Dr. Jean's April 2014 Activities

SEEDS

Dig a hole.        (Make hole with left fist.)
Plant a seed.     (Insert right index finger in hole.)
Up comes a flower.   (Bring right hand up through                                         left fist.)
Pull out a weed.  (Pretend to pluck a weed from                                       hole.)

Spring Garden

Take clear plastic cups and line the inside with a paper towel as shown.  Fill the middle with sand or soil.  Place popcorn kernels and other seeds between the cup and paper towel. Water and place in a sunny window.  The children can observe the seed as it germinates and grows.

Hint!  Encourage children to bring in apple seeds, orange seeds, or other seeds from home to plant in the cups.

What would happen if you planted jelly beans?  Would a penny grow into a money tree?

Dirt Pie

I know this isn’t very healthy, but the children sure do enjoy making and eating dirt pies!  You will need instant chocolate pudding, whipped topping, crushed Oreo cookies, sunflower seeds, gummy worms, and clear plastic cups for this cooking activity. 

First, let each child make a flower and attach it to a straw.  Prepare the pudding and assemble the other ingredients.  Each child takes a cup and fills it half full with pudding.  Then put in a layer of whipped topping.  Next, sprinkle crushed cookies (dirt) on top.  Plant a seed (sunflower) and add a worm (gummy). 

Stick in the flower and you’re ready for a yummy dirt pie! Click here to download the recipe.

Rain

Rain, rain,
Go away.
Come again
Another day.

Rain, rain,
Go away.
All the children
Want to play.

It’s Raining

It’s raining.
It’s pouring.
The old man
Is snoring.

He went to bed
And he bumped his head
And he couldn’t get up
In the morning.

Rain Painting

Have children draw pictures with water soluble markers on white paper.
Fill a spray bottle with water and have them make it “rain” on their picture.  What happens?  Dry flat.

 

EARTH DAY

Earth Patrol

Here we go!                 (Clap and snap to the beat
We’re on the Earth Patrol.       or let the children       We’re going to work all day          rap the rhyme.)
To put the trash away.
The planet earth, you see,
Is our habitat.
We’re going to clean it up.
Well, how about that?

Litter Bags

Have children bring in empty cereal or food boxes from home.  Cut off the top and punch holes in the sides.  Attach a piece of string and use to collect trash.  (Disposable gloves are suggested for picking up trash.) 

Children could also take these home and use them in their cars to collect trash.

Earth Book –

Take children on a nature walk to collect four small specimens for their book.  Remind them to only collect objects off the ground.  (How would you feel if you were a tree and someone jerked off your leaves?)  When you return to the classroom give each child 4 sandwich zip bags.  Children place one object in each bag and zip shut.  Give them pieces of masking tape or sticky labels for each page so they can label their objects.

  (Younger children can dictate, and older children can write their own sentences.)  Stack bags and staple together. 

Rainy Day Fun

Have children brainstorm things to do on a rainy day. 

Let them all draw a picture of their favorite thing and put them together to make a class book.

Rainy Day Reading

Get a large golf umbrella and open it up in a corner of your room.  Place several “special” books under the umbrella and allow one or two children at a time to sit there and read.