We are ending the Reptiles Week. What do you remember about the reptiles we discovered: snakes, turtles/tortoises, chameleons, and lizards. What do they have similar? How are they different?
Our last reptiles are alligators and crocodiles. What do you want to know about crocodiles and alligators? Are they similar or different? Let’s look at the National Geographic Kids video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wRdFr1t7iI
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
My favorite Closing Song sung on “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” tune with movement: Twinkle, twinkle little stars! Time is over and we say goodbye. (Open and close hands)
We had fun with all our friends. Let’s come back and do it again! (Arm moved up and back)
Twinkle, twinkle, little stars! What a wonderful bunch you are! (Blow kisses)
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 an emoji 🙂) either in all uppercase letters or just first letter in capital/uppercase and the rest in lowercase. If your child is starting to write on paper, you can write your child’s name with a highlighter and your child can use a crayon to trace it.
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.
How many teeth does a crocodile have?
5 / 20 / 70 / 100
If you have My First School Book from Handwriting Without Tears methodology https://www.lwtears.com/hwt. Have your child complete page 68. Your child can also practice writing number 10 on page 89.
A whole week activity:
For the phonetic part, have a big yogurt container with a lid filled with small objects or pictures that have the letter Y (yacht, yawn, year, yell, yellow, yes, yesterday, yo-yo, yogurt, yolk, you, your). You might want to add a picture of a xylophone, so that your child can say Xylophone does not start with Y! Here is a book of Y word pictures: https://www.first-school.ws/t.asp?t=http://www.first-school.ws/images/alpha/ap1/y.gif Also, you can add new objects/pictures starting with the letter Y every day and let your child explore the container all through the week.
Science
How is your egg in vinegar? If your child has a nature journal, have him/her draw what is left, date and label it.
An interesting fact about alligators/crocodiles is that they float. What else float? For Float or Sink Experiment, you need various objects and a bowl of water. Ask your child to predict first if 1 object floats or sinks? Then, have your child put 1 object at a time in the bowl of water. Observe and describe if it floats or sink. Your child can also make a drawing of a floating alligator in a nature journal.
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.
Language Arts
Before you read a book, show your child the cover of the book and ask your child what the story is about.
Alligator/Crocodile Literature:
1. Bill and Pete by Tomie de Paola (other Bill and Pete adventures too). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1xttjEkpCA.
2. See You Later, Alligator by Sally Hopgood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3FOo6d10cc.
3. There is an Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N20nSvXSZFI.
4. What Time is it, Mr. Crocodile? By Judy Sierra (advanced – basic time reading) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kqYqKptkQs
After viewing a book, help your child sequence the story: what happened first, next,… at the end. Brainstorm with your child what you know about lizards. Discuss how your child and your family can see lizards (outside, zoo, pet store, …). One theme covered is helping each other. Brainstorm with your child how you and your child help each other and others.
For an advanced activity, have your child fill in a simple story map. Take a sheet of paper and divide it into 3 equal size parts. Write “Beginning”, “Middle”, and “End” and encourage your child to make a drawing about the beginning, the middle and the end of the story.
Crocodile Song (“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” tune).
Crocodile, crocodile, long and green.
The sharpest teeth you’ve ever seen.
His legs are short, his mouth is wide.
Get too close and you’ll be inside!
Crocodile, crocodile, long and green.
The sharpest teeth you’ve ever seen.
“Five Little Monkeys” Fingerplay
Five little monkeys sitting in a tree,
Teasing Mr. Crocodile, “You can’t catch me!”
Along comes Mr. Crocodile as hungry as can be.
SNAP!
Four little monkeys sitting in a tree,
Teasing Mr. Crocodile, “You can’t catch me”.
Along comes Mr. Crocodile as hungry as can be.
SNAP!
Three little monkeys sitting in a tree…
Two little monkeys sitting in a tree….
One little monkey sitting in a tree…..
Away swims Mr. Crocodile as full as can be!
Alligator Rhyme
See you later alligator,
After a while crocodile,
See you soon big baboon,
Give a hug ladybug,
Take care teddy bear,
Bye bye butterflies,
Blow a kiss goldfish,
Got to go buffalo,
Be sweet parakeet,
And toddle-oo kangaroo!
Math
For Alligator Eating Fish Number Game, you need a set of playing cards called fish cards and a clothespin that is an alligator. Keep only the number cards. Stack all the cards together face down in a pile. Have your child pick 2 cards and turn them over to see the number on each. Give your child the alligator clothespin. Let your child figure out the number on the cards and tell your child that the alligator clothespin is very hungry. It only wants to eat the biggest number of fish. Tell your child to attach the clothespin to the biggest number card. Once done, have your child give you the clothespin back and put both cards on another pile. You can have many players with cards and an alligator clothespin!
For further challenge, play a Game of War by separating into 2 piles of cards face down for 2 players (only number cards). Each player takes 1 card from the top of each player’s pile and turn it over in front of players. Compare the 2 number cards. The player with the highest number takes both cards and stacks them under the player’s pile. The players continue until 1 player has all the cards.
Spring is in the air in March! 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/march-calendar-set/march-calendar-set-4
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
Free Watercolor Painting! Your child just need paper, watercolor, water and a huge imagination!
For Clothespin Alligator Art Project, you need (1) clothespin, (2) green construction paper, (3) scissors, (4) glue, (5) green tempera paint with brush, and (6) 2 googly eyes.
Directions:
1. Paint clothespin with green paint and brush.
2. Cut thin strip of green construction paper and fold to look like the jagged crocodile’s back.
3. Glue paper and googly eyes.
For Toilet Paper Rolls Crocodile Art Project, you need (1) 6 empty toilet paper rolls, (2) green tempera paint and brush, (3) green and white construction paper, (4) scissors, (5) stapler, (6) glue, (7) 2 googly eyes.
Directions:
1. Staple 6 toilet rolls together (long sides) and paint green with brush for the crocodile’s body.
2. Cut 3 big triangles for 1 crocodile’s tail and 2 jaws.
3. Cut 4 crocodile feet out of green construction paper.
4. Cut little white triangles for crocodile’s teeth.
5. Glue tail on last roll, 4 feet sticking out from rolls stapled, white teeth on upper jaws, both jaws on first roll, googly eyes on upper jaw, on crocodile’s body.
For the Artsy Alligator craft from Mailbox Magazine. https://www.themailbox.com/magazines/alligator-craft/artsy-alligator
Small Motor Skills
Alligator patterns https://www.themailbox.com/magazines/alligator-patterns/alligator-heads.
Letter Y Puzzle https://twistynoodle.com/letter-y-puzzle-coloring-page/.
Letter Y Memory Game https://twistynoodle.com/letter-y-memory-game-coloring-page/
Alligator Dot Painting https://twistynoodle.com/alligator-dot-painting-coloring-page/
Gross Motor Skills
Outside time with climbing, jumping, bicycling, running, walking are great ways to develop the whole child.
Let’s do the “Alligator Chomp” by Jack Hartmann https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvLNhTnDO4I