Winter Thematic Unit for Preschool

[Pages:43]Winter Thematic Unit for Preschool

Created by April Zajko, M.Ed.

aprilzajko@ (802) 748-2372 ext. 119

This thematic unit was written and successfully implemented in my preschool program over the last three winters. I hope you enjoy using these ideas as much as we have had in testing and trying them out in our classroom. This winter I will be blogging many of our winter activities on my personal blog: I'd love to hear feedback from all my new friends from the Fall VAEYC Conference!

Sincerely, April Zajko M.Ed.

1

Table of Contents

Lesson Plans: Introducing our Snow & Winter Theme Snowflakes & Snowflake Bentley Snowballs & Snowmen Ice & Icicles Snow Shelters

Outdoor Gross Motor Games Outdoor Activities for Winter Snowman Building Snow Engineering Dramatic Play Outdoors Snow Art Outdoors Color the Snow Animal Tracks Indoor Gross Motor Games Art Ideas Additional Art Ideas Fine Motor Play Dough Center Water Table Sensory Bin Writing Center Science Center -- ongoing exploration Thematic Healthy Snacks Winter Science Experiments & Explorations Science of Snow Snow Exploration Ice Exploration Freezing Experiments Insulation Experiments Online Resources Booklist

3 4 5 6 7 8 9-10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19-20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27-28 29-31 32 33 34-35 36 37 38 39-43

2

Introducing our Snow & Winter Theme - Week 1

Opening Circle Music / Poem Read aloud

Outdoor Discovery Gross Motor

Day 1

Day 2

Ask the children, "What do you know Read aloud ? It's Winter by Linda

about winter?"

Glaser Point out the beautiful cut-

paper art work! Bring attention to

Introduce the action poem,

winter activities included in the

Winter Time.

book ? catching snowflakes, snow

Read aloud, Winter is Here by K.

angels, sledding, building

Weinberger.

snowmen, drinking hot cocoa.

Snow Shoveling - fill the sensory bin with snow to take inside

Snow Observations using the 5 senses

Winter Construction Site (this is ongoing through the month)

Day 3

Day 4

Recite the poem, Winter Time.

Introduce the action poem,

Winter Time.

Read aloud, One Snowy Day by

Jeffrey Scherer

Read aloud, Here Comes the Snow

by A. S. Medearis.

"What are your favorite winter

"Keeping ourselves warm while

activities?"

outside is important. Why?"

Cold Hands Experiment -which gloves keep your hands warmer

(knit vs. thermal/waterproof)? Have kids test diff pairs of gloves.

Introduce how to play - Freeze Tag

Art

Play dough Water Table

Sensory Bin

Easel Writing Center Science Center

Toys or New Centers for this theme:

Teacher Time Closing Circle

Shaving Cream Prints spread shaving cream on trays and provide liquid water colors to drip on top. Kids swirl the paint then press a piece of paper on top to make a print. {Paper can be cut into shapes such as snowman, snowflakes, or icicles.}

Mitten Paint Blotto: Day one - fold cardstock in half and drip paint onto one side and fold. Let dry. Day two - child puts hand onto outside of card, draw mitten shape, and then cut out. Reveal identical pairs. Mix up mittens & match pairs!

Cloud Dough - Mix 8 c. flour to 1 c. oil, (put into the under bed storage bin) Add scoops, spoons, small silicone baking molds,

Real Snow Exploration - fill the water tub with snow. Add a variety of Frozen Hands - freeze water in latex gloves the night before. Peel

small sand shovels, spoons, cups, strainers, etc.

off half of the gloves, leave the others knotted. Observe melting.

*Continue same "Cold Hands Experiment" indoors!

Pretend Snow Bin - two bags of fake paper snow (available at the Dollar Store), white & blue pom poms to be snowballs, some pulled apart cotton balls.

Add a variety of scoops, tongs, tweezers, and mini sand shovels. Show how to use tweezers to move cotton balls into ice cube trays. Day 3 & 4 -- add

items to make the bin into a " Pretend Snow Globe Bin" -same bin contents from Day 1 & 2 but add small plastic jars with mini figurines hot glued to the

lid. Add appropriate sized spoons so kids can scoop 'snow' into the 'snow globe' and some loose figurines for the kids to play with.

Encourage snowy paintings -- 4 paint cups: 1.white 2. Glitter white 3.Blue 4. light blue

Snowflake envelopes, Glitter Snowflake Stickers, glitter crayons, white crayons, blue or black construction paper.

Convert train table area into -- "Winter Forest Scape" - add to this throughout the month as the children suggest new ideas!

Beaded Snowflakes -need pipe cleaners, beads in white, clear, blue. Add a hanger using either dental floss or fishing line. Explain to the kids that the snowflake needs 6

arms, but each snowflake is unique. This is will likely continue throughout the theme since beading is a favorite activity!

Snowy Cutting/ Tearing Bin --- in an under the bed storage bin add paper in a variety of winter colors, laminate scraps, shredded white &

blue gift bag filler, silver "icicle" decorations, blue shredded copy paper, metallic bows, blue & white tissue paper and decorative & regular

kid scissors. (Save contents for collages.)

Blocks Center- add white cotton batting and arctic animals to make a winter scene (I ordered the Artic Toob Set for $10-- includes: igloo,

polar bear, arctic rabbit, arctic fox, huskies, caribou, harp seal, beluga whale, walrus, Eskimo and musher.

In small groups, complete a Snow Observation sheet - five senses Name writing with pretend snow and white glue - on cardstock

"What is something you noticed with Pretend Snow vs. the Real Snow?

Orally retell the story "The

Sing with book ~ Winter Wonderland by Dick Smith

Snowman" by Raymond Briggs Play - What is covered in a blanket of snow?

3

Snowflakes & Snowflake Bentley Theme - Week 2

Opening Circle Music / Poem Read aloud

Outdoor Discovery Gross Motor

Art

Play dough Water Table Sensory Bin Easel Writing Center Science Center

Dramatic Play Teacher Time Closing Circle

Day 1

Introduce the song, I'm a Little Snowflake. Orally tell the story of Snowflake Bentley. Ask the children, "Have you ever looked really closely at a snowflake?"

Day 2

Sing, I'm a Little Snowflake. Review some facts about Snowflakes: Snow begins with a speck (dirt, ash, salt).The speck becomes the center of a snow crystal. As it falls, the snow crystal forms. Reference- The Story of Snow.

Catching Snowflakes ? While outside give each child their own Snowflake Catcher Necklace! (Or use a piece of black paper.) Make sure the necklace is cold by keeping it in the freezer beforehand. Explain that today we will be learning about snowflakes. Show children how to catch flakes while it's in flight. After children have successfully caught snowflakes, give them a magnifying glass to look at the flake closer.

Day 3

Day 4

Review some facts about Snowflakes: Snow crystal shapes can be like a star, plates, columns 6 is a snow crystals magic number! Each is unique & rarely are perfect! Sing, I'm a Little Snowflake & Winter Wonderland. Read aloud, Let It Snow by Maryann CoccaLeffler.

Sing, I'm a Little Snowflake. Review some facts about Snowflakes: What is the magic number for snow crystals? SIX! *Many snow crystals make up one snowflake! When a snow crystal lands it starts to wither away- that's why Bentley wanted to photograph them!

Homemade Snow Gauge - cut 2 liter bottle to make, mark with

inches. Monitor over the next couple of weeks!

*If snow is falling, Microscope Exploration with snowflakes

* If snow is not falling, introduce Snow Flake Dancing with Scarves

Snowflake Print Making - put white glittery paint into a shallow pie pan. Snowflake Handprints ? use blue construction paper. Dip hands into

Lay out a variety of materials for print making: bottom of berry basket,

white paint. Paint three lines to form a star, then paint 6 handprints at the

bottom of a spool of thread, snowflake shaped cookie cutters, toilet

end of the spokes. This should form a circle, be sure not to overlap the

paper rolls with slits cut out with decorative scissors. (Dark blue paper). hands & try to have the fingers in the same position for each print.

Snow Dough/ Bright White Playdough - encourage snowman by adding: buttons, small pieces of shiny pipe cleaners, beans, and beads

Pretend Snowflakes - fill the water table with water and add a variety of plastic snowflakes. Add fishing nets and strainers for the kids to scoop up the snowflakes.

Same contents as Day 1 & 2 but tint water with blue liquid watercolor.

Pretend snow bin - since we are learning about Snowflake Bentley this week, add magnifying glasses to examine the snow bin more closely!

Oversize cut out of snowflakes - add salt to 2 paint cups and glitter to the other 2 cups (white, lavender, blue, and light blue)

Cutting Snowflakes - using pre-folded coffee filters

Snowflake Coloring Sheet & glitter crayons

Display photographs by Snowflake Bentley and books related to snowflakes. Snowflake Matching Game - show how to play

Talk about Snowflake Facts. Look at a copy of the Snowflake Guide

Snowman Dress Up Center - top hats, scarves, sticky buttons from adhesive foam, carrot noses, winter gloves or mittens, etc.

Scissor Skills - demo how to cut a snowflake. "Don't get upset if your Snowflake Pattern blocks, Snowflake Matching Game

snowflake breaks, many snowflakes are not perfect when they fall to the ground."

Talk about why we needed dark felt Read first part of Snowflake

Continue reading Snowflake

Finish reading Snowflake Bentley,

or black paper to view the flakes Bentley, by J. B. Martin

Bentley, by J. B. Martin "Snowflake by J. B. Martin

outside. Why not white? Why did

Bentley loved looking at

the paper have to be frozen?

snowflakes. What is something that

you love to do?"

4

Snowballs & Snowmen Theme - Week 3

Opening Circle Music / Poem Read aloud

Outdoor Discovery

Gross Motor

Art

Play dough Water Table Sensory Bin Easel Writing Center Science Center Teacher Time Closing Circle

Day 1 Read aloud - Snowballs by Lois Ehlert - show the page of things to find on the snowmen Review shapes (find examples) Introduce the poem, Chubby Little Snowman. How to pack a snowball, then roll to make a BIG snowball!

Snowball Tossing Game before school starts create a bunch of snowballs using the plastic snowball maker, also have a variety of different sized balls. Talk about the qualities of a sphere. Make a simple toss game, targets?

Day 2

Ask the children, "How do you make a snowball? What is the difference between a ball/ sphere and a circle?" (Discuss 2D/3D) Read aloud, Amy Loves the Snow by J. Hoban. Discuss sequence of building a snowman.

Snowman Building! Bring in a variety of snowman supplies (scarves, carrots, sticks, buttons), so the kids can be creative in their snowman decorating. Have natural materials that animals can eat ? bird seed, pretzels, acorns, pinecones. {If not good snowman building snow snow painting with spray bottles or brushes!}

Day 3

Ask the children, "Have you ever made a snowman at home? What do we need to make a snowman?" Read aloud - All You Need for a Snowman by B. Lavallee

Day 4

Read aloud - No Snow for Seth What if we put snow in a big jar like Seth? Could we keep it from melting? When the snow melts what does it turn into?

Headless Snowman - build

snowman with 2 balls, put stool behind so kids can step up and they look like the snowman. Take pictures! Act out the poem, Chubby Little Snowman (bunny ears headband, snowman -- carrot nose, buttons using self stick foam circles)

Lets fill 2 big jars of snow & put one in the classroom and one in the freezer. What will happen? Freeze Tag

Act out, Cubby Little Snowman

Snowman Collages - using card stock pre-cut into the shape of a snowman and

Yarn Snowballs - give each child a small balloon inflated with air. The children dip

lots of open ended accessories for the kids to choose: googly eyes, mini sticks,

pieces of white yarn into watered down Elmer's Glue. Wrap yarn all around the

scarves, hats, whole punches as buttons, mini pom poms, real buttons, popsicle balloon, sprinkle with glitter, and dry overnight. Then pop the balloon.

sticks, straw pieces, paper beads, feathers, sequins,

Kool-Aid Playdough - One batch blue and one batch clear. Add small versions of snowman accessories such as orange pipe cleaner noses,

real buttons, mini scarves cut from felt, a few small sticks gathered from outside. Also add snowflake & snowman cookie cutters.

Snow Ball Exploration - using a snowball maker make a bunch of snowballs before Mini Snowmen Meet the Hair Dryer - help the kids to make mini snowmen in the

preschool begins. Leave the batches outdoors overnight to really solidify. Hide a water table. Then transfer them to individual plastic tubs. After talking about how

little toy inside some of the snow balls.

snow melts, bring out a hair dryer. "Ask what do you think will happen?"

Snowballs Bin - ping pong balls, golf balls, and practice golf balls. Paper towel and Snowman Assembly Bin - prior to class, add features to the ping pong balls (some

gift wrap tubes cut in half to make ramps. We are learning today about spheres so snowman faces, some buttons, some shoes). Encourage the kids to find 3 ping

let's examine how spheres roll!

pong balls and make their own snowman! Paper towel roll cut to hold them.

Pre-cut oversized snowmen shapes for kids to paint.

Black paper with salt paint. Add different size corks for stamping.

Snowballs - some pre-cut white circles (snowballs) of various sizes and some paper folded in half with half circle drawn on so kids to cut out independently. Show kids

how to stack the different sized circles to make a snowman. (Day 3 & 4 - add left over accessories from the Snowman Collage project to the Writing Center.

Snowballs book by L. Ehlert - children go back through the book to find the objects Oral Language/ Comprehension - in pairs ask kids why snow melts.

on snowmen.

Observes changes with hair dryer, hot water. Discuss.

Shape Assessment; Snowflake Counting Cards

Snowman Shaped lacing cards

Read aloud, The Biggest, Best Snowman by M. Cuyler "

Sing aloud Frosty the Snowman (reference book if needed)

Read aloud, Snowmen at Night. Observe the two jars of snow what happened & why?

5

Ice & Icicles Theme - Week 4

Opening Circle Music / Poem Read aloud Outdoor Discovery

Gross Motor

Art

Play dough Water Table

Sensory Bin Easel Writing Center Science Center {Display photographs of real icicles.}

Teacher Time Closing Circle

Day 1

Day 2

Introduce the poem, Icicle.

Have several large icicles and two large ice blocks at the circle.

"Ice cubes and icicles are both made from water that is frozen." Talk

about the 3 states of water (solid, liquid, gas) and demonstrate: Icicles &

ice are solids. Water is a liquid. Dragon's Breath is a gas.

Go on an icicle hunt. Discuss where they form and why. What happens on

a warm day? Why is it dangerous to play below icicles?

What's the difference between icicles & snow?

Play "Freezing Icicles" same rules as Freeze Tag but the frozen kids have to stand with arms above their heads.

Hide & Seek Colored Ice Cubes! (leave outside when done today)

Day 3

Recite the poem, Icicle. Ask, "What is the difference between snow and ice?"

Go on an Ice Hunt - look for patches of ice in the outdoor playspace.

Hide & Seek Colored Ice Cubes! (after playing have the kids gather all the cubes so we can bring them inside to watch melt in sensory bin)

Day 4 "If we fill two identical containers, one with ice and one with snow and bring them inside, will they both melt? Will one have more water?" Have kids heap the container with snow so they know it's full.

Obstacle Course

Painting with Ice Cubes ? freeze several trays of ice cubes & food coloring or paint Glitter Icicles - Have kids create thick lines of glue on wax paper (or laminate

with a popsicle stick in it. Show the children how to hold the stick and `paint' with scraps). Let glue run. Sprinkle with glitter and let dry. the melting ice cube. Paint onto thin white construction paper or coffee filters.

Add the Artic Toob miniatures to the playdough table this week. Also add plastic icicles and pretend ice cubes.

Ice cube trays, basters, jars of colored water. Open ended play,

Snow vs. Ice - put both in bin to observe and play

then just before clean up time - ask kids to fill all the ice cube trays

(Make winter gloves available!)

and take outside to freeze for a game the following morning.

Icicle Exploration (provide gloves, mag. Glass, cups) Add pretend Colored Ice Cubes, Frozen Hands (which are made by putting water

icicles to compare - how are they the same / different?

into latex gloves overnight)

Cut house from black construction paper. Kids paint on salt/white

Cover easel with clear laminate. Kids paint with ice cubes and

paint to make icicles on a house.

watch it melt down easel. (Lay cloth in easel tray, ice cubes in bin)

Add icicles cut from white card stock, also add icicles cut from scraps of laminate. Glitter crayons and white crayons.

Melting Ice ? - All the children sit at tables. Give each child a bowl of warm water Ice Block Designs ? Put several ice blocks in an under the bed storage bin.

and a bowl of very cold water. Let kids feel both bowls of water. Ask them to tell Children sprinkle coarse salt on top of the ice blocks. (Explain that salt make ice

you what they think will happen if they put an ice cube in each bowl. Make some melt faster.) Children drip various colors of liquid water colors (food coloring could

predictions about which cube will melt faster and why. Have the students put one work, but it stains). Watch as tunnels of color are created as the salt melts

ice cube in each bowl. Watch closely as the ice cubes melt and discuss.

through the ice block Leave the colorful ice blocks out to observe throughout the

day.

Play "Don't Break the Ice" - great strategy game. Kids learn to take Oral Language/ Comprehension check-- 1:1 talk to kids about their

turns and count ice cubes

snow and ice observations. Journal writing - dictated sentences.

What will happen to the ice cube trays overnight? Read aloud, Poppleton in Winter - 1st chapter

Read aloud, The Icicle by Valery Voskoboinikov

Observe the ice blocks again. Talk about the changes with the colored ice cubes. Why? Discuss melting process/ snow v. ice "Snow has a lot of air, so there was much less water from the melting snow. {Note- preschoolers likely won't believe you! So do this experiment multiple days}

6

Snow Shelters Theme - Week 5

Opening Circle Music / Poem Read aloud

Outdoor Discovery PLAN B: Create a lean to out of sticks and evergreen branches!

Gross Motor

Art

Play dough Water Table

Sensory Bin Easel

Writing Center Science Center Game Teacher Time Closing Circle

Day 1

Day 2

Review - Winter Time, I'm a Little Snowflake, Chubby Little Snowman, & Icicle "Why would someone build a snow shelter?"

Reference book, How to Build an Igloo and Other Snow Shelters by N. Yankielun. "Would you want to sleep in a snow shelter overnight?"

Snow Quinzee Project!

Pack and finish mounding snow. Begin

to dig out.

Mounding snow is the first step of

making a snow shelter. Research

before building!!!

Hula Hoop Igloo Game - following directions game. Pretend hula

hoop is an igloo. Stand next to, jump over, go inside, 2 friends, etc.

Day 3

Day 4

Reference book, How to Build an Igloo and Other Snow Shelters by N. Yankielun. "What is insulation? Is it warmer inside or outside of the quinzee"

How does it feel being INSIDE of snow? Why would people build a snow shelter? Distinguish between play & survival.

(Dig out the night before) Kids find a

Play inside quinzee, drink hot cocoa?

real Snow Quinzee. At the end of the Take off roof so no risk of collapsing on

day, cover and disguise door.

someone when not in session.

(Continue to use as snow fort/snow

wall)

Ice Fishing Game - bamboo fishing rods, foam fish. (Take game

indoors if too cold to play outside.)

Igloo Sculptures - turn paper bowl upside down. Cut out door and insert toilet paper roll, glue in place. Decorate igloo with either collage materials in snow

Igloo Prints - dip balloon into white paint. Then press onto bottom of paper so just a half circle is on the paper. (Kids may like to do a snowman version, pressing

colors, or cover in puffy snow. Create puffy snow by mixing 1 part shaving cream and 1 part Elmer's glue - creates 3D effect.

different ways to make sm, med, large circles. {Open Ended - many papers will look like a blizzard instead!) Other ideas - use different sized corks cut in half or potatoes cut into the shape of an igloo.

Group Playdough Igloo Sculptures but use white snow dough to cover the bowl.{"Explain Group project, can't take home."}

Insulation Experiments see notes for details

Whipped Snow - grate Ivory soap bars into a bowl with a potato peeler, mix in 2 cups of boiling water. Add a quarter cup of liquid laundry starch and whip with an electric mixer. Make it ahead, then

add more water if needed for kids to play.

Ice Block Igloos - freeze 3 different sized bowls with water, turn upside Colored Ice Blocks & Igloos - add either liquid water colors or

down. Add the Artic Toob miniatures to this center.

diluted tempera paint.

Igloo Pictures - using yarn covered wooden blocks to make prints Hang white paper, tape on a template of an igloo. Kids use blue,

of the individual snow blocks.

gray, and sparkly paints to paint the sky. Remove template and you

have a negative image (ie. White space is the igloo, painting is sky)

Small cut outs of igloos, blue paper, glitter glue.

Move wooden blocks to the science center to encourage stacking to build igloos. Post pictures of real igloos & snow shelters.

Ice Block Hop- cut out poster board into large squares. Write on a letters Snow Tunnel ? bring out six stools (that are arched so they are hollow).

(or number, name, or word). Kids call out the letter and jump onto block. Move them next to each other to create a snow tunnel for crawling.

Lead insulation experiments & discuss results in pairs

Journal Writing - dictated sentences about snow shelters.

Read aloud, Snow by R. McKie {reference p. 39 - snow house, p. 61 snow in freezer like Seth!}

Using the white board, draw a diagram of the snow quinzee and discuss sequence of building

Discussion about the Snow Quinzee Was it warmer inside? Why?

Wrapping up our Snow & Winter theme!

7

Outdoor Gross Motor Games

Freeze Tag - this is a great game to teach young children. When playing with 3 or 4 year olds they may not stay `frozen' but it's fun to learn either way. Explain that everyone should spread out and one person is the `tagger'. The Tagger tries to tag other kids. When you are tagged, you must "freeze like a statue". Other players can come "melt" or unfreeze tagged players by touching them. Play for a set amount of time and then change the `tagger'. Icicle Freeze Tag - same directions but when tagged the child must "freeze like an icicle" with their arms together overhead.

Snowball Toss Game - before school starts create a bunch of snowballs using the plastic snowball maker, also have a variety of different sized balls. Talk about the qualities of a sphere. Make a simple toss game. Targets - paint targets into the snow, form with rope, lay out buckets & hula hoops. NOTE: Discuss school rules before playing. Snow ball fights are not allowed at school!

Snowball Target Practice - since snowball fights would not be advisable, set up a fun target practice instead. 1. Recycled pie tins & cardboard targets would be fun. Figure out how to hang them from a tree or fence. 2. A second way would be to paint a bull's eye onto the ground with circles surrounding it, and with older children you could have flags with different point values. 3. A third fun target practice would be to make six colored frozen ice blocks from plastic cups, stack them in a pyramid shape, and then take turns trying to knock them down by throwing snowballs at them. 4. Pack a snow bull's eye on the side of brick wall or fence. Take turns practicing your marksmanship! Any of these three games would be great hand/eye coordination for kids!

Snowman Bowling ? partially fill milk jugs or 2 liter bottles with sand so they will stand up. Paint snowmen on the bottles (or create a snowman picture on cardstock and attach to the jug). Arrange the jugs as pins in bowling and let children take turns bowling with ball. Ice Bowling - create ice balls by filling balloons with water and food coloring. Use the ice balls to knock down homemade or store bought bowling pins.

Tic-Tac-Toe: create a large grid by drawing lines into the snow, use sticks for the X's and pinecones for the O's. Many traditional games that kids play in the summer are just as fun in winter. Why not try out winter versions of: Hopscotch, Croquet, Horseshoes, Kickball, Capture the Flag, T-ball

Winter Olympics- When you feel that you've tap out all your creative ideas, why not make up a fun Winter Olympics Course that focuses on elements in your play space & projects you've already played outside. Weave around the snowmen, dig to find 5 colored ice cubes, pretend to be the Cubby Little Snowman, toss 5 snowballs at the targets, dance like a snowflake by spinning in 10 circles, drive a truck around the winter construction site, etc. This is fun way to do all of your outdoor activities that your children have been playing over the last couple of weeks, while keeping it fresh and exciting!

8

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download