Don’t forget that we have a core set of additions that we use when something needs extra focus or help in clarifying a concept. We use various items from that list as needed, which I don’t mention here in our add-on list.
And we always fill out our journal and do our sign language practice.
For the Nest Unit and Letter N, We Added:
- This line drawing worksheet is free via Twistynoodle. If you click at the side you can change the letters at the top to a traceable version.
- We built a giant nest out of pillows, then did a “baby bird simulation” by having Bug curl into a ball and gently tucking a gauze muslin blanket around him. He then practiced “breaking out of the egg.” To keep in the theme, he ate a couple of gummy worms like a baby bird. He then played a little with his plushies, wrapping them in blanket eggs and pretending to be a daddy bird, bringing food to the babies (gummy worms).
- Watched a timelapse of a bird building a nest and eggs hatching and growing into fledglings (below).
- Did some Halloween activity pages (count the objects, dot-to-dot, draw a line to matching objects).
For the Turtle Unit and Letter T, We Added:
- We did this draw a tortoise sheet sheet that I made. It’s best done using a half sheet of paper or index card laid over top of the sheet and have the child move the sheet to reveal each step as they go. The link will take you to a page with the pdf and you can print from there if you don’t want to download it.
- Talked about the sea turtle nests we had seen at Vero Beach. During hatching season, the nests are marked by conservation groups so they are not disturbed or stepped on. Businesses along the coast do their best to enforce the “no light near the water” policy that would confuse the baby turtles, who will follow the light thinking it is the moon reflecting off the ocean and go the wrong way. This means that they use vegetation as a light shield and ask guests not to turn on lights that shine outside.
- T is for Teddy Bear, so we visited the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory.
- Added beans to the inside of the turtle craft in the curriculum.
- Used the turtle versus tortoise sheet that we found on Reddit
