Rainbow Wear- Submitted by Sherry

Ask your children to wear something from home that is one of the rainbow colors. (If someone forgets, be prepared to provide a colored yarn bracelet.) Make a wall chart that shows how many children are wearing red, how many are wearing orange, and so on. Which color was chosen the most? The least?

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Blowing In The Wind- Submitted by Sherry

When the dandilions are at their fuzzy stage we read the book by Eric Carl, The Tiny Seed . Then we blew the dandilions and watched them fly; also used bubble to represent seeds too. This is more fun on a windy day.

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Spring Books- Submitted by Sherry

Backyard Sunflower by Elizabeth King

Sunflower House by Eve Bunting

Gift of the Sun by Dianne Stewart

My Backyard Giant by Mary Sawicki

The Sunflower by Marliese Dieckmann

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My Flower Flannel Story- Submitted by Sherry

need: leaves, stem, flower with ten petals and smiling face, honeybee

My flower grows up towards the sky,
Leaves and stem and petals high.
See the green leaves near the ground.
On the stem is where they're found.
See the petals, count with me,
How many petals do you see?
l, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
See the honeybee come callin',
Buzzin' around in search of pollen.
My flower smiles and says, "Hello."
The bee says, "Thanks!" before he goes.

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Chicks at Play- Submitted by Sherry

What's the plus of this movement activity? It introduces youngsters to early addition concepts! Invite a child to stand in front of the class. After reciting the first two lines of the poem shown, invite the child to choose a friend to join her in front of the class. Continue reciting the poem and adding playmates until five little chicks are scratching, pecking, and playing!

One little chick went out one day
And called a friend to come and play.
Two little chicks went out one day
And called a friend to come and play.
Three little chicks went out one day
And called a friend to come and play.
Four little chicks went out one day
And called a friend to come and play.
Five little chicks went out to play.
They scratched and pecked and played all day!

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Little Chick, Little Chick- Submitted by Sherry

There's nothing like an entertaining action poem to get your little chicks cheeping! To prepare for this activity, make five chick necklaces, each labeled with a different number from 1 to 5. During your group time, invite five children to stand in front of the class. Provide each child with a chick necklace and identify its number. As you recite the poem below, have each little chick perform an action as directed in the poem.

Little chick, little chick, number one,
Flap your wings and have some fun.
Little chick, little chick, number two,
Reach way down and touch your shoe.
Little chick, little chick, number three,
Nod your head for us to see.
Little chick, little chick, number four,
Jump up high, right off the floor.
Little chick, little chick number five,
Dance around and do the jive.

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Hopping Home- Submitted by Sherry

Use this movement activity as a stand-alone idea or as a follow-up to "Chicks at Play." Begin with five students standing in front of the class. As you recite the poem shown, direct each little chick, in turn, to hop back to his seat.

Five little chicks went out to roam.
One little chick went hopping home.
Four little chicks went out to roam.
One little chick went hopping home.
Three little chicks went out to roam.
One little chick went hopping home.
Two little chicks went out to roam.
One little chick went hopping home.
One little chick went out to roam.
One little chick went hopping home.
No little chicks went out to roam.
They were tucked in bed, safe at home.

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Book List for Spring Theme- Submitted by Sherry

First Comes Spring - Anne Rockwell

Honey Rabbit - Margo Hopkins

How Do You Know It's Spring? - Allan Fowler

I Love Spring - Steven Kroll

It Looked Like Spilt Milk - Charles G. Shaw

Let's Find Out About Spring - Martha Shapp

Rain - Peter Spier

Round Robin - Jack Kent

Spring - Fern Hallow

Spring - Gail Saunders-Smith

Step Into Spring: A New Season - Jane Moncure

Taste the Raindrops - Anna Grossnickle Hines

The Carrot Seed - Ruth Krauss

The Lamb And The Butterfly - Arnold Sundgaard

The Spring Hat - Madelaine Gill

Titch - Pat Hutchins

Where Butterfies Grow - Joanne Ryder

Will Spring Be Early? Or Will Spring Be Late? - Crockett Johnson

Vegetable Garden - Douglas Florian

Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day - A.A. Milne

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Bird Activity- Submitted by Patrisha

Make a tree with no leaves that is large enough to fit your flannel board. Make at least one felt bird of each of these colors: red, yellow, green, purple, orange, blue, black, brown. (You can make more than one of each color if necessary---so each child will have one.) Give each child a colored bird. Place the tree on the flannel board.

Song:
Little Red bird in the tree
in the tree, in the tree
Little Red bird in the tree
Sing me a song.

The children who have a red bird places the bird on the tree and sings "Tweet Tweet." Repeat for each color. This is great for children to review their colors.

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Spring Time Poem- Submitted by Patrisha

S is for SUNSHINE to brighten the spring,
Warming the water, the earth, everything!
P is for POSIES with colors so bright-
Reds, yellows, purples, Oh! what a sight!
R is for RAINDROPS that splash all about,
Wetting the earth so that new life can sprout.
I is for INSECTS that flit through the air,
And the grasshoppers, beetles, and ants everywhere.
N is for NOISES I hear when I wake,
The chirping of birds and the laughs children make.
G is for GROWTH that I see around me.
The plants and the animals- SPRING is lovely!

Author Unknown

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Dirt And Mud Poem- Submitted by Patrisha

What a dud!
They make you unclean,
Then your mom turns mean.

You know about dirt,
That gets on your shirt,
And messes up your pants,
So your mother raves and rants.

You know about mud,
That ugly brown crud,
That gets on your shoes,
So your mother yells at you.

There's dirt and mud,
Wherever I roam.
I'm sorry mom,
But it follows me home.

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Mud Poem- Submitted by Patrisha

Mud is very nice to feel
All squishy-squash between the toes!
I'd rather wade in wiggly mud
Than smell a yellow rose.
Nobody else but the rosebush knows
How nice mud feels Between the toes.
---Polly Chase Boyden

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History of Kites- Submitted by Sherry

It is not certain as to where the first kites came from, but it is said that they were first known to the people of the South Sea Islands. They used to use it to fish, attaching bait to the tail of the kite and a web to catch the fish. Even today, some natives of the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean use kites as s fishing aid. In the Polynesian Islands, kites were associated with gods. A kite represented the God Tane, as well as the God Rongo who was the patron saint of the arts, kites, and kite flying. Then once again, the knowledge spread.

The Maori are a people who lived in what is now known as New Zealand. Their word for bird is ‘manu’ and it is the shape of a bird that they made their kites. It was believed that birds could carry messages between humans and gods. Sometimes, the kites represented the gods themselves. The Maori God Rehua is depicted as a bird, and was thought to be the ancestor of all kites. As kite flying was considered a sacred ritual, it was often accompanied by a type of chant called the turu manu. Here is a translation of a turu manu.

My bird, by power of charm ascending,
In the glance of an eye, like the sparrow hawk,
By this charm shall my bird arise,
My bird bestride the heavens.
Beyond the swirling waters,
Like the stars Atutahi and Rehua,
and there spread out thy wings,
To the very clouds.

Truly so. The Maori also used kites for divination and for funerary purposes. China is another widely accepted place as the birthplace of kites. One story is of a Chinese general, Huan Theng who, in the year 202 BCE, got the idea for a particular military strategy watching the way his hat flew from his head. Placing thin pieces of bamboo that hummed and shrieked in the wind, the General flew a large number of them over an enemy encampment one night, causing them to believe that they were plagued by evil spirits out to destroy them, and so, the army ran away. Both the Chinese and the Japanese learned to use kites for raising soldiers into the air as spies of snipers. Some old Japanese and Chinese prints show warriors flying over their enemies territory.

There is also a story from Japan about a famous robber named Kakinoki Kinsuke, who was supposed to have used a person-lifting kite to raise himself up to the roof of a castle where the were statues of dolphins made of gold. He was able to steal some of the scales from the dolphins and hid them. He did not escape the authorities, though, and came to a rather fatal end by execution. As time went on, kites were incorporated into local customs in Asia. In Korea, it is a tradition to write the names and birth dates of male children on the kites and then to fly them. The line is then cut to ensure a good year by taking all the bad spirits with it. In Thailand, each monarch had his or her own kite which was flown continuously during the winter months by imperial monks and priests. They were also flown during the monsoon season by the people of Thailand to send their prayers to the gods.

In Japan, windsocks are used in the shape of a carp, a symbol of strength of will and fortitude. These windsocks are flown on May 5th, Children's Day, as an inspiration to the children.

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Spring Theme- Submitted by Sherry

When we participate in doing a spring theme the children may learn:

· Spring colors.

· Spring Weather.

· Plants that grow in the spring.

· Insects seen during the spring

· Springtime holidays.

· Spring animals.

· Spring activities.

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Spring Learning Concepts- Submitted by Sherry

· Spring is a season.

· It rains in the spring.

· Light colors are seen during the spring.

· Caterpillars and butterflies are insects seen in the spring.

· Some holidays that are celebrated in the spring are Mother’s Day, Easter, May Day, Arbor Day and Memorial Day.

· Chicks, lambs, and birds are springtime animals.

· Some people go on picnics in the spring.

· Many gardens are planted in the spring.

· Flowers, dandelions, and grasses are spring plants.

· Gardens are often planted in the spring.

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Spring Vocabulary- Submitted by Sherry

Spring- the season that comes after winter and before summer.

Garden- a place where plants and flowers are grown.

Rain- Submitted by Sherry water from the clouds

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“The Dog and the Bumblebee” Story- Submitted by Sherry

A little dog set out one day, adventuring was he – When what did he meet upon the way but a great big bumblebee! “Bzz, bzz, bzz,” said the bumblebee, “little dog – stay away from me.” The little dog laughed, “Silly fly – you can’t give me a scare. Afraid of no little bug am I – and I will bite you….. there!” “Bzz, bzz, bzz”, said the bumblebee “I’m warning you – stay away from me”. But the little dog opened his mouth up wide – and just as you’d suppose – “Very well,” the bee replied – and stung the little dog’ s nose! The little dog yelped, “oh, oh, oh,” and the bee replied, “I told you so.” So the little dog turned – and ran did he – as fast as he could go – Now – he nevermore will bite a bee! Absolutely NO!

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Book List- Submitted by Sherry

Will Spring Be Early? Or Will Spring Be Late? By Crockett Johnson

Round Robin by Jack Kent

Titch by Pat Hutchins

The Carrot Seed by Ruth Kraus

First Comes Spring by Anne Rockwell

That’s What Happens When It’s Spring by Elaine Good

A Spring Story by David Updike

In the Spring by Craig Brown

Flower Fairies of the Spring by Cicely Barker

How Do You Know It’s Sprng by Allan Fowler

Spring by Ron Hirchi

Step Into Spring by Jane Moncure

Simon Welcomes Spring by Gilles Tibo

Wake Me In Spring by James Preller

Hopper Hunts for Spring by Marcus Pfister

When Will it be Spring by Catherine Walters

Hello, Spring! By Mary Packard

My Spring Robin by Anne Rockwell

Blue’s Clues, It’s Spring Blue by Adam Peltzman

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Spring Walk- Submitted by Sherry

Take a spring walk with the children. Point out the sights of spring and discuss them.

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Flower Arranging- Submitted by Sherry

Give children all types of artificial flowers. Provide plastic vases. Let children work alone or in groups to make flower arrangements.

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Bird Walk- Submitted by Sherry

Take the children on a bird walk. Discuss the different colors of the birds you see. Tell the children the names of the birds.

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Mud Poem- Submitted by Cheryl

Mud is very nice to feel
All squishy-squash between the toes!
I'd rather wade in wiggly mud
Than smell a yellow rose.
Nobody else but the rosebush knows
How nice mud feels Between the toes.

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Spring Discussion- Submitted by Cheryl

Talk to the children about rain and rainbows. What kind of weather do we expect in April? Does it usually snow? Is it really hot? Or does it rain a lot? Where does the rain come from? For older children you can discuss the rain cycle. What is rain good for? What would happen if it didn't rain? If the plants didn't grow then what would happen to animals that eat the plants, like humans? Older children: Discuss that different places tend to get more rain... a desert gets very little rain while a rainforest gets a lot of rain.

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Weather Disscussion- Submitted by Cheryl

Talk about weather! Kinds of weather. How does weather influence the world around us? What good is rain? What is the rain cycle? Discuss the different types of clouds.

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Spring Books- Submitted by Sherry

Big Bird Brings Spring to Sesame Street by Little Golden Book

Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

Tale of Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter

Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present by Maurice Sendak

The Lamb and the Butterfly by Arnold Sundgaard and Eric Carle

The Chocolate Rabbit by Maria Claret

Easter Parade by Mary Chalmers

The Bunny Book by Richard Scarry

Little Mouse Meets the Easter Bunny by Harriet Ziefert

The Happy Easter Book by Golden Super Shape Book

The Little Rabbit Who Wanted Red Wings by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey

Chicken Little- Little Chick's Easter Surprise

Hopper Hunts for Spring - Marcus Pfister

Harry The Dirty Dog - Gene Zion

Milk Rock - John Kaufman

Stone Soup - Ann McGovern

The Mud Pony - adapted by Caron Lee Cohen

The Piggy in the Puddle - Charlotte Pomerantz

Have You Seen My Duckling? by Nancy Tafuri

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Ducklings On An Egg- Submitted by Sherry

I make a large egg from posterboard and laminated ducklings from construction paper. The childrens' names are written on them and attached to the egg. The children are given their duck to place on the egg. Good start for name recognition without clues.

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March Poem- Submitted by Sherry

March is an in between month,
When wintry winds are high.
But milder days remind us all,
Spring's coming by and by.

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Seeds Poem- Submitted by Sherry

Seeds know just the way to start.
I wonder how they get so smart?
They could come up in garden beds
Feet first by standing on their heads.
They could forget if they should grow
Like sunflowers high, or pumpkins low.
They could forget their colors, too,
And yet they never do."

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Ladybugs Fly- Submitted by Cindy

Youngsters will go buggy in all directions when singing this song--so make sure you provide them with plenty of room to move! To make a ladybug finger puppet for each child, collect a supply of red jug lids. Hot-glue a black pom-pom to each jug lid; then glue two wiggle eyes to the pom-pom. Using a permanent black marker, embellish the ladybug's body with dots. Insert a ball of play dough into the lid. To use his puppet, a child presses a finger into the dough. Fly, fly away!

(sung to the tune of "Three Blind Mice")

Fly, fly, fly.
Ladybugs fly.
Fly over here.
Fly over there.
They fly up high and they fly down low.
Around and around and around they go.
They fly-fly fast, and they fly-fly slow.
Oh, ladybugs fly!

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