Preschool Weekly Activity Schedule (25) – The Human Body

June 22nd, 2012 by Dionna | Comments Off
Posted in Carnival and Special Series, Children, Eclectic Learning, Learning Activity Series, Preschoolers, Toddlers

The Preschool Weekly Activity Schedule is designed to help parents and caretakers of preschoolers do one easy – but enriching – activity with their children each weekday. The activities can also be adapted to fit the needs of toddlers and older children.

Each theme features fun and educational activities; book and music suggestions; and other ideas to help adults and children connect through learning and fun. Please check out the archives for other themes and activities.

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This week we’re going to talk about the amazing human body.

Monday – Science Adventures

Scientist Senses Poem¹:

Read the poem “Scientist Senses”

We are scientists every day
when we read, explore, and play.
When we look closely with our eyes
at seeds and leaves and butterflies.
When we touch a stone that’s smooth.
When we smell a flower’s bloom
When we hear the insects’ songs.
When we taste honey on our tongues.
Yes, we are scientists every day,
making discoveries along the way.

Introducing the Poem

As you read the poem aloud, point with your child to eyes, wiggle fingers, touch nose, cup a hand to your ears, and point to your mouth when you say the corresponding sensory word (look, touch, smell, hear, taste). If you can, try some of the activities mentioned in the poem with your child.

Talking About the Poem

Talk about how scientists observe the world with all their senses, ask questions, and try to find out the answers to those questions. What have you and your child noticed with your senses today? What did you taste and smell at breakfast? What did you feel as you washed up, brushed your teeth, and got dressed? What have you seen outside of your window, on a walk, or on a drive? Did these sights, sounds, etc. get your child wondering about anything?

Tuesday – Language and Pre-Reading

Rhyming Words Pocket Chart: Re-read the “Scientist Senses” poem. Circle the words day, play, and way in the poem. What does your child notice about these words? On an index card, write the word day. Write the following initial consonants and consonant clusters on index cards that you have cut in half crosswise: b, cl, gr, h, l, m, p, pl, s, w. (Write the letters near the right hand edge of each card.) Ask, “how can we change day to play?” Continue talking about how to form new words by substituting letters.

Wednesday – Motor Skills

Popcorn Investigation and Stringing:

Popcorn Investigation

Give your children a few kernels of unpopped corn. Ask him to use his senses to explore the kernels. What do they look and smell like? How do they feel? How would he describe the kernels’ texture? What does it sound like when they drop a kernel onto the table?

Put the popcorn on to pop. When the popcorn starts popping, have your child close his eyes. What can he sense with his eyes and nose?

Give your child some popcorn. Use all of your senses to explore the popcorn together. Talk about how the popcorn has changed. How does it feel? How does it sound when you eat it? Talk about the fact that this is how scientists observe the world – with all of their senses.

Popcorn Stringing

With a blunt needle and thread, string popcorn up to hang outside for your neighborhood birds and squirrels.

Thursday – Exploring Our World

Five-Senses Science Journal: This activity is good for both science and language. Create sentences (either on one piece of paper or break them up onto index cards) and let your child fill in the blanks:

Today I saw a __________. Its color was __________.
Today I heard a __________. Its sound was __________.
Today I felt a __________. Its texture was __________.
Today I smelled a __________. Its scent was __________.
Today I tasted a __________. Its flavor was __________.

Friday – Science Adventures

Human Body Word Wall: Create a word wall focusing on the theme of the human body. Trace the outline of your child on a large sheet of paper. Add eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and hair. Ask your child to help you label as many external parts of the body as she can – for example head, neck, shoulder, chest, arm, elbow, hand, fingers, wrist, etc. You can also make up simple riddles about different body parts. For example, “I am the part of the body that can help you bend your arm. What am I?” (Elbow)

Book and Music Suggestions

• The Human Body: A First Discovery Book
• I’m Growing
• Me and My Amazing Body
• Inside Your Outside: All About the Human Body
• Initial Consonant Song: Play this hands-on game to focus on certain letters. (Sung to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”.) As you sing, have your child clap when they hear a word beginning with that letter, and refrain from clapping when she doesn’t. Continue singing, substituting new words and letters.
  If happy starts with h, clap your hands
  If hippo starts with h, clap your hands.
  Clap your hands when you hear
  the /h/ sound in your ear.
  If apples starts with h, clap your hands.
• Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
• The Hokey Pokey (this is a somewhat different version than the one I grew up with, but Kieran really liked it)

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