The Tale of Peter Rabbit

March 29th, 2012

Good morning Blogging Moms! With Easter right around the corner, we wanted to share with you one of our favorite children's stories. When we were teaching first grade, we were always shocked when we discovered how many of our students had NEVER heard the tale of Peter Rabbit. It is such a sweet story and gives children so many life lessons about listening, following directions, and being obedient. There are many resources on the internet to accompany the story such as puzzles, games, coloring sheets, etc. We read this to our own children when they were young, and now that they are grown, we treasure the memories this endearing story has given us.

Theme: The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Materials Needed: The Tale of Peter Rabbit book by Beatrix Potter, paper plate, google eyes, pipe cleaners, crayons, scissors, glue, construction paper or felt, cotton balls (optional)

Developmental Skills: fine motor, listening and following directions, vocabulary, sequencing, cause and effect

Activity: Read the Tale of Peter Rabbit to your child(ren). During the story, stop and discuss different vocabulary words such as sieve, mischief, thief, etc. Also, you can talk about the order in which Peter runs through Mr. McGregor's garden, who he sees and how he escapes through out the story.

After the story, your child can make the Peter Rabbit mask/character and act out the story. Discuss the importance of following directions and the consequences that happened to Peter when he did not obey his mother.

Extension Activities: Discuss with your child alternate endings to the story. How would the story be different if Peter had listened to his mother? What would have happened if he was caught by Mr. McGregor?

*Create vocabulary flash cards using 4x6 index cards. Print or cut out pictures from the computer, magazine, etc. and glue them onto the cards. Print the word on the other side. Your child can practice reading the words. If you make two sets of each card, they can play Concentration with the word cards.

*For a healthy snack, serve warm bread and blackberry jam.

*There are many fun games to help children learn to listen and follow directions. For example, Simon Says, Red Light-Green Light, etc.

Teacher's Tip: We really encourage you to work with your child on listening and following directions. As teachers, we found this to be one of the most important classroom skills a child needed to succeed in school.

M & M Math

March 20th

Good morning, blogging Moms! Today we are focusing on counting, sorting and color recognition.

Theme: M & M Math

Materials Needed: M & M Counting Book by Barbara Barbieri McGrath, Small Package of M&M's, Color Sorting Sheet, Graphing Sheet, Crayons

Developmental Skills: Counting, Color Recognition, Sorting, Graphing, Fine Motor Skills, Comparing and Contrasting, Predicting

Activity:

Give your children a handful of M & M's. Have them predict how many M & M's they have (depending on your child's level, have them count how many they have and compare it to their prediction). Have them put the colored M & M's on the colored sorting sheet. We made ours by drawing circles and coloring them in with crayons. After sorting the M & M's, have them count how many they have of each color. Discuss with your child which color has the most, the least, the same, etc. Next, help your child fill in the graphing sheet. Depending upon your child's level, it might be easier for your child to lay the M & M's on the paper, or if they are more advanced have them color in the squares.

Extension Activities:

If your child is ready to explore addition and subtraction, help them create math problems by adding two different colors. They can subtract by eating some of the M & M's.

Teacher's Tip:

This is a great activity to help your child learn how to listen and follow directions. In doing this activity with your child, give specific and simple directions for them to follow. For example, you might say, "Count only the red M & M's." Gradually increase to a variety of two-step and three-step directions. This is an essential skill students need to be successful in the classroom.

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs

March 8th

Happy Blogging Day, Moms! March has come in like a lion and hopefully will leave like a lamb! Since the weather has been crazy all over the country recently, we decided to make this week's blog a celebration of weather. So grab a copy of one of our very favorite children's books, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett and get ready for some fun adventures in the town of Chewandswallow!

Theme: Weather

Developmental Skills: Science (weather), cause and effect, vocabulary, creativity (i.e. coloring, cutting, gluing, painting)

Materials Needed: Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

Activity 1:Windy Painting~ crayons, construction paper, paint, straws, plastic cups and spoons

Have your child draw a picture of an outside scene (their house, park, etc.). Add water to the paint to make it a thinner substance. Drop a couple of drops of paint onto the paper and using a straw, have your child blow the paint across the picture. They will enjoy watching the paint move in different directions. You can add more paint if needed. ( Please watch your child carefully, as they can become lightheaded from blowing through the straw. We experienced this ourselves!) Talk about wind and how it feels, the direction it blows, and how it moves the leaves, trees, etc.

Extension Activity: We had so much fun blowing the paint across the paper that we decided to see what would happen when we mixed different colors of paint. We used only primary colors and when the colors ran together, we observed the secondary colors being made. It was very easy and very fun! These abstract paintings would be cute framed.

Activity 2: Paper Bag Windsock~ small lunch bag, crayons, yarn, streamers or tissue paper

Have your child decorate the outside of a lunch bag with crayons. Cut out the bottom of the lunch bag and tie a piece of yarn through each side. Glue the streamers to the bottom of the bag. We used colorful tissue paper and cut it into thin strips. We liked being able to alternate the patterns. Hang up the windsock outside and discuss which direction the wind is blowing.

Teacher's Tip: It is essential to a child's development of reading skills to focus on vocabulary, prior knowledge and experiences. This will help develop comprehension skills while reading and listening to stories. Talk to your child through out the story and see if they can predict what will happen next before you turn the page.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

March 1st, 2012

Happy Thursday, Blogging Moms! Today, we are celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday! He was born on March 2, 1904. He is the author of many beloved children's books that have kept children entertained, while instilling the love of reading. Through rhyming, patterning and creative characters he is one of America's most treasured authors.

Theme: Dr. Seuss

Materials Needed: Dr. Seuss Books (Bartholomew and the Oobleck, The Cat in the Hat, Horton Hears a Who, etc.)

Oobleck Recipe: 1 1/2 to 2 cups of cornstarch

1 cup of water

green food coloring

Mix all the ingredients together until you have a gooey substance. It should feel stiff when you stir it, but also have a liquid consistency.

Developmental Skills: Reading, rhyming, patterning, vocabulary, Science (liquids and solids)

Activity: Read Dr. Seuss books to your children. Discuss the rhyming words and patterning that Dr. Seuss uses in his books. See if your child can predict the words that will come next in the story. Mix the Oobleck to the right consistency and allow your child to play with it on wax paper, or other protective surface.

Extension Activities: There are many websites with different Dr. Seuss activities listed. For example, you and your child can make red and white stripe hats out of construction paper, coloring pages, games, etc. Also, check your local video store or library for Dr. Seuss movies.

To extend the Science concept of liquids and solids, place an ice cube or other frozen item in a cup and watch it melt.

Teacher's Tip: Allowing your child to explore with Oobleck or other tactile substances helps them to gain an understanding of the world around them.