We had so much fun learning about all kinds of critters that live in a pond. The funniest thing about the whole week was that anytime someone said "beaver" the kids would laugh HYSTERICALLY. They would get me laughing every time!! They loved pretending to be beavers.
Group Time
Pond life cards: The children had to act like the animal card that was shown. We also attempted charades, but it worked better as a group. (you can find the cards @
prekinders.com.)
Science
Life cycle of a frog: We continued to use our Life cycles theme box, which includes a Velcro life cycle activity mit, stamps, and plastic figures.
Sensory Table
Habitat: We added rocks, twigs, leaves, water, foam lily pads, and plastic frogs, fish, turtles, and ducks.
Math
Counting: We used numbered lily pads and added the correct amount of plastic frogs to each one.
Graphing: Each child would grab a handful of pond creatures and place them on a graph to see which animal was more or less.
Lets Go Fishin': We used a magnetic fishing pole, and a blue table cloth "pond". Fish with a certain number of worms on them were placed in the pond and they tried to "catch" matching fish.
Dramatic Play
Little Froggies: We made a small green frog face cutout, gave it eyes, and cut a small slit and inserted solid red party blowers (found at dollar tree). They LOVED hopping around like frogs and sticking out their long "tongues".
Art
Terrific Turtle: A paper bowl, construction paper head, legs, and tail (green), different colored green tissue paper cut into small squares, half glue/half water, paint brushes. Glue on legs, head, and tail. Paint the glue onto the bowl and stick the tissue paper squares all over to make a shell. Very cute turtles!
Somethings Fishy: A white fish cutout, markers, water droppers. Color the fish cutout anyway you like with watercolor markers. Then use the dropper to drip water onto the fish and watch the colors run...neat effect.
Fine Feathered Friend: Duck Cutout, orange triangles for beak and feet, feathers. Let them be creative and make their own unique feathered duck.
Music
Pond Life Song (Tune of: Are you sleeping)
Ducks live here
Ducks live here
At the pond
At the pond
Ducks eat and rest here
Ducks eat and rest here
At the pond
At the pond
(frogs, fish, beavers, bugs)
Down at the Pond (Tune of Down by the Bay)
Down at the Pond (children repeat)
Where the water lilies grow
There are lots of animals
Swimming to and fro
They dive and they splash
Of the water they are fond
You can see them every day
In a happy sort of way
Down at the pond
Five Little Ducks
Five little ducks went out one day
Over the hills and far away
Mother duck said "quack, quack, quack, quack"
But only four little ducks came back.
(Continue until no ducks left)
Sad mother duck went out one day
Over the hills and far away
Mother duck said "quack, quack, quack, quack"
AND ALL OF THE FIVE LITTLE DUCKS CAME BACK
Paper Plate Hen
