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Preschool Weekly Curriculum - Bugs and Butterflies
Preschoolers are intrigued by all of the creepy crawling things in the world around us. The Bugs and Butterflies preschool theme provides preschoolers with the opportunity to learn hands on about the role that insects play in our world.
Arts and Crafts - Make a Mirror Butterfly Fold a piece of construction paper in half and cut it into the shape of a butterfly. Open it up and paint one side of the butterfly. Fold it again and press it firmly. Open it up to reveal a beautiful symmetrical butterfly.
Math and Science - Purchase a butterfly, ladybug, or other kit that allows preschoolers to watch insects go through the life cycle first hand. Talk with the preschoolers about the changes they will see as time passes.
Music and Movement - Sing the Itsy, Bitsy, Spider.
Pretend Play - Add plastic insects to your bean or sand table for preschoolers to find. Let preschoolers play with them throughout the week.
Language and Literature - Read The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Talk about the changes that happened to the caterpillar.
Arts and Crafts - Ask the preschoolers who knows what the world “insect” means. Tell the preschoolers that it is another name for bugs. Ask them to help you make a list of all the bugs that they know.
Math and Science - Go on a bug walk. Give each preschooler a clean jar or other container. Ask the preschoolers what types of bugs they think live near their home. Go on a “bug walk” outside. Look for bugs as you walk. Have the preschoolers capture the bugs in their jars. If the preschoolers want to save their bugs be sure and punch some holes in the lid of the jar and add some leaves and grass for shelter.
Music and Movement - Sing The Ants Go Marching.
Pretend Play - Have preschoolers pretend to be caterpillars by crawling around on the floor. Tell them it is time for them to form a cocoon. Give each preschooler a blanket and have them wrap themselves up in it. Tell them that while they are in their cocoon, their wings are forming and they are transforming into a butterfly. Tell the preschoolers that it is time for them to come out of their cocoon.
Language and Literature -
Little Miss Muffet
Arts and Crafts - Have preschoolers press their fingers onto a stamp pad and then press them onto a piece of paper. Let them make as many fingerprints as they want. Using a fine marker add wings, antennae and legs to make bugs.
Math and Science -
Preschool Bug Activities - How to Build a Worm Farm
After seeing your preschooler express an interest in worms (ie: play with worms), you may be wondering if there are any fun science projects you can do with your preschooler about worms. And yes, there are! You and your preschooler can build a worm farm. With this fun science project, your preschooler can see exactly what worms do to dirt and why they are such an important part of any garden.
Music and Movement - Sing Baby Bumblebee.
Language and Literature - Reread The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Talk about why a caterpillar eats so much food before they form a cocoon.
Arts and Crafts - Cut apart three sections of a cardboard egg carton to make the body of an ant. Have preschoolers paint the egg carton to look like an ant. Talk about the different sections of an ant’s body. Use pipe cleaners to make antennae and legs.
Math and Science - Make ants on a log for snack. Have preschoolers spread a piece of celery. Let them place raisins on top of the peanut butter to make ants on a log. Preschoolers will enjoy eating this healthy snack.
Music and Movement - Sing The Itsy, Bitsy Spider with hand motions.
Language and Literature - Reread The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Talk about what happens to a caterpillar while it is in a cocoon.
Arts and Crafts - Help preschoolers paint the bottom of their feet. Stamp the right foot down as the left butterfly wing and the left foot down as the right butterfly wing. You want the preschooler’s big toes to be on the outside. When the paint is dry, have preschoolers decorate the butterfly with antennae, eyes, buttons, pom poms, glitter, and other decorations. Beneath each butterfly write: “Beautiful butterfly, precious and sweet, strange how it looks like [name of preschooler]’s feet!”
Math and Science - Provide an assortment of plastic bugs and have preschoolers practice counting them.
Music and Movement - Sing The Ants Go Marching.
Language and Literature - Reread The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Talk about the different ways that the caterpillar changed.
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Monday
Circle Time - Talk to preschoolers about what happens to caterpillars in order for them to turn into butterflies. Tell them that they form a cocoon or a chrysalis when they are ready to turn into a butterfly.Arts and Crafts - Make a Mirror Butterfly Fold a piece of construction paper in half and cut it into the shape of a butterfly. Open it up and paint one side of the butterfly. Fold it again and press it firmly. Open it up to reveal a beautiful symmetrical butterfly.
Math and Science - Purchase a butterfly, ladybug, or other kit that allows preschoolers to watch insects go through the life cycle first hand. Talk with the preschoolers about the changes they will see as time passes.
Music and Movement - Sing the Itsy, Bitsy, Spider.
Pretend Play - Add plastic insects to your bean or sand table for preschoolers to find. Let preschoolers play with them throughout the week.
Language and Literature - Read The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Talk about the changes that happened to the caterpillar.
Tuesday
Circle Time - Ask the preschoolers who knows what the world “insect” means. Tell the preschoolers that it is another name for bugs. Ask them to help you make a list of all the bugs that they know.Arts and Crafts - Ask the preschoolers who knows what the world “insect” means. Tell the preschoolers that it is another name for bugs. Ask them to help you make a list of all the bugs that they know.
Math and Science - Go on a bug walk. Give each preschooler a clean jar or other container. Ask the preschoolers what types of bugs they think live near their home. Go on a “bug walk” outside. Look for bugs as you walk. Have the preschoolers capture the bugs in their jars. If the preschoolers want to save their bugs be sure and punch some holes in the lid of the jar and add some leaves and grass for shelter.
Music and Movement - Sing The Ants Go Marching.
Pretend Play - Have preschoolers pretend to be caterpillars by crawling around on the floor. Tell them it is time for them to form a cocoon. Give each preschooler a blanket and have them wrap themselves up in it. Tell them that while they are in their cocoon, their wings are forming and they are transforming into a butterfly. Tell the preschoolers that it is time for them to come out of their cocoon.
Language and Literature -
Little Miss Muffet
Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey,
Along came a spider who sat down beside her,
And frightened Miss Muffet Away!
Create finger puppets with craft sticks to hold preschoolers interest in the nursery rhyme. Repeat this nursery rhyme often to help preschoolers memorize it. Memorization is an important skill for preschoolers to learn early.Wednesday
Circle Time - If you bought a butterfly kit, have preschoolers observe the caterpillars and talk about the changes they see.Arts and Crafts - Have preschoolers press their fingers onto a stamp pad and then press them onto a piece of paper. Let them make as many fingerprints as they want. Using a fine marker add wings, antennae and legs to make bugs.
Math and Science -
Preschool Bug Activities - How to Build a Worm Farm
After seeing your preschooler express an interest in worms (ie: play with worms), you may be wondering if there are any fun science projects you can do with your preschooler about worms. And yes, there are! You and your preschooler can build a worm farm. With this fun science project, your preschooler can see exactly what worms do to dirt and why they are such an important part of any garden.
Music and Movement - Sing Baby Bumblebee.
Language and Literature - Reread The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Talk about why a caterpillar eats so much food before they form a cocoon.
Thursday
Circle Time - Post pictures of bugs around the preschool classroom and have preschoolers take turn finding a picture.Arts and Crafts - Cut apart three sections of a cardboard egg carton to make the body of an ant. Have preschoolers paint the egg carton to look like an ant. Talk about the different sections of an ant’s body. Use pipe cleaners to make antennae and legs.
Math and Science - Make ants on a log for snack. Have preschoolers spread a piece of celery. Let them place raisins on top of the peanut butter to make ants on a log. Preschoolers will enjoy eating this healthy snack.
Music and Movement - Sing The Itsy, Bitsy Spider with hand motions.
Language and Literature - Reread The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Talk about what happens to a caterpillar while it is in a cocoon.
Friday
Circle Time - If you bought a butterfly kit, have preschoolers observe the caterpillars and talk about the changes they see.Arts and Crafts - Help preschoolers paint the bottom of their feet. Stamp the right foot down as the left butterfly wing and the left foot down as the right butterfly wing. You want the preschooler’s big toes to be on the outside. When the paint is dry, have preschoolers decorate the butterfly with antennae, eyes, buttons, pom poms, glitter, and other decorations. Beneath each butterfly write: “Beautiful butterfly, precious and sweet, strange how it looks like [name of preschooler]’s feet!”
Math and Science - Provide an assortment of plastic bugs and have preschoolers practice counting them.
Music and Movement - Sing The Ants Go Marching.
Language and Literature - Reread The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Talk about the different ways that the caterpillar changed.
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