**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

Here were our plans for our carnival theme:

And here are the details for each activity:

Carnival of the Animals:

We started off the week listening to the music from Camille Saint-Saëns’s and moving like the animals in Carnival of the Animals by Jack Prelutsky. This book has a poem for each animal accompanied by a classical musical movement. After reading each poem we listened to the song and Madelynn pretended to be each animal in the circus.

Carnival Predictions:

Our next story was Little Elliot Big Fun By Mike Curato. Before reading, we practiced making predictions.

I asked “After looking at the cover, what do you think this story will be about?”  Madelynn: “The elephant is going to the fair.” Then I asked: “What will the elephant do in the story?” Madelynn: “He’s going to go on the rides.”

Carnival Comprehension:

Next we read Olivia and the School Carnival By Tina Gallo. After reading, we talked about the things the children made for the carnival.  Then I asked Madelynn what she would like to make for the school carnival and had her draw it on the response page. Madelynn said she would make a piggy race.

Carnival Comprehension:

  Our last read aloud was Daniel Goes to the Carnival By Angela C. Santomero. After reading, we talked about what it means to be afraid, and why Daniel was feeling afraid. Then I asked Madelynn if she has ever been afraid of something and had her draw it on the response page. She said she was afraid of ants.

Tracking Print:

Our last book was this letter C for Carnival alphabet reader. Madelynn identified the picture then pointed to each word as she read. Since we switched to the more difficult version she is working on learning new sight words each week. Afterwards she colored all of the pictures in.

Color by Sound Ice Cream:

This week we focused on ending sounds so we started with this color by code activity. Madelynn looked small pictures in the larger picture, and identified the ending sound. Then she followed the directions to make each spot the correct color.

Carnival Sound Stamping:

Next, for more letter practice we used our dot stampers. We started out stamping inside the letter to make a C. Then Madelynn had to find the upper and lowercase c’s in the carnival booth, stamp them and make the “C” sound each time. Then she stamped the other letters different colors and tried to make the sounds for each one.

Pop the Middle Sound:

  To practice identifying tricky vowel sounds, I set up this carnival themed water balloon toss game.  First I drew 5 large circles with sidewalk chalk and labeled each with a vowel. Then I filled a bucket with water balloons.  Madelynn chose a CVC word card, identified the middle sound, then tossed a water balloon into the correct circle.

Carnival Name Craft:

For this week’s name craft we created a bunch of name balloons.  First, Madelynn cut the balloon pieces out. Then she wrote the letters in her name on each balloon. After she finished writing, she glued the balloons in order to spell her name. Then she cut and added yarn strings under each balloon to make a bouquet.

Carnival Journal Writing:

  For our journal this week Madelynn chose to draw her favorite carnival ride. She said “I like the fun house.” So I drew lines for each word, then we worked on writing the sounds together.

Carnival Number Writing Tray:

Our first math activity this week was a carnival themed number writing tray.  To make this fun sensory activity I filled our shallow tray with sprinkles. Madelynn used ice cream number cards as a model and chose which ones she wanted to practice.  Then she used a sugar cone and/or her finger to write numbers in the pretty themed tray.

Ducky Grab and Color Graph:

Our math focus this week was graphing and analyzing data. For our first activity I used permanent marker to color dots on the bottom of small rubber ducks.  Then I placed all of the ducks in a small bin of water. Madelynn chose a duck and recorded on the graph. She continued grabbing ducks until all the  duck colors were graphed.

Bucket Toss Graphing:

Our next carnival game was this bucket toss game.  I filled a bin with small ping pong balls. Then, Madelynn tossed the balls one at a time into the buckets. When she finished tossing, she counted the number of balls in each bucket and graphed them on the recording sheet.

Scoop and Graph Popcorn:

Our last activity was a yummy rainbow popcorn graph.  Madelynn used a small cup to grab a scoop of rainbow colored popcorn.  Then she sorted the colored pieces onto the rainbow popcorn graph.  Finally she recorded the number of each color, then used the graph to answer the questions. And of course ate her delicious snack when she finished.

*You can also dye your own popcorn following these instructions.

Popcorn Number Sense Mats:

We used these mats to practice numbers 11-20 this week. First, Madelynn identified the large number. Then she made it with play dough and counted the popcorn in the ten frame. Next, she used a dry erase marker to practice writing the number, and finally counted out pieces of popcorn to fill the bucket with the correct amount.

Popcorn Sensory Bin:

In this sensory bin: Popcorn, plastic popcorn boxes, pretend salt shakers, fine motor tools, scoops, cups

Popcorn Stamping Craft:

Our first craft this week turned out super cute.  First I printed popcorn box pieces on colored cardstock. Madelynn cut and glue the pieces together.  Next she scrunched up a small piece of tissue paper to use as a stamper.  I filled a tray with yellow and white paint and she stamp the tissue in both colors to stamp delicious buttery popcorn on top of the box.

Balloon Inflator:

For our science experiment this week we made our very own balloon inflator. First Madelynn poured about ½ cup vinegar into an empty plastic water bottle. Next, I helped her stretch a balloon out a bit and insert the funnel. She filled balloon about halfway with baking soda. I carefully stretched the balloon around the neck of the bottle without letting the baking soda fall into the bottle. Then Madelynn lifted the balloon up and shook the baking soda into the bottle. Finally she watched in awe as the balloon inflated!

Cotton Candy Puffy Paint:

Our second craft this week was yummy puffy cotton candy paint. Madelynn helped me mix a small batch of puffy paint with equal parts shaving cream and white glue in a bowl. I divided it into 2 bowls and dyed one pink and one blue with food coloring. I also rolled a small piece of white cardstock to form a cone and glued it to the bottom of a sheet of paper for the cotton candy cone. Madelynn used the puffy paint to paint swirls of cotton candy on top of the cone.

Duck Race Sensory Bin:

In this sensory bin: water, cut pool noodle, small rubber ducks, squirt guns

For our last carnival themed game, I cut a pool noodle the length of the bin and placed it inside to divide the bin into 2 “lanes.” Then we placed one rubber duck in each lane.  We each used a squirt gun to squirt the duck and race to the other side of the bin. Madelynn also had fun just spraying and splashing with the ducks in the bin even without racing.

Want all of this week’s Carnival activities for preschool?  You can grab them here:
On my site : Carnival Plans & Printables On TpT: Carnival Plans & Printables

Or you can grab our entire year of themes and plans:
On my site here: Preschool Bundle On TpT here: Preschool Bundle

Then check out the rest of our 45+ themes on the Preschool Curriculum Main Page.

The post Preschool: Carnival first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

Here were our plans for our ocean theme:

And here are the details for each activity:

Ocean Vocabulary:

Our first book this week was Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea by Jan Peck. While reading I used picture cards to reinforce new words. Then Madelynn made an ocean vocabulary book. She drew pictures to show each animal and used the picture cards and book as a reference.

Fish Problem and Solution:

Our next story was Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen. Before reading we discussed and defined problem. We talked about how every story usually has a problem or something that goes wrong. After reading, Madelynn drew and labeled the problem in the story (The pout pout fish was very sad.) Then we talked about and drew how the problem was solved (He met Miss Shimmer and she gave him a kiss. Then he felt better!)

3 Little Fish Retelling:

Our next story was The Three Little Fish And The Big Bad Shark by Will Grace. After reading, Madelynn drew to show what happened in each part of the story.

Ocean Inferring:

Our last book was Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andrae. First we discussed the animals that live in the ocean. Then I read the poems 1 at a time without showing the illustrations.  Madelynn used the clues in the text along with what she knew to infer the type of animal and draw it on her response page. She loved when I showed her the picture to check if she was right.

Tracking Print:

Learning vowel sounds can be tricky and are usually the last letter sounds I worry about preschoolers mastering.  So for our last book this week we read this O for ocean alphabet reader. I included a mixture of items that representing short and long O sounds. Madelynn identified the picture then pointed to each word as she read. Afterwards she colored all of the pictures in.

Ocean Letter Writing Tray:

Our first literacy activity this week was an ocean themed letter writing tray. To make this fun sensory activity I filled our tray with blue sand and gems. Madelynn used seashell letter cards as a model and chose which ones she wanted to practice. Then she used her finger to write letters in the sand.

Ocean Sound Stamping:

Next, for more letter practice we used our dot stampers. We started out stamping inside the letter to make an O. Then Madelynn had to find the upper and lowercase o’s in the ocean, stamp them and make the “O” sound each time. Then she stamped the other letters different colors and tried to make the sounds for each one.

Fishing for Sounds:

This game was super engaging and easy to set up.  First I printed, laminated and cut out the ocean word cards. Then I filled our large bin with water and foam letters from the lakeshore alphabet fishing game. Madelynn used the magnetic fishing pole to catch letters and build each word, identifying the missing middle sound for each one.

Ocean Name Craftivity:

For this week’s name craft we created an ocean full of name fishies.  First, Madelynn cut the fish and water pieces out. Then she wrote the letters in her name on each fish. After she finished writing, she glued the fish together in order to spell her name. Then she added a few bubbles near each fish with a white crayon.

Ocean Journaling:

For our journal this week Madelynn chose to draw her favorite ocean animal. She said “I like turtles.”  I drew lines for each word, then we worked on writing the sounds together.

Color by Code Shark:

We worked on addition to 5 this week for our color by the code activity. Madelynn solved the number sentence in each section of the picture then used the key to color each one the correct color.

Ocean Measuring:

Our new math focus for the week is measurement, so we started out with using nonstandard units, goldfish crackers, to measure ocean animals. After lining up her crackers on the line to measure each animal, Madelynn counted the number and wrote it on each page.

Weighing Seashells:

Madelynn loves experimenting with balance scale, so I made sure we had at least one fun ocean activity for learning about weight. First she choose a small plastic ocean animals  to place on one side of the scale.  Next she filled the other side of the balance scale with the seashells  one at a time until the scale balanced out. Finally she counted and recorded the weight on the response sheet.

Ocean Capacity:

Capacity is always a fun measurement concept for preschoolers, because they love to fill and dump things.  For our ocean themed capacity exploration I filled our sensory bin with blue water. Then I added plastic ocean animals, various sized containers, measuring cups and spoons. Madelynn explored capacity by seeing how many cups, or scoops of water fit in each container. I helped her to make predictions and check to see how accurate they were as well.  She also added sea creatures to discover how they affect capacity.

Measuring Seashells:

For our last measurement activity we tried out standard measurement using a flexible measuring tape. Madelynn choose a seashell then lined up the measuring tape to measure the length of each type of shell. Then she wrote the measurements on the recording sheet.

Ocean Water Bead Bin:

In this bin: ocean water beads, plastic ocean animals, fine motor tools, cups

Jellyfish Craft:

Our first craft this week was a 3D jellyfish. We started out painting a small paper bowl (try to find the least waxy variety possible so paint will stick!) various colors with tempera paint.  After it dried, I helped Madelynn cut and staple ribbons underneath the upside down bowl. Finally she glued large googly eyes to the top to finish the jellyfish, and I poked a small hole for a loop of elastic in the top for hanging.

Ocean Ice Melt:

It has been nice and hot around here this week, so we moved our next activity outdoors! I froze ocean creatures in blue ice ahead of time. Then I placed the ice blocks in large bin with tools, eye droppers and cups of warm water. Madelynn used tools to excavate the ocean creatures.  We sorted, named, and counted the animals.

Fish Watercolor Painting:

Our second craft was a super simple one. I printed a few fish outlines on white cardstock. Madelynn used liquid watercolors to paint bright colored tropical fish.  After the paint dried, she cut the fish out and added a googly eyes to the faces.

Ocean Animal Kinetic Sand Play:

In this sensory bin: blue kinetic sand, mini ocean animal sand molds

Want all of this week’s Ocean activities for preschool?  You can grab them here:
On my site : Ocean Plans & Printables On TpT: Ocean Plans & Printables

Or you can grab our entire year of themes and plans:
On my site here: Preschool Bundle On TpT here: Preschool Bundle

Then check out the rest of our 45+ themes on the Preschool Curriculum Main Page.

The post Preschool: Ocean first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

  Here were our plans for our farm theme:

  And here are the details for each activity:

Mrs. Wishy Washy Retelling:

Our first book this week was Mrs. Wishy Washy’s Farm by Joy Cowley. After reading, Madelynn drew to show what happened in each part of the story.

Little Blue Truck Matching Game:

Our next story was Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle. After reading we practiced sound vocabulary with a matching game. Madelynn chose 2 cards and tried to find the sound to match each character from the story. We took turns trying to make matches until all matches were found.

Farm Problem & Solution:

Our next story was Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin. Before reading we discussed and defined problem. We talked about how every story usually has a problem or something that goes wrong. After reading, Madelynn drew and labeled the problem in the story (The cows wanted electric blankets.) Then we talked about and drew how the problem was solved (The duck helped make a trade for the typewriter.)

Barnyard Inferring:

Our last book was Cock-a-Doodle-Doo! Barnyard Hullabaloo by Giles Andrae. First we discussed the animals that live on the farm. Then I read the poems 1 at a time without showing the illustrations.  Madelynn used the clues in the text along with what she knew to infer the type of animal and draw it on her response page. She loved when I showed her the picture to check if she was right.

Tracking Print:

Our last book was this letter F for Farm alphabet reader. Madelynn identified the picture then pointed to each word as she read. Since we switched to the more difficult version she is working on learning new sight words each week. Afterwards she colored all of the pictures in.

Color by Sound Farm:

This week we focused on ending sounds so we started with this color by code activity. Madelynn looked at the small pictures in the larger picture, and identified the ending sound. Then she followed the directions to make each spot the correct color.

Farm Sound Stamping:

Next, for more letter practice we used our dot stampers. We started out stamping inside the letter to make a F. Then Madelynn had to find the upper and lowercase f’s in the farm, stamp them and make the “F” sound each time. Then she stamped the other letters different colors and tried to make the sounds for each one.

Farm Sound Toss:

To practice identifying tricky vowel sounds, I set up this farm themed ring toss game.  First I placed farm animal puppets on top of upside down plastic cups to make them stand up. Then I taped a middle sound card on each one.  Madelynn chose a word card, identified the missing middle sound, then tried to toss a ring around the animal with that sound.

Tractor Name Craft:

For this week’s name craft we created this tractor pulling name hay bales.  First, Madelynn cut the craft pieces out. Then she wrote the letters in her name on each hay bale. Next she glued the tractor pieces together and added the hay bales in order to spell her name. 

Farm Journaling:

For our journal this week Madelynn chose to draw her favorite farm animal. Our local farm has a kitty barn that is just too cute for words, filled with the most adorable tiny kittens every year. So naturally she said “I like kitties.” I drew lines for each word, then we worked on writing the sounds together.

Farm Number Writing Tray:

Our first math activity this week was a farm themed number writing tray.  To make this fun sensory activity I filled our tray with dirt. Madelynn used barn number cards as a model and chose which ones she wanted to practice.  Then she used a farm animals and/or her finger to write numbers in the tray.

Positional Word Farm:

Our math focus this week was finding and placing objects in relative locations. I printed and laminated positional word cards and farm animal/object cards then attached a piece of magnetic tape to the back of each object. Madelynn chose a positional word card and used the magnets to arrange the objects on the farm.

Roll and Go Farm:

For this positional word game we started out by setting up our Little People Farm and animals.  Then Madelynn chose an animal and rolled a die with positional words on it to find out where to put the animal in relation to the barn.  We took turns practicing all of the different positions.

Where is the Farmer?:

For our next positional word practice activity, I created this simple printable book with cut out pieces.  On each page I used a different positional word (above, below, behind, next to, between, etc.) and Madelynn cut and glued the farmers in the correct spot on each page.

Farm Sorting Book:

For our last math activity, I put together this book with opposites on each page and farm themed pictures for sorting.  I laminated and added velcro to all of the pieces so they could be used over and over again.  Then Madelynn practiced identifying left/right, in front/behind, over under, and on/off.

Wishy Washy Sensory Bin:

In this bin: “mud,” plastic animals, tin tub, water, scrub brushes

To set this activity up I filled a small bin with 1 cup water. Then I added  2 cups cornstarch a bit at a time, and sprinkled a few spoonfuls of unsweetened cocoa powder in for color and scent. I added the animals to the “mud” mixture, then filled a separate tub with water and scrub brushes. To help contain the mess I placed both bins inside a larger bin.

Farm Directed Drawing:

For this directed drawing I drew one part of the farm at a time on my paper, and Madelynn followed along by drawing the same or similar shape on her paper.  She is quite the perfectionist, so I had her use a pencil in case she wanted to erase try any part of the farm again.  Then I had her outline the entire farm with a black crayon.  (You could definitely skip the pencil and start with a black crayon to save time.) To finish off the project, Madelynn used watercolors to paint her farm and add details to the background.

Ice Cream in a Bag:

Have you ever made ice cream in a bag? We tried it for the first time in tot school last year and I was SHOCKED at how easy and delicious it was! So I knew I had to bring this activity back for preschool this year. Here is the recipe:

  1. Mix 3 cups crushed ice and 1/3 cup salt in a gallon freezer bag. 2. Mix 1/2 cup whole milk, 1/4 tsp vanilla, and 1 Tbsp sugar in sandwich bag. 3. Drop the small bag inside the large bag and SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE! **Wear gloves the bag will get really cold ** 4. After about 5 minutes take the small bag out and enjoy, yum!

Cow Craft Plate:

To make this cute little cow, we started by using a balloon to stamp black paint spots on a paper plate. After the plate dried, Madelynn cut and glue paper pieces onto the plate to make a cow face.

Farm Animal Matching Bin:

In this bin: oatmeal, Melissa & Doug Farm Animal Pop Blocs, spoons, cups

Want all of this week’s Farm activities for preschool?  You can grab them here:
On my site : Farm Plans & Printables On TpT: Farm Plans & Printables

Or you can grab our entire year of themes and plans:
On my site here: Preschool Bundle On TpT here: Preschool Bundle

Then check out the rest of our 45+ themes on the Preschool Curriculum Main Page.

The post Preschool: Farm first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

  Here were our plans for our zoo theme:

And here are the details for each activity:

Zoo Story Sequencing:

Our first read aloud this week was 1, 2, 3 to the Zoo by Eric Carle. After reading Madelynn used the pictures to retell the story in order.  When she had trouble remembering which animal was next I had her count the animals to put them in the right numerical order.

Color Zoo Vocabulary:

Our next story was Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert. While reading I used picture cards to reinforce new words. Afterwards Madelynn matched the words to the pictures using the beginning sounds as a clue.

Zoo Story Elements:

Next we read Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathman. After reading we talked about and defined the elements of a story (characters, setting, problem solution.) Then Madelynn drew pictures to show each element from the story.

Zoo Animal Inferring:

Our last book was Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andrae. First we discussed the animals that live in the zoo Then I read the poems 1 at a time without showing the illustrations.  Madelynn used the clues in the text along with what she knew to infer the type of animal and draw it on her response page. She loved when I showed her the picture to check if she was right.

Tracking Print:

Our last book was this letter Z for Zoo alphabet reader. Madelynn identified the picture then pointed to each word as she read. Since we switched to the more difficult version she is working on learning new sight words each week. Afterwards she colored all of the pictures in.

Color By Syllable Zoo:

This week we focused on syllables so we started with this color by code elephant. Madelynn looked small pictures in the larger picture, and clapped to count the number of syllables. Then she followed the directions to make each spot the correct color.

Zoo Sound Stamping:

Next, for more letter practice we used our dot stampers. We started out stamping inside the letter to make a Z. Then Madelynn had to find the upper and lowercase z’s in the zoo, stamp them and make the “Z” sound each time. Then she stamped the other letters different colors and tried to make the sounds for each one.

Zoo Syllable Sort:

Another activity we did to practice syllables was this zoo syllable sort. Madelynn clapped and counted the number of syllables in the picture on each animal belly.  Then she sorted each animal under the correct syllable label.

Zoo Train Name Craft:

For this week’s name craft we created this zoo train.  First Madelynn cut the train pieces out. Then she wrote the letters in her name on each car. After she finished writing, she glued the train pieces together and added the cars to the back in order to spell her name. To finish off the picture she used a black marker to draw a train track at the bottom and animal stickers riding in each car.

Zoo Journaling:

For our journal this week Madelynn chose to design and label a zoo. After drawing a big arch for the entrance, she labeled it “zoo.” Next she added a lion (lon), penguin(pn), and giraffe(gf) and did her best at labeling those as well.

Zoo Number Writing Tray:

Our first math activity this week was a zoo themed number writing tray.  To make this fun sensory activity I filled our tray with green sand. Madelynn used animal number cards as a model and chose which ones she wanted to practice.  Then she used a zoo animals and/or her finger to write numbers in the tray.

Roll and Move 3D Shapes:

Our other math focus this week was identifying and describing 3D shapes. I printed animal and 3D shape dice. Then I spread foam 3D shapes around the room. Madelynn rolled both dice.  Then she pretend to be the animal pictured  (bear walks, penguin waddles, etc.) and moved to find the 3D shape pictured.

3D Shape Animal Sort:

Next, we did a 3D shape sort with the animal cages and sorting animals. Madelynn identified the 3D shape on each animals belly. Then she sorted each animal into the cage with the matching 3D shape.

3D Shape Zoo Cages:

Our last 3D shape activity was Zoo 3D shape cage building. I printed 3D shape cards for Madelynn to use as a model and she used playdough and toothpicks to create each shape. Then she had fun putting her plastic zoo animals in their new cages.

Zoo Animal Counting Book:

Finally, Madelynn practiced counting numbers 11-20 with this zoo animal counting book. I helped her read the sentence on each page.  Then she used crayons to color or add the correct number of spots, stripes, etc. to each animal.

Build a Zoo Sensory Bin:

In this bin: black beans, alphabet zoo animals, plastic fences, trees, alphabet puzzle

Since we used our alphabet zoo animals, after playing and building zoo exhibits, Madelynn matched each animal to the beginning sound using our puzzle.

Build a Shape Animal:

After reading Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert we were inspired to create our own shape animals. I filled a tray with colorful cut outs in varying shapes and sizes.  Madelynn used shapes to create animals resembling those in the book

Animal Characteristics Sort:

To add in more vocabulary practice, we talked about different types of animal coverings (fur, feathers, scales, etc).  We took turns describing animals that have each one of these coverings, then Madelynn sorted the pictures onto the correct mats.

Giraffe Finger Paint:

For our second craft this week, we created this finger paint giraffe.  First, Madelynn cut out the giraffe outline. Next she dipped her finger in brown paint and stamped on the giraffe to create spots.  Then she cut out and snipped brown paper to create the giraffe’s mane. Finally she glued the mane behind the giraffe’s head, added googly eyes to the face and taped 2 pipe cleaners behind the head for horns.

Play Dough Zoo:

In this bin: colored play dough, skinny popsicle sticks, alphabet zoo animals

Want all of this week’s Zoo activities for preschool?  You can grab them here:
On my site : Zoo Plans & Printables On TpT: Zoo Plans & Printables

Or you can grab our entire year of themes and plans:
On my site here: Preschool Bundle On TpT here: Preschool Bundle

Then check out the rest of our 45+ themes on the Preschool Curriculum Main Page.

The post Preschool: Zoo first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

  Here were our plans for our rainforest theme:

And here are the details for each activity:

Rainforest Vocabulary:

Our first book this week was Over in the Jungle by Marianne Berkes. While reading I used picture cards to reinforce new words. Then Madelynn made a rainforest vocabulary book. She drew pictures to show each animal and used the picture cards and book as a reference.

Rainforest Problem & Solution:

Our next story was The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry. Before reading we discussed and defined problem. We talked about how every story usually has a problem or something that goes wrong. After reading, Madelynn drew and labeled the problem in the story. Then we talked about and drew how the problem was solved.

The Umbrella Retelling:

Our next story was from another one of our favorite authors, The Umbrella by Jan Brett. We loved that this story was very similar to The Mitten, just with a rainforest theme. After reading I gave Madelynn 10 pictures from the story with simple sentences underneath. We read through them all together and then I prompted her to find what happened first, second, third, etc. She then glued them to her page in the correct order to retell the story. I kept the book nearby so she could check the  pages if she was stuck, and it was also an easy way to double check her work.

Rainforest Learning:

Our last read aloud was the nonfiction book Rainforests by Marf Ferguson Delano.  National Geographic Kids books never disappoint when it comes to providing quality engaging nonfiction books.  Before reading, we talked about what we already know about the rainforest. Madelynn drew a picture and told me that “Toucans live there..”  I helped record her idea on the rainforest KWL chart under “K” for know. Next we discussed things we want to know about the rainforest. Madelynn drew a picture and asked “do toucans eat ants?” I recorded her question under the “W” for wonder. Finally we read the book and talked about our new learning. Madelynn did not find any information about what toucans eat, but learned how animals camouflage to hide so she drew a picture and I wrote her sentence under the “L” for learned.

Tracking Print:

Our last book was this letter R alphabet reader. Madelynn identified the picture then pointed to each word as she read. Afterwards she colored all of the pictures in.

Rainforest Writing Tray:

Our first literacy activity this week was a rainforest themed letter writing tray. To make this fun sensory activity I filled our tray with green sand and sticks. Madelynn used leaf letter cards as a model and chose which ones she wanted to practice. Then she used a stick or her finger to write letters in the sand.

Rainforest Sound Stamping:

Next, for more letter practice we used our dot stampers. We started out stamping inside the letter to make an R. Then Madelynn had to find the upper and lowercase r’s in the rainforest, stamp them and make the “R” sound each time. Then she stamped the other letters different colors and tried to make the sounds for each one.

Middle Sound Trees:

This week we focused again on identifying the middle sounds in words.  Vowel sounds are very tricky for little ones to learn so we will be practicing this skill for a LONG time.  I put together a rainforest of trees with CVC words on the tree tops. Hiding under each tree was a plastic cup that Madelynn used to rotate through each vowel sound until she found the one that completed each word.

Rainforest Name Craft:

For this week’s name craft we created a rainforest with letter trees.  First, Madelynn cut the tree pieces out. Then she wrote the letters in her name on each tree top. After she finished writing, she glued the trunks to each tree top, then glued them together in order to spell her name.

Rainforest Journaling:

For our journal this week Madelynn chose to draw her favorite rainforest animal. She said “I like tigers.”  I drew lines for each word, then we worked on writing the sounds together.

Color By Code Bird:

We worked on addition to 5 this week for our color by the code activity. Madelynn solved the number sentence in each section of the picture then used the key to color each one the correct color.

Butterfly Buddies:

Our other math focus this week was counting on from a given number.  First we completed number sequences with butterfly cards. Madelynn chose one of the single butterflies and matched it to the correct sequence of butterfly buddies to practice counting on.

Frog Jumps:

For a special treat, we added gummy frogs to our counting on practice for this frog jump activity. First, Madelynn chose a number card.  Then she grabbed a small handful of gummy frogs. Starting at the number on the card chosen, she practiced counting each of the gummy frogs to practice counting on.

Counting on Leaves:

For our last counting on practice activity we used leaves.  First Madelynn chose a foam leaf sticker (with number written on it). She stuck it in the first box of a leaf strip. Then starting at that number, she counted on, and wrote the next 3 numbers in the sequence.

Rainforest I-Spy:

For our last math activity we did a little extra counting practice. I printed this rainforest I-spy page and Madelynn had to color and count each of the rainforest animals. Then she wrote the number of each animal next to its picture on the right side of the page.

Rainforest Water Bead Bin:

In this bin: rainforest water beads (purple, blue, green, clear, black), plastic rainforest animals, trees, fine motor tools, cups

Paper Plate Parrot:

Our first craft this week was an adorable feathery tropical bird.  First we cut a paper plate in half. I used hot glue to glue one half to the other to form a head and body. Madelynn used yellow tissue paper squares to cover the front half of the head for the beak. Then she glued red, yellow and blue feathers to cover the rest of the head and body.  Finally she added a large googly eye to the head to complete her project!

Do Leaves Breathe?

For science this week we discussed properties of plants. Then we conducted a little investigation to see how leaves breathe. We filled a clear plastic cup with water. Then we went outside and pulled a leaf off of a tree. Then we placed the leaf in the cup and pushed it under the water. Next we placed it in a very warm sunny window. We wait about hour (you could always wait longer more), then we took a close look at the leaf using a magnifying glass to look more closely at the bubbles forming on the leaf.

Blue Morpho Butterflies:

For our second craft, we created beautiful blue morpho butterflies. We looked at LOTS of pictures of blue morpho butterflies in our rainforest books first to study their patterns. Ahead of time, I cut a large “v” out of the top of a paper plate, and a smaller “v” out of the bottom of the same paper plate. Madelynn glued black and blue tissue paper squares to the paper plate to create a blue morpho butterfly.

Rainforest Sensory Bin:

In this bin: green rice, silk leaves, plastic rainforest animals, trees, fine motor tools, cups

Want all of this week’s Rainforest activities for preschool?  You can grab them here:
On my site : Rainforest Plans & Printables On TpT: Rainforest Plans & Printables

Or you can grab our entire year of themes and plans:
On my site here: Preschool Bundle On TpT here: Preschool Bundle

Then check out the rest of our 45+ themes on the Preschool Curriculum Main Page.

The post Preschool: Rainforest first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

  Here were our plans for our Earth Day theme:

And here are the details for each activity:

Earth Day Comprehension:

Our first Earth Day book was Earth Day Every Day! by Lisa Bullard. After reading, we talked about the ways that people do not take good care of our Earth.  I asked Madelynn: “What is one thing people do that hurts our planet?” She said “they use too much lights.” Then she drew a picture to show her answer.

Earth Day Comprehension:

Our next read aloud was a beautiful interactive book called Touch the Earth by Julian Lennon. After reading, we talked about ways to help our Earth.  Then I asked Madelynn: “What can you do to help the Earth?” She said “don’t throw trash in the ocean because the fish can’t live there if it’s dirty.” Then she drew a picture to show her answer.

Earth Day Predictions:

Our next story was Compost Stew by Mary McKenna Siddals. Before reading, we practiced making predictions.

I asked “After looking at the cover, what do you think this story will be about?”  Madelynn: “The girl is going to make a special soup for the animals.” Then I asked: “What do you think the word compost means” Madelynn: “I don’t know, maybe some kind of animal food?” This led into a great conversation about composting and building new vocabulary.

Earth Day Comprehension:

Our last read aloud was The Earth Book by Todd Parr. After reading, we talked about the things that make Earth special and wonderful.  I asked Madelynn: “What do you love about the Earth?” She said “we have lots of pretty flowers and grass on Earth” Then she drew a picture to show her answer.

Tracking Print:

Our last book was this letter R for Recycle alphabet reader. Madelynn identified the picture then pointed to each word as she read. Since we switched to the more difficult version she is working on learning new sight words each week. Afterwards she colored all of the pictures in.

Earth Day Letter Writing Tray:

Our first literacy activity this week was an earth day themed letter writing tray. To make this fun sensory activity I filled our tray with green and blue sand. Madelynn used recycle bin letter cards as a model and chose which ones she wanted to practice. Then she used sticks and/or her finger to write letters in the sand.

Recycle Sound Stamp:

Next, for more letter practice we used our dot stampers. We started out stamping inside the letter to make an R. Then Madelynn had to find the upper and lowercase r’s in the recycle symbol, stamp them and make the “R” sound each time. Then she stamped the other letters different colors and tried to make the sounds for each one.

Earth Day Rhyme Time:

Our second literacy focus this week was producing rhyming words. I print Earth Day rhyme labels and glued them onto a large sheet of chart paper.  Madelynn used sticky notes (because they make everything more fun!)  to draw pictures that rhyme with each Earth Day word (tree, can, box, and bin). Then she stuck each picture under the word it rhymes with.

Earth Day Name Craft:

For this week’s name craft we created a personalized Earth.  First, Madelynn cut the earth pieces out. Then she wrote the letters in her name on hearts and cut those out as well. After she finished writing, she glued the Earth together and added the hearts in order to spell her name.

Earth Day Journaling:

For our journal this week Madelynn chose to draw how she can help the Earth. She said “I can help the Earth by not using too much lights.” So I drew lines for each word, then we worked on writing the sounds together.

Color by Shape Earth:

We worked on identifying 3D shapes this week for our color by the code activity. Madelynn worked on identifying and naming 5 different 3D shapes: sphere, cone, cube, cylinder, and pyramid. I told her the color for each shape and she had to search and color each one in the picture.

Recycle Color Sort:

Our second math focus this week was sorting. We started with this simple recycle color sort. I printed, laminated and cut out colored recycle bins and recyclables.  Madelynn sorted each recyclable into the correct bin by color. Easy Peasy!

Recycle Compost Sort:

Next, after reading Compost Stew by Mary McKenna Siddals and talking about composting vs. recycling, we did a compost sort. I printed the recycle/compost sort activity. Madelynn cut out the trash at the bottom of the page, then sorted each piece into the recycle bin or compost pile.

Sorting Collage Earth:

Our next sorting activity was part math, part craft.  I printed an earth outline. Madelynn cut up small scraps of blue and green paper. Then she sorted the paper by color and glued the green pieces to the land and blue pieces to the water to create a mosaic.

Shape Earth Sorting:

For a bit more challenge our last sorting activity involved sorting 2 different ways. Madelynn used shape earth cards in various sizes to first sort by shape.  Then she sorted the same cards in a different way, this time by size.

Recycled Trees:

I don’t know about you but we go through food pouches in this house like crazy! Which means tons of those little circle tops everywhere!! I came up with this recycled tree project for a fun way to use a few of them up. First, I cut up pieces of cardboard box into various sizes for Madelynn to use for the tree. I gave her the cardboard pieces and the green pouch tops and asked her to arrange them to make a tree. She used white glue to stick the tree pieces to a large piece of blue card stock. I used a dot of hot glue to stick the “leaves” in place after she decided where she wanted them.

Earth Play Dough Mats:

In this sensory bin: play dough and laminated Earth outline

Pollution Clean Up:

In this sensory bin: water, bits of trash (coffee filters, banana peels, plastic, paper, etc.) slotted spoons,, strainers

Recycle Sort Sensory Bin:

In this bin:  black beans, recyclable printables, trash and recycling labels, small bowls

Drip Color Earth:

Our last craft this week was a fun drip color Earth.  I cut circle shapes from cardstock ahead of time.  Madelynn used watercolor markers to draw and color in the circle to look like Earth.  Then she used an eye dropper to drip rubbing alcohol (you could also use water, but the alcohol made a cool effect since it dried faster and didn’t run all the colors together too quickly) on the paper to make the colors bleed together. Allow paper to dry.

Want all of this week’s Earth Day activities for preschool?  You can grab them here:
On my site : Earth Day Plans & Printables On TpT: Earth Day Plans & Printables

Or you can grab our entire year of themes and plans:
On my site here: Preschool Bundle On TpT here: Preschool Bundle

Then check out the rest of our 45+ themes on the Preschool Curriculum Main Page.

The post Preschool: Earth Day first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

Here were our plans for our Butterfly theme:

  And here are the details for each activity:

Caterpillar Retelling:

Our first story was one of our favorites, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. After reading I gave Madelynn 8 pictures from the story with simple sentences underneath. We read through them all together and then I prompted her to find what happened first, second, third, etc. She then glued them to her page in the correct order to retell the story. I kept the book nearby so she could check the  pages if she was stuck, and it was also an easy way to double check her work.

Butterfly Vocabulary:

Our next book this week was Caterpillar to Butterfly by Laura Marsh. While reading I used picture cards to reinforce new words. Then Madelynn made a butterfly vocabulary book. She drew pictures to show each animal and used the picture cards and book as a reference.

Comparing Caterpillars:

Our next book was Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr. After reading we talked about the things the caterpillars in this story did.  Then I asked: “How are the caterpillars in this story are similar/different from the Very Hungry Caterpillar?” Madelynn drew the hungry caterpillar eating lots of fruits and other foods and the other caterpillars eating leaves and flowers.

Caterpillar Predictions:

Our last read aloud was Clara Caterpillar by Pamela Duncan Edwards. Before reading, we practiced making predictions.

I asked “After looking at the cover, what do you think this story will be about?”  Madelynn: “The girl caterpillar is going to eat all the leaves.”

Tracking Print:

  Our last book was this letter B for butterfly alphabet reader. Madelynn identified the picture then pointed to each word as she read. Afterwards she colored all of the pictures in.

Color by Syllable Butterfly:

This week we focused on syllables so we started with this color by code activity. Madelynn identified each picture, clapped and counted the number of syllables. Then she followed the directions to make each spot the correct color.

Butterfly Sound Stamping:

  Next, for more letter practice we used our dot stampers. We started out stamping inside the letter to make a B. Then Madelynn had to find the upper and lowercase b’s in the butterfly, stamp them and make the “B” sound each time. Then she stamped the other letters different colors and tried to make the sounds for each one.

Syllable Stamp Caterpillars:

Another syllable practice activity we tried was this syllable stamp caterpillar activity. Maadelynn clapped and counted the number of syllables in the picture on each leaf.  Then she used dot stampers to stamp the caterpillar underneath showing the correct number of syllables.

Caterpillar Name Craft:

For this week’s name craft we created a name caterpillar.  First, Madelynn cut the craft pieces out. Then she wrote the letters in her name on each circle. After she finished writing, she glued the caterpillar pieces together in order to spell her name. Then she added the legs and antennae, used a marker to draw a mouth, and glued googly eyes to the head to complete the face.

Butterfly Journaling:

For our journal this week Madelynn chose to draw what she would do if she had a pet butterfly. She said “If I had a pet butterfly I would call her pretty.”  I drew lines for each word, then we worked on writing the sounds together.

Butterfly Writing Tray:

Our first math activity this week was a butterfly themed writing tray.  I filled our wooden tray with green sand. Then Madelynn used small butterfly number cards as a model to write numbers in the sand with caterpillars or her finger.

Pattern Caterpillars:

This week we worked on identifying, extending and creating patterns.  For our first activity I printed caterpillar pattern cards and made small balls of colored play dough. Madelynn used the colored playdough to create each type of pattern. Then she practiced naming the pattern types (ABBC, ABCD, etc.)

Butterfly Patterns:

For more pattern practice, I printed several copies of a blank butterfly page. Madelynn used dot stampers to create patterns across the wings. I encouraged her to start on the far left, and try different types on each one (AB, AAB, ABB, and ABC.)

Butterfly Patterns:

Next I put together some butterfly/flower pattern cards in lots of different colors. Madelynn chose a pattern card to use as a model, then used the butterflies and flowers to create each pattern.

Caterpillar Patterns:

For our last patterning activity we made delicious pattern caterpillars with fruit. I printed the fruit caterpillar pattern pages and laminated them.  Madelynn used circles of fruit (we used strawberries, bananas, kiwi, blueberries) to create each type of pattern. Then she pretended to be a hungry caterpillar and chomped all of the fruit, before creating a new pattern.

Very Hungry Caterpillar Sensory Bin:

In this bin: Black beans, play food, caterpillar toy, mini cups

Stained Glass Butterflies:

For our first craft we made pretty stained glass butterflies with dollar store picture frames. I took the paper and cardboard out of the small glass picture frame and used hot glue to attach the glass to the inside of the frame. Then I glued the butterfly outline inside the frame. Madelynn squeezed different colors of glitter glue inside the butterfly outline. Then she added a few drops of food coloring.  Next she used cotton swabs and toothpicks to spread and mix the colors.  After it was dry it looked so pretty in a sunny window.

Butterfly Feeding Bin:

In this bin: Mini cups, colored water, toy butterflies, flowers, pipettes

Butterfly Dot Stamp Art:

Dot stampers are a great go to fine motor activity. I love how easy it is to spice up a plain old coloring page with bright beautiful dots. I printed a few of these butterfly outlines and let Madelynn design her own butterflies. Easy Peasy Art!

Caterpillar & Butterflies Play Dough:

In this bin: play dough, rollers, butterfly/caterpillar cookie cutters, gems, googly eyes, button

Want all of this week’s Butterflies activities for preschool?  You can grab them here:
On my site : Butterflies Plans & Printables On TpT: Butterflies Plans & Printables

Or you can grab our entire year of themes and plans:
On my site here: Preschool Bundle On TpT here: Preschool Bundle

Then check out the rest of our 45+ themes on the Preschool Curriculum Main Page.

The post Preschool: Butterflies first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

  Here were our plans for our Frogs theme:

  And here are the details for each activity:

Frog Life Cycle:

Our first read aloud was Frogs! by Elizabeth Carney. This book give a lot of information including the life cycle of a frog. Afterwards we practiced remembering the parts of the life cycle by drawing each stage.

Frog Problem & Solution:

Our next read aloud was I Don’t Want to Be a Frog by Dev Petty. After reading, we talked about the problem (the little frog didn’t want to be a frog anymore). Madelynn drew and labeled the problem then talked about how the problem was solved (he learned that it was a good idea just to be himself.)

Ribbit Predictions:

Nest we read a really cute story called Ribbit! by Rodrigo Folguiera. Before reading, we practiced making predictions.

I asked “After looking at the cover, what do you think this story will be about?”  Madelynn: “The pig is going to be friends with the frogs.”

    Then we read the story to find out if her prediction was correct.

Frog on a Log Comprehension:

Our last read aloud was Frog on a Log by Kes Gray which was a great book for working on rhymes. After reading, we talked about the silly rhymes and animals in the book. Then I asked: “Which part of the story is your favorite?” Madelynn drew the ending part and even copied the word “HELP” from the story.

Tracking Print:

Our last book was this letter P for Pond alphabet reader. Madelynn identified the picture then pointed to each word as she read. Since we switched to the more difficult version she is working on learning new sight words each week. Afterwards she colored all of the pictures in.

Frog Letter Writing:

Our first literacy activity this week was a frog themed letter writing tray. To make this fun sensory activity I filled our tray with blue sand. Madelynn used lily pad letter cards as a model and chose which ones she wanted to practice. Then she used frogs and/or her finger to write letters in the sand.

Pond Sound Stamping:

Next, for more letter practice we used our dot stampers. We started out stamping inside the letter to make a P. Then Madelynn had to find the upper and lowercase p’s in the pond, stamp them and make the “P” sound each time. Then she stamped the other letters different colors and tried to make the sounds for each one.

Rhyming Lily Pads:

Our other literacy focus this week was on rhyming words. I printed frog word cards and lily pad cards. Madelynn chose a frog and glued it onto a blue sheet of paper.  Then she tried to think of a word that rhymes with the picture on the frog drew it on a lily pad and glued it under each frog.

Frog Name Craftivity:

For this week’s name craft we created a frog pond.  First, Madelynn cut the frog and lily pad pieces out. Then she wrote the letters in her name on each lily pad. After she finished writing, she glued the frog together and added the lily pads underneath in order to spell her name.

Frog Journaling:

For our journal this week Madelynn chose to draw what she learned about frogs. She said “Frogs jump so high.” So I drew lines for each word, then we worked on writing the sounds together.

Color by Shape Frog:

We worked on identifying 3D shapes this week for our color by the code activity. Madelynn worked on identifying and naming 5 different 3D shapes: sphere, cone, cube, cylinder, and pyramid. I told her the color for each shape and she had to search and color each one in the picture.

Frog Clip Cards:

Our second math goal this week, was working on comparing numbers.  Madelynn choose a lily pad comparison card and counted the number of flies on each side. After comparing the numbers she decided which side had more and used a frog clip to chomp the side with MORE flies.

Grab & Compare Frogs:

Next, for more comparing practice I filled a small bin with plastic jumping frogs. Madelynn grabbed one handful, counted the number of frogs, and wrote it on a recording sheet. Then, she grabbed another handful of frogs, counted and recorded the amount.  Then, she compared the two numbers and colored the lily pad with MORE frogs.

Sort & Compare Frogs:

Our last comparing practice activity incorporating sorting.  I filled a small bin with rainbow gummy frogs (you could also use colored plastic frogs again). Madelynn sorted the frogs by color.  Then she counted the number of each color and recorded in the appropriate place on the recording sheet. In each section she compared the two numbers and colored the lily pad with LESS frogs this time.

Frog Number Sense Mats:

We used these mats to practice numbers 11-20 this week. First, Madelynn identified the large number. Then she made it with play dough and counted the flies in the ten frames. Next, she used a dry erase marker to practice writing the number, and finally counted out mini frog erasers to fill the pond with the correct amount.

Comparing Frog Jumps:

After learning about so many fun and interesting frogs, we talked about what it would be like to be a frog. Then we conducted a little investigation to show how amazing frogs’ jumps really are.  Ahead of time I marked a starting point with chalk, and measured the adjusted distances that the 3 frog types would jump if they were the same height as an average preschooler. Then I label each distance with a picture/name of that frog. Madelynn helped me lay out a 6 ft tape measure from the starting point. Then she stood at the starting point and jumped as far as she could.  We repeated this 4 times and recorded the data. Afterwards we discussed the results.  We definitely can’t jump nearly as far as frogs can with their amazingly strong legs!

Froggy Pond Sensory Bin:

In this sensory bin: plastic frogs, foam lily pads, water, blue aquarium gravel, rocks

Label a Frog Craft:

Our first craft this week was a cut, paste and label frog.  First Madelynn cut the frog pieces out. Then she glued the pieces together to make a frog. And finally she added the labels and drew lines to each part of the frog.

Jell-O Frog Excavation:

To prepare this fun sensory activity, I started by making 2 large packages of blue Jell-O according to the package directions.  Then before placing in the refrigerator to set, I added plastic frogs.  We waited for the Jell-O to set overnight.  Then Madelynn used spoons, scoops, and tools to rescue the frogs from the sticky pond.

Tissue Plate Frogs:

Our second craft this week was a tissue paper plate frog.  I watered down glue so that it was easily spreadable. Madelynn used a foam brush to paint a paper plate with glue and added green tissue paper squares. Then she painted over the squares with more watered down glue. And to finish off the face she cut out paper shapes to glue on the face.

Want all of this week’s Frog activities for preschool?  You can grab them here:
On my site : Frog Plans & Printables On TpT: Frog Plans & Printables

Or you can grab our entire year of themes and plans:
On my site here: Preschool Bundle On TpT here: Preschool Bundle

Then check out the rest of our 45+ themes on the Preschool Curriculum Main Page.

The post Preschool: Frogs first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

    Here were our plans for our Easter theme:

And here are the details for each activity:

Easter Color Vocabulary:

Our first book this week was Happy Easter Mouse! by Laura Numeroff. After reading, I put together this color word practice activity. I filled plastic eggs with colored bingo chip letters needed to spell each color word.  Then Madelynn opened each plastic egg and spelled the color words on the matching color word pages. We tried it both with the letters printed on the page for matching and without.

Catch the Easter Bunny:

Next we read How to Catch the Easter Bunny by Adam Wallace. After reading, we talked about the different traps that were set for the bunny. We also talked about new ways that we could try to catch the bunny. Finally Madelynn drew and wrote to show how she would catch him.

Easter Predictions:

Our next story was The Easter Bunny’s Assistant By Jan Thomas. Before reading, we practiced making predictions.

I asked “After looking at the cover, what do you think this story will be about?”  Madelynn: “A skunk wants to be the Easter Bunny.” Then I asked: “What will the skunk and bunny do in the story?” Madelynn: “They’re going to deliver Easter eggs to the kids.”

Easter Retelling:

Our last read aloud was There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Chick by Lucille Colandro. After reading, I taped a picture of the little old lady to a wipe container then gave Madelynn pieces from the story. She fed them to the little old lady while retelling the story in order.

Tracking Print:

Our last book was this letter E for Egg alphabet reader. Madelynn identified the picture then pointed to each word as she read. Since we switched to the more difficult version she is working on learning new sight words each week as well as the 2 sounds that vowels can make. Afterwards she colored all of the pictures in.

Easter Color by Syllable:

This week we focused on syllables so we started with this color by code activity. Madelynn identified each picture, clapped and counted the number of syllables. Then she followed the directions to make each spot the correct color.

Easter Sound Stamping:

Next, for more letter practice we used our dot stampers. We started out stamping inside the letter to make an E. Then Madelynn had to find the upper and lowercase e’s in the egg, stamp them and make the short “E” sound each time. Then she stamped the other letters different colors and tried to make the sounds for each one.

Roll and Stamp Eggs:

We worked more on identifying ending sounds in words this week with a fun roll and stamp game.  I printed an egg picture page.  Madelynn rolled a letter die then found a picture that ends with that sound and stamped it.  We made it into a bit of a bingo game and she tried to get 5 in a row.

Easter Name Craft:

For this week’s name craft we created a personalized Easter basket. First, Madelynn cut the basket pieces out. Next, she wrote the letters in her name on each egg. Then, she glued the basket pieces together. Finally, she added the eggs to the basket in order to spell her name. To complete her basket, she used a marker to draw lines on the basket and glued Easter grass under the eggs.

Easter Journaling:

For our journal this week Madelynn chose to write about how she would decorate an Easter egg. She said she would dip the egg in pink. I drew a line for each word in her sentence and she tried to write the sounds she heard in each word. She wrote “DP b EB N PK.”

Easter Sand Writing:

Our first math activity this week was an Easter themed writing tray.  I filled our wooden tray with blue sand. Then Madelynn used small basket number cards as a model to write numbers in the sand with eggs or her finger.

Easter Egg Addition:

Our math focus this week was beginning addition and subtraction so we started with this Easter egg addition game.  I printed and laminated a basket addition mat. Madelynn chose 2 Easter egg, opened them up, and placed the Easter mini erasers on the addition mat. Then she counted the erasers to find the total and used a dry erase marker to write a number sentence at the bottom.

Carrot Patch Addition:

For our next addition activity, I filled a sensory bin with split peas. Then I wrote numbers on the bottom of plastic carrots and placed them in the bin.  Madelynn chose 2 carrots, added the numbers together, then wrote the number sentence on the response sheet.

Jelly Bean Subtraction:

My favorite way to introduce subtraction is definitely with yummy treats! Learning with snacks is always a hit with little ones and in this case shows the meaning of subtraction as taking things away.  Madelynn rolled 2 dice and placed the larger number first (another great skill to practice as well!) Then she counted the first number of jelly beans and placed them on the table. Next, she took away the second number of jelly beans and ate them. Finally she filled in her response sheet to show how many pieces were left.

Easter Stamp Math:

For our last math activity I introduced simple word problems with an Easter stamping book. I read the word problem on each page to Madelynn and she used dot stampers to illustrate and solve each problem.

Glowing Eggs Sensory Bin:

In this sensory bin: Battery powered LED tea lights, eggs, clear water beads, and cups

Easter Egg Plate Weaving:

Our first craft this week was Easter Egg weaving which proved to be quite the challenge, but I LOVE how they turned out! To prep I cut an egg shape out of the center of a paper plate and punched holes around the inside of the outline.  Madelynn used colored yarn to weave back and forth across the center of the plate using holes on opposite sides. No real rhyme or reason I just told her the holes had to be at least 2 apart.

Easter Candy Sink and Float:

For our science activity this week we learned about sink & float as well as making predictions. I gave Madelynn a tray with Easter candy and one by one she chose an item, made a prediction, then tested it out to see if it would sink or float.  Easy peasy!

Tie Dye Easter Eggs:

If you love the look of tie dye, but not the mess, check out this super simple tie dye craft using…BABY WIPES! Who knew right? So for this easy craft I cut baby wipes into egg shapes, folded them in half, twisted sections and had Madelynn help me secure them with rubber bands.  Then she used watercolor markers to color all of the sections of the twisted baby wipe.  After we allowed the wipe eggs to dry overnight, we removed the rubber bands to reveal tie dye eggs!

Easter Sorting Bin:

In this sensory bin: Easter straws, pom poms, plastic eggs, colored cups mini glitter eggs, bunny egg tongs

Want all of this week’s Easter activities for preschool?  You can grab them here:
On my site : Easter Plans & Printables On TpT: Easter Plans & Printables

Or you can grab our entire year of themes and plans:
On my site here: Preschool Bundle On TpT here: Preschool Bundle

Then check out the rest of our 45+ themes on the Preschool Curriculum Main Page.

The post Preschool: Easter first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

  Here were our plans for our St. Patrick’s Day theme:

And here are the details for each activity:

St. Patrick’s Vocabulary:

Our first book this week was a simple introduction to the history of St. Patrick’s Day at an easy to understand preschool level, The Story of St. Patrick’s Day by Patricia Pingry. After reading we used cards to match St. Patrick’s Day words to pictures. I helped emphasize the beginning sounds so Madelynn could find and match the correct word to the picture.

Leprechaun Predictions:

Our next story was Ten Lucky Leprechauns by Kathryn Helling. Before reading, we practiced making predictions.

I asked “After looking at the cover, what do you think this story will be about?”  Madelynn: “A leprechaun family.” Then I asked: “What will the leprechauns do in the story?” Madelynn: “They’re going to find some gold by the rainbow.”

St. Patrick’s Retelling:

  Our next story was all about our favorite silly old lady, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Clover by Lucille Colandro. We started by reading the story.  After reading, I gave Madelynn 8 pictures from the story with simple sentences underneath. We read through them all together, then I prompted her to find what happened first, second, third, etc. She glued them to her page in the correct order to retell the story. I kept the book nearby so she could check the  pages if she was stuck, and it was also an easy way to double check her work.  

Shamrock Story Elements:

Our last read aloud was Green Shamrocks by Eve Bunting. After reading we talked about and defined the elements of a story (characters, setting, problem solution.) Then Madelynn drew pictures to show each element from the story.

Tracking Print:

Our last book was this letter S for Shamrock alphabet reader. Madelynn identified the picture then pointed to each word as she read. Since we switched to the more difficult version she is working on learning new sight words each week. Afterwards she colored all of the pictures in.

Rainbow Sand Tray:

Our first literacy activity this week was a St. Patrick’s Day themed letter writing tray. To make this fun sensory activity I printed a rainbow sheet of paper and placed it in our wooden tray.  Next I poured salt and glitter on top of the paper. Madelynn used pot of gold letter cards as a model and chose which ones she wanted to practice. Then she used a shamrock and/or her finger to write letters in the salt revealing the rainbow underneath.

Shamrock Sound Stamp:

Next, for more letter practice we used our dot stampers. We started out stamping inside the letter to make an S. Then Madelynn had to find the upper and lowercase s’s in the shamrock, stamp them and make the “S” sound each time. Then she stamped the other letters different colors and tried to make the sounds for each one.

Hunt for Gold Sounds:

This week we worked on ending sounds with this fun hide and seek game.  I printed a page of gold pieces with pictures on them and placed the page under a clear baking dish.  Then I covered the bottom of the dish with rainbow rice. Madelynn used paint brushes to uncover each piece of gold. After identifying the picture in the gold, we worked together to identify the sound it ends with. She then placed a magnet letter on the piece to show the ending sound.

Rainbow Name Craft:

For this week’s name craft we created a cloud & rainbow. First, Madelynn cut the rainbow and cloud pieces out. Next she wrote the letters in her name on each of the rainbow pieces. Then, she glued the rainbow pieces under the cloud in order to spell her name.

St. Patrick’s Journal:

  For our journal this week Madelynn chose to write about what she would do if she found a 4 leaf clover. She said she would wish for her tooth to fall out. I drew a line for each word in her sentence and she tried to write the sounds she heard in each word. I am working on getting her to write at least one or two sounds for each word with her. She usually gets the beginning sound right and sometimes the ending sounds too.

Color By Shape Leprechaun:

We worked on identifying 3D shapes this week for our color by the code activity. Madelynn worked on identifying and naming 5 different 3D shapes: sphere, cone, cube, cylinder, and pyramid. I told her the color for each shape and she had to search and color each one in the picture.

Lucky Charms Graph:

What kid doesn’t love to play with their food? Our first graphing activity was the perfect excuse to play, learn and snack all at the same time.  First, I grabbed a big box of Lucky Charms and emptied it into a large bowl.  I had Madelynn separate out the marshmallow pieces from the cereal. Then she sorted, counted, graphed and snacked.

St. Patrick’s Graphing:

For our next graphing activity, Madelynn and I played I spy. First I said “I spy leprechauns that are green.” She then had to find the item I was thinking of, color each one, count them and color in her graph. This was a lot of steps to follow so I helped her along the way, but she really did great following along! We repeated the “I spy” game with  each item.

Scoop and Graph Coins:

Our last graphing activity this week was a scoop and graph activity. I filled a bin with green and gold coins . Madelynn used fine motor tools to grab a scoop of coins.  Next she sorted them. Then she counted how many of each color and filled in her graph.  She repeated this 4 times for even more practice.

Pots of Gold Counting:

I found these ADORABLE pots and knew they’d be perfect for a counting activity.  I added a number to the front of each cauldron and Madelynn used fine motor tools to grab pom poms.  She counted out the correct number of pom poms to fill each pot.

Growing Gold Crystals:

For our science experiment this week we grew crystals.  First I twisted gold pipe cleaners into tight circular coin shapes. Then tied fishing line to each pipe cleaner coin, and tied the other end to a wooden skewer. I boiled 4 cups water and Madelynn stirred in 1 ¾ cup borax until dissolved. We poured the water solution into cups and put one skewer/pipe cleaner into each cup.  Then we let the cups sit over night and allowed crystals to grow.

Bleeding Tissue Rainbow:

For our first craft this week we had a little fun with bleeding tissue paper.  I cut squares of bleeding tissue paper in ROYGBIV colors.  First, Madelynn painted over a sheet of watercolor paper with water. Then she laid red pieces in a large arc on the paper and painted over them with water. She repeated this with each color in rainbow order then we waited for the paper to dry. Finally we removed the tissue squares to reveal the rainbow on the paper underneath.

St. Patrick’s Water Play:

In this bin: water, gold coins, shamrock table scatter, pots, green and yellow bowls and cups

Shamrock Garland:

For our second craft we created a garland with multiple painting techniques.  I printed 3 copies of the shamrock outline page. Then I taped a strip of bubble wrap around a rolling pin.  On the first page, Madelynn dipped the rolling pin in green paint and rolled it a page of shamrocks. On the second page, she used a mini heart cookie cutter to stamp green paint on the shamrocks.  And on the last page, she dripped white glue in swirls, sprinkled salt on top of the glue,  then dripped green liquid watercolors on top of the salt. After allowing all pages to dry, she cut out each shamrock. I helped her hole punch, then thread each one on a piece of twine to create a garland.

Pots of Gold Sensory Bin:

In this bin: split peas, yellow pom poms, pots, fine motor tools

Want all of this week’s St. Patrick’s Day activities for preschool?  You can grab them here:
On my site : St. Patrick’s Day Plans & Printables On TpT: St. Patrick’s Day Plans & Printables

Or you can grab our entire year of themes and plans:
On my site here: Preschool Bundle On TpT here: Preschool Bundle

Or you can grab our entire year of themes and plans:
On my site here: Preschool Bundle On TpT here: Preschool Bundle

Then check out the rest of our 45+ themes on the Preschool Curriculum Main Page.

The post Preschool: St. Patrick’s Day first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.