Category Archives: Forrest Animals

Franklin is Lost, by Paulette Bourgeois

            Franklin is playing outside with his friends when suddenly he becomes lost in the dark and scary woods.  How will he ever get home and what will his parents do when they find him?

Materials

  • Paper plates, enough for 2 per child.
  • Paper plate clocks made ahead of time but do not add the numbers to the face.
  • Body coverings match game
  • Fingerprint poem. Here are my fingerprints, they belong to me,  No one has these same prints, they are special to just me.

Vocabulary

  • Woods (an area of many trees, another name for the forest)
  • Annoyed (when you get irritated at someone or they get irritated at you)
  • Worried (to feel like something bad might have happened to someone)
  • Knoll (a little hill)
  • Lost (to not know where you are)

Before Reading the Story

Hold up the cover of the book and tell the children that this turtle’s name is Franklin. Ask them to look at Franklin’s face and ask them how they think Franklin is feelin, why? Read the title of the book and ask the children if any of them have ever been lost? How did you feel? If no one has ever felt lost and afraid, make up an example that the children can respond to (Once when I was little I went to the store with my Dad and when he was paying I hid behind a shelf. My Dad did not know and walked out of the store without me. When I ran after him, I could not find him and I was so scared. I cried and then he realized I was not behind him and came back and found me. I was scared and never hid in a store again).

Language Development/Speaking & Understanding; develops increasing abilities to understand and use language to communicate information, experiences, ideas, feelings, opinions, needs, questions; and for other varied purposes.

Reading the Story

            On the page where Franklin is looking for Fox and walks into the woods, stop and ask the children what they think is going to happen next?.  On the page where Franklin’s parents get worried, ask the children if they know what it means to be worried?  Why do you think his parents worried?

Literacy/Book Knowledge & Appreciation; demonstrates progress in abilities to retell and dictate stories from books and experiences; to act out stories in dramatic play; and to predict what will happen next in a story.

After Reading the Story

            Ask the children, Why was Franklin not allowed to go into the woods alone?  Are there places your parents tell you, you are not allowed to play?  Why do you think they tell you that?  Explain to the children that sometimes parents yell when they are worried or scared for their child (Franklin’s Mom might have yelled at him for going into the woods) but it does not mean that they do not love you.  You scared them and even though it’s not nice, they sometimes just yell.

Approaches to Learning/Initiative & Curiosity; grows in eagerness to learn about and discuss a growing range of topics, ideas, and tasks.

Discovery

            Put the body covering match cards out and see if the children can find which animals have which kind of body coverings.

Mathematics/Patterns & Measurement; shows increasing abilities to match, sort, put into series, and regroup objects according to one or two attributes, such as shape or size.

            Look at pictures of animals and talk about how they are alike and different from people. (People have hands, bears have paws/people have skin, birds have feathers/people have two eyes, and so do most animals!)

Science/Scientific Knowledge; expands knowledge of and ability to observe, describe, and discuss the natural world, materials, living things, and natural processes.

Music and Movement;

            Sing Hickory Dickory Dock ,use your paper plate clock to move the hands about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMNOZ7rC5hU

Hickory Dickory Dock, tick tock

The mouse ran up the clock

The clock struck one

This made him run,

Hickory Dickory Dock

The clock struck 2, he lost his shoe/the clock struck 3, he scraped his knee/ the clock struck 4, he went back for more/ the clock struck 5, he jumped off with a dive/ the clock struck 6, he gave his paws a lick/ the clock struck 7, he ______/ the clock struck 8, he felt great/ the clock struck 9, he hurt his spine/ the clock struck 10, he ran down again/ the clock struck 11, he wished it was 7/ the clock struck 12, he was tired and went to sleep.

Mathematics/Number & Operations;develops increasing ability to count in sequence to 10 and beyond.

            Count to 10 and Back Again holding up and taking down fingers as you do so. On the way down when you get to zero, call out blast off! and let the children jump up.

Mathematics/Number & Operations;develops increasing ability to count in sequence to 10 and beyond.

Blocks

            Tell the children that while they are building a structure, to see if they can hide an animal within.  Then they can call you over to see if you can find it.

Approaches to Learning/Engagement & Persistence; demonstrates increasing ability to set goals and develop follow through on plans.

Art

            Let the children paint paper plates with green, yellow, and white paint.  After they dry, they can cut out 4 legs, a tail, and a head to make their own turtles.

Creative Arts/Art; develops growing abilities to plan, work independently, and demonstrate care and persistence in a variety of art projects.

Library and Writing

            Give each child a piece of white paper and have them trace around both their left and right hand.  Then help them to use a stamp pad in a darker color to carefully put their fingerprints in the coordinating finger.  Make copies of the fingerprint poem that can be glued to the back of the page.  After you have finished, give the children magnifying glasses and let them look at their prints and their friends to see that they really are all different.

Physical Health & Development/Fine Motor Skills; progresses in abilities to use writing, drawing, and art tools, including pencils, markers, chalk, paint brushes, and various types of technology.

Sand and Water

            If you have small animals, put them into the sand and let the children bury them and then hide and seek them. Give them a small bowl to put their animals into and a plastic fork for scraping the sand. If you have multiple kinds of an animal, encourage the children to collect all of the same kind first. (Annie, can you find all 6 of the cows, and Lee you look for the 4 tigers).

Mathematics/Number & Operations; begins to make use of one-to-one correspondence in counting objects and matching groups of objects.

Dramatic Play

            Franklin was lost and scared.  When he comes home he is very hungry.  Can the children make a meal nutritious meal that would help Franklin to feel better?  Ask the children what they are preparing.  Write their nutritious meal plans down.

Approaches to Learning/Reasoning & Problem Solving; develops increasing abilities to classify, compare, and contrast objects,, events, and experiences.

Math and Manipulatives

            In the story, Franklin was told to be home at 6 o’clock.  Have a paper plate clock made ahead of time and show the children what 6 o’clock looks like.  Give each child a paper plate clock.  Show the children on a clock how the numbers go around the face of the clock.  Encourage the children to copy numbers onto their own clocks.  (They will probably not get it exact but the activity is to practice copying/writing numbers more then making a clock).

Literacy/Early Writing; experiments with a growing variety of writing tools and materials, such as pencils, crayons, and computers.

Outdoor Play

            Use a familiar classroom toy animal and hide it somewhere on the playground.  Tell the children what you have hidden and that they will need to follow your directions to find it.  Give 2-3 part directions and let them see if they can find the toy.  Do with each child individually or in small groups.  Hide the toy in different spots between children.  (I have hidden our little toy cow.  Go over to the red tricycle and then look down by the ground and you will see the cow.  Go around the big tree two times and then to the chair by the water table and you will see the cow)

Language Development/Listening & Understanding; shows progress in understanding and following simple and multiple-step directions.

Transitions

            Ask questions about the story.  What kind of an animal is Franklin?  Whose house did he go to?  What did his parents tell him about the woods?  What game was he playing when he got lost?  Who was he playing with?  How did he feel when he got lost in the woods? Etc..

Literacy/Book Knowledge & Appreciation; demonstrates abilities to retell and dictate stories from books and experiences; to act out stories in dramatic play; and to predict what will happen next in a story.

Resources

Put out a number line for the children to copy number writing. Do not worry what their clock looks like, it is for practice writing, not accuracy.
Elephant
Bear
Dolphin
Parrot
Rabbit
Snake
Cow
Zebra
Butterfly

Imogene’s Antlers, by David Small

            What happens when Imogene wakes up one morning with antlers on her head?  This funny story will have children thinking of all the things they could do if they suddenly developed an animal body part.

Materials

  • Several different sized popsicle sticks or twigs
  • Head shape
  • Bag of birdseed
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Several hats and ribbon or crepe paper

Vocabulary

  • Milliner (someone who makes hats)

Before Reading the Story

            Ask the children if they ever thought what it would be like if they could be an animal.  What animal would they like to be and why?  Show the children the cover of the book and introduce.  Ask them if they can think of any problems that Imogene might have with her antlers.  What could you do if you had antlers?

Approaches to Learning/Reasoning & Problem Solving; develops increasing ability to find more than one solution to a question, task, or problem.

Reading the Story

            As you read the story, stop on the page where Imogene’s mother faints. Ask the children why they think Imogene’s mother faints (She can not believe her daughter has antlers)! What do you think is going to happen? What would you do if you woke up and had antlers on your head?

Approaches to Learning/Reasoning & problem Solving; develops increasing abilities to classify, compare, and contrast objects, events, and experiences. AND Literacy & Book Knowledge; demonstrates progress in abilities to retell and dictate stories from books and experiences; to act out stories in dramatic play; and to predict what will happen next in a story.

After Reading the Story

            Show the children several peephole pictures of animals to see if they can guess what each animal is. (Make a peep hole by cutting a one-inch circle in a manilla file. Put a picture behind it and move it around. Can the children guess what the picture is by just looking through the small hole)?

Approaches to Learning/Reasoning & Problem Solving; grows in recognizing and solving problems through active exploration, including trial and error; and interactions and discussions with peers and adults.

Discovery

            Bring in pictures of animals with antlers and horns.  If you are lucky perhaps you know someone who will let you borrow some antlers, horns, skulls for the children to explore.

Science/Scientific Skills & Methods; develops increased ability to observe and discuss common properties, differences, and comparisons among objects and materials.

Music and Movement

            Sadly I know no songs that would go along with this book , so make it children’s choice day!

Social & Emotional Development/Self-Concept; begins to develop and express awareness of self in terms of specific abilities, characteristics,and preferences. AND Approaches to Learning/Initiative & Curiosity; develops increased ability to make independent choices.

Sing, If You’re Happy and You Know It but doing actions.

If you’re happy and you know it jump up and down

If you’re happy and you know it jump up and down.

If you’re happy and you know,

Your body will show it.

If you’re happy and you know it jump up and down.

(turn around, touch your toes, take a big leap, squat down low, etc.).

Physical Health & Development/Gross Motor Skills; shows increasing levels of proficiency, control, and balance walking, slimbing, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, marching, and galloping.

Blocks

            Add animals to the blocks.  As the children play, encourage them to talk about the different animal attributes.

Science/Scientific Skills & Methods; develops increased ability to observe and discuss common properties, differences, and comparisons among objects and materials.

Art

            Give the children a head page and Popsicle sticks.  They can draw the face and put popsicle stick/twig antlers on top using glue.

Creative Arts/Art; gains ability in using different art media and materials in a variety of ways for creative expression and representation.

Sand and Water

            Fill the table with birdseed (very soothing sound and can be used later to fill a bird feeder by your science window).  Give the children things for scooping and pouring. Ask the children if they can remember what Imogene fed the birds? Remind the children to keep the seed in the table as birdseed on the floor can be slippery.

Social & Emotional Development/Self-Control; demonstrates increasing capacity to follow rules and routines and use materials purposely, safely, and respectfully.

Library and Writing

            Ask the children to illustrate the following.  If I had _____I could_____!  (If I had wings I could fly, If I had a tail I could wag it hello).

Approaches to Learning/Reasoning & Problem Solving; develops increasing ability to find more than one solution to a question, task, or problem.

Dramatic Play

            Bring hats and ribbon into the center and be milliners.

Literacy/Book Knowledge & Appreciation; demonstrates progress in abilities to retell stories from books and experiences; to act out stories in dramatic play; and to predict what will happen next in a story.

Math and Manipulatives

            Give the children 2 pipe cleaners to practice twisting together, like a candy cane.  The teacher can then help twist several together to make antlers. These can be attached to a sentence strip for wearing.

Physical Health & Development/Fine Motor Skills; develops growing strength, dexterity, and control needed to use tools such as scissors, paper punch, stapler, and hammer.

Outdoor Play

Play a ring toss game by having children try to toss hula hoops over a box or street cone. (Remember in the story how Imogene had donuts on her antlers? Let’s pretend that the hula hoop is a giant donut and see if we can get it to land on the cone/antler).

Physical Health & Development/Gross Motor Skills; demonstrates increasing abilities to coordinate movements in throwing, catching, kicking, bouncing balls, and in using the swing and slide.

Transitions

            Do animal riddles with the children. I’m thinking of an animal that has… (spots all over its body and a very long neck and legs.  It eats leaves from the tops of the trees)

Approaches to Learning/Reasoning & problem Solving; develops increasing abilities to classify, compare, and contrast objects, events, and experiences

Resources


Just You and Me, by Sam McBratney

            The rain is coming and Little Goose and Gander Goose must find a place to hide.  Along the way they meet several woodland animals who are willing to share their space.  But Little Goose wants to be alone with Gander Goose.  What will happen when the storm comes?

Materials

  •             Umbrella shape
  •             Empty plastic food containers with holes punched in them.
  •             Food coloring
  • Bag of Cotton balls
  •             Eye droppers
  •             Many white coffee filters

Vocabulary

  •             Gosling ( a baby goose)
  •             Gander (A father goose)
  •             Ditch (a drain for water on the side of the road or path)

Before Reading the Story

            Ask the children if they have ever been outside when a storm is approaching.  How could they tell it was going to rain?  Talk about storm safety and how it is important to get indoors when they hear the thunder.  Tell the children that the story today is about a little goose and his father who must find a place to get out of the storm.

Science/Science Knowledge; expands knowledge of and abilities to observe, describe, and discuss the natural world, materials, living things, and natural processes. AND Physical Health & development/Health Status & Practices; builds awareness and ability to follow basic health and safety rules such as fire safety, traffic and pedestrian safety, and responding appropriately to potentially harmful objects, substances, and activities.

Reading the Story

            When Little Goosey tells Gander Goose that he wants to be alone, just you and me, ask the children why they think that is?  Each time you get to the line “Just you and me” have the children repeat it with you.

Approaches to Learning/reasoning & Problem Solving; grows in recognizing and solving problems through active exploration, including trial and error, and interactions and discussions with peers and adults. AND Literacy/Book Knowledge & Appreciation; shows growing interest and involvement in listening to and discussing a variety of fiction and non-fiction, and poetry.

After Reading the Story

            Ask the children if they were out in the woods where they would go to get out of a storm?  Pretend to be forest animals (ask the children what kind of animal they want to be) and all go and look for places in the room to hide (under the tables).   When the storm is over come back to the carpet area.

Creative Arts/ Dramatic PLay; shows growing creativity and imagination in using materials and in assuming different roles in dramatic play situations.

Discovery

Fill a bowl up with colored water. Have the children drop a cotton ball into the water. What happens? Tell them that clouds soak up the water from lakes and river. Ask the child to squeeze the water out of the cotton ball back into the bowl. Explain that when a cloud gets too heavy with water, then it makes rain (or snow). Let the children experiment making rain clouds and then squeezing them to produce rain. Challenge the children to pick up the cotton balls using tongs or tweezers to work their fine motor muscles.

Science/Scientific Skills & Methods; begins to participate in simple investigations to test observations, discuss and draw conclusions, and form generalizations.

     

Music and Movement

            Sing Rain, Rain, Go Away https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twabSyJmppI

Rain, rain go away

Come again another day

We want to go out and play.

Creative Arts/Music; participates with increasing interest and enjoyment in a variety of music activities, including listening, singing, finger plays, games and performances.

            Make a rain storm with the children

 Drip, drop, drip, drop…rain,rain,rain          Tap fingers on legs

 Pitter,patter,pitter,patter…rain,rain,rain        Tap hands on legs

 Downpour, downpour…rain,rain,rain        Slap hands on legs

  Thunder,thunder…rain,rain,rain                 Clap hands together

  Downpour, downpour…rain,rain,rain        Slap hands on legs

Pitter patter, pitter patter…rain,rain,rain       Tap hands on legs

 Drip drop, drip drop…rain, rain, rain          Tap fingers on legs

 Out comes the sun…ah,ah,ah                     Hands over head in circle, smile

Creative Arts/Music; participates with increasing interest and enjoyment in a variety of music activities, including listening, singing, finger plays, games and performances.

Blocks

            ASk the children if they can make a shelter from the rain for the play people or animals?  Make sure you add a sturdy roof.

Approaches to Learning/Initiative & Curiosity; approaches tasks and activities with increased flexibility, imagination, and inventiveness.

Art

            Give the children umbrella shapes to decorate.  After it is dry, glue it to a piece of paper and have the children draw a self portrait under the umbrella.  Write their rain poem underneath (see Library and Writing).

Creative Arts/ Art; progresses in abilities to create drawings, paintings, models, and other art creations that are more detailed, creative, or realistic. AND Physical Health & Development/Fine Motor Skills; progresses in abilities to use writing, drawing , and art tools, including pencils, markers, chalk,paint brushes, and various types of technology.

Sand and Water

            Use a nail to make holes into empty plastic food containers.  Put a few holes in some and many in others.  The children can fill them up with water and make rain.

Science/Scientific Skills & Methods; develops increased ability to observe and discuss common properties, differences and comparisons among objects and materials.

Library and Writing

            Recite to the children the poem Rain.

Rain on the roof tops,

And rain on the trees.

Rain on the green grass,

But not on me!

            Have the children write their own version by changing the bolded words to their own. (Rain on the cat, rain on my Dad, rain on the car, but not on me!)

Literacy/Early Writing; begins to represent stories and experiences through pictures, dictation, and in play.

Dramatic Play

            Put slickers and boots into the center so the children can play rainy day. Remind them again about being safe during a thunderstorm.

Science/Scientific Knowledge; expand knowledge of and respect for their bodies and the environment.

Math and Manipulatives

            Make a class collage.  Make a large rainbow on a piece of poster board with crayons.  Give the children long pieces of paper (1inch by 10 inches) in colors that correspond to your rainbow.  Have the children make snips with the paper and then glue the snips onto the rainbow.  Practice “Not a lot, just a drop” as they glue the paper snips to the rainbow.

Mathematics/Geometry & Spatial Sense; shows growth in matching, sorting, putting in a series, and regrouping objects according to one or two attributes such as color, shape, or size. AND Physical Health & development/Fine Motor Skills; develops growing strength, dexterity, snd control needed to use tools such as scissors, paper punch, stapler, and hammer.

Outdoor Play

            Let the children dig a hole and add water.  Mud play after a rain!

Science/Scientific Skills & Methods; begins to use senses and a variety of tools and simple measuring devices to gather information, investigate materials, and observe processes and relationships.

Transitions

Encourage the children to waddle like a goose as they go to the next activity.

Creative Arts/ Dramatic PLay; shows growing creativity and imagination in using materials and in assuming different roles in dramatic play situations.

Resources