Let’s sing together our song “Rise and Shine – Welcome to School Today” by Dr. Jean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyAD2OoFuoY and our greeting song “Hello to all the children of the world”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nYjGy_ZUG8
I realize that you might have to survey other members of your family for the question of the day so that your child have enough tally marks to count or have your child put more than one tally mark.
What is a squash?
PUMPKIN SHOE BUTTERNUT SPAGHETTI
For the writing/reading process, have your child trace or copy (advanced skill) daily his/her name on paper/dry eraser board/ mini blackboard (kindergarten handwriting page) starting at the top of each letter (you could draw 🙂) either in all uppercase letters or just first letter in uppercase and the rest in lowercase.
If you have My First School Book from Handwriting Without Tears methodology https://www.lwtears.com/hwt. Have your child complete page 29. More letter H practice at http://www.first-school.ws/t.asp?t=http://www.first-school.ws/images/word-search/alphabet/h.gif
A whole week activity:
For the phonetic part, have a big yogurt container with a lid filled with small objects or pictures that start with the letter H (hair, heart, helicopter, horse, hat.) You might want to add a picture of a kitty, so that your child can say that kitty does not start with H! Here is a book of H word pictures https://twistynoodle.com/h-is-for-house-2-minibook/ Also, you can add new objects/pictures starting with the letter H every day and let your child explore the container all through the week.
Science
if you have squash on hand, explore different ways your child can experiment with squash. Your child can use hi/her five senses (taste, touch, smell, hear and see) in different ways: see if squash float or sink; smell if it smells good or bad; taste if it tastes sweet or bitter; hear if it makes a sound when dropped or banged; and touch when your child feels the inside. Have your child describe every step!
On the tune of “Oh, my Darling Clementine”, we can sing: what’s the weather, what’s the weather, what’s the weather like today? Is it cloudy, is it rainy, is it sunny, is it cold? (You can also change the weather words).
Let your child check the weather and tell you about it. You might want to ask your child to do a weather drawing that you can label. Some activities will be repetitive to create a routine that brings comfort to your child.
Language Arts
Children will see lots of squash(es) during Autumn. There are even competitions in various states for the biggest squash (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/behold-worlds-largest-green-squash-180965237/)
Here is a funny easy story about Mrs. McNosh and the Great Big Squash by Sarah Weeks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3vXJW0_btM
Here is also a longer story about Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i956du1TR6s
After viewing one of the stories, help your child to sequence the plot: what happened first, next and at the end. There are 2 extension activities with squash, your child can help you carve a squash like Mrs. McNosh or cook a yummy treat (Kitchen Science – https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/14734/soups-stews-and-chili/soup/vegetable-soup/squash-soup/), or draw a face on one and decorate it, like Sophie. In both cases, your child can, with your help, dry the seeds on paper towel to plant next spring or roast squash seeds to eat https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/54873/roasted-winter-squash-seeds/
Squash Poem
Some call me a game,
A game of good sport,
But I’m really to eat,
As a side dish of sorts!
”We are Squash” Song (“Mary Had a Little Lamb” tune)
We are squash of different sizes,
Different sizes, big different sizes.
We are squash of different sizes,
Seated on the ground.
5 Little Squash Fingerplay
Five little squash sitting on a gate.
The first one said, “My name is Kate.
The second one said, “It’s windy over there.”
The third one said, “I just don’t care.”
The fourth one said, “Let’s roll and roll around.”
The fifth one said, “I’m not stuck to the ground.”
Math
Your child can continue exploring patterns with seeds and beans, if available. More ABC patterns https://twistynoodle.com/copy-the-abc-patterns-coloring-page/
The calendar is a daily activity to do with your child that develop number and pattern recognition. Here is the link to print a calendar to update daily with your child. The set has a weather component, if you like. https://www.themailbox.com/magazines/october-calendar-setbr4-pages/october-calendar-set-3
Daily counting of tally marks and show your child a number card or write the number down to show your child. The numbers of the tallies will be different every day. Extend the concept by comparing numbers: which has more? Which has fewer? Which are the same? How many more (count with fingers)?
Art
For the Painted Squash Art Project, you need (1) squash, (2) paint, and (3) brush. Have your child paint the squash with a brush and many different colors. Here is a picture: https://funfamilycrafts.com/colorful-greek-pumpkin/ Your child can use squash whole or cut as a stamp on construction paper too!
For the Squash Seeds Art Project, you need (1) colored construction paper, (2) scissors, (3) different kinds of seeds, (4) orange pipe cleaner, and (5) glue.
Directions:
- Cut various squash sizes out of colored construction paper.
- Glue seeds on cut squash.
- Attach orange pipe cleaner at the top to make a stem and make loops.
Your child can also use watercolor and a brush to give stripes or spots to squash.
Small Motor Skills
Squash Dot Painting https://twistynoodle.com/squash-dot-painting-coloring-page/
Veggie Colors Book https://twistynoodle.com/veggie-colors-3-minibook/
I can write Letter H https://twistynoodle.com/i-can-write-the-letter-h-3-coloring-page/
Gross Motor Skills
Outside time with climbing, jumping, bicycling, running, walking are great ways to develop the whole child.
Exercise your Child’s brain by crossing the midline. This ability is a building block for your child developing new skills like writing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYldqh10-bk