Friday, January 11, 2013

A Look at the North and South Poles

We used quite a few books and folder games along with videos to experience wild life at the two poles. We also took a look at magnificent glaciers and the steps it takes to build an igloo. Some of the books we used this week included Building an Igloo by Ulli Steltzer, Glaciers: Nature's Icy Caps by David L. Harrison, Mama Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joose and Kumak's House: A Tale of the Far North by Michael Bania. We also spent some time watching an actual igloo being built:



We also explored the animals that inhabit the polar regions through folder games, toys, books and other activities. Icy "glaciers" found their way into the sensory table. We also had a great time building an igloo with marshmallows and using packaging materials as icebergs and "shoes." The igloos we made to go home were made from cotton balls and styrofoam bowls.







Our look at the polar regions also included the following activities:

Ice fishing with fish printables from this link.




Bubble wrap print fish.



 A fishy Jello treat from this link.





Matching the polar bear pictures from this link.







 Abstract Penguin art from Teach Preschool.




Painting the snow outside with water colors in our nancy bottles.




Catching "slippery" fish in our water table.


Playing with cake mix, ice and polar region animals.




We also explored our new light box, inspired by Teach Preschool. Here are some of our creations:








We took time this week to also make some mini "volcanic" explosions with vinegar and baking soda just for fun.


Some of our letter and number work included the following along with our toddler activities. The polar bear number activity is located here.




As you can tell, we had another full week of exploring and fun. Next week, we will begin our two week look at colors, numbers and shapes with assistance from Ellen Stoll Walsh. I will leave you with our favorite penguin video.