It is very quickly going to be time to get back to school and begin the new year. I like to take a calendar and tear off each month. During a lesson on the new year, I place all the months out on the floor and discus with the children how each block on the calendar represents one day (See picture below). We talk about how many days there are in the year and go over the names of the months.
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Winter Activities
Winter is soon to be here in the Northern hemisphere. Many schools do close for a winter break so some of these ideas can be presented for that last week before school closes, or have them ready to go when you return from break, highlighting the new season. Either way, it is important for us to prepare the materials in advance. I find most of my prep work is doen weeks in advance. That is the benefit of having the 40-week curriculum PDFs, so that you can see wha’s upcoming, the examples I provide, and how to accomplish everything needed. Here’s some ideas for the Winter…
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Signs of Spring
Spring is just around the corner! It is such a nice time of the year and there is such a variety of unit studies that are commonly talked abut during this season. Baby animals, flowers, insects, gardens, and worms are just some of them. I think I will highlight some ideas for insects for this post, only not include butterflies
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Rainbows
Spring is a great time to talk about rainbows with the children. There is more rain during this time of the year and chances of seeing a rainbow are pretty good if you live in an area with rainy spring days. Most children enjoy rainbow anything, so you can include a variety of activities for them as you learn about rainbows together.
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100 Days of School
It is getting close to the 100th day of school usually around this month, or next month sometime. You can begin to prepare now for a fun-filled day of everything 100! Older children can bring in 100 objects of their choice. I send a note home with these children about a week before the 100th day. I also give some suggestions on ideas of what to bring that can help parents and children begin to think about what they can bring in to count out to the other children. Objects such as paper clips, q-tips, shells, crayons, or pennies are some ideas.
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Dental Health Month
It is that time of the year when many teachers like to include dental health lessons for the children. At times a dentist or dental hygienist visits a school to help raise awareness about the importance of oral health. With or without a visiting guest speaker, there are many fun ways to help children appreciate the importance of caring for one’s teeth.
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Trees
This is a good time of the year to begin talking about deciduous and evergreen trees. With the colors of fall beginning to fade and the leaves falling off the trees, the evergreen trees stand out. A review on the parts of a tree and why leaves change color can start off the lessons leading up to those trees that are still green.
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Owls
During this month, we discuss the vertebrate group of birds. It is always fun to include owls as a bird of prey to be highlighted. I always like to order some owl pellets for the children to explore.
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Pumpkin Time
In the northern hemisphere it is time for pumpkins to be harvested. Many families and schools will visit pumpkin farms to pick pumpkins and perhaps enjoy a hay ride around the farm. The areas of Botany, Practical Life, Math, Science, and Language often have a variety of pumpkin themed exercises.
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Apple Fun
September is a great time to have fun with apples. Previous post highlighted some activities and lesson ideas to use with apples. Some may be repeated and others may be new on this post. I especially enjoy bringing a variety of apples into the classroom for the children to taste. During this month I like to include lessons on the five senses, and highlight the lesson on taste, a day before our apple tasting activity.
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