CIRCLE TIME
The official beginning of Winter is December 21st. Winter is our coldest season of the year. The daylight hours are much shorter and our part of the Earth is farther away from the Sun, which causes it to be cold.
In the winter, many animals go to sleep for many weeks or months. This is called hibernating. Other animals travel to warmer parts of the Earth for the winter. This is called migration. People just put on warm clothes like sweaters, gloves and hats in order to stay warm!
BIBLE
"Don't be afraid, for I am with you." Isaiah 41:10a
Click the link to Danielle's Place for an awesome lesson! The concept is learning that God is in control of everything. We don't have to be afraid because God has a plan for our lives. He wants us to follow Him!
http://www.daniellesplace.com/html/FreeWinterSundaySchoolLesson.html
Vowel Review!
Reading - click HERE and print the Vowel Review Worksheet from KidZone.com. Pronounce the short vowel sound and then pronounce the word with the short vowel sound.
Starfall.com - http://www.starfall.com/n/level-a/learn-to-read/load.htm?f
Click the "Short Vowel" button next to the "Ug" lesson. This is a fun matching game using words with short vowels!
**BONUS - Click the Gingerbread Man on the right side of the screen for a fun game!
Readingbear.org - http://www.readingbear.org/Presentation.aspx?Review=1-6
Review the short vowel sounds!
SCIENCE
Ice Melting Activity
Each test can be done on a different day in order to make it more exciting to see what happens next!
Print the graph HERE
Make a bunch of ice cubes. Show the graph to the kids and ask them which they think will melt the ice fastest. You can record their answers so you can see who might have been right at the end of the week!Each day try one of the experiments. Use a stopwatch or the stopwatch function on your smart phone and record exactly how long each thing takes to fully melt the ice cube. Record your findings on the graph. Once all of the experiments have been completed, use the orange circles to number them in the order of fastest to slowest. Who had the right answer?
MATH
Snowman Puzzle
About.com has a cute printable snowman puzzle! Print on cardstock and cut the pieces out. Puzzles help children build the skills they need to read, write, solve problems, and coordinate their thoughts and actions—all of which they will use in school and beyond.
http://homeschooling.about.com/od/holidays/ss/santaprint_6.htm
Playdough Math Mats
Pre-kinders.com has some adorable printable math mats with a snow theme! These are great for math skills and also fine motor skills. Print the mats and allow the kids to make the number of snowflakes that each mat asks for!
http://www.prekinders.com/snowman-play-dough-mats/
ART/CRAFT
Art - Snow Painting!
Recipe:
Mix equal parts of shaving cream and white school glue!
Give the kids a piece of grey or grey-blue paper and allow them to create a winter masterpiece!
(You may want to read one of the suggested books to get them in the mood!)
Craft - Noodle Snowflakes
You need:
"Wagon wheel" style dry noodles
Shell noodles
(Other noodle shapes, use what you want!)
Glue
Paper
Silver glitter
Snowflake Template
Print a copy of the template for each kid. Provide a bowl with the noodles and glue. Allow the kids to fill the template with the noodles however they like! Once done, cover the surface of their noodle snowflakes with glue and sprinkle the silver glitter over them. Allow to dry.
Once dry, you can put these up in the classroom. They are so pretty!
BOOKS
A really sweet book that helps us remember that even the smallest of us can make big things happen if we believe in ourselves (and get a little help)!
http://www.amazon.com/When-Winter-Comes-Nancy-Laan/dp/0689817789
"What happens to fish, flowers, field mice, and other living things when ponds freeze and the air turns blustery? Walk with a curious child and his parents as winter's first snow falls and find out"
MOTOR SKILLS
Fine - Play with Home Made Snow!
from bathactivitiesforkids.com
You Need:
Baking Soda
Water
Large tub (one of those dish tubs from Walmart work great)
Slowly mix the baking soda with little bits of water at a time. Mix well using your hands to get it to incorporate. When it is finished it should be crumbly and moldable. Place it in the freezer for about an hour.
Put the snow in a large tub and give the kids the chance to mold it! You can make snowballs, snow forts, snow men (all miniature, of course!). This is really great for those of us who don't get much snow, and also for those of you who do!
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| My kid playing with it in the bathtub! |
Gross - Winter Wonderland Obstacle Course
This is the time of year when it is tough to keep kids from going bananas because they are cooped up inside a bunch.
It is pretty simple to do this. You just have to make sure it is safe and not too difficult for the kids. You can use sofa pillows, small chairs, big cardboard boxes, blankets, masking tape, hula hoops and many other items to make a course through the room. Make them have to go up and over, under and through, around, etc. In order to make it winter-like, add snowflakes, snowmen, and other winter-y items! You can also make it harder by having them put on all their winter clothing so it is harder to move around. Give a pack of winter stickers as a prize at the end.
MUSIC
The Winter Song
(tune: Farmer in the Dell)
Let's sing a winter song,
Let's sing a winter song,
The days are short, the nights are long.
Let's sing a winter song.
The winter wind is cold,
The winter wind is cold,
It freezes noses, ears, and toes.
The winter wind is cold.
Winter now is here,
Winter now is here,
Put on your coat, your hat, your gloves, Winter now is here.
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