Category Archives: Rain

Where Does The Butterfly Go When It Rains? by May Garelick

            What a wonderful question this title is.  Follow along as the author tells where other animals go when it rains, but where does the butterfly go when it rains?

Materials

  •             Butterfly match game/patterns
  • Butterfly wings (sold at Dollar Store)
  • 8 one to two in paint brushes and buckets

Vocabulary

  •             Hide ( to move out of sight or to be blocked from view)

Before Reading the Story

            Talk about where and what people do when it is raining outside.  Make sure to touch on the safety of going inside when there is thunder.  Talk about how after the rain there are puddles, does anyone like to play in the puddles?  Ask the children if they know what an umbrella is, have they ever used one?  Ask the children if they know where animals might go when it rains (my cat runs under Mommy’s car, the cow goes to the barn)  Introduce the story and ask it as a question, Where do the butterflies go when it rains?

Science/Scientific 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

After you ask the question, “Where does the butterfly go in the rain’? Give the children a few seconds to respond before you turn the page. If no one responds, shrug your shoulders and continue reading. If someone does respond say “I don’t know, let’s keep reading”.

Language Development/Listening & Understanding; demonstrates increasing ability to attend to and understand conversations, stories, songs, and poems.

After Reading the Story

            Cut out a small butterfly shape from a manila file.  Cut out a triangle, circle, square, and rectangle from colored paper that is big enough for the butterfly to be able to hide under without being seen.  Have a child hide their eyes.  Place the butterfly under one of the shapes.  The child then opens their eyes and guesses which shape the butterfly is under.  Make sure to have the child name the shape that he thinks the butterfly is under.  Then let that child hide the butterfly while another child guesses.

Mathematics/Geometry & Spatial Sense; begins to recognize, describe, compare, and name common shapes, their parts, and attributes.

Discovery

If you have butterflies already at your center, put out orange slices and water to attract them to a window close to your science center. Check out this web site for more info about making butterfly feeder. https://insteading.com/blog/how-to-attract-butterflies/

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

Music and Movement

            Teach the children the counting rhyme, La Mariposa

            Uno, dos tres, cuatro, cinco                       One, two, three, four, five

            Cogi una mariposa de un brinco.                I caught a butterfly.

            Seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez                     Six, seven, eight, nine, ten

            La solte brincando otra vez                        Then I let him go again.

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

Play the piano piece, Butterfly in the Rain and let your children dance and move to the music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVXmtckavDQ

Creative Arts/Movement; expresses through movement and dancing what is felt and heard in various musical tempos and styles.

Blocks

            Put out a few paper butterflies, or draw several small ones on a manila folder and cut out.  As the children build structures they can hide the butterflies within or on the structure.  Then ask you or another child to come and find them. Older children might like to cut out their own butterfly to hide.

Physical Health & Development/Fine Motor Skills; grows in hand-eye coordination in building with blocks, putting together puzzles, reproducing shapes and patterns, stringing beads, and using scissors.

Art

            Give each child a clean manila folder.  Have them dab small amounts of paint onto one side.  Fold the other side over and press with their hands.  Open back up and let it dry.  When it is dry, refold it and then draw a butterfly pattern on one side.  Older children can cut these out but the teacher will have to cut for younger children.  Cut both sides together.  If your center allows, hang the butterflies from the ceiling with the painted side facing the floor.

Give each child a white coffee filter and tell them to color it with water soluble markers. When they have finished coloring the entire coffee filter have them use a squirt bottle to spray their coffee filter 3 times. This will cause the marker to run and the colors to melt into each other. Use a clothespin for the body and put half the coffee filter through to make wings.

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

            Put sand in the table today and hide magnet letters in it.  The children can scoop and sift in search of the letters.  Make an alphabet chart and as the children find the letters, they can match them to the chart.

Literacy/Alphabet Knowledge; identifies at least 10 letters of the alphabet, especially those in their name.

Library and Writing

On the bottom of each piece of drawing paper write; If I were a butterfly I would hide from the rain _______. Read this sentence to the children and then ask them to illustrate it. You can collect all the pictures and make a book, Where Would We Butterflies Hide From the Rain?

Approaches to Learning/Reasoning & Problem Solving; develops increasing ability to find more than one solution to a question, task, or problem. AND Literacy/Early Writing; begins to represent stories and experiences through pictures, dictation, and in play.

Dramatic Play

Many Dollar Store sell butterfly or fairy wings in theri toy department. If your center has a budget, ask them to purchase enough so that everyone in the dramatic center can have a pair of wings to wear.

Math and Manipulatives

            Make a butterfly pattern matching game.  Make two copies of each butterfly pattern, cut, color and cover with contact paper.  The children then match the butterfly’s that are the same.

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

Outdoor Play

Give the children the large paint brushes and buckets filled with water. Show them ow to paint the building, the sidewalk, and the tree. If you have a lot of cement, challenge the children to write thier names with the water before it evaporates.

Literacy/Early Writing; experiments with growing variety of writing tools and materials, such as markers, crayons, and computer. AND Approaches to Learning/Initiative & Curiosity; chooses to participate in an increasing variety of tasks, activities, projects, and experiences.

Transitions

On pieces of paper write 2 and 3 step directions. Put the pieces of paper into a bowl. The children take turns pulling one out and then must follow the instructions. (Put your hands on your head and hop forward 3 hops, Tell your neighbor hello, clap your hands and then turn around. Jump 2 times and touch your toes. Jump 2 times, clap your hands 2 times, and turn around. Nod your head yes then shake your head no. Jump and turn 4 times. Etc.).

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

for making butterfly matching game
ideas for butterfly matching game

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

Little Cloud, by Eric Carle

            This is a good introduction for children to clouds.  It is fun and shows through simple words and pictures how a cloud becomes a rain storm.

Materials;

File folder with a 1-inch hole cut in it.

Interesting pictures for the children to guess

Scarf per child or 2-foot strip of crepe paper

Cookie tray

 Eye droppers

  Baby powder

  Ivory snow flakes

Plastic containers with holes punched through the bottom.

Cotton Balls

Vocabulary

Before Reading the Story

Hold the file folder with the hole cut in it, up so the children can all see. Behind it put an interesting picture that the children will try to guess by looking at the hole. Move the picture around so that they can only see a small portion at a time.

Initiative & Curiosity; chooses to participate in an increasing variety of tasks and activities.

Reading the Story

            Hesitate on each page long enough to see if the children can guess what Little Cloud turns into next.

Literacy/Book Knowledge & Appreciation; shows interest and involvement in listening to and discussing a variety of fiction and non-fiction, and poetry.

After Reading the Story

            Give each child a scarf or a 2 foot piece of crepe paper.  Put on some slow music and have the children cloud dance.  As they dance, ask them what they imagine themselves to be.  In the end have all the children come together and become a rain cloud.

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

Discovery

            Place the cookie tray on the table so that it is propped up at one end, to be on an angle.  Gently shake some baby powder on top of the cookie tray.  Show the children how to fill an eyedropper up with water and drip the water onto the top end of the angled cookie sheet.  The water will drip down the sheet.  As the children continue to do this, the drops will begin to come together. Talk about how drops come together to form a big cloud. Have the children tell you what they see happening.

Science/Scientific Skills & Methods; develops growing abilities to collect, describe, and record information through a variety of means, including discussion, drawings, maps, and charts.

Music and Movement

            Sung to 1 little 2 little, 3 little Indians.

1 little 2 little 3 little clouds

4 little 5 little 6 little clouds

7 little 8 little 9 little clouds

10 little clouds float by.

(hold up fingers accordingly.  Now go from 10 to 1)

Mathematics/Number & operations; develops increasing ability to count to 10 and beyond.

            In to the tune of Pop Goes the Weasel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y45-G61kuqg

All around the sky today,

The clouds are full of raindrops.

They push and shove until they burst,

Out pop the raindrops.

Science/Scientific Knowledge; shows increased awareness and beginning understanding of changes in materials and cause-effect relationships.

            Tell the children that you are going to do a cloud dance.  Put on music and have the children spread out around the room.  Let them whirl and swirl and float like clouds.  Have them begin to gently bump into each other and then form groups getting bigger and bigger until all of the children are one very large cloud.  Count to three and all clap your hands (this is the thunder) and then fall to the ground in a rainstorm.

Science/Scientific Knowledge; shows increased awareness and beginning understanding of changes in materials and cause-effect relationships.

            You could also do this activity by singing, One Fluffy Cloud, to One Elephant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf68lVnvR6E

One fluffy could a way up high

Danced and swirled in the clear blue sky.

He had so much fun that day

That he called for another cloud to come and play.

Mathematics/Number & operations; develops increasing ability to count to 10 and beyond.

Blocks

Art

            Make textural clouds.  In a bowl pour the ivory snowflakes and then begin adding water.  Use a fork or spoon to mix them into a whipped texture.  Depending on how thick you make these, the children can sculpt a cloud shape onto a piece of cardboard or they can paint with a stiff brush onto a piece of cardboard. 

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

Library and Writing

            Have the children fold a piece of blue paper in half and then open back up.  Pour a spoonful of white paint onto one half of the paper so that it touches the crease line.  Fold it back up and show the children how to use the heel of their hand to spread the paint.  Open the paper back up.  Ask the children to look the design and say what it looks like to them.  One the bottom of the paper write; Small Cloud changed into a _________. This could easily be made into a class book.

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

Sand and Water

            Put out a variety of containers that allow water to fall through them at various rates.  These can easily be made by poking holes in the bottom of plastic containers.  As the children let the water pour through the holes, it will sound like rain.

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

 Dramatic Play

            Add any rain gear that you have; umbrellas, boots, slickers.

Creative Arts/Dramatic PLay; participates in a variety of dramatic play activities that become more extended and complex.

Math and Manipulatives

On pieces of blue paper write the numbers 1-5 or 1-10. Ask the children to put the correct amount of cotton balls onto each piece of paper by ‘reading’ the number and counting out the cotton balls. For children who are just learning to identify number shapes, make corresponding dots also. For children who are versed in numbers, write the letter name as well as the shape onto the paper.

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

Outdoor Play

            Take a blanket or old sheet outside and lay on the ground and watch the clouds float by.  Bring clip boards and paper so the children can draw the clouds as they look.

Science/Scientific Skills & Methods; develops growing abilities to collect, describe, and record information through a variety of means, including discussion, drawings, maps, and charts.

Transitions

            As the children move to the next activity, have them turn into objects and go.  Kerry turn into an elephant with a long trunk, Roger turned into a kangaroo and bounce.

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