Toys: Buckaroo, Puzzles, Puppet Theater, etc.
Snack: Cheese Ritz Bits, Goldfish crackers, and fruit snacks.
Circle Time:
We had a fun discussion on the Four Seasons.
We read talked about a story called Winter's Song. What does Winter sound like? (Soft, quiet snow, snowplows, sledding, etc.)
We talked about where do animals go in the Winter? "Who knows where the animals go in the Winter?" Olivia responded, "They disappear!" "Yes. We don't see some animals. Where do they go?" "They go to heaven--to see Jesus!" Hugh added, "Some do disappear but not the Polar Bears--not the Polar Bears!" This was so original a discussion, that I had to write it down.
We talked about habitat (animals home environment), hibernation (animals sleeping in dens through the Winter) and migration--when birds an butterflies go south for the winter.
What makes a shadow? Nathan said, "Peter Pan! They are the only ones who made up shadows."
A shadow is a dark area or shape made by an object soming in between light and a surface (like a body inbetween the sunlight and sidewalk).
Groundhog Day is celebrated in the USA on February 2nd. Each year on this day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, people from all over the USA watch Phil the Groundhog as he emerges from his den.
On Groundhog Day, Phil the Groundhog comes out of his hole after a long winter's hibernation. If he sees his shadow, he is thought to return to his hole (some people think this is an omen of six more weeks of bad winter weather). If he doesn't see his shadow (i.e., if it is cloudy), he is thought to stay above ground (some people think of this as a sign of mild weather to come).
I See a Little Goundhog (Tune: I'm a Little Teapot)
I see a little groundhog, furry and brown,
He's popping p to look around.
If he sees his shadow, down he'll go.
Six more weeks of winter--oh, no!
We read a cute flannel board poem about 5 Little Groundhogs.
Recess Time: Shadow Hunting outside. We wanted to play Shadow Tag but couldn't find the elusive sunshine until it was almost time to come in.
Shadow Tag
If it's sunny outside and body casts a shadow, play shadow tag. Instead of touching a person, whoever is It must step on someone's shadow.
We went outside for recess and to go shadow hunting. Towards the end of recess, the gray clouds receded and the sun came out for us to see our shadow.
Activities: We had fun making a groundhog puppet that can peek up out of it's snowy den to see if Spring is on its way! Also, we could color and trace a G the Groundhog page and we got to take home to color and read with mom and dad "My Itsy Bitsy Groundhog Book."
Definitions of today's vocabulary words:
Habitat: The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.
Hibernation: The resting (sleeping) state of some animals in Winter.
Den: A wild animals lair or habitation (home).
Migration: To change location periodically, especially by moving seasonally from one region to another.
Season:One of four divisions of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) demonstrated by particular weather patterns and daylight hours.
Books Read and Discussed Today:
Winter's Song by Claire Daniel, ill. by Leslie Bowman
Round and Round the Season's Go by Rozanne Lanczak Williams, Ill. by Roseanne Litzinger
Silly Lilly and the Four Seasons by Agnes Rosenstiehhl
Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft & Richard G. Van Gelder, Ill, by Helen K. Davie
Books Read and Discussed Today:
Winter's Song by Claire Daniel, ill. by Leslie Bowman
Round and Round the Season's Go by Rozanne Lanczak Williams, Ill. by Roseanne Litzinger
Silly Lilly and the Four Seasons by Agnes Rosenstiehhl
Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft & Richard G. Van Gelder, Ill, by Helen K. Davie
Footprints in the Snow by Cynthia Benjamin, Ill. by Jacqueline Rogers (HR, 1)*GorgeousWake Me in the Spring by James Preller, Ill. by Jeffrey Scherer (HR, 2) cartoon hibernationThe Magic School Bus Sleeps for the Winter (Scholastic Reader, 2) Animals in Winter
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