LEARN ABOUT BUTTERFLIES DAY

I bet you didn't know that March 14 was LEARN ABOUT BUTTERFLIES DAY. Find out more at: http://allthingsbutterflies.com


No matter how old you get, the life cycle of a butterfly will always be nature's magic! There are so many learning opportunities from caterpillars and butterflies: comparing and contrasting fiction and non-fiction books, saying finger plays, writing books about the life cycle, art projects, dramatizations... Let's get started with a song.

Butterflies
(Tune: Up on the Housetop)
First comes the butterfly (Hook thumbs and flutter fingers.)
Who lays an egg.
Out comes a caterpillar (Wiggle index finger.)
With many legs.
Then the caterpillar
Spins and spins (Roll hands around.)
A little chrysalis
To sleep in. (Place head on hands.)
Oh, oh, oh! (Fingers around eyes.)
Look and see.
Oh, oh, oh!
Look and see.
Out of the chrysalis, (Hook thumbs and flutter fingers.)
My, oh, my!
Out comes a (Move butterfly fingers all around.)
Beautiful butterfly!

Here's a video my webmaster made with photographs of the life cycle:
http://bit.ly/drjeanCaterpillar

Here's a video with illustrations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In_akp9Fxbc


Drama
Let children act out the life cycle of a butterfly. First, they lay on the floor in a ball. Next, they crawl around like caterpillars. Can they spin around and make a chrysalis? Finally, they can spread their wings and FLY!

Baggie Butterfly
Make a butterfly by tearing up little pieces of colored tissue paper and putting them in a zip lunch bag. Gather up in the middle and twist on a pipe cleaner to make the body and antennae. Attach a string for flying.

Smoosh Painting
Cut butterfly shapes out of newsprint. Fold in half. Let children drop paint with a spoon or eye dropper on one half. Fold and rub. Open to view your butterfly.



Life Cycle Flip Book
Make a flip book for the children to illustrate the life cycle of the butterfly.

Tell the lifecycle of the butterfly with a stick, a bean, and pasta. First, take children on a nature walk and ask them to find a stick that is as long as their arm from their wrist to their elbow. Glue the bean to the left of the stick for the egg. Next comes a spiral pasta for the caterpillar. Then a shell pasta for the chrysalis. Finally, a bow shaped pasta for the butterfly.

COOKING UP A NURSERY RHYME

You know it makes me sad that so many of you are not allowed to cook in your classrooms any more. When I think of the cooking experiences I had with my students it makes me smile. One of my favorite memories was when we were making pizzas. I said, “Let’s put them on the pan so I can bake them.” Floyd, a precious red head said, “That’s O.K., teacher, I’ll just eat my raw!”

Years ago a teacher sent me these recipes to tie in with nursery rhymes. I wish I could remember who to give them credit to! Even if you can’t have food in your classroom, you might enjoy making these with your own child, a neighbor, a scout troop, or a grown friend! They are too "sweet" to be forgotten!

Ole King Cole’s Coins
Every king has a treasure trove filled with coins so why not make these healthy coins to fill up your students.

Ingredients:
Fresh carrots
Sour cream
Dill

Have the students wash and scrub the carrots with a vegetable brush. Now slice them up so that they look like coins. Chop up the dill and mix in the sour cream for the students to dip.


Name Cakes

After singing the ABC’s the children can eat them with me!

Ingredients:
Rice cakes
Peanut butter, cream cheese or frosting
Alphabet cookies

Find the letters of you name and place them on the table. Spread the topping of your choice over the rice cake and press down the letters of your name into the topping on the rice cake. These name cakes were alphabetically delicious.

Muffin Man Zucchini Muffins

The Muffin Man didn’t have this recipe in his cookbook but now you do.

Ingredients
½ cup grated zucchini
1 egg
2 Tablespoons of oil
¼ cup of honey
¼ cup of grated lemon peel
¾ cup of flour
½ teaspoon of baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cinnamon

Add the first five ingredients and mix well. Now add the rest and pour into muffin tins that have liners added. Bake at 400 degrees for twenty minutes. I’ll bet the Muffin man steals this recipe.

Jack Horner’s Thumbprint Biscuits

Jack Horner stuck his thumb in a plumb, but your children will get a kick out of sticking their thumbs in a biscuit.

Ingredients
Canned biscuits
Grape jelly

Give each child a biscuit and tell them to stick their thumb in the middle. Let them fill the hole in the middle with a spoonful of grape jelly. Bake according to directions on the package. Have your children say, “What a good (boy, girl) am I!


Moon Pizzas

The cow jumped over the moon and the astronauts landed on the moon. This recipe will add a whole new dimension to the rhyme or a study of the solar system.

Ingredients
English muffins
Pizza sauce
Shredded mozzarella
*Pepperoni, olive slices or cheeses shaped liked stars or moons are optional

Toast the English muffins ahead to time - especially if you like your pizza crust crunchy. Now spread the pizza sauce over the surface of the moon (English muffin) and add the mozzarella and other toppings of your choice. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese melts.

SURPRISE!  SURPRISE!

Here's a special bonus today.  Alex May (webmaster) has just completed a new video for you in Spanish.  I can't wait for you to share it with your class!

A Tu Ti Ta Video - https://bit.ly/drJTuTiTaYT

A Tu Ti Ta Cards https://bit.ly/drJTuTiCardsEspanol

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NURSERY RHYME CRAFTS

Jack and Jill
Trace around the puppet pattern on heavy paper. Challenge the children to make the puppet look like “Jack” on one side and “Jill” on the other side. Attach a straw and use as a puppet.

What happened after Jack fell down? Here’s more to the story!

So up got Jack
And said to Jill
As in his arms he took her.
You’re not hurt, brush off that dirt.
Now, let’s go fetch that water.
So up got Jack and
Up got Jill to fetch that pail of water.
They brought it back to mother dear
Who thanked her son and daughter.

Humpty Dumpty
Give children the oval shape and scrap paper. Have them tear the scrap paper into little pieces and then glue it on the oval to make a collage. Attach a stick and use it as a puppet.


What happened to Humpty Dumpty?
So the good children got
Some tape and some glue
And they fiddled and faddled
Til’ he looked like new.
Then they carefully placed him
Back on the wall
And said, “Humpty Dumpty,
Please don’t fall!”



HUMPTY DUMPTY'S TROUBLES
How about some new Humpty Dumpty rhymes? Thank you Alex May (webmaster)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7X1r5fT-BM


Here's a version where the children can fill in the missing rhyme.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJiVJyGWb_A


Baa Baa Black Sheep
Cut the sheep and the tops of the 3 bags of wool from the front of a file folder. Insert colored paper starting with black. Remove the black paper and then fill in the appropriate color word. (This would be something for the teacher to make and use with the children.)
Baa baa green sheep
Have you any wool?

Would you like patterns for the above craft activities?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljTHpaLUk4MXVJY1k/view?usp=sharing


Websites
Here are some good websites where you can download free nursery rhyme posters:
curry.virginia.edu/go/wil/rimes_and_rhymes.htm
enchantedlearning.com
prekinders.com

HAND OF KNOWLEDGE AND CHARACTER GRAPH

Need something new to replace a worksheet?

Hand of Thoughts 

Children trace around their hand and write a story element (Who, what, where, when, why) in each finger.

*Children write five things they learned from a science or social studies lesson.


Character Graph



Draw the outline of a body similar to the one shown. Label with “see,” “hear,” “think,” “say,” “feel,” “go.” After reading a story use the character graph for children to recall details.


Star of Knowledge

Make a large star and write a concept in the middle. Children add facts and details in each point of the star.

*Write a number in the middle and five facts that equal that number.

VERBS, VERBS, ACTION WORDS

If you can DO it, then it's a verb!

Verbs, Verbs, Action Words 

Verbs, verbs, action words
Things that you can do.
I’ll say a word, and if it’s a verb,
Show what you can do.
Run (Children run in place.)
Fly (Children pretend to fly.)
Dog (Children shout, “That’s not a verb.”)

Continue calling out verbs for the children to pantomime.


Charades
Let children take turns acting out verbs as their classmates try and guess what they are doing.


Pass the Story
Write verbs on index cards and place them in a sack. Have the class sit in a circle and begin passing the bag around. The first child chooses a word and begins the story by using that verb. The second child chooses a word and adds to the story with their word. Continue passing the bag as children add to the story using a verb from the bag.



Catch and Tell
Have children think of an action word in their head. The teacher throws a ball or beanbag to a child. That child states the verb they are thinking of and then passes the ball to another friend. Children continue passing the ball and saying verbs.

Say What?
Write simple verbs on the board. Invite children to come up and add different endings for their friends to read and then use the word in a sentence.

*Cover the end of a fly swatter with white paper. Write different endings on the paper (ing, ed, s). Children place the ending by verbs and read the new word.

SINGULAR AND PLURAL

Standards may come and go, but singular and plural forms of nouns will always be in the curriculum. 

Singular and Plural
Write the name of common classroom objects on the board. Cover the end of a fly swatter with white paper. Write the letter “S” on the paper as shown. Children take turns adding the “s” to the end of the words and saying the plural. Can they use it in a sentence?

Blocks
Cut paper the size of rectangular and square unit blocks. Write common nouns on the rectangles and tape to blocks. Write “s” on a square and tape to a square block. Children read nouns and then add the “s” block and read the plural.




Unifix Cubes
Place sticky dots on cubes and write letters on them. Make a list of common nouns. Children make the words with the cubes and then add “s” at the end and read the word.

Singular and Plural (Tune: “This Old Man”)
One is book, 2 are books.
One is cook, more are cooks.
Add an “s” to the end of a word
Makes it plural, haven’t you heard?
One is toy, two are toys.
One is boy, more are boys.
I’ll say a word, then you add an “s.”
You make it plural - do your best!
Car Star
Dog Log
Cat Hat
Ball Wall
Coat Boat
*Let children suggest other words to sing in the song.

T-Chart
Children draw a T-chart on a sheet of paper. On the left side they write the singular form of nouns. On the right side ask them to write the plural form. Can they read the words?


Oops!
Make up inappropriate sentences and when the children hear you say something wrong they can say, “Opps!” Have them repeat the sentence correctly.
Teacher: “We have 12 boy here today.”
Children: “Oops! We have 12 boys here today.”

WHAT'S A NOUN?

Every sentence has a noun, so let's find out more about them!

(TUNE: She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain)
A noun is a person, place, or thing. Yee haw! (Fist in air.)
A noun is a person, place, or thing. Yee haw!
A noun is a person. (Point to a person.)
A noun is a place. (Point to a place in the room.)
A noun is a person, place, or thing. (Point to a place.)


Wacky Sentences
Write nouns and picture clues on 5 index cards and verbs on 5 index cards. Place them in lunch bags labeled “nouns” and “verbs.” Children choose a noun card and a verb card and write a sentence using the words.

Hint! They love to use nouns with their teacher’s name, principal, and other stars.

Noun Sort
Fold a sheet of paper into fourths. Write “people, animals, places, things” in the sections. Give children old newspapers and catalogs and ask them to cut out pictures of people, animals, places, and things and glue them in the appropriate section. Can they label their pictures?


Noun Hunt
Give children a clip board and challenge them to find all the nouns they can in the classroom. They can write the words or draw pictures.
*For homework ask them to make a list of the nouns in their home.

Noun Names
Make name cards for the students in your class from 8” sentence strips. Write each child’s name and glue their picture on the card. Use these for writing prompts in a center.

MAKE UP YOUR OWN HOLIDAY

You know how much I love all holidays and celebrations, so when my webmaster told me about National MAKE UP YOUR OWN HOLIDAY DAY I wanted to do a blog about it. It was founded by Thomas and Ruth Roy of Wellcat Holidays and is celebrated on March 26. That gives you several weeks to plan this creative day with your students.

Note! You might have heard me say that children don’t need the world’s fair because they are happy with plain vanilla. Keep this in mind as you create your own holiday. Something as simple as “sitting where you want” or “chewing sugarless gum” or “singing as you read” can make any day more interesting.

WHY? To break the monotony of school by inventing, naming, and celebrating something that gives your classroom family JOY! It will be a way to build friendships and make memories.

HOW? Let children brainstorm simple things that make them happy. It could be a pet, a game, a food, a song…anything! Vote on a specific concept that will involve the whole class.

WHAT? Think of a name for your holiday. Make banners announcing your holiday. Think of costumes, games, foods or other ways to celebrate.

Here are a few suggestions from CHATGPT, but I bet your class could come up with some that are better and more unique to their age and interests.  (I'd love for you to email your ideas to drjeansongs@gmail.com.)

🎨  Creativity Celebration Day

·       Everyone invents a craft or art project

·       Design your own holiday logo and flag

·       Make up a theme song

 

🍕  Favorite Things Festival

·       Everyone chooses their favorite food, game, movie, or dessert

·       Decorate based on favorite colors

·       Share why you picked your favorites

🌎  Around-the-World Day

Each person “creates” a country:

·       Make a flag

·       Invent traditions

·       Serve a snack from that country

🦸  Superhero Appreciation Day

·       Create your own superhero name and power

·       Design capes

·       Do “hero acts” (kindness challenges)

 

📚 Storybook Holiday

·       Make up a holiday legend

·       Create a special character (like Santa, but unique!)

·       Write and illustrate a short book

🌞  No-Complaints Day

·       Put a coin in a jar for every complaint

·       Celebrate at the end with something fun if you succeed

 

👑  Royalty for a Day

·       Each person gets crowned

·       Make a royal decree

·       Fancy dinner with silly etiquette rules

 

I'M A READER!

Reading is like anything else - the more you do it, the better you will become. Here are some engaging ways to encourage independent reading.

Mirror Reading
Let children read books to themselves in a mirror.
                                             

Read to a Star
Frame photographs of sports figures, politicians, or musicians that children are familiar with in the classroom library. Children choose a book and then read it to their favorite star.

Pick a Pal
Place a basket of books and small stuffed animals or puppets in the center. Children choose a book and read it to a toy.

Whisper Phone

Phonics phones are perfect for children to hear themselves read. You can purchase these or make one out of PVC pipe. 

Hint! Teach the children how to make a phone with their hand. If they cup one hand around their ear and the other hand around their mouth they can hear themselves read.

Book Nooks
Here is another "genius" idea from Carolyn Kisloski.

Divide the class into partners for reading. Change the partners often, sometimes matching students with partners on their reading level and sometimes mixing levels. Each pair draws a craft stick with a special reading nook on it which will be their reading spot for the day. Some special places could be underneath tables, by the teacher’s desk, on the rug, in special chairs, or in the hall outside of the classroom. Students can take turns reading one book to each other or take their book bin to their nook and read quietly for the entire independent reading time. After one student reads a book, the partner must ask the reader one question about the book and give the reader one compliment about her reading.

*Invite another class, either at your grade level or another grade level, to read with your students during a special reading time. 

Partner Chant
As children face their partner and begin to read have them repeat this chant:
     Hand to hand (shake hands)
     And feet to feet (touch shoes)
     I’m glad that you
     Are partners with me!

After reading they can close with this chant:
     Hand to hand 
     And feet to feet
     Thank you for
     Reading with me!

SELLING READING

I like to read,

Oh, yes, I do!

I like to read.

I’ll read with you!!

I was volunteering at a school and I saw the above chant on a bulletin board. Wouldn’t that be a good way to focus children’s attention before reading together? Which reminds me - we have got to SELL children on reading. Children have always longed to do what they see adults do, so reading used to be an easier thing to get children to buy into. Now, how many children actually see their parents reading a book, newspaper, or magazine?

One time when I visited a school I said to the teacher, “I can't believe how well your students can read!” The teacher smiled and said so all could hear, “You know, my children have learned how much fun it is to read and they just want to read all the time!” That’s the power of positive thinking and the power that we have to influence children’s feelings and interests.

When you read to your class remember to say, “I love to read. It’s so special to read with you.”

If your class is reading independently you can comment, “WOW! This is a class of amazing readers! It makes me happy to see all of you reading and enjoying books like I do.” 

Here’s a chant that my daughter wrote a few years ago. It’s done like “Cadence” where children repeat each line.

We Like Books
We like to read, yes we do. (Slap thighs and step from side to side.)
We like books. How about you? (Point to self and then others.)

Books are my friends wherever I go.
When I have a book I’m never alone. (Shake head.)

Search for treasure, solve mysteries. (Hand over forehead.)
Meet famous people from history.

Ride on a dinosaur long ago.
Or fly to the future with a UFO. (Slap hands.)

You can travel to faraway places. (Arms out like airplane.)
Mountains, beaches, or desert oasis.

Learn about pandas and rattle snakes. (Palms together like snake.)
Just look in a book, that’s all it takes.

If you’re feeling sad or blue (Look sad.)
Books are always there for you. (Smile and open palms like a book.)


*Encourage your students to talk about why they like to read. Let them each contribute a page for a class book called "We Like Books."

READ, READ, READ A BOOK

This is a song I recorded many years ago when we emphasized the LOVE of reading over the SCIENCE of reading.

Don’t You Just Love to Read?

 

Read a book, read a book,

Don’t you just love it?

Read a book, read a book,

Don’t you just love it?

Read a book, read a book,

Don’t you just love it?

Don’t you just love to

Read, ready, read!

Prissy style…monster style…alien style…whisper style

 

*Let children think of additional styles for singing the song

(i.e. under water, with a cold, with emotions, etc.).

*Make a graph of favorite authors or books.

*Have children interview parents, the principal, etc.

about why they love to read.

*Invite guest readers to your classroom and ask

them why they like to read.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcnBm1lUZcY

WHERE DO YOU LIVE?

Some of your children might have checked all the boxes on your assessment, but do they know where they live? Do they know their phone number? Here are some ideas that you can send home to parents so they can help their children learn some basic personal information.

Where do you live?
Addresses can be sung to “Do You Know the Muffin Man?”
874 Pine Oak Circle, Pine Oak Circle, Pine Oak Circle.
874 Pine Oak Circle, Cincinnati, Ohio

What’s your zip code?
Learn zip codes by singing them to the tune of “BINGO.”
There is a zip code where I live and I know my zip code.
54892, 54892, 54892 is my zip code.

When is your birthday?
Birthdays can be sung to “Happy Birthday to You.”
September 24th, September 24th,
That is my birthday, September 24th.

What’s your phone number?
Phone numbers can be learned by singing them to “Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore.”
481-297-4308
481-297-4308

Crafty Idea
Want a bulletin board idea to help children learn their addresses? Let children decorate a lunch bag to look like their house. Give them newspaper to stuff inside, fold down the top, and staple on a roof. Let them write (or you can write for the younger children) their name and street address at the top.
*You can staple these to a bulletin board or use in the block center to build your community.

Line Up Rhymes
These are good rhymes to transition children, as well as to reinforce birthdays, phone numbers, and addresses.

Apples, pears, peaches, plums,
Tell me when your birthday comes. (Children say birthday before lining up.)

Candy, candy, ice cream cone.
Tell me the number of your telephone. (Children say phone number before transitioning.)

Rabbit, dog, cat, mouse,
Tell me the number on your house. (Children tell their address.)

Hint! Keep a copy of the children's address, phone number, and birth date so you can prompt the ones who need help.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Here's a silly poem my daughter wrote that you can share with your class.

Knock! Knock!
By Dr. Holly

Knock! Knock! Who can it be?
Little mousie, squeak! squeak! squeak!

Knock! Knock! Who’s at the door?
Boom! boom! boom! It’s a dinosaur!

Knock! Knock! Who is that?
It’s a drummer—rat-a-tat-tat!

Knock! Knock! Guess who?
Baby crying—boo-hoo-hoo!

Knock! Knock! Who’s there?
Grrr! Grrr! It’s a grizzly bear!

Knock! Knock! Who can it be?
It’s a cowboy—How-dy!

Knock! Knock! Who’s there?
Granny in her underwear! (or rocking chair if it’s less scandalous)

Knock! Knock! Who’s at the door?
Big strong lion—roar! roar!

Knock! Knock! Guess who?
Opera singer—la da de do!

Knock! Knock! Who is that?
Purr, purr, my big fat cat!

Knock! Knock! Guess who?
Mr. Robot—Hello. How are you.

Knock! Knock! Who can it be?
A librarian—shhh! Quiet please!

Peek a Boo Class Book

Let children come up with their own “knock, knock” rhymes. Write the first line on the front of a 3"x 5" index card. Tape at the top to a sheet of paper and then have the children draw the answer to the rhyme underneath.




SPRING RIDDLES
Alex May (webmaster) has created some new riddles for you!

http://bit.ly/drjeanSpringRiddles

And here's a link for the cards:

http://bit.ly/SpringRiddles

LEPRECHAUN MAGIC

K.J. is in college now, but one of his favorite memories from pre-k was St. Patrick's Day. They got to take off their shoes at nap time and put them in the hall. When they woke up the leprechaun had left them a Rice Krispie Treat in their shoe. It's those little things that make memories for our "little things." Here are a few other "little things" you might want to include in your lesson plans for March.

Leprechaun Mischief
While the children are at lunch or on the playground, turn over a few chairs, put books on the floor, and mess up the classroom. Sprinkle a little green glitter around. Have the children write stories about what they think happened.


Catch a Leprechaun
Challenge children to design “traps” to catch a leprechaun in the block center. Give children an empty sack out on the playground and see who can catch a leprechaun.


Green Snack
Eat foods that are green like celery, broccoli, lime gelatin, snap peas, edamame, etc. You could also use green food coloring to dye cream cheese, milk, yogurt or other snacks.


Leprechaun Lunch
Purchase miniature peanut butter crackers (Ritz), cookies (Chips Ahoy), and other mini-foods. Serve these on dessert plates with napkins cut in fourths. Milk or juice in medicine cups makes this a perfect snack for “wee folks.”


Field Trip
Take a field trip (on the internet) to Ireland. Find Ireland on the globe. How could you get there? Could you go in a car? Why or why not?


Hunting for Gold 

Spray paint pebbles or rocks gold. (Spread out on newspaper. Spray with gold paint. Dry. Shake. Spray the other side with gold paint. Dry. Shake. Spray a third time.) Hide the pebbles on the playground before children arrive at school. Tell the children a leprechaun hid some gold for them. What fun they will have hunting for the gold nuggets!

Hint! Need a little bucket for collecting that gold? Hole punch opposite sides of a plastic cup. Insert a pipe cleaner handle and you’ve got a perfect “pot of gold.”


What If?
Have children write stories (or draw pictures and dictate) what they would do if they found a pot of gold.

MARCH MARCHES IN

March winds will be blowing soon. Here are some ideas to put in your lesson plans this month.

Five Little Kites
One, two, three, four, five little kites (Hold up fingers as you count.) Flying up in the sky (Fly fingers in the air.)
Said “hi” to the clouds as they passed by, (Pretend to wave to clouds.)
Said “hi” to the birds, said “hi” to the sun, (Wave.)
Said “hi” to the airplanes, oh what fun. (Wave.)
Then “swish” went the wind, (Move hand down in a
And they all took a dive: swooping motion.)
One, two, three, four, five. (Hold up fingers one at a time and count.)

Click to download book

Click to watch video

Paper Plate Kite

Cut the inner section out of a paper plate. Decorate the rim with markers. Glue tissue paper streamers to one side. Punch a hole and tie a piece of string on the other side. Go outside and run to make your kite fly.

Kite Experiments

Let children make kites out of lunch sacks, plastic bags, and other materials. Have them predict which one will fly best. Experiment to see which one is best. Why did some work better than others?
*This might be a good family project.


Kite Tales

Ask each child to write a story about what it would be like to be a kite. What could you see? What could you hear? How would you feel? What would you do?

Here is a video about kite tales.

Lion or Lamb?

Explain the quote, “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” Every day ask children what kind of day it is, and then let them color a “lion” or a “lamb” on the calendar. Graph "lion" and "lamb" days and compare at the end of the month.

ALEX MAY MARCHES IN WITH TWO NEW VIDEOS

My amazing webmaster Alex May has created some videos in English and Spanish.  I hope your children enjoy them!

Watch video in English

Download English cards for video

Watch video in Spanish

Download Spanish cards for video

Have fun and keep on singing!