This is an especially special time of year with it being two weeks before Christmas, so I want to incorporate many activities relating to Christmas! It only comes once a year, so I say, "Go big or Go home!" After all, Jesus is the Light of the world and the Reason for the season!
Sign In: Today, I have asked one of my student's grandmothers to stay for a while, and I have invited my sister, also, to come over this morning. I wanted some help with today's project, which is for an outreach to which I belong. I always try to role model to my students that we need to be Jesus' hands and feet to the world. The name of the outreach is actually His Hands and Feet Ministry. My daughter took her tithing money, which amounted to $150, and she and I went to the Dollar Tree and purchased children's items. I purchased large bags at Giant Eagle for 5 cents/bag, and my students are going to help fill the bags this morning with the children's items. I will then deliver the bags to the outreach for distribution. This way, the children get to have a hand in helping others less fortunate. I have explained to them already why we are doing this and what we will be doing. As a way of saying thanks to my students for helping with this outreach project, I am going to spend the rest of the day making cookies with them, and then we will have a hot chocolate/cookie eating party! Free Play in Learning Centers
Circle Time: Morning learning songs. Introduce Letter L and review letters A-K. Introduce #12 and review #’s 1-11. Review the vowel song. Sing songs from self-made booklet of Christmas Carols. Practice singing the songs. See Label: Christmas. I will read them two books: "My L Book" and "Lighthouse, A Story of Remembrance" by Robert Munsch.
Snack
Bible: Read a story about Jesus' birth.
Free Play in Learning CentersGroup Lesson: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/lightshadows.html This is a fun site for the kids to play on to learn about light. Also: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/light.html
From the following site, I found these lessons that I thought would be interesting and understandable to young children: http://www.brighthubeducation.com/preschool-crafts-activities/95226-learning-about-light-with-activities/
Flashlight Play
Before beginning your preschool lessons about light, help students understand the unique properties of light with something as simple as flashlights. Have several available in your classroom for children to explore on their own. You may need to give simple instructions for safe flashlight use such as keeping the light away from your eyes, turning off the flashlight when you are finished, and being sure to tell a teacher when the batteries are running down. Show your preschoolers how to shine the light into dark corners, under tables, and up on the ceiling. Try having your morning circle time by flashlight one day. Create caves with blankets for the children to explore with their flashlights.Transparent Vs. Opaque
Once the children are confident flashlight users, introduce the concept of transparent versus opaque. Gather several classroom objects and a few flashlights. Explain that light is able to shine through certain objects, and these items are called transparent. Other items, however, will not let light through, and this are called opaque. Create a chart with a large piece of posterboard. Draw a line down the middle of the poster, labeling one side "transparent" and the other side "opaque". With the materials you gathered earlier, allow the children to discuss whether they believe each object selected is opaque or transparent. Write down the children's guesses on the poster. Test the children's theories by shining a flashlight through each object. Have the children record the results.
Explain that human bodies are opaque, which means the light does not shine through us. On a sunny day, go outdoors and look for your shadows. Pose in many different ways to see how your shadow changes. Using sidewalk chalk, allow the children to trace your shadow or a friend's shadow. If there is a large wall available, try making shadow puppet shapes with your hands. This activity can also be done indoors with flashlights if necessary.
Lunch/RestColor Mixing
Using colored cellophane and flashlights, show children that you can change the color of light by placing a colored transparent sheet over it. Allow the children to explore the cellophane and flashlights on their own. Using primary colored cellophane, ask the children what colors they can make by mixing two. What happens when they mix three or more colors?Resources
Expand your preschool light curriculum using these black and white art project ideas. Explore more preschool activities about light using this expanded shadow experiment. Some age-appropriate books about light are:- The Magic School Bus Gets A Bright Idea: A Book About Light, by Nancy White and John Speirs
- Oscar and the Moth: A Book About Light and Dark, by Geoff Waring
- Why Can't I Slide Down a Rainbow? Questions About Light, by Sally Hewitt
- Spots of Light: A Book About Stars, by Meachen Rau
- Night Light: A Book About the Moon, by Meachen Rau
Gross Motor/Phys.Ed: 1. Outdoor play if weather permits. We have kind of gotten into a routine where, when we play outdoors, the children want me to chase them and try to catch them. When our them of the week changes, I become whatever matches our theme and give chase! I have been a Dinosaur for letter D, a Gorilla for letter G, and a Horse for letter H thus far. Maybe for letter I Iguana might be appropriate! For the letter J, it is the perfect time to become the Giant in Jack and the Beanstalk and give chase! For letter K, I could be a King and give chase! Aerobics inside: I will put on some fun music and show the children some movements they can do for exercise: kicks, jumping jacks, side to sides, knee raises, hamstring curls--this is a little introduction to aerobics!
Art/Fine Motor: Manger Scene Footprints/Handprints: The angels trunk is the footprint, and the wings are the handprint. The manger cradle is the footprint in brown paint. Love this! Cute keepsake for parents!
Free Play
Review/Pack up/Dismissal
Day 2 Letter L Theme: Light/Lighthouses Number: 12
This is an especially special time of year with it being two weeks before Christmas, so I want to incorporate many activities relating to Christmas! It only comes once a year, so I say, "Go big or Go home!" After all, Jesus is the Light of the world and the Reason for the season!
Sign In:
Free Play in Learning Centers
Circle Time: Morning learning songs. Introduce Letter L and review letters A-K. Introduce #12 and review #’s 1-11. Review the vowel song. Sing songs from self-made booklet of Christmas Carols. Practice singing the songs. See Label: Christmas. Read a book!
Snack
Bible:
Free Play in Learning CentersGroup Lesson: How Christmas is Celebrated in Other Parts of Our World
Lunch/Rest
Gross Motor/Phys.Ed: 1. Outdoor play if weather permits. We have kind of gotten into a routine where, when we play outdoors, the children want me to chase them and try to catch them. When our them of the week changes, I become whatever matches our theme and give chase! I have been a Dinosaur for letter D, a Gorilla for letter G, and a Horse for letter H thus far. Maybe for letter I Iguana might be appropriate! For the letter J, it is the perfect time to become the Giant in Jack and the Beanstalk and give chase! For letter K, I could be a King and give chase! Aerobics inside: I will put on some fun music and show the children some movements they can do for exercise: kicks, jumping jacks, side to sides, knee raises, hamstring curls--this is a little introduction to aerobics!
Art/Fine Motor: From: http://www.familyembellishments.com/2011/08/lighthouse-craft.html I did this lighthouse project with my students last year and have been asked to do it again this year, so we will! Need: large plastic drinking cups, clear smaller drinking cups, battery tea lights, some white tape or white construction paper and some black construction paper.
Instructions:
- Tape three white stripes around the red cup. (we only did two)
- Trace the bottom of the clear plastic cup onto the black card stock or construction paper.
- Cut out the circle you traced, along with two small rectangles for the windows and a larger rectangle for the door (or use the black electrical tape for these).
- Trim the top inch or so from the clear cup so that it sits on the red cup with about a half inch overlap.
- Use tacky glue (or double stick tape) to adhere the black circle to the bottom of the clear cup.
- Glue (or tape) the windows and the door to the colored cup, set the tea light on the top, and place the plastic cup over the light.
Review/Pack up/Dismissal
Day 3 Letter L Theme: Light/Lighthouses Number: 12
This is an especially special time of year with it being two weeks before Christmas, so I want to incorporate many activities relating to Christmas! It only comes once a year, so I say, "Go big or Go home!" After all, Jesus is the Light of the world and the Reason for the season!
Sign In:
Free Play in Learning Centers
Circle Time: Morning learning songs. Introduce Letter L and review letters A-K. Introduce #12 and review #’s 1-11. Review the vowel song. Sing songs from self-made booklet of Christmas Carols. Practice singing the songs. See Label: Christmas. Read a book!
Snack
Bible:
Free Play in Learning CentersGroup Lesson: Number Bingo.
Lunch/Rest
Gross Motor/Phys.Ed: 1. Outdoor play if weather permits. We have kind of gotten into a routine where, when we play outdoors, the children want me to chase them and try to catch them. When our them of the week changes, I become whatever matches our theme and give chase! I have been a Dinosaur for letter D, a Gorilla for letter G, and a Horse for letter H thus far. Maybe for letter I Iguana might be appropriate! For the letter J, it is the perfect time to become the Giant in Jack and the Beanstalk and give chase! For letter K, I could be a King and give chase! Aerobics inside: I will put on some fun music and show the children some movements they can do for exercise: kicks, jumping jacks, side to sides, knee raises, hamstring curls--this is a little introduction to aerobics!
Art/Fine Motor: Stained glass Christmas shapes! Use Christmas shape template, tissue paper and contact paper. Kids place tissue paper on sheet of CLEAR contact paper. Once sheet is covered with tissue paper, place another clear sheet of contact paper over this. Then trace your preferred Christmas shape onto this and cut out around it. Hang on window!
Free Play
Review/Pack up/Dismissal
