Christmas Assessments

It's that time of the year when I need to start my assessments.

 

I've done fun games in the past, but this year my kids looooove stickers more than anything.

 

For their numbers I used this cute Christmas tree: http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/ChristmasNumberAssessments.htm

TREE IMG

 

For those who I knew already could identify numbers 1-10 we practiced printing them as well as practicing numbers 10-20.

 

Chrsitmas Preschool Crafts

DIY Christmas Wrapping Paper

 

This is a fun, messy and simple to do activity. All you need is paint and paper. Stamps are optional, although the children do love to use them.

 

 

DIY Preschool Christmas Ornaments
MATH activity make a pattern then write your name this activity also has the children lace the ornaments.


Fine-motor skill activity
Decorating the Christmas tree can be a great opportunity to help develop their fine motor skills.

 

 

DIY Christmas tree ornament 

first paint the sticks

then glue on sequins, puff balls, beads etc.

 

 

 Language Arts
review letter sounds

 

 

 

 

 



Holidays Around the World: Traditions in Germany

Christmas in Germany

Christmas tree traditions. I use this video to review what we learned about.

 
This site has lots of coloring pages and here is a link to a German Christmas Shoe
 

 

Learning about St. Nickolas
Cute read out loud story with pictures:
http://youtu.be/CZ-5GzZDLas
or

 

 

 

 



Holidays Around the World: Kwanzaa

All About Kwanzaa
  Free Printable with 7 principles of Kwanzaa:
http://www.thetoymaker.com/Holidays/kwanzaa/kwanzacards.pdf

Intro to kwanzaa YouTube video

 

Kwanzaa Coloring pages

I found this one here:

http://www.thecolor.com/category/coloring/Kwanzaa.aspx

 

Art

Kwanzaa flag
 

 

 

After they colored I let them put glitter glue, which is their favorite thing to do right now.

Music and Movement

 

Fine-motor activity/center

OBJECTIVES for this activity:

*Practice vocabulary- under and over

*Learn how to weave

*Recognize pattern



Holidays Around the World: Isreal-Hanukkah

Each day we will be learning about a different country and their traditions and customs.
 All About Israel: Hanukkah

Art:

Star of David Water coloring

materials: cardstock, water colors, and painters tape

 

 

Art/Social Studies

Handprint Menorah

 

Reviewed the Hanukkah story and fun facts.

 

Free Hanukkah Worksheets

http://www.schoolsparks.com/blog/hanukkah-worksheets

 

Information Video 



December Bible Study virtue: Generosity

The Nativity Story 

 

 

Song

We Three kings

 

Craft

I cut the crowns and circles, but the children cut their own triangles and decorated their 3 wise men independently.  

 

Drawing beards

All About the Arctic Fox

Fun Facts:
1. The arctic fox has furry soles, so they don't stick to the ice
2. The fox's coat changes during the seasons to better co with it environment.

Additional resources:
http://kids.sandiegozoo.org/animals/mammals/arctic-fox
 

 

Art Project
We watched a few videos showing what the northern lights  are and what they look like.

 

I found this FREE template online. Here's the link:

http://www.firstpalette.com/tool_box/printables/arcticfox.pdf
 

Water Painting the Northern Lights

Some of my kids wanted just the fox silhouette

 and others preferred  pasting a white Arctic Fox on their painting.

Then I had a little rebel who told me she didn't want white fur. She wanted her fox to have brown fur, because it was summer time :) She doesn't like winter haha

 

Why are polar bears skin black ?

Polar Bear Fun Facts
http://www.ualr.edu/bnbarnes/polarbears.html
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/polarbear.html
http://www.kidzone.ws/sg/polarbear/polar_bear.htm
http://kids.discovery.com/tell-me/animals/mammals/polar-bears

Videos

 

 

Art/Science

A polar bear's skin is black so it can soak up as much of the sun's rays as possible.



Before this craft, I asked the kids what color they thought the polar bears skin was. They all replied white! To better help them understand, I asked my preschoolers what color Darren's( student) skin color was, they answered white. I continued by asking them what color Darren's hair was, they said Black.  

Although Polar bears do not have "white" fur. It helped them understand that polar bears can have different color skin than their fur.

 

Here is the link to the polar bear template: images/elementary/p329PolarBear.pdf

I had to enlarge it a few times on our school copy machine.

 

I stapled a few black sheets of paper and placed the template on top to make it easier and faster.

 Science Experiment
Why don't polar bears get cold in the freezing cold water?

They only lasted 3 seconds before taking their hand out.  

 

MORE POLAR BEAR YOUTUBE VIDEOS

 

All About Penguins

Winter Animals: Penguin Day

 Penguin facts:

1. Penguins are birds

2. they cannot fly

3. they are fast swimmers

4. they eat fish

5.their white bellies help them camouflage with the snow and sunlight, making it difficult for an underwater predator to see them.
 

 link for More penguin facts and pictures.

Language Arts

skip to 2:55 min to listen to the story.
A story about celebrating difference.
 

ART/Science

 Penguin painting project + reviewing penguin body parts and facts.

 

MATH

Feed the penguin

 

Here is the link to download it, for FREE: http://creativepreschoolresources.com

 

Outdoor Game

Ready- Set- Waddle!

Hilarious to watch!

 

DRAMATIC PLAY

playing penguins.

My kids were pretending to be the daddy penguin and caring for the eggs. The also were swimming around the playground looking for fish to eat.

 

What are Winter Animals

Arctic Animal slide show & videos

Arctic Fox

Polar bear

Penguin

 

Personally, I turn down the audio and have the kids repeat after me. I'm not a fan of the vocals.

 

Winter theme: Snowman

We  had "snow" much fun!

 

 

Language Arts: what comes next

Building a snowman

 

Art:  snowman

I found this cute idea on pinterest.

 

My kids loved making their own snowman.

 

 

Critical thinking: snowball hunt 

Keeping the kids preoccupied by going on a snowball hunt. They worked as a team to find all 16.  I made up riddles and gave them clues.

 

Once they found all 16 snowballs, they each got a prize/goodie bag. It worked out great; I had a child with a b-day and he was going to pass out  his goody bags anyways :)  

 



Letter of the week: Alphabet Art Book 2013

Weekly Art Activity

Each week the children do an art page for their very own ABC art book. It will be a surprise, to both the children and parents. They will get to take it home during our open house.

 

 

K is for

 

L is for

 

M is for
on going project...

N is for

O is for

P is for

Q is for
R is for

S is for

T is for

U is for

V is for

W is for

X is for

Y is for

Z is for