SPRINGING WITH SKILLS

It's finally March 20th - the “official” first day of spring. Your kids can PLAY and LEARN with these activities. 

Spring-O
Make a bingo card with signs of spring and objects that children can find on your playground. Children can walk around the playground and and color in the objects as they find them. Children could do this activity individually or with a partner.

                                                   

*Here's a SPRING-O card I made for you. I'm not the best artist so you'll need to go over the words and the pictures with your students.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljZUxiN0dMUTdvdTQ/view?usp=sharing

Scavenger Hunt
Here’s a spring hunt for older students. Divide them into groups of 4 and give each group a clipboard with the items below. Have them record their answers. When you return to the classroom groups can share their results and compare answers.


Can you find a sign of spring? 

Can you find something older than you? 

Can you find something younger than you? 

Can you find something rough? 

Can you find something that feels soft? 

Can you find something living? 

Can you find something dead? 

Can you find something smaller than your fingernail? 

Can you find something bigger than you? 

Can you find something green? 

Can you find something yellow? 

Can you find something that smells good? 

Can you find some trash? Pick it up and throw it away! 


                     
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljZFR1cHVzSlpBR3M/view?usp=sharing

Long and Short
Give children a piece of string or yarn. Challenge them to walk around the playground and find objects that are "longer" than their string and "shorter" than their string.

                                                      

Alphabet Walk
Divide children into groups of four and give each group a sheet of paper with the letters of the alphabet. (They will also need a pencil and a clipboard to write on.) Challenge groups to find as many objects as they can for the letters in the alphabet. For example: A-acorn, B-bird, C-cloud, D-dirt, etc.
                 

Shape Hunt
Cut circles, squares, rectangles, and triangles out of construction paper and put them in a bag. Children choose a shape and then try to match it up with a similar shape on the playground.
*Have children lie on the ground and make shapes with their bodies. Take photos to make a class book.

Bounce and Count
How many times can they bounce a ball and catch it? How many times can they toss a ball with a friend and not drop it?
*Have each child silently count the steps from the classroom to the playground. Compare their answers.

THE BUG DANCE

What's spring without bugs? I found this echo poem that my daughter Holly wrote several year ago. The teacher/parent can read a line and then the children can echo.

The Bug Dance
By Dr. Holly

Bugs, bugs everywhere!
Bugs, bugs everywhere!
On my shoulders, in my hair!
On my shoulders, in my hair!
Fat and lean ones, in-between ones
Fat and lean ones, in-between ones
Orange ones, red ones, pink and green ones!
Orange ones, red ones, pink and green ones!
Crickets, beetles, ladybugs too—
Crickets, beetles, ladybugs too—
One just landed on my shoe!
One just landed on my shoe!
Caterpillars, grasshoppers, spiders, ants
Caterpillars, grasshoppers, spiders, ants
One is crawling up my pants!
One is crawling up my pants!
I like bugs both big and small.
I like bugs both big and small.
I like them marching up the wall.
I like them marching up the wall.
I like them on flowers and in trees,
I like them on flowers and in trees,
But please, oh please, get them off of me!
But please, oh please, get them off of me!

Visual Imagery – Children close their eyes as they repeat the rhyme and “make pictures” in their brain.

Drawings – Have children illustrate the poem.

Thumbprint Bugs – Children make thumbprints on a page and then add details with markers to create bugs.



Play Dough – Let children create bugs out of play dough and sections of pipe cleaners. Encourage them to name their bugs.

                                                    


FREE Bug and Insect Packet 

Several years ago Carolyn Kisloski (ckisloski.blogspot.com) created a “Bugs and Insects” packet that is FREE on TPT. There are 40 pages (QR Codes, Prezis, children's books, writing prompts) of hands-on activities and games.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bugs-and-Insects-Unit-2513730

SPRINGING WITH ARTS AND CRAFTS

What fun to go outside on a beautiful day and create crowns and bookmarks and rubbings.  

Note!  These ideas would also be good to share with families to do at home.

Spring Crown
Give child a sentence strip and invite them to draw signs of spring. Let them collect small objects, such as leaves and flowers, and glue them to the crown. Adjust to crowns to the children's heads and staple.
                                      

Hint!  Remind children to only use materials they find on the ground.  It would "hurt" the plants if you pulled off live leaves and flowers!

Flower Bookmark
Grow into a book with this idea! Each child will need to collect small flowers, petals, and leaves outside. (Remind them to only take things off the ground and never pull live flowers from a plant!) Give each child 2 pieces of self laminating paper cut in 8” x 2” strips. Children take the back off one sheet and place it sticky side up on the table. After they arrange their natural objects, they place the second sheet on top and seal. 

                  
Hint! You can also use wide packaging tape to make these book marks.


Rubbings and Prints 
Give children a plain sheet of paper and an old crayon. Remove the paper from the crayon. Demonstrate how to place the paper on top of flat objects, such as leaves and petals and rub with the side of a crayon.  

                                                        
*Have children find interesting natural objects on the playground. Dip them in paint and then press on paper to make prints.

Popcorn Tree
(Tune: “Turkey in the Straw”)
I looked out my window (Hand over eyes.)
And what did I see?
Popcorn popping on my cherry tree. (Hands on hips.)
What a surprise spring left for me.
Popcorn popping in my cherry tree.
Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop. (Wiggle hips to the beat.)
Pop! Pop! (Jump up twice.)

Sing faster…faster…super fast!

                                  
Trace around the child’s hand and arm on a sheet of paper to resemble a tree trunk. Color or paint the tree. Glue popcorn or cotton balls on the branches to look like blossoms.

Hint! If you shake popcorn in a sack with a little dry red tempera it will look like pink blossoms.

SPRINGING INTO WRITING

Spring is the perfect time to "grow writers"!

Spring Acrostic

After a spring walk, have children write the word spring vertically down the left side of their paper. Can they write a word (or sentence) for each letter that is a sign or symbol of spring? 


Hint! With younger children do this as an interactive writing activity.

Spring Poem
Have children fill in the words to create their own poem or a book.

SPRING

Spring looks like____.

Spring smells like ____.

Spring sounds like ____.

Spring feels like ____.

Spring tastes like ____.

I like spring! 

Web
Brainstorm spring vocabulary words and then encourage children to make a web using words or drawings.

                                      


Sit and Write
(Descriptive writing)
Each child will need paper, a clipboard or cardboard to write on, and a pencil or crayon. Have children spread out in a comfortable area and write stories, poems, or descriptions of what they see.

A SPRING WALK

Here's a "Spring Pencil Walk" for younger children. Story symbols can help children develop top to bottom and left-to-right orientation. They’re also an engaging way to develop small motor skills. These stories should be told multiple times so children can practice the pre-writing strokes and feel more competent. You might want to do the same story every day for a week as you invite the children to recall what will come next. 

Hint! Demonstrate these stories on the board or a large chart so children will be able to copy what you do on white boards or clip boards.

Let’s put a green dot at the top of the page to show us where to start. And let’s put a red dot down here at the bottom to show where our story will stop. Pick up your pencil and let’s use it to tell a story.

                                     

It’s a beautiful spring day, so let’s go for a walk.

The grass is growing nice and tall.

The sun is shining in the sky.

The clouds are rolling around.

The insects buzz up and down.

The little rabbits hop around.

The kites are flying in the air.

All of a sudden, the wind starts to blow.

The wind is blowing in every direction.

Better run home as fast as we can!

Home at last!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljc0J0SF95WHZnS2s/view?usp=sharing

LOOKING FOR SPRING

This is a meaningful way to encourage children to observe nature. It’s also a powerful way for them to make print connections and write descriptive sentences.

Note!  This might be a craft that parents would enjoy doing with their child at home.

WHAT?
cardboard paper towel rolls, string, hole punch, wide packaging tape, markers, crayons

HOW?
1. Cut the cardboard rollers into 4” sections and tape together to make binoculars. Punch a hole in each side and tie on a piece of string that can easily go over children's heads.

2. Let the children decorate their binoculars with markers.

3. Go on a nature walk and encourage children to observe through their binoculars. What do you see when you look up? What do you see when you look down? 

4.  Can you see an animal?  Can you see a plant?  Can you see something larger than you?  Can you see something smaller than you?  

More!  Have children look for signs of spring.  

*Give them a sheet of paper with two circles and ask them to draw what they saw with their binoculars.



 *If you are teaching in person you could make a class book with their drawings.

                               

THE JOKE'S ON ME

Yes, I know spring doesn't begin until March 20th, but maybe it will come early if you check out these jokes my webmaster has created into a video and cards.

Here's the link for the video:

http://bit.ly/drjeanSpringRiddles

And here's a link for the cards:

http://bit.ly/SpringRiddles


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.

                                                     

BUTTERFLY 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.