**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 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.

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

Here were our plans for our insect theme:

And here are the details for each activity:

Bug Vocabulary:

Our first book this week was Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! by Bob Barner. While reading I used picture cards to reinforce new words. Then Madelynn made an insect vocabulary book. She drew pictures to show each insect and used the picture cards and book as a reference.

Cricket Problem and Solution:

Our next story was The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle. 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 wanted to make a sound to respond to the other animals but couldn’t.) Then we talked about and drew how the problem was solved (He met another cricket and finally made a quiet chirping sound.)

Bee Learning:

  Our next read aloud was the nonfiction book Bees by Laura Marsh.  National Geographic Kids Readers are packed with interesting information and fascinating photos perfect for preschoolers. Before reading, we talked about what we already know about bees. Madelynn drew a picture and told me that “Bees drink nectar from flowers.”  I helped record her idea on the bee KWL chart under “K” for know. Next we discussed things we want to know about bees. Madelynn drew a picture and asked “Do they have sharp stingers?” I recorded her question under the “W” for wonder. Finally we read the book and talked about our new learning. Madelynn learned that they have 4 wings and a long tongue so she drew a picture and I wrote her sentence under the “L” for learned.

Retelling the Ant & the Grasshopper:

  Our next story was The Ant & The Grasshopper by Ed Emberley. After reading, Madelynn drew to show what happened in each part of the story.

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 I for insect alphabet reader. I included a mixture of items that representing short and long I sounds. Madelynn identified the picture then pointed to each word as she read. Afterwards she colored all of the pictures in.

Color by Syllable Bee:

  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.

Insect Sound Stamping:

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

Swat the Sound: 

  This week was finally nice enough to break out the sidewalk chalk.  So I came up with fun movement/learning game starting by drawing bugs on the ground and labeling each with a letter. Then Madelynn chose a CVC word card. She said the word and identified the ending sound then found and swatted the bug. We also chose a few CVC words for her to swat all 3 letters.

Insect Name Craft:

For this week’s name craft we created this ladybug name.  First, Madelynn cut the ladybug pieces out. Then she wrote the letters in her name on each spot. After she finished writing, she glued the ladybug pieces together in order to spell her name. Then she added a smile and googly eyes to complete the face.

Insect Journal Writing:

  For our journal this week Madelynn chose to draw what she would do if she were an insect. She said “I would be a butterfly.” So I drew lines for each word, then we worked on writing the sounds together.

Insect Number Tray:

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

 Bug Measurement Book:

Our new math focus for the week is measurement, so we started with this bug measurement book.  Madelynn used dot stampers to measure each bug, count and write the number of dots.

Weighing Insects:

Madelynn loves playing with our balance scale, so I brought out our insect manipulatives for counting and weighing practice. Madelynn chose 2 cards and counted out the correct number of each item to compare.  Afterwards she decided which one was light and heavy.

Capacity Critters:

Capacity is always a fun measurement concept for preschoolers, because they love to fill and dump things.  For our insect themed capacity exploration I filled a bin with green water beads. Then I placed insect cookie cutters on a tray. Madelynn counted out water beads to fill each insect, comparing which held more/less. She also counted out how many scoops of water beads she could fit in each insect.

Bug Catcher Game: 

  For some more counting practice we played the Color Bug Catcher Game from Learning Resources. We took turns rolling the number and color die. Then we used the gator grabbers to choose the correct number of each color bug until they were all gone.

Insect Hunt & Match: 

  In this sensory bin: black beans, insect finger puppets, magnifying glass, photos of bugs for matching

Label an Insect Craft:

  For this craft Madelynn started by cutting out all of the insect parts.  Then she glued the pieces together to form an insect. Finally, she glued the words next to each part to label the parts of an insect.

Bee Pollination:

  After learning about bees, we did a little hands on reinactment to show how bees transfer pollen from flower to flower.  We started with cheese balls in cupcake liner flowers (because that cheese always ends up everywhere!) Madelynn used a finger puppet bee to “drink nectar” from each flower, getting cheese “pollen” on its body in the process.  Then when she flew the bee to the next flower, pieces of pollen fell off onto the flower as it drank nectar from that flower.

Caterpillar Collage:

For our second craft project we made a colorful caterpillar. First we cut out circle outlines and attached contact paper to each circle. Madelynn used paper, feathers, tissue paper, etc. to fill each caterpillar segment sorting by colors. Then I helped her hot glue each segment together and add googly eyes, pipe cleaner antennae and mouth.

Insect Sorting Bin: 

In this sensory bin: insect toob, plastic animals, black beans, sorting tray with labels

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

And here are the details for each activity:

 All About Seeds:

  This week I chose a non fiction series of books about the parts of a plant so that we learn about how plants grow and the purpose of each part. We used The Plant Parts (series) by Vijaya Khisty Bodach, and we started out with Seeds. After reading, Madelynn completed the All About Seeds book by cutting and gluing the missing pieces and tracing the words.  On the final page she identified and labeled the seed in the diagram of a plant then I asked her to tell me what she learned about seeds.

All About Roots:

  Our next book in The Plant Parts (series) by Vijaya Khisty Bodach was Roots. After reading, Madelynn completed the All About Roots book by cutting and gluing the missing pieces and tracing the words.  On the final page she identified and labeled the roots in the diagram of a plant then I asked her to tell me what she learned about roots.

All About Stems:

  Our next book in The Plant Parts (series) by Vijaya Khisty Bodach was Stems. After reading, Madelynn completed the All About Stems book by cutting and gluing the missing pieces and tracing the words.  On the final page she identified and labeled the stem in the diagram of a plant then I asked her to tell me what she learned about stems.

All About Leaves:

Our next book in The Plant Parts (series) by Vijaya Khisty Bodach was Leaves. After reading, Madelynn completed the All About Leaves book by cutting and gluing the missing pieces and tracing the words.  On the final page she identified and labeled the leaves in the diagram of a plant then I asked her to tell me what she learned about leaves.

All About Flowers:

  Our last book in The Plant Parts (series) by Vijaya Khisty Bodach was Flowers. After reading, Madelynn completed the All About Flowers book by cutting and gluing the missing pieces and tracing the words.  On the final page she identified and labeled the flower in the diagram of a plant then I asked her to tell me what she learned about flowers.

Dirt Letter Writing Tray:

Our first literacy activity this week was a plant themed letter writing tray. To make this fun sensory activity I filled our clear tray with dirt. Madelynn used flower letter cards as a model and chose which ones she wanted to practice. Then she used a shovel and/or her finger to write letters in the dirt.

  Nature Sound Stamping:

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

Flower CVC Words:

  This week we focused on ending sounds, but we worked on beginning and middle sounds as well with these CVC word cards. To make letter manipulatives I wrote letters on circle stickers and stuck them to the center of our stockpile of pouch lids.  Madelynn used the letters to build CVC flowers that matched the picture on the card.

Flower Name Craft:

  For this week’s name craft we created this adorable name flower.  First Madelynn cut the flower pieces out. Then she wrote the letters in her name on each square for the stem. After she finished writing, she glued the flower pieces together and added the squares underneath in order to spell her name. Finally she glued leaves to the sides of the stem.

Plant Journaling:

  For our journal this week Madelynn chose to draw what she learned about plants.  She told me that plants need lots of things, so she drew a flower, dirt, water, and the sun. After adding all of her details, she labeled each part of her picture.

Color By Shape Plant:

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.

Build a Teen Flower:

  This week we also worked on identifying and counting numbers 11-20.  Madelynn chose one of the teen number flower centers and glued it to a sheet of paper. Then she counted out flower petals and glued each one around the center. Easy peasy!

Roll and Fill Flower:

  Roll and fill activities are always a great way to practice counting and identifying numbers. For this activity I set up flower shaped silicone cupcake liners on a stem outline.  Madelynn rolled a 1-20 die, then counted out that number of colored pollen pom poms to fill a flower.

Planting Seeds Stamp Book:

  We made this little counting book together which was a perfect way to practice one to one correspondence to 20 and use emergent reading skills. Madelynn tried to read the sentence on each page. “I planted __ seeds.”  Then she used mini dot stampers to add the correct number of seeds.

Plant 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 seeds in the ten frames. Next, she used a dry erase marker to practice writing the number, and finally counted out black bean “seeds” to fill the dirt with the correct amount.

Growing Grass:

Our science activity this week of course needed to be growing a plant, but I wanted something that would grow quickly for us indoors so we chose to grow grass.  Madelynn filled a small cup with dirt about 3/4 full. Next, she sprinkled grass seed on top of the dirt and sprayed with lots of water.  We also added a popsicle stick with numbers to measure the height of the grass as it grows.  Then she added a bit more dirt and a little water on top of the seed and placed in a sunny window.

We checked the cup each morning and added a bit more water. By the end of the week our grass started to sprout and Madelynn began to draw her observations in her science journal.  We will continue to watch and record observations over the next few weeks as the grass continues to grow.

Plant Life Cycle Craft:

  For this craft Madelynn started by cutting out all of the plant life cycle pieces.  Then she glued the pieces to a large sheet of paper in a circle. Finally, she glued the labels under each stage and drew arrows to show the direction of the life cycle.

Build a Garden Bin:

  In this bin: split peas and this adorable garden playset (I admit the quality on this toy isn’t the best, but it was relatively cheap and Madelynn LOVES it)

Parts of a Flower Craft:

For this craft Madelynn started by cutting out all of the plant parts.  Then she glued the pieces together to form a flower. Finally, she glued the words next to each part to label the parts of the plant.

Dig & Play Sensory Bin:

In this bin: dirt, pots, shovels, silk flowers, pom pom “seeds”

Want all of this week’s Plants activities for preschool?  You can grab them here:
On my site : Plants & Printables On TpT: Plants 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: Plants first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.