Shape Monsters

(4 Years)

I actually did something similar to this with my fifth graders to review plane geometry.  So, when I saw this on the wall of one of the potential pre-k schools for this Fall (it looked just like this post here), I knew we would be creating our own shape monsters.

The set up for this can be as elaborate or simple as you'd like.  We worked on some basic shapes: circles, ovals, squares, rectangles, trapezoids and triangles.  The set-up for this took a little less than five minutes.

Materials needed:
Scissors
Various colors of construction paper- we use the heavier stock, it's easier for them to work with
Glue sticks
Markers
Large pre-cut shapes for your monster's body
Smaller pre-cut shapes for body parts, horns, antennae, arms, legs, facial features...

I invited Little Miss and Wild One over to the kitchen table, "Who wants to build shape monsters with glue sticks?"  That's all it took.  I had two eager monster mechanics ready to design and create their shape monsters.

While they were busy working, Little Miss was having her monster talk to her.  I love their imaginations.  When they were finished with their creatures, I asked what they named it, and to tell me about the monster.  Little Miss created Sailor, because he is in a sail boat.  Wild One created Wolfie, who has very sharp teeth and no arms, but he does have a horn on his head!

Before wrapping this art project up, I asked each of them about the shapes they chose to use for their monster.  I asked for them to point to and count each shape.  I wrote the numbers down for Wild One, but Little Miss wanted to write her own numbers.  We haven't practiced writing numbers yet.  I was curious as to what they would look like.  She asked me to write a number 2 for her, so I did on a scrap piece of paper.  Her's came out pretty darn good!

While Little Miss was writing the number of shapes that she used, Wild One asked if he could make another monster.  I love it when they want to keep working.  His new monster has six arms and three legs, but NO nose!  I love how emphatic he gets when he's excited, it's not just with his voice, he also emphasizes with his gestures.

This art project helps to strengthen their fine motor skills, develop hand-eye coordination, reinforces the names of the shapes, fosters creativity, and prepares them for holding a pencil.  Plus, it's a lot of fun.

This is us, learning through play.  Happy Wednesday!

Let's Learn About the Number Four - Composing

(4 Years)

Little Miss and Wild One love using dot markers.  Therefore, whenever I can tailor an activity to include dot markers I do, because I know I'll definitely get them to want to work on whatever I've planned.  This morning one of our activities, besides Soak the Sight Words (again!), was working on composing the number four out of unifix cubes and then filling our work in using dot markers.  My inspiration for this activity is from Playful Directions, I found her on - well, you know where.

I modeled how to complete this activity with the number three.

We took turns pointing to the top of the page, the tally marks, the number in word form, in number form, and in dots (subitizing).  I modeled the different ways we can make three with two sets of cubes (they chose black and green).  We removed each cube, and used the same color dot marker to make a dot that represents each cube.  That's when Little Miss noticed a pattern.  Next to each row, we wrote the corresponding equation.  Little Miss then took over and began explaining how I should write the remaining equations.  

Before we began working on making the number four, the kids put the cubes back together in columns of ten.  Wild One counted each cube to make sure he had ten linked together.  Little Miss borrowed her brother's set of ten and measured it against her set to determine if she had the correct amount.

Together they discovered that they were missing just one cube.

Did you notice that Little Miss completed the left side of her sheet first?

 Little Miss wasn't done straightening her cubes when I snapped the picture.

She then removed one set of cubes at a time, and added the correct color dot marker to her sheet.

I think next time, we work on composing numbers I'll use two different objects instead of the same object in different colors.  When we discussed that 3 black cubes + 1 red cube = 4 cubes, and 3 red cubes + 1 black cube = 4 cubes, she said, "It's the same 3 + 1 = 4, why did we do it two times?"  If we use bears and cars, I think it may be easier to understand that the colors represent two different groups that we are adding together.  

What a busy morning!  Picnic breakfast, three rounds of Soak the Sight Words, swim lessons, imaginative play in the pool, read several books, worked on composing numbers three and four, and lunch.  Whew I'm wiped out!  Little Miss went straight to sleep during nap time.  Wild One decided he wasn't tired- even though he has dark circles.  He ran to the couch with a Cat in the Hat, Learning Library book and began "reading".  So cute!  

Magic (Sight) Words Race

(4 Years)

I love finding and trying sight word games for my little ones (they are getting so big - sad sigh). We've done quite a few sight word games in the past (type SIGHT into the Search Box on the right and it will bring you to the games that we've posted).  This one is another wonderful Pinterest find - who doesn't love Pinterest.   It's from Pre-KPages.com and it only takes minutes to set up, plus you don't need to buy a thing.

We repurposed one of our giant die, by cutting out circles, writing a sight word onto each circle and then taping them onto the die.  Above is a link to my FREE activity sheet (just click the picture of the bar graph).  Go ahead, grab a giant die or one of your wooden cubes, trace, cut, write, tape, print, play!

The kids really liked playing this.  In fact, we only stopped because it was nap time.  Yes nap time, they are FINALLY napping.  It only took four years!  I had to promise that I wouldn't put anything away and that they could play (don't you love it?  "Play") with it again when they woke up from their naps.

Since we have more than one preschooler playing the game, we played like this:
I modeled how to play- roll the dice, read the word, stamp the correct location on the bar graph (yadda yadda).
I pointed to one of the words on the bottom of the sheet and asked the kids, "how to you pronounce this word?"  Wild One said the word first, so he got to roll first.
When the die lands, I would point to that word and ask how to pronounce it, the one who answers correctly first gets to roll the die next (after they make a dot on their sheet).

While we were "playing", we practiced some introductory math vocabulary.  I asked which column had the most dots, the least dots, the same number of dots, which two columns when added together equal the number eight...

I asked what they liked about the game- Little Miss said the Dot Markers, being first (to get the correct answer) and rolling the BIG die.  Wild One said playing games.  I just love that we have another game that they want to play in our rotation.

Handwriting Without Tears School Book

(4 Years)

*Blah, blah.  This post is my own opinion, I have not been compensated in any way.  Blah, blah.

"I love this school work.  I'm a lucky, lucky girl."  I hear this as I'm making the kids their breakfast.  I look over to see what she's so happy about.  It's her new school book.  Now, I know it sounds like I'm a walking advertisement to the folks at Handwriting Without Tears, but I can assure you I'm not being compensated in any way.  It just so happens that the few products that we have bought, they really like: the app, the slate board and tiny sponges, and the My First School Book (here's a link to their site*).

Little Miss was busy coloring in her school book.  I noticed how she was carefully trying to stay within the lines.  We don't do a lot of coloring, we do a lot of drawing, but not a lot of coloring.  So, I was surprised that she was concentrating on keeping the color inside the lines.  We have never even talked about coloring inside the lines before.  Although, we read a lot of picture books and that's probably where she picked it up from- the illustrations show coloring inside the lines.

These books are similar to the Kumon writing books, in that they both provide a lot of repeated practice.  They begin by drawing vertical and horizontal lines, then they use those lines to teach L, F, E, T, I.  Little Miss really enjoys working in her school books.  She takes her time choosing which marker she wants to use (she's been picking markers over colored pencils and colored mini pencils lately).

Little Miss will sit at the table and work on page after page after page after page... She has sat there for almost 40 minutes, on several occasions.  She will take her time and work on the entire page, then move on, without talking, until I finally ask her to put it aside so that she will eat her breakfast.

When she's working, she's in her zone!  It's cute.  It's hard not to interrupt and ask questions or give a compliment.  I know she's working, I let her work in quiet- that's how I like to work.

Wild One isn't really interested in this book.  There's times when he'll work on a page or two, but he'd rather "read", play with Legos or play pirates.  That's fine with me.  They are four years old.  There will be plenty of times, unfortunately, that they will be required to sit and write, whether they are in the mood to or not.  For now, if he wants to write he'll write - or maybe he'll take down this puzzle from the shelf and work on it by himself.

One of my friends asked why I leave that puzzle on the shelf for them, when they have already learned how to put it together so quickly.  Good question.  Not everything needs to be a struggle, sometimes it's fun to do something easy.  Plus it's great for his self confidence, and he really likes this puzzle.