Tots and Me... Growing Up Together: Littles Learning Link Up: Guest Post: Early Elementary Lighthouse Unit Study

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Littles Learning Link Up: Guest Post: Early Elementary Lighthouse Unit Study

Each month you will find:

A seasonal round-up (toward the beginning of the month)
A guest post featuring crafts, activities, tips, snack ideas or other early childhood topics. (toward the end of the month)
Posts where I share what I have been up to with my preschoolers and/or early elementary children (including occasional highlight posts where I share how we used ideas that have been linked up here on Littles Learning Link Up).

Each week, I will host a link up, where you can share either what you have been up to recently, or old posts that may go with the theme. Feel free to link up more than one post.

Each week I will continue to feature a couple of posts from those that have been linked up.

I hope you will continue to share your wonderful posts, and I hope you will find something new to try with your child.

It would be great for everyone to stop by and visit the other linked-up posts as well. Check them out, leave some comments, pin those that interest you. Let's make this a real party and socialize with each other.

It is time for this month's Guest Post:

Today I would like to introduce you to Yvie from Gypsy Road.

Yvie is a road-schooling mother of two active boys! While traipsing across the country, she creates Lego-themed school and enjoys meeting up with other families. Find her at Gypsy Road, Educents, or on Instagram or Facebook.

Being from middle America, one of our favorite places to visit is the ocean. It's not just the novelty of being at the coast, but the sensory experience! The kids also love traipsing up and down every lighthouse we come upon....we've learned an awful lot about American coastal history this way!

Here is a short, early elementary unit all about lighthouses for your own coastal vacation. Bon Voyage!

Early Elementary Lighthouses Unit Study
Drawing & Writing Prompt

Design your own lighthouse. Draw your lighthouse, and show off your new design! Where is your lighthouse? Tell about your life as a lighthouse keeper. Who have you saved? What animals have you met?

Read-Aloud List

Real-Time

Live Web Cam - York, ME Lighthouse

Build a Lighthouse

Supplies: (per child)

paper plate,
16 oz or larger Styrofoam cup,
1 inch toilet paper roll piece,
construction paper,
scissors, toothpick,
wooden bead or pony bead,
glue (foam or tacky glue works best),
scotch tape,
regular markers, & permanent markers

Assembly:

You can start by coloring your island with waves breaking over the shore and rocks and trees around the island. If a number of children are making the lighthouse and you want to identify the builders, put their name on the other side and set it aside.
Using the bottom of your “tower”, draw a circle on a piece of construction paper for the Dome [Note: you should use the same color paper you plan to color your lantern room]; cut the circle out and set it aside.
Now you decorate the tower. Using the permanent marker (fine point works best) draw the door and windows. At this time you can color your tower with stripes or other patterns to display your daymark (see examples below).
Glue your tower to the island and set it aside. [Note: If you are making a large number of lighthouses for a group of children, it is recommended that you pour some white glue into a small plastic container that the bottom of the tower fits; dip tower lightly into the glue and place it on the island.]
Next prepare the lantern room. Cut 2” piece of paper roll and cut a 5 ½” x 1” piece of yellow construction paper to make your storm window. Using the permanent marker, make a border along the long edges and, if you choose, down the center of the strip. Tape one end of the strip at the top of the lantern room, wrap it around, and tape the other end. Draw in the astragals (metal frame running vertically or diagonally that divides the lantern room glass into sections) with the permanent marker.
Color your lantern room below the window strip. Using the circle cut earlier for the dome cut a slit to the center and slide one edge over the other to form a peaked cap; tape it together.
Glue the lantern room to the top of the tower and the dome on top. [Note: If making a large number, use the white glue in a plastic container, and dip both ends of the lantern room, place on tower, and attach dome.]
Now take the vent ball and carefully put some glue into the hole [Fast drying glue works best], about ½ full, set it on the peak of the dome, and stick the lightning rod (a 1” piece of toothpick, sharp end up) into the glue in the ball.

If you would like to guest post on Littles Learning Link Up, please contact me via email. My email address can be found on my About Me page. I am scheduling posts for the next several months and would love to include yours. I ask that the guest posts focus on subjects relevant for young children (toddler through early elementary). This could be crafts, activities, recipes, or various tips and advice. I am always open to suggestions. Details will be emailed to those who are interested.

Now Onto:

Littles Learning Link Up Features

On my last Littles Learning Link Up post, there were 22 wonderful posts linked up. I will be picking one randomly selected post to share, plus the top clicked-on posts.

Don't forget to stop by other posts that are linked up. See what catches your eye, stop by, pin the post to a relevant board, and perhaps leave a comment to let the author of the blog know you have been by for a visit. I know I appreciate others commenting and letting me know they have read my posts, so I am sure others do too.

This week's randomly selected post is:

Greatly Blessed shared Our Quiet Week.

And here are this week's most clicked on posts:

1- Like a Bubbling Brook shared How to Get Kids Outside, Plus Our 3 Favorite Backyard Toys for Ultimate Summer Fun.

2- Sicily's Heart and Home shared Father's Day Books and Activities.

3-Syncopated Mama shared Latticed Learning, Week 35.

4- Gypsy Road shared The Twist (Chubby Checker).

Join the Party!

I would love to have you join in this week! What sort of activities do you do with your young children? Do you have some favorite activities you would like to share? I invite you to link up below. I will be pinning posts on my Toddler Ideas or other relevant board, and I would love to feature some of the activities each week from what is linked up.

Please know I may share a picture from your post and link back to it, along with sharing how we used your idea in our school time. By linking up you are giving me permission to use a picture from your post. I will ALWAYS give credit and link back. Additionally, if you choose to try out any of the ideas with your child, please make sure you give credit where credit is due.

Linky will be open through Sunday night, to give me time to check out all the posts and get the Features organized. Please take the time to visit some of the other wonderful posts linked up.