Lentils are nutrient-rich legumes that are related to beans and peanuts. Full of protein and other important nutrients, they can provide substantial nourishment to anyone’s diet. Using real lentils, we created our very own lentil trees!
Tag Archives: activity
Wheat Farming!
Wheat grows globally in bountiful supply. Because it can be harvested in winter and spring, it is utilized abundantly.
Using tractors, baby wheat plants, and shovels, your little farmer harvested their own wheat! They learned that these crops require constant care and upkeep.
Producing wheat is an intensive process, and your little one learned about the many technological advances that allow all of us to enjoy our bread, cereal, and pasta!
They were introduced to the words “swather” (to cut and bind wheat) and “combine” (a process in which trucks cut and loosen wheat from its stem). By harvesting their own crops, your little one was able to apply their understanding of new vocabulary and complicated concepts.
Cumulus Clouds and Shaving Cream
On Tuesday, we read about cumulus clouds during circle time. Our discussion involved defining and identifying cumulus clouds, and discovering their formation! Using preschool-friendly terms, we learned that clouds are created by moisture, sunlight, water, and ice! We also explored words associated with rain, and revisited our lesson on rain formation. Our shaving cream clouds were a natural extension of our lesson! Using turkey basters, your budding scientists dropped blue water into the shaving cream. They were transfixed as the color seeped through the “clouds” into the water. Your little meteorologist was then given ample opportunity to explore the “process” on their own. They were very intrigued, and decided, once they had used all of their water, that it would be more fun to move the clouds to the ground. Everyone delighted in pouring the “clouds” onto the ground and dancing in the remains. Activities that provide open ended learning foster a lifelong love of science and discovery. Young children are naturally curious, and need little motivation to promote their wonder and fascination of the world. Our messy cumulus clouds project provided the opportunity to fulfill some of that wonder.
What Happens to Rain?
Teaching scientific concepts to young children poses unique challenges, so in our classroom, we use simple vocabulary and fun projects to keep them captivated! Water rotation is an ideal introduction to rain formation, so we talked about where rain comes from and where it goes! With Playdoh, sticks, salt shakers, and blue water, we practiced making it rain on our “land” and then watched as it returned to the “ocean”. Hands-on activities such as these reinforce complicated concepts and allow your preschoolers to grasp how rain works!
Seasons Trees
Young children are aware of the seasons, and can recognize the changes they perceive throughout the year. Because they are naturally curious, they question the differences that distinguish one season from the other. This activity served to do just that! Using sticks, different colored leaves, cotton, and Playdoh, we created our very own trees! These trees were special because they transformed throughout the changing seasons. We began with spring, discussed its characteristics, and constructed our trees to resemble the abundance and newness of life. As we continued through the seasons, our trees changed. Leaves changed color, fell, and were eventually covered by snow. As your little one moved from season to season, they were given vocabulary to describe the changes they were experiencing. By building and rebuilding their trees, your little one was able to practice and apply their understanding of new concepts, and had fun while doing it!
Picasso’s Blue Period
Picasso is not only recognized for his unique vision of the world, but the emotion he expresses throughout his many works. For this activity, we discussed the visual characteristics of his pieces and the feelings they evoke. We expanded the discussion by associating colors with various emotions. Using several Blue Period pieces as our inspiration, we practiced mixing colors and creating our own masterpieces!
Picasso Newspaper Collage
Art projects that imitate the many styles of Pablo Picasso provide an opportunity for all young artists to be successful. The vast array of his works include surreal, abstract, monochromatic, and Cubist themes. This variety inspires experienced and inexperienced artists to perceive the world in new ways. Such awareness furnishes a gracious medium for beginning artists to replicate his unique slant on reality. Using newspapers and glue, we created buildings out of newspaper! Picasso was fond of using abstract components such as newspaper and cut paper, that when combined, formed a unified composition. Your little ones enjoyed creating enormous skyscrapers, houses, and buildings that reached to the sky!
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