An Enchanted Childhood~ Daycare:Week 5

We have been asked many times to write up our "lesson plans" so others could use them.  Honestly, we just spend a little time thinking about how we want the "school year" to look and go from there.  We wing-it a lot, doing impromptu things that add to our plans.  I am always amazed that anyone would think what we do is worthy of writing down for others to read, but here it goes!

This year, we are doing "Childhood Classics"--reading great children's books--you know, the kind every child should get to know, and then doing little activities to go with it.


Week 5~

Week 5, we read two Eric Carle books: The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Very Lonely Firefly. 

Monday-- We read The Very Hungry Caterpillar, emphasizing the life cycle of a butterfly.  We ate apples for snack (just like the caterpillar did on day one).  During CircleTime, we acted out the four stages of a butterfly.  We also used our insect fingerpuppets to review the stages.


Tuesday-- We again read The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  We sang "If you're happy and you know it... be a caterpillar, a butterfy, a cocoon..."  During CreativeTime, we made a "life cycle" chart.  We used a tiny foam circle for an egg, several larger circles to make a caterpillar, a cottonball wrapped around a pipe cleaner for a cocoon hanging on a branch, and we used marker paimts on a coffee filter for our butterflies.  Afterwards, we took a walk and played outside, observing the butterflies.

Wednesday--  Again, we read The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  We continued with the same songs and finger puppets as on the previous days.  For CreativeTime, we used bingo markers to make caterpillars!  The children really enjoyed this project.  I bought the markers at Dollar Tree for a buck a piece.

 

Thursday-- Today, we read The Very Lonely Firefly.  The children loved the book, because in the end, the book has little lights for the fireflies!  For CreativeTime, I had planned a lightning bug art project, but.... I had a toilet paper roll epiphany LOL The children colored a tp roll with markers, which became the body of the butterfly.  Then they use those very popular "bingo markers" to decorate a piece of cardstock, which I then cut into butterfly wings.  Hot glue the wings to the body, add a pipe cleaner antenna, and googly eyes, and you have an awesome butterfly!

Friday-- We finished up the week by reading both books!  We played with the finger puppets, acting out the life cycle of a butterfly.  We sang songs and did CircleTime activities revolving around lightning bugs and butterflies.  For CreativeTime, we used yellow paint and made finger prints on black paper, to look like fireflies!  We spent time outside, looking for seeds (from last week's study), signs of fall, and insects of all kinds!

 

Childhood is a jouney, not a race!