SHAPES!
Blocks, Legos and building beads are staple materials in my classroom! Manipulating these toys, in various ways, makes learning fun!
We use these toys for:
1 - Letter and number formation.
2- Forming shapes.
3 - Graphing.
4 - Addition and subtraction.
5 - Comparing and contrasting.
6 - Measuring.
This week, the students chose one of these items to use to paint.
Task 1 : Find a rectangular or square Lego and bring it to the table.
Task 2: Put the Legos in order from biggest to smallest.
Task 3: Find one toy with wheels to bring it to the table. (It must be an object, that can be held with one hand.)
Task 4: Arrange the toys, biggest to smallest.
Task 5: Discover painting with wheels and Legos.
Task 6: Make observations- What shapes do you see? Are the shapes big or small? Do you see many or few shapes?
Are the results the same or different when stamping the Lego on the opposite side?
What happens when you stamp the wheels? What do you see when you roll the wheels or drive the car?
We played the game: "I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE...." a shape. We have some excellent spies:)
Next, the girls were instructed to find a circle.
Boys were instructed to find a square.
Shape Jump
We played: Shape Jump
This is a fantastic game for teaching shapes.
We used masking tape to create a square, triangle and rectangle. We grabbed a hula hoop to resemble a circle.
Instructions: The teacher calls out a shape. The students should jump in the shape called out.
Jumping is a significant gross motor skill that requires coordination and balance. The possibilities of incorporating jumping with academics, is endless! And, the more a preschooler jumps, the stronger their muscle develop.
A few jumping games I like to incorporate throughout the school year:
1 - Syllable Jump: The teacher calls out a student's name. The students clap, then jumps, the number of syllables in the name. (following first names: last names, show and share items, sight words, etc.)
2 - Joyful Jump Game: One at a time, the students call out a word that begins with the letter of the week. If that word begins with the letter, the students jump 3 times. If the word does not match the letter of the week, the students jump 1 time.
3 - Dodge Jump: Using sidewalk chalk, the teacher, randomly, writes (letters, shapes or numbers) on the sidewalk, driveway, or playground. The teacher calls out a (letter, shape or number) the students must jump on a different (letter, shape or number) avoiding what is called, or they are OUT!
Science Explores: "Matter Monsters".
I feel privileged to be a Science Explorers Teacher. Science Explorers, is a hands-on after school science club for elementary school students.
Science is my favorite subject to teach! Therefore, I am thrilled, to incorporate some of these activities with preschoolers, at their learning level.
This week, we learned that SOMETIMES mixing 2 different liquid matters, creates a solid matter. We mixed polyurethane A, with polyurethane B to discover, a growing solid. The chemical reaction made the cups warm, indicating an exothermic reaction.
These ingredients may be purchased online at www.flinnsci.com
Gloves on hands, and goggles over eyes, the kiddos were tickled with delight!
Instructions: pour and mix the 2 ingredients.
I wish I could have captured responses and reactions as the students observed their substances grow and change!
Creating Monsters:
Supplies:feathers, pom-poms, pipe cleaners, tooth picks, googly eyes, popsicle sticks and glue.
Instructions: Use your imagination to create a monster.
I am grateful that FFCA is in a superb location! There is a Library and a Playground a block away. We visit the Library twice a month and the playground twice a week.
Snack Time
Razvan shared Cheese Balls with the class. He excitedly, pointed out that Cheese Balls look like circles!
Isaac noticed the granola bars are rectangular! (Thank you for the granola bars Luke!)
Show and Share
The students shared items that ressembled circles, squares and rectangles.
After the students shared, they put their items in the giant shape, that matched the shape of their item.
Follow the instructions:
Find and quietly count the rectangles on the page. Raise your hand and use your fingers to show the number of rectangles you counted.
Paint the rectangles blue.
Find and quietly count the triangles on the page. Raise your hand and use your fingers to show the number of triangles you counted.
Sprinkle the triangles with glitter.
Find and quietly count the circles on the page. Raise your hand and use your fingers to show the number of circles you counted.
Draw an X on the circles.
Find and quietly count the squares on the page. Raise your hand and use your fingers to show the number of squares you counted.
Paint stripes on the squares.
The students searched the room for rectangles and circles to trace. We grabbed markers, scissors and the large paper we painted with Legos and wheels, earlier in the week, and traced and cut out shapes.
Sophia loved, loved, loved this activity!
Play Ground Fun!!
Practicing to throw and catch balls.
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