Tots and Me... Growing Up Together: shapes

Showing posts with label shapes. Show all posts

Friday, January 17, 2020

Littles Learning Link Up: Penguin Unit- Lesson 1 How Penguins Stay Warm and Dry plus a Shape Penguin Craft

Littles Learning Link Up is now on Friday!!

Each month you will find:

Posts where I share what I have been up to with my elementary-age children and the preschoolers I work with at our homeschool co-op (including occasional highlight posts where I share how we used ideas that have been linked up here on Littles Learning Link Up).
The occasional round up post.

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.

Here's a peek at what we have been up to in our homeschool.

In our history lessons we have been learning about India from the time of the Mogul Empire to the time of the English gaining power there. We learned about the Taj Mahal.

The children use the computer for math. Tabitha and Amelia also use computer time to work on their Bible verse memorization for Bible Quizzing. And Amelia is still working on her story.

Harold and Hannah have been using SchoolhouseTeachers.com for grammar (which I posted my review for last week), while Amelia is using Easy Grammar Plus from last year, and Tabitha is using Grammar Planet.

Other than that, we aren't getting a lot done. I'm still trying to find a balance with our homeschool and my Pampered Chef consultant business.

Moving on to our preschool lesson:

I started a Penguin unit with the prek/k class at co-op this month. I started out with a bit of a review of the Arctic, to see how much they could remember from last winter. They did a pretty good job. Then I showed them the globe and explained that Antarctica is on the opposite side of the world. We read a bit about Antarctica and Penguins.

We talked about how cold it is in Antarctica and the penguins living on the ice and snow. Then we sang a couple of songs I came up with about penguins.

Did You Ever See a Penguin (tune of Did You Ever See a Lassie)

Did you ever see a penguin, a penguin, a penguin

did you ever see a penguin waddle around?

Waddle this way and that way, waddle this way and that way

Did you ever see a penguin waddle around?

See the Penguins (tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)

See the penguins standing there, standing there standing there

See the penguins standing there,

In Antarctica

They would go tobogganing, tobogganing, tobogganing

The would go tobogganing

Down the snowy hill.

Of course I have motions and movements for these like our songs from last year.

We also sang our snowy, winter songs from last winter.

Then we started our Shape Penguin Craft. This is a craft I came up with a few years ago when Harold was still in what was then the Nursery class. The only difference was, this time I used cotton balls for the snow on the ground.

Here are the materials you will need:

Black construction paper

White construction paper

Orange construction paper

White paint

School glue

Glue sticks

Cotton balls

Wiggle eyes

Paper fasteners (brads)

Light blue construction paper or cardstock (not shown)

Q-tips (not shown)

In preparation I cut the black paper into oval bodies, and rectangle flippers/wings, the white into circle bellies, and the orange into triangle beaks and star feet.

The children started by using the Q-tips to make snow falling from the sky with the white paint.

We set them aside to dry while we started assembling the penguins.

This was what was completed when they had to go for snack and gym.

I attached the penguin's flippers with the paper fasteners so they would be ready to attach to the snowy scene when the children returned.

After the penguin was safely attached, I had them glue on the wiggle eyes.

Then we glued on the fluffy snow.

Here are their finished Shape Penguins in a Snowy Land.

We also read this cute book to learn more about penguins, and the one pictured toward the beginning of the lesson.

We talked about how penguins stay warm because they have so many feathers overlapping. I found this idea online. We took feathers and playdough, plus I had a ruler to measure out 1 centimeter square of space. They learned that the penguins have nine feathers in every square inch.

First they were given some playdough and nine feathers and told to arrange them however they wanted.

Then they were challenged to fit all the feathers in that 1 centimeter square.

We also talked about how they stay dry because they have an oil that they secrete near their tail which they then preen all over their feathers. So, we did a little science experiment to see how oil and water don't mix.

We will be working on this penguin unit all month. Next week I'll be sharing our lesson the focuses more on Emperor penguins.

Here are some things I would like to share with you:

Penguins, Penguins All Around Round Up

Arctic Fun Round Up

Chock-Full of Snowman Fun Round Up

Fun with Snowmen Literature and Craft Round Up

Now onto:

Littles Learning Link Up Features

On my last Littles Learning Link Up post, there was 1 wonderful post linked up. I will be featuring this post

Please, 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 featured post is:

Sea of Knowledge shared Snowman CVC Rhyming Words Activity with Mini Sensory Bin.

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 one of my relevant boards, 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 Monday 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.

No button currently, and there won't be one until I can figure it out seeing as Photobucket has changed things. Feel free to still share the picture in place of the button. Just link it to my Littles Learning Link Up permalink please.

I am sharing over at

February Homeschool Round UP {Homeschool Collection}

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Littles Learning Link Up: March 20, 2018- A Cat in the Hat Shape Craft

Each month you will find:

A seasonal round-up (usually toward the beginning of the month)
Posts where I share what I have been up to with my 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.

This past week we have been fighting a battle against pink eye, and I'm not sure who's winning right now. Yes, even mommy has gotten it. In fact, it's been quite bad some days, and I haven't been able to get as much done as I would have liked. Surprisingly, we haven't fell behind in our Bible reading and history. Though we are a few days behind in The Children's Homer. We have been reading about King Saul and David in the Bible. And we learned a bit about the early Russians and the Scythians.

For more history fun, we have been playing the File Folder Tomb Dash! game from Home School in the Woods, which is a wonderful review of Ancient Egypt. In fact, I just posted my Home School in the Woods review last night. If you would like to learn more about the fun À La Carte projects we have been using, I invite you to check out that review.

Sadly, we didn't really do anything for St. Patrick's Day. We never even got a chance to read the books I had taken out of the library. Between all the reading for our Creation to the Greeks topics, and my having pink eye, I just couldn't fit more in. I didn't plan any special meal for Saturday because I wasn't supposed to be home. I really do need to fit more of these fun things in. I miss them, as do the children.

Anyhow, Resurrection Sunday is coming up. I'm going to have to make sure we do some fun activities to celebrate Jesus.

Though we haven't really been doing our MFW Science activities, the girls are now in the middle of some science experiments for a Science Fair Exhibit for co-op. Tabitha has been observing the heliotropic actions of Amelia's tomato plant which is in the window. And Amelia is exploring how different solutions affect cut flowers.

Moving on to today's craft. This is a project we made a few weeks ago in the preschool co-op class. I would have posted it sooner, but I was focusing on St. Patrick's Day these past couple of weeks. In honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday and Read Across America, we had read The Cat in the Hat and made this simple craft. I found the idea over on the blog titled Non-Toy Gifts. Her Paper Roll Cat in the Hat Craft was one of the crafts that was a part of my Fun With Dr. Seuss Round Up last year. I had thought of making that craft, but it seemed a little tricky for my group, as I have a couple who are quite young. I was thrilled when I found the link to her Cat in the Hat Craft Made With Shapes. This was much more along the lines of what my kiddos were capable of. And it is no secret, I just LOVE shape crafts! She does offer a template, but I always prefer cutting out my own shapes and creating my own. If you prefer the ease of a template, you can find it in her post, where she lists the supplies.

A Cat in the Hat Shape Craft

Here is what you will need:

White construction paper

Black Construction paper

White Cardstock (I used the cardstock so I could have slightly different shades of white)

Red Construction paper

Blue Construction paper

Glue sticks

Black Marker

I actually used a lid from one of my canisters to make the black construction paper circles, and I found a bowl that was slightly smaller to make the white construction paper circles. I cut out white cardstock squares that were about the same width/height as the circle's diameter. Then I cut out 1 inch strips of white cardstock that were slightly longer than the square. These were for the brims of the hats. Then I cut red strips for the stripes, and red triangles and circles for the bowties. I cut the small ovals for the eyes out of the cardstock.

The craft is simple enough for the children to assemble. They glued the black circle in the middle of the blue construction paper, added the white circle in the middle of that, then they added the hat brim and attached the square to the top of the blue paper.

Then it was time to add the stripes.

Next they added the eyes. Then they took turns using the marker to give the cat facial features. A couple of children worked on their cat's faces while the other children attached the bowties under the face.

Here are their Cat in the Hat Shape Crafts:

Let's take a look at that review schedule real quick:

Last week I shared two reviews. The first was for a couple of resources from Parenting Made Practical: the book What Every Child Should Know Along the Way and the DVD Taming the Lecture Bug. I also shared my review of MathArt in Ancient Cultures from NatureGlo's eScience. Last night I posted my review for the À La Carte projects from Home School in the Woods. Later this week I will share my review of the 3-D Super Bead vehicles from Zirrly. Next week I will share my review of a few books from Carole P. Roman.

In April you will be able to read my reviews of a couple of Unit Studies from Creation Illustrated, Traditional Spelling from Memoria Press, a movie titled Princess Cut from Watchman Pictures, HelpTeaching.com, and the Planet 316 Story Book Bible plus app. And in May I will be sharing about some books from Weigl Publishers, along with the mutlimedia content we will be granted access to.

Here are some things I would like to share with you:

Resurrection Sunday is less than two weeks away. Here are a couple of posts to help you focus on Jesus and the Cross this holiday season.

Focusing on Jesus Resurrection Day Round Up

Focusing on the Cross With 15 Jesus-Centered Books for Resurrection Sunday

Now onto:

Littles Learning Link Up Features

On my last Littles Learning Link Up post, there were 15 wonderful posts linked up. I will be sharing a randomly selected post and the top clicked-on posts.

Please, 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:

Lisa from Syncopated Mama shared Latticed Learning - Dinosaurs.

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

(There were four of them!)

1- Kelly from Our Everyday Harvest shared 30 Snack Ideas Inspired by Dr. Seuss.

2- Gale from Imaginative Homeschool shared St. Patrick's Day Free Faves.

3- Kristen from A Mom's Quest to Teach shared Learning About the Alphabet: D is for Dogs.

4- Kelli from 3 Boys and a Dog shared Books About the Holstein Cow for Children.

Join the Party!

I am sharing over at

An InLinkz Link-up

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Littles Learning Link Up: February 21, 2017 - Shape Penguin in the Snow Craft

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(ren).

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.

What have we been up to?

We took last week off, enjoying Valentine's Day and Harold birthday. We started back in with school yesterday, better organized than I have been in a while. We will finish our study of Norway this week, and then we will move on to France. We are now in the middle of reading the book Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan, which is based on actual events in Norway during the German occupation in 1940. We started our Fox unit with MFW-K. Fox actually is the unit for the letter X, not F, as we are making sure to learn the /ks/ sound for x. This gives us a chance to work on ending sounds, which Hannah has also been doing in her Language Arts curriculum we are reviewing, as she has been asked to find rhyming words in poems.

Moving on to co-op, I decided we would make some Shape Penguins. I made these with my children several years ago, but I never devoted a post just to the penguins. They were a part of our Week-in-Review post for the letter P. This book would pair well with the book, Baby Penguin Learn Shapes With Me. I don't actually have this book anymore, as it was destroyed, but we loved this board book. Each page focuses on one shape, and if I am not mistaken the story is told in rhyme. I really miss this book.

Anyway, here is the Shape Penguin in the Snow Craft we made:

This is a fairly simple craft, with easy-to-find supplies.

You will need:

Black construction paper

White construction paper

Light Blue construction paper

Orange construction paper

White paint

Paintbrush

Q-Tips

Wiggly eyes

Glue stick

White school glue

Metal Paper Fasteners

The shapes needed for this craft are:

Black oval

White circle

Orange stars (2)

Orange triangle

Black rectangles (2)

These can easily be drawn, but I did create a printable to make it even easier. All you have to do is cut out the shape in the color needed.

To make the Shape Penguin Craft:

First I had the children paint a snowy habitat. They used the brush for the snow and ice the penguin would be standing on, then they used the Q-tips to dab on some falling snow.

While the paint dried, we assembled the penguins.

We used the glue stick to attach the circle to the bottom of the oval.

Then the stars are attached to the very bottom for feet, and the triangle is placed point-down above the circle (with part of it overlapping the top of the circle)

The wiggly eyes are attached with a couple of drops of white glue.

We then helped the children attach the rectangle wings/flippers with the metal paper fasteners. Harold was able to do some himself, and a couple of the other children tried. I pushed the fastener through the wing first, then through the side of the oval.

When everything was dry, the penguins were glued to the snowy habitat.

Let's take a look at that review schedule:

My review for Times Alive from Times Tables the Fun Way went live a couple of weeks ago. Hannah is still using (and loving) her Language Arts Curriculum from Eclectic Foundations. That review will be posted the beginning of March. We also received two new Circle C Stepping Stones books written by Susan K. Marlow. Tabitha and Amelia will be reading these books, and the review will be posted in mid-March. We are also reviewing Joseph: The Canada Goose, which is a storybook and art lesson book from How Great Thou Art Publications. This review will be shared on the Old Schoolhouse Magazine site.

Some Things I would like to share with you:

For more penguiny ideas, here is my Penguins Galore! Plus... post from several years ago.

Here is another shape craft I posted a while ago. The Panda Bear Shape Craft {with Free Printable}.

Don't miss my giveaway for the children's book

Plenty of Love to Go Around

(US only, Ends 2/22)

I am trying to line up guest posts for 2017. If you would be interested writing a guest post for Littles Learning Link Up one of these months, please leave a comment or contact me via my contact info on my About Me page. I will need to have your email address so I can contact you. I am looking for posts that have to do with young children: crafts, activities, foods/snacks, tips, or other ideas. I am open to suggestions.

Now onto:

Littles Learning Link Up Features

On my last Littles Learning Link Up post, there were 7 wonderful posts linked up. I will be picking one randomly selected post to share, plus the top clicked-on post.

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: