. They glued the photos onto their paper to make a shoe collage. We had some shoe pictures already cut out for the children that weren't ready for scissor use.

Story Book for September 17, 2009

Our story book for September 17th was 1, 2, Buckle My Shoe by Anna Grossnickle. A version of the old counting Nursery Rhyme.

Science Activity: Planting Flower Seeds

The children planted flower seeds for this activity. They measured out the amount of soil and water to use and then added them to planting cups along with the flower seeds. We'll see how well these flowers grow in our classroom

Language Activity: Flower Spelling

For this activity the names of flowers were spelled out on a piece of paper with a picture of the flower. The children used faux flower petals with letters written on them to spell out the names of the flowers. They matched up the letters on the petals with the letters on the paper. A good letter matching and letter recognition skill.

Art Activity: Sponge Painting Flowers

The children used flower and petal shaped sponges to make flowers. They dipped the sponges into tempera paint and then pressed the sponges on to the paper.

Story Book for September 16, 2009

Our story book for September 16th was Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary by Lynn Salem. In this very short version of the traditional Nursery Rhyme, Mary plants different types of seeds in her garden. One of the seeds grows into a beanstalk.

Woodworking Activity: Making an Instrument

The children made a home made instrument at the woodworking table on this day. First they used the hand drill to make pilot holes in the wood.

Next they inserted screw eye bolts into the wood.

Next, rubber bands were attached to all of the screw eye bolts to make a string instrument.

Art Activity: Paper Hats

On this day the children decorated paper hats. We have them each a folded paper hat and let them decorate it with markers. After they were finished decorating the hat with markers, they used scotch tape to attach feathers to the hats.

Story Book for September 15, 2009

For September 15th we read the Nursery Rhyme Johnny Crow's Garden. A variety of animals come to a party at Johnny Crow's Garden.

Language Activity: Humpty Dumpty Re-enactment

For this activity the children re-enacted the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty. The sat on a small wall made from cardboard blocks while saying the rhyme, and then fell off the wall.

Math Activity: Egg Carton Sorting

For this activity we wrote numerals, 1-12, inside the compartments of egg cartons. The children had to count out the correct number of beads for each section of the egg carton.

Art Activity: Humpty Dumpty Kids

We gave each child a photograph of themselves and a sheet of paper with a brick wall on it. The children cut their photo into pieces and then glued the pieces onto their paper. We wanted this artwork to look like the children were in the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty. Afterwards the artwork was displayed on our art bulletin board.

Story Book for September 14, 2009

Our story book for September 14th was Humpty Dumpty by Kin Eagle. In this story Humpty not only falls off the wall, but he also has mishaps in other locations.

Story Book for September 11, 2009

Our story book for September 11th was Dog's ABC: A Silly Story about the Alphabet. Dog's adventures for the day take him through the alphabet.

Art Activity: Race Cars

For this activity the children first decorated a race car pattern with markers. Next, they glued wheels onto their race car. After the car was finished the teachers placed a picture of each child in their car to make it look like they were driving the race car.

Story Book for September 10, 2009

Our story book for September 10th was The Racecar Alphabet by Brian Floca. Each letter of the alphabet is accompanied by illustration paying tribute to the sport of auto racing.

Health and Safety Activity: Scissor Safety

For this activity we let the children practice using scissors safely. They practiced walking with the scissors, passing the scissors to a friend, and how to hold them when cutting.

Art Activity: Name Necklaces

We gave the children alphabet beads and other decorative beads to use to make necklaces. Some children spelled their names with the alphabet beads while others just made a colorful necklace.

Story Book for September 9, 2009

Our story book for September 9th was The Letters are Lost by Lisa Campbell Ernst. A group of letter blocks are missing from their box. The reader has to discover where each letter has gone.

Story Book for September 8, 2009

Our story book for September 8th was The Hold by the Apple Tree by Nancy Polette. A group of children go on an imaginary adventure through the alphabet.

Art Activity: Rocket Ships

The children made rocket ships on this day. They were given a colored rocket to color with markers, crayons, and colored pencils. After they finished decorating their rocket, the teachers inserted a photo of each child inside their rocket.

Story Book for September 4, 2009

Our story book for September 4th was Touchdown Mars! by Peggy Wethered. An alphabet book that introduces the concepts of outer space.

Story Book for September 3, 2009

Our story book for September 3rd was The Z Was Zapped! by Chris Van Allsburg. The letters of the alphabet are putting on a play. Each letter performs an act in the play.

Science Activity: Big Magnets

We gave the children some big magnets and asked them to see how many metallic items they could pick up from a bucket, and then carry them to another bucket.

Art Activity: Alphabet Sponge Painting

For this activity we gave the children tempra paint and letter shaped sponges. The children used the sponges to paint with and to make prints of the letters.

Art Activity: Treasure Boxes

We gave the children plain white boxes to decorate for this activity. The children first painted their boxes and then sprinkled glitter over their box. A nice little box to keep treasures.

Story Book for September 2, 2009

Our story book for September 2nd was Kipper's A to Z: An Alphabet Adventure by Mick Inkpen. Kipper and his friend Arnold are on a quest to find something that begins with every letter of the alphabet.

Story Book for September 1, 2009

Our story book for September 1st was ABC I Like Me by Nancy Carlson. This alphabet book lists 26 ways for children to feel good about themselves.

Science Activity: Magnets and Sand

For this activity we buried an assortment of items in a container of sand. The children used magnetic wands to sift through the sand to find the items that were metallic.

Art Activity: Collage People

We gave the children people shaped paper, glue and lots of collage materials including pom poms, foam shapes, buttons, yarn, and more. The children glued their items onto their person to make the collage person.