Montessori Preschool Human Body Week (Part 1)

I like to use the same theme for my little girls as the big kids, if I can.  This week, we were all learning about the human body book.  Our big kids' wrap up is here. 

One of our books this week was a cute little board book that Explorer found at the library book sale last week.

Then we found our toes :).

At Christmas time, I picked up this super cute puzzle from Discoveroo.  It has five different layers-clothed, skin, muscles, organs, and then skeleton.  It is a little challenging for little ones at first, but they really enjoyed the challenge.  Great way to learn about the body systems at a young age!

We used toilet paper tubes to listen to each other's hearts-it really does work!

I picked up this super cool Anatomy Apron used from one of our local Facebook swap sites for $3.00.  It's awesome!

We talked about our heart and added it to the apron.  We will be working through the other organs after Easter.

It seemed like a good week to also read about our emotions.  Miss Spider was often sad and then very happy, and the other bugs were scared.  Of course, it was the favorite book of the week as well.  

Last up, we tried something new from our local library-A Tag reading system.  We've never had one of these, but our library has 4 that you can check out and use at home.  The girls have LOVED it...until it ran out of batteries of course.  I need to get some more.

We're planning a crazy week this week, so I hope you have a good one!!

God Bless,
Lisa

Montessori Inspired Activities for The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss

My big kids are learning about roots and plants and all things botany this week.  So, I thought it would be good to come up with a few activities for my little girls to do, too.  We read The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss, and then they got to choose from a shelf full of activities.

Cutting carrots and fractions.  So far we haven't gotten to the fractions, but Explorer spent a long time cutting!  I found this idea from The Educator's Spin On It.

The Carrot Seed cards and counters.  I found the carrots at a yard sale-for FREE!  And, to make the cards, I downloaded the free printable from Miss Lee on Teachers Pay Teachers and then printed off 5 copies of just the first card.  

Patterning using the freebie from Prekinders.  

The Carrot Seed order cards.  I used the same cards as above from Miss Lee, printed them off and colored them a little for interest.  Then I just grabbed an orange piece of card stock and wrote 1-4 on it.  

This tray included an apron, playdough, and playdough mat.  I used the playdough recipe from Domestic Superhero.

The idea is to make little carrots from the playdough.  This is wonderful for building the pincher grasper muscles for writing.  I got this idea and free printable from Prekinders.

This tracer page is from myfourps.

Our local library has the 'Big Book' version of The Carrot Seed.  That really helped in keeping Explorer's attention.  

We made footprint carrots, these were inspired by the hand print ones I found on Teach Preschool only we used our feet and markers instead of paint :).

They came out really cute, I wish this wasn't so blurry!  

Last, but certainly not least, we headed out to the garden and picked our own carrots!  Then, we cut them up and ate them :).

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope your new school year is off to a great start!
God Bless,
Lisa

We are linked up:

School Day Outtakes-First Day Back

It's been a little while since we had an official school day.  It was really nice to be back!!  I'm hoping to get a couple school days in this week and next and then go back full time in August.

We've been using a new curriculum during Bible time called Bible Study Guide for All Ages.  Review coming soon, but we love it!

We are also reviewing the Notgrass Draw To Learn books as part of our Bible time.  This one is Life of Jesus. Very neat program.

Remember last week when I mentioned that I was having a hard time interesting the kids in botany?  Ha, well, I brought out this book for our group learning time and afterwards, all they wanted to do was Botany.  I think the nature studies helped, too, because now Mustang is starting to notice the leaf shapes.   We also have some great root lessons coming up-thanks to the carrots in our garden :).

Roots by John Farndon, it is okay.  Has some good info, some annoying info (about our prehistoric humans who looked like apes-unnecessary in a book about roots), but over all okay.  Due to the content, it's the kinda book I recommend checking out at the library and not purchasing ;).

It did, however, motivate all the parts of a plant work.

And the parts of a root work.  All of our botany printables come from The Helpful Garden (free).

The little girls had some new work on their shelf today.  This one is OLD, but my littles haven't tried it.  It is clipping clothes pins on a cottage cheese container.  Mini Cooper loved it.

Going with our 'beach' theme, the Melissa and Doug spill toy.  She's too big for it, got them in and out on one try and then put it on the shelf.  They grow too fast!

Melissa and Doug under the sea puzzle.  I was impressed that Mini Cooper got this put together all by herself!

Explorer tried out the clothes pins, too. Of course she put them on upside down, but there is certainly some hand-eye coordination needed for that!

Happily working.  Love!!

Heading outside for a nature study.  Mini Cooper dressed herself today, and both girls insisted on their boots.  Love them!!

A bug just randomly dropped on their picnic table.  They watched it for quite awhile.

For our nature study, we followed the Handbook of Nature Study for cats. Mustang is very interested in our barn cat lately, so I thought this would be a good lesson.

Wendy was pretty good about the whole thing, and I am quite sure Mustang learned some new things about our cat!

She wouldn't show us her teeth, though, lol!!  So, we will have to finish our lesson with internet sources.

So that's our first day back.  Of course some other things happened, too, but those are the highlights.

Hope your schooling or summering is going well!

Thanks for stopping by,
I hope you will come again.
God Bless,
Lisa

We are linked up: