Monday, April 22, 2013

Earth Day Projects and Activities!!

Earth Day Projects
 
Earth Day Crafts
Earth Crayon Molds

We peeled the wrappers off all of our broken blue, green and white crayons and broke each crayon into small pieces.  Each child took turns filling their mini-muffin hole with the broken crayons.  I placed the muffin tin into a 250 degree oven until the crayons were melted.  We let them cool and then I popped  each Crayon Earth out of the muffin tin! 

The end result
 
 
Watercolor Earth Hand Prints!
I painted the girl's hands with blue and green watercolor paints.
They pressed each of their hands onto white paper. 
We let them dry and then I labeled the paper with each girl's name and the year.
I also wrote, "Our hand prints are all over the world!"
 
Hand and Foot Print Earth
Paint 1 hand and 1 foot with green paint
Press the painted hand and foot onto blue paper
Let dry
Cut a circle shape around the hand and foot print
Label with name and year
 
Coffee Filter Earth
Paint a coffee filter with blue and green watercolor paints

Earth Window Cling/Suncatcher
Cut a circle shape from green construction paper (you will need 2 circles for each project)
Cut a circle from the middle of each circle so you have a large circle opening
Rip pieces of green and blue tissue paper
Stick one of the circles onto Con Tact Paper
Press the green and blue pieces of tissue paper into the middle of the green circle
When  covered, place the other circle on top and seal with Con Tact paper
 
Torn Paper Earth
Cut a circle from white paper
Tear pieces of green and blue construction paper
Glue the pieces onto the white circle
Glue the finished earth onto black paper

**I did this same project in 2010 with my son and friend.
Here are their Mosaic Earth Projects from 2010!!**

 
 
Earth Day Learning Activities
 
I Heart the Earth
Writing
Cut a heart shape from white paper
Paint the heart with blue and green watercolor paints
Let dry
I made a writing template that says, "I heart the earth by "
Discuss ways that we care for and love our earth
Have your child write how they "Heart" earth
Glue the painted heart and writing template onto a piece of construction paper.
Here is the link to the activity that inspired my writing/painting activity!


 


 



Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Rain, Rain, Go Away!!

Rain, Rain Go Away!
 
Rain Crafts
Cupcake Liner Umbrella's
Cut cupcake liners in half
Cut pipe cleaners into 6 inch pieces
Glue cupcake liners to white paper
Bend the pipe cleaners into a J
Glue the pipe cleaners underneath and below the cupcake liner to make the umbrella
Dip a Q-tip into blue paint and press onto the white paper for rain!
 
Paper Plate Umbrella
Cut a paper plate in half
Decorate with spring time stickers
Cut a J shape from brown construction paper
Cut blue string or yarn into varying lengths
Cut raindrops from blue construction paper
Tape or glue the brown handle to the back of the paper plate
Tape the blue string/yarn to the back of the plate
Tape the blue raindrops to the blue string
 
Watercolor Umbrella and Raindrops
Painting their umbrella's
 
Two of the finished products
 Draw an umbrella onto white paper.
Use watercolor paint to paint the umbrella
Paint spots around the umbrella (to be made into raindrops)
When dry, cut out the umbrella
Glue to a piece of blue construction paper
Cut our raindrops from the paper and glue to the paper and umbrella!
 
Rain Learning Activities
 
Cloud and Rain Counting activity
                         Rolling the dice, counting the dots           Tana's finished activity
                            and gluing on the raindrops

Cut out cloud shapes and glue them to a large piece of black construction paper.  Cut out blue raindrops and set aside.  I typed and printed off the following saying . . .  It's Raining, It's Pouring . . .
Rain is falling form the clouds, count the drops as the fall down!
 
Directions:  Roll the dice.  Count the dots.  Write the number on the first cloud.  Count out the matching number of raindrops and glue the raindrops below the cloud.  Repeat. 
(If you get the same number roll again)
 
Addie's finished activity
 
 
Cloud and Raindrop Name Writing


Cut out a cloud shape from white paper (make sure it is big enough for your child's name)
Cut out large raindrops from blue construction paper. 
Have your child write each letter of his/her name on a raindrop. 
Glue the "Raindrops" in order on the cloud. 
 Glue the finished cloud onto black construction  paper. 
Add a few blue raindrops falling from the cloud
 
Songs/Rhymes
 
Rain, Rain Go Away
Rain rain go away
come again some other day
Little  (insert child's name)

Wants to play
Rain rain go away.
 
 
It's Raining, It's Pouring


It's raining; it's pouring.
*The old man* is snoring.
He went to bed and bumped his head,
And he couldn't get up in the morning.
*I inserted names into this spot*






Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Oh, Mr. Sun!!

Mr. Sun Crafts and Learning Unit!
 
Mr. Sun Crafts
Mr. Sun - Sun Catchers!
Cut 2 identical circles from yellow construction paper.
Cut a circle from the middle of each circle - so you have  openings in the middle (you want the circles to be identical).
Place the circle on Clear Contact Paper
Stick pieces of yellow and orange tissue paper in the middle of the circle.
Cut strips from yellow tissue paper for the rays of the sun.
Place the strips around the tissue paper filled circle.
Place the other circle on top and seal the sun with  Contact paper. 
Cut around the edges to finish the sun.
Hang in a window!
 
Paper Sunshine
Cut a circle out of yellow construction paper.
Glue on yellow craft sticks or yellow pipe cleaners for the sun's rays.
Draw a face on your sun.
 
Sunshine Rainbow!
Cut a yellow paper plate in half. 
Cut triangles from yellow construction paper.
Cut strips of paper from - red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple construction paper.
Glue the yellow triangles to the back of the curved part of the paper plate.
Glue the strips of colored paper to the back of the straight part of the paper plate.
Curl the ends of the paper with a pencil.
 Glue on googly eyes and draw a face.
 
Mr. Sun Learning Activities
 
Mr. Sun 1- 12 Number game
Math - number recognition, counting

Draw a sun onto white paper and write the numbers 1-12 in various places on the sun.
Roll a dice or draw a number card.
Circle and color the number rolled or chosen (if using cards)
Play until all of the numbers are colored in!
 
How Do Your Flowers Grow - Number Activity
Math - Number writing, counting
Glue 3 construction paper sun's on the top of construction paper.
Cut out multiple flowers from different colored construction paper.
Roll a dice (or choose a number card) 
Write the number rolled, (or chosen) on one of the sun's
Count out the matching number of flowers and glue underneath the sunshine.
Continue with the next two sun's! 
 
Mr. Sun Name Writing!
Letter and  name writing

Cut a circle from yellow construction paper.
Cut triangle from yellow construction paper (the sun's rays)
Glue the circle to a piece of blue construction paper.
Write one letter (from your name) onto the triangles
Glue the triangles (ray's) around the sun in the order of your name.
   
Music and Rhymes

We sang this song all week.  The kids loved dancing and singing to it.

Oh, Mr. Sun!
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,
Please shine down on me.

Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,
Hiding behind a tree

These little children are asking you
To please come out so we can play with you.

Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,
Please shine down on,
please shine down on,
Please shine down on me.


Here is a link to a You Tube video of the song  Oh, Mr. Sun


We also did this cute fingerplay.  Here is the link to Sunshine Fingerplay

Sunshine Fingerplay - by Terry H.
The sun makes the outside a warm place to play
(arms above head in circle)
It makes the flowers grow each day
(holding up hands wiggling fingers)
The sun hides its face during the night
(cover face with hands)
But during the daytime it shines - oh so bright
(arms above head in circle)