Branches and Leaves...

On Monday (and part of Tuesday) our Mother Goose lesson was all about branches and leaves...

 The kids started out the morning working in their workbooks again.

Math word problems in their math workbook...

 On the back side of this activity their was an opportunity for the kids to make up their own math problems with a squirrel and cherries.

 Silly cherry shapes in their math workbook...

 Story telling activity in their literacy workbook...

 Lastly, a quick true or false activity in their literacy workbook...

During circle time the kids and I sang "The Branches on the Tree" to the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus."

 This was our craft for the day.  The kids dipped their fingers in green paint to make leaves on the branch.  Then they used their fine motor skills as they applied some apple stickers to their art!

After our projects we headed outside to learn a bit more!  I taught the kids that the big branches on a tree are called boughs, and the small branches are called twigs.  They kids went looking for these types of branches on the trees in my backyard.

 Next we gathered a variety of sticks from the yard...

 We practiced writing in the dirt with our sticks!

 Next I asked the kids to see if they could break their stick into 3 or 4 pieces (3 & 4 are the numbers we are learning about this month).  The kids felt so empowered to be able to do this!

 Then the kids practiced building the letter A with their sticks!

 Lastly I chose four sticks for the kids to practice placing in order from longest to shortest or thickest to thinnest!

 Mother Goose provided us with this science discovery card...

 We pounded the colors out of nature on an old white t-shirt with a rubber mallet!  The kids LOVED this!!!

 Wow!  How cool!

 The kids brought a small twig inside and then completed their letter A page in their monthly journal...

 These were our books for the day...

 In the afternoon I set out these supplies for a learning station.  Mother Goose provided us with the wooden fruit beads, pie tins, and number 3 counting card.  The kids were encouraged to place the fruit on the branch provided and pretend to pick it off.  They were also encouraged to place three fruits per pie tin while using the counting card for guidance.

 This count and clip activity was on the back of the number 3 counting card...

 On Tuesday I took time to set up our imaginary apple orchard and pumpkin patch in our dramatic play area.  The kids completed this leaf and hungry caterpillar activity...