Happy Solstice!

Today we're celebrating the winter solstice. We live in Florida and it's usually hot for Christmas (this year it's supposed to near 80 degrees) but it's very crisp out today. We talked about the scarcity of food during this season and made feeders for our animal friends.

The first ones are strands of plain cheerios. I just tied a button onto one end of a length of string and wrapped a bit of scotch tape on the other end to make threading easier. Then we went to town stringing the cereal until we were happy with them.

 

 

 

The others were apple slices which we spread with peanut butter and dipped in crushed cheerios (we're out of birdseed). I cut a little hole near the top of each slice and strung them with thread.

 

Then we hung them outside for the birds and squirrels to enjoy.

Happy solstice!

Week 13: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

PRIMARY STORY: Begin each day by reading the story Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr.

VIDEO: View this nursery song version of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Writing Practice, Heads and Tails Matching Game, Color Match
Supplies:     
       Brown Bear Printables
       Crayons or Markers
       Paper and Cardstock

Print the Heads and Tails Matching Game (page 3-4) on cardstock and cut it out.
Color Match and Writing Practice can be printed on regular printer paper.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Bear Tracks Process Art
Supplies:     
       cardboard
       (2) sponges
       hot glue gun and glue
       art paper
       paint
       scissors

1. Cut two cardboard rectangles (a bit larger than the sponge)
2. Trace a bear print onto each sponge and cut out pieces.
3. Glue pieces to cardboard to make you bear print stamps.
4. Have your child stamp paint tracks onto the paper.

Note: You can also do prints of other animals from the story.

EXPLORATIONS
Learn some interesting facts about bears:

Week 12: Where the Wild Things Are

PRIMARY STORY: Begin each day by reading the story Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.

VIDEO: View the animated version of Where the Wild Things Are.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Verb Wild Rumpus
Supplies:     
       None

1.Discuss action words.
2. Make a list of action words that your child knows.
3.  Have a "wild rumpus." Turn on some music and read your action words and have your child demonstrate their actions.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Wild Thing Mask
Supplies:     
       Paper Plates
       Elastic or string
       Hole punch
       Crayons
       Construction paper
       Scissors
       Glue stick

1. Cut out eye holes in paper plate mask.
2. Help your student decorate their mask.
3. Hole punch sides and add elastic or string.

EXPLORATIONS
Learn about mythical creatures like unicorns and dragons.

Week 11: The Rainbow Fish

PRIMARY STORY: Begin each day by reading the story The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister.

VIDEO: View the read-aloud version of The Rainbow Fish.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Tissue Paper Fish
Supplies:     
       Paper plate
       Scissors
       Tape
       Glue stick
       Tissue paper

1. Cut a small wedge out of a paper plate. Keep the wedge for the fish tail. Cut tissue paper into small squares.
2. Have student draw an eye for the fish.
3. Help student tape the tail onto the fish.
4. Have student paste tissue "scales" on the fish.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Fruit Loop Sorting
Supplies:     
       Fruit Loops cereal
       Plastic cup for each color
       Sorting tweezers
       Bowl

1. Writes each color name on the cups. Fill a bowl with Fruit Loops.
2. Have your student sort the cereal with the tweezers (or fingers).
3. Snack time!

EXPLORATIONS
Learn the colors and signs:

Week 10: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

PRIMARY STORY: Begin each day by reading the story Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault.

VIDEO: View the animated version of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Coconut Tree Name
Supplies:     
       Construction paper
       Scissors
       Markers or crayons
       Glue stick

1. Cut out a green leaf shape for each letter of student's name. Cut out brown tree trunk.
2. Have student write each letter of their name onto a leaf.
3. Have student paste tree trunk onto paper. Paste leaves in order on tree.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Letter Stamping
Supplies:     
       Small alphabet stamps
       Stamp pad
       Crayons
       Coconut Tree printable

1. Have your student color the coconut tree.
2. Help your student to stamp all of the letter of the alphabet around the tree.

EXPLORATIONS
Learn more about coconuts:

Week 9: Madeline

PRIMARY STORY: Begin each day by reading the story Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans.

VIDEO: View the animated version of Madeline.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Eiffel Tower Resist Painting
Supplies:     
       Painter's Tape
       Watercolor Paint
       Paper

1. Arrange the painter's tape into the shape of the Eiffel Tower.
2. Use your watercolors to paint the paper.
3. Let it dry then remove the tape.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Coin Arrays
Supplies:     
       Coins

1. Help your child to organize coins into arrays. I.E. twelve little girls in two rows.
2. Count the coins together.

EXPLORATIONS
Watch this video about the Eiffel Tower.

Week 8: Green Eggs and Ham

PRIMARY STORY:
Begin each day by reading the story Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss.

DISCUSSION PROMPTS:
Ask your student the following questions to jump-start a discussion.
Did you like the story, Green Eggs and Ham?
Which part of the story did you like best?Do you like to taste new kinds of food?

VIDEO: View the animated version of Green Eggs and Ham.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Fizzing Green Eggs
Supplies:     
       Baking Soda
       Vinegar
       Food Coloring
       Dropper
       Tray

1. Mix 1/2 c baking soda with 8-10 drops green food coloring and 1 tbsp water.
2. Form "dough" into egg shapes.
3. Place eggs into tray and let student drip vinegar onto the eggs with the dropper.
4. Watch the fizz and discuss how the baking soda reacts with the vinegar to form carbon dioxide which gives us all of these fun bubbles.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Rhyming Eggs
Supplies:
     Rhyming Eggs Printable
    
1. Print onto cardstock (green if you have it) and cut eggs.
2. Mix up eggs halves.
3. Talk about rhyming words and help your student to match the egg halves.

EXPLORATIONS
Make a green eggs and ham omelet with a few drops of food coloring.
Watch this video about Easter Egger chickens.