Jun 14, 2015

Transportation Preschool Lesson Plan



Cars, trains, boats and planes can all be included into a theme about transportation. Consequently, there are many ideas that can be contributed into a transportation preschool lesson plan. In addition, a theme about transportation can be incorporated into other topics such as vacation, safety, workers and our community.

Begin a Transportation Theme at Circle Time


Introduce a theme about transportation at group circle by asking the children what they think the word transportation means? Just saying the word itself with four syllables is a big word for some preschool ages. Then ask the children if they can give examples of different forms of transportation and record their answers. This process allows children to take ownership of the topic and feel honoured for their ideas. Before long, the group will determine that transportation means how we move from one place to another.

Sorting/Categorizing

Give each child a picture showing a form of transportation. On an easel board or large piece of paper make categories, such as sky, land and water, and allow each child to choose where the picture should be. Alternative sorting can be with an engine and without an engine or with wheels and not with wheels.
                                                        
Transportation Song

To the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus":

The cars on the road go beep beep beep...all around the town
The planes in the sky go zoom zoom zoom...all around the town
The trains on the track go chug, chug, chug...all around the town
The boats on the water go swish, swish, swish....all around the town.


Transportation Open Ended Art Ideas


1) Provide children a variety of shapes of paper: rectangle, circle, square, triangle, along with some glue and felts. See what forms of transportation they will create on their own.

2) Provide children a variety of collage material and instruct the preschool children to make some form of transportation and see what happens. Some material suggestions would be egg cartons, small boxes, toilet paper tubes, pipe cleaners, straws, paper shapes, scissors, tape and glue. Lots of glue.

3) Painting with cars



Transportation Activities for the Classroom


•One ongoing project can be a classroom mural where pictures of transportation are placed. These pictures may be found in magazines available at the open-ended art station, or can be brought in from home environments.

•Activity sheets can easily be made or found online to continue the learning process about transportation. Children will circle or color the things on the sheet that are forms of transportation. Click here to be redirected to a great site for printable coloring/activity sheets.

•Transportation pictures can be glued onto one side of cleaned juice lids along with other pictures, then placed downward onto a table. With a magnet wand, children may pick up the lid and place them into appropriate categories.

•Take the children on a transportation walk around the community to see how many different forms of transportation might be found.



Drama Play for a Transportation Theme


                                                                                        
Regardless of the age, a box can turn into many forms of transportation for lots of fun dramatic play!


The drama area should be turned into different forms of transportation throughout this particular theme. One simple way is to place chairs one behind the other and explain to the children that a bus or train has been created. This visual activity can occur outside as well as inside. To extend on that idea, fill the drama station up with bags and suitcases along with clothes and other items for packing. A ticket station can be created with pads of paper to help create the scene.


For further reading:



May 23, 2015

Ideas for a Preschool Bird Theme


A preschool theme about birds can include a variety of categories, for instance:

predator
pet
farm
ocean
nocturnal
birds around the world

Introduce the Bird Theme at Circle Time


Before beginning a theme about birds, during circle time, ask the children what they know about birds. Record their answers and use the information as a starting point for learning. Some questions to ask children are:

  • What does a bird look like?
  • What makes a bird different than a dog?
  • Are there birds around your home?
  • Do you have a bird as a pet?
  • Where do baby birds come from?
  • What colors do you see on birds?
Place the children's answers on a bulletin board for parent to read, for example, on bird wings or the belly of a penguin.



Fun Facts About Birds for a Preschool Lesson Plan


Provide the children with some basic facts about birds, without getting into a lot of detail. In this way, young children can rehearse what they already know, be provided affirmation of their own knowledge, and for some, be learning the basic information for the first time. Some bird facts to give preschool children:

  • Birds are the only animal with feathers.
  • Most birds can fly.
  • Birds have beaks.
  • Birds have two legs.
  • Birds make nests.
  • Birds lay eggs.
  • Birds are warm blooded.
  • There are more than 9,000 species of birds.
  • Birds can be found around the world.
  • Birds come in many different sizes, colors and shapes.
Having pictures of birds to show the children is always helpful in the learning process, particularly for young children who are visual learners, ESL and have speech delays. Find books at the library, look for bird calendars, scour magazines for images or use the computer.

Birds From Around The World


Once the facts have be given and provided, explain to the children that their preschool curriculum will include birds around the world. One suggestion is to choose one or two birds from a geographical region and focus program planning around those birds or one bird. This way, each geographical region can follow a week long lesson plan. Another suggestion involves spontaneity and time restricted program planning, which is to have the children decide on what bird they want to learn about. Display a map of the world, and place a picture of the chosen bird on its geographical location. The following list suggest some birds in geographical regions around the world.

  1. Arctic Birds: penguins, snowy owl
  2. Tropical Birds: parrots, flamingo, peacock
  3. "Local" Birds: ducks pigeons, robin
  4. Desert Birds: roadrunner, ostrich
  5. Downunder Birds: kookaburra, kiwi
Indeed there are so many birds to choose from. For instance, birds found around the ocean and other water sources is a big topic including such birds as seagulls, ducks, and pelicans.

Field Trips for a Bird Preschool Lesson Plan


A theme on birds would work well with a field trip to see the real thing. A local pet store or a bird sanctuary would be great choices. If those locations are not possible, try taking the children to local parks or water sources to view the birds that live locally.



 LINKS TO MORE RESOURCES


With well known bird species, you will more likely find ideas for crafts, songs, poems, books and activities with online sources and from books in the library.  The following links will bring you to other articles and program planning ideas for a bird themes.