Shadows and Reflections – Week 1

Theme – This is our first week of our new unit, Shadows and Reflections. During this unit students will explore shadows and reflections, using observations, experiments and books to learn what makes a shadow and a reflection. Through Story Time books, children hear about a girl playing by a still pond, a puppy who thinks he is a kitten, a crocodile collecting reflections in a pail, a sleepy boy who sees a shadow save a cat, and a raccoon who has an adventure with only his reflection for company.

Theme Concepts:
Reflections are images thrown back from a shiny surface.
There must be light or there is no reflection.
Mirrors and still water reflect light well; dull surfaces do not.
If water is moving, its reflections are blurry or crooked.
Objects are opaque, translucent, or transparent.
Shadows are the dark areas made when an object blocks light.

Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles – Please ask your child what he or she did today (Tuesday). As part of exploring reflections in water and mirrors we will also be looking for reflections in bubbles. We will be exploring different tools to use to make bubbles (bubble blowers, large wands, just your fingers).

Stories:
Play with Me by Marie Hall Ets
Raccoon on His Own by: Jim Arnosky

Small Groups:
-Language – ABC matching book.
-Math–Go Fish
-Math – It’s raining, it’s pouring counting book.
Writing: Drawing and Labeling portraits
Science: Hand Held Mirror Play
Games: Animal Memory

Choice: -
-Easel – Painting meadow, pond, and stream animals
-Sand/Water – Sand
-Dramatic Play – Dress Up (We are looking for boys dress up attire. If you have any that you would like to share, please label and send in. i.e. men’s old dress shirts, ties, old suit coats, etc.)
-Art – Reflective-Paper Collages
-Writing Center – Drawing and writing about animals
-Puzzles – Animal Puzzles (Raccoons, crocodiles, grasshoppers, and fawns).
-Blocks – Construction Zone

Songs, Word Plays and Letters
Open Shut Them
Looby Loo
Eentsy, Weentsy Spider
Bingo – with the word Snake
Whose Reflection is in the Pool?
Little Letter/Big Letter Chant
My Big Balloon
Windshield Wiper
Five Little Fishies

Reminders:
This time of year the sun is beginning to get warmer. As we love to play outside, you may want to add sun block to your child’s face and arms before sending him or her to school.