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"Where else would my limited wardrobe be complimented, or my earrings thought beautiful?"(From the poem "Yes, I Teach Preschool") LESSON PLAN ACTIVITY OPTIONS (DECEMBER)

All my webpages are continual works in progress, so there's much more coming! You are invited to share your own themes, activities, tips, opinions, children's comments, words of inspiration, or anything else related to these webpages by e-mailing me at stormie@preschoolbystormie.com and I'll post your words with mine, giving you total credit.

SHAPE: Star

From Stormie:

Creative Drama: "Twinkling Stars":

While playing the music to and singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," lie on the floor with the children stretching your arms and legs out, representing the five points of a star with your bodies (by the way, five is also the number for the month in the above curriculum). Blink your eyes, wiggle your fingers, and sway back and forth to imitate twinkling. In a gymnasium or gross motor room, you'll have more space for stretching. A Christmas tree with twinkling lights or treetop star can encourage creativity. If the children aren't too young for the discussion, talk about what a star is and why it twinkles: It's a ball of hot gas burning far, far away. When the light from a star passes through air, the movement of the air makes it look like it's twinkling.

Stacey or Stanley Star: Give each child one large construction paper star. Also provide collage materials for creating facial features, arms, legs, hats, etc for a take-home "Stacey or Stanley Star."

Size Discrimination Activity: Song: Here's a simple little song I wrote for use with the shape of a star. Give each child 3 sizes of stars (small, medium, and large). Tell the class, "We are going to sing about our little stars. Can you hold your little star up above your head and move it so it twinkles down at you?" Then sing the words below to the tune of "Jingle Bells." Repeat the process substituting the words "middle" and "large" in the song. (By the way, you could also sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," changing the word "little" to "middle" and "large or big" accordingly.)

Little Star Little Star, Little Star, Twinkle Little Star Oh what fun it is to see You twinkle down at me! Art Extension: Children can draw happy faces on their stars then add glitter to them before using them at Group Time.

New Fun With Old Rhymes:

STARSby Rhoda W. BacmeisterBright stars, light stars,Shining-in-the-night stars,Little twinkly, winkly stars,Deep in the sky!Yellow stars, red stars,Shine-when-I'm-in-bed stars,Oh how many blinky stars,Far, far away!During Grouptime, have the children close their eyes and think about a nighttime sky full of stars. After repeating the rhyme with them several times and allowing them to discuss the night sky they see in their minds, let them know that you have provided black paper, many sizes and colors of stars (cutouts and stickers), and other collage materials in the Art Center for them to create their own "night of stars" during Free Choice Play -- if they wish. Later, when reviewing the poem, ask children to help you with the words that rhyme.

Favorite Books:
From Stormie:
*Ottie and the Star, by Laura Jean Allen: Ottie lived in the sea. One night, while looking at the reflection of the night sky on the water, he asked his mother if he could have one of the stars. She told him they were too far away. But Ottie saw them in the water so he decides to try and catch one.
*A Star in My Orange: Looking for Nature's Shapes, by Dana Meachen Rau, Illustrator: Rau finds "shapes" in nature. For example, she finds a "star" shape in an orange and a starfish.

Idea from Connie:
Star Pinata: You could do the old paper mache on a balloon and add 5 styrofoam cones to make the points, either adding paper mache to them also or just gluing them on after it dries. Either way, cover it with yellow tissue paper. I haven't actually tried this, but I have added other things successfully to balloon paper mache, so this should work!

Making a Multi-Cultural Connection:
To provide a frame of reference, show children where countries are located on your classroom globe or map, and if possible, provide related pictures and books:

Please share your multicultural ideas by e-mailing me at stormie@preschoolbystormie.com

From Stormie:
Israel (located on the continent of Asia):

Sorting Stars: Here's a "star shape" activity that's also multi-cultural in nature, and is especially appropriate if you are introducing children to the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah: Cut out several stars that are the shape of the "Star of David" (6-pointed star, a Jewish symbol) and several stars that are the 5-pointed version. (Use the same color construction paper for both types of stars and make them all the same size.) Let children sort them by counting the points.
To decrease the difficulty, Place a small dot on one of the points where the children are to begin counting so that they know where to stop and won't continue counting on around the star again.
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Reminder from Stormie: If you would like to begin collecting ALL my current classroom ideas (each on a 4 x 6" index card), as well as new ones that I create, you can do so by ordering my "Activity Cards." Click here to check them out.

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